#pick up all of Em's moms too go for a fun picnic

[mishapen-dear]

shoots her with creature beam !!! i think qmouse can shapeshift so actually i can draw her however but i thought it would be fun to give her some extra demon features

[thegeminisage]

birthday meta for the birthday boy <3

[this version of the meta is behind a cut. if you’d prefer the no-cut version, it’s here.]

a fun little fanon from Ye Olde Days of spn (when seasons 1-5 were airing) was that sam always had the absolute worst birthdays. a big part of this is because sam’s birthday is in may. supernatural tends to align itself with “real time,” meaning that they like to use either the date the episode was filmed or the date it aired as the in-universe date, even when two canon dates conflict each other. (they’re so intent on doing this that they pretended the gap years between s5 & s6 and s7 & s8 right out of existence - season openers also usually tend to pick up right after season finales in-universe but still somehow be set several months later.) that means sam’s birthday tends to line up with the airdates on either season finales or episodes right before the finales, which means that every time sam gets a year old, shit hits the fan. 

here’s a list of things that did happen or could have happened on some of sam's birthdays:

0-22: we don’t have much in the way as far as concrete dates go for preseries stuff, but it’s perfectly possible sam walked out all that bullshit the day he turned 18, even if i prefer to think he left at age 19 as that aligns rather tragically with some adam-related canon.

23: we don’t have any dates for the end of s1/opening of s2 either, but it’s likely that sam’s birthday took place between 1.20 (dead man’s blood) and 2.01 (in my time of dying). he could have been doing anything from hunting vampires to saving one of YED’s special children to almost shooting his possessed father to getting hit by a semi to using a ouija board to talk to his not-quite-dead brother.

24: here’s where the real fun starts >:) sam died in cold oak in 2.21 (all breaks loose pt 1) and in the episode he says he’s 23. but according to the lore (extra-canonical material), dean made the deal to bring him back on his 24th birthday...

25: ...which means that on his 25th birthday, he was forced to watch dean get dragged to hell...

25b: ...except that sam had TWO 25th birthdays, because mystery spot took place in february, and sam lived in an alternate timeline where dean stayed dead for 6 months, putting him well past may 2nd. which meant that the first time he turned 25, he was actually getting tortured by gabriel. while his brother was getting tortured (or torturing someone else) in hell.

26: 4.20 (the rapture) took place in very late april/very early may (the wiki says may 3, but that’s just a guess), and 4.21 (when the levee breaks) picks up immediately where it left off. so it’s not only plausible but EXTREMELY LIKELY that sam was locked up in the panic room suffering withdrawals when he turned 26, dude

26b: ...except that in 11.17 (safe house), bobby and rufus’s half of the episode presumably takes place at the same time during season 4, and he mentions sam and dean are in reno?? so you know they could have been doing that instead.

27: we have no hard and fast dates for the end of season 5, but it’s my personal headcanon that sam’s birthday took place during 5.22 (swan song), and he beat the devil and leapt into hell on the day he turned 27 - because at this point, why not. however, his birthday could also have taken place during either 5.20 (the devil you know) or 5.21 (two minutes to midnight), meaning he was reconfronting his old college pal who turned out to be a demon brady, or helping bobby and a human cas destroy the factory with the croatoan virus.

28: there’s a gap year between s5 and s6, so sam’s 28th birthday took place while he was soulless, hunting with the campbell family...

28b: ...except spn likes to say “a year passed” without adding one to the calendar, so sam ALSO had a 28th birthday during the airing of s6. there’s some conflicting information about s6′s timeline, so this could have happened anywhere from 6.18 (frontierland) to 6.21 (let it bleed). sam could have been doing anything from time traveling to fighting eve to grappling with cas going dark side to rescuing lisa and ben.

29: sam’s 29th birthday almost definitely took place during 7.20 (the girl with the dungeons and dragons tattoo), during which he met charlie. in case you’ve forgotten, that was actually a great day for him - in a moment of true little brother antics and justifiable homophobia, he got to laugh at dean gay flirting with the security guard.

30: there was another gap year between s7 and s8, which means that sam spent the big three-oh with amelia richardson while dean and cas were in purgatory. he got to have a picnic!

30b: ...but since spn ignores gap years, sam ALSO had a 30th birthday during s8 (a big season for him). there isn’t an exact date for the episodes leading up to the finale, which takes place in late may, after sam’s birthday, so his birthday could have taken place in either 8.21 (the great escapist), where he nearly died of his trial-induced fever and confessed to dean that he always felt unclean, or during 8.22 (clip show), where he met sarah blake again after nearly a decade, only to have her die right in front of him.

31: the s9 timeline is pretty vague, but the best guess for this one is 9.18 (meta fiction), in which sam finally gets to confront gadreel, the angel who possessed him and killed kevin with his hands

32: the s10 timeline is also short on dates, so sam’s birthday could have taken place anywhere between 10.16 (paint it black) and 10.21 (dark dynasty). a few possible things sam could have been doing: dealing with a hunt involving soulless people, helping cas and bobby break metatron out of heaven’s prison, catching up with charlie and giving rowena the book of the damned, battling the cursed werther house (don’t click that unless you’ve seen the episode, the twist is TOO good), reuniting claire with her mom, or building charlie’s pyre.

33: the last quarter or so of s11 happens really quickly sequentially, every episode picking up soon after the last one left off, which means that sam’s birthday either took place at the very end of the season or the beginning of s12. it’s most likely he turned 33 either the day dean saved the sun and sam himself got shot and kidnapped by toni bevell, or a few days later when he was being held captive and tortured in her basement.

34: unfortunately, sam’s 34th birthday almost definitely took place during 12.21 (there’s something about mary). i was really hoping it’d be 12.22 so he could be kicking the bmol’s asses, learning lucifer was back, and hugging mary, but no...instead he was mostly likely learning that ketch had had eileen killed. 

35: because of some weird canon, the timeline for season 13 is actually batshit insane and makes no sense whatsoever, which means sam’s birthday is really early this season - either during 13.17 (the thing) where he rescues his brother from a frisky tentacle monster or 13.18 (bring ‘em back alive) where he hangs out with gabriel and cas in the bunker. since that’s garbage, you’d be forgiven for ignoring canon and pretending sam’s birthday fell on one of the following episodes - 13.19 (funeralia) is very touching, as he and rowena clash and then make up with each other; 13.21 (beat the devil) has sam capturing lucifer, then dying and getting revived and captured by him; 13.22 has sam getting a little revenge by leaving lucifer for dead; 13.23, of course, has lucifer finally dying for good.

36: there’s no dates whatsoever on the back half of s14, so theoretically sam’s birthday could take place in any episode after 14.13 (lebanon). the likeliest and COOLEST candidate is for sam to turn 36 during 14.20, in which he shoots god himself point blank. other admittedly inferior  scenarios include his stint as justin the 50s househusband, mary’s death, or putting jack in the ma’lak box.

37: we saw this birthday happen onscreen during 15.14 (last holiday) at a party thrown by mrs. butters. unfortunately, not too long after that, she wound up torturing him by pulling out his fingernails.

38: that’s this year! because the timeline of s15 is also so weird and vague, partially fucked up by covid changing the shooting/airing times, and because sam’s birthday is SO early in s15, it’s possible that he has another one this season, right at the end, or maybe post-canon, which means............................................

...................................................that he’s spending it with dean and jack and the newly revived eileen and cas, in the bunker or somewhere else he feels safe and loved :)

happy birthday, sam winchester <3 after all the unhappy ones...u deserve it

[spn masterpost]

[neonthewrite]

Field Trip

Another contest prize! The request this time was for some quality fluff between Jacob Andris, a human, and Vel, a young wood sprite of Wellwood. Jacob is the gentlest giant around, so it's no wonder that little sprite wanted to hang out with him!

Reading time ~5-10 minutes

~~~~~

Jacob smirked when Bowman flitted towards him. As he predicted, the fussy sprite wasted no time scolding him. “Could you be any more of a stompy giant?!” he complained, banking in a wide arc around Jacob’s long, striding gait. “You’ll scare everyone off before you even show up.”

Jacob had put a lot of work into walking carefully enough to avoid that exact situation. Even knowing he could do more, he was confident in his skills. Naturally, that did nothing to stop Bowman from scolding him. Jacob would worry about the little guy if he ever kicked that habit. “Nah, I won’t,” he countered. “I had you to warn everyone I was coming. They know I’m on the way. Bet I’ll even have a big welcome party.”

Bowman scoffed. “Welcome party or not, you’re blasted loud, Jacob. No storm clouds to be seen and yet there’s thunder.”

That earned another chuckle from Jacob. “Dude, what’s got you so worked up? Trying to convince people you trained a giant again?”

Bowman groaned, and Jacob spotted the look on his face before he could flit away. “Bowman, you don’t need to fret about it. I’ll be on my best behavior, like I always am. No one will find a reason to scold you, at least not from me.”

Another little scoff. This time, Bowman swooped close so he could land on Jacob’s shoulder. With his perch claimed, he finally admitted “Fine. You’re right. But if someone gets upset, I might just get chased out of the village. Last visit a nestling climbed into your hood but I’m the one who got bopped for it!”

Jacob laughed, though he tried to rein it in with Bowman perched on him. “Dude, they wouldn’t do that. And if they did, you can just chill with me. That’s not so bad, right?”

“Ha. If any nestling gets in trouble, I’m pointing at you, giant.”

Jacob rolled his eyes, but wasn’t surprised. “And if someone tries to bop you, I’ll probably have to let ‘em. Wouldn’t want anyone to think I’m not trained, right?”

“Oh, climb a dead tree. And then behave. We’re almost there.”

~~~

Jacob had visited Wellwood several times before. It never went as badly as Bowman assumed it might, though not for lack of griping. Most of the residents of the village trusted Jacob to be near their vulnerable homes; he’d stood up for them against other humans before, after all. He protected the secret even from his own family. Even those who were still wary of him didn’t begrudge others a chance to visit with him. Jacob had no intention of forcing someone to be around him if they didn’t want to, anyway. He had plenty of visitors as it was.

True to his word, he behaved well. He put up a calm front for Bowman, but in reality Jacob was careful to watch every move. He didn’t want to break that fragile trust he’d built up with the wood sprites of Wellwood.

While some of the younger sprites came to see Jacob, with their parents nearby just in case, Bowman had spent some time wheeling about in the air, chasing or being chased by other sprites his age. It was a pleasantly uneventful afternoon, as far as Jacob was concerned.

He made his way back to his clearing near dinnertime. While the sprites all wandered home to eat, Jacob wanted to be well away from the village. Seeing him eat made them nervous sometimes, and it made him feel awkward. He’d go have his dinner at his camp and the sprites needn’t be bothered.

The clearing, his temporary residence whenever he visited, was just as he’d left it earlier. His tent waited to one side with some firewood piled next to it. A plastic cooler sat in the shade next to a bucket for water. He had a sturdy line tied between two trees to hang up some of his other belongings, particularly food he didn’t want some forest critter to drag away.

He took a few steps towards that line only to halt in surprise at the sound of a giggle. The sound startled him enough that he swayed in place from the sudden stop. It was not a sound he expected out here, not with the village so far behind him.

“Alright, very sneaky,” he said to the open air before looking down at the pocket on the front of his hoodie. An innocuous pouch of fabric, it fascinated most of the sprites that encountered it. They didn’t have pockets on their clothes at all, so he didn’t have to wonder why.

Gingerly, Jacob reached a hand into the pocket, wary of bumping into tiny wings at the wrong angle. A small figure shifted away from his fingers and another giggle emitted from the pocket, and he couldn’t help a faint smile of his own. Whoever it was, they were young and quite pleased with themself for their deception.

A deception Jacob would take the blame for, he was certain.

“C’mere, kiddo,” he said, scooping his hand beneath the miniscule sprite and ferrying them out into the open. Little movements fluttered on his palm as they settled, and before he even had them in view he felt little hands clinging to his thumb for stability.

It turned out to be one of the nestlings, an absolutely tiny child with wings too small to do more than flutter along on the ground. His light brown hair was mussed and staticky from the pocket, and his wings stretched out as soon as he was back in the sunlight. He grinned at Jacob as he rose to eye level with the would-be giant. “Hi, Jacob! I was hiding!”

“I noticed,” Jacob replied, amusement coloring his voice. “You’re … Vel, right?”

If possible, the boy’s grin brightened. “Yeah! I’m Vel! I wanted to see your, um, your camp! So I was real sneaky.”

That exuberance was hard to deny, so Jacob only shook his head ruefully. “You don’t need to be sneaky to come visit me here, Vel. I’m sure your parents wouldn’t mind bringing you, but you should have asked so they’d know where you went.”

The boy stuck out his lip in a defiant pout, and his little wings flared open in a show of confidence despite the way his arms still wrapped around Jacob’s curled thumb. “But I wanted to be sneaky! And my mama wouldn’t have said yes, not when it’s dinnertime. But I thought, maybe, I could just have dinner here! Then when we go back she won’t get upset!”

Oh she’ll be mad alright, Jacob thought. Just probably not at you. It looked like Bowman’s worrying earlier would come to pass and Jacob would earn a few tiny bops.

He looked over his shoulder as if he might see a pair of angry sprite parents darting out of the woods right then and there. When he looked back, he was met with some very potent puppy eyes from Vel. “Okay,” he conceded, earning another enthusiastic grin. “But you’ll have to be good, and you have to promise me you won’t hide in my pocket again, okay? It’s not safe for you to be in there without me knowing.”

Vel nodded vigorously. “Okay! Yeah! I’ll be good, Jacob, I promise!”

“Good, we don’t want to make your mom worry any more than she already will,” Jacob replied with a faint smile.

Jacob had no doubts the kid would do his best, but really the responsibility all rested with him. He sighed and determined not to let that thought worry him; it wasn’t like he would let Vel wander into something dangerous, and the kid really couldn’t go all that far on his own. His wings were still small, occasionally fluttering involuntarily.

He moved his hand closer to his chest, offering his tiny guest better stability as he continued towards his hanging food bags. “You might end up having a dinner of human food, I can’t remember everything I brought,” he warned.

Vel didn’t seem worried. “Yay! Is it candy?”

Jacob had to chuckle at that. He grabbed one of his bags down from the line and made his way to his dormant campfire to have a seat. “No, I’m not gonna feed you candy for dinner,” he chided. “You need something healthier to make sure those wings grow big and strong.”

Vel pouted up at him, but didn’t have any further arguments. He clung tighter to Jacob’s thumb as he settled himself on the ground. He watched the sturdy food bag curiously, eyeing the zipper as Jacob opened it up.

First things first, Jacob rummaged in the bag with his free hand until he found a handkerchief, little more than a worn swatch of cloth he’d meant to use as a napkin. This he set on the ground before finally lowering Vel down. “Here you go, bud. You can sit here so you’re not right in the dirt, sound good?”

Vel scooted himself to the edge of Jacob’s hand, pausing to survey the offered picnic blanket before he hopped down. His wings fluttered and his arms shot out to his sides so he could prevent a stumble, and then he grinned proudly up at Jacob. “Thanks, Jacob! It’ll be fun! I’m gettin’ hungry! What’re we gonna have?”

Jacob couldn’t help an endeared smile. He gently nudged at Vel’s tiny stomach, earning a burst of giggles. “Hungry, huh? Let’s see what I have, maybe we can fill that tummy right up.”

“I betcha have a lot,” Vel mused, dropping to a seat while Jacob searched through his bag. “That bag is big enough for a whole house! Maybe two!”

“It’s pretty big alright,” Jacob agreed. “Gotta have a lot so I don’t run out while I’m visiting. Then I’d have to eat leaves, and those don’t fill me up as well as they do for you sprites.”

Vel giggled some more, but was distracted from responding when Jacob produced a few clear baggies from the large canvas bag. Raisins, granola, trail mix, and a few other things that kept well were separated into the bags; Jacob set aside a few that definitely wouldn’t work (thankfully Vel didn’t notice the M&Ms in the trail mix before it was out of sight again). Jacob picked out a raisin and a broken shard of a banana chip, thinking they’d be plenty to get the kid started.

He held them out and Vel, his eyes wide, took both in his hands with an endearing kind of reverence. “Thanks, Jacob! These look really good! This … what’s this yellow thing?”

Jacob helped himself to some granola, but before eating any he explained the food for Vel. “The yellow thing is a dried piece of a banana. It’s a kind of fruit. The other thing is called a raisin. It’s a dried berry. They’re still good like that, I promise.”

Vel wrinkled his nose in thought, then eyed up the two unusual fruits in his lap. “That sounds like winter food,” he pointed out. “But they’re not cold!”

"Nah," Jacob agreed, keeping an eye on the fascinated little sprite. "Maybe they were cold when someone dried them out. I don't know how they make 'em."

Vel nibbled at the banana chip and pondered it. Jacob took the kid's distraction as a chance to sneak a few more bites of granola. Vel didn't seem as worried about it as most of the adult sprites, but Jacob didn't plan to take any chances upsetting him. The kid had an innocent trust in the would-be giant in his midst. Breaking that trust would be deplorable.

After a few minutes of quiet, Vel finally had a verdict. "I like this banana thing," he announced, holding up the piece he'd barely made a dent in. "You said it wasn't gonna be candy, but this is just as good as candy! It’s kinda hard but I don't mind 'cause it's really yummy!"

"Well, good," Jacob said with an endeared smile. "It’s good for you. Much better for those wings than candy would be " To punctuate his claim, Jacob nudged one of Vel's fluttering wings with a fingertip.

Vel squirmed away on his makeshift picnic blanket, clutching his banana chip close to his chest as he did. “Wait, wait, I wanna try the other thing too!” he said in between giggles.

Jacob relented and nodded pointedly at the raisin Vel had left behind in his scrambling. “Oh, that thing right there? I thought you were leaving it for me.”

Vel gasped and dove for it. “Nooo, I still want it! I promise!”

“Alright,” Jacob conceded, doing his best put-upon expression. “Go ahead and try it out. Whatever you don’t manage to fit in your tummy can go home with ya, okay? Maybe your parents would like it.”

And maybe a peace offering will get me out of trouble, he amended silently.

Vel fidgeted to settle himself comfortably again. “Yeah! I bet they’d like to try it. Winter food that isn’t cold is so weird!”

Jacob hummed thoughtfully. “I bet it is,” he said, sneaking some more of his own food while Vel was preoccupied. “I wonder what your mom and dad will say about it.”

~~~

Soon enough, it was time to head back to the village. The sky was turning orange at the edge of the horizon. No matter the begging faces he got, Jacob’s resolve only wavered a bit. He really couldn’t let the kid stay out too long without his parents knowing where he was.

Arriving back at the village, he had a feeling he knew which of the trees held Vel’s home. A number of adult sprites fluttered around it in agitated patterns. They barely noticed his return to the village.

Until he cleared his throat. “Um. Hey, guys.” He held up his hand, fingers curled for the security of the nestling sitting on his palm. “I had someone sneak back to my clearing with me when I left for dinner.” Vel waved at the nonplussed adults.

Several of them darted over to Jacob, heedless of his size. Among them was none other than Bowman himself, who came to a hover right before Jacob’s face. “What did I tell you about behaving?!” he scolded.

Jacob blinked and leaned back. “I did behave! Vel here is very sneaky. So I gave him some dinner before bringing him home.”

Vel was grinning at a sprite woman that had landed right on Jacob’s hand to check on him. “I was so sneaky, mama!” he announced. “We had fun! Jacob let me keep the leftovers!”

At least he had Vel to smooth things over. Jacob could tell by Bowman’s narrowed eyes that he’d be bopped later. “It was just a little field trip. Won’t happen again without permission, I promise.”

“It better not,” Bowman warned, as if that was all it took to keep a nestling from misbehaving and landing Jacob in trouble.

[vancilocs]

Is kabal and zephi on the table 👀 just dont answer what doesnt apply aaand colm and naomi?

they have a Thing going on

Who's the one who's reckless and always getting into trouble while the other gotta pull em out

They both think the other is the reckless one! But not getting in trouble, just being careless. Kabal would always like to make sure Zephi gets home safe and Zephi makes Kabal promise he drives safely

Colm doesn't think there's anything reckless about Naomi going into the forest during new moon, his mom disagrees

Who's the one to send the other "I love my gf/bf" memes

Kabal sends memes appreciating rude and powerful women who kick him in the nuts

If they had phones, Naomi more

Who's the one who listens to a music genre the other doesn't like and how does the other react

Kabal is dad rock 100% and that's his playlist when on roadtrips, Zephi is welcome to suggest other songs or even make her own roadtrip playlist if she wants to, but please don't be rude abt his taste in music

They'd both listen to folk rock sampled with mushroom growth sounds and throat singing

How one spoils the other more and do they ever get competitive to show the other more love

Not really? Zephi spoils Kabal by letting him stay at her place for a night or two, he spoils her by giving her flowers sometimes

Colm spoils Naomi by giving her extra affection, Naomi spoils Colm by letting him be by himself sometimes (but makes sure solitude doesn't drive him into a worse headspace)

How many years did it take to get married or was it just not for them

They haven't even discussed being serious yet, marriage isn't a big thing for either so like. It's whatever

Weddings and marriage aren't really a big thing in the clan, people just end up together and move in together and have kids without there necessarily being a ceremony (more like just a bonfire party). They just... became an item.

Are their friends/family supportive

Yeah... mostly. Mehara is fine with Zephi, Hafza is happy for her dad, Gabriel is pleased Zephi might have found someone fun. Herah is still very dubious but also doesn't want to interfere too much, Zephi is a grown woman who can do her own decisions

Very much so, Mahran is so happy to see Colm happy and she also very much likes Naomi. Myra couldn't be more pleased, Kaede is glad and Koldun doesn't really care but he's not very close with Colm in the first place

How does one comfort the other when the other is in distress/having a panic attack/crying

-

Naomi has to be careful because if she spooks Colm when he's agitated he will teleport by accident and she doesn't want him dropping himself off the rooftop again. Just speak to him calmly, give him his own space, reassure him he's safe and at home. If he allows, hold his hand or hug him. If Naomi's crying or otherwise distressed Colm will just hug her and pet her hair until she's okay.

Which one dissociates

-

Colm mainly

Which one stares at the other's booty like "damn" and how does the other react when catching them

Both honestly and neither really minds? Kabal will just ask if Zephi likes what she sees

Neither much, sometimes it's fun to walk past and give the other's butt a pat just to hear them giggle

When they live together what kinda place do they live in? What does their home look like?

More like what does Zephi's place look like, Kabal is practically homeless lmao

Cozy and warm, not too small so it fits their kids later on as well, decorated with dried plants and wreaths and branches etc., a bit messy sometimes but it's very much a home and a very comforting place

What do their dates look like

Grabbing fast food or going to a diner after work at like midnight or 2am, maybe going to a bar for a couple, Kabal being invited to Zephi's place, he brings flowers and gets tied to a chair

Go for a long forest walk, maybe take some food along and have a picnic on a cliff or something, enjoy calm nature, have a snuggle, kiss a little, avoid werewolves,

How does each act when getting drunk

Kabal gets louder and more jovial, careful not to trip all over his long-ass legs

Naomi gets a little giggly and very talkative, will talk your ear off about the stars and bones and how you can see the future if you do this this and this under the full moon. Colm starts sobbing inconsolably

Which one rolls over in the morning to wake up the other one just to kiss them

Could be a delicate way for Zephi to say you need to leave my apartment

Naomi, but after letting Colm sleep for a while

Have they saved each other's lives before

Nope

Nah

Does one have an interest the other thinks is weird but wants to listen to it regardless

Zephi has to introduce Kabal into BDSM delicately so he realizes it's a bit more than just handcuffs

Colm might not quite get Naomi's psychic tendencies but he knows it's important to her and people haven't always believed her about it, so he will listen to whatever she has to say

Which one uses cropped hentai as reaction images

I don't think Kabal even crops it

-

Does one of them kinkshame the other

Kabal will let Zephi know of his limits but he never shames her

Naomi has no kinks, Colm is ace

Is one of them self-conscious about their body? If so how does the other comfort them

I don't know if either, Zephi is shy but fine about her body in general

Colm has the scar on his belly from that time his dad stabbed him he's uncomfortable about, Naomi just doesn't acknowledge it. He's not super comfortable being undressed anyways so just let him keep his clothes on and he's alright

What song do they listen to while going on a joyride

Kabal has a whole playlist of dad rock and synths for his hours-long drives

What kinda joyrides do they go on? Relaxing ones or wild ones?

Relaxing for Kabal at least, excitement for Zephi when he moves on the highway and speeds up

Do people ever get annoyed of their PDA

Herah gets annoyed at Kabal for breathing but otherwise not really? They don't really show it anyways

Never, it's just cute.

Would they live in the city or the country

It's whatever for Kabal. He'd be going on a long ride nowhere anyways

They live a bit outside the village proper, more quiet which they prefer

Are either of them mentally ill, if so how do they help one another cope

I don't think so? Zephi is just shy.

Colm is a mess of PTSD and general anxiety, Naomi is just weird otherwise but she's very quiet, calming and comforting so if Colm wants to talk she's always available to listen and if he wants to be alone she'll make sure he's fed/warm/dry at least

Does one have a spot on them where they would melt when the other kisses them there

Inner thighs, neck almost behind the ear, throat when his head is bent back for Kabal

Naomi lives for cheek and forehead kisses (and kisses on the mouth), Colm likes kisses on his head

Do they dance together

They could hit a club, sure. Kabal is not super good at it, but passable

Hum a song and sway together at home, if real happy maybe even do a little dance at a bonfire party

Do they sing together

I could see them (or at least Kabal) belting out a tune in the kitchen or something when there's a good song on the radio

Sometimes, one starts humming and the other one joins

Which one is better at cooking than the other and makes most the dinners

Zephi is probably better, Kabal sustains himself on fast food mainly

They both kinda suck. Colm can grill a pheasant on a firepit but that's about it, and Naomi can chop up a cucumber and put some leaves on top. Mahran teaches them how to make the basic casserole before they starve

Are they a reckless couple or safe

Bordering on reckless?

Very safe

What be they kinks and do they try each other's kinks

Kabal isn't aversed to milfs and femdom but Zephi had him topped (hee hee) with bondage. The rougher stuff he will need to be eased into but he's always open for new experiences

Their kinks are Love and Care and Pants On Hugging

What would be their Valentine's gifts be to each other

A bouquet, some candy and a pack of condoms from Kabal

If they knew what it was, a good dinner and flowers.

Do they get into fights often? If so, what do they fight over and how do they make up?

They're not really in a serious enough relationship to have fights

They don't fight

Which one's top, bottom, verse

Both verses, but when Zephi tops she tops hard

What kinda sex they be having

If Kabal gets to pick, just... regular with a touch of rough. If Zephi gets to pick, he's screaming for mercy by the end

If Colm's ace ass is even in the mood it's lights off shirts on missionary

Who would fight in honor for the other if someone would insult them

Kabal would get mad if someone insulted Zephi, he wouldn't immediately throw hands but he'd be very vocal like hey, apologize to the lady

Don't get Colm angry the guy knows blood magics he doesn't have full control over

Do they want kids

Naaaaah. Kabal has a grown up daughter whom he adores and who's the light of his life, but he doesn't want more nor does Zephi

Yeah and they have a couple!

[collecting-stories]

Rick - ep. 09 - Georgia

Summary: After you and Daryl spend the afternoon together Rick and Michonne come over for beers, Rick finally figuring some things out.

A/N: I wanted to add more depth to the relationships in this version of the series. 

Georgia Masterlist | The Walking Dead Masterlist

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Daryl sat in the passenger seat, window rolled down as he smoked a cigarette, watching you sitting behind the wheel of his truck was more enticing than he thought it would be. He figured, this truck being akin to a child, that he’d be keeping an eye on you so that you didn’t damage her while you were driving but in fact it was just the sight of you in the driver’s seat, taking precious care of something special to him, that was making it hard to turn his gaze away.  

“Ya ain’t a bad driver.” Daryl commented, smoking blowing out the open window as he spoke.  

“I told you!” You laughed, “you know Rick Grimes?”

“Yeah, how do you?”

“Our mama’s went to school together, his mom’s my godmother. But he taught me to drive.” You supplied.  

A week before you got your permit your dad went on a week-long bender that resulted in his third stint in rehab. Your mom had asked Rick if he minded teaching you, telling him that your dad’s brother had passed away and he’s gone up to Virginia to be with his family. One year he’d caught the flu and another time an uncle in Tennessee had passed and he’d gone to bed with family’ because apparently your mother had married a family man.  

Rick had been happy to help and you’d been happy to have him teach you. If you could’ve had an older brother you were sure you would’ve wanted it to be Rick. He was a little older than you, Daryl’s age, but he had always hung back at kids' tables and parties and church picnics with you, never letting you feel left out.  

“He ain’t too bad.”

“Of a person or of a driver?” You asked, glancing over at Daryl as you slowed to a stop at a streetlight.  

“Both, likes to hassle me whenever he drops by.”  

“I didn’t know you were friends!” You said, already preparing all the questions you were going to ask him next time he came into the diner.  

“Ain’t clipping pictures to my visor or nothing,” he remarked, grinning when you frowned at him. There was a picture of Maggie and you from last year’s Harvest Festival clipped to your visor in your jeep and Daryl had teased you about it when he’d first noticed it there.  

“I’m gonna get a picture of me and clip it to your visor so you can see my smiling face every morning.” You replied.  

“Lucky me.” He managed to sound sarcastic as he said it but he thought immediately that he wouldn’t mind a picture of you in his truck, tucked away to look at whenever he was having a shitty day.  

“Where am I going once I get in to Woodbury?” You asked, crossing over the pike to take the back way into town. You liked backroads better than the main highways, something you and Daryl had in common. He wasn’t as much of a backseat driver as you thought that he would be.  

“The industrial park on the other side of Cartwright...ya know where that is?”

“As long as you tell me where to turn.” You passed the Woodbury diner, the chrome exterior catching the sun and drawing your attention. “We should get food there on the way back.”

“This ain’t a whole day thing...I got stuff ta do when I get back.” Daryl replied, taking a look passed you to the diner as the truck continued on.

“It’ll be fun, come on.” You begged, glancing over at him.  

“I’ll think about it.”  

-

Daryl lacked the ability to say no to you, something he had already known to be true but discovered over again when he told you to pull into the diner in Woodbury after a stop off at the bank to cash his check. You led him to a table in the back that had a tiny jukebox on it and he rolled his eyes as you ignored the menu in favor of finding a quarter.  

“Ya play any a that crap ya listen to I’m leaving ya here.” Daryl piped up as you dropped the quarter in.

“I was gonna play Dolly...it’s classic.”

He shook his head at you and you stuck your tongue out at him before settling on Bruce Springsteen. “You have a beef with the boss too?”

“Nah, this is fine.” He replied as the sounds of ‘I’m on Fire’ played in the booth. A little too on the nose, he thought, as he sat across from you watching you read over the menu.  

“Do you like working at the slaughterhouse?”

“I cut up dead cow all day long...not exactly the dream.” Daryl replied, “my brother got me the gig after I dropped out and I been working there since. Got bills to pay.”

“Does your brother still work there?”

“He’s in jail.”

“Oh. Sorry-”

“Ain’t your fault, he’s a fucking moron, got himself arrested. Been fucking up since we were kids.” He shrugged. He loved Merle but he certainly didn’t like him. Merle had gotten him in more trouble than he could keep track of.  

“I don’t have any siblings...I think I was enough.” You replied.

“I’m sure.” He teased, grinning at you.  

When the waitress came around to take your orders, she winked at you, assuming, you were sure, that the two of you were on a date. You smiled back at her and Daryl rolled his eyes when she walked away.  

“Are ya like that too?” He asked, “too perky for yer own good?”

“Probably. The happier you are the better the tip.” You replied, shrugging.

“I’m sure ya get tips just cause everyone knows who ya are.”  

“Well yeah.” You shrugged, “I can’t wait to get a different job.”

“Ya ain’t thrilled waiting on people all day?” Daryl asked, biting at his thumb to calm his nerves. He was sitting across from you at a diner and you were fishing in your bag to play the same Bruce Springsteen song over again.  

“No. I hate it. People are the worst!” You replied. There was nothing you could think of worse than having to deal with people all day. “What about you though? You have to deal with annoying people coming in to get their cars fixed.”

“Yeah I’m sitting across from one of ‘em.”

“Shut up!” You laughed, nudging his leg with your foot, “you love spending time with me.”

“You keep saying I do.” He said it but he knew that you were right. He liked spending time with you a little too much.  

-

Rick sat in the Adirondack chair that you usually occupied whenever you were over, cooler full of beer next to him. Daryl finishing some work on your jeep, showing Michonne the repairs he had done while Rick talked about passing his sheriff’s exam.  

“Ya ain’t President of the United States Rick,” Daryl cut off the second wind of the same story, laying his wrench down to look over at his best friend. Michonne laughed, shaking her head at the two of them. “Ya just made deputy.”

“Yeah and it’s a pretty big honor I’d say. Not everyone is out there making deputy D.” He replied, taking a swig of his beer.  

“Well as another person who made deputy, I’d like to point out that it isn’t the hardest thing in the world either.” Michonne piped up, grabbing a beer from the cooler. She handed one off to Daryl, taking a better look at the Jeep he was working on. A tassel made of different color yarns hung from the rearview mirror with an air freshener that looked especially feminine too, certainly not something Daryl would hang in his car. “Who’s Jeep?”

“Nobody’s, just doing a favor.”

“A favor for...” Michonne trailed off, popping the driver’s side door open. Daryl didn’t say anything as she slipped into the seat, taking a look around the inside. Vinyl stickers on the dashboard and as she scanned her eye caught the picture in the visor.  

“I been thinking the Jeep looked familiar to me,” Rick piped up. He’d thought one more than one occasion when he stopped ‘round his friend’s house that the Jeep he was working on was one he had seen around town though he couldn’t place it. “Just don’t know why.”

“That’s cause ya ain’t a good cop.” Daryl joked. Michonne laughed as she pulled the picture down and looked at it.

“I’m assuming it’s not Maggie Greene.” She said, handing off the picture to Rick.

“No, Daryl-”

“I’m just fixing her car.”

“What am I missing?” Michonne asked, looking between the two of them.

“She doesn’t need any trouble D, she gets enough of it.” Rick said, handing the picture back.

“I’m just fixing the damn car Rick. It’s my job.” Daryl repeated, tossing the wrench he’d been using, listening to it clang against the car before falling to the ground.  

“That was her backpack, wasn’t it?”  

“I didn’t ask her to come around.” He insisted.  

“You gotta stop seeing her.”

“I ain’t seeing anyone.” Daryl replied, “I gotta repeat myself? Ya ain’t her family, anyway. Ya can’t tell her what to do. Or me, for that matter.”

“Someone’s gotta look out for her.” Rick replied, “lord knows she’s not good at knowing what she needs.”

“What is going on?” Michonne asked again, stepping out of the Jeep and closing the door.

“Nothing’s going on.” Daryl snapped.

“I can’t believe your-”

“Swear to god Rick, I ain’t repeating myself again. Either shut the fuck up or get the hell off my property.”

“Whoa.” Michonne held her hand out when Daryl moved closer to Rick. She turned toward Rick, “I think you need to cool off.”

“We’re not done talking about this.” Rick announced, looking passed Michonne to Daryl. Before his best friend could say anything in response Rick was walking down the driveway to where his car was parked. He climbed in, slamming the door, before taking off.

“You wanna tell me what that was about?” Michonne asked, looking back to Daryl as he picked up the wrench he was using, “And don’t give me the ‘ain’t nothing’ excuse. I know when something is nothing and this clearly isn’t.”

“Said I’d work on her car cause she didn’t have the money to pay Dale.” Daryl shrugged.  

“And?”

“Don’t know.” He replied, honestly. He didn’t know and he didn’t like to think about it too much.  

“Come on D,”

“I said I don’t know.” He insisted, shrugging his shoulders in defeat, “I just like having her around.”

“You got a crush.” Michonne smiled, watching the way his face flushed.  

“I ain’t gonna keep ya ‘round if yer gonna make fun a me.”

-

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[tloujm]

Part XX: Champ de Pâquerette

Author’s Notes: This takes place a day after the previous chapter. This part is dialogue heavy and at 3,365 words. Because there is discussion on Joel’s background, it strays from canon. Is it considered “straying from canon” when certain details were never presented officially in the first place?

Genre: Can I get a McFluffy?

Summary: Just another day during the honeymoon. The two of you flirt and talk more about each other’s background. 

Ship: Joel x Fem!Reader

You woke up the next morning to the sound of hammering. You tossed sluggishly around the bed with the expectation of bumping into Joel. Instead, you’re met with an empty bed. As you pushed away the last bits of sleep, it made sense that he was responsible for the sound that woke you up. You walked up to the window with no more than your hair to cover your breasts. You opened it to let in the fresh morning air. You looked out into the backyard and found your husband off to the right fixing the fence blown down by the storm. It was a beautiful view. The backyard was basically a meadow full of wild flowers, mostly daisies. There were less trees in the back than in the front, however, so it was blanketed by rays of sunlight. You smiled as you watched on and you contemplated greeting him. You imagined his reaction; him turning around at the sound of your voice, a smile breaking across that hard exterior at the sight of your disheveled nudity. 

You decided against it in favor of surprising him. He’s surprised you enough these past couple of days; you figured he deserved a little something. You took a quick bath and went down to the kitchen. The refrigerator was one of the things he stocked before he brought you to the place. It wasn’t running, as the cottage did not have electricity, so half of the space inside was full of ice. Just that detail alone, Joel lugging ice from Jackson to this little house so the two of you could eat something other than canned food on your honeymoon warmed your heart. You didn’t know if he had eaten breakfast yet, but knowing him he probably didn’t, so you decided to make some food and bring it to him. Wanting to enjoy the day and eat outside as well, you put together a little picnic. You packed up one of the empty suitcases that he used to bring things over with plates, cups, cutlery and the food that you packaged up so neatly. 

Joel grunted in frustration after the nail he hammered split a piece of wood. He used the back hook of the hammer to take it out and he placed it between his lips. With the hammer still in his hand, he flipped the wood over and positioned it against the other part of the fence. A drop of sweat fell down the side of his face. He only wiped it off with the collar of his shirt after he successfully got the nail through. He took the baseball cap off that he was wearing to fan himself.

“Working hard, cowboy?” You asked as you walked through the back door.

He squinted his eyes to block the light. “Just fixin’ your fence ma’am. Your husband insisted I get’er done ASAP so the place could look nice when you got up.” He raked his fingers through his short hair and placed the cap back on. 

“Oh did he? Well why don’t you take a break from all this hard work and have brunch with me while my husband is gone. I made enough food for two and I hate eating by myself.” You stopped in front of him and the fence; He was still on his knees. You handed him a glass of iced tea that you brewed. 

Joel stood up and took a sip. “You sure your husband wouldn’t mind, ma’am?”

“Let me ask him.” You replied coyly. He let out a breathy chuckle as he watched you turn away from him then turn back around. “Joel, I’m sorry it’s come to this but I’m leaving you and running away with the handyman, but first I’m having brunch with him and there’s nothing you can say or do to change my mind.”

“Ouch.” Joel playfully grabbed at his chest. “You’re a natural heartbreaker ain’t ya?”

You shrugged playfully. “You started it. I just went with it.”

“Well that’s not where I was going.” Joel responded with a chuckle. “ ‘Sides, it’s never too early to start role playing.” He reached up and gave you a sloppy kiss. 

“Meet me ‘round front. We’re having a picnic.” You said with a smile. 

“A picnic?” He repeated.

“Yeah! Just wait. I’ll bring everything out.” You ran back towards the door.

“You need help with anything, (Y/N)?” Joel shouted.

“Nope, just relax in the shade.”

Joel watched as you struggled to bring everything out in one trip. He got up and rushed over to you, but you insisted that he sit back down. He couldn’t just sit and do nothing, so he compromised and stayed on stand by just in case you dropped something. He watched as you laid a blanket down and opened the suitcase full of picnic things. The first thing you took out was the iced tea that you made in what used to be a bulk pickle jar. You refilled his glass before unpacking everything else. 

The two of you ate in relative silence. “What are you thinking about?” You asked him. 

Joel let out a satisfying sigh after another sip. “You.”

“Oh? What about me has you so enthralled.”

“Everything, but I will admit I’ve had a question on my mind since you came out with the drink in your hand.”

“And what’s that?” You asked innocently.

He sat the cup down and leaned in. “When you broke my heart back there with such ease,” He offered a half smile. “I was wondering if maybe it was because you had a little practice back in the day.”

“Is that your silly way of asking me about all the men I had before you?” You winked. 

“You don’t have to share with me anything you don’t want to, but I do feel like you know more about my life than I do yours.”

“Do I? How many women have you been with between me and Sarah’s mother?”

He made a face as to say ‘touche’. “No more than I can count on my left hand.” He exhaled. “The first woman I’d been with after Sarah’s mom was a blind date. Tommy convinced me that I needed to get back out there. At this point Sarah was in kindergarten---”

“Kindergarten? How young was she when she left?” You asked. 

“Her mom left us without any warning, only a note saying that she dropped her off with Tommy and my dad. She couldn’t have been any older than 2 years old.”

“So, she didn’t grow up with any memories of her mom?” You asked. 

He shook his head. “No, and I was fine with that. It was just me and Tommy in her life.” He cleared his throat. “So, yeah, he called himself helping me out by setting me up on a blind date after I refused to try online dating. She was pretty, I’ll admit that, but it didn’t take long for me to realize that me and her weren’t goin’ anywhere past the first date.” He glanced up at you for a moment. He noticed how you were eating his words up before looking back down at his plate. “Despite that, we went back to her place at the end of the date and we slept together.” He sighed disappointedly at himself. “I don’t know why I agreed to go over. It’d been a while since I had any...fun I guess. Taking care of a baby by yourself is lonely.”

“You don’t have to explain yourself.” You spoke up. He shook his head.

“After her, I told my brother no more blind dates. On nights that my aunts or cousins would spend with Sarah, I would go on down to the bar. I’d usually just flirt with the women there, buy them drinks if it was going somewhere. One night though, a woman took me into the bathroom and we had sex in a stall. It wasn’t,” He shrugged. “Nothin’ special. It felt good in the moment, but as soon as it was over and we went our separate ways, there was this feeling of...I don’t know how to describe it.” He took another swig. “You know, I used to work in construction. The guys I worked with, most of ‘em weren’t fathers. The ones who were, were much other than me. I lost most of my school friends after I got married. It was hard for me to make more because all of my time was either at work or at home with the baby. The guys at the site were cool but I was never gonna meet up with them after work for a beer. I had to pick Sarah up from daycare. Imagine how hard it was to meet someone to be more than friends with. My loneliness made me crave those few minutes I had in the bathroom stall again, so the next time I had a free night, I went back to the bar. I was more confident because I knew what I wanted. I ended up having sex with another woman in her car in the bar’s parking lot. Sarah ended up catching pneumonia sometime soon after that. Scared and watching over her in the hospital caused me to realign my priorities. I felt guilty for not being there for her. I was away drinking and fucking to make myself feel better. As tough as it was raising a little kid, Sarah was the only thing that truly made me feel joy. So that was the last time until…”

“You’re telling me, no woman has come on to you? A tall, fine, good with his hands, rough-around-the-edges-but-really-a-big-softie like yourself?” You giggled, he smirked.

“Every once in a while a lady has slipped me her number, but nothing ever came of any of them?” He smirked at the confession.

“Why not?”

He shrugged. “Mostly ‘cause I convinced myself not to. I would tell myself that giving it a chance was not worth it. I’d only been with one woman after the pandemic. Her name was Tess.” With that sentence alone, you already knew that she meant the most out of all of them based off the fact that he remembered her name. “We met at a quarantine zone years after I left the fireflies. I was by myself after Tommy decided to stay with ‘em. I found myself smuggling things in and out of the zone to earn extra ration cards. That’s how our paths crossed. She was a smuggler too. She was one of my contacts. After a while of building up trust, we decided to team up and work together for bigger payoffs. I suppose it was only a matter of time that we’d get together. We had this silent pact that she wouldn’t ask about my past and I wouldn’t ask about hers. It wasn’t a relationship though, I don’t think, not in the traditional sense. We never talked about what it was before she died.”

“How did---” You began to ask.

“She got bit. She didn’t tell me until we were surrounded by some really bad people. She convinced me to leave her behind when she showed me the bite on her ankle. She said that I still had a chance to get away, that she was gonna hold the other guys off while I ran. I almost died that day, but I kept getting back up because I didn’t want her death to be in vain. After a while of hiding, I snuck into another quarantine zone and began smuggling there. I’d only done one job  before my contact told me that my next job was to smuggle a person. I immediately rejected the offer until I heard it was for the Fireflies. I wanted nothing more to do with them after I left their settlement in Texas, but I couldn't help but think about my brother. That combined with the payoff is why I decided to escort you across the whole damn country to their base in Utah.”

It was silent for a moment before you began to share yourself. “My first time was when I spent a few weeks in Britain. It was my high school graduation gift to myself. I wanted to do something fun and adventurous over the summer before starting college. I had never been anywhere before so I saved up for the plane tickets, booked the accommodations; I did everything myself and I was so excited. I stayed at this hostel in Brighton, a seaside city south of London. A Spanish man named David was staying there as well. We’d become friends off the bat and everyday we’d flirt and spend time together.”

“What did he look like?”

“Why? You jealous?” You teased. “He was a little older than me. I was 18, I think he said he was 25. So I guess I got a type.” You playfully wiggled your eyebrows at Joel. “He was tall and very slender and had long, dark, curly hair. So the night before I checked out, I told him I was leaving. He kissed me for the first time and you know what my response was? I asked him if he wanted to fuck! I wanted to be bold and I did have a crush on him. That’s not how I imagined my first time being. I’d only known him for a week. I mean we got along very well, but I always imagined it being with someone I was in a relationship with first.”

“You’d never dated in high school?” He asked.

“No, I had dates to school dances, but never dated. So I went back up to his hostel room. He rented a private room while the room I stayed in had bunk beds, so I was sharing it with others. I told him I was a virgin before anything happened and he was ok with that. He was gentle and kind and everything I needed that night to trust him. I didn’t expect much for my first time, like I didn’t think there were going to be fireworks. I didn’t ask how experienced he was, but I assumed he wasn’t a virgin. The experience as a whole was good. The guy that I was crushing on my whole stay in Brighton respected my mind and my body. That was more than enough to make me swoon. Still I had to leave in the morning. He invited me to stay the night with him and so I did. I had to leave early, just before dawn, so I planned on slipping out and leaving a note, but he caught me before I left and we hugged and said goodbye and he whispered something in my ear in his native tongue. I didn’t know what he said and to this day, I can’t remember the words, so I guess I never will. I’m glad he woke up though. I’m glad he did that.” Joel didn’t know if you had more stories, but he could tell already that this was the one that stuck with you the most. You took in a deep breath before continuing. “So, spring semester of my freshman year I got into my first relationship. He came up to me in the library. I was just watching videos on my laptop, killing time between classes. What’s funny was that I didn’t want to be bothered that day, and there this man was coming up to me saying that he saw me as I walked into the study quad and thought I was pretty. So I close my laptop and sit with him at his table. We ended up talking until I had to leave for class. He asked for my number before I left and the rest was history with that one.” You shrugged.

“That’s it? What happened there?” Joel asked curiously.

“We grew apart.” You shrugged again, thinking back on it. “He was more into me than I was him and after a while, I didn’t see myself getting serious like I knew he wanted and don’t you dare call me a heartbreaker for that.” A tight lined grin broke onto your face. “I didn’t want to dump him, but stringing him along would have been worse. I know what it’s like to be convinced someone’s into you when they’re really not. He was sad, but I’m sure he got over it. I told him we could be friends, but that never happened. I got into another relationship my junior year of college with a classmate from my photography class. I’d known him since my very first semester. We were in the same financial aid program, which meant we had to take a lot of the same gen ed classes. We were always just acquaintances until he asked me out before class one day. I’m not gonna lie, I didn’t find him physically attractive at first, but after we went on several dates and I got to know him, he was all I could think about. I was infatuated and we fucked everywhere.” You blushed. “We fucked in the dark room more than once, in my car, his car. We got caught by the campus police when it was in his car. We did it in the library stairwell, under a small bridge at a park across the street from campus. Things ended when we graduated. He was from out of state, so he was gonna move back home and look for jobs there. I wanted to travel more before committing to a job. I really tried to convince him to travel with me, at least for the summer, and he really tried to convince me to go move with him to his hometown. Neither one of us compromised so that was that.”

“Did you love him?” He inquired.

“I don’t think so. If we loved each other, I feel like we would have tried harder to find a solution. In the very least try a long distance relationship. We were infatuated, horny young adults. I loved my time with him and I definitely cared for him, like I did for my first boyfriend, but I don’t think I ever loved them. Did you love Sarah’s mom?”

“Tyra?” There it was. Now you knew her name. He looked down as he wrung his hands. “I thought I could, but she never gave me a chance to. We liked each other and I grew to care for her and I think she cared for me back. I grew to respect her a hell of a lot more after I watched her give birth, but she didn’t make the idea of loving her easy. Towards the end, we argued a lot and then not at all. There was just nothing until she left.” You took his hands in yours. He accepted your comfort, but did not want to dwell on it. “So where did you end up going?”

“Hmm?” You hummed in question.

“After you broke up with the second guy because you wanted to travel.”

“I had brought a plane ticket to Italy. Trieste, Italy. That country is like an art student’s mecca so I had to go sooner or later. But it never happened. About a week before I was scheduled to go, the pandemic hit and the borders closed. I only chose that date because the layover time was shorter. It cost me though. Just think If I had purchased an earlier plane ticket, because I almost did since it was cheaper. What if I would have gotten stuck in a foreign country when all this went down. Wouldn’t know anybody, wouldn’t know if my family was ok, wouldn’t know how to get back home.”

“We wouldn’t have met.” Joel commented.

“No, I don’t think we would have.”

“Well, I’m glad you bought the more expensive ticket. I’m sorry you didn’t get to see Italy though.”

“I’m sorry too!” You laughed. “I can’t imagine that being the worst country to be stuck in. But I would trade Italy for you any day.”

The two of you laid on the blanket and enjoyed each other’s company until Joel decided it was time to get back to the fence. You asked him if he needed help, but he declined. You settled for sunbathing while you watched him work. After a while, he called it quits for the day and he got cleaned up while you made dinner. 

[anotherbeingsworld]

Reminscing Hours

Pairing:  Bryce Lahela x F!MC (Casey Valentine)

Book: Open Heart

Warning: none, just.. bittersweet fluff. Minor mentions of death. 

A/N: I AM BACKKKKK, and with finals is over. I am finally writing once more, I have loads of plans and I am excited. I am so sorry if updates is very slow, I been in up and down lately but... I mange to finish this piece. It is dedicated to a close friend of mine, who had lose someone close to her. @jaxsmutsuo​ , I hope you loved it as much as I enjoyed writing it. It’s a bittersweet tale, as some of these... just its hard to write. I didn’t cry but, its just.. hit hard in a way.  This fic, mostly revolves around Casey but, Bryce plays a part into it too. I hope all of you enjoyed it as much as I do. <3 

Tags:  Tags:  @bitchloveskcbaseball​ , @storyofmychoices​ @jaxsmutsuo​ , @mvalentine​ , @princess-geek​ , @lahellacute​ ,  @this-person-is-busy​ , @annekebbphotography​ ,  @mrsbhandari​ , @dcbbw​ , @choicessa​ , @choices-confessions​ ,@fantasyoverreality98​ , @baltersome​ , @ofpixelsandscribbles​ , @thundergom​  @starrystarrytrouble​,  @kelseaaa​  , @rookie-ramsey​ , @bratzlahela​ , @choicesficwriterscreations​ , @soft-for-drake​ , @lalizah​ , @drethanramslay​ , @arcticlumineer​ , @choicesstan1​ , @aveeiro​ , @eleanorbloom​ , @openheartfanfics​

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It was a rare occasion for the Lahela family to take a leave, as both of them are doctors which shows the harsh reality of full schedules either, it begins on midnight or 12 p.m. The family will always be absent in the house. But, everything changes after Louis was born. After that, Alexis and Kailani came to grace into their lives bringing a joy that no one would compare. It was a compromise, but they manage to still continue medicine despite everything. And, today was a different day. Casey decides to finally introduce a huge part of her childhood to the kids.

It was a beautiful Friday morning, as they begin their journey. The trip consists of a few snacks and gas stops, followed by a tradition that Casey and Bryce created which includes a small picnic along the roads of Boston. The Lahela children were enthusiastic on the family trip despite it clashes with their school timetables except for Alexis who is much pleased on skipping a day of school, which hints a bit of Bryce rebellious phase that had maybe inherit inside of her.

‘Let’s get the party started!’ An enthusiastic Bryce shouted in the car, as Casey laughs in delight at her husband’s actions. The kids were jumping along the enthusiasm, as they hit the road. After a few hours, they arrived at the destination. It was a breath of fresh air as it is home.

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

As the modern architecture was in view, she felt a small lump in her throat. It happens every time she came to visit. It was that wave of nostalgia that is begging for her to be hit. The view in front of her, was different than what she remembers a decade ago, maybe two decades ago.

It was wooden before, as it was modernized once more. Every part of the area was scanned as a memory appear, reminding her how life used to be. Happiness, screams that followed in between and the nastiness of junk food can be seen throughout the area.

She was greeted with a familiar face, her grandmother. Alice Valentine, who has been crushed into a hug by the kids. Bryce steps forward and pulled her into a hug too, as the scent of chocolate chip cookies can be smell from afar making the kids jumping in joy.

‘Who wants the best chocolate chip cookies??’ Grandma Alice says in joy, as the three of them yelled simultaneously with huge grins that made the parents smile too.

After the commotion was over, Bryce noticed the stiffen atmosphere around Casey. She has been seen zoning out as they arrived, and he knows that particular look. The look where she is almost on the edge. Bryce took her hand in his, and said.

‘Hey, it’s gonna be alright okay?’

Casey wipes the tears that had managed to accidentally fall, and nods giving his hand a squeeze. The parents started to unload the stuff, as they started the short getaway together.

The day went well, as Alice and Casey teaches the whole family on how to make chocolate chip cookies from scratch. It ended up with a huge success, as the cookies came out perfectly even from Bryce which earns a surprise look from Casey. Afterwards, they ended up walking together around the small town, for dinner supplies which is a tradition in Casey’s family. 

The house was quiet, as Casey and Bryce put the kids to bed. They decided to hang out and enjoyed each other’s company that night where they bumped into Alice, Casey’s grandmother who is fetching her night medication.

‘Casey honey, Bryce. Come, let’s chat. I have been busy with the kids and haven’t gotten the chance to check in with the both of you.’ She gestures on the couch as the couple made their way over there.

As they all were seated, Grandma Alice scoots forward and took their hands into hers giving it a squeeze.

‘How are you both? How is the family doing and everything?’

Casey smiles at the question, as she let both of their hands go.

‘We are doing great, the hospital been quite busy and with the kids too…’

‘It can be a lot, but we enjoyed a challenge!’ Bryce continues her sentences as he place an arm around her.

‘How are you Gran? I am so sorry we haven’t came sooner, our schedules were packed and I literally begged mom to watch the house for us to leave..’ Her reply earned a small laughter from the elder.

‘I have been okay, did some groceries, water the plants and the usuals! When your mom called me about your upcoming visit, I was ecstatic! I missed the kids, and playing with them once more add ten years of my lifespan.’ She said, as her gaze dropped onto the small whispers in the other room where the kids were found whispering among themselves, a smile tugged on their faces.

‘I missed your cooking gran, especially the homemade stew and the cookies, nobody could make em like you did.’ Bryce compliments earning an eye-roll from Casey as Alice laugh in delight.

‘Well, I can packed some for you to bring back home yes?’

Bryce nods enthusiastically earning a shoulder punch from Casey, who smiles at his frown. Alice looked at them and smile, somehow reminiscing an old memory.

‘Grand, you okay?’ Casey scoots forward, and held her hand somehow warm in her touch.

Her eyes were closed, as a smile appears on the corner of her mouth. In a split second, she opened it once more, somehow teary and the happiness were still visible on her face.

‘I am okay, seeing the both of you; reminds me of your grandfather. Fun and bright just like your husband there, and somehow, seeing both of you here. Reminds me of our fondest memories…’ She stood up and came back a few moments later with a medium sized box in her arms. Both of them stood up, and held her, as Bryce took the box from her hands.

They all sat down once more, as curiosity fills their mind especially Casey’s at the sight of the box.

‘What is this grand?’ She gestures onto the box, as Bryce scoots forward aswell.

Alice smiles, as she unlocks it. It was filled with pictures, trinkets, a few visible letters and a plated straw hat that Alice immediately holds in her hands. She traces the lines and texture of the hat, somehow visible tears could be seen.

‘This was his, he would wore it everytime we go out. I thought it was an embarrassing gesture as he would walk on this world with that beautiful smile of his…’ She passed the hat to Casey. She took it and held it, somehow felt like it was a treasure.

‘This was his favorite, I remembered when he would take me on his bike rides. He would wear it with his beach shirts and we would eat at the crack of dawn…’ The tears starts to flow in her eyes, as Bryce scoots on to rub her shoulders.

‘Y’know Bryce, if he was still here… he would loved you. I think he already has.’ Alice said with a smile on her face, as she took out some of the trinkets from the box, bringing back all kind of memories for both Casey and Alice.

‘Based on the stories Casey told me about him, I think the feeling is going to be mutual Mr.s Valentine.’ Bryce smiles as he takes a look at the pictures, and stop at one in particular which is a pic of baby Casey in her grandfather’s arms.

‘You look very cute Cas.’ Bryce presented the photo to her, and a smile appeared on her face despite the tears that kept on flowing.

‘I am a cute baby after all, right grand?’ Alice laughs at the statement, before answering.

‘Between you and Dan, I think both of you are equal. I love my grandkids too much to pick in between them.’ Alice replies, earning a stifled of laughter from Bryce, as Casey pouts from the answer.

They sat there looking at old memories for a while, until the clock finally strucks at midnight earning a look of surprise from the three of them.

‘I can’t believe its already midnight..’ Casey states in disbelief, as she held onto some more memories.

‘Your grandfather would still be awake at this time, screaming and yelling at the television over soccer. Ah, good times.’ Alice states one more, as they started to tidy up the mess.

After a few minutes, they were done. Before she had a chance to stood up, Alice passes her a brown envelope with cursive writing onto it.

‘This is…a letter from your grandfather years ago. We did do the same for your mom too, why not for our favorite grandchild too? We gave Dan, his letter already. But, we kept yours as he wanted to give it to you after you graduated med-school. We planned to surprise you during your first day of residency; but… his life was cut short. But, now… it seems to be a good time for you to have it.’ She gestures at the envelope, as Casey pulls her into a hug.

Bryce stood there smiling upon the scene, before he was pulled too into the hug by Alice herself. The three of them hugged for a while, and let go as the both Casey and Alice’s eyes were watery from all the emotional turmoil of the day. It was a tiring end for a day, but it was worth it.

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

The walls were cream, as the 5th paper was crumpled once more followed by a groan by a young man who is in his 30s.

‘James, that’s the 5th paper today. What’s wrong?’ Alice asked, as she made her way to the study area of her husband.

‘I wanted to write something good for Casey, dear. I already wrote for Dan, and everytime I start… it seems to get worst.’ He rubs his temple as Alice massages his shoulders slowly as a hint for some rest.

‘You are a story teller dear, just write anything you can think of. It will make sense on paper, I promise.’ She gives him a kiss on the cheek before moving onto the daily tasks leaving him with his thoughts.

A smile appear on his face, as he starts scribbling through the day. It ended with a satisfied look on his face, as he reread it once more; a small practice for him to read it to her dear granddaughter one day.

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

Casey was awake at 3 a.m. as she couldn’t sleep, somehow the thought of the letter kept her awake. She decides to give in, and took the letter in her hands. She made her way to the balcony of their bedroom, and took a seat on the wooden floors. Western Red Cedar, a small callback to her childhood.

The wind was blowing, as she shivers in the night. She took a deep breath, before tearing the small envelope with delicate movements. Her hands is shaking at the moment, fear overcoming her as the words were written somewhat visible to her vision.

A deep breath was taken once more, before she starts reading it. A vision of himself rereading it can be seen through her subconscious.

My dearest Casey,

I remember the day, your parents told us about your arrival. We were over the moon; we were excited to meet another grandchild of ours and I was surprised that we were announced of a baby girl. Your mother was our lucky shot for a girl, as all of our children were boys. I was ecstatic, and I remember calling your mother every day; asking everything about you. Before you were born, we knew you were going to be an amazing human being, a beautiful daughter indeed.

There was a story I wrote before, about a pair of siblings on an adventure. It somehow reminded me of you and our Daniel. We had watched you both grown into your phases and, I am very lucky to watch you grow from your first step to your first full meal. One day, I would love to show you more of my stories. All the worlds I created in, as you would live in this world with all the joy and happiness.

We never know what the future will hold, but I promise. I am there with you, when you are happy, scared, lonely, sad and even during your lowest point. Life as a story-teller teaches me, somehow the stories we wrote are a reflection of who we are, and when I looked into those emerald eyes of yours. I saw a million of stories in one that is waiting to be written in the future. I am excited to watch you grow into the amazing woman you were meant to be.

Lots of love,

Grandpa James Valentine.

She felt herself tear up as she reached towards the end, as she traces the words on the letter. It felt like it was written a lifetime ago, as it brings back the memories from the past before. She folded the letter, as she found the familiar hat in her position once more. A pair of arms were felt hugged around her, as Bryce held onto her. The Lahela’s stood there into the night, as Casey continues to reminiscing the old times with the love of her life.

There was a time, she wonders how the world will look like, how life would turn up if any of these didn’t happened. She wonders what types of conversations she would have with her late grandfather, as they took a sip of cocoa during winter nights, but… she is grateful for the time and memories she had with him. She knows, she will see him again one day in another life.

THE END.

[weirdo-with-a-nametag]

Brain is tv static with random frames interspersed

Think I'm like. Really stressed and jumping between topics to try and find something that helps / feels good

Topics:

Anyone know a good health tracking app for adhd people? I want one that like pops up when you open your phone, maybe? But is unobtrusive. Like maybe you just rate your mood or whatever when you open your phone, and it closes, and you go about your business. I just hate every app and paper method I've tried but really want to track some stuff

Pigeon. ? Pigeon as pet?

Service animals re: cats, pigeons, my cat specifically, and then also ESAs and also what to use as treats while training my cat (he's pretty happy to learn behaviors with praise and pets as reinforcement, but treats would make everything move much faster, but I haven't found something I want to give him so we've just been y'know. Chillin)

Service animals re: what tasks can my pet potentially do that would help me? I don't really know a lot about service animals and there is a Huge range. If anyone has suggestions, or places to read about it, I'd appreciate it! Mostly thinking they may help with anxiety, sensory, and mobility/fatigue related stuff. Not much of a need for medical alerts.

Bioactive enclosures for my snakes, need to research their biomes and make progress on designs and equipment specifications

Also. Hit a seriously hard patch and haven't been handling them much at all this month so that's not great

Casting stuff. Saw jewelry today made of metal casts of claws, skulls, etc, and they were really well done and made me want to do that

Some taxidermy / vulture culture stuff I won't get into right now

Puzzles????

How to organize my room

Need a shower

Need to organize bathroom

So Much Schoolwork

Uhhhhh trying, but not making much headway, to figure out how I want to do my music collection. Also really need to clean my records..

Make?

Food??? Ew.

Dental hygiene ://

Plampts. So many. Houseplants need maintenance, many need repotting. Keep taking in people's problem plants and like, they're doing better, largely, after being trimmed and watered and whatnot, but need repotting. Also need to trim some aquarium plants.

Also need to put water in tanks. And spray nepenthes.

Laundry.

Gotta pick up trash in my room. There's so much. Everywhere. Why.

Schoolwork. I'm so behind. So, so stuck. Kind of feel like I'm dying.

Going on a picnic tomorrow. Have to figure out what still needs doing for that, probably need to go to the store.

Leo needs water. I'm so....ugh, I'm trying so hard, but it feels impossible. I do my best to take good care of my pets, and I think they live pretty good lives most of the time, but sometimes I get like This and completely drop off the face of the earth and then like, wake up or whatever and two weeks have passed by and I have not cleaned a water bowl! That's a serious problem!!!! I do not know how to combat that, really, besides more reminders. Having someone around who is willing to like, help, when things are especially hard, would be great, but I don't live with my partner right now and do not feel like I can ask anyone here for that. But I can't put my animals at risk. I check on them every day, and if their bowls are dirty I do take them out and clean them, but sometimes (like now) i cannot get myself to do it without a pressure like a dirty bowl, or a feeding day. And like, it's really important that they have clean water. I'm talking to myself here but like, if anyone has advice. Please. With the tank redesigns and upgrades, the bowls will be more accessible, which will help because one of them is very heavy at the angle I have to pick it up, and another requires moving a lot of branches and is best to take out while the snake is out (this is Leo) which is fine because I love my boy, but adds time to the process, and makes it harder to start, you know? Maybe if I just got more bowls - I could take the bowl out and immediately replace it, fill the new one, and replace the decor and snake, and then clean the bowl as a separate task? That would be easier for my brain. Currently I have a Specific bowl I prefer to use for each tank, and then everything else is Just In Case, but I mean. Acquiring extras is something I want to do anyway, and it may help with several problems, so. Yeah. I'll try that. But also, any other ideas, guys?

Anxiety: can't stop picking at my face, skin, nails, cuticles, scalp, pretty much everywhere with callouses, also scratched a mole off my face, which is something I've been trying Not to do for a while, so that's...not great. Can't find my earmuffs, and also all of my headphones are painful? Ears are really sensitive lately.

Been playing a lot of Moth Game (flutter: starlight if you wanna be friends say hey I don't know how to do it but would enjoy talking about moths if nothing else. The game is just like, an idle ish collecting game with cutesy versions of different species, and very little actual information, but it's still fun, and if anyone else is on there and also Into Moths like I am, hiiiii) and like it's fun and cute but also greatly impacting my productivity, and raises my stress levels during events, which is most days, so the game has. Not been helping. But I can't stop because then I'll miss Exclusive Moths.

Anyway. Had baklava and two mugs of Thai tea today and the sugar has made me nauseous.

Trying to journal. Hurts to write. Also takes too long. Also my handwriting is very bad. But typing is..not as good

Want to draw. Thinking about drawing cats

Plants again! Want to make seed bombs, have seeds, have most of the other ingredients, just need to put em together, basically.

Really sad :(

Or am I?

Weird noise coming from dining room?

Birds. Spent half an hour at least on the deck tonight listening to a hundred different bird calls (literally) to identify one I was hearing, it was a pine siskin, which I checked early on but the recording was bad and I didn't realize which call was identified. Anyway, cool to put a name to a face, so to speak.

Need to practice for ASL

So much.....to do...

Only had like >3 hours of work this week which was not great because money, but also like I'm really feeling those 3 hours....

My cat is basically refusing to come into my room? Which is very strange and I'm worried something is Off but cannot figure out what. Also means less cuddles which means I'm sad.

It feels strange whenever people follow me, the attention is nice but I have no idea what content y'all are here for. So to everyone: hi, enjoy, hope my random personal posts aren't a surprise to anyone who followed for like. News reblogs and informational stuff.

Do I even have it in me to..be successful in school? Should I drop out of college? I'm struggling really hard and do not feel like I'm building on the skills I need to continue, so like. Uh.

My dad is being. Abrasive.

Mom and grandma are very angry lately

Housemate is also angry, about things i thought we were on good terms about, so I am stressed because like,, are we okay?

Can't find my eye mask :(

Yoga? Like...restorative yoga? Need to track down my PT stuff. And. Do it.

Need to put the stickers on my license plates....oops...

Still haven't found my antidepressants! Yay!

Do I want to store my stuff in open bins, or with lids? Which stuff needs spill protection and stacking capability and which stuff needs easy access?

How to earn money without..chaos

Gotta go to the pet store tomorrow. Have to compile my list of pet store items i need. Uhhhhhhhhhh

Also I have an essay due tomorrow that I've barely started. So. Wooooooo

Kt tape for supporting arches / inner ankles? I keep messing up my ankles, and part of it is walking wrong because I don't have the energy to engage the muscles in my feet/legs right to like, avoid injury, and part of it is I just need new shoes inserts. But i wear slippers a lot and they do not have arch support and it hurts. PT to help with this also but Where Is It

Family can't seem to get dish soap I can use, so I've just been having to avoid washing anything by hand, or being in the general kitchen area while anyone uses the stuff, which has led to more of my dishes sitting out, and more conflict over dishes. Lovely.

How hard is it for parents to learn they have to respect boundaries? Very hard, apparently. And you're supposed to just sort of remind people, and explain, over and over and over but like at this point my self worth is actually pretty good and the lifetime of proof that they do not want to listen? That's making me want to stop trying. Like, if you're not going to respect my boundaries I'm just not going to involve you in my life. I'm not talking to my dad right now because of this. Maybe I'll decide to lay things out to him, again and again and again again, maybe not. And I'm comfortable saying that's on him.

How to drink water

Am I dehydrated or are my hands just completely callous now. My fingertips have such hard skin. Why? It's uncomfortable. This is part of why I've been biting them.

Also testosterone. Been having a lot of trouble doing my shots, because anxiety and physical freakouts, but also not feeling super urgent about it. Which I'm realizing may be a sign i need to look at the effects so far and the possible effects of continuing, and see what they make me feel. It's possible I'm where I want to be as far as T, and don't really want to stay on it. A big thing for me is a deeper voice, so it seems time to take a look at whether I like my voice where it is or want to see if it'll drop any more. Etc etc

Miss my lil sisters

Saw a lot of cool rocks today. Huge (like hand sized) ammonite for $28. May go back and buy one because. Wow.

Want to plant food plants

Also my natives. Whole garden plot standing empty with a bunch of stuff waiting in nursery pots, needing to go in the ground. Because I can't get out of bed. Love that. Stuff is dying out there, I'm dying in here, there's a poetry to it and I do not want to romanticize suffering so I will say this: I brought a Bucket full of moss home a month ago and planted it and now go outside sometimes to drench my moss and it is very rewarding because the stuff is just so green. Incredible. When the rest of my plants are finally in the ground, that feeling will only intensify. But, for now, the moss is very nice.

Made a glow in the dark bead lizard from memory during therapy yesterday, and I love him. Also, still struggling with bringing up autism and psychosis topics with my therapist. Still very worried about. Things. Would like to get a new person? But sometimes she is helpful? And we have a routine. It's very hard to break the routine. Maybe I can set some time aside during the summer, to figure out what to do there.

Term ends in a couple weeks. The task of catching up, of passing, seems impossible. I really need to pass my courses. I'm on academic warning, because my GPA is lower than it should be, and if I can pass all of my classes this term I can get off academic warning but otherwise I'm not sure what will happen to my financial aid.

My phone is playing the same 50-100 songs on shuffle and I don't even particularly like most of them and it is very strange

Got my face wipes! Hooray, i can wash my face again

Been eating too much sugar in general. It's making my joints hurt more, and the nausea

Pet a dog the other day. I miss that. It would be really nice to have a dog in the house again. The exuberance, the cuddles, the tail wagging, the walks... I'd really like that. Maybe once I'm out in my room, tanks and catio built and everyone is situated, I'll look into getting a dog instead of a cat next. Was planning on holding off in case I'm not physically able to take them out on walks and such, but I've been pretty successful at doing this job, and I think that my main hurdle for walking really is motivation. Dog walking is a strong motivator for me. Best to start by fostering, or just do Wag, for a while though. I'm feeling overwhelmed with my current responsibilities, and here I am talking about getting a dog. Good job, me

How do you get wax off of somewhat water soluble rocks? My housemate broke my lava lamp on some of my rock collection and I am not sure how to get some of them clean without damage.

I am...pretty sure there are collared doves nesting over my room but it seems they're less common around here than I thought? But they are..pretty distinctive. Like if I'm wrong, what are those birds. Some very distinctly colored feral pigeons? Who are nesting here, in a tree, without their flock, and who happen to have pretty much the exact same pattern?

Probably should go to the dollar store and get some bins for organizing

Been wanting to keep a bin by the door and stock it with stim/fidget stuff people can just .have ..like extras of some of my favorites and other things i can get ahold of, to offer to my friends who haven't really had the chance to explore the world of stim toys

Hands are really just not doing great the last several weeks. Arthritis type pain cropping up more and more in all the little joints, making it hurt more to write, type, or just use them for whatever. Coordination isn't great because of that distraction, and because my hands/arms are slow to respond and kinda weak. Most people would say I'm not using them enough but I've been doing 15ish hours of manual labor per week, so maybe it's the other direction? More water would help. If only it wasn't so heavy.

I haven't taken a single shower since I started my job. Which was March 29th. That's not great.

Practiced parallel parking today. 10/10 still very bad at it.

Having anxiety that my friends think I'm lying about things, faking, and are watching me to see if I'll slip up. So that sucks. Can either talk about that directly or indirectly, or just shut up about those things until I can get my brain under control again. I'm not sure right now if the reassurance would work as a reality check or make me believe it more, right now, so might hold off on the talking bit for a little while.

Saw, smelled, picked a couple pretty roses. Good times

At this point I'm just trying to list all my thoughts so that maybe I'll be able to sleep and not worry I'll forget

My mom has put her spider plant on the deck, and it has maybe five living leaves. I have no idea how she killed such a well established spider plant, the last time I saw it it was so happy. Did she stick it in a corner and forget to water it? Whatever happened, it is now in the Plant ER, so hopefully I'll be able to...help get it on the up and up again

Leo is such a pretty noodle. He's so pretty. He's posing. Hi, baby boy.

Oh, he saw me moving around and decided to come say hi. Sorry little man, i did not mean to disturb you. Please resume lounging. I can't bring you out right now, I'm trying to sleep.

Also, terrariums. Water features. Need to ask. Someone. The one who was making that super cool garter snake enclosure and blogging the progress? With the lazy river and pool? About maintenance on that kind of setup. My milk snake really enjoys water, and I'd love to put a water feature in his tank. But I'm unclear on how to keep it clean, or honestly where to start. Don't want any huge falls or anything, though it actually may not make the humidity too high if I did maybe a small drip wall into the pool? That seems like something he would enjoy, and a good way to support different types of plants. But like, that's the thing, it's bioactive and I haven't done that before and no amount of research is ever enough.

Oh, Shogun has a dirt hat. How cute. I love when they do that

See, this is the thing. My snakes make me so happy. All three of them are actually hanging out where I can see them from my bed right now, and it's really nice. I want their lives to be the best possible, and I think I have the resources to do that. Which is so exciting. Now if only my brain and body would cooperate. It would hurt quite a lot to have to re-home any of them, but the most important thing is their health and quality of life, you know? If I can't get my act together somewhat, it may be that one or all of them would be better off with another keeper. I don't know. It's just, i talk about all these tank ideas and all this husbandry standards stuff but how much of it actually gets applied to my own animals whose lives are in my hands? How well am I caring for them, really?

Oh!!! My red thread! I thought that was gone forever.

Anyway, please do not worry. My snakes are healthy. I pay attention, and watch for signs of illness, and they're okay. There will always be places to improve, and the water is a big one, but most of the time i change their water out frequently, I'm just worried because of bad depression and fatigue times, you know? I'm working on making the most self sustaining systems i can, in part so that I am sure they'll be okay if I mess up sometimes. Just saying this because I hope you guys don't feel like you need to worry about the welfare of my pets. They're okay, i just always want better for them, is all.

Anyway, the sun is coming up and I should probably go to sleep. So uh, thanks for reading, if you read all of this randomness, and if anyone has thoughts or advice on anything in this post, i would welcome it! Good night!

[malewifegrantaire]

The Birthday Thing

READ PART ONE HERE

READ PART TWO HERE

PART THREE: The titular “Thing.”

Combeferre had put himself in charge of the cell phone bag, a move that Enjolras heartily objected to.

“You really don’t have to do that.” Enjolras said. “You should be having fun!”

“I will be having fun!” Combeferre promised. “But if we’re gonna enforce a no cell phone policy, someone has to keep an eye on them in case someone’s mom calls or something.”

“If my mom calls, do me a favor and send her to voicemail.” Courfeyrac interrupted. Courfeyrac had managed to simultaneously be the first and last person to arrive, even though the party was being thrown in his apartment. He’d set everything up, welcomed Enjolras and Combeferre, and then left to go pick up his plus-one who, Combeferre noticed, was standing very nervously behind Courfeyrac clutching a bouquet of flowers.

“Uh, hi. Thank you, uh, thanks for having me, I know we don’t know each other too well. We met once, I don’t know if you remember-“

“I remember.” Combeferre said, and Marius made a face that said quite plainly he wished he hadn’t remembered him at all. Enjolras only smiled.

“Oh, it’s you! You’re, yeah, you’re that guy, I remember you! Marius. Okay, yeah! Thank you for coming.” he said. Marius’ shoulders relaxed a bit, and he held out the bouquet.

“These are for you. Or for the house, I guess. I know it said no gifts but I thought, but if you don’t want anything I - sorry, I know that, but, it’s fine I can just-“

“These are very nice, thank you. I appreciate it.” Enjolras said graciously.

Combeferre grabbed the tote bag full of cell phones and held it open. “Well, confiscation time. Cough ‘em up, fellas.” he said. Courfeyrac took it upon himself to discard of Marius’ phone, but before he did, something on Marius’ screen made him giggle.

“I didn’t know you had a sister, Marius.”

Marius frowned. “Sister? What are you - oh!”

His lock screen was a selfie of a teenage girl, who was making a silly face into the camera. Marius’ eyes widened, and he quickly snatched his phone away to change the picture. “This isn’t my sister,” he explained, laughing nervously. “It’s, she’s this kid I know, my neighbor.” He set his screensaver to the first thing in his camera roll, a picture of a dog wearing rain boots, and tossed the phone into the tote bag.

“Okay!” Enjolras said brightly. “Thanks again for coming, and for the flowers. Have you met everyone yet.”

“Uh, yeah.” Marius said. “I know Joly and Bossuet, I already said hi to him. And Bahorel, is he here?”

“Yes, he’s . . . I don’t know, actually. He’s somewhere.”

“And uh, Grantaire, I know him. Is he here too?”

Enjolras’ face fell a bit. As a matter of fact, Grantaire wasn’t there. Not that it was unlike him to be “fashionably” late (Enjolras hadn’t a clue what was so fashionable about lack of punctuality, but you know.) But, still, Enjolras thought . . . seeing as it was his birthday and all . . .

“Not yet,” Combeferre cut in. “But he will be. Soon.”

Courfeyrac squinted at him. “Right.” he said. “Well, we’ll go and join the fray. Come on, Enjolras, you should come join us. Combeferre’s not allowed to hog you in the kitchen all night.”

“Well, alright.” Enjolras said with a pleased sigh. “Combeferre, you don’t have to stand guard by the phones all night.”

“Agreed. I expect you to join us for karaoke!” Courfeyrac said, dragging Enjolras and Marius into the living room to mingle.

Combeferre eyed his tote bag, which was now fairly heavy. Technically, the no cell phone rule applied to him too, but rules were made to be broken, no? He scrolled through his recent contacts and hit the call button, turning away from the kitchen island so as not to be spotted.

“Hello?”

“Uh, yeah, hello?” Combeferre whispered into the phone. “Where are you?”

“Hello??”

“Hello? Can you hear me?”

“Nah, I’m just fucking with you. You’ve reached Grantaire’s voicemail. My phone is either lost or dead or I just don’t want to pick up, so shoot me a text. If it’s an emergency, call literally anyone else. While you’re here, check out this sick beep.”

There was a beep. Fucker.

Combeferre groaned. He should have known this would happen. He looked at Enjolras, who was laughing at something Feuilly was saying. He was a great friend, Enjolras. Maybe the greatest. He didn’t want gifts or even a fancy party. He just wanted all of his friends under one roof for a night. It wasn’t that much to ask for.

He was going to get what he wanted. Combeferre would see to it.

***

Someone was knocking at the door, and Grantaire was pretty sure he knew who it was, but he opened it anyway. Combeferre was standing arms folded, looking angrier than Grantaire had ever seen him (and Grantaire had seen Combeferre argue about politics.)

“Who buzzed you in?” he asked stupidly.

Combeferre didn’t wait for an invitation, he brushed past Grantaire into the apartment. He looked like he was going to throw a punch. Grantaire almost hoped he would. He was usually better with fists than with words.

“What the fuck?” Combeferre asked. It wasn’t a rhetorical question.

“I don’t know what you want me to say.”

“Say you got hit in the head and you’re suffering from amnesia, because other than that I can not think of a reason you are in this apartment in pajamas right now.”

Grantaire looked up at Combeferre. “I got hit in the head and I’m suffering from amnesia.” he said.

Combeferre wanted to scream. “Come on.” he said, exercising an impressive amount of restraint. “Get your clothes on. Let’s go.”

“Uh, no, I’m not going. I don’t even know why your here, I already texted Enjolras.”

Combeferre stared at him for a beat, then started rummaging through the tote bag he was carrying. Grantaire blinked in confusion.

“Is that everyone’s phones?” he asked.

“Yeah, it’s a screen free party.” Combeferre muttered.

“But you’re here. So nobody at the apartment has a phone. What if there’s an emergency?”

“There won’t be an emergency. Also, Jehan has his phone.” Combeferre had given it to him before he left. He said he was just running out to grab some more drinks, but he was pretty sure Jehan could tell he was lying. He probably should have left the entire bag with Jehan, but he hadn’t been thinking clearly. “Also,” Combeferre added, angrily. “I shouldn’t have had to leave anything with anyone, because you should be at Courfeyrac’s right now.”

Grantaire frowned. Combeferre noticed for the first time how very tired he looked. Very tired, and very unhappy. While he was at it, he also noticed an envelope with Enjolras’ name written in pretty cursive on the coffee table. And an outfit laid carefully out across the couch. Grantaire wasn’t acting his usual self. He seemed . . . more withdrawn. Combeferre always thought of Grantaire as bold and utterly shameless. Maybe this is what it looked like when Grantaire was embarrassed. He went back to looking for Enjolras’ phone.

sorry, can’t make it tonight. wish i could be there, not feeling well. have a blast.

Combeferre read the message aloud. “This is bullshit.” he decided. “I’m deleting this.”

“Oh, you know Enjolras’ password,” Grantaire commented, watching Combeferre. “How sweet.”

“It’s literally 1-2-3-4.” Why did he say that? Now Enjolras would have to change it. Goddamn it.

“Look, I’m actually not feeling well.” Grantaire lied. “So, if you could kindly fuck off? I’d super appreciate it.”

Combeferre looked him up and down. “I think you self sabotage, Grantaire.” he said, earning a mean bark of a laugh from the shorter man.

“Gee thanks. How much do I owe you for this session, doc?”

“Stop, I’m being - I’m trying to be real with you.” Grantaire looked amused by the notion. Combeferre carried on, “Everyone is trying to be friends with you. Why do you insist on making that so difficult?”

“Sorry it’s been such a pain in the ass, I truly am.” Grantaire said, rolling his eyes petulantly. “Look, we all know what kind of friend I am. I’m good for carousing and not much else. It’s no trouble, after all, everyone needs a good drinking buddy, and I am happy to oblige. But this shit? Dinner parties - sorry, not party, thing. And, and, folding laundry together and going for picnics in the park and Saturday brunch or whatever the fuck? That’s not me. Sorry. I really wish it was but, you know. ‘To thine own self be true’ and all that.”

Combeferre folded his arms across his chest. He knew what he needed to ask, but he really, really didn’t want to. Combeferre was a polite person, but what good is politeness if you can’t extend it to people that aren’t always easy to be around? Kind and good, that’s what he tried to be. But maybe he’d find out that he wasn’t kind or good, not really. Not when it counted.

“Grantaire, did I do something to you?”

Grantaire seemed taken aback. “What?”

Combeferre really didn’t want to ask again. “Did I, you know. Is there something I did? Or, I don’t know, do? I just . . . why don’t you like me?”

There was a silence. Grantaire looked at Combeferre, his face twisted in anxiety. This could not be happening.

“Combeferre.” he said slowly. “I don’t dislike you.”

“It’s okay, I shouldn’t have even - but like. You do hang out with the others. Like I know I’m not always down for whatever, but you’re friends with everyone. You’re friends with fucking Marius Pontmercy, who I literally forgot existed until this week. So I know you like all them, obviously you’re friends with Joly and Bossuet, and you go out with Bahorel and Courfeyrac a lot, and you’re always talking to Feuilly and Jehan about whatever, and obviously you like Enjolras so it’s just me, then. I feel like maybe I did something to you but I don’t know what it was or what it is and I don’t know how to fix it? Or apologize? I don’t know, I know we don’t all have to be friends, like I’m not forcing you to be my friend or anything, but I don’t know. I’d like to be.”

Grantaire frowned. “I hate when you do that.” he said, which is not exactly the response Combeferre was hoping for. His heart sunk.

“Do what?”

“Say stuff about Enjolras like that. Like wink-wink nudge-nudge, obviously you like him and oh my god he totally wanted you here. Like I get it, but you don’t have to make fun.” Grantaire’s eyes were fixed on the ground. His pajama pants didn’t have pockets to shove his hands into, so instead they were sort of nervously pulling at the drawstring.

Combeferre didn’t know what to say. He felt absolutely terrible. “I didn’t - I’m sorry. I never meant to make fun. I just meant that I know you guys have like, you know. You have a different relationship than the rest of us, I guess.”

“Fuck off.” Grantaire said, but it came out quiet and unsure of itself.

“Look, I’m only here because I want Enjolras to have a good birthday. I know my best friend, and I know that he will have a great time and be grateful for everyone who came whether you’re there or not.”

“Okay.” Grantaire said, meeting Combeferre’s eyes at last.

“But I also know that he’s going to be thinking all night about why you didn’t show, and he’s going to bring it up for the next month in the way he does whenever he brings you up as if he’s just casually curious even though he’s a terrible actor. And honestly? Maybe it’s selfish, but I don’t want to have to deal with all that. Which is why I’m here to bring you to the party.”

“I didn’t know you had a selfish bone in your body.” Grantaire laughed, almost sounding impressed.

“Well, I’m only human.”

“It doesn’t seem like that, sometimes.” Grantaire said. “You three. You seem like something else entirely. Demigods, maybe. Something out of a book.”

“Well, we’re not. We’re people. Get your clothes on, please.”

Maybe for the first time in all of their years of acquaintance, Grantaire nodded and quietly obliged.

***

“Well, look what the cat dragged in.” Bahorel said, more fond than annoyed. Everyone in the apartment greeted Grantaire with a cheer. He gave a sheepish grin in return.

“You know me. I never miss a party.” he said.

Courfeyrac intercepted Combeferre at the door. “I was wondering where you went.” he said, grinning from ear to ear. “Excellent work.”

“Well, you know. It’s his birthday.”

“Speak of the devil.”

Enjolras had made his way from across the apartment to say hello. He looked more beautiful than Grantaire had ever seen him, his golden hair tucked behind his ears, which were blushing pink. Not that this meant much - every time Grantaire looked at Enjolras he seemed more beautiful than the last.

“Glad you could make it.” he said, and he meant it.

“Better late than never, right?” Grantaire joked, but with much more gentleness and much less bravado than he jokes with any of the others. Enjolras usually had this effect on him. “You look nice.”

“Thank you.” Enjolras smiled, and his teeth were so white it was unfair and his eyes were so bright Grantaire could probably sue for damage to his retinas. He pulled an envelope out of his pocket.

“This is, uh, it’s for you. I know it said no gifts but in my opinion that’s bullshit, so. Here.”

“Thank you.” Enjolras said again. “Can I open it now?”

“It’s your present, so. It’s not much, just a gift card.”

Enjolras tore open the envelope. He looked at the contents curiously. Grantaire felt himself starting to sweat.

“What’s Claire’s?” Enjolras asked.

“The fuck?” Grantaire said, grabbing the gift card. Jesus Christ. “I meant to get a regular one, fuck me. Uh, I’m pretty sure Claire’s is a children’s jewelry store. You could get a phone case. Or pierce your ears, that could be fun! I think I have a receipt at home somewhere, I’ll get it to you and you can get an actual gift card. Sorry about that.”

“It’s fine.” Enjolras said, beaming. “Thank you.”

“No, uh, thanks for the invite.”

A phone started ringing from inside of Combeferre’s bag. He fished around for a while before finding the culprit. A familiar looking girl’s contact image lit up the screen.

“Marius, it’s your sister.”

Marius’ eyes went wide, and he rushed to grab his phone. “She’s not my sister. Hello?” he said into the speaker, his face contorting into an indecipherable expression before running into the bathroom to take his call. Combeferre couldn’t help but roll his eyes, which Grantaire noticed with a giggle. Courfeyrac had somehow made his way to the top of a stool, and he was clanging a fork to his glass.

“Everyone! Eyes up here! So, who’s ready for a game?!”

[gerberbabey]

fangs | john b routledge

more of this little sporadic series. i would do the second verse of the song but i specifically wrote this for the first verse lmao 

damn look at this debbie ryan lookin ass 

masterlist

warnings: cussing as per usual, uuuuh bad writing, underaged drug use 

♫ Fangs by Matt Champion ♫

She rolled up in the Beamer, couldn't have looked cleaner Skin like coffee, colour with lil' creamer Sin City since I been thinkin' all of these thoughts in my head She'd probably shoot me dead

“It’s like...spiritual, y’know?” you mumbled and John B wasn’t really sure what you were talking about but he nodded nonetheless. He couldn’t help it when it came to you. If someone ever asked him for a list of his favorite things to do he would add “Listening to (Y/N) talk” on the list. (To be honest one day maybe he would just put “(Y/N)” on that favorite things to do list but John B was on that respect women juice of course). 

“Sarah was talking to me about it once-You know Sarah Cameron?-” John B nodded and you continued, “She’s like really into stars, so she was telling me all these stories about the stars and I thought it was just beautiful y’know. That there’s mythology of people turning or being turned into the stars themselves.” 

“Yeah of course” John B mumbled in response. 

“But it’s cus...we’re like...also the stars y’know?” you grinned at John B and he had to remind himself to breathe again. 

“Because we’re made of stardust,” you mumbled dreamily and John B nodded in a daze. 

John B wondered for a moment how the two of you ended up here. He wasn’t exactly complaining but he couldn’t remember the last time he hung out with you by himself. 

Wait. Were the two of you even alone?

John B glanced over to the side and suddenly remembered the presence of the other Pogues. Now he could remember where he was and how he’d even gotten here. Earlier in the day the Pogues had found themselves stumbling into The Wreck to try and get some lunch before they headed out to the marsh on the HMS Pogue. While they sat goofing around by the outer patio of the restaurant, John B had caught you driving up to the restaurant in your dad’s old Beamer. It was a well maintained car and he couldn’t stop himself from gaping as you parked and stepped out of the car with your best friend. 

God-damn, she got the hoops on Hair bunned up in two just like a nunchuck Would I give a fuck? I needed to cheer myself up

You were dressed in sandals, a pair of loose, patterned, fabric pants, with a tube top and your hair was pulled up into space buns and you had on hoop earrings that he thought looked incredible on you. 

John B had jolted when he felt someone smack him upside the head. 

“Dude what?” he hissed at JJ and the blonde only laughed at him.

“You’re drooling John B,” Pope told him, pointing to the corner of his mouth and the Pogues laughed as John B reached up to wipe away nonexistent drool. 

“Hah hah real funny,” John B flicked a fry at Pope but he only swatted it away. Kie shot them a look as she leaned over to pick it up off the floor and then placed it onto an unused napkin. 

“Dude, I could hear the loves songs going off in your head John B,” JJ leaned back in his seat smugly. 

“Just a glimpse of (Y/N) and his half a brain cell disappears,” Kie stated and the group laughed at John B’s expense. John B rolled his eyes but he couldn’t stop the smile from pulling at his lips or the redness from spreading across his cheeks. 

“Speaking of,” JJ straightened up from his seat and smiled as he held an arm up to wave, “Hey (Y/N)! Nicky!” 

John B jabbed JJ in the arm as Kie and Pope turned over to look at the counter of the restaurant, where you and your best friend, Nicky, were ordering from Kie’s mom.

The two of you looked up at that and though Kie’s mom raised a brow, you only grinned as you waved to JJ, who was wincing in pain. Nicky shot their group a look but waved back reluctantly when Pope and Kie waved to the two of you. 

“Stop JJ,” John B hissed but JJ only scoffed. 

“Hey you guys,” you greeted as you lead Nicky over to them. 

“Oh shit, heeey,” John B drawled awkwardly and Pope recoiled in shock, trying to keep the laugh from bursting out. Kie gave him grimace and JJ looked up to the ceiling, his lips pursed in an attempt to keep his laughter in. 

“What the fuck...” Nicky whispered from beside you and you nudged her side as John B cleared his throat. 

“Ok..sorry about whatever that was,” Kie shot John B a look and he only smiled back at her sarcastically, “But hey,” she smiled. 

“Good day so far?” you asked and the Pogues all nodded in confirmation, “Yeah I saw ya’ll surfing this morning. Looked like fun.” 

“Were you on the beach?” Pope asked and Nicky nodded. 

“Yeah we went and had a sunrise picnic, we like painted and stuff.” 

“That sounds really chill,” John B stated and he grinned as you smiled at him. 

“Yeah, we might just do the sunset tonight too,” you said and JJ perked up. 

“Hey we were about to head out to the marsh, the sunset’ll probably be...fire from the Pogue,” JJ suggested and his friends all looked at him in surprise. 

“Oh? Um well,” you looked to Nicky and she gave shrugged at you. She’d never talked much with John B or his group of friends and had only ever interacted with them while you were around. You didn’t wanna put her in an uncomfortable or unfamiliar situation, “If it’s ok with you?” 

“It’s cool,” Nicky stated and you turned to her. 

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah I mean...it’s whatever,” Nicky turned to the Pogues, “Ya’ll are cool right?” she asked bluntly and the group was struck for a moment before they nodded.

“Yeah we don’t mind,” Kie stated. 

“We’re cool...super cool...” Pope trailed off and there was a moment of awkward silence before Nicky nodded to you and you smiled. 

“Ok, we’ll just wait for our food and then we can head out whenever you guys want?” you asked and John B and his friends all nodded in agreement, allowing you and Nicky to pull up chairs and sit around their table. 

But I fell in love right when she said "I wanna count the freckles on your face" "Rearrange 'em, put 'em in the same place"

That’s how John B found himself on his porch with you, Nicky, and his friends. The second you all were on dry land, JJ had pulled out a pre-rolled joint that he had been waiting all day to smoke. 

John B was surprised when you’d taken it once he offered it to you after taking a hit. 

“I didn’t know you smoked,” John B mumbled, watching you take a hit, letting it sit for a moment before breathing out the smoke. You let out a small cough before handing it off to Nicky, who took it eagerly. 

“I’ve only smoked like two other times,” you answered softly.

“Glad to be here for your third,” John B smiled and he flushed as you chuckled and smiled back at him. 

Then as time passed alongside the joint, Pope (the only one sober for the night) was stuck listening to JJ as the blonde rambled about boats, Kie and Nicky were picking at the Ukelele, playing around with chords and oohing and giggling as they pieced together a song, and John B found himself listening to you gush about the stars. 

“I never noticed that you had freckles,” you mumbled, leaning into him and John B gulped as he watched you, “I kinda..wanna like...rearrange them,” you giggled as you looked up into his eyes and John B smiled. He could feel himself falling even harder for you. 

“Where would they go?” he questioned. 

“I....I dunno,” you mumbled and a slow smile spread onto your face before the two of you were chuckling in unison. 

“I get them from being out in the sun so much,” John B explained and you nodded, tucking a loose piece of hair behind your ear. 

“That makes sense.” 

The two of you settled into a comfortable silence for a moment, letting the others’ chatter drift into your ears. John B watched as you looked up past the roof of the porch and at the stars once more. 

I'm obsessed, I'm obsessed I'm obsessed

“Um hey-” 

*ring*

You and John B jolted in surprise at the sudden sound of your phone ringing and you fumbled to pull your phone out of the small cross over bag you’d been carrying all day. Swiping your finger across the screen you cleared your throat before bringing the phone up to your ear. 

“Hello? Mom?” 

The other teens quieted down and straightened up as they recognized that you were on the phone with your mother, the sheriff. 

“Um yeah I’m fine,” you paused as your mother spoke, “Yep. I’m-I’m just at John B’s house-Yes, Routledge- Yes....Yeah...Yeah, I’m with Nicky...I don’t...Um is it ok if I sleep over at Nicky’s” you glanced at Nicky and the girl gave you a thumbs up and you shot one back,”Yeah?...Ok...Ok, I’ll see you tomorrow then....Bye, I love you too.” 

You sighed as you hung up the phone, dragging a hand down your phase. You shook your head to try and clear away the fogginess of your brain but it only made you feel dizzy. 

“Ooooh shit...” you mumbled in irritation as you opened your eyes and looked at the group that was watching you. A beat passed before all of you burst out into a bout of laughter. 

“I don’t know why but my heart like, dropped,” Kie gasped and Pope pointed to her as he nodded. 

“The second you said ‘mom’,“ JJ breathed and you chuckled, leaning into John B without even realizing it. He moved on instinct, wrapping an arm around you and placing a hand on your hip. 

“Yeah, in my head I was like, “Oh shit she knows we smoked”,” John B said and the group laughed once more as they agreed. 

“Sometimes I feel like she knows exactly what I’m doing like...all the time,” you told the group, “It’s literally terrifying.”

“Yeah your mom’s scary as shit,” JJ said before he backtracked, “No offense.”

“None taken,” you assured, shaking your head. You loved your mom but you could agree that she could be scary. 

“You guys need a ride home?” Pope questioned as the laughter died down and you turned to Nicky. She closed her eyes and nodded slowly, indicating that she was definitely not fit to drive. And the odd weight of your head was telling you that you weren’t fit to drive either. 

“If that’s ok?” you told Pope and he nodded, already standing from his seat. 

“Yeah of course.”

“What about your dad’s car?” Kie asked and you all turned to look at the Beamer parked beside the Twinkie. 

“I can drive it up to Nicky’s house tomorrow morning?” John B told you and you turned to look up at him. 

“Oh thank you, yeah that’d be great,” you smiled at him and he smiled back. His hand played with the end of your shirt and as though suddenly realizing where it was, he coughed awkwardly and pulled his arm away from you. Glancing at JJ he frowned at the blonde’s furrowed brows and missed the way you leaned away from him, glancing down at the floor in disappointment before you stood from where you were seated. 

John B stood after you and awkwardly placed his hands in his pockets as he watched you adjust the waist of your pants. 

“John B, can I get the keys to the Twinkie?” Pope asked and John B pulled the keys out of his pocket, tossing it to Pope just as you slung your bag across your body. Nicky walked up to you and looped her arm around yours. She mumbled something into your ear and John B caught the glance shot his way before he averted his eyes and stared up at the porch ceiling awkwardly. 

“Alright let’s go?” Pope asked and you and Nicky nodded. 

“Bye,” Nicky waved to the remaining trio and you smiled and waved to them before the two of you turned and followed after Pope. 

Kie, JJ, and John b stood and watched as you entered the van. Then as it peeled away from John B’s dirt drive away, the boy flinched in shock as Kie punched him in the arm. 

John B reached up to rub at the spot, shooting Kie a glare. 

“What the fuck?” he hissed and Kie only raised her brows at him. 

“What was that?” Kie questioned and John B only looked at her in confusion. 

“What?” 

“C’mon John B,” JJ spoke up. 

“Wh-what?” John B floundered as he looked between the two and they only shook their heads, clearly done with his shit. 

Put yo hands up if ya ever been in love I know I hate it, I hate it as much as you, oh, oh Baby put your hands up if ya ever, if ya ever If ya ever been in love

[popculturebuffet]

Mickey Mouse Birthday Shortstravaganza!

It’s Mickey and Minnie’s Birthday! It was 92 Years Ago Today everyone’s faviorite mouse came in on a tide of whistling, romance and animal abuse and swept into America’s hearts and wallets. Okay I am a day late on this, I had a busy day, but hey a belated celebratoin’s still good right? Right? Eh i’m doing it anyway.   Anyway since then he’s been one of animations most iconic characters, and while out of the classic power trio I vastly prefer donald and goofy, they still woudln’t be around without Disney’s big cheese and having not seen a ton of Mickey’s shorts, I felt I owed it to the big eared one to take a look at a bunch of his shorts for his birthday and see how I liked em. If your curious about my previous Donald Duck marathon, it’s CLICK THIS LINK.  Unlike last time all of these shorts are on Disney+ as more of Mickey’s library is on there and one or two of these were added recently, as Disney tends to add a few a month. I do wish there were more on there.. but unlike with say the handful of shows they haven’t put on there, i’m a bit more forgiving here. For one thing, YouTube has all the shorts available from various uploaders and DIsney hasn’t touched them despite Plus’ launch. Given like most companies Disney usually has their bots a cirlcing for their content, this has to be delebrate on there part and it’s a good gesture from the company. So while not in crisp HD like the Plus copies, or as easily avaliable, you can find any short that’s happened. So the shorts not all being up at once isn’t an issue like most of the shows that are absent on Plus. 

They also heavily need to cherry pick their library as some shorts simply haven’t aged well or have offensive stuff. With the exception of “The Beach Picnic”, which has a racist caricature of native americans via ants.. yes really, most of the shorts are fine to show kids, and have aged pretty well. And as my last marathon showed some shorts.. just haven’t. While not you know racist, seriously why is the Beach Picnic on there?, “Donald’s Penguin”, while utterly adorable at first, ends with Donald trying to murder a baby penguin with a shot gun. No amount of content warnings is going to get past one of their beloved icons pointing a shotgun at a baby. While Disney’s self conciousness can be silly, the splash edit and not putting the Darkwing Duck episode “Hot Spells” on plus for instance, this is one time when I can agree with them: if someone is curious about a paticuarlly offensive short or a propoganda one, youtube exists. But given Plus is trying to be all ages and dosen’t have censoring they have to be careful what they put on there, and I can respect that. I don’t think anyone’s crying a river over the fact that the goofy short where his reflection keeps saying “Hey Fat”, over and over while he struggles with his weight isn’t on Disney Plus and thankfully never will be. But seriously get rid of the “Beach Picnic”. It’s not a good short and you already have one batch of native american stereotypes with “Peter Pan”, I don’t think racist ants are the hill you want to die on disney.

So yeah, this time all of these are from Disney Plus, and since I watched them all at once, their in Watch order rather than chronological like last time. So with all that out of the way...

After the cut

1. Steamboat Willie (1928): It’s All Fun and Games Until Mickey Strangles an Innocent Duck Starting from the obvious source, Steamboat Willie was the start of Mickey’s career. And it’s.. okay. The animation is fantastic and the first half is pretty good: Theirs a pretty good gag with one of the cows. But the finale, with Mickey abusing various animals just isn’t that funny A LITTLE rattling of an animal for comedy is fine.. but the things Mickey does here are just sociopathic> And yes I know it was the 1920′s, but even in that lawless, racist, sexist time, they knew better than to strangle a duck, or, in the moment that puts it over the top, remove suckling pigs fromt heir mom and then play a pig’s teats like an insturment to make it squeal musically.. I assure you I did not make this up. That actually happens.  The pacing is also fairly slow at points, with some gags dragged out, though that can be chalked up to having no way to edit the damn thing, so that part I can forgive more.  What makes up for it, like I said, are some good jokes, and some gorgeous animation. Decades later and while clearly made a long time ago, it still looks vibrant and really pops even in black and white. It shows just how talented Disney was and how far the company could go with this medium.  One last thing to note is Mickey’s Early personality. While he’d retain trickster aspects at times, here he bounces between the loveable jolly mouse we’d come to know for the rest of his career who sometimes has a wild streak.. and a total asshole who strangles a duck. It’s just intresting to see such a diffrent side of him,  most of which would end up going to Donald over time. Overall the short is decent, not the best of Disney’s catalogue but worth a watch for the historical significance despite it’s shortcomings, pun unintended. 

2. Thru the Mirror (1936): That Was a Weird One This was easily my favorite of the bunch and as of now, my favorite Mickey Mouse Theatrical Short. Part of it is that it’s entirely bonkers; The film STARTS with Mickey , sound asleep, some how astral projecting as his soul, his spirit or whatever lead shis body and having been reading Alice Thorugh the Looking Glass, goes into a mirror world. But instead of encountring evil goatee mickey, he encounters a bunch of living objects and a bunch of fun set pieces for jokes ensue. He dances with playing cards, fights an army of them, has a sword fight with the king after dancing with the queen which.. no Mickey, bad mickey, your in a relationship and so is she. Bad Mouse bad. It is entirely fucking insane, even including a living nut cracker which.. words can’t.. look

They.. they had to know how this looked right? did the director have a ball busting fetish? I mean okay if he did, nothing wrong with that, but maybe don’t put it in your children’s cartoon.  That being said it does eat the shells which I find creative. And that’s what really makes this one pop. The creativity. Not a single minute is boring, every minute has something intresting going on, but without throwing too muchi n your face. It’s just a wonderful short and one that like Mr. Duck Steps out, i’ll be rewatching a LOTTTT. 

3. Mickey’s Rival (1936): Mortimer: The Original Bro From the same year we have disappointment. Having grown up with the disney classic House of Mouse, I was a huge fan of Mortimer. So when I first saw this, I was happy to see where he came from.. then justifably blocked it out of my mind till this review. While I love mortimer, I love Mickey having a sleazy rival and one diffrent than Pete who has different goals and tactics than the big guy. But his debut just has him as an obnoxious snickering bro.. which to be fair is who he is, but without the venre of charm his later version would have.  Mortimer just spends the short being a pranking douche, and blatantly hitting on Minnie in front of Mickey while their on a date. Which even in an open relationship is a no no, so he has no leg to stand on.. metaphorically. He also walks weird in this one because, and this is true, he’s carying 9 volt batteries in his pants. Yes really. That’s the level of Douche we’re dealing with. Someone so up their own ass they carry batteries int heir pocket instead of money or a mask or children’s trading cards like a normal person or a me.  What makes it frustrating is Minnie just swoons over the guy. And not like “Awww he’s so funny”, I mean romantically then has the gaul to say “your just jealous” when Mickey is understandably fuming over the jackass who swooped in, pranked him, is hitting on his girlfriend in front of him by teasing a bull, and in general is just the worst. Yes.. yes he is. Justifably. Jealousy is an ugly emotion but there’s a line between some dude bro like Mortimer getting mad your friends with someone you could be in a relationship with, boy, girl, neither, both, whatever your into, and Mickey getting mad his girlfriend is chuckling all over her ex who agian, crashed their date and treated him like garbage and is very transparently hitting on her in the middle of it.  It’s also just not a very funny short, outside of the bit pictured and tha’ts more for the sheer aburdity of Mortimer elctifying his pant for a really dumb gag about stealing people’s pants button. He’s very lucky we didn’t see Mickey’s Epic Mickey is what i’m saying. But given he’s a frat bro, the 1930′s version granted but a bro nonetheless,  he’d probably find that hilarious until he noticed the sheer size and scope.  Overall a forgetable, frustrating short. The one bright spot is mickey and mortimer’s cars which have faces and stuff and look neat.. otherwise it was just a waste of my time and the only good thing it did was bringing Mortimer into our lives. And that ain’t nothing. 

4. Mickey Down Under (1948): ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

This is a quick one.. because this one was a vacum. I mean I can at least say for Mickey’s Rival it’s interesting.. i’ts not good but it’s interesting. this is just.. Mickey farts around with a boomerang with his dog and then pisses off an ostrich. There’s not really a lot of consequence or intrest is what i’m saying. I can’t even find a good opening to make a letterkenny joke. No one got close to fucking an ostrich here. It’s telling by the fact theirs no gif’s of this one that no one cares and it baffles me this is one of the ones Disney chose to gussy up for D+ release. But still no donald messing around with a robot? 

5. The Band Concert (1935): That’s More Like It.  Okay scooting back a year we have the band concert. This is my third time watching this one and it’s a delight. Like the last one I don’t have a ton to say.. but it’s more because this one is just so good rather than because it wasted my time. It’s got a fun concept and the breakout performance from my boy donald duck as he constantly fucks with the band’s performance by either getting in their faces or hilariously pulling Flute’s out of thin heir. I miss that gimmick for donald, his love of pulling objects out of the either via magic and shenanigans. They should bring it back. Also his shenanigans remind me of opus and that’s never a bad thing. 

Also Horace takes off his shirt. For the Ladies. A Classic for good reason. 

6. On Ice (1935): Donald is a Bastard Man Another great one from the same year. This time around we have what i’ve come to call a Mickey and the Gang Messaround. This is back when Donald and Goofy were supporting characters, so generally each of the big three do something, usually coming together for the climax.  In this case Mickey tries to help Minnie with her skating, with him adorably following her around with a pillow before showing off for her, just really sweet stuff. Goofy’s bit is hilariously dumb, as fitting my boy, as he feeds fish tobaco to get them to spit into a spitoon, and tries to club them, with predictable results. While not the most enivrionmentally friendly just the sheer oddness, the fact it sort of works minus him actually clubbing them, and one of hte fish smacking him in the face all make it work.  The only bit that reallyd osen’t is Donald and pluto... it was present a bit before but here illustrates why I really dread Pluto based shorts. While I don’t hate the dog, he’s a dog I love dogs, most of the gags in his old shorts, and even up to mouseworks are him either being blamed for shit that’s not his fault, a pet peve of mine, or being tourtured in some way...

But dosen’t work at all now. He puts the poor dog on skates and then laughs at him and even sings a song mocking the poor dog, before justifably nearly ending up going over a watterfall, then ending up clubbed in the head. Good. I love donald but good god is he unsympathetic here.. and for some reason they teamed the two up again for more shorts! Why. It’s why I don’t get why Pluto was the star of his own shorts: if this is all they had.. why do it? Was the 30′s, 40′s and 50′s equilvent of a micheal bay audience really that into dog abuse?  So yeah otherwise a good short but that segment drags it down. not Donald’s best work. 

7. Clock Cleaners(1937): This is a Great One Not much to say on this one. It’s pretty good, has some fun set pieces, and some great jokes from all three characters. Mickey deals with a seagull, donald effs with a main spring and Goofy fights some statues. All good clean fun. My lack of brevity is more because I don’t have any jokes rather than this genuinely being bad. It’s pretty good. 

8.. Mickey and the Seal(1948): More Pluto Torture Porn! 

This one’s more of a mixed bag. On the one hand, it is really cute, as a young seal ends up going home with mickey after he visits the zoo to feed them fish. On the other hand.. it’s mostly Pluto chasing after the seal, Mickey being kind of a dick to pluto and not getting he clearly saw SOMETHING in his house, and then teasing him at the end despite him having been right. That being said the ending, with the seal brining back all it’s buddies to mickey’s house, is fricking amazing. ALso the seals in this unvierse who aren’t antrho can speak. That.. that raises a lot of questions I don’t think disney can answer. 

9. Ye Olden Days (1933): Jaunty Dueling Music Now this.. this was a fun one. Mickey and Minnie head to Medivil times, proving that the current shorts tendency to jaunt to various settings isn’t a new thing, and it’ sjust a much of a fun change up here as it was there. Mickey, a wondering minstral, ends up trying to rescue Minnie after her father throws her in a dungeon for not wanting to marry Prince Dippy Dog, who hopes she can learn to love him. I can’t tell if he’s genuine or a dick here. But it’s fun, especially the part where, after Minnie declares she loves mickey which.. it’s been a few hours slow down, they decide on a duel and thus sing some ragtime, 1930′s getting ready for duel music that’s just catchy. if X Of Swords ever gets a movie, I want to use this song. Just.. really good stuff. A fun short with some great gag,s a great concept, and my boy goofy as the villian. What’s not to like? Alright one more. 

10. MIckey’s BIrthday Party (1942): Big Chicken Breasts We end on another all together now, Mickey and the Gang Messaround that was a great note to end on. I did watch another short, Pluto’s Birthday party.. but it was both more of a Pluto short and more Pluto torture nonsense, so yeah, skipping that one, as I ended up one short of my 12 goal because I can’t count, apparently. So Mickey gets 10, but this one’s a good note to go out on. 

Minnie throws a suprise party for mickey which almost turns into a live sex celebration as Mickey clearly is a wee bit horny going in. But it turns into a fun dance party, with Donald throwing out razzes like a good buddy, Goofy making a cake, and some fun gags with a piano they all bought him. It’s a really good short. That’s the problem with Mickey Shorts and doing all D+ ones: There just isn’t the weirdly offensive stuff to talk about there is. He’s not a bad character, but there’s a reason in every short that features all three, Donald and Goofy easily outshine him. Mickey’s not a bad character, but when not in trickster mode, there just isn’t a lot for him to do. It’s why the comics reinvented him, much like they did for donald, into a plucky detective/reporter who reguarly sovles crimes. He’s not bad, and as seen with Ye Olden Days and Thru the Miror, his blank slateness cna be put to good effect and house of mouse gave him more of a personality, but here he’s just the bland good guy to Donald’s loveable scmap and goofy’s loveable dumbass. It’s an issue comedy has to this day: having a lead whose just.. not as intresting as the rest of the ensemble.  There is weirdness to note, as Donald dances with Clara Cluck> That’s not the weird part, he and daisy took a while to be etched in stone. The weird parts are 1. Donald wearing a sombrero and smoking a cigar, and 2. Clara’s MASSIVE boobs.. yes really. Clara Cuck has giant breasts. Like actual boobs that sway around while she dances with donald. it’s.. bizzare. Not terrible, who doesn’t like big chicken boobs but just.. really really weird to see ina  Disney cartoon.But yeah it’s jus ta fun note to end on. 

And that was MIckey’s Birthday special. I enjoyed it even if I had less to say than I thought. If you liked this review, you can comission your own for five bucks, just hit up my pms or my discord , avaliable on request. You can check out my ohter disney reviews in the disney tab on my blog and until next time, ther’es always another rainbow. 

[animeniacss]

What I Want - BadBoy! Taehyung x Reader - Chapter 18 - How Do I Feel?

Synopsis:  You are an innocent, excitable new girl, moving all the way to Korea due to your dad’s new job. As you anxiously learn about the new world around you and how you’ll make your mark, you stumble into none other than bad boy Kim Taehyung and his band of six crazy friends. He seems to be bothered but you, something he doesn’t even understand. Will you be able to tolerate the shenanigans of Taehyung and his rowdy friends, or will you fall victim to his charms just like everyone else?

Featuring Jihyo and Dahyun (TWICE) as your friends, and BTS members as Taehyung’s group of friends.

Genre: Romance, BadBoy!V, BadBoy!BTS, High School Romance, Drama

Length: approx. 4k words

Chapter 18 - How Do I Feel? 

Taehyung stayed in the living room of his little apartment, writing on a piece of scrap paper on how he would make a picnic date with you. He planned the different foods he would pack, and made a note to ask Jin for help. He also checked his phone for different locations nearby that would be fun to visit, like national parks or rivers with a pretty view. This kind of made him excited, especially at the thought of seeing you so happy. The two of you didn’t really go on a date just the two of you in a while, the last was one was around February when you went to a new restaurant that opened up in town. Mostly, your dates would start solo, but something would come up, or you’d run into one of the others and they would join you. Taehyung never minded, and it seemed you were okay with it as well, but still. Taehyung wanted to spend time with just you, no outsiders looking in.

           As Taehyung was making notes and looking up potential picnic spots, the door to the apartment opened and a cackle could be heard.

           “Aaaaaa, Yeongieeeee~! You’re so funny.” Taehyung groaned at the sound of his mother’s voice. She was drunk, and it sounded like she was bringing home this guy, Yeong Bin, that she had been seeing for a while. The door closed with a bang and Taehyung tried to keep his eyes down on his phone as the drunk duo staggered into the living room. His mother’s high pitched giggles were starting to give him a headache, and he groaned as he glanced up. His mother and Yeong Bin were holding each other up, that was how intoxicated they were. “Ahhh, Taehyuuung, you’re finally home.” She hummed, her head lolling over to her son.

           “Uh-huh…” he said. “Paid my bail money and everything.” His mother laughed a bit as she staggered to the couch, sitting beside him. He scooted away.

           “Stop playing, you bad boy.” She nudged him. Taehyung rolled his eyes as she burped. “…Why are you ignoring me? Show some respect!”

           “You’re drunk, I don’t give a crap what you have to say.” Taehyung said simply, scrolling through his phone. He heard footsteps approaching him and he glanced up, before being hit over the head by Yeong Bin. “Ow! What the fuck?!”

           “Don’t talk to your mother that way.” He slurred, hiccupping. Taehyung stood up, crossing his arms.

           “You’re not my dad, do not come off trying to tell me what to do.” He hissed.

           “Ahh, you little prick.” He took hold of Taehyung’s collar. Taehyung snickered.

           “Go ahead and hit me. I <em>just </em> got in a fight with some other jerk off and you’re even weaker than he is.”

           “Aaaah, enough, enough. My head is swimming.” His mother groaned, and Yeong Bin released Taehyung. “Honey, go get me water?” She hummed, laying on the couch. Taehyung shoved himself past Yeong Bin.

           “Get it yourself, I’m going to bed.” He scoffed, slamming the door to his room. He tugged off his shirt and tossed it into the ever-growing pile of dirty laundry. He glanced at it, making a mental note to go to Jin’s house soon and do laundry. Laying down on his bed, running a hand through his hair as he heard Yeong Bin and his mom continue their drunken stupor and make noise outside. Rolling onto his side, he pulled out his earphones. Slipping them on, he pulled up your number and called it. Though it was late, and he understood you may be sleeping, he wanted to try. It rang for a moment, but you picked up.

           “Tae?” you sounded groggy on the phone. It was cute, it made him smile.

           “Did I wake you up?” He asked.

           “Well, it’s almost one.” You hummed. “But it’s okay….” He heard you yawn.

           “Sorry. You can hang up and head to bed if you want.” He said.

           “You okay?” You asked curiously.

           “Yeah…” he sighed. “I just…wanted to hear your voice before bed, I guess.” He heard you giggle a bit, and it made him smile more.

           “Awww, you’re such a mush sometimes, Tae.” You teased. The two of you sat on the phone in silence for a moment, until Taehyung decided to say something.

“Hey.” He said. “Can you keep Saturday open?”

“Yeah sure. Why?” You asked curiously.

“I just…had an idea for a date. It’s nothing major, but I wanted enough time to prepare everything and make sure it’s perfect.” You couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Yeah. I’ll keep it open. Can you tell me what kind of date this is?”

“No,” he said. “That’s no fun.”

“Awwww.” You pouted. You heard Taehyung chuckle, but it sounded a bit forced. You frowned. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

           “Ah, my mom and her bum boyfriend came home drunk a few minutes ago. Almost threw hands with the guy. Tch, dick.”

           “Do you want to come here?” You asked curiously. “I’ll wait up.”

           “Nah.” He said. “They’ll be passed out unconscious soon. If anything happens, Jungkook doesn’t live too far from me.”

           “Are you sure?”

           “Yes, I’m sure. I promise. Don’t worry too much.”

           “You know I always worry when you’re home.” You confessed. Taehyung chuckled.

           “I know. It means a lot that you care so much.” He heard you yawn. “Head to bed.” He said. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

           “Okay…” you hummed. “Call me if you need me though, okay? I’ll keep my ringer on.”

           “Alright.” He said.

           “I love you.” You said gently. Taehyung felt his breath catch in his throat. It always made him happy to hear you say it.

           “I….” he sighed. After a moment of silence, he gulped. “Me too…” You giggled a bit.

           “I’ll take that for now.” You joked. “Goodnight, Tae.”

           “Night…” he said, hearing you hang up the phone. Once the call ended, Taehyung was able to hear Yeong Bin’s loud snoring from the other room. He closed his eyes, putting on his playlist as he closed his eyes and attempted to fall asleep.

           Taehyung woke up around 9 the next morning. He didn’t hear anything in the house, so he assumed that his mother and Yeong Bin were still asleep, if Yeong Bin was even still here. He looked at his phone, wincing a bit as the bright light hit his eyes and he groaned.

           “Uggh, fuck…” he saw you had sent a text about an hour before, while he was still asleep.

           Good morning! Text me when you get up~. Hoping you had sweet dreams <3 (Sent 8:06 a.m.)

“Dork.” He chuckled to himself as he got out of bed, tossing on a shirt as he went into the kitchen. As he turned the corner into the living room and dining room combination, he saw Yeong Bin digging in the fridge. He looked up, a water bottle against his lips as he closed the door. Taehyung looked away, walking past him as he opened one of the cabinets. They were low on cereal, but he pulled out a box and set it down on the counter, searching for a bowl and spoon. He was waiting until Yeong Bin moved to get the milk, and he would wait as long as it took because he sure as hell was not going to ask him to move.

“Tell your Mom I’ll call her whenever.” Yeong Bin said, sliding on his shoes.

“Yeah whatever.” Taehyung said. “Get the hell out of here.” Yeong Bin glared at him as he stood by the door.

“You should learn some manners, kid.”

“Yeah, well, you shouldn’t be cheating on your wife either, but hey.” He shrugged. “What are ya gonna do?” He saw Yeong Bin grimace at that statement. “Make sure you use some cologne this time, huh? Can’t have her smelling my mom on your again, now can we?”

“You’re a little pissant, ya know that?” he asked, storming out and slamming the door to the apartment. Taehyung scoffed, opening the fridge and pulling out what little milk they had left and poured it into his bowl. Putting a spoonful into his mouth, he heard the door to his mother’s room open. She staggered out, rubbing her head as he walked into the living room and lied down on the couch.

“Tae…aspirin…” she groaned. Taehyung sighed, grabbing them off the coffee table and tossing them at her. “Thanks…” she opened it and popped one into her mouth. She saw Tae plop down on the armchair, turning it a bit away from her as he continued to eat. His mother looked at the coffee table, seeing a piece of paper on it. She leaned forward and grabbed it, opening it. Taehyung looked over and saw this.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Since when did you start planning dates?” she groaned, sitting up on the couch. “When did you get a girlfriend?” Taehyung reached over and yanked the paper out of her hands.

“You never ask, if you even gave a shit.” He said, stuffing the paper in his pajama pants pocket. His mother pursed her lips.

“Can I meet her?” She asked curiously. “It’s only natural a son brings his girlfriend home to meet his mother.”

“No,” he said.

“Why not? You brought that girl Hyuna home a few times in middle school.” Taehyung looked over.

“She was a bitch.” Taehyung said simply.

“Tell me about it.” She snickered, closing her eyes as she grabbed a throw blanket and covered herself with it. Taehyung couldn’t help but chuckle a bit. “But seriously, I want to meet your new girlfriend. Is she nice?”

“I’m not talking about it. I’m not bringing her home to a drunk. She’s too good.”

“I’m not a drunk.”

“Yes you are, Mom.” He said simply, finishing the bowl of cereal as he got up. He went to the sink and quickly washed the bowl and spoon before putting everything away. “Name the last time you didn’t go out and come home after midnight drunk.” His mother was silent, and Taehyung chuckled. “That’s what I thought.” He opened the fridge, grabbing a water bottle and closing it. He walked over to the couch and handed it to her. She took it into her hands.

“Thanks honey.” She smiled up at him. He didn’t look at her.

“Sober up for once. Then maybe I’ll think about bringing her around. And that’s a big maybe.” He said. He walked to the little table at the front of the house, grabbing his house key, wallet, and putting his phone in his pocket. “I’m going out.”

“When will you be back?” She asked. Taehyung sighed. While he and his mother would converse sometimes during the few times that he was home, he never liked it. And this was the longest and….most naturally that the two of them had spoken to one another. She wanted to know when he would be back…

“I…I don’t know.” He said, sliding his shoes on.

“Okay…” he heard her go silent for a moment to drink her water. As he reached for the doorknob, she spoke up. “I love you, Taehyung.” He blinked, his hand gripping the doorknob. Those three words…but for some reason, they hit him in the back of the head and wormed their way into his ears. He rested his head against the door, closing his eyes.

           Why….why does this have to happen now?

           “…Bye…” he said, opening the door and slamming it quickly. He sighed, heading down the elevator of the apartment and into the street. He pulled out his phone and looked through his contacts. His mind was racing, those three words playing in his head. But this time, instead of your gentle, loving voice, it was his mother’s raspy hangover voice telling him. He kicked a rock he saw on the side of the road and watched it skirt across the street. His friends were either studying or busy…and he sent you a good morning text. He continued his journey, digging in his pockets. “Ah, shit…forgot to grab my cigarettes.” He mumbled. He strolled down the street, not meeting the eye of any people who passed him by.  He just felt kind of sick now, pissed off. Questioning the legitimacy of his mother’s declaration of maternal love to him…

           …Yeah, he never thought that would be something that would happen to him, much less ruin his morning.

           As he was walking down the street, he heard footsteps approach him, and two black heels appeared into his views. He looked up, seeing Hyuna standing in front of him, hand in his pocket and a cigarette in her mouth.

           “Hey, stranger.” She said, smiling a bit. Taehyung groaned.

           “Not in the mood, Hyun-ah.” He said, trying to walk past her, but she turned around and took his arm. “Ugh, what?” He looked over at her.

           “…Want a smoke?” she asked. When Taehyung didn’t respond, she sighed. “I’ll keep my distance.” He looked at her, and the cigarette in her hand. He really did need a cigarette.

           “Fine.” He said. The duo made their way to a bench nearby and took a seat. People were passing them by as Hyuna pulled out her pack from her pocketbook, handing him one along with a lighter. Taehyung lit it and took a puff, sighing in relief.

           “So, what’s up? Did you and your girlfriend finally break-up?” She asked. Taehyung chuckled.

           “Wouldn’t you like to know.” He said. Hyuna smiled up at him a bit. “But no, we didn’t.”

           “Hm. That’s good. You two are pretty cute together.”

           “Yeah, that’s why you were so eager to get back with me, right?” He asked. Hyuna pouted.

           “Well, be surprised all you want, but you’re much better than Ji Seok in terms of boyfriend material. You have a sense of humor.” Taehyung laughed a bit. “I heard about that fight you two got into.”

           “I bet he’s pissed,” Taehyung said. “Not like I give a shit.”

           “Wouldn’t know,” Hyuna said. “After his father helped get him out of it, I haven’t seen him. He only called me once for calling me a bitch for not bailing him out. Said your girlfriend was there for you.”

           “And? What did you say?”

           “I told him to stop getting into stupid fights and hung up,” Hyuna said. “I can’t handle his shit anymore.”

           “I don’t blame you. I’m amazed you two have been together as long as you have.” Hyuna chuckled at Taehyung’s comment, flicking her finished cigarette onto the street and stomping it under her heel.

           “Yeah…” she said softly. “So if it’s not relationship troubles, what’s got you looking so sad? You’re too attractive to be frowning.”

           “Heh. Are you sure you’re not flirting with me?” He asked. Hyuna nodded. Taehyung was silent for a moment. “I don’t think I should be letting out my feelings to you. Ji Seok might come after me again.” Hyuna nodded.

           “I mean, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. I can’t force you. Sometimes it’s just nice to talk to someone.” Taehyung puffed his cigarette again, glancing down at Hyuna. He saw her leaned back against the bench, looking straight ahead now. He could see from the angle that she seemed different than normal. She wasn’t trying to pull anything or manipulate him for any personal gain. Sitting there felt like he was sitting with an old friend, not an ex-girlfriend. He sighed.

“Do you love Ji Seok?” He asked. Hyuna looked up, a bit shocked. “Too personal?” he asked.

“…I can’t remember the last time we told each other we loved each other.” She admitted, tucking some hair behind her ear. “I bet you and your girlfriend tell each other every day.” Taehyung shook his head.

“Nope.” He said. “She tells me, but I’m too much of a chicken to say it back.” He said. Hyuna glanced at him, again surprised by his comment. “Heh. You look shocked. Why? I never told you I loved you either.”

“I just kind of assumed you didn’t.” She said with a chuckle. “Ooooo, she must be drowning in misery knowing you haven’t said it back yet.” Taehyung groaned, covering his face.

“God don’t remind me. Every time she says it, I clam up. Like she’s speaking a different language.” He said as Hyuna covered her mouth to laugh in amusement. “And she’s so patient with me. God, I don’t deserve her.”

“Hell no.” Hyuna agreed. She opened her cigarette pack and saw she was out. “Damn.” She tossed the empty box into a nearby trash can. Taehyung sighed as he finished his cigarette and tossed it into the trash can as well. “Well, I at least I have this permanent memory of your suffering. I like that.”

“Yeah, thanks…” Taehyung rolled his eyes. “I’ve never been good with the idea of love.” He shrugged.

“I can understand that.” She said. After that, the duo sat in silence for a moment, not really sure what to say after that. Hyuna glanced at Taehyung a few times, and he glanced back. After a moment, he spoke up.

“You sure you’re not trying to flirt with me?” he asked, scooting away. “I don’t like how you’re looking at me.” Hyuna scoffed as Taehyung chuckled a bit.            

“You’re unbelievable.” She said. “If I wanted to flirt with you, you know damn well I would have tried already.” Taehyung laughed a bit more. “Besides, Ji Seok was pissed when he and I got home after that festival in December.” Hyuna sounded pained when she said that, if she was remembering something she would soon rather forget. That wouldn’t be surprising. Taehyung looked at her when she said that.

“You shouldn’t deal with that.” He said. “I know when we were in middle school, I wasn’t the best boyfriend but…Christ. Being with Ji Seok might be a nightmare.” Hyuna sighed, standing up and holding onto her bag. “Hm?”

“Listen, this whole thing has been fun but I should go.” She said. Taehyung noticed her make a fist with her hand before both of them pulled her hair up into a ponytail. “Take good care of your girlfriend, alright? She deserves it…”

“Alright…” he said. He saw Hyuna turn to him, smiling a bit.

“Sorry….” She said.

“For what?”

“I I know I haven’t seen you much since December. But I’m sorry, for what my actions have led to. Ji Seok, and the fights and all of that…” she sighed. “Just, sorry.” Taehyung smiled a bit, nodding.

“Yeah. Thanks.” He said. Then, he chuckled.

“What?” she asked curiously.

“Nothing. It’s just funny. My mom brought you up and I called you a bitch. And here you are, pouring your heart out to me and apologizing.” Hyuna chuckled.

“Do you still think I’m a bitch, then?” She asked.

“Oh absolutely.” He grinned a bit, both of them laughing. “Be safe getting where you’re going.” He stood up, putting his hands in his pockets. Hyuna nodded.

“You too.” She said. Giving a wave, she turned on her heel and headed down the street. Taehyung saw a few men that she passed look in her direction, amazed at the beauty passing them in the street. When they looked back up to see where she came from, they saw Taehyung glaring in their direction. The boys, probably in college, got freaked out by his expression and rushed across the street. He chuckled, before turning on his heel and heading down the street.

Hyuna made her way back to her apartment. It was one she lived in with her parents, who were out a lot for work, so Ji Seok would find himself bumming it on her couch for a few days when he didn’t want to go home. She walked into the house, announcing her presence as she closed the door behind her and locked it. As she stepped farther into the apartment, she tossed her jacket in the closet, set her shoes down, and made her way into the kitchen, her stomach starting to tell her that it was time she found something to put in it. She had tried waiting as long as she could to eat today, thinking maybe she would just grab lunch around 11 and that would be enough. But nope, her stomach was telling her it was time to eat now.

As she stood in the kitchen, the pan in front of her sizzling up some eggs, she heard the door open. Then it slammed, hard. Quickly, Hyuna turned off the stove and tossed the unfinished eggs into the trash, before storing the pan back into the cabinet. She grabbed a water and sat at the table as she heard footsteps approach.

“I’m fucking starving.” Ji Seok said as he stepped in. He saw Hyuna sitting there, and sniffed the air. “Were you cooking?” He asked.

“I was going to make eggs but I changed my mind.” She said simply. “Want to get lunch?”

“No.” He walked over, opening the fridge and pulling out one of her father’s beers. Hyuna watched him.

“You know it’s like…10 in the morning, right?” she asked. Ji Seok looked over, frowning as he popped the cap off.

“So? When have you ever commented on my drinking?” he put the bottle up to his lips and took a sip of it, before setting it onto the counter. He looked at Hyuna with an intense expression on his face. Hyuna starred back for a moment, waiting for him to say something. However, he didn’t. It sent a shiver down his spine.

“…What?” She asked. “What are you staring at?”

“We need to talk.” He said.

---------

“So another surprise date with Taehyung, huh?” Jihyo asked you. You both were on the phone, as Jihyo was currently out running errands, and you were taking your brother to a local ice cream shop. He was currently choosing his flavor among the many options. You had already paid for yours and gave your brother the money needed to pay for him so you could step outside and answer Jihyo’s call.

“Yeah. I’m excited to see what it is. I wonder if it’s another dinner based date.”

“He seems to like those a lot.” Jihyo pointed out. You giggled a bit.

“Yeah…” you agreed. After a moment, you sighed. “I can’t help but worry about him, though.”

“I don’t blame you.” Jihyo said.

“Well, not in the way you’d think. Last night, when we were talking, he sounded really annoyed and sad. I think it involved his mom, but I didn’t ask too much. I just told him to come over if it was too much.”

“That’s all you can do.” Jihyo said. “He’s a big boy. He can handle it.”

You saw your brother step out of the ice cream shop, change in his hand as the other one clutched a two-scoop ice cream. He was beaming. You chuckled as the two of you headed back home.

“Listen. I’ll call you later.” You said to her as you walked with your brother. “My ice cream’s either going to melt or be eaten by my brother at this rate.”

“Alright. Talk later.” The two of you hung up and you put your phone away. You walked past an apartment building, and the two of you heard the sound of something shattering, and people yelling. You both stopped, glancing up towards the apartment that was a few stories up. The window was open, hence why it could be heard so easily.

“That doesn’t sound good…” you mumbled to yourself. You looked down at your brother, who nodded in agreement.

“I’m glad Taehyung doesn’t treat you like that.” He said. You nodded, smiling as you both continue your journey back home. You heard another sound of something shattering, and a scream for someone to “STOP, GOD, DAMN IT!” You thought you recognized the voice and turned back, listening more intensely. Your brother noticed that you had stopped walking, and tugged your sleeve. “Sis…?” he asked. “What’s wrong?” You glanced down at him, then back towards the sound a few more times. Other people in the area began to take notice of the fight, and one person above the apartment in question opened his window to poke his head out to tell them to stop yelling.

“Nothing’s wrong.” You said. “Let’s just go before this gets any uglier.” And with that, you led your brother off.

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[raindrop-on-a-spiderweb]

On The Street Where You Live, Part 2

This got long so I had to break it up into 3 parts. Apologies!

I'm warning you, this chapter is pretty degenerate. And has sex scenes 😥

***

Patience perused the dresses on the rack. Two girls from her high school were at the normal-priced rack, giggling and casting smug looks behind them at the girl in the ratty skirt flipping through Woolworth's discount rack. She tried to ignore them.

Too out-of-style... wrong size... too much lace... finally, when she was beginning to despair, she found a gorgeous green dress with a white sash and a ruffled bodice at the very end. It had a rip in the skirt, but that could be fixed.

She walked home, and as soon as she stepped through the door she was met by a familiar face. Leonardo was sitting on the couch, hair ruffled. His face brightened when he saw her. "What are you doing here?" She said.

Mommy came in, buttoning the front of her dress. "Did you find a prom dress, honey?"

"Yeah. It's ten dollars."

"I could have one made for you," said Leonardo. "My father and I are tailors."

The thought of Silvio with his giant sausage fingers sweating over her dress made her want to drink Drano. "It's nice of you to offer, but thanks."

Something in the air smelled fishy. Literally. Leonardo had his waistcoat (with the St.Joseph's emblem) draped over the side of the couch.

"Patience, sweetie, go get the photo album. I want to show Leo some pictures."

'Leo'?

Mommy looked happier than she had ever seen her before. Her skin was flushed and she looked at Leonardo with adoration that seemed closer to worship.

Patience reluctantly got the album out of the cabinet and Mommy flipped it open on her lap. Black-and-white photos of days gone by--days when Mommy and Daddy didn't scream or hit each other--flashed past.

"This is our wedding day," said Mommy, pointing to a photo of her and Daddy, her radiant in a long-sleeved white dress and Daddy in his army uniform. "Richard had just come back from serving in World War Two."

"My father served the war as well," said Leonardo. 

"Which side?" Said Patience, and her mom scowled at her.

"He fought for Italy. But he was never a fascist, just a patriot. When he saw how bad things were going for Italy, he switched to helping the Allies. He helped rebuild Italy. And after it was all said and done, he came here to start a new life."

Patience had a distinct feeling that some of that was bullshit, but said nothing. 

"Mrs. Winslow, you look radiant. A true Southern beauty."

Mommy giggled. "That was a long time ago."

"You are still beautiful. I know you still turn heads when you're out." He winked. "If I were your husband, I'd be too afraid of someone stealing you I'd never let you out of the house."

God, he knew how to lay it on thick. She grumped to herself as he paused over a picture of Patience. "Is that you, Pazienza?"

Patience was about eight, in a checked pinafore and her hair in braids. "Yeah. That was the church picnic, remember, Mommy?"

"I wish I had pictures like these," Leonardo said softly. "All of them are so happy and lovely. I can tell you all adore each other."

"Don't you have baby pictures?"

"Not many. We lived a rough life. Photographs were a luxury few of us could afford."

"You poor thing," said Mommy, cupping his face. Patience looked away. She hated the syrupy way Mommy spoke to him. He wasn't her son. Patience was her daughter, and she was RIGHT THERE.

They reached the end, and there was a picture of the family in front of their new house in Garland City. Patience was forcing a smile, as was her mother, and Richard wasn't smiling at all.

Patience winced. "That's when we moved to Garland. Urgh."

"Why the move?"

"Well, Greenhaven PD wanted dad to come to Garland to work on some assignment with the Garland City PD. And it's... kinda dragging."

"What assignment?"

Patience looked at her mom, and doubt flashed across her face. "Organized crime," she said slowly.

"You don't want to tell me? That's fine. I don't blame you." He rubbed his finger over the photograph, lingering on Patience's face. "You really do look like your mother, Patience. Both of you are beautiful. Richard is a very, very lucky man."

Patience couldn't help it. He was handsome and she was a little flattered. "I need to... go do homework."

"Richard is due back soon as well. Thank you for dropping that casserole off, Leo."

Patience escorted him out. "It's lovely spending time with you and your mother. We should all go out together sometime."

"I'm not sure my dad would like that."

"Well, we just won't tell anyone then." He leaned against the side of the door, shielding his pretty face from the sun with one hand. "Patience, I wanted to ask you something."

"Yeah?" She wondered when Woolworth's was closing.

"There's going to be a celebration at St. Joseph's next Sunday. Feast of St. Gennaro. Would you like to come with me?"

"Uhm, I'm actually going to be doing something that night. Prom. I have a date."

He paused, and something settled over his face. "I didn't know. I'm sorry."

"It's fine." 

His blue eyes were glassy in the sunshine. "Who with?"

"Salvatore Mallozzi. I think you know him."

"I do indeed." He looked away. The joviality of his manner had seemed to vanish. "Thank you for having me over." He walked down the steps to the house, not looking back.

***

"You look beautiful, sweetie." Marilyn fixed her hair a bit and steppled back. "Perfecto!"

Patience looked at herself in the mirror, turning her head this way and that to admire the makeup. "Thanks, Mommy! You did a great job."

"I still think you should have worn my black dress. It'll look so charming and vintage." 

"Ha. I'd get hell for it from the other girls, I'd never live it down."

She looked out the window. "You'll have to introduce me to your date soon."

Patience had no intention of doing so, and would make excuses to the end of time. "Sure, I will. We'll all have to have dinner or something." She checked the clock. "Well, off I go. Bye, Mommy."

"Have fun, sweetie. Don't get carried away." The look on her face was bittersweet as she watched her daughter leave the house.

***

Salvatore had offered to pick her up, but she refused. She REALLY didn't need her mom and dad to see who she was dating. So she walked down the cracked streets to Salvatore's house.

He lived just a few blocks over, in a small, cramped tenement with an overgrown yard and a car on concrete blocks on the street opposite. She nervously knocked on the door, and it was pulled open by a plump girl with red lipstick and frizzy blonde hair. "Oh, you must be Patience!"

"Are you... related?" 

"No. My name's Barbara. I'm here for the prom as well." She stepped into the doorway, showing off her ruffled polka-dot dress. "I'm going with Gabe, Salvatore's brother. I like your dress!"

"Salvatore has a brother?" She followed her in.

The house was packed, hot and noisy. A boy that looked similiar to Sal, but with longer hair, was straightening his bow tie in the hallway mirror. He looked over and smiled at her. "Hi! You must be Patience."

He yelled something in Sicilian behind him, and was answered by a woman's voice in another rapid smattering of Sicilian. A woman with thick dark hair and thicker eyebrows was cooking something in the smoky kitchen as Patience emerged into the living room. As she looked over at Patience and frowned, the resemblance to her two sons was so striking she wondered if she were simply Salvatore in a dress with a little eyeshadow. 

"Why can't you get a nice Italian girl?" The woman yelled in the other direction.

"Quiet down, mama!" Salvatore yelled back from another room.

There was a man sitting on the ripped couch, holding a beer. She vaguely recognized the dark shades and the slicked-back hair.

"Patience! So this is the girl that my Sal is so in love with. Let me get a good look at you.

"Skin and bones," sniffed the mother.

"That dress looks lovely on you, darling. Twirl around." She did so. "Che bella!"

Barbara came in and collapsed on the sofa. "Are you done in there, Sal?"

"I'll be ready when I'm ready!"

"I've known Sal since he was knee-high-- I'm his part-time boss. Name's Dario Malone, but you can call me Bats. Cause I'm battier than a warehouse full of 'em!" That seemed to amuse Malone, and he threw his head back and cackled.

Dario Malone... that name sounded familiar. She felt like she'd seen it in the newspaper before. A door swung open and Sal stood there in a well-cut white tuxedo, his black hair in a neat side-part. He was holding a corsage. 

"You look great, Sal! You're so handsome! Your suit's... amazing!"

"I let him borrow it," said Malone. "After all, it's a special night."

"You look stunning," Salvatore managed, his eyes like saucers. "Your dress... it's...,"

"From the clearance rack at Woolworth's." Salvatore stepped forward and pinned the corsage to her breast. "May I?"

"You may." Patience took his arm in hers.

"This kid is like a son to me," said Malone. "So you better bring him back home before midnight, understand?" He wagged his finger in a parody of a mother. 

She laughed. "Sure, Mr. Malone."

"Salud, Sal." He lifted his beer bottle. "You make this a special night."

Barbara and Gabe and them got in the car, a swanky Cadillac that was probably borrowed as well. Barbara and Patience sat in the back, Gabe and Sal in the front.

The ride was long and glitzy and filled with laughter. Salvatore blew through two red light and the speed limit, but she didn't care. Barbara cracked raunchy joke after raunchy joke. When they finally arrived at the prom, Patience staggered out, dizzy, when Sal held the door open for her.

Their car outshone every other car in the parking lot. People stared in admiration at the Mallozzi brothers and their dates as they escorted them into the auditorium.

A banner proclaiming CLASS OF 52 WILLIAM WESTON HIGH SCHOOL hung over the dance floor. Punch bowls and glitzy dresses galore. High heels spinning in a dance. Neon streamers everywhere. Patience was bedazzled, and had to hang onto Sal's arm for support.

"Yahoo! Let's dance!" Barbara grabbed Gabe and spun him into the crowd of dancers, and Sal followed suit.

None of them knew how to dance, that much was clear, and they kept knocking into other people and each other. Patience was laughing and blushing, and hooked her arms around Salvatore's narrow shoulders

Even his pallor had flushed, and he was grinning broadly.

They separated when they became exhausted, and Sal led her over to a chair as he went to get them punch.

Patience leaned her elbows on the white tablecloth as Sal disappeared into the crowd. This was the best night of her life and it could only get better. She never wanted it to end.

"Excuse me? Excuse me? P-Patience?"

She turned around to face a brown-haired boy with coke bottle glasses and a bow tie. He was holding a pen and a notepad.

"Yes?" He looked vaguely familiar.

"I'm Mike. I'm in your gun class, I think."

"Oh. Yeah. You always come in dead last. I'm sorry for beating you by fifty points last Friday, I shouldn't have laughed at you."

"It's fine. I'll take another elective next year. I'm not big on shooting, anyway, journalism is more my forte." He scratched his head, looking nervous. "I'm covering the prom for the yearbook. Can I ask you a couple questions?"

"Sure." She moved over to let him sit down.

"First question: Who is your date?"

"I'M her goddamn date, and you better beat it, you fucking mick." Sal was standing there holding two cups of punch, his fingers so tight she worried that it would shatter.

He stood up. "Sorry. I'm with the yearbook, I was just interviewing--"

"I don't give a fuck what you're doing, find another girl." Salvatore's voice was a snarl.

"Sal, calm down. He really WAS just--"

"What the hell did you say to my brother?" Snarled someone else from behind. A tall brown-haired boy with a lantern jaw and a suit 2 sizes too small blocked out the light.

Sal slid the drinks over to her and faced him, body tense. "Get lost, Seamus. This doesn't involve you."

"Fuck you, Mallozzi. I got a fuckin bone to pick with you. You put my buddy Sam in the hospital. And you was the one trespassing on Bulldogs territory!"

A small circle had formed, watching the two boys. "Oh, no," Michael said in a small voice.

Sal pushed up his sleeves just as Seamus took a step forward. The look in his glistening, coal-black eyes made her shudder. A chill ran down her spine. In her mind's eye she saw the Irish boy's head stomped into the curb, and heard the echoing crack through her brain.

"What's going on here? Are you fighting? Enough!" Mr. Tolbert, their burly gym teacher, was elbowing his way through the throng.

Sal looked over to the teacher and looked about to argue--the cords on his neck were standing taut. But Patience wrapped her arms around him from behind, and saidnin his ear. "Forget about it Sal. He's not worth it. C'mon, let's dance a little more."

Mike tugged his brother in the other direction, and Patience led him back to the dance floor and pulled him into a slow dance. She tilted her head up to rest their foreheads against each other.

He smelled like cigarette smoke, her boy, and as the gentleness in his eyes returned, she leaned up and slowly pressed her lips against his. They stayed like that, still, tasting each other, their bodies molded together. When they separated, he whispered, "Let's get out of here?"

"What?" She giggled.

"I know a place--a beautiful little place that the two of us can go for some alone time. Come on, let's go!" He tugged her towards the exit. She looked back, her hair whipping. "What about Gabe and Barb?" 

"They have friends who can drive them home. C'mon!"

***

It was indeed a beautiful little place. On a hill that overlooked the vast, glittering lights of Garland City, he had parked her car. She gazed out over the cornucopia of shining lights, spread like a blanket to the mass of darkness that was the bay. "Oh, Sal! This is wonderful!"

He was sitting back, smiling rakishly. "One hell of a sight, huh? Found this place while exploring one day. Thought it would be perfect. No one comes around here cause it's right off the highway on the forest reserve. The trees hide it from the road." 

If Patience had been more suspicious, she probably would have questioned why he was out here so remote "exploring", but she was caught up in a whirlwind of love and it didn't occur to her. "It's perfect. Thank you. This--everything is perfect."

"I sure hope so. A perfect night for a perfect girl." he smiled at her. He did have the most wonderful smile. It lit up his whole face. He was handsome, in that gangly way teenage boys often were, youth softening his features before they became angular adult's features. His skin was very fair, milky pale and shaved clean of the faltering stubble that had just started to come in. His eyes were not hard anymore, but as soft and dark as a doe's, his hair a matching sable that was carefully combed out of his face. 

And she was drowning in him, so much so that when he put a hand between her legs she didn't object, but leaned forward to meet him in a kiss.

She was hypersensitized, breathing heavily and moaning as his mouth went from hers to the soft nape of her neck, nipping her slightly as his hand worked under her panties to reach her warm, damp confines.

He pressed the tip of his finger inside her, slowly moving in circles, and she stifled a moan. She could see him getting hard through his pants, and spontaneously rubbed him through the fabric. He swelled under her hand, becoming more erect with every rub she gave him.

He moved up to a tiny pinprick of flesh between her cleft, and the shock of pleasure was so electric she gasped. "There," she said. "Yes, there, yes, keep rubbing!"

He encircled it with his finger and thumb, pressing and rubbing and sending her heart to her throat, and she increased her movements, gripping his bulging head through the fabric and squeezing it.

"Fuck," he said when before now he had been silent, and his voice was strained. He pulled his hand out--she squirmed--and wrapped his arms around her, searching for the zipper of her dress, and when he yanked it down, it nearly tore. She gave a half-cry, half-laugh. "Sal!"

Her breasts--what little of them there were-- popped free, and he smothered his face in them, licking and sucking the sensitive red tips. She grabbed his head, her fingers sinking into his soft black hair, not sure whether to pull him toward her or away, the stimulation zinging to the ends of her toes.

He unbuttoned his coat halfway, and pulled it off the rest of the way in his haste. The shirt came off too, and his bare chest was revealed, lean and scarred with every rib visible.

"Sal--" he quieted her with another kiss, pulling off her dress until she was in nothing but underwear and thigh-highs, and the underwear went too, dangling on her ankles.

The world swirled as he pulled a lever to put her seat back, and her head thudded against the soft seat as he climbed on top of her. He did not weigh much, but he seemed heavy as he pulled down his zipper, head bent so that his hair came free to shadow his face.

Something brushed her wet, spread opening, something hard and desperately hot, and before she could say a word he was fully sheathed in her, his thick cock spearing her spongy walls, and the pain wa so sudden and sharp the slow shreds of pleasure that had begun to build up vanished.

He began to move back and forth, his hips spasming as he forced his cock as far as it would go and pulled out, leaving just the head in. 

Whatever pleasure she might have felt was gone by the harsh movement and sudden penetration without any time for her to adjust. She struggled, the pain making tears come to her eyes, before he slammed her back down with a deliberateness to it that said don't do that again.

She looked at the car ceiling, tears streaking down the sides of her face as put his whole weight on her hips, grinding against her harder than a bullet in a chamber. The thought made her think of gun class, and if she had a gun right now, and she wondered whether she would use it on him right now.

Her long, pale legs unwillingly curved around his slim hips, her underwear hanging from one ankle. The lights of the city reflected on the dashboard, and on her quivering toetip, twitching back and forth as he slammed into her.

He froze, head nestled to the nape of her neck, and gave a moan that vibrated against her skin. Something hot spread through her lower body, like a warm, wet puddle. 

They lay like that for a moment, him harshly breathing against her skin, before he rolled off.

She sat up immediately, despite the stinging between her thighs, and pulled her dress around her. Her nose was running in addition to the tears that streamed down her cheeks. As she hefted herself, she felt something warm trickle down her leg. When she looked down she saw a streak of blood, mixed with white, slowly making its way down her thigh.

"Marry me," said Salvatore.

Patience looked over at him in utter bewilderment. He was lying on his back, his narrow chest exhaling and expanding and his fly undone. The thing that had caused her so much pain was lying there on top of his pants, looking almost comical with its clumsy, mushroom-shaped head and the veins running helter skelter across its length.

"Are you joking?" She was trying to keep the sob out of her voice and it came overly hard.

"No! I'm serious." He rolled over to look at her with sheer adoration. "I want to have kids with you, I want to come home to you, I want to do this every night. I love you, Patience!"

"Sal, we're still in high school! How do you think you're going to support us?"

"I'll quit school. I've been thinking of leaving school anyway. I'll find a place for us. I got a job--I can support us both, no worry."

She gave a mirthless laugh. "With what, three dollars an hour? You're fucking delusional."

"I got connections. I could make a living--"

"We're not getting married. Get your head screwed on straight--"

The slap he delivered her knocked her head into the car door, and she saw stars.

Clutching her head, she turned frightened eyes onto her boyfriend.

His eyes made her freeze like a rabbit in the headlights. They were burning coal, livid and infernal. "You think that I can't support us? Can't hold down a job? Or is that what you expected?"

He pulled her forward by her throat. "Cause I'm just some fuckin lowlife, and I'll never be anything more than some scumbag working a dead-end job, cause I'm nothing but a criminal, cause I'll never be an honest man, for the same reason you won't introduce me to your parents. I killed people before, you know, Patience?" He punctuated his words a harsh shake of her head. His two fingers were cinching her throat, cutting off her air supply. Her gaze was starting to turn white. "I killed people and I'll do it again. I ain't a boy, Patience. I'm a MAN." 

He let her go. "And don't you ever forget it."

She clutched her throat, coughing weakly, her eyes overflowing with tears of pain and fright. Salvatore paused, then smashed his fist against the dashboard. "FUCK!"

They sat there like that, Sal still and Patience sobbing weakly, until Salvatore reversed the car.

The trip back was quiet. Salvatore made several attempts at conversation, but when she didn't respond, he lapsed into angry silence. He dropped her off at the corner without a goodbye.

During the walk back she felt like a medieval woman doing the walk of shame. The weight of what happened weighed on her as heavy as a mortar. All she wanted was to hide safe and sound, away from the horrors of the night. She wanted her mother's soft voice, her soft, comforting touch, her kind, gentle dark eyes. Whenever anything had gone wrong, whenever little Patience was crying, Mommy would hold her and put her on her lap and kiss her tears away.

She felt like bursting into tears when she saw the glowing orange squares of her windows come into view.

Patience rushed through the front door, waiting to topple into her mother's arms.

A very different scene greeted her.

A familiar elegant figure was sitting on her--her--couch, one leg crossed over the other. His white shirt was undone and unbuttoned down his chest, and his pants were loose on his hips.

He looked over slowly, putting glass of white wine down. A brassiere was lying discarded on the floor. "Did you come back from your prom date, Pazienza? With Salvatore?"

"It's eleven at night, why are you here?"  She was screaming and crying and did not need to deal with this and wanted him out.

"I think you know exactly why I'm here,  Patience." His voice was quiet in the silence of her house.

The realization hit her like an avalanche. Slow, creeping, then collapsing in a sudden wave.

"You... and Mommy..." her voice was small. She didn't want to believe it.

He was standing up to lean against the wall. His golden hair tumbled over his shoulders as he tilted his head to look at her. "It took you long enough."

Fresh tears stung her eyes as she struggled to comprehend the end of her happy child's version of her parents' marriage. "Mom! Mommy!"

"Your Mommy is not coming. Your Mommy is asleep and she won't wake up for quite a while."

He let a long, strong arm drape across the doorside. He stared at her slowly, intensely, his eyes dark and amused.

"Wouldn't," he said, "It be a tragedy if your father was to hear about this?"

The idea pierced her brain, sunk into it like a winestain. She thought of her parents divorcing. Marilyn and Richard. Those happy picnics, the fair trips, the family dinners, the household disappearing. She thought of Daddy finding out, and the despair she imagined on his face made fresh tears dot her cheeks. "No. No, please. Don't tell him--If, if it needs to, I will, but please, not you, not now--"

"And what would you do to make that a reality?" He stepped closer, until the scent of his cologne hit her. The sickly sweet made her gorge rise, as did his smile.

"No," she said as she realized his words. "No." She looked behind her, praying for her father to get back.

"Fuck you. I'm not--you can't blackmail me like this! I won't fuck you and you won't take advantage of me like this! I--" she was crying so hard she wanted to collapse. 

Leonardo took her wrist and slammed her against the wall. "Time is ticking, Patience. Your father is due back in an hour." A sly, vicious smile broke across his face. "Let's get to work."

He divested her of her dress, which fell in a crumpled heap on the ground. His body was warm and attentive, unlike Salvatore, moving carefully and warmly against her trembling body, supporting her against the wall and capturing her lips in a deep, soul-sucking kiss. She smelled his sick sweetness and felt the thick curly hair between her fists, and wanted to vomit.

And then he was in her. His hot stiffness was invading her damaged warmth, rubbing and sliding carefully over her wounded walls. His cock was already warm--from what, she did not know.

Leonardo was considerate, a slow, careful lover, seeking the ways to make her squeal. He touched her in the right ways, rubbing her clit and thumbing her nipples while he covered her mouth with his.

"You're wetter than I thought you'd be," he whispered. "Did you and your boyfriend have some fun before you came home?"

He separated, cock half out of her, and the thin strings of white plastered his cock.

She wanted to sob from shame.

"What a naughty girl," he whispered in her ear.

No. Not after Salvatore. Not after this.

He dropped to his knees in one fluid motion, and pressed his mouth to the apex of her thighs.

Her knees buckled as he gave his first suck, followed by a lave, drawing out the seed from her body.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" she could only helplessly cry as the tip of his tongue teased her sensitive lips and clit.

He withdrew his head to gaze into her eyes, and the infinity beyond them made her spine stiffen.

"The only seed you need to have in you is mine."

He stood up, and in the same movement, thrust into her. 

Her back weakened as he began his steady rhythm, hips thrusting back and forth measuredly until her belly began to build up with more sparks of electricity. 

She didn't want it, she didn't want any of it, all she wanted to do was flee to the refuge of her room and cry. But he wasn't letting go of her, he was hammering and kissing and pleasuring her, until the climax building up in her abused body was too intense to ignore.

The head of his cock twitched, and she knew he was close to release. "Wouldn't it be grand if we had a baby?" He murmured into her ear, punctuating his words with a warm, wet lick. "We'll have a little girl together. Oh, papa will be gone, promesso, and even your mother, if you so desire. Take it all in. Every bit. I'll make you a mother alright, and you'll bear my seed until your legs collapse and your body can't take it anymore."

His lovingly hissed promises sent her into a mindless state of panic, of giving up her school, her parents, of everything that ever meane anything to her. The vestiges of her encounter with Salvatore had put her in hysteria, and it had reached a breaking point. She drew her head back and slammed it into Leonardo's with a loud crack.

His cock pulled free, and she slammed onto the ground just in time for her to pull her green dress around her body and make a break for her room.

She slammed her door shut and locked it with the slim wire latch, which stretched taut when Leonardo tried to force his way in. "Pazienza."

The doorknob jiggled.

"Do you want your father to know about this?"

The chain snapped taut.

"Let me in."

She stood in the middle of her room, moonlight bathing her. "Go away."

"You'll be mine soon, anyway. Your mother will belong to me, and so will you. Why not make this easier on yourself?"

"Go away!" She crushed her hands over her ears and knelt down, and sobbed, praying for the clink of metal and the thuds to melt away and the sound of her father's boot's to come thudding in, but for that moment in time, all she could do was crouch and wail, and wish desperately for the night to end.

***

The next few weeks, Patience avoided Salvatore. She took a different route home, even though it was a mile out of her way. She never went to see him at the butcher shop.

She knew Leonardo kept visiting her mother. Many days she stayed awake, eyes wide open and tortured as she knew what was going on down the hall, trying to banish the faint moans from her subconscious. But she kept her door locked. Her window latched.

A month later, she missed her period.

[penguin-writes-books]

cyrus going crazy for looking the perfect birthday gift for tj

“I’m in crisis mode,” Cyrus said as soon as Andi opened the door. 

“You’re always in crisis mode,” she responded with a smile, opening the door wider for Cyrus to come in.

“Okay, I’m in crisis mode 2.0, I guess?” he sat on Andi’s couch with a huff.

“What’s wrong?” Andi asked, walking into the kitchen.

“TJ’s birthday is tomorrow, and I have no idea what to give him!” Cyrus exclaimed as Andi walked back into the room, holding two mugs. Cyrus gratefully accepted one, deeply breathing in the scent of coffee. “I love you for this.”

“Any time, Cy. So, why haven’t you been shopping for gifts yet?”

“See, that’s the thing- I have been shopping for gifts! About a thousand times over! I swear, I have been to every store in a ten mile radius at this point. Nothing! I’ve been looking for the perfect gift for months now, but it was always some distant in-the-future, not-really-a-major-issue thing, you know?” Andi nodded, gesturing for him to keep talking. “But then I woke up today and I realized that his birthday is tomorrow, and I can’t for the life of me figure out what to do!”

“Do you want me to make him something?” Andi asked over her mug.

“Oh, no. I feel like giving him something my best friend made for him is kind of odd.”

“Fair enough. So, what kind of gift do you want to give him?“ 

"I don’t know, I want it to be perfect!”

“I’m sure he’ll love whatever you give him, the boy is smitten. Almost as smitten as you.”

“You are such a liar! He does not have a crush on me!” Cyrus exclaimed.

“Now you’re lying! You could give him a twelve pack of socks and he’d ask you to marry him if you played your cards right!”

“Overstatement of the century goes to…” Cyrus muttered with a smile.

“You know I’m right.”

“You know she’s right!” Bex chimed in from where she was pouring coffee in the kitchen.

“AH! Jeez, give a guy a warning!” Cyrus sreeched, wiping spilled coffee off his face.

“I’m not the one in your house at 7 am!” Bex defended herself, holding a hand up in surrender. 

“Fair point,” Cyrus conceded, turning back to Andi. 

“Should we go shopping? I mean, I know you’ve been everywhere, but maybe they restocked?”

“No,” Cyrus shook his head violently. “I tried a few days ago and ended up sobbing in a thrift store.”

“Okay, shopping is out,” Andi chuckled. “Why don’t you make him something?”

“Like what? I’m not creative like you are!”

“Didn’t you like write an entire screenplay?” Andi asked.

“Yes, and it was terrible!”

“I can vouch for that,” Bex added from the kitchen.

“Hush, mom.”

TJ woke up to a phone call from none other than Cyrus Goodman.

“Hello?” he asked groggily.

“It’s your 17th birthday!” Cyrus exclaimed happily.

“No, it’s 5 am!”

“And I have a whole day planned with you! And that starts now. Up and at ‘em, I’ll be there in five! Tell Amber you’ll be back home for dinner. Wear something comfortable, and don’t eat, we’re having breakfast together! Oh- and tell Amber I said happy birthday!” Cyrus hung up before TJ could protest, forcing him to begrudgingly throw his covers off his bed. He pulled on a t-shirt, hoodie, and sweatpants and went downstairs, grabbing his glasses off his desk as he went. Amber glanced up from where she was curled up on the couch reading a book. She smiled and stood up hastily.

“Happy birthday, TJ!”

“Well happy birthday to you too, Amber. Listen, Cyrus apparently has a whole day planned as a celebration, but I’ll be home for dinner, I promise. Oh yeah, he said happy birthday,” TJ said, pulling a container of raspberries out of the refrigerator, blatantly ignoring Cyrus’s wishes.

“Alright,” Amber smiled. “I’m gonna go take a shower, have fun on your date!” Amber called over her shoulder as she jogged upstairs.

“Not a date!” TJ yelled back, popping a raspberry into his mouth.

“What’s this I hear about a birthday date?” TJ’s mom asked, walking into the kitchen.

“Oh, nothing. It’s not even a date. My friend Cyrus planned a whole day for us and Amber jumped to conclusions,” TJ grabbed a handful of raspberries and closed the container.

“Oh, I’ve met Cyrus, haven’t I?”

“Yeah, he came over for a sleepover once,” TJ replied, picking up the plastic container of raspberries and walking around the island to return it to the fridge. “Amber spent the entire time staring at us, and when I looked at her, she’d raise her eyebrows like she knew something I didn’t,” he chuckled.

“Wait, did you say he has a whole day planned for you?" 

"Yeah, starting with breakfast. That’s why I’m up so early,” TJ explained.

“That sounds an awful lot like a date to me, TJ,” his mom said. He shook his head sadly. “Do you want it to be a date?” she asked gently. TJ sighed.

“Yeah,” he admitted sadly.

“Do you think he likes guys?”

“Yeah, he does. Just not this guy,” TJ pointed to himself.

“How do you know that?” she asked, pouring a cup of coffee.

“I don’t know, he just doesn’t seem like he likes me,” TJ’s phone dinged with a text from Cyrus. “Oh, he’s here! See you for dinner!”

“Hi,” Cyrus said happily when TJ sat down next to him in his car. “Happy birthday! Buckle that seatbelt, mister. We’ve got to get going!” TJ clicked his seatbelt in place, and Cyrus pulled out of his driveway. 

“Where exactly are we going?” TJ asked as they drove through the darkness, watching headlights come and go.

“It’s a surprise!”

They drove for an hour, before Cyrus pulled into a small parking area for a trail in the woods.

“Come on, we’re gonna miss it!” Cyrus jumped out of the car, pulling a blanket and picnic basket out of the trunk. He led TJ down the trail, turning left or right every once in a while.

“Are you planning on killing me or…?”

“Hush, you. I used to love this trail when I was little, and I thought you might like it,” Cyrus turned around to walk backwards.

“It’s beautiful,” TJ responded, not breaking eye contact with Cyrus as they walked. After a few more moments, Cyrus turned around to face the trail in front of him.

“Here we are,” Cyrus grabbed TJ’s hand with the hand that wasn’t holding a picnic basket and blanket. “The perfect place to watch a sunrise.”

They pushed through a small opening in the tree and found themselves on the shore of a large lake. Cyrus laid out the blanket, gesturing for TJ to sit next to him, before beginning to unpack the picnic he’d packed.

“I didn’t know what you like for breakfast, so I brought everything I could think of,” he said, pulling out waffles, pancakes, muffins, syrup, butter, toast, jam, eggs and bacon.

“Did you rob a bakery?” TJ asked, watching everything come out of the basket. Cyrus continued to pull things out, laying out cinnamon rolls, donuts, and pastries. Finally, he pulled out several forms of berry, laying everything out proudly.

“I didn’t want to miss anything,” Cyrus shrugged.

“You did great, Underdog. I love it.”

"Look!” TJ picked up a donut, and turned to where Cyrus was pointing. The sun was peeking over the edge of the lake, casting an orange and pink light across the water. Slowly, it came all the way over the horizon, warming the day.

“Wow,” he breathed. “How long did it take for you to plan all this?”

“Um, all of 22 hours. In fact, here’s your first gift,” he said, handing TJ the last thing in the basket. TJ accepted the box, carefully taking off the white ribbon.“What do you mean ‘first gift’?” he asked, running a hand over the blue box.“I couldn’t decide on a gift, so I decided on multiple gifts.”

TJ smiled, opening the box. He gasped when he took out its contents, a stack of photos. TJ gently went through the entire stack, careful not to smudge the glossy pictures. The photos were all of Cyrus and TJ, and were stacked in chronological order. They started with one Andi had taken of Cyrus hugging TJ in congratulations after winning a game, and ending with a selfie TJ had taken a few days ago, in which Cyrus had fallen asleep on TJ while they watched a movie.

“Cyrus, these are amazing. Thank you so much,” he whispered, fighting the urge to cry. He leaned forward and hugged the younger gratefully. 

“Of course, TJ. Happy Birthday!”

TJ sat back down in Cyrus’s car, setting his gift in the back seat, re-wrapped with ribbon.

“Thank you for this, Underdog. This has been amazing.”

“Well it’s a good thing there’s more. Open the glove box?” TJ gave him a questioning look, but did as he was asked. 

“Please explain,” he said, pulling out a basket full of candy.

“You’ll see,” Cyrus winked, pulling out of the trail parking lot and back onto the interstate.

Cyrus eventually made his way to a movie theater.

“Cyrus, there isn’t anyone in there. This place is always closed on Sundays. There’s literally a sign on the door that says 'closed’.”

“Oh, you underestimate me. Come on,” Cyrus got out of the car, holding the candy, and gestured for TJ to follow him. Cyrus opened the door and led TJ inside. 

“Cyrus, I’m ninety percent sure we’re trespassing,” TJ hissed. 

“No we’re not. Trust me, we have permission,” Cyrus pulled TJ down the hallway, holding the door of theater 7 open for him.  He pulled his phone out of his back pocket to check the time, confirming that it was nearly 10 am. 

“This really feels like trespassing,” TJ whispered as he walked into the empty theater.

“I promise, TJ. People know we’re here, and have given me permission to do this. I’m not going to let you get arrested for trespassing on your birthday. Now go sit down, before it starts!” Cyrus handed ushered him forward, smiling. TJ chose seats in the very back, sitting down with a glance at Cyrus. Cyrus sat down next to him, handing him popcorn, as the lights dimmed.

“What’s going on?” TJ asked, concerned.

“My God, it’s like you’ve never been to a movie before!” Cyrus teased.

“Well, I have. But never in a closed theater…” he trailed off as The Breakfast Club started playing, staring in awe at the screen. “This is the greatest movie of all time! How did you do all this?”

“I have my ways.”

“That was amazing,” TJ breathed as they walked out of the theater, looking down at Cyrus. 

“I’m glad you liked it! Oh, and here’s your second gift!” Cyrus handed him an envelope, which TJ opened, raising an eyebrow at Cyrus questioningly.

“Gee, I hope it’s a car!" 

"Hush.”

TJ popped the envelope open and pulled out two Panic! at the Disco tickets, his jaw dropping.  

“Underdog! You didn’t!”

“I did,” Cyrus smiled. TJ jumped forward to hug him and, without thinking, kissed him warmly. Cyrus melted into the kiss, dropping their empty popcorn bucket to pull TJ closer.

“Wow,” Cyrus breathed when they pulled apart. “So…”

“Do- uh… do you- boyfriend?” TJ stammered anxiously. 

“I’d like that.”

“Oh thank God. I thought you were going to say no,” Cyrus laughed, taking TJ’s hand and pulling him through the lobby of the movie theater. 

“Come on! We’ve still got a ton of stuff to do!” Cyrus exclaimed happily.

“Hey, does this mean that if people ask about our first kiss, we have to tell them we were trespassing?”

“WE’RE NOT TRESPASSING!”

[bringyourownbabytaters]

Falling In Love With You Ch. 8

Trigger Warning: this chapter contains some violence

The minute Bex walked into school on Monday, she felt as if something were wrong. The atmosphere felt different. Everyone seemed to be watching her, but pretending not to. Bowie wasn't waiting for her at his locker, like he always did. She knew he had been sick, and wondered if he was still absent. She hadn't seen or talked to him over the weekend, since her parents were watching her every move. She waited for him for a while, then, when the first bell rang, she went to homeroom.

The her immense relief, Bowie was sitting at his desk. She smiled and waved to him, but he didn't seem to see her. "Bowie," she said, as she set her books down on her desk. "How are you feeling?"

He looked at her briefly, but didn't answer.

She frowned. "Bowie? Hello? You okay?" She waved her hand in front of his face.

"Take your seat, Ms. Mack," her teacher called.

Bex sighed and sat down, still glancing back at Bowie.

****

When Homeroom ended, Bex waited outside the classroom door. She grabbed Bowie's arm as he started to leave the room. "Hey! What's up with you?" she asked him. "Is everything okay?"

He shook his head. He looked tired; his beautiful eyes were rimmed with dark shadows, as if he hadn't been sleeping. "I've heard the things people say about you, Bex, but I never believed them. How could I have been so stupid?"

"What are you talking about?" she asked. She stifled a laugh, thinking he must be joking and hadn't yet delivered the punchline.

He gave her a sad look. "I'm sorry."

"I don't understand," she said, her voice trembling. "Bowie? Are you breaking up with me?"

"I've gotta go." He turned and walked away.

"Bowie, wait!" she called. But he didn't turn around. Her stomach sunk when she saw Hayley catch up to him.

****

By the next day, Bex still hadn't spoken with Bowie. He hadn't shown up for lunch, disappearing from school all together after homeroom. Bex had tried to call him, but her calls went straight to voicemail. Something was very, very wrong.

It weighed on her shoulders all day, and sunk down to her stomach, creating a knot. When it was time for gym class, she knew she didn't have it in her to participate.

She dawdled around the locker room, pretending to fold her clothes carefully, waiting for everyone to leave. The locker room was silent, and a little eerie. Above her, she could hear sneakers squeaking on the gym floor.

She'd just closed her locker door when she heard a rustle of movement, accompanied by giggling, and realized she was no longer alone. She crouched behind a block of lockers, hardly daring to breath, and let anyone know she was there.

"Miss Darling is such a witch," a girl's high voice said, referring to the PE teacher. "It should be our choice what we wear for gym." A locker door opened with a metallic clang.

"Do you have an extra hair tie?" a nasal voice asked.

Bex recognized the voices. They belonged to Natalie and Hayley. The two of them were forever trying to get out of gym class by pretending to forget their gym suits. She guessed Miss Darling had caught onto them and sent them down to change into something appropriate.

"Yeah, here," said Hayley. Bex pressed against the lockers, trying to breath as quietly as possible.

"Have you picked out your outfit for the bonfire yet?" Natalie asked her friend.

"I'm going shopping after school," Hayley replied. "You should come with me." There was some rustling. "Whatever I pick, I know it's going to be something short." She giggled in her annoying way. Bex hated both of their voices.

"I can't believe you're going with Bowie Quinn," Natalie said. "You're so lucky. He's the hottest guy in school."

Bex's eyes widened with shock.

"I wonder what happened with him and Bex?" She said Bex's name in a snotty voice.

"Who cares?" Hayley laughed. "He's way too good for that slut. The only reason he dated her is because he doesn't know her like the rest of us do. But he'll learn."

Bex balled her fists. She wanted nothing more than to punch them both in the mouth, but she managed to stay hidden.

"Remember 7th grade, when we hiked up to that pond for our class picnic, and Bex and Paul Johnson came out of the woods together?" Natalie asked. Both girls laughed viciously. "Do you think they did it that day?"

"Oh yeah," Hayley said knowingly. "Paul told me all about it."

"She's always been a whore," Natalie spat. "And everyone knows it."

Bex cringed, her face burning. She remembered that day vividly. It was the day that tainted her reputation. And it started because of a lie. She did not have sex with Paul on the 7th grade class picnic. She'd gotten her first period. Paul had found her crying behind the park bathrooms, because she'd stained her shorts and was too humiliated  to rejoin the rest of the class. He'd loaned her his sweatshirt to tie around her waist.

She and Paul had been friends. But after that, things changed. He never spoke to her again. And the ugly, whispered rumors about her began.

Tears stung her eyes at the memory.

"Bowie was smart to dump her before he catches something," Hayley said. "I hate that bitch so much." They laughed. Bex heard them gather their things and leave the locker room.

Once they were gone, she let her tears fall. She slid down the lockers to the cool cement floor, gathering her knees to her chest, and wept as if her heart would break.

"Bex?"

Bex glanced up from her folded arms to see Emily standing over her.

"What's wrong?" Emily frowned. "You never came up for gym." She sat down beside her friend. "What happened?" she asked softly.

Bex tried to speak, but her voice broke. Emily pulled her into a hug. She sobbed against her best friend's shoulder.

"Do you need me to get the nurse?" Emily asked. "Are you sick?"

Bex shook her head. "It's Bowie," she breathed, shakily. "He broke up with me, and I don't know why. He won't even look at me."

"Oh, honey." Emily smoothed back Bex's hair, tying it in a loose ponytail. "Are you sure he broke up with you? Maybe you just misunderstood?"

Bex shook her head. "No, you don't understand. Natalie and Hayley were just down here. I heard them talking. He's taking Hayley to Mitch Harper's bonfire on Saturday." She wiped her sticky tears away with the back of her hand.

"Maybe they were lying?" Emily offered. "Did they know you were down here?"

"No, I don't think so." She shook her head, fresh tears filling her eyes. "I don't understand what happened, Em. Everything was good. We just said 'I love you' to each other. What did I do?"

"I'm sure you didn't do anything," Emily told her. "Whatever is going on is his problem, not yours." She went to the sink and wet a paper towel. "Here. Let's wash your face. Everyone will be coming down soon."

****

Emily and Bex  walked to lunch after gym was over. As they entered the cafeteria, Bex hesitated. She stopped, grabbing her friend's arm.

"What?" Emily asked.

"Bowie's here," she told her. "He's sitting by Hayley." Her heart squeezed as she watched the love of her life talk with the girl she hated.

"Ignore him," Emily told her. "If he wants to be an idiot, let him." She guided Bex to their usual table.

They sat down, and Bex glanced back, watching Bowie. She wanted nothing more than to be with him. What was happening didn't feel real, like a bad dream she couldn't wake up from. He must have sensed her watching, because he looked back at her. Their eyes met briefly, and they turned away from each other.

"Hey, gorgeous."

Bex looked up to see Joel Tan sit down across from her. She cringed when she felt his foot rub against her ankle. She pulled her foot away, crossing her legs under her chair.

"Where's your boyfriend?" he asked.

Bex looked down at her lunch, trying with all she had not to cry.

Emily gave him a hard look. "Shut up, Joel. I'm serious."

"What did I say?"

Bex sighed. "Bowie and I aren't... together... anymore," she managed to get out. Her hands shook.

He gave her a sober look. "I'm sorry, Bex. I didn't know."

She shrugged, stealing another glance at Bowie. He was laughing at something someone had said.

"Hey, if you two aren't together anymore, you want to go to Mitch's party with me?"

She gave him a disgusted look. "Are you seriously asking me that right now?"

"Just thought I'd ask," Joel said. "I thought you might want to have some fun, take your mind off things. I'm just trying to be a nice guy, here."

Bex looked back at Bowie again. She couldn't control herself, even though it hurt. Likewise, she could feel his eyes on her.

She was about to tell Joel she wouldn't go out with him if he were the last guy on earth, when she saw Hayley throw her arms dramatically around Bowie, giggling, and a thought occurred to her. Bowie was going to the party. If she was there, she could keep an eye on him. And if she went with another boy, albeit a repulsive boy, maybe it would make him jealous?

She turned back to Joel. "Yeah, fine. I'll go with you."

Emily gave Bex a stunned look. She would have to explain her plan to her friend later.

"Really?" Joel seemed just as shocked as Emily.

"I have to ask my parents, but I guess so."

"You won't regret it," he smiled.

****

After school, Bex sat at the kitchen table, tearing apart a peanut butter sandwich. She hadn't eaten her lunch, but she wasn't hungry. She was too depressed to eat.

All she could think about was Bowie. Obsessively, she mentally went over every interaction between them, trying to figure out what had gone wrong. She kept going back to the night he'd come over for dinner. But he couldn't possibly be mad about the way her mom had treated him. He'd told her before he left that everything was fine. They'd kissed goodnight. They'd said 'I love you.'

It didn't make any sense.

"Hello, Rebecca."

Bex turned to see her mom come in, home from work. "Hey," she mumbled.

Celia took a pitcher of water from the fridge and poured herself a drink. "How was your day?"

"Terrible," Bex frowned.

Celia came to the table. "Is everything okay?"

She shook her head. "Mom... I know we never talk about stuff." Her voice shook. "But I really need a mom to talk to right now."

Her mother's face softened. "I'm listening."

Bex's eyes stung. "Bowie broke up with me, mom." Her face crumpled. She discretely brushed away the tears that rolled down her cheeks. She hated being vulnerable in front of Celia.

"Did he say why?" Celia asked her.

She shook her head. "No. He won't tell me. He won't even talk to me."

"I'm sorry," Celia said, looking down at the table. "That's hard."

"I miss him so much," she sniffled. "I know you hate him, but I love him. He's the best thing that ever happened to me."

Her mom inhaled slowly. "This is why I didn't want you to date until you were older, Rebecca. These high school romances just don't last. I knew he'd hurt you." She straightened the edge of the tablecloth. "I know it's not what you want to hear, but maybe it's best to just move on?"

"I don't want to move on," Bex said. "I just want Bowie back."

"But you can't force him to be with you," Celia told her. "And he's obviously not mature enough to know what he wants. Dwelling on him will only make you unhappy."

She sighed. "I just wish I knew what I did."

Her mother cleared her throat uncomfortably. "I hate to see you like this, Rebecca," she said, a hint of sadness in her voice. "Is there anything at all I can do to help you feel better?"

Bex shrugged. Then she remembered the party. "Well, there is one thing."

"What is it?"

"There's this party," she explained. "Mitch Harper from school is having a bonfire, and everyone's going. I'd really like to go too."

"Would it be supervised?" Celia asked.

"Yeah," she nodded. "His parents will be there." She didn't add that his parents would also be providing a keg.  "The thing is," she went on. "Someone asked me to the party. Joel Tan? You know his mom?"

"Joel?" Celia looked up, brightening. "He's a nice boy."

"I'm not really interested in him, but it was nice of him to ask," Bex said. "I told him I'd talk to you about it." She gave her mom a wry look. "I know there's no chance you'd ever let me go."

"I think you should go," Celia said.

Bex gave her a confused look. "What?"

"Tell him you'll go," her mom repeated.

"I don't understand... you're saying I can go to a party with a boy?"

"Yes, Rebecca," Celia nodded. "I'm giving you my permission."

"Are you feeling okay, mom?"

"I'm fine," her mother assured her. "I still don't like the idea of you dating, but if you must go to this party, I'd rather see you go with a clean-cut boy from a good family. I trust Joel to look out for you."

Bex stared at her mom for another long moment. She wanted to defend Bowie, to tell her mom that he was a nice boy, from the best kind of family; that Joel was the jerk. But she was afraid to question Celia, in case she changed her mind. "Okay. I guess I'll go call him."

She got up and headed to her room. Once she was inside, she looked up Joel's number and dialed it. He was thrilled that she could go to the party with him. As she was hanging up, she had the urge to dial Bowie's number, just to hear his voice. But she didn't. Hands shaking, she set the phone down on her bed.

Her heart had never ached so badly.

****

Mitch's parties were legendary in Shadyside. He lived in a big, secluded farmhouse, with a sprawling yard that backed up against thick woods. Everyone in school was always invited. And the things that went on there were whispered about in the hallways weeks after the parties ended.

Bex was virtually the only kid at Jefferson who'd never been to one before. Ironically, it was the last place she wanted to go. On the way up the Harper's winding driveway, she was painfully aware that she was there with the wrong person.

Joel parked his car on the edge of the lawn, which was already crowded with cars. Bex could hear music swelling in the distance, and could see kids milling around the property in the dusky darkness. She and Joel walked toward the glow of the bonfire.

As they approached the crowd, Bex scanned the faces, searching for Bowie. He was nowhere to be seen. She wondered if he'd actually show up at all.

"Do you want to sit by the fire?" Joel asked her, snapping her out of her melancholy thoughts.

"Uh, no thanks," she said. "I'm good."

"We could dance?" he offered.

"I don't really like to dance," she apologized, shrugging. "Sorry."

"We could go skinny dipping," he said, raising his eyebrows suggestively. Bex glanced toward the Harper's pond. It was a cool night, but kids were undressing and jumping in the dark water. "No way," she told him flatly.

"Come on, what do you want to do?" he asked her. As he did so, he slipped his hand onto her butt. It didn't feel good, like it did when Bowie put his hand there. It made her squirm inside.

She moved away from him as familiar voices caught her attention. She turned to see Emily, and Laura Grant, another friend. "Actually, could we go by the fire after all?"

"I thought you didn't want to," he said, puzzled.

"I'm just a little cold," she told him, hurrying toward her friends. She didn't care if he followed or not. But he did.

She sat down next to Emily and Laura. "Hey, you guys."

"Hey," they said, as Joel joined them on the long log that served as a seat.

Laura gave Joel a look of disdain. "Bex, I know you're having a hard time after your breakup, but you can't be that desperate," she whispered.

"Shh," Emily shot back, stifling a giggle. She froze, grabbing Bex's arm. "Bex, Bowie's here."

Bex look across the fire pit. Sure enough, Bowie and Hayley had just arrived. Her stomach sunk, and she realized she was not prepared to see him there, with her.

Bowie looked up, straight at her. Bex thought he seemed sad, too. The light that was normally in his eyes wasn't there. For a second, she almost thought he was about to come over to her. She braced herself to talk to him, ready to make up. But instead of approaching her, he turned to Hayley and cupped her face in his hand, like he often did to her. Bex watched them kiss.

"I need a drink," she said, standing up. She hurried to the refreshment table and served herself a plastic cup of beer. She'd never drank before, but if anything warranted drinking, it was this.

"You're really letting loose tonight," Joel said, filling a cup of his own. "I like it."

She took a sip of her beer. It was awful. But she swallowed it anyway. She walked back to the fire, Joel trailing after her like a lost puppy dog. When she returned to her seat, she saw that Bowie and Hayley were making out. She drained her cup.

"You want another drink?" Joel asked her.

"Sure," she nodded, handing him the empty red cup. She didn't take her eyes off of Bowie. Two can play at this game, she thought.

When Joel returned with drinks, she took a long sip. Then she moved closer to him.

"You look so sexy tonight," he said, laying his hand on her thigh. Bex didn't brush him away. Instead, she huddled against him, pretending to be chilled. Sure enough, he leaned in to kiss her. And she let him.

"You want to make out?" he whispered, his breath hot in her ear. "We could go somewhere more private."

"I want to stay here," she said. "It's warmer." She pressed her lips against his.

Joel's hands slid down her back as he drew her near him. He kissed her hungrily, wetly, trying to slip his tongue into her mouth. But she kept her lips together, holding him back. As they made out, she kept one eye trained on Bowie. He'd definitely noticed them, and was putting on a show himself.

Suddenly, she couldn't stand it anymore. She stood up.

"Where are you going?" Joel asked her.

"I just need some air," she said hurriedly. "I'm sorry." She rushed away.

****

Bex didn't allow herself to cry until she was alone in the woods. She sat on a fallen, rotting log, setting her plastic cup beside her, and put her face in her hands. Her shoulders shook with broken sobs. She didn't understand how Bowie could do this to her- say he loved her one minute, then break up with her for no reason at all. And now he was already making out with another girl. It felt like he'd ripped her heart out of her chest.

She looked up when she heard twigs and leaves crunching, the sounds of footsteps coming toward her.

"Bex?"

She sighed as a figure emerged from the woods. It was just Joel.

"There you are," he said. "I was looking for you." He held out a new cup. "I brought you a fresh drink."

"Thanks." She took the cup and downed it, hoping it would numb her pain.

"You okay?" he asked, sitting beside her.

"No," she sniffled. "I'm miserable. Thanks for asking."

"What's wrong?"

"Look, Joel," she sighed. "It's nice that you wanted to go out with me. But I still have feelings for Bowie, and he's here with another girl. I think I'd really just like to go home."

She started to stand, but Joel grabbed her arm. "I'm not ready to leave. The party's just getting good."

She tried to pull away, but he wouldn't let go. "I can find another ride." She'd walk home if she had to, just to get away from this personal hell.

"You came here with me, and you've been treating me like shit all night," Joel said, the tone of his voice changing. His breath reeked of beer, and he stumbled a little on the uneven ground. Bex realized then how drunk he really was.

"Let me go," she said. "I want to go home."

"Don't be a tease," he slurred. "You haven't even given me the chance to show you a good time yet."

"Get your hands off me," she said firmly, trying to pull away again. "You're hurting me!"

"Come on, Bex. You think I'm dumb?" he asked, pushing her up against a tree. He pinned her arms to her sides, a wild look in his eyes. "I know you're just using me. It's my turn to use you."

His smelly mouth was on hers before she could protest. When she opened her mouth to scream, he forced his tongue down her throat, gagging her.

He slipped his hands under her shirt, and he began to roughly, painfully grope her breasts through her bra.

She was strong for her small size, but as hard as she struggled, he was stronger, and her head was fuzzy from drinking. This is it, she thought numbly. I'm going to get raped in the woods. The perfect way to end this night.

"You're so beautiful," Joel mumbled into her mouth. With one hand, he fumbled between them, unzipping his jeans. She could feel him against her hip.

Bex choked on vomit, squeezing her eyes shut with terror, as hot tears trickled down her cheeks.

[stories-and-fan-fictions]

Background: your name is Emily and you have a twin sister her names Linda. You also have two other sisters named Molly and Lulu. You loved your twin a lot!! But....you had a huuuge crush on Andy and well.....molly was married to Robin, Linda was dating Barry and Lulu was married to Maurice. No one has kids yet but molly and Lulu were pregnant. Linda helped you get with Andy a lot since you all worked in the same job as a sound engineer where Andy and his brothers recorded. Your parents are Brian May and Christina May who went by chrissie. Here’s how one day went with Linda in the recording booth with Andy and his brothers. You were in the sound booth where all the magic happens.

Linda: hey Andy I think my twin likes you

Andy: nah I was born to be single forever

Linda: why not go talk to her?

Andy: *he sighs* ok Linda *he walks upstairs to you and hugs you as he always did*

Em: heh *you kiss him*

Andy: *he looks confused* y-you like me? Linda wasn’t lying?

Em: she’s my twin why would she lie?

Andy: I......I don’t know....I guess I didn’t think anyone liked me in that way besides my family.....

Em: *you smile and kiss him reassuringly* Andy....I love you as a boyfriend

Andy: heh haven’t heard that since Olivia.....

Em: *your curiosity takes over* who’s Olivia?

Andy: my ex wife.....we had a daughter together but we split because she cheated

Em: oh Andy I’m so sorry *you hug him comfortingly*

Andy: *he smiles* thanks

Barry: hey Andy come here for a second!! *he yells*

Andy: *he yells back* COMING!! *he looks at you* I’ll be back babe *he kisses you then runs to Barry* yeeees?

Barry: take this *he hands Andy a necklace that has a pure gold chain and a sapphire heart and a locket which doesn’t have a picture in it yet* give this to emily and you can put a picture from your first date when you go on one in the locket

Andy: *he smiles then hugs Barry* you’re the best oldest brother I could ask for Barry

Barry: *he smiles* thanks Andy

Andy: *he nods then runs back upstairs* babe I got you something

Em: what is it? *you sound excited*

Andy: *he hands you the necklace* will you be my official girlfriend? And would you like to go on a date with my tonight?

Em: *you smile brightly* I’d love to *you kiss him and he helps you put the necklace on*

*after 3 hours Andy grabs his car keys and you two walk to his blue Aston Martin car*

Em: nice car Andy *you decide to add*

Andy: thanks *he opens the passenger door for you and you get in then he gets into the driver seat* where would you like to go for dinner?

Em: *you pause and think for a moment* why not just a picnic you know at that romantic look out?

Andy: *he smiles* sure I’ll just have to run home to get the food if you don’t mind

Em: sure!!

*he drives to his mansion then he runs inside telling you to wait in the car for him*

Molly: what are you doing here Andy?

Robin: shouldn’t you be on your date?

Andy: she wants to go on a picnic for our first date at that romantic look out

Robin: me and molly went there for our first date

Barry: so did me and Linda!

Maurice: and Lulu and I did too. Guess it’s a tradition

Andy: I guess so *he snickers*

*molly packs a picnic basket then hands it to Andy*

Andy: thanks mo

Molly: anytime have fun you two!

*he nods and runs to the car setting the picnic basket in the back seat*

Andy: *he looks at you* ready?

Em: ready as I’ll ever be

Andy: *he starts driving there* i-is this your first date ever? I hate to sound rude....

Em: it is and it’s not rude I know you’re curious

Andy: and another odd question.....are you still a Virgin?

Em: *you are 20 after all and it’s kind of embarrassing to say you are when Andy’s not* I....*you mumble: am a virgin*

Andy: it’s nothing to be ashamed of em

Em: I am a virgin

Andy: *he smirks* maybe I can change that tonight?

Em: *you giggle* that’d be amazing

Andy: *he smiles and pulls up at the look out* in the car or outside the car?

Em: why not outside?

Andy: sure I know a great spot *you both get out and he shows you to the spot which is beautiful and you two sit on a blanket and have your picnic*

*after an hour you two head back to the car*

Andy: so....would you like to do it in the car?

*you nod and pull the seat all the way back. You both get undressed and Andy gets on top of you*

Andy: you ready?

*you nod then he pierces you and thrusts fast. He thrusts harder and pants*

*after an hour he releases and pulls out*

*he sits up and looks at you and you do the same*

Andy: well what’d you think of your first time?

Em: it was amazing *you kiss him*

*Andy’s phone rings*

Em: go ahead babe it might be important

Andy: *he nods and answers it* hello?

Olivia: are you still picking up Peta tonight? It’s almost 9:30

Andy: oh shit I forgot!! I’m so sorry I’ll be over soon I promise

Olivia: hope so because you’re getting full custody of Peta

Andy: why?!

Olivia: I can’t care for her anymore

Andy: *he sighs* ok *he ends the call*

Em: something wrong babe?

Andy: well.....I guess it’s good....

Em: what is it? *you say as you get dressed*

Andy: I get full custody of my child because Olivia can’t care for her anymore *he gets dressed too*

Em: oh....how old is she if you don’t mind me asking

Andy: I don’t mind seeing as she’s gonna see you as a mother now. She’s only 10....

Em: oh *you kiss him*

Andy: you’ll be a good mom I know it! *he gets back into the driver seat and starts to drive towards Olivia house*

Em: I’m sure *you say unconfidently*

*he pulls up into Olivia’s drive way and honks*

*peta runs out with all her things and sets them into the trunk with help from Andy then gets into the back*

Andy: are you excited to live with daddy now Peta?

Peta: yeah!!! Who’s that though? *she points to you*

*he looks at you as if to say: what do I tell her?*

*you look at him as if to say: her new mom?*

Andy: *he nods* your new mom....

Peta: yay! She’s very pretty daddy

*you smile*

*he drives home and once all three of you are inside Peta runs to hug everyone*

Barry: so what’s the issue now?

Andy: Peta can you go to your room?

Peta: ok daddy *she runs to her room*

Andy: Olivia can’t take care of Peta anymore so I get full custody *he holds your hand*

*you smile at Andy and kiss him passionately*

*he doesn’t break it as he loves you kissing him*

Barry: really guys? *he walks off with Linda and his kids*

Maurice: not ok *he walks off with Lulu and Adam*

Robin: gross *he walks off with molly and their kids*

Andy: mmmm *he breaks it and looks at you* well?

Em: *you shake your head* tomorrow night *you kiss him*

Andy: mmmok babe *he breaks the kiss and you two walk off to bed*

*next day ima skip to the night time*

Andy: well babe where should we do it now?

Em: *you think for a moment* hot tub?

Andy: heh good choice *he leads you to the hot tub and gets undressed then gets in*

*you do the same*

Em: no one will know right Andy?

Andy: they shouldn’t....*he pierces you and thrusts*

*you kiss him all the way through the sex which lasted an hour then he released and you two kept kissing*

Andy: babe someones gonna find us *he gets out and gets dressed and you do the same*

Em: but....I don’t care!!! *you kiss him passionately clearly not caring anyone could find you*

Andy: mmmm *he doesn’t break the kiss as he loves you kissing him*

Robin: WHAT THE HELL ANDY!!?? *hes clearly pissed*

Andy: NOTHING!!! *he grabs your arm and runs*

Robin: Ugh *he looks at molly*

Molly: idk what that was about....*she kisses him*

Robin: heh *they run back to their room to have fun*

Andy: I told you!

Em: I’m sorry.....