#she doesn't wake up from these dreams hollering

[aaternum]

In the sticky summer heat, under June’s moon, she finds someone embedded in the tree’s trunk. Golden embers bursting at the tips of the leaves. It reminds her of a painting she's seen once, but she's not sure she can picture it anymore. “   This isn't real. You’re on fire.   ” The words feel like ash on her tongue; difficult to swallow – even harder to comprehend: why they don’t seem to notice? Like wax, their skin melts; a molten mix of bark and flesh, unshed to reveal another beneath the shell. It’s a face she loves, but there’s an unsettling difference. Shed of hesitation, Ryu reaches out, slender hands wrapping over their own drowning in the blaze. And her touch must’ve tethered them back to their reality, wide eyes like her own staring back at her, tearfully,  ‘   I’m stuck! You have to go!  ’ It has her mother’s voice, but the sound doesn’t come from their body – their open mouth doesn’t even follow the words. But she holds on nonetheless, charring hands brittle under her grip. 

“   No! I can save you. Let me save you! ”

Fire kisses her skin and cradles her arm to pull her in. It’s hot. It hurts. Not like it should. No, it feels like it’s inside of her. A wildfire spreading within, white heat so intense she feels her vision begin to feather out at the edges. She knows she should pull free and undamn herself from engulfing flames. But she stands there, hands outstretched – burning. Unable to let go. Unwilling. She can't tell where the fire ends or where she begins. But something about it feels familiar. Like guilt. Fear. A volcano ready to burst underneath her skin. It burns. But it feels like she's been burning a while now.

04\ ??? dream drabbles

[kritischetheologie]

When Lewis wakes up with Nico, for the first time in three years, it doesn't feel like a dream. It doesn't feel like the past three years were a dream, either. The plate that still sits unblemished in their cabinets really shattered against the wall behind his head. The suitcase under the bed got packed. If he stays here, and lets it play out, all that will happen again. The certainty with which he knows this is the only thing dreamlike about it.

(I'm going to wake up tomorrow, he'd told Sebastian in bed last night, three years from now, no, four, going off the calendar on the wall across from his and Nico's bed. and none of this will have happened. He'd known it in his bones, somehow. And I'm going to find you, immediately, and I'm going to make you believe me.)

(Sebastian had rolled over and kissed Lewis lazily between his eyes. I'll believe you, he'd said indulgently, for which Lewis had been horrifically grateful.)

Lewis clears his throat. "I don't want to do this anymore," he says, a year before Nico will. "We don't make each other happy, and I don't remember the last time we did."

Nico's face doesn't contort into a sneer. He doesn't spit something like happy? Grow up, Lewis. He just sits up in bed, golden against white egyptian cotton, and says, "Okay."

It would have worked on the Lewis of four years ago. He would have fought it--okay, that's all you're going to say? I tried to save this for a decade, and you just let it go like it's nothing?--and then, somehow, he would have ended up being the one to convince Nico that they should stay together, that they should give it another try.

The past four years have been real. Lewis just says, "I'm sorry, Nico."

The suitcase under the bed gets packed. Lewis takes the plate from the cabinet with him on his way out, rolls his suitcase three blocks away, and lets it fall to the ground with a shatter before he pulls out his phone to call an uber.

(It might not be the right plate. They were a perfectly matched set, a gift from Nico's parents. That doesn't matter.)

He goes to a hotel, first, so he doesn't show up with bags. That would be weird. All of this is weird, but that would be over a line.

Four years from now, Sebastian still lives in the ground-level apartment on Charlotte Street. Lewis walks over from his hotel, the feeling of his feet on the pavement the same as it had been yesterday, four years from now, as he'd walked hand in hand with Sebastian after a late dinner. The doorbell has never worked, Lewis learned two years ago, two years from now, the first night he came to pick Sebastian up for a date. He knocks.

Hanna answering the door is still a gut-punch, even if he's braced for it.

"Good morning," he says politely. His collared shirt covers most of his tattoos, but she still eyes him warily. "I'm going door to door collecting signatures for a local environmental preservation initiative, do you have a few minutes to talk?"

"I'm sorry, I'm not--" Hanna begins, but Sebastian, thank God, is already as nosy as he'll always be.

"Who is it?" he hollers from inside, from the kitchen, if the angle of the sound is right. It's just before 10am, so he's brewing his second cup of coffee of the day.

"Something about the environment," Hanna shouts back, just as Lewis hoped she would.

"Well don't shoo him away so fast, then," Sebastian says, walking into the doorway. The sight of him is another gut punch. His hair is still short, curling at the base of his ears, because he won't start growing it out until he leaves her. His eyes are as beautiful as they'll always be. "Hi there," he says, extending a hand. His fingernails are bitten below the quick. He'd beaten that habit by the time Lewis met him. "Sebastian Vettel, pleased to meet you."

Lewis takes his hand. "Lewis Hamilton," he says, smiling. He can't help it. "Do you have a few minutes to talk?"

Hanna rolls her eyes. "I'm going back to work," she says, turning away from both of them and retreating into the depths of the apartment. In a year, she'll get promotion that requires her to relocate to the other side of the country, and Sebastian won't go with her, and somehow they'll still manage to drag it out for another six months. Unless.

"Sure, let's chat outside," Sebastian says, stepping through the lintel and closing the door behind him. "You said you were here about the environment?"

Lewis could say yes, and win a bit of Sebastian's sympathies, and parlay them into a friendship, and turn a friendship into a love affair, or--

"You don't like blueberries, but you don't tell anyone, because you think it's childish not to like a certain food for no reason, and because you think that if you just eat them enough times, eventually you'll figure out what the fuss is," Lewis says, instead. He doesn't add, the first time you stay over at my place, I'll make you vegan pancakes, and I'll ask if you'd like berries in them, and you'll say, sure, that sounds fine, and then I'll watch you eat them, and I'll know I should have listened more closely. I'll learn how to do that, and you'll learn how to be honest about what you don't like, and that's why this is going to work.

"Excuse me?" Sebastian asks. "Sorry, I don't--do I know you?"

Lewis ignores the question. Show, don't tell.

"When you were twelve, your little brother almost drowned in the lake behind your grandparents' house," he continues. "You said he swam out when you weren't looking, but you'd actually dared him to try to swim out to the farthest buoy, and you blamed yourself for a long time, even though he was fine." We'll have been dating for two months, and I'll ask you to tell me a secret, and that's what you'll say, and I'll laugh, and say, I was hoping you'd tell me about a secret dirty kink, man, and then you'll do that, too.

"Ok, very funny," Sebastian says. "Is this some sort of prank? Did Jenson put you up to this as a weird way of asking me to be a groomsman or something?"

Lewis stifles a snort. Jenson is going to break up with her any minute now, and it's going to be the first crack in the fortress of Sebastian and Hanna, something that makes him wonder if another life is possible. Well, not the first crack, exactly.

"You could have cheated on Hanna last year, but you made it all the way to his apartment, and then you chickened out," Lewis says. I'm not the first man you'll sleep with after her, or the last, but I'll be the only one who matters, and that's all that matters. "I know all this, because someday, I'm going to break up with my ex--well, I just did, actually--and you're going to break up with Hanna, and we're going to find each other, and we're going to be in love."

Sebastian looks at him, with that grin he gets whenever he spots a forced checkmate, four moves ahead of Lewis's strategic acumen. "Aren't you worried about damaging the space-time continuum?" he asks. "I mean, maybe future me only works with future you because of those experiences. Maybe you're trying to short-circuit the process, and it's going to backfire on us."

The word us is the most beautiful word Lewis has ever heard Sebastian say. "So you believe me?" he says.

Sebastian laughs. "What's that quote from that one comedian, adulthood is already weird enough, this might as well happen?"

Lewis showed Sebastian that special last year, when they both had Covid. He's not supposed to know that quote for another three years. "You were fucking with me," he says, the realization shattering over him. "You've known who I am all along."

"I told you I would believe you," Sebastian says. Lewis wants to fall into his arms, but Sebastian surges towards him and wraps him in them before he can even take a step. "I just wanted to let you get the satisfaction of convincing me, first. It seemed important to you."

"You're a right bastard," Lewis snuffles into Sebastian's shoulder. When did he start crying? "I thought you didn't remember me at all. I thought I was stuck here alone."

Sebastian's hand on the back of his head feels like coming home. "You're not alone, Lewis," he says. "You never will be."

Lewis is about to turn his tearstained face to Sebastian's to kiss him when the door creaks open. "Seb," Hanna asks. "What's going on? Do you know him?"

Sebastian's grip on Lewis slackens guiltily, but he doesn't let go. God bless him for that. He turns around, one arm still slung around Lewis's waist, to face Hanna.

"The answer to that question is probably too complicated to be described by human grammar, let alone physics," Sebastian says. "But I think the most technically correct way of putting it is, I will."

[delta-pavonis]

😈 + 30

Ooooooooooh, "I missed you". I have a few really good places I could do this in this AU... okay, so, there will be a time jump between end of the last chapter posted and the next, so I am going to do a scene in between Ch 14 and Ch 15 of You create me against your lips.

When Dream comes back from his time in the Waking World he pretty much flops onto the chaise that has become a permanent fixture on the balcony of their chambers. Because it is quite obviously their chambers at this point, there is no use denying it.

Hob marks his place in his book, sets it on a small table, and turns to Dream. "Why do you keep working with this Constantine if she vexes you so?" He rearranges his legs so that they are no longer folded awkwardly.

Dream can feel his eyebrows raising even as he lets himself drop sideways and put his head on Hob's thigh. "Vexes?"

"Yes! Vexes!" Hob's smile is blindingly bright. "It is such a great word, and fun to say! Vexes."

"Fun to say?" He is trying really hard to keep from laughing and is only partially succeeding.

"Oh, you know," Hob looks up, considering with exaggerated glee. "Like galoshes. Or baobab. Or Constantinople." When Dream doesn't respond he looks down. "What?"

He can feel the shimmer of Hob's delight in the waters of the Dreaming, how it causes positive ripples outward. On the far end of Fiddler's Green a few honeysuckle bushes burst into life. Dream sighs, letting the smile win and overtake his face. "I missed you."

Hob's mouth falls open nearly to touching his chest. "You were gone..." He looks out to the sky, no doubt tracking the movement of the celestial spheres, then shakes his head in disbelief. "Like seven hours, at most."

He lets his eyes fall closed and his weight sink more solidly into Hob and the cushions of the chaise. "Felt more like seventy years." Dream nuzzles into the light shirt covering Hob's belly, able to get the scent of his skin even through the fabric. "She does vex me so."

"Hey!" A pillow that was most definitely on their bed moments ago is now mashed onto Dream's head. "No teasing! Or I'll tell Lucienne who knocked over that bookcase."

Dream pushes the pillow aside enough to be able to peer up at his lover with one eye. "You wouldn't." Hob just looks at him, one eyebrow rising in challenge. "You wouldn't dare."

"Looooseeemmmrrrpmgh!"

Dream cuts Hob's hollering short by shoving the pillow up and into his face.

Hob splutters as Dream pulls the pillow away, but then looks down with a gleam in his eyes. Another pillow pops into existence in Hob's hand. "Oh, those are fighting words."

"But I didn't say anything!"

Apparently that is no excuse. And so the Lord of Dreams and King of Nightmares finds himself in his first pillow fight.

[braveclementine]

Nightmare

Warnings: None

Copyright: I do not own any Marvel characters or locations. However, I do own my OCs, which consist of Penny Fury, Elizabeth Nelson, Elijah Chan, Katya Venice, Violetta Moscow, Lan Le, Josh, Trang Tien, Ahni Jallow, Mai Ito, and Ghaida Kashual as well as other OCs that will come up throughout the story.

This is Penny, generated by AI. I wasn't thinking this much green in her Agent outfit- I was picturing more like Viper from Valorant. And also, Penny doesn't have a mask, but this was the more decent of the others that were generated. 

🍛🤫 𝕤ᵗ𝔬𝐫𝓎 🧬🤚

Elizabeth walked into the community room or the living room, whatever you wanted to call it, of the Avengers tower. She found that many of the Avengers were standing in a semi-circle, various weapons pointed at a man wearing a strange outfit in a faded red colour, along with a strange helmet so all you could mostly see were his eyes, nose, and mouth.

His eyes lifted to see hers and said, "Ah. I see you managed to survive. Let's change that." And her trident flew across the room, going through her stomach, pinning her to the wall. Bucky and Steve hollered, running to her as Elijah exploded into flames.

Elizabeth jerked upright, breathing hard. Feeling alongside the bed told her it was empty, which was strange because she had been sure Sam had been there when she'd fallen asleep.

Her heart was pounding in her chest, thinking about the vividness of the dream. She died.

Again.

The bathroom door opened and Sam looked surprised to see her sitting up. "Sorry sugar, did I wake you up?" He asked softly, considering it was about two in the morning. He climbed back into bed, pulling her into his arms. "Sugar? You're shaking. What's wrong?"

"I had a nightmare." Elizabeth whispered, turning her face into his bare chest. "I died."

"Oh sugar." Sam murmured.

Elizabeth explained the dream and Sam listened before saying, "It's just your subconscious from when you died the first time. I'm sorry you're having these nightmares sugar."

"It was the first one." Elizabeth said hesitantly, a little afraid to go back to sleep. "Do I have to sleep?"

"Yeah." Sam smiled a sad smile. "Don't worry sugar, I'm right here by your side if you need me. If you have another nightmare, you can wake me up. And if you don't, well then you get your refreshing sleep. I mean, you don't have to sleep. Tony is probably down in the lab, Stephen is probably awake in the library. Bucky might even be up if you want."

Elizabeth hesitated and then tiredness over took her and she shook her head, "I'll sleep here with you."

"Sweet dreams Sugar." Sam said softly.

She hoped so.

🍣🚳 Ƥ𝕠𝕍 ¢𝓱𝓐ᑎ𝑔Ｅ 🩰🚱

Penny stretched as she joined the others in the living room of the Avengers tower. It was around mid-day and everyone was kind've just chatting in the room, sitting together.

Just about everyone was there except maybe Elizabeth. Fury had also sent Violetta and Natasha on a mission, so they weren't there either. Katya was also laying down upstairs as she hadn't been feeling to great.

Bruce had explained that with Katya, the baby seemed to have developed Lans' powers, so it was actually already shape-shifting inside of her. Bruce, Stephen, Loki, and Thor were all keeping a very close eye on her with some help from Wanda just in case things went terribly south. They were also talking about taking her up to Asgard as she neared the birth date so perhaps Frigga could help as well with the birthing process.

"Hey Penny." Clint greeted her first and she went and sat down with him, starting to feel the affects of being pregnant and on her feet to long. She was due to give birth in exactly three weeks and she was also rather fatigued all the time, which she hadn't known was a side effect.

"Tired?" Clint chuckled as she closed her eyes, wanting to fall asleep on him.

"Mhmm. Push me off if I get to heavy." Penny mumbled in a tease.

Clint just laughed at that, kissing her shoulder. "I can take it."

Penny giggled and then settled down.

"I'm just saying, an elevator isn't worthy." Steve argued.

"But an elevator isn't a person." Tony argued. "Besides, Thor stands in elevators all the time and the hammer is with him all the time."

"Because Thor is holding it." Rhodey pointed out. "But what if it was just there by itself?"

"Nah it's physics." Sam argued. "I mean, think about it right? Technically to an elevator, it's just another object."

"Whose side are you on?" Steve grumbled and Sam quickly backpedaled.

"I mean, yeah, elevators are not worthy, at all, therefore it could not go up." Sam said quickly.

"No." Tony pointed at him, "Don't be scared of him, I'll protect you."

"No you won't." Bucky and Stephen chuckled together.

Suddenly, there was a crash and you all looked over to see one of the windows had been shattered by seemingly nothing. The chatter in the room stopped and everyone slowly got to their feet.

Penny reached under the couch, grabbing one of the pistols that was tucked under there, while Clint pushed her behind him, guarding her with his body. Steve raised his hand, shield flying to his arm. Thor's hammer came to his hand and Loki created a weapon out of green mist.

A man floated through the window, wearing a strange outfit of red, complete with a cape and also a helmet.

Trang jerked backwards from him, gripping the table behind her hard with her hands.

"Who are you?" Thor demanded, pointing his hammer at the man.

"My name is Magneto." The man said and Penny watched as Pietro frowned at the man.

"You're the one who killed Lan and the others." Elijah said furiously, his entire body surrounded by flames.

"Yes. And I have come to finish the job."

"Not likely." Rhodey snapped.

"I am only here for two people."

"Who?" Bruce demanded.

"My children."

"Pardon?" Tony asked and the man glared at him.

"Wanda, Pietro, you need to come home." The man said, before lifting off his helmet, revealing his entire face. Both Pietro and Wanda took a step back and both Stephen and Loki straightened up in recognition.

"Erik?" Stephen asked in surprise.

Erik- apparently- nodded to the wizard. "Like I said, you seem to be one of the good ones. You and Loki can survive if you step aside."

"Step aside and what?" Loki asked.

"I'm only here for one life." Magneto said, narrowing his eyes at Tony. "Stark needs to pay for killing my wife."

Stephen and Loki both stood defensively in front of Tony.

"He didn't." Wanda argued. "It wasn't him."

"Where do you even get the nerve?" Pietro asked angrily. "Hiding from us, making us believe you were dead for years! And then coming here saying you're going to kill our new family and we need to go with you!"

The door of the room suddenly opened and everyone including Magneto looked over to see that Elizabeth had just entered. She froze upon seeing the room.

"Ah." Magneto murmured, "I see you managed to survive. Let's change that."

Faster than Penny could have expected, her trident came out of nowhere and would've shoved straight through her stomach again, except the weapon was thrusted away with a sweep of water, imbedding itself in the wall to the side of her.

Pietro was standing in front of Elizabeth in a millisecond, glaring at the man who said he was their father. "You will not hurt her."

"Pietro move." Magneto said, lazily.

"How dare you." Bucky growled. Magneto turned his gaze on him and suddenly Bucky's hand came up, grabbing his own throat. Bucky fell to his knees, trying to fight his own hand which was choking him out.

"Bucky." Steve and Sam tried to pull his hand away from his own throat, both of them working frantically.

"I'm getting bored and I'm disappointed. These people are not your friends, but our enemies." Magneto said.

"The only enemy here is you." Wanda growled, red wisps trailing from her fingers. Bucky stopped choking himself, gasping for breath. "Get lost."

"Like I said, disappointed." Magneto said, before thousands of tiny needles lifted into the air behind him. They zoomed forwards, ready to pierce everyone, but a wall of water was placed in front of all of them as Elizabeth controlled it, eyes blue.

"How do we stop him?" Sam asked, looking at Wanda and Pietro.

Suddenly, Elizabeth ran forwards, leaping onto the coffee table, launching herself off the back of the couch. Her water moved with her and she managed to knock the man off course where he had been floating. She wrapped her water tendrils around his throat, going through his nose, before she slammed his head against the wall and he slumped to the ground, unconscious.

"Elizabeth?" Elijah asked cautiously as her eyes faded back to their normal brown.

She looked up at him and then looked at Sam, "I just saw it in my dream." And then she turned and walked away like nothing had happened.

"What does that mean?" Tony asked. He looked shaken. "What is she talking about?"

"Last week. . ." Sam murmured, "She had a nightmare about this exact same thing. The same words, same place, same everything. And the way she fought back, it was like she had predicted his moves."

"Elizabeth has never been able to see the future." Elijah said and then threw a glance at Ghaida who looked lost in thought. "G?"

Ghaida looked at him and shook her head, "Viden won't let me know. It's another Heimdall thing. But I'd go out on a limb and say yes, somehow she predicted this. But how, I don't know."

"I'm going to have a talk with that golden-eyed bastard." Loki seethed, stalking out of the room. Penny wondered if Heimdall would actually bring Loki up to Asgard. Maybe that was the reason Heimdall hadn't come down yet to see Elizabeth. Because he knew he would be questioned.

"He's your father." Stephen said slowly. "It makes sense. When I was training him he said his childrens' names were Scarlet and Strieborná. Strieborná means Silver. Scarlet Witch and Quick Silver. I should have realized."

"How could you?" Tony sighed. "It's my fault."

"No," Wanda said softly, putting a hand on his arm. "It's not. We've already been over this. Besides. . . even so he shouldn't have come after you like this. Especially the others."

Penny quickly turned and with a bit of difficulty, knelt beside Bucky who was breathing in and out deeply while Steve and Sam continued to look at him with worry. "Bucky?" Penny asked quietly and he opened his blue eyes.

"Hey doll." He coughed, wincing. "Damn now I know how it feels."

"What do you want us to do with him?" Clint asked, looking at Wanda and Pietro.

"I have a solution." A new voice said form the door and Penny turned to see her father standing there.

🖐🦠 ｔƗⓜᵉ รкι𝐩 👨‍🏫🧫

"There is a separate group of superheroes that no one knows about called the X-men." Fury explained as he talked to the rest of them in the living room. "I will not disclose their location or school-"

"School?" Wanda interrupted with clear interest and Fury nodded.

"Yes. A school for kids and even adults who can't really understand their powers. They go there to learn and control them."

"I went there." Elijah said, blushing just a little. "For about two years. It's a good school."

"I'm surprised I didn't know that." Fury eyed him.

Elijah shrugged. "I was seven."

"Either way," Fury continued and Penny listened back in. "Magneto was once a friend of the head Professor, Professor X, but their differences in philosophies caused them to become more like enemies, though they still respect and admire each other."

"I don't understand. How long ago was this?" Pietro asked.

"Before you were born." Fury answered. "Professor X and Cap grew up in the same time period."

Steve looked up at that.

"What about our mother?" Wanda demanded. "Did she know?"

"Yes." Ghaida interjected. "Let's just say after you thought both of them were dead, it wasn't an accident that you were picked first out of the volunteer groups."

"It was all planned from the start." Pietro said flatly.

"Did our mother have powers?" Wanda asked.

"No." Ghaida answered.

"My solution, if it's alright with both of you Maximoff's, is to give your father back over to the X-men. They can hold him with no dangers to themselves or other people." Fury said.

Wanda and Pietro looked at each other and Penny pitied them. It couldn't be easy, thinking that your parents were dead. Then finding out that their father was alive and a monster.

"Yes." Wanda answered softly, "They can have him. I don't know if I ever want to see him again."

Fury nodded and then strode to the door and opened it. Two men came into the room, one walking, the other in a wheel chair.

The man who was standing looked a little like Bucky from what Penny could tell. He had clean brown hair that was floppy on both sides, although cut much shorter than Bucky's hair. He was also wearing all leather, along with black gloves. Penny couldn't see his eyes because he was wearing a sort of. . . almost like glasses but they were in one line and she couldn't see past the tint.

The other man was a much older man with a bald head and kind brown eyes. He was wearing a brown suit and he was able to get around in his wheelchair with the buttons on it.

When the man in the wheelchair spoke, he had a low, pleasant, gravely sort of voice. "We will take care of him from here. Thank you, Nicholas. Good to see you Elijah."

Elijah nodded and smiled a little. 

Penny's father nodded and said, "We just don't want anyone else getting hurt."

"Nor we." The man with the glasses added. He didn't look at any of them, but Penny couldn't help but feel as though he was scanning them since they couldn't see his eyes.

"Wanda my dear," The man in the wheelchair addressed her and she gave a small start, "Walk out with me, please?"

Wanda got up and said, "Of course."

The three of them left with Wanda's father, still unconscious.

"Well that was anti-climatic." Rhodey.

"Speak for yourself." Tony said, getting up and striding out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Rhodey winced.

Trang, Bruce, and Stephen quickly went after him.

"F.R.I.D.A.Y." Elijah sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Where's Elizabeth?"

"She's in Miss Kashuals room with her children." F.R.I.D.A.Y. replied and Elijah went off out of the room as well.

The rest of everyone else sort've just sat there for a long time. Eventually Pietro stood up and was gone without another word.

Fury stood too, "Penny, walk with me."

Glad to be rid of the room, Penny got up and walked with her father out of the living room.

"How are you feeling?" Her father asked as they headed towards the elevator.

"Shaken. Confused." Penny answered. "The attack was so sudden, but it was over so quickly and no one was even. . . well I guess Bucky would constitute as hurt but. . . Elizabeth took over the situation so quickly, defeated him so quickly. . . how could she have possibly been killed the first time?"

"Wilson says she dreamed about it for a week." Fury said. "I think maybe she was reacting to it instinctively."

"But how can she have dreams or nightmares about something that hadn't even happened yet?" Penny asked as the two of them stepped into the elevator. "That shouldn't be possible."

"Penelope." Fury said and she looked over at her father. "I'm immortal, went to space and lost an eye because of a Flerken which looked like a cat, while fighting off aliens. None of this should be possible. Water powers, fire powers, nature powers, Gods, super soldiers, the Hulk. Elizabeth was raised from the dead. Who knows what new powers she has."

Penny was silent for a moment, because everything he had said was true.

"Are you ready for having your baby?" Fury changed the subject.

"Yes."

"You and Rogers come up with names yet?"

"No. We don't even know the gender of the child." Penny said and then looked over at Fury. "Have you um. . . has Sharon. . ."

Fury sighed. "I talked to Scott and he's more lax about the situation than Rogers was. He told Sharon as much as he wished she would keep his child, and said he wanted the child, and he would raise him or her, ultimately he respected her decision. Although, I can't see them interacting in the future."

"Who. . . who do you think is more right?" Penny asked hesitantly.

Fury sighed. "As a man, I really hate touching the subject of abortion Penny."

"I know but. . ." Penny glanced at him, "If mom. . ."

"Maria wouldn't." Fury shrugged. "I never have to deal with it." He glanced over at her and sighed, "Maybe. . . maybe before I had you, I wouldn't have cared. But after watching your mother carry you and love you in her womb, watching her cry as she birthed you, and the ecstatic feeling that I had when I got to hold you when you were only three minutes old. . . it's a feeling I will never forget and I want to experience over and over. So. . . if it were to happen to me, I would react like Rogers. I wouldn't be able to forgive Maria if she did do that to me."

"Scott has a daughter though." Penny frowned.

"Yeah, and he's hurting." Fury nodded, "But he doesn't feel like receiving the backlash that Steve did over the subject."

"It's stupid." Penny muttered.

"It's life and politics. You want to play the political game, you got to be ready with responses and backlash and criticism." Fury responded and the elevator doors opened up, the two of them walking out. "Some people are going to believe that abortion is healthcare. That's their opinion, that's their choice. And others think it's murder. I say, we need to stop arguing. And I also say that if someone has a different opinion from you, doesn't make the other person wrong or right. Just respect it and stop bashing them for being different."

Penny smiled as her father got heated. "Going to run for the Presidency with that speech?"

Fury chuckled, pulling Penny into a side hug as Coulson drove up in his black Sudan. "Nah. I'd rather just be your father. Besides, I like ordering the Avengers around to much."

"Hey Phil." Penny said, while laughing at her fathers' words.

"Hey Pen." Coulson greeted her. "Ready Fury?"

"Yep." Fury said. "Stay safe Penny, keep me updated on your pregnancy."

"Tell mom I said I love her." Penny called out and the car drove away. Penny looked around and noticed she didn't see Wanda anywhere. Maybe she had gone with the X-men to their school. She had seemed interested enough and the man in the wheelchair had seemed open enough to her.

Well, at least this nightmare was over. 

[vexing-imogen]

knelt beside my hope torn apart

Three days after Imogen turns eighteen, she collapses at work, screaming and begging Relvin to make it stop, it's so loud, Daddy, please make it stop.

When he'd gone to wake her up that morning, she'd complained of a headache and bad dreams keeping her up all night. She did feel warmer than usual, but he'd coaxed her out of bed, figuring that some fresh air and an easy day tending to the horses would do her good. He'd brushed off the nosebleed that she got during breakfast with the excuse that it was just an unusually dry winter.

Now, as he carries her back to the farmhouse, burning with fever and staining his shirt with tears and blood, he wishes he'd just let her stay home.

He tries not to think about Liliana. How she would frequently complain of headaches. The nightmares she never told him about. The nosebleeds she would try to hide. How she'd whispered to him the night that she'd left that the world was just too goddamned loud.

As he gets Imogen settled in her bed, he notices something that makes his heart sink. While he can feel the heat radiating off of her, Imogen's fingertips are ice cold. The small purple and red bruises that dot them almost make it look like she's got frostbite.

Lili's fingers had been that way, too. Always cold. She'd blamed it on poor circulation, and had delighted in using it to tease him. He feigned annoyance, but secretly he still missed the sensation of her cool fingers on his neck or the small of his back.

Imogen sleeps fitfully until well past sundown, whimpering and crying out from her fever induced dreams. When she finally wakes for more than just a minute or two, both moons are high in the sky, and her bedroom is bathed in Ruidis' red light.

"What's wrong with me, Daddy?" she begs. "What's happening to me?"

He's not equipped to deal with this. Gods, he wishes Liliana was here. "I don't-" He swallows hard, starts over. "It's gonna be okay, sweet pea," he says, brushing sweat damp hair back from her face. "I promise."

Anger flashes in her eyes, turning them white for a split second. "You can't promise that," she snaps. There's a sharp pain in his temple, gone just as quickly as it appeared. He curses under his breath, and when he looks back at Imogen, she's shrinking away from him, horrified.

"I'm so sorry, Daddy," she whimpers. "It was an accident, I didn't mean to, I'm sorry."

"I know, Gennie," he murmurs. "It's alright." He goes to reach for her, but she pulls back, curling herself into a ball. "I'll, uh, leave you be for now," he says, hovering awkwardly by the door. "If you need anything, just...just holler."

He goes to the kitchen, right to his bottle of whiskey, doesn't even bother with a glass, just takes a long pull and slumps against the counter. Fuck.

The soft creak of the porch steps is all the warning he gets before someone is knocking on the door. Four soft knocks. Then a pause. Three more, slightly sharper, knocks.

He wishes he could see who's at the door, but the window is on the other side of the kitchen. He figures it must be pretty damn important if they're knocking on his door at (he checks the clock) half-past one. Strange that they don't seem to be in any kind of rush, though.

Relvin opens the door, and the whiskey bottle falls out of his hand. Something stops it from hitting the floor and shattering. Magic, dummy. Magic stops it. And floats it back up into his hand. Damn her.

Liliana stands in the doorway, bathed in red moonlight, wrapped in a leather duster, stray hair that's escaped from her braid being whipped about by the winter winds. He can just see another figure past her, leaning against the old willow tree. He can't tell if their skin is actually red, or if it's just that damned moon. The last time he remembers the sky turning this red was eighteen years ago. The night Imogen was born.

He offers his wife the whiskey as a greeting. (Is she still his wife? They'd never officially divorced, and she'd taken her ring when she left, but he'd stopped wearing his a long, long time ago. She accepts it with a half smile, takes a quick drink, and then hands it back. She makes brief eye contact with the person behind her before she follows him into the house.

He sets the bottle on the table with a little more force than he intends. "What're you doin' here, Lil?" he asks. "Why come back after all this time?"

"You know why," she says, peeling off her gloves. His eyes are immediately drawn to the purple marks on her hands that thrum with energy and disappear up into the sleeves of her jacket. He doesn't remember them being quite so vibrant the last time he'd seen her. "Where's Imogen?"

He feels a spark of fury in his gut. He's tempted to tell her to go fuck herself. That she can't expect to just waltz back into their lives after sixteen fucking years. He should turn her right back around, send her back out into the night and lock the door behind her.

But then he hears Imogen crying for him from the other room, and he just...can't. He sees the sorrow in Liliana's eyes; the guilt, the shared pain. She can help, better than he can at any rate. He can swallow his pride (for now) if it means his daughter gets the help she needs.

"This way," he says, leading her to the bedroom. Like the layout of the house isn't exactly the same as it was sixteen years ago.

The bedroom is a mess, shocking for the relatively short amount of time Relvin was gone. Books and trinkets have fallen to the floor. The armoire is on its side. One of the windows is open, scattering papers off of her desk. Imogen has thrown all her covers off the bed, and she's laying in the middle of the mattress shivering. Her nose is bleeding again, staining her pillow and sheets.

"Draw the curtains," Liliana instructs him. "The moonlight's makin' everything worse."

He doesn't understand what the moons have to do with any of this, but he does as she says all the same. Strangely, Imogen does seem to calm just a bit when the room is no longer bathed in red.

Liliana sits on the edge of the bed and waits for Imogen to notice her. When their eyes finally meet, they're both quiet for some time, but he gets the impression that they're still having a conversation. Just one that he can't hear.

Eventually, they come together; Imogen laying her head in Liliana's lap. Liliana combing her fingers through Imogen's hair. Imogen relaxes into the touch, letting a few tears fall.

"I'm scared, Mama," she whispers.

"I know, honeybee," Liliana replies. "I was, too."

"Is it ever gonna get better?"

Liliana's hand pauses for just a moment before she answers. "Yes, Imogen." Relvin doesn't need to be a mind reader to know that she's lying. "Yes, it'll get better."

[foibles-fables]

"You don't have to be alone." Jessie/Mase 👉👈

writing this one in one sitting no editing too as a surprise for you <3 enjoy please

--

Mase comes awake like the pull of a loose trigger, hollering her fear into the thick bayou air.

For a wrenching moment, that fear gives way to panic. Everything lurches. Everything echoes. Eyes wide but seeing nothing, she gasps against the weight coiled in her chest and clenches her fists until her knuckles crack. And that's all she can do. Lie there all helpless and scared until the hammerstrike of her heartbeat eases enough for everything to spiral back into place.

When it does, it takes the fear but leaves the shame. This, again and again. Waking up screaming like a goddamn child, sweating through her clothes and rubbing at her salt-burning eyes.

Maybe it wouldn't be so pathetic if she could actually remember what had frightened her so. The edge of a knife, the cold barrel of a pistol, or her mother's face. Mase lets out a wavering, agitated sigh, glaring at the canvas of her A-frame and reaching for the pack of cigarettes waiting beside her bedroll.

By the time she gets one between her lips, a voice cuts of the insects droning through the humid night.

"Mase?" Sleep-slurred, but clear, adjacent to the opening of her tent.

Shit.

"It's nothin', Jessie," she all but growls around the cigarette, digging into her pocket for her matches. Doesn't matter anyway. Her hands are shaking too bad to strike one.

"Didn't sound like nothin'." A pause, then, more softly: "Another nightmare?"

Mase feels herself cringe up. "Just--a dream."

In the lingering quiet, Mase almost could be convinced that Jessie turned over and went right back to sleep. And part of her hopes for that. Another part--the part she can't figure out how to reach out and grab--hopes for exactly what she gets.

Jessie, groggy and slumber-soft, dragging her bedroll into Mase's tent.

"You don't have to do this, Jessie," Mase mumbles, already shifting aside to make room.

Jessie ignores her. Spreads her bedroll, then plucks the cigarette from Mase's mouth and flicks it away. Smiles, eyes half-lidded. "And you don't have to be alone."

Without further invitation or negotiation, she lies down, arm outstretched to beckon Mase in.

Mase waits until Jessie closes her eyes. Then she curls against her side, head resting on her chest, slipping back under counting her heartbeats.

[rosella-writes]

OTP Asks - Hawke x Merrill: 2, 17, 18. Zev x Alistair x Mahariel: 6, 24, 32

OHO intricate intricate thank you 💚

Hawke x Merrill:

2. Any sleep habits either had to get used to? Emrys is a heavy sleeper who doesn't dream much or move around in his sleep, while Merrill can be up all hours, snap awake from a nightmare, or just not go to bed at all. When she does come to bed, she moves around, and it's not uncommon for Emrys to wake up with her glommed on to him or upside down under the covers. Sometimes he'll wake up to a cold, empty room, head out to the library, and carry her on back to bed after she's fallen asleep at the desk or curled up by the fire.

17. Who fell in love first? Emrys. Merrill charmed him with her earnest nature, and they were close friends first and foremost. He's drawn to her outlook on the world, refreshed by her optimism and curiosity despite everything she's gone through, and just finds her homey and sweet and kinda soul-affirming to be around. Merrill had reservations for years, and while she admires Hawke and maybe idealises him a little bit, Isabela keeps her head on straight. She goes into a romance with Emrys with good intentions and more sense than she might have if not for her piratey friend.

18. What song fits them perfectly? Oh oofta SO. Emrys has gone through a lot of metamorphoses so it's funny to think that the song that sparked his concept matches who he ultimately becomes with Merrill, despite being very very different in the end. It's Light My Love by Greta Van Fleet. I just think it's got the sweet I associate with Merrill along with the more gritty stuff that matches Emrys.

Zevran x Alistair x Mahariel:

6. When did they realize they loved each other? These idiots are a mess. Rhiannon and Alistair loved each other hard and quick, and burnt out just as fast — Rhiannon dumped Alistair after getting chewed out by Wynne and realising that she did resent Alistair for insisting she take the lead. Then they recruited Zevran and he was such a welcome distraction... then more. Rhiannon realised she loved Zevran as they were helping the Denerim alienage — he stopped her as they were leaving the orphanage and gave her his earring as if he couldn't wait another damn minute, covered in gore and stumbling his way through what should have been a smooth one-liner. They were both idiots, messy idiots, and she knew then and there that he wasn't just her bed warmer. All throughout, Rhiannon encouraged Zevran's interest in any of their other companions. Still, she was surprised when Zevran guiltily admitted he'd been flirting with Alistair, wondering if of all of them that one was off limits. She pretended not to care. My timeline for Zev and Alistair's relationship is wibbledy wobbledy, but they really don't come into their own as a fully realised triad until well after the archdemon's defeat. In the end, Alistair has kinda always loved both of them — it's just a matter of Zevran and Rhiannon both coming to terms with and accepting it. I've explored some of it in this lil fic right here.

24. Which of them is the most competitive? Rhiannon, definitely. She's the one hollering out her kill count as she goes while the others try to just do their jobs lol. Zevran finds it a bit adorable and tries to humour her, knowing he has her beat on both talent and aptitude but usually letting her win anyway, while Alistair takes it a bit personally.

32. How do they resolve their arguments? So the triad can be... very dysfunctional, easily one of the hardest of my ships to navigate lol. Zevran winds up being the glue that keeps Alistair and Rhiannon together and softens arguments — he usually has no stake in the fight anyway, and just tries to act as a mediator where he can. Without him, Alistair and Rhiannon would not be happy together long term.

[white-poppie]

Buttercups and Hiccups

Character pairing: Denki Kaminari x G! n reader

Source: Anime- My Hero Academia

Genre: Angst

Writer: @white-poppie

MASTERLIST

"Kaminari," you called out the blond man currently busy washing the dishes.

"Kaminari?" he laughed, his hair was tied in a small, low ponytail, "Last name, sunshine? You took it from me and now call me Kaminari?" Was he wrong though? He was your employer; Chargebolt: one of the top heroes on the hero billboard. Your husband.

"Do you still love me?" You asked, a knot of dread formed in your stomach.

He stopped in his tracks, washed the last dish and turned towards you, "of course I do, you are my everything."

His cold and still slightly wet hands cupped your cheeks, "why'd you ask?"

"Denki," you wanted to savour the way his name felt on your tongue.

"Sunshine," he said, his brows knitted in confusion, love and concern.

"I...I don't know," you cried against his hands, 'I don't know who to believe and what to trust anymore."

"Love, what's wrong?" his hands now wrapped against you in a comforting way. You could drown in his scent, the comfort he gave you, how protected he made you feel. Your life revolved around him, 24/7 and 365. You were eating? Oh, Denki likes this dish. You were sleeping? Oh, Denki like you wrap you both like a burrito when you cuddle. Denki, Denki, Denki. That's what was always on your mind.

"Denki, why?" you sobbed, hitting his chest with your curled up palms.

"Why what?"

"Stop pretending like you don't know what I am talking about?"

He held your hands by your wrist, "I have no idea what you are talking about!"

"Why did you sleep with her!" you let out a guttural scream of betrayal.

"Sunshine I-"

"Stop with the excuses already! Kirishima told me everything!"

Silent tears flowed down his face, apologies left his mouth like chants.

"What did she have that I don't?" you slumped to your knees, "why would you do that? I thought you loved me!"

"I do-"

'Then why the hell did you do that!" you hollered, "was she prettier? was she from a rich family? did she dedicate her entire life to you like I did?" Yur breaths came ragged, chest clenching. You could feel your panic taking a bigger shape.

"I am sorry, I was drunk," he cried, "I am sorry, you don't deserve this, I thought that I could just forget it and go on with our life, but the guilt ate me out, every single day."

"I get drunk too Denki, I get wasted in fact, but I don't go around cheating on my spouse." Your body trembled, bile churning your guts.

"Y/N please forgive me, I will do anything you say!" he joined his hands pleadingly.

"I can't trust you anymore, please just let me go," your throat felt dry you just wanted it to be a very bad dream and when you wake up, you will be in your lover's arms. A part of you thought that it was your fault, trying to hold onto the bits of anything, but the sane part of you knew that it was wrong. If you stayed with you could never forgive yourself or him, it would be tormenting.

"Don't go, please I will do better!" he wailed, hands desperately wrapping around you.

You pushed him and stood up, your back facing him because you knew if you turned back you will break down into nothingness.

"I hope you have a good life, Denki."

A yellow buttercup generally symbolizes positivity and joyful energy however it is generally never used in bouquets because it also symbolizes unfaithfulness.

A/N: WHY DO I DO THIS TO MYSELF?! I MUST BE MASOCHIST OR SM, FIRST TIME I WRITE FOR BABY BOI DENKI AND ITS ANGST *cough* anyways-

〜 ➤Taglist: @denkis111, @glizzygobbler9000, @sukxma, @futuristicallykawaiiturtle, @cloudsgathering, @kristaline2dmensimp, @lordmypantsaresocool

〜 ➤Be added to my tag list: TAGLIST (If the link doesn't work message me under this fic or personally to add you)

MASTERLIST

Love <3 @white-poppie™ on Tumblr

[chaos-writes]

The Lost Boys: Road Trip

Based on one of the most vivid dreams I've ever had. Word count: 2,255. Implied romance with the boys and Star. Tw: none.

“I’ve always wanted to travel and go sight-seeing without any real objective, like moving,” said Lucy, in a dream-like tone. I chimed in, “I’ve had a cross-country road trip planned out for quite a while, but I’ve never had anyone to do it with.” “Oh really?” Lucy asked, “Where to?” “Well, it’ll be a round trip with touring both going and coming back. I'm hoping to go through Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky, then we’ll go north, through Ohio, and Michigan, then come back home through Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, then through the top of California all the way back home.” “Oh my goodness! That sounds like a dream, but also a lot of gas money,” Lucy exclaimed. We laughed.

 

“It really would be, but I have the money saved up in a debit account, so hopefully it'll cover it. There’s also hotels, toll bridges, food, water, all that fun stuff,” I giggled. “But it would be worth it, I have tons of film for my instax camera, and a couple journals to write down my experiences.”

I gestured to her, “I have a couple extras for people that want to tag along,” Lucy smiled but quickly frowned, “Oh, I would love to go, I really would, but I have to work and look after the boys and their grandfather,” she mused. I chimed in, “It doesn't just have to be you, you know, I’ve got quite a few people in mind who could benefit from traveling.” “Well, I'll have to check with my boys and my boss. I’ll let you know if I can or can’t as soon as possible,” lucy said, with a look of disappointment in her eyes. I nodded in understanding and smiled, “Well, whenever you do let me know, I wouldn’t be upset if it was a no. I would be sure to share every detail with you, though.” “Oh, thank you for understanding, it means a lot to me!” “No problem. Well, I guess I'll be on my way then,” I said as I opened the front door.

We said our goodbyes and I headed out on my motorcycle to go and see the boys. It’s getting dark enough out where they should be slowly getting up by now. I wonder if Laddie and Star are there, too. They usually are, but sometimes they’re out and about, since they can handle sunlight a bit better than the rest. I park my bike and I can hear distant yawning and mumbling from where I'm standing at the cave entrance. They all start to float out and stretch one by one, Dwayne being first, Marko being second, David being third, and Paul being last. Of course Paul is last, he’s the heaviest sleeper. This road trip would be nothing to him, if they all agreed, that is. I just have to do some convincing.

Marko slipped his jacket and boots on, and the rest followed suit. They’re all quiet when they first wake, that’s why I don't ‘show up’ until I start hearing conversation and laughing. However, I’ve got to wait for the perfect time to come in, when they’ve been talking for a while and can actually think. “I wonder what Michael’s been doin’” I hear Paul say. “I don’t know Paul,” David sighed. “Maybe he’s been avoiding us…” He paused for a minute, then said, “Anyone hungry yet?” a wave of “not me’s” and “mm-mm’s” spread across the cave. I hear Dwayne grab a torch, light it, and begin lighting the cans all around the cave. The -now illuminated- boys begin bantering about who they should target next and what they plan to do for the day- well, night.

As a result, I put on my big-kid pants and stepped into the cave. They all turned to me, Marko exclaimed, “Hey! There you are!” “Hey guys,” I said, waving. Laddie ran up to me and hugged me from the side. I patted his back and ruffled his hair. Star smiled at me as she greeted me with a wave. I smiled back. Marko and Paul ran to me and squished me in their arms.

“I have something to share with you guys. An idea, really,” I said. All the boys looked at me in curiosity until David spoke up, “Well, what is this… idea of yours?” I beamed at all of them and said, “You all know how much I like going on adventures…” they looked even more puzzled now. “So, how about I take everyone on a really big adventure? A road trip!” They looked contemplative, as if they were considering going or not. “I could go alone…” Paul's and Marko's eyes widened, “But I much prefer having company with me, especially on trips like these.” Dwayne piped up, “So... where would we be going?” I smiled and pulled out a map, “How about I show you guys?”

The boys, Laddie, and Star crowd around behind me as I point around a U.S. map and explain where we’re going and what I'm planning on doing. I point all over the map and across the northern states. "We can add on a couple more destinations if you'd like… this is just more of the baseline plan." "Are we going to any big cities?" Marko asked. "Hell yea! And we're gonna go touring at night and see all the pretty lights and stuff. It'll be so fun!" "I'm down!" Paul says. "Me too!" Dwayne chimed in. "I wanna go!" Laddie exclaimed. Star smiled, and turned to David. The rest of us followed suit. This… is it.

I smiled at David and asked, "So, leader of the pack, are you in?" He paused. We cautiously awaited his answer. Laddie's eyes met David’s as he silently pleaded to go. David finally broke, smiled, and said, "alright. When are we leaving?" The cave uproared in a fit of whooping and hollering, mainly thanks to Marko and Paul, and Star picked Laddie up and twirled him around. "You won't regret this!" I said to David over the noise. "Well, I'm actually looking forward to it." He said. 

We left to go grab a bite to eat, the boys did their thing and I took Laddie and Star to a little Italian place on the boardwalk to eat. I told the boys to meet us there when they were done. “You sure about all this?” Star asked. “Absolutely! I like having an adventure crew. I'll admit though, it's gonna be a little different with a youngin' on board,” I laughed.

After a while, Lucy finally agreed to go with our party and told her boys to look after one another. We all packed our clothes and bought some more for the boys. They needed clothes that were fit for the amount of walking. I also couldn’t let anyone see my boys in blood-stained clothes in public, we’ll look like we got in some freak accident. I rode my motorcycle and directed the boys to my place, where we have a big Volkswagen bus parked out front, fit for a party of eight. Lucy is already there after a phone call telling us she would meet us at my place. We packed our bags into the trunk, all 4 boys could fit their bags into one suitcase with vacuum seal bags, Star and Laddie share a backpack, Lucy has her own suitcase and I have my own backpack. There's a box of toiletries for us all, except for Lucy, who decided on keeping everything of hers separate from the others, which is fair enough. 

It was 9pm, and we made sure everyone went to the bathroom and was all taken care of before we took off. The first drive is twelve-and-a-half hours, from Santa Carla to Salt Lake City, Utah. We toured the entire city on foot for a few hours, and decided on the next driver to take us to our next destination. Before we left Salt Lake, I put all the pictures I took into a scrapbook and wrote down the notes of what happened that day. “Hey, guys? If you want a journal to write anything down about the trip, I have a few extras here! And we can go over everyone’s journals and keep them in a safe space after the trip!” I said, as we all piled into the bus. David, sitting in the same row as me, turned to me and said, “I’d like to document what i’m experiencing. It’s a good idea, considering we’ve got a lot of…time left” he paused. I gave an understanding nod and handed him a journal. Star, from the third row, said, “i’ll take one!” 

We continued across the country and journaled, and took as many pictures as possible. I will never forget how genuinely happy all the boys were, they were so used to the boardwalk and now they get to go places. Laddie would bounce around happily when we toured around on foot. Star and Lucy spent their time quietly admiring land and cityscapes. The boys would get rowdy and restless at night, desperate to get in a fight or two. I've had to intervene more than I want to admit. But overall, they were well-behaved and did great throughout the trip.

The most precious memory to me, though, is when Dwayne, Paul, and Laddie grabbed me to go for a walk. At this point we were in Cincinnati, we checked in a hotel for a couple days, just on the water. A few of us wanted to go walk on the Purple People Bridge before we left. It was getting dark out, so we held close together. We walked across the bridge, Dwayne carried Laddie piggyback style and Paul and I were walking close by. We got down far enough on the bridge that we were close to the water. The sound of the river was calming, less rapid than the water outside the cave. I pointed out all the boats on the water to Laddie and we watched the water and the city in front of us.

What the boys didn't know was there was an event going on in the city. Some sort of charity event, I was never really sure about that part, but what I did know was the boys were really gonna like it.

"Hey, let's stay here for a bit. We're not in a hurry!" I said. "Umm… alright then," Dwayne said. Paul looked at me in confusion, but didn't say anything. Laddie was falling asleep on Dwayne's back, but Dwayne didn't seem to mind.

Soon, lights flicker on, one by one, lighting the whole city in blue. "Look Laddie!" I said while tapping his arm. He hopped off of Dwayne's back and stared at the illuminated city. All of Cincinnati was now an icy blue, and I will never forget the look of wonder in Laddie's eyes. Paul and Dwayne shared the same look as well. We were all starstruck as the night sky before us lit up in a beautiful blue. Paul's smile slowly grew and he giggled. I looked at him with a questioning look.

He turned to me, and said,"Thank you. This is… was, amazing. I don't think you know how much I appreciate you. This…" I smiled and wrapped my arms around his waist. We held each other close as the city behind us twinkled and glowed. Footsteps came alongside us, the rest of the party decided to try and find us. "Looks like you and Paul are having fun," David said. I wasn't even mad at the joke this time. "We really are, why don't you join us?" I asked. David smiled and ran his fingers through my hair. He wrapped his arms around me from behind as I was hugging Paul, so I was sandwiched between them. Marko stood beside us all. David saw and invited him into the middle with me. I turned around and squeezed Marko as the others adjusted.

Laddie was excitedly pointing out every detail to Star, Dwayne and Lucy and bouncing in pure joy. "Laddie seems to be enjoying this the most. I'm so happy I get to show him these beautiful places." I said. "I will never forget the look on his face for as long as I live."

The rest of the trip went smoothly. We stopped in big cities, small towns, natural parks, and got to see part of Canada from the upper peninsula of Michigan. I wrote down two journals' worth of notes and had to buy another scrapbook to fit all the pictures I took. 

Surprisingly, the whole party responded well to the really long drives we did. When we made it home and said our goodbyes to Lucy as she drove to her own home, it was like this weight was lifted off of us as we stepped into the cave. No more stress of travel, a place to stretch your legs, a place to just be... in peace. Laddie hugged me as Dwayne went around and lit the cave up. "Thank you so much," he said. "You're welcome, little dude!" I said. "Yeah, thank you!" Marko and Paul chimed in. Star walked up to me and wrapped her arms around my shoulders. "Thank you for doing all of that for us," she said. "You really didn't have to." "I know, but I love you guys. The least I can do for you is take you on one of my adventures." 

[mrs-hollandstan]

Can I request a mob Tom Holland, where he's married to reader (I'm 22) but this is his 2nd marriage (prev-zendaya) & reader's first, she's very dedicated but he's aloof & cold. He also has kids which reader loves like her own & he starts falling for reader & hence is guilty &doesn't like how kids love her. Once kid calls her mom & Tom looses his shit & calls reader names & manhandles her. All angst. But later all fluff & smut. Thank you 🖤🖤

This is actually real cute. Just beware, there's mentions of domestic abuse basically. If this'll offend you, please don't read.

[[MORE]]

The stoic face of Tom Holland should've melted away the moment he saw you, when he was in your presence, but it didn't. He was cold and reserved, sitting across from you at the dinner table with dark, caged eyes. He barely said two words to you ever and he turned his back to you in bed. When the two of you had sex, you were always on your knees, neck braced down against the bed. Not that you really minded when your husband looked like he did.

The day his and Zendaya's son, Theo called you momma was the day he snapped. From the moment you were in their lives Theo took to you like velcro. He was connected to you at the hip and loved spending time with you if he wasn't with his mom or dad. You took him out all the time with Tom's permission which Theo had to ask for considering Tom rarely ever talked to you as it was. The day the five year old called you momma when you asked him if he wanted dessert was when Tom lost it, standing with a clatter of his fork on the china plate, shoving you against the wall and caging you in,

"Did you tell him he could call you that?" He growls, face inches from yours. You shake in fear, head shaking,

"No... he called me that earlier. I-I thought it'd be fine."

"Its not fine! You're not his mother you ungrateful bitch and you never will be." He says through grit teeth while Theo tugs at his arm trying to get him off of you as he slams you harder against the wall, bracing your arms against it in a grip that you know will bruise and has you crying out. Theo tugs at Tom harder as he leans in,

"You're such a fucking whore. Is you being here not good enough?!" He hollers, reaching down to press your hips to the wall. Theo finally dislodges him though, Tom thrown off his steps, eyes still locked on you though in an angry, wide eyed glare. He holds Theo's hand, jaw clenching as he stares you down. He turns, dragging Theo with him,

"Clean this mess up. Get Theo dessert, leave it on the table, I don't wanna see you for the rest of the night." He commands. Once he and Theo have left the room, you break down, sliding down the wall to wallow for a few moments before doing as you've been told, setting the tea plate with a small slice of homeade chocolate cake, slinking up to your and Tom's room, finding the necessities to sleep in the spare bedroom. You can hear Tom and Theo in the master bathroom, Theo in the bathtub asking Tom a number of questions concerning how he treated you. Each new question posed has Tom feeling marginally guilty. He knows he shouldn't be teaching his son to manhandle women. But the way his and Zendaya's relationship ended wasn't pretty and he'll be damned if he let's Theo call you his mother now.

Theo is bathed and put in pajamas when you're turning in. He and Tom sit at the dinner table, Tom watching Theo eat his cake while you lay in bed, contemplating everything that's happened. Maybe agreeing to his marriage proposal was a bad idea. But Theo, Theo was who you really stayed for. And as if his ears were ringing, the door was creaking open and Theo was carrying a little stuffed alligator in with him. He closes the door victoriously, having looked all over the house for you in order to soothe you. Helping him up into the bed, he snuggles into you,

"I'm sorry." He says softly. You shake your head and wrap your arms around him,

"Its not your fault my love. It's okay. Your dad is just very complicated when it comes to me." You explain, his head resting against your chest. His dark brown eyes, one of the only things inherited from his father, sparkles as he looks up at you, holding Bubbles, his alligator between the both of you,

"Why? Doesn't he love you? I love you." He says softly. You smile down at him,

"I love you too Theo. Daddy just... he's been through a lot. He's very reserved when it comes to me. He has been since we met." You tell him. He nods,

"Tell me again how you met." He requests. You both know it'll put him to sleep. He chooses the real stories over the fairy tales to tire him, coming from you in your sugar sweet voice that you know he loves so much. And almost five minutes in, he's drifted off, holding you close. And not long after, you follow suit, staring down at the little boy that's stolen your heart and makes you want a little love of your own. From the time you entered Tom and Theo's lives, three years ago, you've wanted a baby. But you were terrified to bring it up to Tom, and he never talked about having another kid. Theo seemed enough for him, and the way you and Theo loved each other was like he was your son, before you even said it.

Tom goes in to check in on Theo, out of habit, finding his bed empty. He's not worried, knowing that his sweet little boy loves nothing more than comforting people in distress. He knows exactly where the little one is and it has his guilt bubbling over. As soon as he pushes into the guest bedroom, he sees the mop of dark brown hair peeking from under the blanket you both sleep under. Tom huffs, walking forward and lifting Theo from the bed gently, as not to wake him. Carrying him to your shared bedroom, he lays him in the middle, walking slowly back to the guest bedroom slowly, he leans at the edge, stroking the few strands of hair from your eyes, rousing you softly. When you shift, he can see the marks on your biceps from where he grabbed you. He purses his lips, running his fingers over the darkening bruises, your eyes fluttering open at the feather like touch,

"Tom?" You speak up quietly. He nods,

"Yeah... hey." He replies just as quietly. You rub your eyes,

"Where did Theo go?" He gestures over his shoulder,

"I took him and put him in our bed. I uhh... when I found out he was in here I figured he was proving a point. I needed to at least say something to you." He says with a sigh, sitting at the edge. You sit up just the slightest, watching him bring his leg up onto the bed and toy with his wedding band. He sighs again, jaw clenching,

"I just... you know i don't like the idea of him calling anyone else mum. His mum is Zendaya and strictly her. And I like that he's comfortable around you but... I don't like that. I don't." He lays out. You nod,

"Okay-" He holds his hand up,

"But... I need to get over it because what else is he supposed to call you? Ya know? So uhh... I guess I'm gonna have to get used to it. And of course its gonna take time but... I'm hoping that... you and I can make this work. I don't hate you and you're my wife and we should be in love not... you loving me and me hating you." He sighs again. He feels stupid and he knows he's been an asshole and it hurts your feelings. He should have never done that to you. You play with a loose thread on the comforter, not looking at him as he mutually avoids your eyes. But he finally looks at you,

"I want us to work like Zendaya and I couldn't." He says softly again. You look up, fighting every fiber of your being to not reach out and touch him. He's never been okay with it. But maybe this is the best time to do it. Leaning in, you place your hand over his. He looks down at your hands before finding your eyes again. You swallow,

"I want that too." You reply. He nods, eyes flickering down to your lips. Leaning in slowly, he slides his hand up to your jaw, pulling you in to kiss you softly. So softly, you wonder if you're dreaming. He's never this gentle. You kiss back, reaching up to hold his wrist. He clambers to his knees, laying you back against the bed. Crawling over you, he peels the button up, silk sleep shirt down to kiss between your breasts,

"You want me to prove it to you?" He asks softly. Running your fingers up his jawline, you give him a loving smile he sees all too often and returns with a scowl most times. But he returns it softly, leaning in to kiss you again. You nod, threading your fingers through his hair for the first time in the three and a half years you've known him, been married to him. He's been so reserved and now he's getting closer, more open with wide, dinosaur steps. You nod more firm this time,

"Yes... yeah, I want you to prove it to me. Please. Then let's get to bed with our boy." The words stop his heart. He wants to correct you so badly, but he won't. He won't do it. He leans in, kissing your neck before he starts to slide out of his sweats and boxers,

"Tom?" You speak up softly again. He draws back,

"Yeah?" You swallow and reach up to brush the curl from his forehead that casts a shadow over his face,

"I uhh... I love you." You say in a squeak, fearing the reaction. He smiles, letting out a little laugh through his nose. He swallows then, nodding and preparing himself,

"I love you too Y/N. I don't think I would've asked you to marry me if I didn't." He says almost in a coo. You nod, running your fingers up under his jaw. He leans in to kiss you again, lips lingering on yours,

"Now," he says, brushing his bottoms down, "let's get this over with so we can get back to her and sleep with our boy." You smile without him seeing, letting him draw your panties down with a finger, holding his arms for the first time, chest to chest.

[tommyscurls]

Michael & Maria + Sweet Home New Mexico

Two ten year olds were running in the desert during a storm, a first kiss that left them figuratively and literally struck by lightning. A kiss that lead them to a wedding at 18, with a groom half drunk and a wife attending her reception by herself with puke down her dress while he slept it off.

They were so in love but too stupid to know what to do with it.

(•••)

7 years later

Micheal stepped out on his porch to see what his dog was barking about, what he saw was the last person he thought he would ever see, causing him to drop the truck part he was working on.

"Shit" he mumbled under his breath. She was still as beautiful as the day she left him.

"Stop staring and get your stubborn ass down here and give me a divorce" Maria said already annoyed by his presence.

"You show up here after seven years without so much as a "Hey there Micheal, remember me your wife" or a "Hi Honey! Looking good"

Maria stands there taking in his handsome face covered in grime and grease "You expect me to tell you you look good? What, they run out of soap at Walmart since I left?" Wiping the smirk off Michael's face.

He turns to walk back into the house. "What are you doing?" She yells. "Leaving. You should recognize the gesture" Michael says as the screen door shuts.

Maria let's out a huff and stomps up the porch steps "Michael! You dumb, stubborn redneck hick! The only reason you wont sign these papers is because I want you to." Micheal swings back around "Wrong! The only reason I ain't signing them is because you turned into some hoity-toity LA bitch, and I like nothing better to do right now than to piss you off!" He says as he slams the door.

Maria rolls her eyes and starts off to get the spare key.

(•••)

Maria is sitting on the couch pissed as Michael sits on the barstool drinking a beer, all of a sudden he starts laughing as he goes for the door.

Maria then notices the blue and red lights reflecting off the house. "You called the Sheriff! You know Valenti hates me" she hurries to find a place to hide but a voice stops her in her tracks.

"Well, well, look what the cat dragged in" Maria turns with a smile and runs into the arms of Max Evan's as he spins her around in a hug that she has desperately missed these past seven years. "Oh Alanis we missed you around here" Max says as he release her. "Max, I can believe you're the Sheriff now" She has missed her brother in law so much.

"Yup. Get to frisk pretty things like you all day, and get paid for it" He says with a laugh "Just don't tell Liz I said that" He winks.

Michael decides it's time to break this reunion up "Alright Maxwell, let's be a little more professional, we have a crime suspect here". Max turns to Maria putting on a stern face "Now Maria you can't be breaking into peoples houses" He tries to lead her out but she starts walking to her purse "I didn't break in, I used my key" she says holding it up. "Well, it's still not your house"

Micheal wears a triumphant smile "Use the cuffs Max, please". Again before Max can lead her away she goes back to her purse "If you get him to sign these, I'll let you run me out of town." She says with a devilish smirk that if he wasn't so ass backwards in love with Liz, he would be a goner for.

"That's none of your business" Michael says as he tries to take the papers but Max beats him to it. "Divorce papers? I though you said you took care of this Michael." Max plays along for Michael's benefit knowing full well he hasn't taken care of it. "I thought I had" Michael stammers. "Well, since you are still married this is her house too and nothing I can do, I'll let y'all catch up" Max proceeds to walk out the door as Michael starts at him "I suppose shoplifting steaks from Walmart is okay" Maria runs behind Micheal "OH! I took them back and you know it!" she points at him.

Max continues to the door and Michael tries again "You remember that vandalism in the stockyard? Totally her." Maria scoffs at him "Like I could tip a cow, by myself." Max finally makes it to the door laughing under his breath as Michael makes a final attempt.

"Max. Isn't there an outstanding warrant for the person who dumped your jeep in the fish pond" Max stops in his tracks and Maria let's out a huge betrayed gasp.

Ha. Got her.

(•••)

After a day of cleaning out their joint account and making Michael crazy by sprucing up the place and acting like a wife, she finally got him to sit down to sign the papers, but there were a couple questions on her mind that she needed the answers to.

"What are you doing with all that cash? And since when did you quit Sanders? You're not doing anything illegal, are you, Michael?"

"Maybe I am. So what? I don't ask you about your boyfriend, you keep your nose out of my life, deal?" He looked up at her and she could see the hurt in his eyes.

"Who told you?"

"Honey, just 'cause I talk slow doesn't mean I'm stupid." He looks back down at the papers saying softly "Nobody finds their soul mate when they're ten years old."

Maria feels like she got punched in the gut. "Yeah I guess not" she looks down at her feet. She walks over to the mantel looking at the pictures of her truck that Michael restored for her when they were 16. "I saw it in the garage when I first got here, I can't believe you kept it"

Michael looks up at her and he has never seen a more beautiful person in his life. Right then he decides he needs more time, he can't lose her again.

He looks down at his phone "Oh, hey Maria, you know what? I just remembered I have a date tonight" He stands up "You don't mind if I have my lawyer look at this right?"

"What!?" She let's out. How is it that this man can get her so riled up in 2 seconds flat.

"I'm just a simple country boy, there's words in there I can't even pronounce" He walks back to the bedroom when he hollers out "Thanks for stopping by"

Maria is beside herself and all she can do is release a breathe of frustration and stomp out of the house.

(•••)

After crashing Michael's date (which was NOT out of jealousy) with a really nice guy named Alex and making a complete ass of herself in front of all her friends she wakes up with a hangover and divorced papers signed on every line, every I doted.

This is what she wants, this is what she came home for. Then why does she feel so hollow?

Maria climbs up to the top of the Crashdown Cafe to finish her apology tour. Liz is already there hands resting on a rounded belly. Maria's heart aches at the sight, for joy for her friends and sorrow for what she lost at 18.

Liz looks up at her approaching and just like that Maria's let's it all out, neverending flow of tears as Liz pulls her down into her arms "I'm so sorry I left." Liz sushes her with "I know" with so much more understanding than she deserves.

With the tears and apologies out of the way Liz let's something slip in hopes that it will help heal her broken friends.

"He went out to California"

Maria is stunned.

"A year after you left. Michael doesn't know I know, Max let it slip one night. He told him he hadn't seen anything like it, saw how happy you were singing on stage, he knew right then he would need more than an apology to win you back."

Maria was still speechless. More tears were building in her eyes as Liz continued.

"He needed to concour the world first, hes been trying ever since."

"That's why he kept sending back the papers" she said with realization. Liz nodded.

"He went back to UNM and graduated at the top of his class. He's started restoring old trucks and selling them all over the country"

So that explains all the money she thought to herself. Michael was finally becoming the man she always knew he could be.

(•••)

"Thought I'd find you out here"

Michael turned his head to the voice as she joined him on the bed of his truck.

"Still love watching the storms roll in, some things never change" she said as she bumped him with her shoulder.

The two of them just watched the sky in the middle of the desert as the storm rolled in.

"Can't get a view like this out in California can ya Deluca?" He asked still looking out at the horizon unaware of her looking at him not the sky as she replied "No, you can't"

A moment goes by before she speaks again "Ever wonder what would have happened, if" Michael cut her off "We hadn't have gotten pregnant?" Maria nods her head. Michael takes a swig of his beer as he gets his thought together.

"I thought that baby would be an adventure. And it took me a while to realize, it would have been your only adventure. I wanted so much more for your life than to be stapped down with a kid and a husband going nowhere at the age of 18. So I didn't fight you when you left." Maria could see the tears in his eyes.

"I just needed a different life, after we lost the baby, I was just in so much pain" Maria said wanting him to know that she didn't leave because of anything he did.

"You done real well for yourself. I'm proud of you, Maria". He stopped her from saying more. Michael finally turned to look at her and rested his hand on her cheek wiping away a tear.

"I'm just sorry I never danced with you at our wedding, I'm sure this next one's gonna go better for ya."

Maria couldn't take it anymore and brought her lips to his and poured all her emotions into the kiss, hurt, sorrow, love. Michael started kissing back just as much as she was but he was about to do the hardest thing he ever had to do, he pulled back.

"Maria, you have a fiancee, you need to go" Maria pulled back feeling rejection and shame and without a word hopped off the truck and ran to her car.

(•••)

What do you do when you fiancee shows up and promises to give you the life you always dreamed of?

You plan a wedding.

Walking down the aisle and this should be the happiest day of your life but you know this is not right. As if on queue you see your lawyer running down the aisle and you tell him Michael signed the papers and yes that is true but you didn't.

Knowing you can't marry this man you tell him you gave your heart away a long time ago and never got it back.

You tell your friends and family to stick around your going to go find yourself a groom.

(•••)

It's raining when she gets to his garage Liz told her he owns. He's under the truck in the open bay when he hears Maria say

"Hey Cowboy, you owe me a dance"

He gets up and meets her out in the rain, the water making his curls she loves so much disappear.

"Nice dress, where's your husband?"

"I'm looking at him, apparently you and I are still married"

Michael can't say anything hes blown away with how gorgeous she looks in that dress soaking wet. What she says next makes him want to kill Max.

"Why didn't you tell me you came to see me in California?"

"I had to make something of myself."

"You about done?" She throws at him.

"What is it about you girls? You can't make the right decisions til you tried all the wrong ones?"

"At least I fight for what I want." Not backing down.

"Oh, what do you want, Maria? I don't even think you know."

"You're the first boy I ever kissed, Michael and I want you to be the last."

"Maybe you and I had our chance." He says as he starts to walk away from her.

"Fine! Have it your way, you stubborn ass!" She says running after him. Michael finally stops and turns around.

"Why do you want to be married to me for, anyhow?" Maria walks over to him and puts her hands on both his cheeks.

"So I can kiss you any time I want."

Michael can't hold it in anymore and pulls her into an earth shattering kiss that makes them feel like their world snapped back into place. Michael releases her and whispers

"I love you so much"

"Baby, you have no idea how much I love you too" Michael pulls her back into him.

Eventually they make it to the reception and finally have their first dance.

Michael has never been so happy, until one night three months later when they're cuddled up by the fireplace and Maria whispers the words "I'm pregnant"

[abeautifulblog]

Fic snippet: TIKI TIME!!!

“Goddamn, I wish you had better friends,” Robert mutters, well aware of the irony in that.

Mary snorts. “Pfft. Kathy isn't my friend,” she says, taking a swig of some electric blue abomination.

“Then why are we at her fucking bachelorette party?”

“Because it's got an open bar. You're welcome.”

That it does, Robert acknowledges, though at what cost—ficus trees with coconuts glued to them, the jukebox playing 'Margaritaville' on repeat, and unlike Jim and Kim's, they actually enforce the smoking ban here. Robert's concession to the party atmosphere is drinking tequila instead of whiskey.

“Do I even want to know how you got me an invite to this?” he asks. “Aren't these things supposed to be, uh...” Hen parties, he doesn't say.

“I told her I was bringing my gay friend,” she says blithely. “Straight chicks fuckin' love gay friends.”

Well, it's half true, anyway. And explains why Kathy was so put out to discover that the friend was just Robert.

For all that this is supposed to be bachelorette party, the atmosphere feels more like a wake, like the final farewell to a dream—the bride-to-be keeps bawling to her bridesmaids about how she came this close to marrying Craig Cahn, he once gave her a ride home from a PTA meeting and everything. The bridesmaids, for their part, are doing a very bad job concealing their glee over the reduced competition. In any case, it's keeping everyone distracted enough not to notice that Robert and Mary have slunk off to abuse the open bar tab in peace.

The windchime over the door jangles. Robert glances over idly and sees Brian, of all people, probably not here for the bachelorette party, followed by—oh shit.

“Oh shit,” Robert hisses, and ducks behind the potted tree sitting on the bar.

“What?” Mary says, looking over her shoulder.

“No no no, keep your eyes on—”

“Oh hey!” she says gleefully. “It's the cat-shirt nerd! Jog my memory, what was his name again...?”

“Fuck you. This ficus is my new best friend now.”

“GENE!” she hollers across the bar, waving her arm at him. “HI GENE! Stop hiding behind the ficus, Robert, it makes you look like a pervert.”

Robert grudgingly pushes the tree aside and steels himself for having to make eye contact. Gene's giving Mary a small wave back and a polite smile, looking kind of bewildered by her enthusiasm—then his eyes land on Robert and he immediately brightens, suddenly waving at them with considerably more energy.

It's clear that Gene's there with Brian, trailing along after the other man like a balloon as Brian leads them to a table, but he keeps glancing back over at Robert and Mary. Robert can't tell whether it's a date or not; tells himself it doesn't fucking matter.

“Do you think they're on a date-date?” Mary wonders aloud.

“He can date whoever he wants,” Robert mutters.

Except Joseph, he amends. If Joseph succeeds in laying hands on Gene where Robert failed, it's going to end in a murder-suicide that will put Maple Bay on national news, in the bad way.

“Well, if I didn't know better, I'd say who he wants to date is—”

Robert manages to kick her just in time to shut her up, and then Gene is there and leaning over the bar next to Mary. He makes the world's most perfunctory effort to flag down the bartender before promptly turning to them.

“Hey guys!” he says breathlessly.

“Hello, Gene,” Mary says, with all the sangfroid of a Roman emperor at the games. “Having fun with Brian?”

“Yeah? We took the girls out for mini-golf—made a bet that the loser has to buy drinks afterward, and... uh. Yeah.” He laughs, gives a self-deprecating shrug, like, and here is me, buying drinks. “How about you guys? You enjoying the, uh... Freaky Tiki?”

“Oh yes,” Mary says. “You know Robert, he just loves to get his freak on, tiki-style.”

Robert kicks her. “We're here with the bachelorette party,” he says flatly, nodding toward Kathy, who is now wailing and rending garments.

Gene looks over at the party. “Oh. Uh... congratulations?” he offers. “I never had a bachelor party. I didn't realize they involved so much... crying.”

Thankfully, the bartender chooses that moment to do his fucking job, and Gene orders a pair of tropical monstrosities and reluctantly leaves to rejoin Brian. Robert tries not to be obvious about watching him go, probably fails.

“You know,” Mary says thoughtfully, once he's out of earshot. “I may have offered my condolences too soon. I think you're still in the game.”

“I already asked, he already said no.”

“He couldn't take his eyes off you at the barbecue either.”

“Sizing me up for his freezer? I don't fucking know.”

Mary watches him for a long moment. “Maybe he wanted more than just a fuck,” she says at last, uncharacteristically serious. “Some people do, you know.”

Yeah, well, too bad a fuck is all I've got to offer, he thinks, but bites it back because that's an argument he doesn't want to start.

“Whatever.” Robert tosses back his shot of tequila. “We gonna get our money's worth from this party, or not?”

“Yep.” Mary gulps down the rest of her Blue Hawaii and signals the bartender. “We should probably hurry. I'm pretty sure they close out the tab after the bride-to-be throws herself on the funeral pyre.”

[obrienpascal]

Our Deal

Author: dylanobriens-world

Summary: Mitch Rapp is assigned a partner by Stan Hurley. Her name is Nastasia Aleski. The two of them go through some highs and lows and eventually Mitch finds out some bad news about Nastasia and can no longer trust her. But things start to backfire that can lead them both dead.

Author's note: Hey! So I wrote this on AO3 so I will continue this story on there but I wanted to post the first chapter here:) hope you enjoy!!

AO3 link: is above^^

-----

I knew I had to wake up to go to the bar to meet my new partner my mentor Stan Hurley said I was going to have. He did not mention if it were man or a woman. Although, by the way he looked I can tell he knew who the person was just wanted me to find out myself. I lifted myself out of bed cracking my bones. The dark clouds made it seem it was four in the morning even though it was seventy o'clock at night. It was raining all day meaning I stood asleep till it was time to meet this John doe.

Whoever this person I was going to meet better like drinking at seven at night. It made me think if I should just follow my own path or let them lead the way. Yeah right, if anything they better follow my ass or their out of a job. I don't give a fuck what Kennedy or Hurley says to me. It wasn't hard for me to read people, I take one look at them and I know their intentions immediately. Are they hiding something? Did they hire someone to come with them to make sure I'm not going to kill them or such? It was a gift I had, Hurley helped with it at most but more of me.

Putting on a black shirt with my leather jacket, throwing on a pair of jeans I snatched from my floor and slipping on pair of Adidas shoes, I looked in the mirror realizing I need to shave. I could care less right now. My intentions were to go meet this new partner of mine. I grabbed my wallet and Marbelo cigarettes as well as my cell phone stuffing it in my pocket.

I undid the chains on my apartment front door. I trust no one which is why I put all these chains on my door. I walked out putting my key to lock my door then heading outside. The breeze flowed through my thick dark hair giving my the chills as I stepped into my car.

"Fucking weather," I hissed under my breath starting the engine. My gray Sedan took off to the bar Hurley said my "partner" would be located at. If they recognize me I'll be astonished they wouldn't make a run for it. I've killed many people. Most of them sleep with one eye open because they know I'm coming for them. It's smart, but doesn't stop me from killing them once I lay my eye on the prey.

My sedan came to stop parking in the bars lot. It was packed with vehicles and motorcycles. This better be one hell of a night. I sighed under my nose slipping my hands in my pockets walking into the bar. Immediately chatter fills my ears. Men rambling about the football game. Bar tenders walking around trying to sell drinks, and woman trying to seduce men and drag them to the bathrooms.

Not one of these people looked like a fit to be working with me. Let along able to hold a conversation with half of the drunkies here. I walked over to the bar and sat down on the stool. The man was on the other side taking an order while I sat at the corner with my back to the wall. It was what I always did anyone could sneak up on me. I always needed to be able to look over my shoulder. I fetched out a cigarette lighting it blowing out smoke to my left. Seconds later the man comes over to me.

"What will it be?" He asked cleaning a shot glass with a rag.

I put my cigarette between my index finger and my middle finger. "Just a beer." My tone louder than his over the loud music. They couldn't play better music? Couldn't even hear the game over the beats and the loud hollering from the crazed Giants fans. As my eyes were wandering about they stopped on a woman sitting alone in the corner her back to the wall.

Her long brown hair pushed to the right while she brought her cigarette to her red lips. Her breasts practically were screaming to get out of that tight red dress she was wearing revealing sexy toned legs. She uncrossed her legs when her eyes met mine. The mysterious woman tapped the end of her cigarette letting the ashes fall to the ground as she looked back at me with a flirtatious smirk.

I tried to look away but I couldn't. My eyes were glued to the beautiful woman just a couple of seats away from me. All of a sudden she stood from her chair walking over to me. As she sat down next to me she sat tall with good posture waving for the bar tender to head over. When he came over he tried hard not to stare at her tits. She didn't seem to mind though when he kept sneaking a peak.

Finally, he went to go make her drink then she rested her elbows in the counter bringing her hands together turning her head to me.

"Hurley said you never arrive early." She said to me with a honest tone looking at me with concentrated eyes. I did my best to hide my surprisement in my eyes. How did I not see she was my partner? It all ran so clear. This woman sat in a corner her back to the wall just as me. Along with that, she minded he'd own business letting all this ruckus smooth past us.

"Hurley can mind his fucking business." I snarl taking a sip from my beer. The nameless woman looks away letting out a giggle as the man comes back with her drink.

"Thank you, dear." She says taking it in her hands giving him a wink. The man blushes hard before walking off to another customer. I guess she had her ways to get out of paying for her drinks. Smart girl.

"Would you give me your name or it's a secret?" I ask waving my cigarette around as I spoke.

Her eyes batted as she turned to me sipping her liquor through a thin straw. As she let out a sigh of relief as she was satisfied with her drink of choice she moved her body more to me meaning she doesn't want anyone else to here what she's about to say.

"I am Nastasia Aleski" she smiled through her teeths holding out her small hand for me to shake. I took it in mine giving it a firm shake as I tried to study her face to find a any hint she was lying. I couldn't find any hint of her not telling me the truth or she was just good at hiding it. "I know who you are," she pauses leaning closely, "Mitch Rapp." She whispered that sending shivers down my spine. Nastasia moved away bringing her straw back to her lips.

"I bet you know I've killed people." I say in a low tone but loud enough for her to hear. Nastasia gives a small nod.

"So have I and every other insane person in this world. Your no different. Stan was very clear on who I was going to be dealing with. A sad man who lost his wife and hasn't been himself since." Why would he tell this woman all my deep personal shit if I haven't met her till today. The next time I see him he better hope I don't beat the living shit out of him. "But don't worry I too lost someone close to me. It's not a pleasant feeling."

"Who was it? A husband?" I guessed bringing my cigarette to my lips.

Nastasia shakes her head putting her drink down stirring it in circles with her straw. "My father just when I was a little girl. I was close to him more than my drug addict mother who left us when I was ten. Haven't seen her since and never want to see her again. I do miss my father dearly, sometimes I think he's in my dreams with me." She states looking in the different drink choices on the shelves in front of us. It was hard to read this girl she had years of practice to never let a stranger or anyone be able to read her.

"I'm sorry for your lost."

"I don't need your pity. Now, let's just get to business. Hurley told me to meet at Irene Kennedy's office with you by the morning. Kennedy also knows you won't make it there in time so she suggested I spend the night with you to make sure you get there in time because this meeting is very important." She stated shitfting in her seat to face me. Was she joking? We'd only just met also why isn't Irene telling me any of this? I knew the reason, it would have stopped me to meet up with the woman. It was hard enough to be read her now she has to be with me in my apartment.

"Mitch?" She called out grabbing my full attention.

"Right, sorry. All right, sure let's go now." I tell her stepping out of the stool. I held out my hand for her to get down on her high heels and she took it giving it a squeeze. Nastasia smiled hard releasing her hand out of my grasp waiting for me to lead the way. I walked out of the bar holding the door open for her and she thanked me walking tall outside. It was raining once again as it was darker than before when I just arrived here. The long brown haired woman started to shake at the cold temperature. Standing just outside the driver's seat I walked took off my jacket handing it to Nastasia.

"Thank you, Mitch." She greeted as I unlocked the car and she climbed in the passenger seat. Who knew my night would end in bringing home a woman who is my partner for however long Hurley keeps her in my life.

I drove away from the bar turning on my wipers wiping the rain drops away. She was still shivering so I moved my hand to turn the heat up. The rain was getting heavy by the minute which didn't help how cold my car was. The red light turned green and I drove up the road. Next I turned right and drove up to my parking space.

"This is me." I point to my apartment building. I took the keys out the ignition opening my door. "Well, I hope you can run in heels doll face." I smirk at her before leaping out of the car. I jogged to my front door looking for my key. Seconds later I heard heels clacking against the concrete then hopping up my stairs. I found my key opening the door rushing in as did Nastasia. She throws my jacket to the ground running her hand through her wet hair.

"Boy, was it raining hard. I have to get out of this dress." She says staring down at her wet body.

"The shower is down hall to the right. And I suppose your not going to wear that dress again so I'll just leave my clothes in the spare bedroom." I tell her taking my shoes off to leave them on the mat by my front door.

"Thank you, Mitch." She says once again leaving her heels on the mat then walking down the hall to the shower. I let out a exhausted sigh then walk to my bedroom tearing off my clothes. I didn't mind not showering till she was done. For now I put on a new pair of boxers and turn on the TV. Light flashed in my room from the lighting that just started. Right after the lighting it thundered loudly.

I was surprised she wasn't alarmed by that. Well, thunder storms are more for kids to be afraid of right? I lifted my head from my pillow and noticed it was now soaked. Oh well, I has to get out of bed anyways to give Nastasia clothing. I crawled out of bed to my draws. I opened the top one taking out a T-shirt then next to that draw I took out a pair of checkered red and blue pants.

Holding the clothes in my hand I walked down the hall opening the guest bedroom noticing she already settled in. Her phone was on the night stand along with her cigarettes and purse. Was it okay if I snooped a little? I mean she was in my home. I put the clothes on the bed as I walked over slowly to her cell phone. Finger prints can leave on anything. A phone you'll catch the finger print in a heart beat. My long finger was hovering over the home button until I heard a females voice from behind.

"What do you think your doing?" Nastasia questioned gripping the towel her angry eyes staring back at me. She walked over by me grabbing her phone. I stepped back pointing to the clothes.

"I told you I was bringing you clothes."

"You left out snooping through my phone." She snarled at me her nostrils flared up.

"It's hard to trust someone I just met who's in my home. So I wanted to check if your not someone Hurley did sign."

She let's out a long sigh closing her eyes, "Mitch. I know it's hard for you to trust someone but, I mean no harm. I'm just doing this business for Kennedy and Hurley that's all. You have absolutely nothing to worry about now please can I get dressed I'm exhausted." She explained unwrapping her towel slowly cuing me to leave. I raised my eyebrows then sprinted to the door. Without looking back I said.

"Enjoy your night," I closed the door behind me heading to the shower. I was exhausted as well and couldn't wait to finally get some rest for the hell I'm going to get tomorrow.

I turned on the water letting my boxers fall to the floor as I stepped into the shower. The warm water hit my back as it felt like a massage. I ran my fingers through my wet hair putting shampoo in it. I let the soap fall to the floor, next I washed my body then turned off the shower. I stepped out grabbing a towel drying my hair and face then wrapping it around my waist.

Maybe I should shave so Irene doesn't bother me about it tomorrow. I grab my shaver shaving my thick beard. I put it down rubbing my face as there no longer is a monster beard on my chin. I walk over to open the door walking to my bedroom. Should I check on Nastasia? Or just let her rest? I walked to her room as the door was cracked open. I peaked my eye in not being able to see much which made me open the door a little more noticing she was sleeping with the clothes I gave her snuggling one of the pillows. Good thing she was asleep for all I know she would've tried to leave. I did only meet her a couple of hours ago. Tomorrow better be one hell of a meeting. Otherwise, this woman is in my spare bedroom for no apparent reason.