#so yes i’m biased when it comes to diners

[benkenobee]

so hear me out y’all. instead of coffee shop au’s, what if we do 24/7 diner au’s? so many more opportunities for absolutely unhinged late night interactions.

[atths--twice]

Chapter Twenty

A birthday trip away, a conversation, and plans for the future.

February

“Is it cold there, Mommy?” Ivy asked and Fox laughed as he looked out at the beach in front of them, his coat collar popped up against the wind. 

“Yes, my love,” Dana said, laughing softly as she held the phone for Ivy to see the water. “It’s very cold here.” 

“Did you go in the water?” 

“No, it’s far too cold for anything like that,” she said, laughing again. “We’re just taking a walk and I wanted you to see the beach. There are so many rocks and shells too. Maybe we could come back in the summer when it’s warmer.” 

“Definitely,” Fox said, nodding his head and pushing his hands further into his pockets. “It’s nice now since so many people aren’t here, but when it’s warmer it will be much better for all of us to come back.” 

“Okay. And we could make sandcastles!” Ivy said, smiling happily. 

“Absolutely,” he agreed with a shiver, causing Dana to laugh. 

“Okay, Ives, I gotta get my gloves back on so I’m gonna put the phone away for now. We’ll call you before bed, okay? To tell you goodnight.” 

“Okay, Mommy. I love you. Bye, Fox. Love you too.” 

“Bye, Ivers Ivers Bo Bivers. Have a good day. Love you too.” 

“Bye, honey. Call you later.” 

“Byeeeee,” Ivy said and then hung up the call. 

“Fucking hell,” Dana mumbled and he laughed. She did not swear often, but when she did, it always amused him. “Whose brilliant idea was it to come out in this weather? Especially when we have a perfectly nice little bungalow with a fireplace and fully stocked fridge?” She stared at him as she put her phone back into her pocket and he laughed again. 

“That would be me,” he said, looping his arm through hers and pulling her closer as she hummed and put her hands in her pockets. 

“You’re lucky I love you and that you’re so good looking. Or my answer to walking on the beach in this weather would have been a helllllll no.” 

“Hey,” he said with a chuckle as they began to walk through the sand, closer to the shoreline. “When you have a birthday in February, and your amazing boyfriend wants to take you somewhere special, you tough out the weather.” 

“And your amazing boyfriend finishes his next amazing novel,” she added, smiling up at him. “I’m so proud of you for getting it done. I think it’s your best yet.” 

“You’re biased,” he said, moving his arm and wrapping it around her shoulders. Her arms went around his waist and she laughed. 

“Maybe a bit, for a few reasons. But I really think it’s the best one. It’s so wonderful.” 

“Hard not to be better when I have such perfect inspiration,” he said, kissing the top of her head. “Love stories are much easier to write when you’re in the middle of one yourself.” 

“Better than fiction?” she teased and he laughed, wrapping his other arm around her and squeezing gently. 

“Much better,” he said, shaking his head as he looked out at the water. 

“Yes, let’s just stand here for a minute,” she said, burrowing closer to him. “Warm me up.” 

“There will be time for that later,” he laughed. “Come on, there’s something I want to show you.” 

“Mmmm,” she groaned and he laughed again as he pulled back and took her hand. She pouted and he kissed her quickly. 

“You start moving and you won’t notice the cold.”

“That’s a crock of shit,” she argued, but allowed herself to be led further down the beach. 

They stopped occasionally to pick up rocks or shells that caught their eyes. Slipping them into their pockets after exclaiming over them, they continued walking, her arm linked through his. 

“I came to this beach when I was younger,” he said and she nodded. “I know you know, but there is something I want to show you. It’s down a bit from here, but I promise it will be worth it.” 

“It better be,” she said, bumping his arm and smiling to let him know she was teasing him. He smiled and nodded, knowing she would love it. 

They walked around a curve of the beach and she gasped, halting in her steps. 

“Oh… it’s… wow,” she said, letting go of his arm and walking towards the sea cave in front of them. He smiled as he walked to catch up to her, watching her face as he did. 

She took off her gloves and touched the walls, looking up at the top of the cave, the wind blowing through and whipping her hair into her face. 

“It’s… it’s so beautiful.” 

“Yeah. It is,” he said, smiling at her and then looking around. “Samantha and I used to play here- games that we made up or we collected rocks and sea glass. This little cave seems to be where sea glass washes up and stays. Look.” They both looked down and pieces of multicolored sea glass lay sprinkled in the rocks at their feet. 

“Whoa. It’s so many. Oh, look at the blue ones,” she said, bending down to pick up a particularly large piece. “Look at that.” She held it up and he nodded. 

“It’s beautiful.” 

“This cave is amazing. Well, I’d say it’s more like a tunnel? Seeing as it’s not closed off, but you can walk through it? A sea tunnel seems a more appropriate name for it.” 

“Hmm. Yeah. It does,” he said, looking around with a nod. “So was it worth it?” 

“Yes,” she said with a low chuckle. “It’s beautiful.” She stood up and stepped closer to him, tilting her head back for a kiss. He smiled and bent his head, kissing her softly. 

“I was thinking we should bring some sea glass back to Ivy. We could put it in a jar or make something with it. Then she could get some more when we come back in the summer. It could become a thing we do,” he said with a shrug and she smiled, placing a hand on his chest as she nodded. 

“I love that idea. And I love you.” 

“Same,” he said, kissing her again. 

She turned around and started looking for sea glass as he took a deep breath and let it out. 

“There is another reason I wanted to bring you here, to this… sea tunnel,” he said, chuckling softly. 

“Yeah?” she asked, her eyes still on the rocks, bending to pick up some sea glass, smiling as she looked at it. 

“Mmhmm,” he said, closing his eyes briefly as he listened to the water crashing on the shore, the tide low at the moment and leaving the cave untouched. “It’s a place that’s special to me. And to Tom and Aggie.” 

“What?” she said, raising her head and looking at him. “Tom and Aggie? From your novel?” 

“Your favorite one, if I’m not mistaken,” he teased and she frowned at him before her eyes widened and she stood quickly to her feet, sliding a little on the rocks. 

“Oh my god…” she said, looking around and then sticking out her bottom lip as she inhaled through her nose. “This is the sea cave from the book?” 

“It is. I gave it a different name, but this is the place.” He smiled as he looked lovingly at the cave. “It was special to me, so it became special to them. I could describe it easily, seeing as I’d spent a lot of my life here.” 

“Fox,” she said quietly and he smiled, knowing she had not quite figured it all out yet. 

“I picked this place because I had happy memories here and after all they went through, they deserved that too.” 

“They did,” she said, turning around and touching the walls of the cave again. 

Knowing this was his chance, he quickly knelt on one knee, not caring about the rocks, and took the black velvet box from his jacket pocket, his heart racing. 

“Wait,” she said and he grinned, knowing she had just figured it out, remembering what had happened between Tom and Aggie when he had brought her to this cave. “But they-” 

Turning back around, she gasped and covered her chest with both hands. 

“What? What are you doing?” Stepping closer to him, she also knelt, shaking her head as she exhaled. “What are you doing, Fox?” 

“Dana… I had come to the conclusion that I was meant to be alone in life. I firmly believed that I was fine with it. I had my fantasy lives I created and it was enough. But… it wasn’t and I didn’t know that until I met you.” 

“Fox,” she whispered, shaking her head. 

“You intrigued me instantly. Like a spark to a flame. It was fast, but I knew it was right. Then I met Ivy and…” He chuckled and shook his head. “I fell in love with you even more. And her… how could I not love her? She’s an amazing child. Full of love and happiness. You’ve made her who she is, so loving her was easy.” 

“Fox,” she said again, tears gathering in her eyes. 

“I know it might seem fast, but I know what I want. I want to spend my life with you. With both of you. I want to be in on the inside jokes, be a part of your traditions, be your person. I want to help Ivy with her homework and take her places on the weekends. I want to watch movies and eat popcorn with the two of you. I want to be there for everything,” he said, swallowing hard and then opening the ring box. Exhaling, he looked her in the eyes and smiled. “Dana Katherine Scully, will you marry me?” 

She laughed and shook her head. Closing her eyes, she tilted her head back and laughed louder. Sniffling, she looked back at him, with tears on her face. 

Placing her hands on his cheeks, she leaned forward and kissed him. Her fingers were cold, but he did not care. He held onto her waist and kissed her back, his heart still racing. 

“Yes,” she whispered, kissing him again. “Yes. Yes. Yes.” She punctuated each answer with a kiss and he laughed as he brought her as close as the rocky ground allowed. 

Pulling back, she stared at him, her hands still on his face. Shaking her head, she looked around the sea cave and let out a deep breath. 

“He brought her to the place that had meant the most to him. To ask her if she wanted to be with him forever,” she recited his book softly and he grinned. “The waves crashed outside the small cave as he knelt before her and took her hand. She knew what he would say before he said it and at her small nod, his heartbeat quickened, his life forever changed.” 

She looked at him again and he reached for her hand as the waves crashed outside. Nodding once, she smiled at him and he indeed did feel his heartbeat quicken, his life forever changed for the better. 

______________

Early March 

“I can make anything I want?” Ivy asked Fox as they stood in Make It Yours, a ceramic painting store. 

“Anything at all. Two, if you’d like,” he told her and she nodded as she looked around. “But, I did have a thought. Maybe you could paint something for mommy for Mother’s Day and then paint something for yourself after.” 

“Oh, yeah! A coffee cup? Mommy loves coffee.” 

“She does,” he agreed with a smile and she nodded. 

“Or a tea cup? She likes tea too. No, maybe this one instead,” she said, taking down a tall mug with a large handle. “This one is good?” 

“I think it’s perfect. Now, what will you choose for yourself?” 

“Hmm…” she said as he took the mug from her and she walked around looking at the items on the shelves. “Anything I want to have?” 

“Yup. Anything at all.” 

She took her time looking at everything. She picked up a unicorn and then exchanged it for a pegasus. The pegasus was set down and a penguin was picked up. She looked at it for a few seconds and then set it down with a sigh. Staring down, he heard her sniffle and then let out another deep breath. 

“Ivy?” 

“I don’t know what to pick,” she said, covering her face and crying. 

“Hey, hey,” he said, squatting down beside her and rubbing her back. She turned and flung her arms around him, crying into his neck. 

Lifting her up, he set the mug onto a table and carried her outside. Leaning against a wall, he slid down until he was sitting on the ground and she was on his lap. He rubbed her back and waited until she had calmed down before saying anything. 

“Are there two things that you really want to paint?” he asked quietly and she nodded. “Two plus the one for mommy?” She nodded again and he smiled. This kind of sadness was an easy fix and fix it he would. “Okay. Then you can get the two you want, plus the one for your mommy, but we just need to paint hers first, okay?” 

“I… I can get two for me?” she asked in a small voice. 

“Sure you can,” he said, hugging her tightly. 

She pulled back and looked at him, wiping stray pieces of hair from her wet face. He smiled and she sniffled before she lay her head on his shoulder and played with the buttons on his shirt. 

“Thank you. I’m sorry I cried.” 

“Hey, you don’t need to apologize. You were unsure and confused. Sometimes it makes us act differently than we normally would.” 

“Yeah,” she whispered and he smiled softly. 

“Next time just tell me. Or better yet, maybe we could have a signal for when you’re feeling overwhelmed and you don’t know what to say. You could squeeze my hand twice and I’ll know that it means you need a minute to process things, to think about them.” 

“Like this?” she asked and squeezed his hand twice. 

“Just like that,” he said, squeezing back. “When you do that, I’ll know we need to talk or that you need a minute to think about things and then talk to me.”

“Okay,” she said, squeezing his hand once. 

“Are you ready to go inside now?” She squeezed his hand twice and he smiled, kissing the top of her head. “Okay. A couple more minutes then.” 

Fifteen minutes later, they were standing in front of the paint selections, ready to fill up their trays. 

“Hello! Have you been here before?” asked a smiling, curly haired woman who was wearing an apron covered in numerous paint stains.  

“No, we haven’t,” Fox said and Ivy shook her head. 

“First timers? Those are my favorite! Okay, let me tell you about the paints. Lighter colors need a few coats to show up well once they’re fired up. Darker colors will show up better, if you want to avoid doing too many coats, but it’s up to you entirely. If you make a mistake, we can wipe things off and start over, so don’t worry about it being perfect the first try. Plus…” she said, glancing at Fox and then smiling at Ivy. “… art is meant to be experienced and expressed. If it isn’t perfect, that’s what makes it better. It shows the time and dedication put into it more than the actual outcome. So, have fun and let me know if you need anything.” She smiled at Fox and he gave her a nod of thanks as she walked away. 

“You heard the lady, Ivy. How about we pick out a mix of dark and light colors and see how we feel about them?” 

“Okay, Fox,” she said, nodding as she looked at the selections of colors. 

Decisions made, they sat down and he helped her put on the provided smock before she climbed into the chair, sitting on her knees to reach things easier. 

“Mommy likes lilac, but it’s a light color. That means I need to do a couple of coats, like the lady said, right?” 

“Precisely,” he said, picking up a paintbrush to start his own painting of the plate he had picked out. 

“Okay,” she said and he watched her select a brush, deciding on a larger one. “This one will paint it faster, right?” 

“Yup. It sure will.” 

“Good.” 

They fell silent for a little while, her concentration solely on painting the mug, taking her time and fixing any little mistake she made. His own painting stopped as he observed her, shaking his head in disbelief that last year at this time, he had no idea who she was and now, he could not imagine his life without her in it. 

“There!” she said, smiling at him. “I have the first layer of it done. How does it look?” 

“It looks fantastic. I think your mommy will love it.” 

“Yeah,” she said, smiling as she looked at the mug. “How long do I have to wait to paint the next coat?” 

“Why don’t you go ask the lady there?” he asked, nodding toward the woman who had spoken to them. 

“Okay,” Ivy said, getting down and walking to the woman. 

He smiled as he watched her, listening intently to the woman, and thanking her as she walked back to their table. 

“She said I can start right away because it dries pretty fast. Oh! Yeah, it’s almost dry. That was fast.” 

He smiled and set his paintbrush down, suddenly very nervous with the question he was going to ask her. A question he had asked Dana if he could ask her on his own, not wanting Ivy’s decision to be based on anything but her own feelings. 

“Ivy?” he asked and she hummed as she started to paint again. “Ivy, can I ask you something? Something important?” 

“Okay,” she said. 

“Could you set your paintbrush down for a minute?” 

“But I need to paint this,” she said, looking up at him and frowning. 

“I know,” he said with a smile. “It can wait a few minutes. I promise.” 

“It can?” 

“It can.” 

“Okay,” she said, putting her paintbrush down. 

“Thank you.” He let out a breath and then locked his fingers together and placed them on top of the table. “I wanted to bring you here to make something for mommy, but also to ask you a question.” 

“What is it?” she asked, her eyes on her mug. 

“You know that mommy and I are getting married.” 

“And I’m going to be the flower girl,” she said, smiling at him and clapping her hands a couple of times. 

“You will be, yes,” he said with a chuckle. “After we get married, things will be a little different. We are all going to live together and I… I will be your dad.” 

“My… dad? My really dad?” 

“Your really dad,” he said, his heart racing at the way she had phrased it. 

“You will be… I can call you Daddy? I can do that?” 

“Yes. I… I would like that very much,” he said quietly and they stared at one another for a few seconds. 

“I would have a daddy like Saffy and Delilah? Like my friends at school? You will be my daddy for always?” 

“For always,” he said, his voice raspy with emotion. “But I have to do something important in order to be your really daddy.” 

“What?” she asked in a whisper. 

“I have to adopt you. Do you know what that means?” 

“Yes,” she said with a nod. “Alia in my class was adopted. Her daddies adopted her and they came to tell us about it when she was the star of the week.” 

“What did they say?” 

“They said they wanted to have a baby, but girls have babies and not two boys. So they went to ask for a baby and a lady said yes. She had a baby in her tummy and she said they could have it when it was not in her tummy. When Alia was a baby at the hospital, they took her home and now they are her daddies. Her family.” 

“That’s exactly right,” he said. “But with us, it will be a little bit different. I didn’t know you when you were born or as a baby, but I know you now and I love you so very much. I want to be your daddy and be there for the rest of your life, not missing out on anything else. Would that be okay with you?” 

“Yes. I would like you to be my daddy,” she said, her mouth turning down and her eyes filling with tears. “I want to be your family. Like Alia is with her daddies.” 

“Come here,” he said and she hurried down from her chair and into his lap, her smock crinkling loudly between them. 

She cried and he did the same, though quietly, his face pressed into her hair. Her arms squeezed him tightly and he held her close until they both had calmed down. 

“I’m so happy to have your permission, Ivy,” he whispered, kissing the top of her head. “So happy you want to be my daughter.” 

“Me too,” she said, sniffling as she squeezed him again, twice, and he laughed before he cried once more, squeezing her back twice as she laughed and cried with him. 

_______________

Early March

“June seventh,” Dana said when she opened the door to her apartment. 

“What?” Fox asked, walking inside with takeout bags of their dinner. 

“June seventh.” 

“Is that… what is that?” he asked, setting the bags on the table and looking at her in confusion. 

“Our wedding date?” she asked with a sigh, her brow furrowed and bottom lip sticking out. 

“What?” 

“I called the venue on Eighteenth street to see what they had available later in the year, like October maybe, and the woman I spoke to told me there had just been a cancellation if I wanted to take it.”

“Did you take it?” he asked with an excited smile. 

“Fox!” she cried, throwing her hands up in exasperation and she looked so adorable in her red fleece pajama pants and one of his old college hoodies that she had worn home one night, her long hair up in an extremely messy bun, he could not help but laugh. “I mean I did, but I think I should cancel.” 

“Why?” 

“Fox,” she said more quietly and he smiled as he walked closer to her. “We just got engaged. If we get married so soon after, people will probably think it’s because…” She made a motion over her stomach and it took him a moment to realize she meant because she might be pregnant. 

“But, honey, you’re not pregnant.” 

“People don’t know that,” she whined and he reached for her, pulling her close. She wrapped her arms around his waist and he closed his eyes, smiling as he laid his cheek against the top of her head. 

“It felt so odd to agree to the date without speaking to you about it,” she said with a sigh, pressing closer to him. “She said it and I just blurted out, yes! I’ll call tomorrow and cancel.” 

“Well, let’s not be hasty. Let's talk about it first.” 

“What?” she asked, pulling back and looking up at him. He smiled and locked his fingers together behind her back. 

“Let’s talk about it and see if June seventh isn’t the perfect date.” 

“It’s so soon.” 

“It’s three months away.” 

“Okay,” he said and she sighed deeply, laying her head back on his chest and holding him tighter. “Is it too soon for you? Because if it’s-”

“No. It’s not that at all,” she assured him. 

“Okay,” he said again, swaying them slightly as he smiled. 

“I want to be married. To be with you and not have to leave and come back here. I mean, I love this apartment. I love how Ivy and I have made it our own, but… it doesn’t feel the same anymore.” 

“I feel the same about my place when you’re not there. Of course, I’m not as attached to my place as you are to yours, which is understandable.” 

“But neither is a place we can live together, not long term anyway,” she said and he smiled again. 

“And I don’t want to move before we’re married, or at least very near it. I know it might seem odd or sound unnecessary considering we are going to get married, but I want it to be official before we all live under one roof.” 

“Fox,” she said with a sigh, squeezing him even tighter. 

“I want that stability and security for Ivy,” he said quietly. “I want her to understand the importance of our commitment to one another. To know that I’m sincere when it comes to us, the three of us.” 

She whimpered and he kissed the top of her head as he swayed them, humming softly as he did. 

“So,” he whispered. “Should we wait until October? Or keep that June date?”

“I just need some time to process it. So much needs to be done and I don’t want it to become something stressful and worrisome.” 

“Understandable. How about we eat and then you give Melissa a call? You-” 

“Mommy, is it time for dinner yet?” Ivy called from the bedroom. “I’m staaaaaarving.” 

They both chuckled and as they pulled apart, he kissed her softly. She sighed and he smiled at her. 

“I love you,” he said. 

“I love you too,” she said, but he could still see the worry on her face. 

“Mommy?” 

“How about I feed that starving girl and you call Melissa now? Ease your mind.” 

“Okay. I think I… yeah.” 

Another kiss and then he turned toward the bedroom, stomping loudly as Ivy called for Dana again. 

“Is there a starving child in here?” he growled and Ivy screamed in surprise, scrambling around on her bed where she had been playing with her dolls. “Are you starving, little girl?” 

He stomped into the room and she laughed as she rose up on her knees and scooted back against the wall. 

“Don’t tickle me!” she shouted. 

“Oh, what a great idea,” he growled and reached for her, but acted as if he could not do it. 

She laughed and screamed, moving from side to side to get away from him. Stopping and smiling at her, he held onto the railing of the bed. 

“You hungry?” he asked in his own voice and she stared, gauging him. “You want a piggyback ride to the table ?” 

“You won’t tickle me?” 

“Not if you don’t want me to,” he said, resting his chin on the railing. 

“I don’t want you to… right now.” 

“Okay. I promise I won’t. You want that piggyback ride?” 

“Yes,” she said, still watching him warily. 

“I promise, Ivy,” he said, crossing his heart. 

“Okay,” she said, coming to the steps of the bunk bed where he met her and waited for her to climb onto his back. 

He held onto her and hurried from the room, running past Dana and then around the living room three times, as Ivy laughed hysterically. 

Setting her down, he caught his breath as he watched Dana disappear into the bedroom. 

She had readied the food for them and after they had washed their hands, Fox and Ivy sat down to eat. Or Ivy did, as he decided to wait for Dana. 

They were in the middle of a story they had been making up for a couple of days, about an anteater who found he no longer wanted to eat ants, when Dana came out of the bedroom and sat beside him. 

“She wants to talk to you,” Dana said, handing him the phone, Melissa smiling on the screen. 

“Oh, hello there. It’s always a pleasure to see you, Melissa.” 

“And you as well, Fox,” she said with a smile. He nodded and raised his eyebrows as he waited for her to speak again. “How does June seventh sound for marrying my sister?” 

“Melissa!” Dana admonished, shaking her head as he laughed. 

“Sounds much better than October.” 

“October?” Melissa snorted. “Christ no, that’s way too far away. June is perfect.” 

“You don’t think people will think it’s too fast?” Dana asked, leaning closer and looking at the screen as Melissa shook her head. 

“Who cares about them? If they do, then they can go fu… get about it,” she said, censoring her response as Ivy climbed onto Fox’s lap and smiled at her aunt. 

“Hi, Auntie Missy!” 

“Babes, how are you?” 

“Good. Me and Fox are making up a story about an anteater. It’s funny but also kind of sad.” 

“Oh, well that sounds interesting. Ivy, let me ask you a question. Do you think Fox and your mommy should get married in June or October?” 

“Is June first? Before October?” 

“It sure is.” 

“Then I want them to be married in June. Then we will live together and me and Fox can make up stories all the time!” 

They all laughed and Fox looked at Dana. 

“That settles it then. Ivy has spoken.” 

“And we’ll get it all handled, Dane,” Melissa said. “You’ve already got the venue and a date. The rest is relatively easy and Mom and I can help with whatever you need.” 

Fox smiled at Dana and she nodded with a sigh. Hanging up soon after, they ate dinner as Ivy watched a movie.  

“You don’t think Samantha will… that she’ll have any concerns, do you?” Dana asked, biting her lip. 

Picking up his phone, he sent a message to Samantha and waited for her response, knowing full well what her answer would be. 

When his phone buzzed less than a minute later, he handed it to Dana with a huge grin. 

Why in the world would you choose October when June is available? Fox, marry that woman ASAP!

“Well,” Dana said, blinking back tears. “Okay then.” 

The next morning at the diner, she handed him a mock invitation she had made with the date and time of the wedding. He grinned as he held it, pulling her to him and kissing her temple. 

Let’s get hitched! 

June 7th 

Noon 

“I’ll be there,” he whispered and she laughed softly. 

“You better be.” 

___________________

Mid March

“So just Samantha, Greg, and the twins?” Dana asked. “You must know more people than that.” 

“You asked for family,” he said, smiling as he handed her her glass of wine. “That’s all I have. Blood relatives anyway.” 

“I’m sorry,” she said, holding her glass as he sat beside her and took a sip from his own glass. “I… I feel like I should think about how I phrase things. I don’t want to cause you any sadness or-”

“You don’t,” he said, shaking his head as he leaned in to kiss her. “You bring me happiness.” 

He smiled and she sighed, reaching up to stroke his face. He turned his head and kissed her palm before smiling again. 

They were at his apartment, Ivy sleeping in the guest room with her new giant squishy stuffed panda tucked in beside her, as they made a list for the wedding invitations they would soon be sending out. 

“So, who else do you want to add?” she asked, moving her hand and taking a drink of wine. Setting the glass onto the table, she picked up her pen. 

“Hmm. Susan, my agent, Beth at the publishers, Mary… Oh. Greg’s parents, Nina and Dave. I think that’s all for me personally. Then everyone from the diner, of course, but those are shared invites. I’d also like to add the customers who were at the New Year’s party. Other than that… yeah, I think that’s about it.” 

“Well, that keeps the guest list small.” 

“Being quite antisocial?” he teased and she smiled as she wrote down the people he had named. 

“You’re not antisocial, just choosy with the people you let into your life. That’s different.” 

“I like that explanation better,” he said and she laughed before taking a drink and writing more names down. “I’m going to give Artie a call tomorrow.” 

“Artie? Why?” she asked, frowning as she looked up at him. 

“I want to speak to him about what to do about Ivy’s adoption. Who I would need to talk to, if it’s not him.” 

“Fox,” she said softly, setting her pen down and turning toward him with a gentle smile.

“I know it will still take awhile and that we need to be married first, but I’d like to know what I need to do to get any paperwork going ahead of time. See what information I may need to provide, you know?” He glanced toward the guest room and smiled. “I just don’t want any hiccups.” 

“I love you so much. Do you know that?” 

He turned his head and looked at her with a smile. 

“I do know that, yes.” 

“Good.” 

He leaned forward and kissed her, her hands on his face as the kiss deepened. 

“Stop,” she said, pulling back and licking her lips, her breathing heavy. “You’re distracting me and I need to finish this list.” He chuckled and nodded as he leaned back and picked up his glass of wine. 

“I hope it doesn’t take too long, the adoption I mean. You don’t think Jordan would do anything to hold it up, do you?” 

“Jordan?” 

“Yeah. We’d need his permission to go ahead with the adoption.” 

“No, we don’t,” she said, shaking her head and raising her eyebrows. 

“What? Why not?” 

“Because he gave up all rights to anything related to Ivy years ago. Years. Artie saw to that after Jordan left, swearing under his breath how he had never liked him and what a complete douchebag he was for abandoning his child. He filed all the necessary paperwork and got us a hearing. Jordan wouldn’t even look at me when we were in the courtroom together and then he left so quickly when it was over, it was like he was on fire.” 

“Oh.” 

“I always liked Artie, he’s always been kind to me. But on that day, when we left the courthouse and went right to a nearby pub and he ordered me the biggest drink I’ve ever had in my life, toasting the loss of that piece of human shit, I loved him.” Fox stared at her, his eyes wide, as she looked at him with a sigh. “I didn’t make the best choice when it came to Jordan.” 

“Dana…” 

“But,” she said, smiling as she now glanced towards the guest room. “I got Ivy as a result of that failed relationship. And I’d go through it all again, if it meant that she was the outcome. All of it.” 

She looked at him and he covered her hand with his, squeezing gently. 

“So, you don’t need anything from him,” she said, shaking her head. “The only person to ask about anything concerning Ivy, is me. And Ivy. Both of which you’ve done and been given one hundred percent approval. A bajillion percent, Ivy said to me the other day.” 

“Bajillion?” he asked, threading their fingers together. 

“Yup,” she assured him, nodding as she smiled. 

“Wow… that’s pretty good.” 

“I’d say.” 

They smiled at one another and then he nodded, squeezing her hand before letting go. 

“I still want to call Artie, get the wheels in motion because… I’d like the paperwork to match.” 

“What? What do you mean?” she asked with a confused look on her face. 

“Our marriage license and the adoption paperwork, I want them to have the same date,” he said. “I know the official adoptive date will be different, but the start of it will be the same as our wedding date.” 

“I… I’m sorry. I’m not following.” 

“I want it on record that while it will be a different date when the adoption goes through, after any court dates we may need to have, that the date we all set out to become a family is the same. That I made a promise to both of you on the same day. Our anniversary date will be for all of us. Regardless of what any future paperwork may say, we will know.”

“Jesus,” she said, nearly jumping from her chair and into his lap. He laughed as he caught her, surprised by her actions, as her arms wrapped around his neck. “You just… God, I love you.” 

“I love you too,” he replied, kissing her deeply, her body arching against him. 

“I think it’s time for bed,” she whispered against his lips. 

“But I’m not sleepy,” he teased, kissing her chin and then her throat as she angled her neck. 

“Then I guess we’ll have to find something else to do once we get there. Take me to bed, Fox,” she breathed into his ear and he shivered. 

Holding tightly to her, he stood up and carried her to the bedroom, closing and locking the door behind them. 

[romirola]

Nominations for a RedactedASMR Fanfic Art

I was inspired by the lists/tag games recently circulating and the amazing fanart that I always see around the "redacted asmr" tag. I'm constantly blown away by fanart. I often see artists solicit prompts, and while I have occasionally requested stuff (the collective talent of this fandom is INSANE and hard to resist!), I usually hold back because I cannot reciprocate art like I try to do for writing fanfic/headcanons. I feel like I'm imposing or something. At the same time, when I solicit prompts/requests for writing fanfics/headcanons, I LOVE receiving them and do not consider them an imposition in the slightest. You can see how these competing ideas put me in a tough spot. To prompt or not? What to do? How to support the creativity here? Well, I thought, rather than prompting outright, I am going to create a list to nominate some wonderful fics I've read for fanart, in case there is an artist out there who might in need of some ideas or possible prompts. Disclaimer: No one is expecting or pressuring anyone to create anything!

If I had the talent to create visual art or the patience to practice creating visual art, these are the fics or scenes for which I'd draw fanart. I'm going to limit myself to 6 on this list for now, but honestly, there are SO MANY good candidates for fanart in this fandom. Plus, this list will promote some great fanfic authors! I invite anyone who sees this to come up with your own list of "fanart nominations." I am also going to invite dominimoonbeam, ejunkiet, lunareclipsee2, fuzzy-melonlord, and lovelylonerliterature formally since I nominated their works, but no pressure, friends! I decided to limit myself to one story per author, even though it was tempting to say all the stories from these writers. I aim to provide specificity. All the titles are linked to the story on A03:

In no particular order: 

The Lake by @dominimoonbeam I think the scene where Asher comforts Babe on the drive home as David drives, turns the heat up, and keeps looking back at them worrying would be very suited to fanart.

Your Mess is Mine by @ejunkiet I am very biased because I prompted this story and I very much champion the Sweetheart-practices-yoga headcanon, but the scene where Milo walks in on Sweetheart while practicing and silently, ‘stealthily’ admires them? It’s a quick, but significant moment for my favorite couple!

Not tonight, I have a headache by LoveRun (if this user is on tumblr, please someone let me know and I will properly tag.) The ending concludes with David using his wolf form to comfort Angel as they suffer through a migraine. Oh yes, definitely something I’d like to see!

flowers for the sick at the dead by @lunareclipsee2 This story has a great moment where David comforts an injured Sweetheart as Asher attempts to keep Milo from seeing the damage his mate has sustained. Emotional stuff!

Seeing Red by @fuzzy-melonlord. Okay, yes, I requested this one, too, and I will fully admit that, but the story features such a tense, tender moment between David and Asher as David reaches his grief-breaking point and Asher responds in true form! 

Settle Down by @lovelylonerliterature The image of Milo and Sweetheart at a diner at 2am is just burned into my brain, so I feel like it would translate well to a visual medium.

Artists, if you are so inclined, next time you need a prompt for redacted fanart, please consider these moments, or any others that get noted if anyone else chooses to nominate. Or use them for inspiration that you adapt! Or ignore them completely! Your call! Either way, I'm pumped to see all the art.

A general appreciation statement: Thanks to all the authors, artists, music-curators, character anons, theorists, headcanon-sharers, readers, rebloggers, and everyone in between for creating a community where people share stuff! 

[helloalycia]

teenage dirtbag [five] // wanda maximoff

summary: spending the afternoon with the Maximoff twins proved to be interesting... and prom night finally arrives!

warning/s: none.

author's note: here’s the final part to this mini series! i’m so glad you all enjoyed it and i appreciate every note i get, thank you 😊♥️ i’ve still got other wanda stuff in the works that will be posted soon, so stay tuned!

part one | part two | part three | part four | lil bonus bit for after p5 |masterlist | wattpad

After a few tries and encouragement from Pietro, I managed to win the black cat plush toy for Wanda. It was strange, her brother wanting me to make a move on her, but I guess it reassured me a bit to know he thought I was actually good enough for her.

The two of us headed to the diner next door to find Y/BF/N and the other Maximoff twin, myself hiding the plush toy behind my back.

"Finally, you two took forever!" Y/BF/N exclaimed when he saw us approaching their table.

"Y/N here is one stubborn girl with that machine," Pietro explained with a smile as we took our seats. His eyes fell to the drink in front of him. "Oh, you ordered!"

"Just the drinks," Y/BF/N said, before looking to me as I slid in beside him in the booth. "I got you a Cherry Coke. Your favourite."

I smiled gratefully. "Thanks."

"So, what d'you win?" he asked, quirking a brow.

Feeling the heat rising up my neck, I looked to Wanda who was sat opposite Y/BF/N. She was leaning on her hand as she stared at me with a kind smile on her lips.

"You said you wanted the black cat," I said nervously, before holding it out to her. "Here."

Taken aback, she raised her eyebrows but accepted the gift. "Aww, Y/N... you didn't have to!"

I shrugged, smiling awkwardly.

She grinned, studying the toy before looking up at me with sparkling hazel eyes. "I love it. Thank you."

Nodding, I glanced at Pietro who was grinning with pride before me. I could feel Y/BF/N staring at me and when I looked his way, he was smirking and wiggling his eyebrows knowingly. Rolling my eyes, I focused my attention on the menu to distract myself.

"So... what shall we order?" I asked, hoping to change the subject.

After relaying our order to the waitress, Pietro was the first to speak up.

"Okay, I have to ask," he began, leaning forward slightly as he looked between Y/BF/N and I. "Are you guys dating?"

I almost choked on my drink as I looked over my glass to see him grinning cheekily. He knew full well that Y/BF/N and I were only friends, so what was he playing at?

"Definitely not," Y/BF/N answered with a chuckle. Y/N here is practically my sister."

"Exactly," I added, giving Pietro a look that basically said I'm going to murder you. "He's been my best friend since we were kids."

"So there's never been feelings there?" Pietro continued to question curiously, leaning back in his seat.

Wanda slapped his arm gently. "Leave them alone, Piet."

"Never," Y/BF/N answered for us both. "Like I said, she's my annoying little sister."

I quirked a brow and looked to him. "Little? I think I'd be the older sister in this fake sibling relationship,"

"But I'm a month older than you," he stated like that was explanation enough.

"But you act like a child," I retorted. "I'd be the older one."

He rolled his eyes, though a smile was playing on his lips. "Yeah, yeah, whatever you say."

I rolled my eyes, too, before looking back to the twins. Wanda was smiling as she sipped her drink and Pietro had a mischievous glint in his eyes as he looked to me. What the hell was he thinking?

"So you're not interested in Y/BF/N," he thought aloud. "And you definitely weren't interested in me..."

"You made a move on Y/N?" Wanda asked suddenly, looking to her brother with knitted brows.

I breathed out through my nose, eyes falling to the table with embarrassment.

"Yeah, but she made it clear she didn't like me," Pietro said with a shrug, before looking to me again. "So who do you like then? Or is their a girlfriend we don't know about?"

Looking up, I saw three sets of eyes on me and I suddenly felt nervous. Y/BF/N and Pietro were watching with amusement dancing in their eyes as Wanda chewed her lip curiously, awaiting an answer.

"You know there's nobody, Pietro," I said through a forced smile as I looked to him.

His cheeky smile was still present as he said. "Really? I thought you mentioned someone back then. Whilst we were playing in the arcade."

Oh, boy, was he going to die.

"You misunderstood," I played along, before kicking him in the shin to shut him the hell up.

Of course, it was just my luck that the leg in front of me was actually Wanda's. She squeaked an 'ow' as she bent down to rub her leg.

"What was that?" she asked with confusion.

Pietro must have pitied me, having put me on the spot enough in the past two minutes, as he looked to his sister with an apologetic smile. "My bad, Wands. My foot just twitched."

I breathed out with relief as Pietro looked to me, trying not to laugh. He was lucky we were with company otherwise I would have killed him there and then.

—

I wasn't expecting to be hanging out with the Maximoff twins on a Saturday afternoon, but by the time dinner came to an end, I realised how much I enjoyed the day. And I think I could say the same for Y/BF/N, too.

The rest of our meal was pretty uneventful after Pietro's initial teasing, to my relief, and Pietro eventually quit it with the overt hints towards his sister. The last thing I wanted was for Wanda to feel uncomfortable, so I was glad he eventually cut it out.

At the end of the meal, Pietro and Y/BF/N offered to split the bill between them – something about chivalry not being dead, I don't know, all I knew was Wanda and I were getting a free meal so why complain? – and headed to the till to pay, leaving Wanda and I alone.

She was hugging her new black cat plushie on her lap adorably, making me smile.

"Aren't black cats supposed to be bad luck or something?" I asked, earning her attention.

She put her arm on the back of her seat, leaning her head on her hand as she gave me her full attention. "I didn't peg you for the suspicious type," she taunted.

I smiled. "I never said I believed it. Just what I've heard."

She chuckled, licking her lips. "Fair point... I don't believe it either. I just love black cats. They're so cute and get way too much stick for merely existing."

It was my turn to laugh. She had such a unique way of thinking that I couldn't help but be attracted to. Something as simple as the way she was smiling at me right now warmed my heart.

"How is your hand by the way?" she suddenly asked, eyes looking down to it.

I squeezed it into a fist and released. The purple bruising along my knuckles had turned yellow-green which meant it was getting better, but it did still hurt a little. Nonetheless, I didn't want to make Wanda feel bad, so I gave her a reassuring smile.

"It's okay," I said, making her look up at me with concerned eyes. "I mean, it hurts a little, but it's getting better."

She pursed her lips, nodding. "Nate really did deserve what you did. Bet it felt good."

I raised my eyebrows with surprise, certainly not expecting that. "I guess it did a little, but..."

"It's okay, I'm not biased," she promised with a slight smile. "We broke up, remember?"

I relaxed before mirroring her expression. "Then yeah, it felt pretty great. Karma for hitting me with that stupid football."

She chuckled, leaning back into her seat and clutching her cat. "Karma, indeed." There was a pause, before she grew excited. "So prom is coming up. How are we feeling?"

I groaned playfully. "We're feeling exhausted already. I'm not a huge prom fan."

She gasped. "Seriously? Y/N, come on, it's our last one! How aren't you excited?"

I pulled a face. "The concept of dancing in a hall with people I barely speak to isn't exactly appealing."

She straightened up, hugging her cat closely. "So what, you're not gonna go?"

"I'm not sure yet... Y/BF/N has plans to ask someone and really wants me to go, too," I admitted. "But I've not decided. I might just leave him to it."

She tilted her head to the side curiously, eyes studying me intensely. "What if somebody asked you to go with them? Then would you go?"

I tried not to laugh as I leaned my head in the palm of my hand on the table. "Nobody is going to ask me, Wanda. Nobody even knows who I am."

She scoffed playfully. "Now that's just not true. You're beautiful, Y/N. Funny. Kind. Intelligent. Someone is bound to ask."

I rolled my eyes, hoping to distract from the heat rising to my cheeks. I knew she was just saying all of that stuff to be nice, but God was I awful at accepting compliments.

She must have noticed as she leaned forward on her own palm, eyes glowing with entertainment. "Okay, what if you asked somebody?"

Appreciating the subject change, I leaned back in my seat. "I wouldn't even know who to ask."

She thought about it for a moment, before saying, "Pietro was being annoying earlier with all of that questioning, but he's right. Is there nobody you're even remotely interested in at school?"

I quirked a brow, wondering if she was serious. The way she was watching me patiently, a small smile tugging at her lips, made me believe she was. And I found that I couldn't bring it in myself to completely lie to her. So, I didn't.

"There's one person," I admitted reluctantly, swallowing hard. This piqued her interest as she sat up straight, an excited look on her face. I continued, "But I could never ask her."

She gave me an are you serious? look. "And why not?"

I tensed my jaw, smile fading at the thought. "She wouldn't say yes."

Wanda's expression softened. "I doubt that."

Feeling a little uncomfortable, I shuffled in my seat. "She wouldn't. And it's fine anyway! I mean, I wouldn't even know what to say. It's pointless."

"Try," was all she said. And in response to my confused face, she added, "Try asking me. Practice what you would say if I was this girl."

I shook my head. "Wanda, that's not–"

"Just try!" she insisted, sitting back in her seat and smiling encouragingly. "No harm, no foul, right?"

Maybe a little, I thought, but straightened up anyway.

"Okay, er..." I cleared my throat, suddenly feeling nervous as her eyes followed my every move. Looking up, I felt intimidated by her gaze, even though she had the softest smile and kindest eyes directed my way. "Wanda, would you like to go to prom with me?"

Without hesitation, she nodded. "I'd be honoured to, Y/N."

It was fake, this whole thing was 'practice'. But God, I wanted it to be real so bad. She held my gaze, confident and startling and wonderful all at once, and I had no idea what to do. My palms were getting sweaty and my heart was racing the longer she stared. My gaze fell to her lips at the wrong time, as she licked them and I wanted to lean in, wanted to kiss her. I wanted to kiss her hard and tell her how I felt. I wanted to ask her to prom and dance with her in the school gym. I wanted to hold her hand and pull her close, staring into her eyes without fear of going too far.

I wanted her.

"Okay, we're all done here," Pietro's voice broke our staring contest. He clapped his hands together, stopping by the table. "You both ready to go?"

Wanda nodded, already sliding out from the booth. "I'm ready. Y/N?"

I looked up and forgot how to breathe when she smiled down at me.

"Y-yeah," I got out, wiping my palms on my jeans before sliding out the booth. "All ready. Let's go."

—

Prom came upon us in no time and I'd made the decision to attend. My sister ended up convincing me with Y/BF/N, the two of them rambling about how it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and a rite of passage before graduating high school. As much as I hated the thought of attending, I knew they were right, so I agreed to go.

Y/S/N came over to help me get ready, as she was the one who picked my dress. I wanted to wear a cute pantsuit, not really one for dresses, but after her complaints – "you're really milking that whole 'I'm a lesbian' look aren't you?" – I agreed on a dress that she chose.

She helped me do my hair and makeup before taking loads of embarrassing photos of me at the door. I went to prom with Y/BF/N and his date – some girl he liked in his Maths class – which wasn't too bad, but I didn't want to third wheel too much, so I gave them space when we actually arrived.

The school had done a good job at converting the gym into something unrecognisable, I must admit. Plus there was food, which was always a good distraction.

Some acquaintances from some of my classes said their hellos to me and engaged in some quick conversations before moving on. Admittedly, it wasn't too bad catching up with people I'd shared class with over the past several years. Y/BF/N even had a few dances with me, both him and his date, which was sweet, but honestly, I still felt out of place.

Two hours in, I was already fed up of the experience, opting to stand on the sidelines by a cocktail table with a sad glass of punch. I definitely didn't expect to see Wanda approaching me with an impressed smile on her lips. I hadn't actually seen her since arriving, the place full of students and myself barely recognising anyone as it was, let alone in a full gymnasium.

"You came," she said when she stopped my table, eyes looking me up and down. "You look amazing, Y/N."

She was one to talk. I tried not to drool over how beautiful she looked. I assumed she'd be one to wear a dress, but I guess I assumed wrong as she was pulling off a burgundy suit and white blouse. Her hair was curled and left out, paired with a smokey eye makeup look that only complimented her eyes perfectly.

"Says you?" I replied with a smile. "You look gorgeous, Wanda."

She smiled bashfully. "Thank you... so what made you change your mind in coming?"

I laughed uncomfortably, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "Partially forced by my family, partially felt like I had to."

She laughed alongside me. "Well, I feel like you made the right choice."

"Not too sure about that," I joked, before straightening up. "So, who was lucky enough to bring Wanda Maximoff as their date to the prom?"

She rolled her eyes at my compliment, smile on her lips still. "Nobody. I came alone. Well, alone but with my brother."

I was surprised at that, but tried to hide it with a nod. "Alone works, too."

"Says the girl who also came alone," she teased.

I couldn't help but smile with amusement. "Yeah. Says she."

Setting her purse on the table, she began to open it. "I was looking for you earlier. But I couldn't find you."

I watched as she fumbled around in her purse. "Yeah? And what did you need?"

After a moment of searching, she finally pulled out two slips of paper that looked like tickets. Holding them up with a small smile, she said, "I've got two tickets to the Paramore concert happening in the summer."

My jaw dropped with disbelief. "You're kidding."

She shook her head, holding them towards me. I accepted them, looking to see if she was pulling my leg. She wasn't.

"These are really good seats," I pointed out, before looking up at her. "You scored big time."

She laughed as I held the tickets out to her. Accepting them back, she said, "I did. And I bought them for a reason."

I raised an eyebrow as she watched me.

"We've got to get matching tee shirts somehow, right?" she joked lightheartedly before looking to me with certainty. Green eyes sparkled with hopefulness as she said, "Come with me."

My mouth went dry. She was asking me to go with her, holy shit.

I opened my mouth, about to speak, but she cut me off.

"Don't say maybe," she said, chewing on her lower lip nervously. "Say yes."

The music and the dancing students and the lights all faded into nothing as Wanda waited for a response, stepping closer to me, way too close to be platonic. I was overwhelmed, definitely not expecting this. Never in a million years did I think Wanda Maximoff, the most popular girl in our grade, would be asking me to see Paramore with her. I didn't even think she knew I existed! 

Her eyes darted between mine patiently, sending shivers down my spine. I could feel her breath tickling my lips as she waited and I looked down to hers, suppressing the urge to lean in.

"Yes," I finally spoke, voice barely a whisper as I swallowed hard. "I'll go with you." 

She nodded, but that wasn't enough as she licked her own lips. I looked back to her eyes, only to see her looking down at mine.

"Can I kiss you?" she muttered softly, making me freeze in place.

Her eyes looked back to mine, dark and patient. I managed to nod weakly, and she wasted no more time when pressing her lips to mine a in a slow, gentle, warm kiss. Her hand wrapped around my waist, tugging my body close to hers, as the other rested behind my neck, giving me goosebumps and turning my insides to jelly.

I closed my eyes, melting into her embrace, one hand planted firmly on her waist as the other rested on her chest. She tasted like peppermint and her floral perfume was infiltrating my senses, making my head dizzy in the best way possible.

When she pulled away, I opened my eyes and was immediately submerged in pools of green. Still so close to her, I kept ahold of her waist as she did the same with me, eyes flickering down to my lips once more.

"I've wanted to do that for a long time," I admitted breathlessly.

She looked to me again. "Why didn't you?"

Her lips were swollen slightly, red lipstick ruined. I could only imagine the mess on my own lips, but I didn't care.

I smiled nervously. "You were with Nate."

She tried not to laugh. "How stupid of me." Eyes falling to my lips again, she added, "I should have broken up with him sooner if it meant I could do this."

I smiled widely, heart fluttering in my chest at her words. Leaning forward, I took her bottom lip in mine, giving her a final kiss that was long overdue before pulling away.

"In case you couldn't tell, you were the girl I wanted to ask to prom," I said, stepping back slightly, but taking her hands in mine.

She bit her lip to contain her smile. "I figured... and for the record, I would have said yes."

My cheeks began to heat up, but I smiled nonetheless. "Well, in that case... Wanda, would you like to go to prom with me?"

She grinned. "I would be honoured, Y/N."

I mirrored her expression. She held out her free hand.

"Do you wanna dance?" she asked gently.

I accepted her hand, squeezing it gently. "I'd love to."

Before either of us could make a move to do so, we heard Pietro's voice shouting in the distance.

"Fina-fucking-lly!"

We turned to the left to see him racing towards us in his blue suit, a knowing smile on his lips.

"You took forever," he said with disbelief to his sister. "I thought I'd have to keep flirting with Y/N in front of you for you to get the hint and make a fucking move."

Wanda rolled her eyes, but I smiled as her cheeks dusted pink.

"And you!" he said, looking to me. "You're so oblivious it hurts."

"Wanda didn't know I existed before this year," I told him, half joking and half serious. "I had every right to be."

Wanda squeezed my hand, earning my attention. She shook her head. "That's not true. I always noticed you."

I gave her a knowing look. "Seriously?"

With an endearing smile, she nodded. "Seriously."

I sighed, looking away and definitely not expecting that. "Well, okay then."

She laughed, pulling me close and wrapping an arm around my waist comfortably. "I believe you owe me a dance. C'mon.

Pietro opened his mouth to speak, but Wanda merely pushed past him, guiding me to the dance floor.

"Not now, Piet," she said, before looking to me with sparkling eyes. "I want to dance with my girlfriend."

I was sure it was impossible for me to smile anymore.

"Girlfriend," I noted aloud, nodding. "I like the sound of that."

She grinned before standing opposite me, holding out her hand. And as I accepted it, I felt a warmth spread all over me that was only possible because of one girl and one girl only.

Wanda Maximoff.

[chokiipng]

what have you become... : fushiguro megumi

a/n: don’t be fooled, it’s just megumi fluff. the jjk anime ended and now i’m starting the manga i have some hcs for the first year crew coming out soon, so don’t fret. i’m not that biased as to only show love towards megs

character: fushiguro megumi 

type: fluff

contents: a lot of naps, itadori being bby, nobara being a queen, i’m just in a rly happy mood lmao

+: you’re a second year btw :p

ever since nobara and yuuji joined the team, you noticed megumi taking a lot more naps. how did you know? he always took naps in your room, where you spent most (if not all) of your time when you’re not on a mission.

for example, now. you were just lounging on the bean bag that you bought last year when you had first moved in, when megumi opened the door with an irritated expression.

you rose a brow at him, to which he lazily made the hand sign for his divine dogs to appear. he chuckled tiredly as you attention quickly switched to the shikigami in front of you.

“awe look at you! i bet meg was tiring you both out with training, huh,” you shot a playful look at him, his dogs doing the same. he furrowed his brows in response, how’d they do that.

he plopped himself next to you, kicking off his shoes, and curling into you’re side. despite being a dog person, he acted a lot like a cat. i mean, you are a cat person, maybe that’s why you liked him. 

you ruffled his hair as both dogs rested their heads on your lap. “what’s got you so tired lately?”

he looked up at you, his eyes saying ‘isn’t it obvious’. with his left hand, he handed you your phone. taking it and opening it, you realized that you had a lot of snaps from nobara.

swiping into your DMs with her, you realized that they were all videos. you tapped on one, watching in amusement as you listened to nobara’s muffled laughter from your phone. she turned her camera around, showing yuuji (who seemed very beat up) making weird noises and quoting Po the Panda from the Kung Fu Panda. megumi looked like he was about to commit murder.

as you continued to watch the videos nobara sent you, they continued to spiral further into chaos. it got to the point to where gojo had joined yuuji in singing taylor swift and lady gaga while attempting to film a tiktok. gojo even tried to throw it back on his student. the receiving end wanted to commit die.

turned around into panda, who rubbed his back soothingly as maki cackled at him.

throwing your head back, you burst out in laughter as megumi groaned and buried himself further into your side. 

“they’re just trying to have fun, meg.”

“if by having fun you mean giving me a headache, then yes. that’s exactly what they’re doing.”

your laughter ceased when you felt yourself being lifted, “oo-”, and then being roughly thrown on your (very soft) bed. you coughed as megumi jumped on top of you, burying his head into your chest, “just let me nap.”

despite your slight struggle to breathe, you placed a hand on his head and pulled the blankets over you two. it was late in the afternoon and you could still hear the others screaming outside like 5-year-olds. there was no doubt that this would ruin both of your sleeping schedules even more than they were already. 

“uh huh, your taking me to that diner nearby when we wake up.”

“shhhh, just sleep.”

[so-writing]

Sugar, Honey, Ice and Tea- Matthew Tkachuk (18)

all parts

-

You looked at the photo in the message for a few more moments before closing the gmail application on your phone and tossing it across the couch. It was supposed to come off as sweet, you assumed, but it just kind of annoyed you. 

Working for the Flames meant Matthew was a necessary evil, but Calgary’s population was over a million people and there were probably plenty of small diners peppered throughout the city, so why did he have to stumble into yours? Better yet, why did he have to stumble into your head the way he did? The two of you had been just fine tolerating each other at work for the past two years, so why had everything changed now? 

“Onyx,” you turned your head to the cat sitting on your shoulder and let him nuzzle his head against your cheek, “what should I do?” 

“You should ask for a second opinion, mom,” you mimicked the voice you thought Onyx might have if he were human, “because you have no fucking idea what to do and I think maybe you like him too.”

“Onyx,” you gently scolded your cat, “I do not!” 

You rolled your eyes and removed Onyx from your shoulder and placed him on the couch next to you. He jumped off the couch and ran into the kitchen, letting you know it was time to feed him, also that you were going fucking crazy.

“Holy fuck, I’m talking to myself as my cat.”

Not a lot of people knew about your situation with Matthew, for good reason, but you desperately needed some advice. He was definitely going to be biased, family and all, but you ignored it and called Brady anyway. 

*

She didn’t respond to his email and he didn’t expect her to. Matthew still couldn’t believe that out of all of the restaurants in the city, he happened upon the one she was in. It had to be a sign, of what he didn’t know, but it was definitely a sign of some kind. 

Matthew entered his apartment and headed straight for the bathroom, stripping down to the nothing and turning on the shower, he needed to really process what he’d just done. As soon as the water was warm enough, he stepped in and grabbed the small bottle of Lush’s ‘Lord of Misrule’ shower gel and squeezed a generous amount into his hand. 

He had been incredibly bold at the diner and she hadn’t taken it in the way he had hoped she would. 

“I want us to be together?” he said out loud as he ran the soapy sponge across his stomach, “I want us to be together? Fuck, do I actually want that? She fucking hates me, why am I still fucking trying?”

Matthew tossed the sponge aside and ran his hands through his wet curls as he stepped fully under the spray of the shower, “why can’t I fucking stop with this girl? Fuck!” 

He was too busy lighting up his shower with the word ‘fuck’ to hear his phone vibrating on the bathroom counter, and there was no way he could known it, but the person calling him was hanging on to whether he answered or not. 

*

“Bradyyyy,” you whined into the phone, “I need help. I’m so fucking fucked here and I need someone to tell me I’m not losing my goddamn mind. Call me back when you can.”

He sent you a text two minutes after you left the voicemail, can’t talk now but I can tell you that you should call him. What have you got to lose? CALL HIM

So you did. You unblocked Matthew’s number and called him.

If he answered, he was serious, you told yourself. If he didn’t, he was fuck boy and an asshole and a douchebag and a hundred other things but holy fuck, you hoped he would answer. 

“You have reached the voicemail of-” you ended the call, not bothering to leave a message. 

“I guess you’re all the things I hoped you wouldn’t be, Tkachuk.”

The sound of your statement made you smile and you felt the need to share it with him, so you called again. 

*

“Oh fuck, no fucking way.”

Matthew was fresh out of the shower with a towel wrapped around his hips. His phone was ringing and he knew the number all too well. 

“Hello?” 

“Uh,” he could tell she wasn’t expecting him to answer, “hello.”

“You okay?”

“Yep, yeah, yep.”

He knew better.

“Lay it on me. Tell me how I am.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Really.”

*

“Hello?”

Holy shit. What the fuck were you going to do now? You stumbled over your response and he noticed.

“You okay?”

“Yep, yeah, yep.”

You could hear him rolling eyes, “lay it on me. Tell me how I am.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Really.”

You wanted to rip into him. You wanted to shred him into a million fucking pieces and then shred him again into a million more. You wanted to tell Matthew fucking Tkachuk that he was a stain on society and if he were forced to live alone in a dark, damp cave for the rest of his life, everyone else would be glad for it. You wanted to say a lot of terrible things to him, because he probably deserved them, but you couldn’t do it.

“Did you mean it when you said you wanted us to be together? Did you mean that?”

“That is definitely not what I expected you to ask me.”

“I’m full of surprises. Did you mean it?” 

He was silent for almost a solid minute and you were just about to hang up until he finally spoke, “I don’t know.”

Every part of you wanted to tear into him so hard he melted like butter but you took a different approach. 

“So you’re saying there’s a chance?” 

You meant it as a joke. Matthew didn’t take it as one. 

*

“So you’re saying there’s a chance?”

Holy fuck. Was she serious? 

“It depends entirely on you.”

“No. You’ve been fucking around with me this entire time. What do you want, Matthew?”

There it was. This was the end of this entirely too complicated plot and all he had to do was give an answer. 

The two of them had been tolerating each other for two years. It wasn’t until recently that they were forced to spend time together and really get to know each other. He didn’t hate her, she was intelligent and quick witted and he’d never deny that she was beautiful. 

He didn’t want her to win, because if he was honest, she would. But he wasn’t honest, he was tired. 

“You. I want you. I can’t tell you of a recent time when I didn’t want you.” 

*

“You. I want you. I can’t tell you of a recent time when I didn’t want you.”

Fuck. You wished you could ignore his statement and play it off as some fuckboy shit but that wasn’t the case. 

Matthew Tkachuk had wormed his way into your heart and his confession had pterodactyls trying to break out of your stomach as you hesitantly accepted your feelings. 

There was no way you were falling for anyone. No way, no, definitely not him, that fucking irritating pest, Matthew Tkachuk. 

[cinebration]

Written in DNA (Booker x Reader) [Part 3]

Booker wakes up in an unusual position.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Epilogue

Tagged: @lucy-sky​, @city-of-weird​

Warnings: none

Gif Source: dcnnatroya

Booker woke slowly, painfully. His head pulsed with each heartbeat. His tongue felt dry and gummy in his mouth, yearning for liquid relief.

His eyes peeled open.

The ground was moving beneath him. He stared down at it, struggling to orient himself. How could he see it do that when he was stationary?

Touch was the last of his sense to reawaken. He felt an arm wrapped around one of his thighs, his right wrist held in a hand. Something hard pushed into his chest, not quite uncomfortable.

He was being carried.

Booker tensed involuntarily.

“Awake now?” you asked.

He lifted his head and glanced aside to see your face in close profile.

You stopped walking abruptly and slung him off your shoulders with the ease of someone slipping off a backpack. He stumbled as his feet hit the ground, hung onto you for dear life.

It felt like grabbing hold of a pole. You didn’t so much as move as he unintentionally yanked on your arm to right himself.

“Are you a robot?” he heard himself ask.

You laughed. “No.”

The early morning sunlight chose to lance through the swaying tree tops, assaulting Booker’s eyes. He squeezed them shut, wishing he would wake from this strange dream.

You were still there when he opened them again.

In natural lighting, you seemed…normal. Ordinary. There was something deep in your eyes that he couldn’t quite see in the light, but you stood with a casualness that belied what he had experienced so far.

“Look, you basically went to a lot of trouble to break me out,” you said. “So I figure, I can go with you to see whomever your boss is, that way you don’t get in trouble.”

Booker frowned. “Why?”

“Because I owe you for opening the door. Plus, it’s been my first time out here in…ten years, I think. And I don’t have any friends, so.”

“So…”

“So right now, you’re my touchstone to the world. TV only taught me so much about what the world’s like right now, and we both know it gives a biased view of things.”

The meaning of your words sunk in as Booker watched you start off in the same direction you had been traveling when he had woken. Ten years away from the world?

Ten years trapped in that room?

In his two-hundred years on the planet, nothing had been as crazy as this.

He debated running off in another direction, but something told him you would hunt him down with all the skill of an apex predator. Why he thought this, he wasn’t sure, but you hadn’t killed him. Yet.

He still had to deliver you to Quynh…

Booker trudged after you.

~~

You had been following the road via the woods the whole night. When you finally stepped onto the asphalt road just outside of a mid-sized town, you had traveled fifty miles with Booker on your back for eight hours over uneven terrain.

Booker did the math as he trailed behind you. Fifty miles over eight hours meant you had averaged six miles an hour—or a mile every ten minutes.

He weighed about 180lbs.

It shouldn’t have been possible. Then again, very little he had experienced with you seemed possible.

Probable, he corrected himself. It wasn’t probable, but the…things had happened. He couldn’t ignore that.

You headed straight for the nearest diner. It hung just on the outskirts of the town, catering to overnight truckers. By the time Booker reached the door, you were already inside, ordering right at the counter.

“I ordered for you,” you said as he stepped up beside you. “Mind if we sit in a booth? I need to rest my back.”

Booker shrugged and followed you to the booth in a corner. You sat with your back to the wall, your position giving you a full sweep of the establishment.

Training, Booker noted, slipping into the bench seat opposite you.

A waitress strode over and poured out a mug of steaming coffee for Booker.

“Leave the pot,” you said, smiling.

The woman arched an eyebrow but set the pot down on the cracked tabletop. “Food’ll be right up.”

“Thank you.”

Booker watched you scan first the room, then the parking lot through the window. Your gaze settled on him after you were satisfied.

There was something unsettling about your stare. It wasn’t like you were looking through him. It seemed more like you were processing him like a computer crunching data.

He itched beneath that stare.

“How old are you?”

The question caught him off guard. “Two hundred years old, give or take.”

“How many times have you died?”

Something writhed within him. “Too many.”

The waitress returned, a tray laden with plates balanced on her hand. She set the dishes out on the table with practiced swiftness: waffles, pancakes, eggs, sausage, bacon, hash browns, toast. The whole shebang.

You smothered the waffles in butter and maple syrup. The first forkful went in your mouth. Your eyes fluttered closed, your back slumped against the seat. The ecstasy on your face almost brought a smile to Booker’s face despite his confusion and mistrust.

“I haven’t had these in forever,” you said. There were almost tears in your voice.

Booker forked some eggs and toast onto a plate. He ate slowly as you devoured your meal. Somehow you seemed to relish each bite despite the pace at which you ate.

If he didn’t know any better, he would’ve thought you were starving.

At last, on the second plate of food, you slowed. You finished another plate before you pushed the empty platters aside. Leaning back against the seat, you resettled your attention back on Booker.

“Are there others like you?”

His chest constricted. “Yes,” he answered, glancing away. “Are there others like you?”

A pause. Then: “I don’t know. I imagine so. I’m not exactly a top-quality specimen.”

“What does that mean?”

The waitress sauntered over. “Can I get you anything else?”

“No, thank you,” you said. “Just the bill.”

The woman set the bill down with a flourish. You looked pointedly at Booker.

“What?” he asked.

“I don’t have money.”

“Of course you don’t.” He pulled out his wallet and counted out the necessary cash.

You reached over and pulled a ten-dollar bill out of the billfold before he could close it. “For the waitress,” you explained. “I have to use the bathroom. You gonna run out on me?”

Booker met your intense gaze. “No.”

You made a sound in your throat but got up and headed toward the restrooms anyway. Booker followed a moment later, realizing he needed to piss.

The restroom was thankfully empty. Booker stepped up to the urinal and tried to relax. His body still ached. How long had it been doing that? Maybe since before he had been exiled from the group. The thought poisoned his thoughts and soured the food in his stomach.

Shaking himself, he zipped up, flushed, and went to the sink. The cool water felt restorative over his hands. He splashed it onto his face, risked a glance in the mirror. His broken gaze reflected back to him, fractured by grief and shame and self-loathing.

He looked away.

The door to the bathroom opened. He glanced up to se you in the doorway.

“What?”

“We should get moving,” you said.

“You can wait a minute.”

“I’m a multi-million-dollar project. Waiting isn’t an option. They’ll come for me.”

Booker read the warning in your eyes and the tension in your voice. He turned off the faucet and snatched up some paper towels to dry his hands and face.

The government would want you back. And they’d love to get his hands on him, too.

He wasn’t going to stick around for that.

[princess-of-the-worlds]

tldr: As of this October, it has officially been one year since I first watched Torchwood and started reading fics. Although I didn’t start writing my own fics until March 2020, I have written...like a lot of fics in the past seven months. But I wanted to celebrate my favorite fics by other people. So here is Part 1 of probably several eventual fic rec posts. These are what I consider fandom staples.

To The Sticking Place by zephyras13 

The end justifies the means. Failure is not an option. There is always a choice, except when there isn't. These are the phrases Ianto Jones lives by and he refuses to allow anyone, even Captain Jack Harkness, to change that. Jack/Ianto, AU, Torchwood One Agent!Ianto.

(janto & others | complete | mature | 96K)

Nik: I legitimately cannot explain why I love this fic so much other than the fact it is so great! It was one of the first fics I read, and I still adore it. It follows canon so well while making you feel very range of the emotion spectrum. The author’s take on Ianto is so complexly-written but still feels true to the canonical Ianto. Literally one of the first fics I’d rec to anyone new to fandom. A must read.

only fools fall by transjackianto

“Oh my god,” he gasps out when his laughter has died down to softer chuckles, “I am so glad I stuck around to hear that.  Thank you Jack, I needed to laugh today. Now if you’ll excuse me,” he pushes back from the table for the third time but Jack stops him again with a hand over his own. It is a softer touch than before and that unnerves Ianto more than anything.

He looks up, terrified he’s going to see some kind of earnest emotion on Jack’s face.  When he finds Jack looking instead like he swallowed a handful of pins he relaxes. He’s not sure he could handle finding out Jack had some kind of ridiculous unrequited crush on him.

“I know,” Jack groans, dropping Ianto’s hand and letting his head thunk against where his arms are crossed on the table, “I want to punch myself just for saying it, but I mean it Ianto. I need you to be my boyfriend.”

-

Aka, Ianto just wants to make it through his summer as a newly single sixth form graduate and eagerly await the end when his ex comes back from her summer trip and they can reunite.

His ex-friend Jack Harkness throws a wrench into the works.

(janto, lisaianto, & others | complete | mature | 182K)

Nik: Okay, so I’m a tiny bit biased with this one considering that the author is my friend whom I adore and also one of my favorite people in this fandom. And I...also betaed this entire fic. But take it from me! It’s so, so well-written and the shift from enemies to lover is so perfect. There is angst, oh so much angst, but it is worth it. Plus, it’s incredibly hot! And I know the author has eventual plans for a sequel, although no promises when it’s coming. Another must read!

Halfway Back by Sholio (@sholiofic)

Team Torchwood run a sanctuary for magical creatures, and this time they've got a basilisk on their hands.

(gen | complete | teen | 13K)

Nik: Okay, so literally anything by Sholio is perfect. They have an incredible grasp of the team dynamic that still blows my mind, and their fics have topnotch Owen-Ianto interactions. But I chose this fic because the premise felt like almost nothing I’d read in this fandom before. Plus, there is still the requisite amount of Owen angst in this. (Also check out The Cartography of Feeling, which is another personal favorite.)

Conversational Japanese, Plus Frogs by james

Tosh and Ianto have been taken prisoner. They cope.

(janto | complete | teen | 6K)

Nik: One of the older, shorter recs on this list but still a classic. A fascinating in-depth character study of Ianto and Tosh and their friendship in confined quarters that also explores the trauma that follows some of Torchwood’s misadventures. I don’t think I can say much else besides urging you to read it!

Sharkreef (Or, Why Torchwood Was Set in Cardiff and Not the Bermuda Triangle) by queenfanfiction

There is the story of a team who tried to save Earth from aliens. This is not that story.

(janto & many, many others | complete | teen | 2K)

Nik: Look, I know that some will actually despise that I included this rec, but this fic is ICONIC. It’s cracky, yes. Cracky crack. Very crack. But it’s also legitimately one of the strangest/whackiest/what-the-fuck fics I’ve ever read. It always startles a genuine laugh out of me. It has all of our favorite tropes...coupled with some lobsters. (Sidenote: This reminds me of John Mulaney/SNL’s Diner Lobster sketch, which I also encourage you to watch.)

Insignificant Other by parachutewoman 

Ianto is tasked with telling Rhys that his newly wedded wife has ditched him to go to London with Jack on a “very important mission”. Refusing to have his day ruined, Rhys drags Ianto along to the Six Nations final and the two ‘other halves’ try to make sense of their place in the world and their partners’ lives.

(janto & gwenrhys | complete | mature | 6K)

Nik: Ianto-Rhys friendship content is something that is severely lacking in this fandom, which is a damn shame. You can see from COE that Rhys seems to genuinely care about Jack and Ianto, which I presume is from post-Exit Wounds bonding with his wife’s coworkers. And I know that the audiobook Ghost Train has a lot of good Ianto-Rhys bonding, although I just haven’t had the time to listen to it yet. Either way, this fic, and the other fics by this author, are very well-written and beautiful. This one, set circa S2, has just the right amount of angst mixed in as well as you watched Ianto go from reluctantly accompanying Rhys to actually enjoying himself. I definitely enjoyed this fic.

Beast Inside by Flamingbluepanda (@flamingbluepanda)

"Argue with anything else, but don’t argue with your own nature.” - Phillip Pullman

Inside us all, there is an animal that expresses our soul. How would the world change were those animals outside?

(janto & others | complete | mature | 26K)

Nik: Admittedly, this one is also a bit biased because the author is my friend and I am their loyal occasional beta, but I started reading it before I met the author. Although daemons do come from His Dark Materials, they have become a sort of AU on their own, and thus, you do not need to have read HDM to read this excellent fic. I definitely have not. There is angst, there is fluff, there is canon compliance. And there is Dai. Dai, Rhys’s corgi daemon, is probably not the one you would expect to steal the show, but he stole my heart. (I mean, Navi and Emma, Jack’s bear daemon and Ianto’s terrier daemon, adorable respectively...but Dai!) Expect to fall in love with Dai by ths end of this fic!

To Let by Amand_r

Ianto Jones is a good housemate.

(janto & lisaianto | complete | not rated | 12K)

Nik: Now this fic is a little bit different from the rest because it is not only second person POV but is also outside POV, which makes it slightly odd to read at first. But I can assure you, it is most definitely worth it. Ianto’s unnamed housemate makes for an interesting perspective into Ianto’s personal and domestic life as well as exploring his relationship with Jack. His housemate, of course, doesn’t remain one-sided, with loss and love and life of his own, but you can tell that his bond with Ianto is genuine. This fic provides a nice break from the explicit canon while still exploring familiar events.

Your Job Knows What It Is by ShastaFirecracker

Torchwood Three, 2045. Bram Hudson's just been recruited by Jack Harkness, it's xir first day of work, and orientation is being handled by some old man named Jones.

(janto | complete | gen | 9K)

Nik: Okay, I lied. This fic is outsider POV as well, but Bram is so well-written and complex even from the short while we have with xem. As an alternate to the previous fic, this one provides great, interesting exploration into a future, slightly different Torchwood while also serving as a COE fix-it fic. Older Ianto is just as badass as when he was younger, and the insights into his relationship with Jack are sweet and will leave you craving more.

Worrisome Heart by thepsychicclam

It's 1922. Ianto accidentally stumbles upon a speakeasy owned by Captain Jack Harkness. When Ianto becomes a bartender, he quickly learns how dangerous everything around him truly is, and more importantly, how dangerous Jack is. But the longer he knows Jack, the more he doesn't care.

(janto | complete | explicit | 42K)

Nik: This fic, this series in fact, is one of the only complete Historical AUs I have found in this fandom. Set in 1922 New York, it features all our beloved characters as completely human and sans Torchwood and aliens, which - of course - means that they can feel a bit OOC at first. Still, as you read on through this fic and its three sequels, you will realize just how well adopted the events and characterization from canon are. If you going in thinking of this as original work rather than fic, it might help you adjust to the differences. Quite well-written!

Intersecting Geodesics by NancyBrown

Stuck in a time with a Jack who hasn't met him yet, all Ianto wants is a way home.

(janto & jackjohn | complete | mature | 37K)

Nik: There are numerous “Ianto gets sent into the future by the Rift or an artifact and meets past!Jack” fics existing in this fandom, but this is one of my favorites. For one, it’s written by the incomparable author who has many, many excellent fics that I like. (Their smut is seriously topnotch, especially for some of your kinkier tastes if said tastes exist.) The distanced younger Jack provides just the right amount of angst, and his eventual fall for Ianto is built-up just enough to work believably. The resolution is satisfying enough, and the author has a few other fics in this series to keep you going! 

For Captain and Cardiff by blackhemlock

"At midnight, a nationwide security alert was sent out... Torchwood London, demands all agencies' cooperation in issuing an arrest warrant for Ianto Merric Jones, 24, of Cardiff."

Torchwood Three's Archivist has gone rogue. But, he does have a very good reason, and he looks stunning in his new suit.

(janto & tenjack | complete | gen | 42K)

Nik: Admittedly, I will often be picky in my fics featuring the Tenth Doctor because of how he mistreated Jack, but this fic features a true-to-canon portrayal of Ianto and the Doctor that I adore. It does well in building up your expectations of Ianto and the Doctor’s encountering and then subverting it. There is also good room for Jack-Ianto angst, which only adds to my enjoyment of the fic. I don’t necessarily know how to explain it, but this fic also feels sleek and modern despite its timey-wimey elements.

What Dreams May Come by AVAAntares (@avaantares)

It's bad enough that a plague of alien parasites have fallen through the rift and are preying on Cardiff's citizens. It's worse that someone from Jack's past has come from the future to confront him on Earth. But when Jack himself is taken by the rift, Ianto and Gwen are forced to rely on the most unlikely of allies to keep Torchwood running without him.

Stranded in another century on a distant planet, Jack has only one hope of returning to Earth. But time travel with the Doctor has never been an exact science, and when he returns to Cardiff, things are not at all as he expects to find them...

(janto | complete | teen | 88K)

Nik: Honestly, I think one of my favorite parts of this fic may be the inclusion of an OC, Jamiya Thane, AKA Jack’s mother. I’m just a sucker for fandom’s takes on Jack’s canonical family and past as Javic Thane from Boeshane, and this plays into it well. It’s endearing to watch Jack’s found family, especially Ianto, interact with his mother. Also included is a rather brilliant time-travel mystery that will tug at your heartstrings on many levels. Excellent soft Jack-Ianto content in chapters and a creepy use of a one-off Doctor Who creature.

Ghost Story by Mad_Maudlin

I called out. "Would you like to hear a ghost story?"

For a moment Jack didn't move, and I knew he'd recognized my voice. After a moment he said, flatly, "I don't believe in ghosts."

"It's a complicated story," I admitted, and pulled the watch from my pocket by the chain. "And it starts with 'Long ago and far away.'"

(janto | complete | teen | 70K)

Nik: This fic! I passed this fic many times on my search for new fics to read, and the summary always threw me a bit, but when I decided to take a chance on it, I realized what I’d been missing out on. There’s so many fics in this fandom, and on this list, that take familiar tropes but twist them into something new, just like this fic. Without giving too much away, I can say that this fic features Time Lords, pocket watches, shifting POVs, and a COE fix-it, all packed with a brow-raising plot twist. It’s enough to make me forgive the first person POV, which I can usually not stand but actually works quite well for this fic! A fic worth reading at least once, if not many times. It feels so utterly unique!

Time Tracks by Cyborgtamaki (@cyborgtamaki) and thirteeninafez (@thirteeninafez)

It took him a second to realise what had happened; what had felt like hours while travelling through the rift shrunk itself in his head to a mere instant of searing gold. That’s when the flicker of the fire in front of him finally registered through his confused daze. In his haste to get away from the flames around him, he slipped and fell, scrambling back until he was a safe distance away from the smoke and the heat. It was only then that he took notice of the voices behind him. He turned towards the noise of a deep, northern voice spluttering and saying, confused and almost angry: “Who the hell are you?” The man rolled over onto his knees and stood up, looking around like he’d never seen a street before. “Jones.” He sounded uncertain but then spoke again with more confidence. “Ianto Jones.”

(janto & ninerose | complete | teen | 174K)

Nik: There’s many “Ianto travels with the Ninth Doctor and Rose” fics in this fandom, but this one is the longest, most recent, and one of the most excellent that I’ve read. The authors have written in-depth chapters of the Doctor Who Season 1 episodes we already know and adore as well as adding their own unique “episodes,” all of which are deeply enjoyable. There is excellent character interactions, specifically a wonderful Rose-Ianto friendship, and so much soft Jack-Ianto. The authors have, personally, promised several more installments coming by the end of the year or later, and they are sure to be worth the wait!

Club Wales by pocky_slash

In the wake of Jack's disappearance, Gwen finds comfort in a new friendship with Ianto. Gossip, bonding, and other hijinks of understanding ensue.

(gwenrhys & janto | complete | teen | 19K)

Nik: This author is single-handedly a Gwen-Ianto dynamic icon. Their grasp on Gwen and Ianto’s respective characterization is brilliant, and their friendship in this fic, and any fic the author writes, is well-fleshed out and believable enough for the moments we only really see on-screen briefly in the show. This fic, and overall series, serves as a compelling insight into how the team originally views Jack and how Gwen and Ianto grow closer. Gwen truly was one of Ianto’s big sister figures, which is excellently reflected in this fic. A must read!

Just this once by Beleriandings (@ultraviolet-eucatastrophe)

(Everybody lives.)

(Or: when a certain Doctor arrives to save Owen Harper from a stricken nuclear power station, it begins a chain of events that will lead Torchwood Three down a very different path. From time locks and telepathy to tea and coffee, high-speed chases to unresolved sibling issues, their new lives (and new and old loves) may be different, but their bonds of friendship and family grow stronger every day. But when every child on earth starts speaking with one voice, the team are torn apart again as they’re forced to fight for their lives, and to confront monsters they’d thought they’d left behind in the past. But with all of them working together – along with some allies they’ve made along the way – Torchwood Three will stop at nothing to save their friends and set the world to rights. The consequences will ripple out across the universe and into the distant future. But they have to start somewhere, and the present is as good a place as any.)

(janto & others | complete | teen | 239K)

Nik: Many fics are post-Exit Wounds and COE fix-its, at the same time, but dare I say that this one is the best? (Or one of the best at least.) The Tenth Doctor receives his own iconic “Everybody lives” moment, but that is only where this fic BEGINS. This beautiful monster, which I mean in the very best sense considering its length, traverses Exit Wounds, COE, and slightly Miracle Day and gives everyone a happy ending. In addition, the author, another friend of mine, I’ll be honest, manages to redeem and humanize Gray in a way I didn’t think possible, but I actually found myself liking him. This is definitely a must, must read, especially if you’re new to the fandom or just finished having your heart thrown out.

The Stars Might Stick You Where You Stand by methylethyl 

Following the fall of Torchwood One, Jack Harkness went to ask Torchwood Three for a job. He didn’t expect to fall a little bit in love with its director, the practical and ever-calm Ianto Jones. He also probably didn’t expect that Ianto Jones would end up holding the answers to his most precious secret.

(janto | complete | explicit | 20K)

Nik: I’ll be honestly - I’m a sucker for role reversal AUs in any fandom, and this is one fic I see rarely mentioned or recced, which I think is a damn shame. It is definitely in my top five fics; I adore it so much. Jack is cast in the role of Ianto, gunning for a job at Torchwood Three after the fall of Canary Wharf. His “Lisa” is his desperate, life-long search for his brother Gray who was taken by Torchwood when they were both children. Ianto is, obviously, the immortal director of Torchwood Three, but what makes him even more compelling is the lack of direct reference to his AU past. We don’t know who this Ianto Jones was before he, like Jack, arrived in Cardiff in the 1800s, newly-immortal and ensnared into working for Torchwood. Instead, this fic, and series, focuses on a stretch of episodes from Season 1 intermingled with elements from Season 2, as well as subverting the expected team relationships. Jack and Ianto are believably different but still realistic in their characterization, and look, I adore this AU, which I’ve already said. A personal favorite and must read!

Cling to the Ways of My Name by engagemythrusters ( @iianto-jones)

If Ianto Jones thought his legacy would die out with him in Thames House, he was dead wrong.

(janto & gwenrhys | complete | teen | 37K)

Nik: Hopefully, you’ve already read this fic by now. If not, may I dare ask what you’ve been doing with your life? This is one of my favorite fics of all-time in this fandom, as well as my favorite kidfic ever. It’s so well-written and just so damn unique. I cannot capture in words what makes it so special, although I will try. Ioan Jones is the sweetest janto baby ever, and I love him with all my heart. Jack’s adventures raising Ioan are just so endearing, and later installments, which feature Ianto, serve to satisfy the domestic Jack-Ianto as parents craving you might not even have known you had. There’s just so many little details about this fic I love, including but not limited to - Jack’s found family in the Joneses, Ioan-Anwen friendship, and Ioan loving blue. A definite must read fic to give you the serotonin you need.

Waking Gods by toldthestars 

Why are Ianto's dreams coming true? What's in the box with the symbol on it? Oh, and while we're at it, what's the meaning of the life?

(janto | complete | not rated | 7K)

Nik: This fic is another one with a completely unique premise in this fandom. In fact, there is only one other fic I’ve read that even gives me similar “vibes” for this fic. Here, Ianto suddenly finds himself gaining powerful, unexplainable abilities, essentially becoming a god, and oh my, this is excellent. Ianto is just trying to do good in the world, and the team’s growing fear and distrust of him and his power really sucker-punches you straight in the heart. It’s all so beautifully-written, with powerful imagery that left me awe-struck. The janto angst is oh-so-excellent. Reading this fic for the first time is an experience that I don’t believe can be replicated. 

fool me once, fool me twice by princessoftheworlds (aka me)

When, after the events at the House of the Dead, the Rift spits Ianto out on an alien planet a thousand years later, so begins a goose chase that will take him across the universe and across time until he finds Jack again.

(janto & others | complete | explicit | 52K)

Nik: What kind of fic writer would I be if I created a list of fic recs for Torchwood and did not include one of my own? I consider this fic my masterpiece. The House of the Dead!Ianto get sucked through the Rift and spat out across time and space, turned into another fixed point, as he begins his search for Jack. I don’t know if I can say much else without it sounding like bragging, but it features - in no particular order - a happy ending for one, Ianto getting some badass adventures of his own, a sorta redemption arc for John Hart, numerous references to Big Finish, and too many spinoffs with more to come! Give it a shot, why don’t you?

[javajunkieao3]

Beth/Benny Fic:  Being Alive - Part 5

When Benny meets Jolene.

Beth is half asleep when the phone rings on her nightstand.  She just bought a phone for the bedroom a few weeks ago, and since then, she seemed to get twice as many calls.  Benny groans, covering his eyes with his hand, and says, “You know, we got a lot less calls before you brought a phone in here.”

           “Please spare me your bedrooms are not for phones lecture,” Beth says, nudging his arm affectionately before she reaches over him and grabs the phone.  Draped over his torso, Beth answers the phone, shooting him a playful look when he pinches her side.

           “Hello?”

           “Beth, I need you to do me a favor.”

           “Jolene,” Beth says happily, picking up the phone cradle and sitting back on her side of the bed.  Benny nudges the cord behind his pillow and then proceeds to close his eyes again.  “What do you need?”

           “A witness for my wedding.”

           “Your wedding is next month,” Beth says, not understanding.  Jolene's married lawyer kept his word and left his wife for her, and they were supposed to get married at the end of the next month.  

           “Well, it was next month, but now it’s this afternoon,” Jolene says.  “Al’s family isn’t too keen on him marrying a black woman. Like I’m not the best thing to happen to him.”

           “Of course, you are,” Beth says.  Jolene had always been the best of people, even when Beth hadn’t really understood what that meant.

           “So, we’re saying fuck ‘em, and just doing the justice of the peace route.”

           “What time do you need me?”  Beth asks immediately.

           “We’re meeting at the courthouse at noon.”

           “I’ll be there.”

           Beth hangs up the phone and asks Benny, “Do you want to go to a courthouse wedding?”

           Benny opens one eye.  “What exactly are you asking me?”

           “My friend Jolene is getting married this afternoon and I’m going to be her witness.”

           “I thought she was getting married next month.”

           “Change of plans,” Beth says simply, climbing out of bed.  She walks over to her closet and starts going through her dresses.  “I don’t know what to wear to a courthouse wedding.”

           “I’d say the rule is probably still no white.”

           “I know that,” she says, already combing through the various hangers with military-like precision.  Something occurs to her, and she looks back at Benny.  “You don’t have a suit.”

           “So what?”  He’s lying in bed with his arms crossed behind his head, and he looks so positively cute that she almost forgets all about the afternoon and climbs back into bed with him, but she can’t have that.  This is Jolene and she knows her friend is already not getting the wedding she had originally wanted.  Benny is getting a suit.

           “Ben Snyders opens at 9.  We’ll find you something there.”

           “I don’t need a suit.  I have my black coat.  That’s good enough.”

           “You shouldn’t even have that black coat anymore,” she tosses over her shoulder, attention back to her closet.

           “Stay away from my coat, Beth.  You already made me throw away the hat.”

           “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

           “It is.”

           “I promise to not touch your coat,” she says, turning back around.  “But, you need a suit.”

           He studies her face for a moment and then says, “This is important to you, isn’t it.”

           It’s not a question, but a statement, and she nods.

           “Okay,” he says.  “I’ll get a suit.”

----

           At 11:45 a.m., Beth and Benny stand outside of the courthouse waiting for the bride and groom.  Beth turns to Benny and smooths down the collar of his suit jacket, smiling to herself.

           “You could try to look less smug,” Benny teases.

           “I just think you look very handsome.”

           “And you look beautiful.”

           Beth isn’t typically a fan of public displays of affection, but she leans in and kisses him softly, lingering with her mouth against his until she hears Jolene call her name.  She pulls away and turns toward her friend’s voice, surprise registering on her face when she sees the pair.  Al is dressed in a traditional black suit.  Beside him, Jolene is wearing a deep red silk jumpsuit.

           “Aren’t brides supposed to wear white?”  Beth asks with confusion.

           “That’s what they want you to think.”

           “Who’s they?”  Benny asks.

           “The patriarchy.  The white is supposed to be about the bride’s virginity or some shit like that.  And, I’m no virgin.  So, I thought I’d just dress for me.  And Al. This is his favorite outfit of mine.”

           “It really is,” Al echoes, and when he looks at Jolene, Beth can see that he’s telling the truth.  Jolene softens in a way that Beth hadn’t seen before, and then Jolene looks over at Benny and says to Beth, “So, you finally threw one of those chess boys a bone?”

           Beth grins.  “This is Benny.”

           “I know who he is,” Jolene says.  “I read about you, Benny Watts.  You’re almost as impressive as my girl, Beth.”

           Beth knows that Benny can be sensitive to the comparison, and she says, “Jolene’s biased.”

           To her surprise, Benny shakes his head and says, “No, I’m pretty sure she’s right.”

           Beth meets his gaze and she can feel her cheeks flush.  Jolene grins wide.  “I like you, Benny.”

----

           Beth didn’t have many courthouse weddings with which to compare Jolene and Al’s, but if she had to guess, their wedding easily ranked in the top-five.  Both the bride and groom prepared their own vows, and Beth noticed even Benny looking somewhat emotional as Jolene read from her folded up piece of notebook paper, her hands shaking.  The union was sealed with a kiss, and then they went to a nearby diner to celebrate. They all order burgers and drinks, and when Benny looks appraisingly at her chocolate shake, she wordlessly trades her shake for his green river, and then tells him, “This means you can’t complain when I eat your fries.”

           “I think that’s a fair trade.”

           Beth does, in fact, eat a good portion of fries, and after the plates are cleared, Jolene pointedly asks, “So, when are you two walking down the aisle?”

           Beth chokes on her drink and Benny says, “I can’t really say we’ve thought about it.”

           “You do want to get married someday, don’t you?”

           Beth is almost afraid to look at Benny, but then he says, “Sure, if it was the right person.”  He stands up, putting his napkin on his seat, and says, “I’m going to head to the bathroom.  I’ll be right back.”

           “I’ll come with you,” Al says.

           When they are out of earshot, Jolene says, “You do realize he was talking about you, right?”

           “You don’t know that.”

           “That boy is in love with you.”

           Beth smiles slightly, but then it dims when she thinks about how she still hasn’t been able to say it back.  Jolene reads into her silence and says, “I know it can scary.  Being loved like that.  I felt the same way with Al.  We’re not used to it.”

           “It’s not that,” Beth says.  “I haven’t been able to say it back.”

           Beth expected some tough advice from her friend, but instead she says, “You’ll say it in your own time.   Something tells me that boy will wait.”

----

           When they say goodbye, Beth gives Jolene a tight hug, feeling uncharacteristically emotional.  Jolene kisses her cheek and says, “Thank you for being here, today.”

           “Of course.  We’re family, right?”

           Jolene nods, and Beth notices that her eyes are glassy, too.  “Damn right, we are.”

           While Al gives Beth an awkward half-hug, Jolene wraps her arms around Benny and murmurs, “You hurt her, I hurt you. Butter knife straight to the balls.”

           Benny pulls away, somewhat startled, and nods. “That is a very specific threat.”

           “A vague threat does no one any good.”  Just as swiftly as the threat came, Jolene grins beatifically.  “Thank you for coming to my wedding.”

           He walks over to Beth, and as they head back to her car, he says, “So, that was Jolene.”

           “That’s Jolene.”

           “She’s kind of intimidating.”

           Beth looks over at him and says, “She threatened you, didn’t she?”

           “Yes.  And in a very graphic manner.  I’m about as impressed as I am intimidated.”

           Beth grins.  “Sounds just about right.”

[ofstarsandvibranium]

Good Business: Part 12

Fandom: Marvel (Mob AU)

Pairing: Chubby!Bucky x Reader

Summary: Bucky Barnes is a ruthless mobster. He’s also referred to as Big Buck due to his towering strong frame as well as his round stomach. You’re the owner of a small diner, a place that Big Buck decides to visit. Based off this drabble.

“So Y/N, Jamie says you own a diner?” Winnie asks as she takes a sip of wine. 

You nod with excitement, eyes lighting up like the candles that decorated the table, “Yes! That place is my pride and-”

“Sorry, I’m late!” Steve came rushing in, beads of sweat on his forehead, “Had to finish up some...business.”

“Yeah, kissing Miss Sharon!” Matty exclaimed and Steve blushed hard, while you threw your head back in laughter. 

“High five, Matty!” you lean across Bucky and held up your hand for Matty to slap his hand against yours. 

Bucky chuckled and watched as his best friend and adoptive brother kissed his mother’s cheek, sitting next to Charles. 

“Sorry again, um. Hi, Y/N, I interrupted you?” he asked sheepishly, laying the fabric napkin across his lap. 

You shrugged, “It’s no big deal, Steve. I was just telling Winnie about the diner.”

Steve brightened up, “Oh, ma, you gotta try her pies! They’re amazing! Almost as good as yours!”

Intrigued appeared on the Barnes matriarch’s face, “Almost, eh? Guess we should have a bake off, huh, Y/N?”

“I’d be honored, Winnie. But if it’s a contest, I’m sure these guys will be a bit biased since they love you so much.”

Winnie picked up her wine glass again, taking a small sip, “Not too sure about that, Y/N. Jamie here might love you more than me at this point.”

At this moment, Bucky was drinking from his water glass and choked when his mother spoke, “I-Shit-”

“Language,” Steve said sternly, glancing at his two nephews.

“Sorry, uh, heh,” Bucky cleared his throat, “Despite how much I...care for Y/N, no one can compare to the love between a mother and her child.”

George chuckled and rose his glass of whiskey, “Good answer, Buck. But, uh, Y/N, we heard that you really gave Bucky a hard time when you first met.”

“Uh, well,” you looked at Bucky with a bit of concern. How do you talk about your encounter when his family didn’t know about his organization?

“Bucky and a few of his friends were being a bit loud and obnoxious and people were starting to get annoyed, but they didn’t want to say anything since he’s a well-known businessman. But I didn’t care, so I told him and his buddies that if they continue to behave like that, they’re outta there!” You look at Bucky and his gave you a nod of approval. A nice save. 

George hummed, “Guess we Barnes men got a thing for strong feisty women, eh?” 

Bucky snorted and reached over, resting his hand on your thigh, “Seems so.”

________________

After dinner, dessert was served as well as more drinks. You had a few too many glasses of wine and got a lot louder and giggly, which amused Bucky since he’s never seen you like this. When it came time to go, you were starting to get a bit sleepy. You drunkenly kissed each of Bucky’s family on the head and wished them a good night. 

Bucky, with Steve’s help, practically carried you into his car and buckled you up. As soon as the door closed, you leaned your head against the window, asleep, mouth open, slightly snoring. 

Both Bucky and Steve chuckled at the sight of you. Bucky proceeded to sigh and lean against his car, “I think that was successful.”

The blonde nodded, “I agree. Looks like they all are smitten with her.”

“It’s hard not be smitten when it comes to her,” he looks at you through the window with such softness in his eyes, “I really love her, Steve.”

Steve lightly punched his best friend and brother, “You better, with the way you guys are going. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if you proposed in a few months.”

Bucky proceeded to shake his head, a look of worry and...insecurity in his eyes, “I don’t know if that’ll ever happen. I love her, but-but I don’t want her to get involved with the life we lead, Steve.”

Steve snorted, “Way too late for that, Bucky. I have never seen anyone make you this happy and smitten and in love before. And if Y/N didn’t want to get involved with you, she’d have rejected you and your friendship from the very beginning. What you two have? It’s special. You can’t back out now.”

_____________

It’s bright. It’s way too fucking bright. Was the first thing you thought about when you stirred from your sleep. 

You heard the door of you bedroom creak open and you slowly turn your head. Your sight a bit blurry from sleep, but after rubbing away the crust and sleep, your vision clears. 

Bucky’s there standing in your doorway in an undershirt and underwear, holding a tray of food. The look of concentration on his face dissipated when he realized you were awake. 

“Mornin’, sweet cheeks!” he exclaimed a bit too loud which made you wince, “Oh, sorry. Anyway, I got you some breakfast and painkillers. So which would you like first?”

“Painkillers. Now,” you groaned, hand reaching out for them. 

Bucky placed two pills into your palm. After you tossed them in your mouth, he handed you the glass of orange juice and you downed half of it. You then placed the glass on your bedside table and sat up properly, allowing Bucky to place the tray of breakfast on your lap. 

“Thanks for this. You didn’t have to cook for me.”

Bucky snorted, sitting at the edge of your bed, “Oh I didn’t cook this. I made Steve get this stuff for me from your diner. Figured any food from your place was safe so-”

“You thought right!” you pointed, biting into a piece of fruit, with a smile. After you swallowed, you nodded towards him, “You stayed over?”, eyeing his undershirt that hugged his round belly and his boxer briefs that clung to his thick thighs. 

He shrugged, “I didn’t know if you’d wake up in the middle of the night and hurt yourself or what. Just wanted to make sure you were safe is all, sweet cheeks.” he then rubbed the back of his neck, wincing, “Also, I’m getting you a new couch. Your current one is shit!”

You playfully shoved him, “Hey! It’s not shit! It’s...well used.”

“Aka shit. Anyway, you can’t fight me on this.” he grabbed a piece of your bacon, and munching on it. He then leaned in and pecked your lips, “I’m gonna go do the dishes now. You finish up eating, ‘kay? Also, I called Sharon. You’re not going into work today.”

“Buckyyyy!” you whined, “You can’t just call out for me like that!”

He shrugged, “Sharon understood. She said you need to take more time off anyway. So, there you have it.” with that, he sauntered out, your eyes focusing on how good his ass looks in that underwear.

Good Business Taglist (CLOSED): @cametobuyplums @sergeantrosabellaswan @asadmarveltrashbag​ @youcanhaveyourspacecowboy​ @reniescarlett​ @j-the-smol-otter @buckysknifecollection @lowkeysebby @rinthehufflepuff @134340-cm @snoot-snoot-toot @seabassali1328 @bluebellhairpin @emzy106 @viarogers @feelmyroarrrr @vxidnik @jasura @jade-cheshire3303 @yknott81 @baliebay19 @jessieray98 @fandommemporiumm @iluvsumbucky @bucksandroses @lecoindenox @ylva-stark @booktease21 @nerdy-bookworm-1998 @cheyenne222222 @momobaby227 

[trustsalvatorewriting]

wasteland, baby! || kol mikaelson - chapter nine

Summary: Kol makes a deal with the Hollow to revive the first woman he ever loved. Unfortunately, it doesn’t go as planned.

Trust’s Note: Please like and reblog! I hope you enjoy.

Word Count: 2,140

Prologue | Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Four | Chapter Five | Chapter Six | Chapter Seven | Chapter Eight | Chapter Nine | Chapter Ten

-

❝ i'm afraid that's just the way the world works; but i think that it could work for you and me. ❞

"HENRY."

Aniya's eyes widened as the boy stepped into the diner, the right side of his face red and bruised. She stood from her chair and rushed to stand in front of him, reaching her hand up slowly to touch the purple marks that began to appear on his face. Henry flinched away, eyes squeezed shut as if doing so would lessen the pain. Aniya grit her teeth together, and Ruby walked over, handing Henry an ice pack.

"Who did this to you?" Aniya asked as Ruby led Henry to an empty seat by the counter. A burning feeling filled her chest as she watched him wince at the cold feeling against his cheek, and she stood with her fists clenched despite Ruby's warning look.

"I-I-It doesn't m-m-It doesn't matter," Henry murmured, eyes glued to the floor.

She opened her mouth to argue, but shut it when she noticed the sad look on Ruby's face. The older woman's red lips were turned into a frown as she rubbed Henry's back comfortingly, and Aniya knew the answer immediately. She shut her eyes and took a deep breath, burying her anger and the magic that would inevitably come with it. Instead, she took her seat next to Henry and watched as he turned to face the counter, glassy eyes trained on the counter top.

A tear slipped from his eyes, lips trembling as he held the ice pack to his cheek. Aniya mentally scrolled through a list of things to say, before she realized there was nothing she could say that he hadn't already heard. Instead, she moved carefully, turning to rest her head on Henry's arm. She fought back the sobs that wracked her body, shutting her eyes as she whispered to him,

"I'm sorry. Stay alive for me. Please."

Aniya had known this fear before. It was common for Viking men to treat their children terribly, and the people she loved had never been strangers to their cruelty. Vihaan and Niklaus in particular would come to her with bloodied faces and bruised ribs. Her brother had always been the golden child, but had taken the fall for Aniya's actions countless times.

"Love should never be punished," He'd told her, as if it had justified what he'd done. His efforts had been sweet in the moment, when he swore that he was all right and that his injuries would heal eventually. His thought process would change within a few days, when she found him in the forest with nothing but a length of rope in his hands. It had been Niklaus Mikaelson that talked him down each time this happened.

Dread filled her body as she held Henry's arm close to her. She knew when they met that Henry Pearl had radiated an inexhaustible light, and she didn't wish to imagine a world where it went out.

"I'll try," Henry said.

It was in that moment that she wished she'd woken up sooner. Before the world could even lay a finger on Henry Pearl, she wished she could've saved him.

She rested her forehead against his arm, eyes shut as she murmured the words, "I love you," beneath her breath. She'd said it more for herself than anything else, hoping it would ease the troubled feeling in her chest if she admitted what she knew to be true. As if admitting it would cause Death to turn its back on someone like Henry Pearl.

"Jag är kär i dig, också, " He murmured. Aniya thanked the gods for her upbringing, otherwise she might not have known what he said. She smiled through her tears, and they sat there as the time passed. Ruby stood at the other end of the diner, cleaning and taking care of the few customers that came in during the late hours of the night. They sat in silence, until Henry pulled a small box out from his pocket and slowly moved it towards her.

"What is this?" She asked, brows furrowed as she looked at the flattened white bow tied.

"O-Open it," Henry told her, his heart racing as she reached for the box. He swallowed nervously as she untied the ribbon and slowly opened the box, revealing the ring he'd worked on a few hours ago. The different gold wires wrapped around each other to create a band, and encircled a small garnet stone at the center. It resembled the older jewelry Aniya had seen in the village, worn by the Elders as a way of protecting themselves from dark spirits. Still, there was something unmistakably Henry about it. Some part of the small circlet that she would look at and remember as Henry, and Henry alone.

She bit her lip and looked up at Henry's pale green eyes, and she wanted to tell him being loved was a talent, too, for it was in moments such as this that she wondered if he knew how it felt to be loved unconditionally -- or if he had, and he'd somehow forgotten it. She wanted to tell him that it takes as much courage and as much work as loving; though, for some people, they never learn the knack. She prayed Henry wasn't one of them.

"I hope you're not proposing," She said with a chuckle. She reached for the choker beneath her sweater and pulled it off, bending the leather to slide the ring onto it and create a makeshift pendant. She smiled up at Henry and tied it back around her neck.

His pale lips formed a small smile, light green eyes lighting up in amusement. Aniya leaned forward and pressed a small kiss to his lips, sliding her wedding ring off her finger. His lips were softer than she'd imagined, and tasted of strawberry chapstick. She held his face in her hands and pulled away, looking up at Henry as she waited for his reaction. His eyes were wide, and he was vulnerable. There seemed to be something so tragic in a victim so colored by vulnerability.

After a few moments, Henry arose from his seat and began preparing a milkshake. Ruby assured him that she would let him have the night off. He frowned and shook his head, "N-No, I wanna..."

Henry prepared a vanilla milkshake and placed it in front of Aniya as he placed whipped cream at the top. She took a sip and he scooped a bit of the cream onto his finger, wiping it on her nose. She broke out into a smile and reached to do the same. Before he could respond, the door swung open, and she heard a familiar voice.

"So, this must be the human you've been leaving the house to see." Kol grinned as he marched into the small diner, a smirk painted across his face. "I must say, I thought he would be more handsome."

Aniya winced at his tone, and moved her body slightly so she stood in front of Henry. "How did you find me?"

"Love, we've had this conversation. Powerful little witch, remember?" Kol reminded her and went to sit at the counter, a seat away from her. "It might interest you to hear, but I spoke to one of my old witch friends here in the Quarter. As it turns out, you're a Tyaag witch. At least, that's what you're called these days. They don't have a very good reputation in the community, so they're very rarely written about."

"Why?"

It was Henry that spoke this time. "They have r-r-reputation for failed sacrifices."

"Oh, good. You're not utterly useless," Kol smiled up at Henry. The human boy shrunk back and took a step closer to Aniya, despite the counter that separated them. Kol turned his attention back to her and explained, "The sacrifices don't work if you cheat. You, thankfully, didn't marry your brother, and therefore, you two were forgotten and never heard from again."

"N-No, they would've been forgotten e-even if it w-worked," Henry pointed out. "Th-the point of, um, the point of T-tyaag witches is they sacrifice their o-o-old life for a n-new one, so..."

"Right," He shrugged him off. "Well, from what I've gathered, you're quite powerful. You could probably make my brother bend to your will if you tried."

"I don't want to do that," Aniya responded, swirling her straw through her milkshake. In the thousand years that she'd been dead, the Mikaelson brothers had managed to turn on each other. Niklaus and Elijah seemed to be rather close, while Kol stuck to himself and Rebekah floated in-between. She didn't know much about Freya. From what she was told when she was younger, Freya should've been dead.

"Yes, I suppose you're rather biased in that sense," Kol rolled his eyes. Aniya frowned at his behavior, but he ignored her. "Regardless, I was promised a few notes from the New Orleans witches. Once we master a few simple spells, you'll be able to resurrect your brother and return my memories."

"You need to stop," Aniya hissed. "There are humans here."

"Relax, darling, your human's already signed his death certificate. There's no point in acting this way," Kol chuckled bitterly. "Or haven't you heard? Loving a Mikaelson is a death sentence."

"I am not a Mikaelson."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "No. I suppose not."

Aniya bit the inside of her lip and turned to Henry. "Could you stay in the kitchen for me, please?"

Kol rolled his eyes as Henry walked to the back of the diner. His eyes drifted to Aniya and she grabbed hold of his jacket, pulling him outside of the diner and behind the building. Once they were out of hearing reach, she snapped.

"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?"

"I'm sorry, I thought you wanted me to help you. I've singlehandedly found a way for you to both resurrect your older brother and restore the memories of the people you claim to love. I suppose you should be thanking me."

She clenched her jaw. "Do you want me to feel caught? Is that how I'm meant to feel?"

"You're flirting with another man while wearing your wedding ring--" Kol lifted her left hand, only to see that it was completely bare. His expression fell. Aniya looked at him blankly and slipped the ring out of her pocket, placing it in the palm of his hand. His stomach fell at the sight of the old, worn ring.

"You are not my husband. You cannot tell me how to live my life, and who I am allowed to love when it is another woman you are aching for each night." Aniya pushed his hand towards him as she looked at him, disgusted. "Do not ever speak to me that way again."

They stared at each other for a few moments, before Kol sighed. "All right. I'll fold." He paused. "I can't say much for that witch watching over your little human, though."

Aniya's eyes widened and she rushed into the diner, only to see an older woman sitting at the counter, smiling up at Henry. Her nostrils flared and she took a few steps forward. "You're a New Orleans witch?"

She spun around, her red lips forming a smirk when she locked eyes with the smaller girl. "I am. The name's Keres. You must be the Tyaag Kol mentioned."

Aniya glanced up at Henry. "How much does he know?"

"Just witches." Keres leaned to ward Henry and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I could tell him more if you'd like--"

"No!" She spoke quickly, raising a hand to stop her.

Keres stared at her with amusement, but she sat back down. Aniya rushed behind the counter and stood in front of Henry. There was something wrong about Keres. Something about the older witch that made her nearly impossible to trust, and she wasn't quite sure where she could rely on Kol's judgement.

"So, you know the basics about Tyaag magic. An eye for an eye, a life for a life?" Aniya nodded timidly, and Keres continued, "You must have been the dense twin, then."

Henry opened his mouth to defend her, but Aniya stopped him.

"I guess I have to spell it out for you," Keres sighed. "If you want to bring back the memories of seven people, you have to erase the memories of seven people."

Aniya stiffened at her her next words, and she fought the urge to slam the witch through a window.

"Oh, and you have to kill someone if you want your brother back." Keres nodded toward Henry. "He can go first."

[swanqueeneverafter]

The Once & Future Queen Pt.25

Forest of Essetir. Night. (Isolde tends to her wounded arm. Ella and Henry pass her, carrying some blankets. They see Tristan give Isolde a bouquet of flowers.) Isolde: “What’s this for?” (Tristan shrugs as if to say ‘Just because’ and walks away. Isolde catches Ella and Henry watching her and walks over to join them.) Ella: “He truly loves you.” Isolde: “I’m always amazed at his softness. When we first met he was a nobleman who washed up on the beach of my father’s kingdom.” Henry: “You were a princess?” Isolde: (Nods:) “I was angry at my father who had arranged my marriage to a cruel man in an attempt to unite their two kingdoms. I had run away from home when I found Tristan. For days I refused to give my name in fear of him finding out who I was. Eventually we confessed our love for each other and we’ve never looked back. He gave up his title and his lands and I disobeyed my father, and haven’t returned since.” Ella: “That sounds magical.” Isolde: “Every day is better than the last. There have been bad days, but all tempered by our love for each other. If our time together has taught me anything it’s this: Never give up hope. Love is stronger than anything. (Ella gives a small smile:) Believe me.” (Isolde nods to Henry, then leaves to rejoin Tristan.) (Merlin stands alone, his eyes closed, listening to the many conversations that surround him.) Maleficent: (Walking towards him:) “You all right?” Merlin: (Opens his eyes and smiles:) “Yes. Thank you.” Maleficent: “I realised something. You and I have shared similar fates. (Merlin looks at her curiously:) We’ve both been trapped for years with no hope of escape.” Merlin: “That’s true. And yet we now both roam free.” Maleficent: “Do you think there are too many of them?” Merlin: (Shakes his head:) “It’s hard to say.” Maleficent: “Soldiers are one thing. Merely men who can be fought and defeated. But Morgana… Her power is so great that we’ve got nothing to answer it with.” Merlin: “I wouldn’t be so sure.” Maleficent: “I would. I can sense her energy from here. I know you can too. After being in her presence, I’ve felt her power growing stronger ever since. Her magic is ancient and is unrivaled in its ferocity. Our only saving grace is that I do not believe even Morgana knows how formidable she is.” Merlin: (Considers her words and then has an idea:) “Thank you, Maleficent. I think I now know what must be done.”

Storybrooke. The Dragon's Lair. (Emma, Zelena and Regina share a drink at the bar.) Zelena: "'Verify my story' I mean honestly, the nerve of some people?" Emma: "Don't take it personally, all good journalists have to do research on every story they print." Zelena: "Yeah, well everything I said was true. Robin will back me up. (Takes a drink:) Mm, speaking of backing things up, a little bird told me you two were having some fun while out shopping today." Regina: "Alice. Just when you think you can trust someone. I don't see why we need journalists when everyone in this town is a gossip mongerer." Zelena: "Woah, easy. It wasn't Alice who told me. It was Madam Mim. She and I go way back." Emma: "You do?" Zelena: "Yeah, she gives me some great deals on my silks. She's no fan of Merlin either." Regina: "Is that so?" Zelena: "The world's most powerful bungler, she calls him. Mim says she has more magic in her little finger than Merlin does in his whole body." Regina: "I can see why you two get along so well." (Emma and Regina smile at each other.) Zelena: "Oh har har. Merlin might be the one fated to stop Morgana, but until he shows me he can do something on his own, I'm not impressed." Camelot. Night. (Merlin hides while soldiers patrol outside the city. He crosses over to a tunnel grate and raises a hand to it.) Merlin: “Tospringe.” (The lock bursts and the gate swings open.) Castle Corridors. (Merlin walks down the corridor.) Morgana: “You must send emissaries to Lot’s kingdom. Offer a reward for Lancelot’s capture. (Morgana turns a corner and stops in her tracks when she catches a glimpse of Merlin before he runs off:) It’s him! It’s Merlin, he’s here!” Helios: “Guards!” (Helios and the soldiers pursue Merlin while Morgana stands there terrified. The warning bell sounds as Merlin sneaks around the palace. A guard steps out of an alcove behind Merlin and he takes out the guard with a flick of his hand without even turning to look.) Morgana’s Chambers. (Merlin enchants an effigy.) Merlin: “Ontende eallne þæs drycræftes hire awæge!” (The poppet’s head bursts into flames and Merlin smiles as the spell whispers magic.) Castle Corridor. (Merlin unbuckles the belt of the soldier he knocked out.) Wrought Iron Stairway. (Helios and his men run down toward the dungeons as another hooded figure walks up the stairs. Disguised, Merlin heads out of the castle.)

Morgana’s Chambers. (Helios and Morgana enter her chambers.) Helios: “We’ve searched everywhere. He fled Morgana; he trembled at the sight of you.” Morgana: (Panicked:) “Then why was he here? Why does he choose to taunt me like this?!” Helios: “We must hold our nerve. Maybe you should get some sleep.” (Morgana nods and walks towards the bed.) Morgana: “Make sure there are guards on the door.” (Helios nods and exits. Still unsettled, Morgana lies down. She relaxes and falls asleep, Merlin’s effigy whispering magic as it hangs under the bed.) Forest of Essetir. Morning. (Lancelot gives orders to Leon and Bedivere, then sees Tristan and Isolde trying to catch his eye and approaches them.) Lancelot: “This is where we say goodbye.” Tristan: “Lancelot, for the longest time, I’ve shied away from other people’s wars, and despised the power and wealth that royalty and nobility can buy with the lives of men, but you’ve shown yourself to be different.” Isolde: “You’ve shown us that you fight for what is right and fair, and for that reason, we would like to fight at your side.” (Lancelot is speechless in surprise.) Lancelot: “I’d be honoured to have you at my side. (Isolde nods:) We’ll stand together as equals.” Storybrooke. Granny's Diner. (Sharing a booth, Emma and Regina take turns feeding Maria.) Emma: "I can’t believe how much she can eat, and she's still going!" Regina: (Chuckles:) "I know. Henry was completely the opposite at this age. I would pull my hair out trying to get him to eat something." Emma: "Maybe you should've put cinnamon on everything." Regina: (Laughs:) "Maybe. (To Maria:) But you're not a Fussy Gus, are you? No you're not." Emma: "A Fussy Gus?" Regina: "Oh, quiet."

(At that moment, the newspaper is dropped onto the table between them.) Granny: "Do you believe this?" Regina: (Annoyed:) "Your rudeness? Yes, I can." Granny: "No, this." (Granny leans over and points toward an article titled 'Is this the most adorable couple in Storybrooke?'.) Emma: "Hey, it's Robin and Alice." Regina: (Looking over her shoulder:) "Aw, well they do look adorable together." Granny: "Well sure, but the most adorable couple in Storybrooke? Ruby and Mulan put them both to shame." Regina: (While Emma continues to read:) "Don't you think you're a little biased?" Granny: "Hey, I call 'em like I see 'em." (Granny walks away as Regina shakes her head.) Emma: "What the hell?" Regina: "I know, it's ridiculous. (Emma stands, putting on her jacket:) But, it's not something to get upset about. (Smiling up at her:) Clearly we're the most adorable couple in-" Emma: "I’m not talking about that, Goober. Zelena's interview! Come on, I'll explain on the way." (Emma picks up Maria in the carrier and heads for the door. Leaving a bemused looking Regina to stare after her.) Regina: "I'll get the check then, shall I?"

Forest of Essetir. (The knights of Camelot, warriors from Dun Broch and everyone else arm themselves. Lancelot lifts his sword and swings it forward, signalling them to move out.) Camelot. (A flurry of red capes rush towards the castle walls. Sir Leon leads one group, taking out the sentries on the wall with crossbows and head inside. Sir Bedivere, Tristan, and Isolde take out another set of guards on another gate and wave in more knights. Lancelot fights a third set of soldiers and Henry and Ella make sure they’re dead after they roll down the hill.) Main Courtyard. (Sir Bedivere separates from Tristan and Isolde.) Castle Corridor. (Warning bells sound as Sir Leon leads knights through the palace. Lancelot charges through the palace tunnels while Leon’s party charges up the staircase. Lancelot takes out a guard in the corridor, then continues on.) Morgana’s Chambers. (Helios bursts into Morgana’s chambers and she rises out of bed.) Helios: “It seems we have company.” Morgana: “Merlin?” Helios: “Lancelot.” (Morgana relaxes and smiles.) Morgana: “Then we must welcome him home.” (Helios smirks.) Helios: “Shall we?” (Morgana smirks and they exit. The effigy continues to whisper magic from beneath Morgana’s bed.) Castle Corridor. (Tristan and Isolde hide behind columns. They jump out and attack some soldiers together.) Council Chamber. (Morgana and Helios wait in the council chamber while the mercenaries file out into the corridors.) Helios: “It is as we expected; he is making his way here. He should be with us soon.” Morgana: “And we’ll be waiting.” Castle Dungeons. (Sir Bedivere’s party fights their way through the dungeons. Sir Leon leads another party, Lancelot makes his way through the palace on his own.)

(Leaning against the stone walls, Merlin, Ruby and Hook await their moment to strike amongst all the fighting.) Merlin: (To Hook:) “At least it should be easier than last time, my magic is much more contemporary these days. (Hook merely gives him a confused nod. Listening as the sound of fighting fades:) Let’s go!” (Xena, Gabrielle and Elyan stand at the bars when they hear the commotion from their cell. Mulan and Sir Bedivere arrive.) Sir Elyan: “Come on, now. What’s taking you so long?” (Sir Leon tosses Bedivere the keys and he opens the cell. Bedivere and Elyan grasp arms.) Mulan: (To Xena:) “You all right?” Xena: “I’ve been better.” (Gabrielle supports Xena out of the cell while Mulan goes to the old man, who’s lying weakly on the bed.)

Storybrooke. The Dragon's Lair. (Emma and Regina enter the restaurant to find Zelena putting napkins on tables.) Emma: "How could you not tell us about this?" (Emma tosses the newspaper onto the table, while Regina places Maria’s carrier on one of the chairs in the seating area.) Zelena: (Rolling her eyes:) "Are your egos really that delicate? So Robin and Alice are a cuter couple than you, what's the big deal?" Regina: "Not that, you idiot. (Turns the newspaper over to Zelena's interview:) This!" Zelena: "I told you everything last night." Regina: "No, you didn't." Emma: "Why didn't you tell us that Mordred was looking for a way to get to Maria?" Zelena: "Oh, that." Regina: "And why the hell didn't you mention the fact that Maria has magic?!" Zelena: "What? You're kidding, right? (Looks back and forth between them:) Are you telling me you didn't know?" Emma: "And you did?" Zelena: "Well, not for certain. But you had to know it was a distinct possibility. (As Emma and Regina look to each other:) Oh, come on! Two of the most powerful witches the world has ever known have a child together and you didn't think she'd have magic?" Regina: "Of course we considered the possibility." Emma: "But we didn't think she'd develop her powers so soon." Zelena: (Scoffs:) "I saved the people who found me on the roadside from a falling tree branch mere hours after being born. The way Mordred described it, Maria's powers were responsible for charging the portal that sent you back in time." Regina: "How?" Zelena: (Shrugs:) "I don't know, I wasn't there and neither was Mordred. He only heard it from Morgana who told him what Morgause told her." Emma: "Then it could all be a lie. Something Morgana made up just to mess with us?" Regina: (Shakes her head:) "I don't think so." Zelena: "Ask your parents if you want to know what really happened. They were there." (At this revelation, Emma stares at Regina who now has a dark expression on her face.) Camelot. Corridor. (Lancelot rounds the corner with Tristan, Isolde, Henry, and Ella to find five soldiers standing guard.) Lancelot: “One each. Pick your man. On me!” (Lancelot charges the lead man, and strikes him. The mercenary stumbles towards Ella and she knocks him out with her sword.) Council Chamber. (Morgana and Helios wait by the throne, listening to the fighting outside.) Morgana: “I’m going to enjoy this.”

[oliverparkers]

[   aron piper, questioning, he/him   ] ⁠— * oh, here comes OLIVER “OLLIE” PARKER ! the twenty one year old scorpio is often referred to as the insurgent. people say they have a tendency to be reactionary and stubborn, but from what i’ve seen, they can be empathetic and loyal too. when they walk by, you’ll probably hear rock ’n’ roll high school by the ramones playing out of their headphones, but they’re also associated with the faint smell of cigarette smoke, bruised knuckles, and staying up too late listening to loud music. i hear they’re  waiter at the roller derby diner & want to become a musician when they’re older, but who knows what will become of ‘em !

Born to a musician father, and a mother who left when he was still a baby, Ollie spent the beginning of his childhood backstage at shows, or on tour with his dad. The backseat of his father’s van was anything he could imagine it to be - a stage, a cliff above boiling lava, a space ship. The tour life perhaps wasn’t what one might imagine as the ideal situation for a child growing up, but it was what Ollie knew, and where he was comfortable.

When he was seven years old, however, his grandfather stepped in, saying that what Ollie really needed was stability, and he was never going to get with a father who lived that sort of lifestyle. After that, Ollie moved into the spare bedroom in his grandfathers house, though when his dad was in town, between shows, sometimes he would go and stay at his apartment.

Ollie never got along with his grandfather - The old man was always a hard ass, and probably wasn’t the exact right person to be raising a child, after his own was already grown and out of the house. Especially a kid like Ollie, who had always been somewhat of a trouble maker. 

Throughout school, he was constantly on the brink of expulsion. Sometimes he’ll claim that he had the record for the most detentions, although there’s no proof of that (though it isn’t unbelievable).

More than one person was convinced that Ollie wouldn’t graduate at all, and the only reason he did in the end was because of summer school (and probably help with homework from some of his friends). He’s also probably been held back at least once.

He’s been working at the Roller Derby Diner as a waiter now for a couple years now, and he’s trying to save up to move out of his grandfathers house (except he usually ends up spending money on weed instead). It’s a bit of a wonder he hasn’t gotten fired yet. 

He (mostly) loves all his friends and would do anything for them, anything which usually ends up being punching anyone who messes with them.

Yo Ruthie - 

so summer school fucking blows. and I do promise, actually, I swear, on my guitar, all my tapes, and the car that I’m definitely gonna get eventually - that I will be at the lake this weekend, because pissing off my grandpa is a sacrifice I’m willing to make. for friendship. and yes, I am pretending that I’m working on English homework right now, and no, I don’t want to hear any criticism from anyone about how I’m not going to graduate. who cares if I don’t graduate anyway? I’ll just start a band and become a famous rockstar instead. I don’t even really want any of the shitty futures that adults try to tell you about, or convince you that you need to have. Especially the adults who used to be cool, or at least who think they used to be. If I ever end up working in an office, wearing a suit, and eating the same thing for lunch every single day, I’m going to need someone to kill me. Is that a responsibility you’re willing to take on?

Do you ever think about what Lucky was probably like, when he was our age? I highly doubt that he was anything short of fucking kick ass, because I don’t know, how could you be a total square and then turn out like that? Unlikely. I’ve decided that I’m gonna ask him for a job, actually, and I bet anything I’ll get it. Grandpa was just lecturing me this morning about the ‘value of hard work’ this morning and something about pulling myself up by the bootstraps and not ending up like my dad. But honest? I wouldn’t even mind ending up like my dad. He always brings me cool shit when he comes to visit, and last week he sent me a postcard. From Canada. We should all drive up to Canada, when I get my car - I’m thinking it would be cool to have a van. Also I saw one with a for sale sign the other day, so if I get the job at the diner, I bet I could save up pretty quick and buy it. Or try to convince grandpa that I NEED a car and I’m maturing and being responsible and shit. I think he’d buy that, if I got a job, right? And if I got Olivia or Delilah or someone to help with the convincing - He likes them. I mean, I’m pretty sure he likes all my friends more than he likes me, but also I think he’s probably pretty fucking biased. Whatever.

ANYWAY, LLOYD LAKE THIS WEEKEND, I PROMISE, I’LL BRING WEED. I’ve been saving it for the next time we all get together, which I hope you deeply appreciate. Because I’ve basically been bored out of my fucking mind up here.

x ollie

also here is his pinterest!!!

[altphilcmena]

𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐊 𝟎𝟎𝟑 ;; a collection of writings.

implications of trauma, death, murder, gun violence, mental illness / rehabilitation, general violence. 

𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒊 𝒔𝒂𝒘 𝒕𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒚 ;; dated october 23rd, 2013. written in a moleskin journal.

the birds chirping

a broken wind chime

daisies in the windowsill

lysander and his boyfriend

elektra and her guitar

juno, alone

the setting sun

𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒐𝒐𝒏 ;; dated september 29th, 2015. written on yellow notepad paper, lost behind the vanity.

     mother, father, lysander, juno, orion, valora, and whoever else it may concern -

this is not goodbye, and it is not forever. explicitly, i am leaving home for an undetermined amount of time. i have respectfully decided to follow elektra in her pursuits - they are of passion, and of yearning, and i have felt this way for quite some time now. this is not a life of fulfillment, at least not one for me. i wish to experience more. i want to know more. i want to feel cultured beyond the texts of ancient greek and latin. i want to feel what elektra feels, and if she goes, i will be void of it. i have to go, but it is not forever. this is not goodbye. to lysander, i send my best regards. he will say yes. juno, i’m sorry. i am forever sorry. orion, valora - i will think of you both, everyday, and the people you become. mother, father - our intelligence is not yet aligned, but one day it will be. you will be proud, as you always are. you are admirable, and so will i. water the garden, take care of the stable, stay out of the woods.

                                                       evermore,                                                                            𝒑𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒂

𝒇𝒍𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒂 ;; dated may 6th, 2019. written on a napkin, and burnt with a lighter.

i have potentially done something terrible, today. we’re leaving in the morning, and i doubt we’ll ever return. some laws are stupid. i did not hurt anyone. i will never hurt anyone. i simply gave a warning shot.

𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒍 ;; dated may 30th, 2019. written on stationery, adorned with mushrooms. sent to the carmichael residence at woodside, california.

florence broke down in connecticut today. the sign says lovell. the streets are busy, in that small town way. it’s a small town - mostly college students. we are fine, please do not send money. it is always burned. i believe i may enroll at the university here, radcliffe. there is a floral shop that always smells sweet, and the boy behind the register always smiles at me. there are rumors of ghosts and misfortune that haunt radcliffe - but do not fret, i will not open unearthed boxes. i have learnt my lesson. i’m careful, now. more careful than i had been before. i’m smarter, too. i suppose i have you to thank for that. so, thank you. i am running out of space to write. with best wishes, philo

𝒕𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒚'𝒔 𝒉𝒊𝒌𝒆 ;; dated july 12th, 2010. written on construction paper, later torn and folded to make paper stars for a fancy paper stars jar.

i don’t like the police, they ask very many questions. they came to our house and asked us about our hike today. juno’s and i’s, to be very specific. it was only the two of us. but we are very smart. they asked what we saw. i saw many birds. blackbirds and bluebirds and a cardinal, too - those are red. sparrows and wrens. finches. i saw poison oak, but because i am very smart i did not touch the poison oak. i saw wildflowers. i saw a red scarf, and it was very odd. we went down a different path than usual, but there are no scarves in the woods besides on this path. it was a very dirty scarf, but my eyes are very good and i can see color very well. juno didn’t like the scarf, though. she hated the scarf. she liked it at first, but then she hated it after she touched it. the fabric must not be very nice. i don’t blame the scarf, however, for how it was made. it is just a scarf. but she screamed and screamed and screamed and the park ranger was called. he’s very nice, the park ranger. he called mom and dad. juno couldn’t, but i don’t know why. we’re home now, and the cops are gone, but juno has been very quiet. i hope she is okay. it was just a scarf. i hope we go on another hike soon. i miss the trees. they have things to tell me.

𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒄𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 ;; dated november 5th, 2019. written in a tiny notebook with crayon.

brown sugar

almond milk

cat litter

bleach

bedazzling kit

eggs, brown

oranges

strawberries

blackberries

earl grey tea

hair ties

get well soon card

bandaids

𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒐 𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒕 ;; dated april 17th, 2018. written on the window in dry erase.

dive for scraps at junkyard

weld

fast food breakfast

hang upside down to test blood flow

fish

fast food lunch

library

class :o(

meet elektra at bridge

diner dinner

moonlit walk across town

stargaze

𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒇𝒕𝒔 ;; dated april 28th, 2020. written in a notebook, later discarded.

leopold is a good person. leopold kristoff fowler is a good person. leopold fowler is a good person. leo fowler is a good person. i can testify this, because he is kind to me because i see him everyday, and he does not have a history of unwarranted violence. i believe that what you saw on that day was a fluke, a lapse in judgement power thought (come back to this) leo fowler is of noble character. i know this for fact. it is not disputable. i would trust my life in his hands. i do trust my life in his hands. trust holds more value above all else. my life has been in his hands before, matter of fact. i believe leo fowler saved my life, in fact (repetitive), after a very terrible accident in which i fell from several heights. it was one of the scariest things i have ever experienced. he was there as it happened, and took immediate action to insure i was properly taken care of. i fear that if it hadn’t been for him, i would be under very different circumstances. (handwriting becomes illegible, as if the rest had been scribbled away)

𝒕𝒐 𝒋𝒖𝒏𝒐 ;; dated feburary 1st, 2017. written on floral stationary and sent in an envelope (lost in the mail and never delivered).

     to juno, my dearly estranged sister,

it’s been some years now since we’ve last spoke, and i hope you are well. truly well. elektra and i are fine, as we always are. we are surviving, and i hope you are too. you’re one of the bravest people i know, maybe even more so than elektra (do not tell her that i said this, please) and i know i have hurt you in more ways than can be said, or imagined. i will not excuse my selfishness, but i urge you to see from my perspective. i am not dumb, nor have i ever. i have ears and eyes and very keen senses. i knew you were being sent away, and so did elektra. come to think of it, you are the only one who was left unaware. i can’t tell you if it was selfish, or if it was in their best interest for you. i’m afraid i’m biased, and i still cannot yet see from your perspective. clearly, at least. i wish i can, someday, and i wish to hear from you soon. i’m sorry that we left as we did. i’m sorry i didn’t tell you my plans. i’m sorry for abandoning you. i know we both don’t care for empty homes, that’s why i left when i did. i thought you’d be gone, longer, too. sometimes i have very poor judgment and i’m not ashamed to admit it. i am, however, ashamed to admit that i have misjudged you. you’re far more complex than i knew of, and i can only blame the ignorance of youth. it’s only been two years, but i’m far wiser now. please believe me. i wouldn’t leave you now, if i were the age i am now than i was then. one day when the cycle repeats, i hope i remember to do better by you. congratulations on your acceptance to columbia.

                                                      evermore,                                                                          𝒑𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒂

𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒊 𝒔𝒂𝒘 𝒕𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒚 ;; dated may 12th, 2020. written in a moleskin journal.

the rising sun

pail sleeping on a pile of blankets

rosemary and basil and mint and thyme

my reflection

elektra, and her guitar

leo :o)

a murder of crows

my favorite tree

songbirds

the stars, far earlier than night

[teamhook]

CS Pupstravaganza ~ Our Love’s Melody Chapter 2

Hello all! Well, just wanna say I’m sorry it has taken me a while to update. I’m just really sorry I’m such a slow writer and I’m trying to update a couple of fics at the same time and then I had some medical issues. I hope you all forgive me. Thanks for your patience.

This is my contribution to the @cspupstravaganza​

Thanks to the pupper moderator, the lovelies over at Discord, and my Beta- @gingerchangeling​

Gotta tag a few people.

@searchingwardrobes​ @revanmeetra87​ @ultraluckycatnd​ @ilovemesomekillianjones​ @hookedonapirate​ @seriouslyhooked​ @snowbellewells​ @kmomof4​ @let-it-raines​ @shireness-says​ @profdanglaisstuff​ @xhookswenchx​ @kymbersmith-90​

Links:

AO3

FFN

Emma was in the safety of her home. She had rushed to her bedroom and locked herself in. She let herself fall on the bed. The melody was still in her head. It was so beautiful and for a moment she was lost in a feeling and with those feelings, the words just poured out. It was so dumb of her to let her guard down.

~~~

MM and her charming fiancee David shared the love seat in the living room at the soon to be bride's home. They were busy discussing the wedding when the front door opened and a blur of blonde hair passed by. The pair shared a look.

David's eyebrow raised to his hairline. He was confused, it was unlike Emma to walk by without acknowledging them. Usually, there was a comment about how annoyingly in love they are and how it makes her want to barf. "Sweetheart, go check on her."

MM smiled and gently met his lips with a kiss, “Okay, I’ll be back. Wish me luck.”

David knew that his soon to be sister-in-law was a bit prickly but once he proved himself a good egg, her words, she became his little sister.

~~~

Knock, knock… “Emma, are you okay?”

“I’m okay, MM. I’m just tired.”

“Ems, I know something happened. I’m here whenever you're ready.”

Emma listened carefully on the other side of the door.

The door creaked open, Emma stood in front of her sister with red eyes.

MM rushed her and hugged her. “What happened?”

MM sat down on the bed as Emma paced the room.

“Okay, I finally met your Killian Jones.”

MM gasped and covered her mouth to stop the squeal.

Emma looked at MM to make sure she hadn’t fainted. “I uh,” the pacing was back “he was playing his guitar and I sang for him.”

“Okay, you sang for him. How is this a bad thing?”

“He is looking for a lyricist and he liked what I was singing to his music. He wants me to help him write a song. Toss some ideas around.”

MM squealed loud, “oh my god, oh my god!!”

“MM, I’m not doing it. I’m just there for Jolly and the plants.”

“Emma, he obviously thinks you’re good. Why not? You were an amazing writer.”

“Do you know why I work with dogs?”

MM shakes her head no.

“Because they can’t let you down. Dogs will never betray you.”

“Oh. Emma, I know but I really think this could be a good thing for you.”

"Ems" MM sighs "not every man is going to hurt you. Look at David, you like him."

Emma rolls her eyes, "He is a good guy but I'm pretty sure my sis would knock him out on his ass with a rock if he did. Look I know, okay. It’s just hard for me to even think about it. Those poems were a part of me, I don't know if you understand. Those poems were there for me when I had no one, and he just took them claimed them as his. He made money off of my misery and I couldn’t do anything about it."

MM smiled, "But now you have a second chance for a new beginning. Emma you cannot lose hope, I have a feeling about this one. Please, don't decide yet besides it's just to toss some ideas around right? I know I’m a little biased, but I think you can do it."

“MM, I agree I think you’re biased too. You love the Scoundrels. I'll think about it." Emma’s phone rings.

“I meant I’m a little biased when it comes to you. Ooo look at that I think it’s for you.”

Emma sniffles, “Hello.”

“Hello, is this Miss Swan?” There’s some muffled barking and not now Jolly.

“Yeah,” Emma is straining to understand what is being said.

“I’m sorry about that, Jolly was a little antsy. I asked my brother for your number I hope you don’t mind. Lass, I was hoping you’d come to a performance. Liam agreed to it. It’s a high school reunion for the president of the band’s fan club.” Liam had insisted they perform, it’s for your number one fan he kept saying to him.

“You want me to come to a performance?” Emma asked as she turned her gaze to find her sister jumping up and down.

“It would be an honor if you accepted my invitation, Lass, if only for a laugh at my expense. I’ll text you the address.”

Emma stays quiet as the call ends and braces herself for her sister’s reaction.

“Emma, was that him? He invited you to a performance! Where? I haven’t found anything online.” MM was now opening Emma’s computer.

“Yes, MM it was him. It’s a special performance I think it’s for the president of the band’s club high school reunion. I’m surprised you’re not in that.” Emma’s phone dinged with the text.

“You have to go Emma! Please! Ooo, can you take me with you? Oh my god!! Can I come, please?” MM begged her sister.

Emma chewed on her bottom lip.

MM smiled and shouted, “David, Emma and I are going out! Emma, sweetheart you are not wearing that.” MM moved faster than a tornado as she grabbed Emma’s best pair of skinny jeans, a red sheer top, and her favorite boots. “Here you’re wearing this. I’m gonna go change, I’ll be right back.” As MM leaves the bedroom she squeals in excitement.

Emma looks at the clothes and reluctantly starts changing once she is finished, she ventures to the living room where David is still looking for the perfect venue for the wedding. “Hey, Dave. Sorry about earlier.” She sits next to him and he hugs her.

“I know, it’s okay, Buttercup. So you’re stealing my fiancee for a night?”

“Eh, I rather not go out but we both know there’s no winning against MM once she decides something.”

David groans, “Don’t remind me. She hates every band we’ve seen.” He sighs. “It would be a dream come true for her to have The Scoundrels sing at our wedding.”

“I know, she’s gonna embarrass me isn’t she?”

David smiles, “Where are you guys off to?”

“Well, it turns out Jolly, my new client, belongs to Killian Jones, who turns out is the lead singer of the Scoundrels.”

“Oh,” that explained all the squealing he heard. “Emma, we’re family a family of three. Whatever you need, I’m here for you.” David reassured her.

Yes, they had become a trio surrounded by loss. The fact that all three had lost their parents had only made the bond stronger. MM had made it known that if her parents wouldn’t have adopted Emma, the grief would have killed her.

“I know Dave, thank you.” Emma smiled as her sister appeared ready to go.

~~~

MM drove to the address and once they arrived she could barely hide her excitement. They enter the hotel lobby and follow the signs. At the sign-up desk, Emma notices Liam is talking animatedly with the lady behind the desk. The woman giggles before she turns to glare at Emma and MM as they arrive to the desk. Liam smiles and says, “They’re with us, I hope that’s okay?” The woman smiles and nods her approval. “Thank you, love.” Liam then asks Emma and MM to follow him to the made-up backstage. As soon as the band is visible, MM gasps and grabs Emma’s hand only to squeeze it tight.

MM pulled her close to whisper, “That’s Robin Locksley-rhythm guitar, Will Scarlet-drums, and you know Killian Jones vocalist and lead guitar, finally Little John on bass.”  

Emma looks at the men on stage. MM has a big smile on her face as they watch. The crowd of fangirls swooning for the men as they played song after song. The mini-concert had been a special gift to the number one fan. The women were ecstatic, and the men were making good use of the free bar.

Once the band’s set ended Killian made his way to Emma. The rest of the band were busy putting away their instruments. They still had to do a small greet session. Killian hoped he could convince her to reconsider working with him on that song.

Emma is the first to greet him, “I hope you don’t mind my sister tagged along. She is a big fan. Mary Margaret, Killian Jones.” MM is just staring at him with a glazed look on her round face. Emma nudges MM to wake her from her daze.  

MM flushes red, “Hello, nice to meet you.” A small giggle escapes her.

Killian grins, “Lovely to meet you, lass. Would you like to meet the rest of the band?” He turns to Emma to ensure it’s okay, he doesn’t want to overstep. He would love to talk about the proposition he’d made her. He was sure they would make quite the team, but he will not push.

Emma nods and turns to MM who is nodding vigorously as they follow Killian. They end up having dinner at a 24-hour diner. The band is super friendly to them, and they treat them like part of the group.

At the end of the night, Emma and MM go home with a smile on their faces. Emma will never admit to MM how much she enjoyed herself that night.

~~~

Killian keeps looking at the time, he is sure she is running late. He truly hopes she is only late, he looks at Jolly and smiles. Jolly’s tail is wagging and stops suddenly, his ears perk up. Killian and Jolly both turn to the door as soon as they hear the door unlock and open.

Emma walks in with a small smile on her face once she notices her welcoming committee.

“I was afraid you wouldn’t show,” Killian says as he pets Jolly.

She walks towards the coat closet that holds Jolly’s leash, she stays quiet as she opens the door and grabs Jolly’s items. Leash, pooper bags, and a few treats for him. She shakes the bag. Jolly’s ears perk up and his tail starts thumping rhythmically on the floor in excitement.

Killian scratches behind Jolly’s ears. “Lass, would you mind if I accompany you and Jolly on your walk?”

Emma turns to Killian, “Is this so we can talk about your proposition?” Her right brow raises.

“Aye, I thought we could talk about the possibility while we take Jolly for his daily walk. If you don’t mind my company.“

Emma reasoned, she had to take Jolly on his walk because that is her job. A little company should be no problem. She was trying her best to follow MM’s advice. “Okay, but keep up. Jolly loves to run around. Are you ready?” Emma smiles and latches the leash on Jolly.

Killian smiles, “Aye, I’m ready.”

They walk in silence to the park, Jolly stopping to sniff everything in sight then trotting on to the next thing. Once they arrive to the park Emma and Killian sit on a bench. Emma releases Jolly to go play with the other dogs.

Killian clears his throat, “I hope you and your sister had fun last night.”

“It was fun, my sister couldn’t stop talking about it. She was so excited. I’m sorry she tagged along but last night made her year. Just don’t let her fiance know that.”

“Is she really that big of a fan?”

Emma rolls her eyes, “I’m surprised she didn’t ask you guys to play her wedding.”

Killian smiles and scratches behind his ear nervously.

Emma turns to make sure Jolly is still frolicking with the other dogs. She holds her breath for a second as she turns her attention to Killian.

He smiles, “Lass, I would have preferred to share a much better performance with you. Instead of you having to listen to us play old songs.” He invades her space and whispers, “I sing covers of hit songs at a small club called Neverland. Sadly, Liam had insisted we perform at the reunion.”

Emma smiles, “It’s okay, you were good. Thank you for being so sweet to my  sister.”

“How could I not? She’s a fan and somehow convinced you to go.”

His words remind her of the whole reason for her avoidance and why he was on the walk with her right now. She takes a good look at him before she makes up her mind.

“Okay, how about this. We test it out, see if we work well together, and go from there?”

“Lass, I have a feeling we will make quite the team.”

[ilunqa]

also randomize 4x for rennie and val bc we cannot forget them

LEARN ABOUT MY MUSE

valentina — 

31. do they have good fashion sense? or do they just wear whatever?: good fashion sense?? i’m sorry, have you met valentina? she is a 1950s lounge singer, darling, she is constantly wrapped in furs and silk. her fashion is admired by many. 

28. do they have kids? do they want kids? if so, how many?: the fact that we just talked about this is very serendipity. teens does not have kids nor does she want any, and she will not allow you to shame her for that, thank you very much.

38. do they have parents / parental figures? do they have a good relationship with them?: she has parents, yes. parental figures, not so much. her mother died at childbirth, leaving her to fill that domestic role very quickly in her household. due to this, her relationship with her father became rather toxic, so she cut ties as fast as she could and never looked back. however, she found guidance in the cobalts, and later eleanor, who is as motherly as they come.

13. do they like the room cold or hot when they sleep?: hot. she hates the cold. she will sleep naked so long as her room is boiling. 

donovan (not rennie) — 

9. what do they smell like? do they use perfume or cologne?: growing up on the rougher side of the city, i don’t see don paying much attention to the way he smelled. it would have been a mix of car oils from the mechanic shop, herbs and grease from hanging out at the local diner, and just musk from roaming the inner-city streets with the cobalts. however, as he was scouted and rose to fame, hygiene would have been something stressed onto him. while i don’t see him wearing cologne, he would splurge on more luxurious soaps and shaving creams, leaving him smelling minty and mossy with a touch of leather. 

1. what’s your muse’s favorite album of all time / favorite artist?: oh, i love this question! the 50s was such an amazing era for music. of course, he is a bit biased in claiming valentina to be his favorite mostly bc she sings the songs he writes, but ray charles and dean martin are tied for a close second. also, johnny burnette is an honorable mention because you know johnny burnette and the rock 'n roll trio would be his favorite album. 

29. is there something they’d like to change about themselves physically?: i’d say physically don is rather confident, but there are a few scars here and there that he could do without. 

22. do they have a fear they want to conquer, but haven’t yet?: DANCING. he got himself into a bit of a predicament, and while he is determined, he got himself two left feet and stiff muscles. time will only tell if he prevails ;-)