#stayin-dry-from-the-rain

[abbeybricks]

Staying dry from the rain 🌧 🍄🐞

[sheena-is-a-punk-rocker]

Sometimes a family is a girl, her pet rat, a traumatized soldier, and his feral girlfriend

Got a prompt over on AO3 that was basically just Sebastian being Rick's lil buddy and it turned into Rick and Harley accidentally adopting Cleo and Sebastian.

Rick jolts awake at the sound of a soft knock on the front door. He can just make it out over the sound of the torrential downpour that’s going on outside. The knock gets louder. Harley stirs beside him but doesn’t wake.

As a precaution, he grabs her baseball bat from the corner of their room and goes to answer the door. He cracks it open, bat hidden behind the door, and is shocked at what he sees.

Ratcatcher Two is standing out in the hallway, soaked to the bone and shivering. She’s got Sebastian the rat cradled in her hands.

Before he can say anything, Harley comes up and wraps her arms around him from behind. “Who’s at the door, baby?” she asks sleepily.

“Uh… It’s Cleo and Sebastian.”

“Hmm?” It takes a second for her brain to catch up but suddenly she’s wide awake and shoving him aside. “Oh my god! Get inside, hun, you must be freezing!”

Cleo sniffs and tells them, “I had to leave my living situation—it was becoming dangerous. We didn’t know where else to go. Sebastian figured out where you lived a while ago, Colonel Flag, since you saved him from Peacemaker.”

Sebastian waves from his spot in Cleo’s hands and Rick awkwardly waves back. It’s true that they’d saved each other back in Corto Maltese but it still feels weird to be waving at a rat.

He can hear water running and then Harley’s back. “C’mon, sweetie, let’s get ya into the shower so you can warm up. Towels are on top of the toilet and I got dry clothes for ya when ya get out.”

Once Cleo silently slips into the bathroom, she turns to Rick and says, “Baby, I love you but you’re absolutely useless right now.”

“Right, sorry. Lemme get the couch set up for her.”

Harley helps him wrangle a fitted sheet over the couch and stack several blankets and a pillow on top of it. Once that’s done he goes into the kitchen to make some quick breakfast sandwiches—his specialty. He even makes a tiny one for Sebastian.

He brings them out to the living room and he sees Cleo sitting on the couch with Harley. She’s wearing an oversized t-shirt and a pair of fuzzy pajama bottoms. He can hear her saying, “I had to get out of there. We were fine until it started raining and we couldn’t find anywhere dry to sleep.”

“Well you’re stayin’ here as long as ya need to.”

He sets the sandwiches on the coffee table and Sebastian immediately starts eating his but Cleo looks wary. “C’mon, eat up. You must be starving.”

She reaches for the sandwich and takes a small bite. “Thank you, Colonel Flag.”

“Please call me Rick.”

He goes to the bathroom to clean up the wet towels and hang up Cleo’s soaked clothes, figuring that she doesn’t want an audience while she eats.

Harley’s tucking her into bed on the couch when he gets back, Sebastian fast asleep on the pillow next to her head.

She creeps back over to him, flicking the lamp off and bathing the apartment in darkness. They stand there and watch the pair for a second. She leans against his side and sighs, “Can we keep her?”

He chuckles. “Yeah, we can keep her. C’mon, let’s go to bed, Harls.”

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

Cleo awakens slowly from the best sleep she’s ever experienced. It takes her a second to recognize her surroundings but then she remembers last night. She stumbles towards the sound of voices and the smell of bacon.

“Sometimes I wish I had two of ya,” she hears Harley say.

As she walks into the kitchen she vaguely registers the couple wrapped up in each other’s arms as Harley sips from a coffee mug. “Why do you want two Colonel Flags?” she asks sleepily.

Harley promptly spits her coffee all over Colonel Flag, which immediately wakes Cleo up. Had she said something wrong? He’s now blushing furiously, which just confuses her more.

“I’ll tell ya when you’re older,” Harley manages to wheeze out once she’s done coughing.

Oh. Oh! That explains a lot.

Colonel Flag excuses himself so he can change his shirt and Harley busies herself with getting a plate down from the cupboard and loading it up with scrambled eggs and bacon. She sets it on the table and says, “Dig in!”

Colonel Flag comes back with a dry shirt on and says, “Okay, so we’re all just gonna forget the last two minutes and focus on finding Ratcatcher Two here a place to live.”

“Oh. No, that’s okay, Sebastian and I will be okay on the streets again.” It’s really all she’s ever known besides the four walls of a prison cell.

“Fuck that!” Harley says. “Sweetie, we can’t in good conscience just let ya be homeless again.”

“Why?”

“You… you literally told me you got threatened with a knife yesterday, hun.”

“Oh well we’re not gonna go back there obviously.”

She’d been squatting at the old orphanage with a group of homeless teenagers and that had been working out fine for the last month. That is, until things turned violent when one of them got too high and had a bad trip.

She doesn’t argue this time when Harley insists that she needs to be off the streets and that she thinks there’s a few units available in their building.

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

Cleo trails behind the couple as they make their way down to the leasing office. Her heart is pounding and she’s trying to keep her breakfast down. She already knows she can’t afford a place in this building—she doesn’t even have a job. She’s been resorting to petty theft to stay afloat but hasn’t tried anything big like a bank robbery again. The last thing she wants is to get thrown in jail again.

The property manager—a balding man in an ill-fitting suit—eyes the three of them as they approach. Cleo hangs back in the corner while Colonel Flag and Harley stand there imposingly.

“So, here’s the deal,” Harley begins. “Our friend Cleo here is lookin’ for a place to live. Got any openings?”

He snorts. “Sure, but I highly doubt she can afford them.”

She can feel her face heating. He’s certainly not wrong. She clutches Sebastian tighter, who squeaks at her soothingly.

“How much?”

“Fifteen hundred.”

“Nah, that ain’t gonna work. Here’s what you’re gonna do. You’re gonna rent a place to her for three hundred a month, no more than that.”

“Do you know how much money I’d lose if I did that? I’m already renting to you two assholes practically for free!”

“Ya say that like I’m supposed to give a shit. Listen, we’re the reason you don’t have more supervillains crawlin’ all over this place but if that won’t persuade you, I got a baseball bat with your name on it.”

The property manager pales and manages to stammer out, “Ah, I think I do actually have a unit. But, uh, it won’t be available ‘til next month.”

“Perfect!” Harley chirps. She turns to Cleo and throws her arm around her shoulders. “Looks like you’re stayin’ with us for a couple weeks!”

As they’re leaving the property manager’s office, Harley remarks, “Ya know, I think that License to Kill shirt I got ya for your birthday really helped our case.”

Colonel Flag sighs and says, “Harls, we really need to do laundry.”

“Not it!”

The couple continues to bicker about whose turn it is to do laundry as they make their way back to the apartment.

“I could do it,” Cleo pipes up from behind them. It’s the least she can do to thank them.

They immediately stop arguing and turn to look back at her. In unison, they say, “Abso-fucking-lutely not.”

Harley elaborates, “You’re our guest, hun. We’re not gonna make ya do chores. Especially because it’s his turn to do laundry!”

Colonel Flag pinches the bridge of his nose and says, “Harls, we’ve been over this. I gave you a break last week because you were hungover. It’s your turn!”

“Most of it is your laundry anyway!” Harley whines.

“Because you keep stealing my shirts!”

“… Okay, ya got me there.”

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

Cleo wasn’t exactly sure what to expect when she knocked on Colonel Flag’s door. She wasn’t entirely surprised to see him living with Harley Quinn, after their epic love confession in the ruins of Jotunheim. What she was surprised to see was just how domestic the couple’s life had become.

Over the next few weeks she listens to them bicker like an old married couple about some of the stupidest things but she also sees the way Harley comes up behind Colonel Flag for a hug every night while he cooks dinner, and how she’s always making sure he’s taken his meds at bedtime, and the way he carries Harley to the couch when she’s complaining of cramps and just wants to lay on the couch and eat raw cookie dough all day.

He’s even carried Cleo to the couch once when she embarrassingly fell asleep at the breakfast table—she really doesn’t function well early in the morning.

She’d woken up with her head on Harley’s lap and the TV volume on low.

“Mornin’, sweetie! Sleep well?” she’d chirped, just as Colonel Flag was carrying her abandoned breakfast plate over to the coffee table.

Having been homeless or in prison her whole life, she essentially needs a crash course in being a functioning adult in society. She’s never opened up a bank account, learned how to cook, or had a job.

The first order of business is opening up a bank account, which Harley helps her do. Ten thousand dollars magically appear in said bank account the next day and Cleo doesn’t question it. It’ll give her a nest egg to live off of until she figures out the whole job situation—if she even wants one, Harley comments. Being a criminal is a perfectly respectable career, in her opinion. Cleo needs to think on it.

While Harley is dragging her all over Gotham to various stores so she can buy things for her new apartment and clothes and other necessities, Sebastian is having the time of his life with Colonel Flag. It warms her heart to see them interact. Sebastian helps with the cooking and every Friday they watch football together.

“Baby, we’re gonna borrow the d-bag truck. Where’re the keys?”

“Stop calling it that,” Colonel Flag deadpans, without even taking his eyes off the TV. He rummages around in his pocket and tosses the keys over his shoulder, Harley catching them easily.

“Why do you call it a d-bag truck?” Cleo asks as they make their way to the building’s parking garage.

The car they stop in front of is a massive black pickup truck, and suddenly the moniker makes sense.

They come home from furniture shopping three hours later to find the boys sulking.

“Did your sportsball team win?” Harley asks.

“I don’t wanna talk about it.”

Sebastian squeaks indignantly in agreement.

It’s with a mixture of sadness and hope that she receives the keys to her new apartment on the first of the next month. This place has become home for her. She’s never felt safer or more cared for than she has in the last few weeks. She’ll miss watching movies on the couch with Harley and watching Colonel Flag and Sebastian cooking together. She’ll even miss the couple’s constant bickering about who’s responsible for doing laundry (somehow the answer always seems to be neither of them).

The sadness doesn’t last long though. She’s been moved in for two days when the couple shows up on her front doorstep, inviting her over for family dinner, as Harley puts it.

She ends up at their place every Tuesday and Saturday night for dinner going forward.

[lifenconcepts]

SONGS I LIKE

because I have banger tunes in my head always. In no order at all!

Living in a Dream - Pseudo Echo

Waiting For the Ghost Train - Madness

People are strange - The Doors

Awake - Electric Guest

Chauffeur - Duran Duran

Elegant Aliens - Blood Culture

Opium Eaters - Madness

Cheek to Cheek - Taco

Enjoy The Silence - Depeche Mode

Destination Unknown - Pseudo Echo

Forever - Angels & Agony

Sound of Silence - Simon & Garfunkel

Struck By Lightning - Toto

Listening - Pseudo Echo

Rock You like a Hurricane - Scorpions

When dawn arrives - Madness

Grey Day - Madness

Come Back Down - Trevor Something

Avtomobili - Vesyoliye Rebyata

Mime’s song - VITAS

Romantica Megapolisa - Bioconstructor

Spam - Daiitye Tank

Zero - Kofe

Moi Adress sovetskii soyuz

Stranger In Me - Pseudo Echo

Voice - Ultravox

Daydream - Narvent

Eleanor Rigby - The Beatles (both of and strings only version)

First Woe - Ofdream

Devil’s Train - The Lab Rats

How Soon Is Now

King of lullaby - Eiffel 65

Come along now - Cosmo Sheldrake

Blue Monday - New Order

Orby - Cosmo Sheldrake

Oxygen - OSVISS

Stranger in town - Toto

Sub-Culture - New Order

Svet Ogneii - KODIZC

The Son of Flynn - Daft punk - Ki Theory

19 2000 - GORILLAZ

Dare - GORILLAZ

2000 miil’ - Chernobyl

Castor - Daft Punk

Acid Rain - Lorn

Counting Sheep - SAFIA

Crow - Forest Swords

Devil - Moon Walker

Lose Yourself - Eminem

My Ordinary Life

Love and Pain - Creeper

Donaukinder - Rammstein

HEAVEN SAYS - chart

Kletka - Molchat DomA

Krisha - bishkek

Vsyo Slozhno - Egorbez

Natural - Imagine dragons

Warriors - Imagine Dragons

People Eater - sodikken

Vladimirsky Central Prison - Chernikovskaya hata

London Goodbye - Car-man

Bez konkretiki - Byespokoinik

Chabged The Way You Kiss Me - Example

Freed from desire - GALA

Timezone - Sander van Doorn

Destination Calabria - Alex Gaudino

Everybody wants to rule the world - Tears for Fears

Be My Lover - La Bouche

Livin la Vida Loca - Ricky Martin

Mr Vain - Culture Beats

Sunny - Boney M

Moves like Jagger - Maroon 5

We No Speak Americano - Yolanda Be Cool DCUP

Blind Spots - C418

Dry Hands - C418

Far - C418

Moog City - C418

Droopy likes your face - C418

Taswell - C418

Dombummel- spongebob music

stadium rave - spongebob

Waltzing flutes - same as above

Aloha oe -same

Chill out -same

Faraway - Eiffel 65

Happy Nation - Ace of Base

I’m OK - Little Big

High Hopes - Pink Floyd

The Other Side of Paradise - Glass Animals

Who is She - I monster

I ran so far away - a flock of seagulls

Alarm call - The Correspondents

Around the world - ATC

Stayin alive - Bee Gees

Don’t fear the reaper - Blue Oyster Cult

Body Company - And One

Come as you are - Nirvana

Brother - Stuck in the Sound

Get Lucky - Daft Punk

Centuries - Fall Out Boy

Dont stop me now - Queen

I DJ with the fire - Eiffel 65

My Generation - GORKY PARK

American Interior - Gruff Rhys

Hall of fame - the script

Chlorine - 21 pilots

I wanna rock - Twisted Sister

Radioactive - Imagine Dragons

bulletproof - La Roux

Lenningradskiy Blues

Animals - Martin Garrix

Meet Me in the Woods - Lord Huron

Little Dark Age - MGMT

Counting Stars - OneRepublic

People of Tomorrow - Eiffel 65

Control - House of Harm

Ally or Enemy - T.P. And the Indians

Angel of Snow - PLAZMA

Brass Goggles - Steam powered giraffes

California Dreamin- The mamas and the papas

Cigarettes out the window - TV girl

Fish in a birdcage

Glasshouse - Germinator

Lovers rock - TV girl

We re not gonna take it - Twisted sister

Stressed out - 21 pilots

Keep your eyes peeled - ULTRA SUNN

Young Foxes - ULTRA SUNN

Tonight - The Correspondents

Tardigrade - Cosmo Sheldrake

Stupid MF - Mindless self indulgence

Sugar Pills - I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME

Sadness is rebellion - Lebanon Hanover

Lonely - PLAZMA

Piece of your heart - MEDUZA, goodboys

Pink Elephants on parade

Wplf in sheep’s clothing - ft. William Beckett

White Room - Cream

Sol Seppy - Move

SNAP! - Rythm is a dancer

Bangarang - Skrillex

Shut me up - MSI

Test & Recognise - Seekae

Big Hoops - RVZZER, JANFRY

Rubber ring - The Smiths

Prescription - MSI

Pork Soda - Glass Animals

Embryo - Pink Floyd

achilles come down - gang of youth

Blue Canary

Strawberry fields forever - The Beatles

Shoplifters of the world unite - The Smiths

Show me the meaning of being lonely - Backstreet boys

West end girls - backstreet boys

Green Machine - Lightnin Harry Dee

Le silence - Hante

Heart of glass - Blondie

Cadillac - Buster Band

Crying just a little - Billy DeCole & Derriere

Errol - Australian Crawl

Dont go - Pseudo Echo

Heart of stone - David Lewis

Shadows of love - Jeff Hurd and the differents

The Miracle - Queen

Sneg - Aigel

AND THERES MORE WHERE THAT CAME FROM!

[tinyhuman826]

A Downpour in Po Town - Guzma Fluff Imagine (Part 1/?)

I'll probably make a part 2 to this at some point if you guys like it

It wasn't the good side of town. Run down buildings, graffiti everywhere, overrun by a group of troublemakers... Oh, and it's storming. You trudge along the worn sidewalk, weeds growing from the cracks in its foundation. You don't know how you got here in the first place. You were supposed to be home by now.

As the rain soaks your hair and clothes, you grow more fatigued with every step. You look around with a squint, the downpour of rain making it difficult to see even 10 feet ahead of you. Most of the houses had large holes in their roofs, so you couldn't find any decent shelter from the storm. The pouring rain continued to pelt you, leaving chills in its wake as you shudder and hug your arms over your chest. You have to keep going. After a while of looking around, you settle for a small patio, sitting down to rest your exhausted muscles, hugging your knees to your chest and closing your eyes...

"...Hellooo? You hear me?" An unfamiliar voice gradually gets louder as you start to wake up. You slowly open your eyes, groan, and look up at the figure standing over you.

"Huh..?" You mumble, glancing around. The rain stopped, and it was lighter outside. How long were you asleep? You shiver as a breeze blows over your body, your soaked clothes ice cold, and your hair sticking to your skin.

"You deaf or sum'?" The man placed his hands on his hips, raising an eyebrow.

"Sorry...who are you..?" You slowly come to your senses. He seems oddly familiar. Maybe you've seen him before.

"Name's Guzma. Big bad boss of Team Skull." Great. Now you know why he was so familiar. He offered his hand and helped you up. "So, uh, what brings ya to Po Town? Not really the best place for a midnight stroll, ya know." To be honest, you can't remember. You took a wrong turn...or two...maybe three...shit, how far are you from home?!

"I don't know, guess I got lost.." you said quietly.

"Well you're damn lucky I found ya before ya froze to death out here. What were ya thinkin' stayin' outside during a storm?" He crossed his arms, taking off his jacket and throwing it over your shoulders. It was slightly oversized on him, and it practically went down to your knees, but it was warm and much better than the wind making you feel worse.

"Wasn't a lot I could do with all these broken roofs." You glanced around again, subconsciously pulling his jacket tighter around you. Guzma grabbed your wrist, pulling you along as he walked along the road.

"If ya walked for a few more minutes, ya would've noticed the house with a decent roof." Guzma motioned toward Team Skull's base. It was still run down, but in at least a little better condition than the rest of the town. He led you inside, ignoring the confused glances from the grunts.

"Hey Plumes, ya got any spare clothes?" He called as he led you down the hallway. You heard a response from behind a door.

"Yeah, why?"

"Some dork decided to sit out in the storm." He glanced to you, nudging you ever so slightly. A girl with pink and yellow pigtails came out of the room, holding some spare clothes. "Thanks, Plumes." He called as he took you to the end of the hallway, opening the door and handing you the clothes. "Just, uh... let me know when you're done -" He shut the door, leaving you to change. You slip into the dry clothes, feeling an immediate surge of warmth throughout your skin. You wring out your hair, trying to dry it at least a little, and place your wet clothes in the corner before opening the door.

"So I'm assuming ya don't got a place to stay the night." He was right. You didn't know how to get home from here and couldn't call anyone at such an unreasonable hour. You shook your head in response. "Well, uh... you can sleep in here... or if ya'd rather share with a girl, that's cool too.. I probably won't be in here for a while though, so just holla if ya need anythin'."

"I'm okay in here... thanks for..well, letting me stay. For tonight I mean." You shivered again, sniffling.

"Ya feelin' sick?"

"Just a little cold." He didn't seem satisfied with that answer, gently putting the back of his hand to your forehead.

"Damn, you're burnin' up. You should lay down before you faint." He gently nudged you toward the bed. You lay down on the bed, and he puts the blanket over you. "Sorry, don't got any more medicine. And none of the stores are open, so just... hang in there. I'll send someone in the morning." You nod sleepily as he leaves, hearing faint rap music in the background that slowly fades as you fall into a comfortable, warm, dry sleep.

[daryl-dixon-daydreams]

Words: 5,340 Pairing: Daryl Dixon x Reader Reader pronouns: she/her Era: Hershel's Farm Warnings: Language, domestic violence, fear and anxiety A/N: Here with some Protective!Daryl for ya'll! Summary: When Daryl finds the reader outside in the rain in the middle of the night, he gives her a dry place to sleep, but the next day it causes problems with her asshole of a boyfriend.

Your name: submit What is this?

Daryl couldn’t sleep. He’d tossed and turned restlessly in his tent and finally decided to get up and do a perimeter check just for some goddamned thing to do to pass the time. A heavy rain was falling and it bothered him not being able to hear anything over the deluge.

He shouldered his crossbow and sheathed his knife, grabbing his flashlight from its place next to his cot. He slipped out of his tent and started through the maze of tents. That’s when he saw you. It looked like you were sincerely hoping he wouldn’t, like you were trying to blend into the tree trunk you were leaning against, sheltering as much as you could beneath the oak, obviously somewhat wet from the rain and shivering slightly.

Daryl’s brow drew down over his eyes and he headed straight for you. “What the hell are ya doin’ out here alone in the dark in the middle of a damn thunderstorm?”

You didn’t answer but you did raise your eyes to his, hugging your arms more tightly around yourself. He watched another shiver wrack through you. The archer frowned. “Why ain’t ya in with your guy?” he asked, jutting a thumb in the direction of the tent you shared with your boyfriend. Daryl didn’t like him at all... Frankly he thought the guy was a controlling piece of shit, and he had a hunch that he might be worse even than that.

You avoided his eyes again. “We, uhh—had a fight,” you murmured. Daryl could easily read the embarrassment and shame on your face.

“That don’t explain why you’re out here in the rain,” Daryl drawled.

You continued to avoid his eyes and didn’t answer. He could think of a couple reasons why you’d be out here instead of inside the dry tent, and neither of them were good. Either he’d kicked you out or you’d left because you were afraid of him, afraid of what would happen if you stayed. Either way, there was no way in hell Daryl was gonna let you spend the night outside in the cold autumn rain.

“Ya ain’t stayin’ out here in the rain. C’mon,” he said, nudging his head back in the direction of his own tent. He turned to lead the way and glanced back over his shoulder to see you hesitating to follow him. “If ya stay out here all night, all soakin’ wet like ya are, yer gonna catch yer death. C’mon.”

This time you followed him, still shivering.

Daryl held the tent flap open for you and you stepped inside, your arms still wrapped tightly around yourself. He followed and zipped the flap closed on the rain and night. When he turned you were standing awkwardly in the middle of the tent. Daryl set his crossbow down and clicked on the lantern next to his cot. He replaced the flashlight and pulled off his jacket. He held it out to you.

You gave him a questioning look.

“I can see ya shiverin’. Take it. Can’t have ya gettin’ pneumonia. We’ve already gone through too many of Hershel’s antibiotics.”

You accepted it from him. “Thanks,” you said.

He watched you pull it on, anxiously chewing his bottom lip as the fabric swallowed up your frame. He sat down on the floor across from you and pulled his knife out and his sharpening stone, just for something to do. He needed to busy his hands, because with you in that small space with him he was suddenly feeling nervous. “Make yourself at home,” he said, nodding toward his cot on the opposite wall.

You sat down on the edge a little gingerly and watched as he drew the blade of his knife across the stone.

He kept his eyes fixed on what he was doing but his deep voice broke through the pattering of the rain on the tent. “Ya wanna talk about it?”

You shrugged deeper into his jacket. It still held the warmth of his body and it smelled like him—musky leather, campfire smoke, and the outside air. “I don’t know,” you admitted.

The sharp noise of his blade punctuated the silence. “He kick ya out or… did ya need to get out?” This time his eyes flickered up to your face.

He watched you gulp, but you held his eyes. The warm lantern light threw the angles of your face into sharp relief. Your eyelashes cast long shadows on your cheeks.

Daryl’s light blue eyes moved back down to his hands. “S’alright. Ya ain’t gotta say.”

You bit at the inside of your cheek and couldn’t help another shiver that ran up your back. The archer looked up at you again immediately, concern furrowing his brow. He set his knife aside and climbed to his feet.

He unzipped the flap of the tent and stepped out. He met your questioning gaze with a nod. “I’ll be right back.”

This left you alone in his tent for a short time, just the hammering of the rain to keep you company. Your eyes wandered around the contents. It was a little unkempt, with clothes piled haphazardly in one corner and the edges of the canvas floor cluttered with tools and random items. There were half-finished crossbow bolts piled on a box that was serving as a side table, but something beneath them caught your eye. You gently brushed aside the wooden shafts and carefully lifted what had drawn your attention. It was delicate and brittle but you recognized it immediately as you carefully laid it out flat on your palm.

One day in the summer you had been collecting firewood for the group, eager to do something useful and needing some space for a while. You’d come upon a vine bursting with crimson flowers and as you’d stood and admired it, such a simple but beautiful thing, you’d watched hummingbirds flitting between the blossoms.

Wanting to know the name of the plant, you’d plucked a bloom and brought it back to the archer to identify. He’d taken hardly a glance at it before telling you its name. “Coral honeysuckle,” he drawled. “Ya can crush the berries and use ‘em on bee stings.”

“Coral honeysuckle,” you repeated. “There were tons of hummingbirds on it.”

He nodded. “Mhm. They like the nectar,” he said, holding the flower back out to you.

“Keep it,” you said with a smile, “as payment for your identification services.”

Daryl’s heart jumped at the smile on your face and he twirled the bloom between his fingers as he watched you retreat back toward the group.

This looked like the very same flower you had picked. He’d obviously pressed it underneath something to preserve it. The vibrant red petals were only slightly muted in color. He’d kept it all these months? You puzzled over this as you replaced it where you’d found it and arranged the crossbow bolts over it again. It was hard to ignore the warm feeling growing right between your lungs, threatening to spill outward.

A few minutes later, Daryl came into the tent again. There were raindrops on his shirt and caught in his hair. He had a small mug clutched in his hands and you could see spirals of steam rising from the surface. He extended it toward you and you accepted it, puzzled as you looked inside.

“Tea?” you asked, looking back up as Daryl settled onto the floor again.

He nudged his nose up at you in a nod. “Mhm. I dunno if it’s any good. I think it’s some ginger-lemon thing Maggie brought to help with Lori’s nausea. But it’s hot. And you’re still cold,” he said. He felt nervous under the bewildered gaze you were giving him.

This man had just gone out into a thunderstorm to heat water for you and bring you tea simply because he’d seen you shiver. Not to mention that you were wrapped in his coat and he was sheltering you from the storm when your own boyfriend had—his voice broke your train of thought.

“I told ya. Can’t have ya gettin’ sick.” Daryl picked up his knife again and went back to sharpening it.

It was silent for some time as you sipped at the tea and watched the archer work on his knives diligently. You didn’t know that he could feel your eyes on him and it was driving him crazy. His body seemed to respond to you like you were a drug and he was an addict. He did his best to keep it under control. After all, you were technically spoken for, even if the guy was a complete douchebag at best.

But finally you spoke, setting the empty mug aside and sitting farther back on his cot, pulling your boots off and folding your legs under you. “Can I ask you something?”

“Mhm,” he hummed, grabbing the next knife that needed sharpening from its sheath.

“What do you think of—of my boyfriend?” you asked. Your cheeks immediately flushed. You felt stupid even asking the question. You already knew the answer and you knew where this conversation would lead. You knew what you needed to do, but you were afraid to do it. Did you really think someone else saying what you thought out loud was going to somehow give you the courage to go through with what needed to happen?

Daryl’s hands froze and he looked up at you, his eyes narrowed and fixated on your face for a long moment. He averted them back down and resumed his work again just as suddenly as he had stopped. “Don’t matter what I think.”

“It matters to me,” you said quietly.

The silence between you was suddenly thick, like a stagnant room full of humidity, the air heavy. The raindrops on the tent seemed to surround you and insulate you from everything else, from the rest of the world. The atmosphere was almost intoxicating, disorienting.

Eventually, Daryl’s blue eyes lifted again and fell on your face. He sighed heavily. “Ya really want to know what I think?” You nodded. “I think ya deserve better.”

Your heart skipped a beat as your eyebrows lifted in surprise. You’d expected Daryl to call him an asshole. You hadn’t expected that stated so explicitly. And you really didn’t expect him to go on.

“Either he threw ya out of your own damn tent into a thunderstorm in the middle of the night, or ya had to get out because being outside in a thunderstorm in the dark was a better option than bein’ in there with him. What kinda man is that?” He scowled for a moment as he thought about how much he wanted to drag the guy out of your tent, give him a few good punches, and leave his ass in the rain. He turned back to his knives.

You were silent, consumed by your thoughts, but eventually you yawned and Daryl looked up immediately. He systematically put away his tools and then he grabbed some balled up clothes to use as a pillow. He also grabbed his poncho. His eyes lifted and met yours. “Ya take the cot. I’m good down here,” he said.

“Oh, you don’t have to—I’ll go—”

Daryl let out a scoff. “What are ya gonna do? Go sleep out under that tree?” He shook his head and settled down on the floor, leaning back onto the makeshift pillow and draping his arm over his eyes. “Wasn’t a question anyhow. Just get the lantern when you’re settled in.”

You couldn’t help smiling at him on the floor where he was stretched out under his poncho, a knife right beside him. You watched his ribs rise and fall with his breathing a few times and the butterflies in your stomach made you realize that you were most definitely in trouble… in more ways than one.

You clicked off the lantern and laid down on his cot, still wrapped in his coat. You slept peacefully until morning.

_ _ _ _ _ _

You woke early as the orange glow of the sun struck the tent walls and you shot up straight at the sound of Daryl stirring.

He nudged his nose up at you in a greeting and you gave him a small smile. His heart jumped at the sight of you in his jacket, on his cot, that sleepy smile and your tousled hair. He tried to ignore how many times he’d fantasized about this very scene, but with a slightly different context where that was right where you were always supposed to be.

“Hey,” you greeted him.

He stood and shouldered his bow. “I’m gonna go hunt. Ya ain’t gotta get up yet. Sun’s barely up.”

You bent and started pulling your boots on. “It’s alright. I’m already up.” You slipped his jacket off and laid it on his cot. “Thanks,” you murmured, tucking your hair behind your ear and trying to smooth the strands a little self-consciously. “For everything last night.”

He shrugged and chewed his bottom lip a little anxiously. “S’nothin’.” For some reason this made you smile and he thought your cheeks grew a little pink.

“You always downplay everything you do. You shouldn’t,” you said kindly, standing up. “It was way more than nothing.”

Daryl gulped and simply opened the tent flap and stepped out. You followed him and gave him another small smile as he nodded at you one more time and then headed for the woods.

You decided to do some of the morning chores since you were already up and set about gathering more and restacking the fire wood and doing some preparation for breakfast. You grabbed the water canisters and headed toward the well to fill them. You were filling the second container when you heard footsteps in the grass behind you. You turned to see your boyfriend striding straight toward you. Your stomach churned.

“Morning, Y/N,” he said, coming to lean against the side of the well. His affect was flat and you were immediately on edge.

You avoided his eyes and didn’t say anything, just continued your work.

He reached over suddenly and pressed the pump handle down hard to stop the flow of water and your eyes shot up to his face. His expression was dark.

“You know, it’s weird. I got up while it was still dark and went out to look for you. Even went up to the house, but,” he shrugged, “you were nowhere to be seen.”

You stared back at him, your heart starting to rush a little in your chest.

“And I just wondered to myself, ‘Where could my girl have gone?’” He moved toward you, drawing himself up to his full height.

You stared up at him, gulping at the nervous tightness in your throat. “Seeing as you threw me out, I figured you wouldn’t care or come looking,” you said, reaching over and lifting the well handle again to start the flow of water, a little surprised at your own boldness to talk back to him in the way you did.

He immediately slammed the handle back down. “Well, I did. And imagine my surprise this morning when I saw you coming out of Daryl’s tent.”

You gulped.

“As soon as you found an excuse you just went running straight to that dumb redneck, didn’t you? Huh? How long have you been sneaking around behind my back? Did you have a good fuck last night?” He was right in your face now and you recoiled.

“It wasn’t—It wasn’t like that. I didn’t! It was storming. All he did was get me out of the rain. He—he slept on the floor. I just slept on his cot! That’s it,” you said, urgently grabbing the water and trying to rush back toward the tents and the group, sensing sincere danger not far away.

But your progress was stopped when he grabbed your arm and spun you back around. You dropped one of the water containers which spilled its contents onto the ground. “You really think I’m gonna believe that? How stupid do you think I am?” There was rage burning in his eyes. “We have a fight and you think you can go fuck whoever the hell you want? Do I have to remind you who you belong to?!” He was yelling at you now and you tried to pry his hand from your arm. His fingers were digging in painfully.

“I’ve never cheated on you! I wouldn’t—please!”

He sneered. “Why the hell should I believe that?! Huh? You’re mine! I don’t want to see you talking to another man. Hell, if I even catch you looking at that redneck again, you’ll pay for it.”

His grip on your arm felt like it was tightening by the second. “I swear nothing happened! You’re hurting me! Let go!” you pleaded, feeling your eyes going wide with fear.

He growled at you through his teeth. “I can do whatever the hell I want. I’ll break your arm if I want to,” he said viciously, starting to twist your arm behind your back painfully. You couldn’t help crying out, but that was the wrong thing to do, and you knew it.

The next moment you felt a blow across your jaw and tasted blood in your mouth. You fell to the ground, splayed in the dust, narrowly missing cracking your head against the cobbled stone of the well. Your vision was black. You could only hear a high-pitched ringing in your ears.

The blackness dissolved slowly and you climbed desperately to your feet, but another blow landed across your cheek and you fell hard against the stone well this time, your back colliding painfully with the jagged edges of rock. You had an arm up to shield yourself as you tried to orient yourself again, waiting for your vision to clear.

You were waiting for the next blow to come, steeling yourself as best you could, but it never landed. The next thing you knew Daryl had barreled out of nowhere and he had your boyfriend on the ground beneath him, landing blow after blow into his face and body. “You piece of shit! Ya think hittin’ her makes you a fuckin’ man?! I’ll kill you if you ever lay a goddamn hand on her again!”

You watched in stunned horror. The rest of your group members were tearing across the field toward the commotion. They’d heard the yelling and your surprised scream and raced to get to you. Rick and Lori were in the lead and suddenly they were there. Lori grabbed you and helped you to your feet, her face white as a sheet as she looked at you, wrapping an arm around your shoulders and supporting you in your daze, leading you slightly back and away from the melee. When you glanced back over at Daryl you saw that he now had his crossbow aimed right at your boyfriend’s head. His chest and shoulders were heaving and every muscle in his arms were tensed. Rick was trying to talk him down.

“Daryl. Daryl, this isn’t the way. Let’s just calm down and we’ll decide together how to deal with him,” Rick was saying softly. “Just put your bow down and we’ll deal with him.”

The muscle in Daryl’s jaw twitched as he clenched his teeth. “This bastard deserves to die,” he growled.

“I know. I know… I see what he did. But we’ll talk about this and decide on it together. Alright? Let’s just calm down for a minute.”

It took everything he had, every bit of willpower not to pull that trigger and end the bastard right there. And if you hadn’t been watching, he might have done it. But he didn’t want you to be afraid of him too. Daryl lowered his bow and Rick pulled him off your boyfriend, who was cowering on the ground with blood pouring down his face from an obviously broken nose. His eyes were already swelling shut.

Rick grabbed him by the front of his shirt and hauled him to his feet. “You are comin’ with me,” Rick growled, dragging him away toward the barn.

Daryl ducked his head, his chest still heaving with exertion, and spared a glance in your direction. Your bottom lip was split and you had a hand pressed over the left side of your face, concealing the already blooming bruises from that asshole’s fist landing on your jaw and cheekbone. His heart ached, his stomach twisted, and he turned and stalked off after Rick.

You avoided the looks of pity and shock that the rest of the group was giving you and did your best to hold in your tears of pain and humiliation. You focused on Lori as best you could.

“Oh my God. Come here, honey. Let me look at you,” Lori said, moving in front of you and pulling your hand away from your face. Next, she noticed that your back was bleeding in a few places where you’d hit the stones and you winced as you tried to straighten up completely. Spots of crimson were staining your shirt. “Oh, Y/N. I’m so sorry. Come on. Let’s go clean you up. Come on.” She wrapped an arm around your shoulders again.

You felt like you were going into shock. You were disoriented. Lori led you up to the farmhouse and called out to Maggie and Hershel as you entered. They both rushed into the front room.

“Oh my God. What happened?” Maggie asked urgently, her eyes going round with horror.

Lori gave her a look and Maggie seemed to understand. There had been suspicions going around the group that perhaps your boyfriend was laying his hands on you occasionally, and they all seemed to now be confirmed.

Lori led you to sit down on a chair in the dining room. The vet-turned-doctor examined your face and determined that, luckily, no bones were out of place, but that you likely had a fractured cheekbone and a concussion, not the mention the injuries to your back and your split lip.

Lori guided you to the bathroom and started the bath tub filling with warm water. “Alright. Climb in there and I’ll be back in to help clean up your back, alright?” she said gently. She left and shut the door softly behind her.

You obediently stripped your clothes off, in a daze still, and stepped into the tub, wrapping your arms around your knees, holding them tightly to your chest. Lori knocked a moment later and you murmured a “come in.” She had a washcloth in one hand and sank down on the edge of the tub, immediately dipping it into the hot water and dabbing at the wounds on your back. The abrasions weren’t too deep, but it looked like most of your back would be badly bruised.

You were grateful she didn’t say anything. You’d seen the expression on her face and that was enough. She sighed heavily and climbed to her feet. “Come on out when you’re ready. Hershel says you can stay in the guest room tonight. We want to keep an eye on you because of that concussion, okay?”

You nodded and rested your chin on your knees. It was right then when the tears finally started pouring down your cheeks and you gasped in a shuddering breath. “Y/N. I’m so sorry this happened to you,” Lori said, rushing right back over and kneeling beside the tub, smoothing a hand over your hair.

“I don’t even recognize who I am anymore,” you said, rushing to wipe the tears that broke free from your eyes. “I think after everything fell apart, I just thought if I didn’t have something to cling onto from before that I—I don’t know—that I wouldn’t make it. But then he just… changed. And it didn’t happen all at once and I think that’s why I didn’t just—it was gradual. I almost didn’t notice it and then all of a sudden he just wasn’t himself anymore.” You hastily wiped at your tears again. “I feel so stupid and embarrassed and ashamed,” you admitted, unable to look at her.

“It’s not your fault. It’s not your fault. And you have nothin’ to feel ashamed about. And it’s all over now, alright? It’s over.”

You gasped in a shaky breath. “If Daryl hadn’t—”

“I know,” she shushed you. “I know. But he did. It’s all gonna be okay now, alright? Get cleaned up and I’ll be right outside in case you need anything.”

You gave her a grateful look and nodded. You sat in the hot water until it started to cool, your mind mostly blank. The adrenaline had worn off now and you were feeling every bit of pain. Your head felt like it was going to split open and you winced at the sight of your swollen and bruised face in the mirror. You pulled your clothes back on and ventured into the hallway. Lori was standing there with some clean clothes for you and she led you to the guest room and set them on the bed.

“Get changed into those clean clothes and then you need to rest. Hershel’s orders. He wants you in bed. We need to be careful because of that concussion.”

You thanked her again and nodded. You discarded your bloodstained shirt and dirty jeans on a chair in the corner and pulled on the new outfit before climbing under the covers. You couldn’t stop the tears from flowing out again and you squeezed your eyes shut against the pounding in your face and head.

Outside, the group was gathered to discuss what to do with your boyfriend. Daryl couldn’t stand still and was pacing angrily in front of the house. He looked up as Lori came out and the screen door slammed with a snap.

“How is she?” Rick asked, his face dark with concern.

“Alright, considering,” Lori said, slipping her hands in her back pockets. “Concussion. Bruised and swollen. Abrasions over half her back. Hershel thinks her cheekbone is fractured.” She caught Daryl’s eyes and gave him a knowing look.

“Oh my God,” Andrea said, exchanging a look with Carol, whose eyes turned down toward the grass.

Daryl swore under his breath and resumed his pacing.

“Well, what do we do?” T-dog asked. “We can’t just keep going on like everything is normal with him in camp. He’s got to go.”

“The question is how,” Dale said.

“That bastard ain’t even deserve to still be drawin’ breath,” Daryl drawled. He looked at Rick.

Rick sighed heavily. “Yeah…”

“I mean, I agree with Daryl, man. I don’t want that guy around any of us,” Shane said.

“What if we just take him out and leave him? Drive him way out and drop him off somewhere,” Rick mused.

Shane scoffed. “We might as well shoot him in the head right now. He’d never make it out there alone. That’s as good as killing him.”

Rick nodded. “I know, but it feels a little less like the blood is on our hands then... He has a chance.”

“He don’t even deserve a chance. I’m fine with his blood on our hands,” Daryl spat. “If I hadn’t been over there huntin’ he coulda killed her.”

Rick sighed again, the weight of the decision obviously weighing on him, and he rubbed a hand over his face. “Yeah… Let’s just take the day to think it over. We can decide tonight. And Y/N can have a say.”

The group nodded in agreement and dispersed. Lori went back in to check on you.

She knocked lightly on the door and you murmured for her to come in. “How are you feeling?” she asked you.

“I’m fine,” you said, lying about how much pain you were in.

She nodded. “We’re all going to figure out what to do about him,” she said. “You should think about what you want to happen. He can’t stay here, but as far as what that means—”

“Okay,” you interrupted her. You rolled over and looked at her in the doorway. “Is Daryl—?”

She smiled a little and nodded. “You want me to get him? He’s probably still pacing on the front porch.

You nodded. “If you could.”

“Of course.” Lori left and in a moment the archer appeared in the doorway.

You were in bed, your back to the door, but you turned and looked over your shoulder at the sound of his footsteps. Daryl’s stomach twisted at the swelling and red welts on your face. “Hey,” he said softly.

“Hey.” You pulled yourself up in a seated position and Daryl came around and sank down on the chair pulled up at the side of the bed. “I just wanted to say thank you,” you said, unable to meet his eyes and instead running the edge of the sheet through your fingers, staring at it like it was the most interesting thing you’d ever seen. “And I’m sorry that you got pulled into this mess…” you trailed off.

“I ain’t,” he said forcefully. “I’m glad I got to beat the shit out that guy. I just wish I’d done it sooner.”

You looked up at him and the glistening tears in your eyes made the colors in your irises stand out. His stomach flipped again at the sight of your injuries. “I feel so stupid. I never should have stayed with him.”

Daryl shook his head. “Ain’t that simple.”

You were grateful for his understanding. Daryl watched you struggling with some thought until you finally spoke it. “What if he gets out?” you asked, fear obvious in your eyes.

“He ain’t getting’ out. I tied his ass up myself,” Daryl reassured you. “But I’ll sit watch outside all night. Nothin’ is gonna happen to ya. It’s over.” The archer stood but your hand shot out and gently landed on his arm. He froze at the feeling of electricity that crackled from your fingers.

“Will you sit with me for a little while?” you asked. “Just—until I can fall asleep.”

He nudged his nose up in a nod and sank back down, feeling nervous and chewing on his bottom lip. Daryl watched as you settled back down in bed, pulling the covers up over yourself and shutting your eyes, your long eyelashes fanning out against your cheeks. The feelings welling up in him were getting more and more difficult to deny, and he knew now wasn’t the time—not yet. You needed to get through this first. But Daryl wanted to show you how you did deserve to be treated, even as he dared not hope that he’d have the chance, that you’d feel the same thing for him that he felt for you. He wanted to protect you, take care of you. He wanted to show you how strong you actually were, even as he thought of how much you reminded him of that flower you’d brought him; vibrant, sweet, soft, delicate, but always climbing toward the light. And he was determined to help you see it.

[muffindaddystyles]

Love Brings Patience.

A/N: Just an angsty "3am thoughts and listening to hozier while doing" it blurb. Enjoy!! ♡♡

It thunders outside loudly, but she didn’t flinch. The mass of blues and viridescent ivory painting the sky -- a call for rain, as when there’s blessed pour of shower after every winter sick – but it’s monsoon —- there’s none of the sympathy that these boofy clouds could slip into Y/N's pocket as she lays on her bed watching through the glass roof of the home ... they built together.

With so much, love, trust, faith and passion for eachother that anything in the world was unable to come between them – until it did.

Pinning against them and keeping them apart.

Everything will be okay, in the end. It’s not okay. It’s not the end.

It’s just beginning. Beginning to suffer alone and without him, his emotional and physical support, his cheery smile that’d race her heartbeat like chariots of Hades and his gentle need to saturate the distances between them wherever they’re, his loving gleamy eyes never skimming past her and he'd dot soft grateful kisses to her raspberry cheeks and kiss her temple as if she’s the goddess that resides in his home and it’d be a sin not to cherish her.

He loves too much. He did. He does. He loved her beyond everything that it killed him, he was sobbing that night – drenching the lilac carpeted floor with the water droplets dripping down and Y/N wasn’t sure if it was the roar of lightening against the creaky windows of their home or the feebleness of his voice that sobered her into dust.

“Been hurtin' ye'fo’ years .. by being away from you fo' months and coming back to just give y'memories and hopes for me early arrival —-.. what .. -- what kinda lover does that?” He hiccupped. His wet fringes didn’t let Y/N fetch him and dip her hand in his soul to touch it and tell him where he belongs, he always belonged to her – and your path is always destined to ones, who you belong to.

“-- ... makes ye' -m..m—makes you wait and takes the test of yer patience, like you’re not human –...” But, this isn’t what love brings? Wait and patience and sacrifice —- the yearn to have the love of your life in your embrace while you pace through the alleyway of airports.

Love brings patience.

“... darlin’ ye' deserve the same warmth of a body, same attention and love that everyone out there’s getting ..” His sniffles sharp and breathless as he pointed out the window to indicate the world and she doesn’t know how in just one night he became so silly, because her world is him — only him.

Her whisper came out broken, “And what about you?” Her caring question for him made him push the heels of his palms to his sockets and rub the stubborn fat tears away.

“It’s hurtin’ me to. Makes me not breath at nights, stayin' away from you -- ‘m never focusin’ –- ‘s just you, Always you in the pocket of me heart – the back of my mind —-- can’t escape it. My stupid stupid heart tries to see you in strangers faces ‘n —--... my arms pulls at cold sheets to get to your warmth but it never comes, whatever I do.” His chest tightened and it’s repeating the same shortness of breaths he used to get while crying to himself in those hotel rooms, the puffy lips gasping for oxygen and Y/N' was rushing towards him grabbing his jaw to inspect him but he’s slip shutting his eyes and gesturing her he’s okay.

Murmured sadly, “And lovie’ it hurts.” So, loving her hurts him? What kind of love is that? A piece of failure when it should be what they tell in fairy tales.

She failed him.

She was shuddering letting his hand slip from her sweaty palms when he stood up with a worn out sad face, head hung down with the burden of guilt and selfishness.

“I don’t wanna hurt you anymore.” She was on her knees. Lips wobbled glum. She tugged on the bottom of his trousers crying dolefully without any word.

“Not wanting to hurt me by hurtin’ me more?” She cried hugging his leg and not letting it go.

His bestowed assertion made her shudder as he stepped away and to side, “I don’t w'na hurt us anymore.” His heart cracked and promised to him that it'll never heal up how much he'd beg later.

He was crying into his wrist leaving their apartment. Closing his ears with his palms to shut down the loud reckless sobs that echoed till hallway.

That cruel summer night still haunts her every moment and it’s been two weeks, and she wishes that he'll come running towards where she’s shrinking into the bed and jump over her as he used to —-- covering the little distance from the kitchen towards the bed and always made them bounce with the glee of his soft giggles.

How merciless could he be?

Leaving her alone in their home, where every piece of furniture holds his memory; the pink vinyl that’d play their favourite French songs, the squared tiles of their kitchen walls that he wrote different recipes over, the glassed roof through which they'd moon gaze snuggled into eachother and he'd be more happy to stroke her skin and love on the softness of it rather than the twinkle of stars – because he does it when he misses her, not when she’s right in his arms kissing his cheeks to happy affection, his cat who’s homesick because her momma is there or not – it’s not a much difference.

Everything is just ghosts of his memories making the edges of her heart bleed and cracking them dry.

She misses him. She misses him terribly and no day goes by without his thought swimming and tickling her mind.

Telephone rings. It keeps on ringing and she ignores it closing her eyes and tries to surrender herself to darkness of sleep, but then it kept on cutting through the tranquillity of their home and she’s plucking the yellow receiver and speaking something – embarrassed when her voice doesn’t even reach herself.

There’s loud annoyed groaning, vigorous disturbance and a high pitched squeaks before Mitch's monotone voice startles Y/N, “Can you please take him home? He's proper waffled .. broke his —-.. Harry! Can you sit down? Christ. Look you’re looking like a clown in front of all these nurses —-- Y/N?” He sighs and Y/N turns the curly wire around her finger out of anxiousness.

Fidgety on the tips of her toes.

“Where are you? Nurses? Broke? Is Harry okay? Tell me Mitch what’s happening!!?” She’s yelling into the receiver snatching the notepad when Mitch mutters grumpily, “Harry’s in hospital.”

Her heart drops to floor at that and she stares at her feet letting it sink before blinking the tears away and asking him for locations.

The time she reaches it starts raining and she covers herself with the cardigan she sneaked from his wardrobe to feel his presence, his scent and his brush of touch to her skin.

When she’s stumbling inside the rushy lobby filled with people waiting for their turn and her blurry gaze moves in every direction to find Harry sitting on the steel benches, wearing loose tailored curdory trousers and a baby blue sweater she knitted him as a gift for his birthday.

His apple-ish cheeks rosy and his button of nose scrunching up as he sits clumsily on the bench, poking Mitch's bum every other second to laugh at some kid who has his hand struck in a pot.

His own wrist bandaged up and around his neck, his pupils glassy foam and his condition dishevelled and ruffled up. It tears her up and she breathes in a sniffle – wiping her nose and padding towards him.

When his eyes rakes up a huge dimply smile is adorning his weary features and he’s waving her with limpy fingers shyly.

He’s drunk, drunk.

He pouts cherry-ly. Brows flinching together and he position himself straighter with Mitch's help when he takes in the dampness of her cheeks, “Why’re y'cryin' lovie’?” Darn that pet name. He slurs and his words mumbish.

“You’re hurt...” She points at his wrist. He looks down as it isn’t obvious and Mitch rolls his eyes, “Not hurt.” He shakes his head and when looks back up he’s grinning.

“Was just takin' hugeee steps downstairs -- ye'know me clumsiness and it’s kinda Mitchy's fault too ... told him to grab me tightly —-... ‘cos ‘m sensitive lil petal —--...” Y/N's biting down a snort at his squeaky high pitched voice and Mitch’s cutting him with thin smile.

“Been biting my ears off about you. How was I supposed to keep my balance when he clings to me so hard as if I’m summat his lover....” Y/N's eyes widen when Mitch grabs Harry from armpits and slinks his one arm around Y/N's shoulder as if Harry’s some parcel and he didn’t like it.

“Take him, home.” He mumbles and she stutters, “Wait ... hey! How? Mitch come back you mummy head.” She calls for him but he just walks away and Y/N’s left with no option but to take Harry with her.

“Be careful.” She whispers walking down the slope at exit of hospital with Harry clinged to her, “You came here on car?” She nudges his cheek with her shoulder but he just snuggles his face into the nook of her jaw.

“Mitch took it?” She groans. Swiping the rain droplets away from her forehead and steps behind under the shelter, “No ... it’s parked right here.” He mumbles against her sweet spot making her shiver and she makes them do a lil jog to the car and Harry’s giggling squeaking nonsense in her ear.

“Harry if y’refuse to leave me .....” She warns him trying to squirm out of his embrace as he sits in the passenger seat holding her so she sighs and tries to stick to more gentle coaxing way.

Shaky fingers gliding up his cheek to cup it and stroke the blue bags under his eyes, screaming that he having restless night for week now, “Petal if you don’t leave me how ‘m supposed to drive?” He gazes her peculiarly –- caressing her knuckles, stares his own motion and gives her the most puppy eyes that melts her on the spot, “Then hold me hand?” Now, could she say no to him? Never. She hates herself for it.

“’kay you could hold my –-- lemme —--... just --.. good boy.” She takes her hand out of his grip and pats his thigh before rushing to driver’s side.

She knows that how much he needs reassurances when he’s drunk and how much his love language of touching her peaks to sky.

She fulfils her promise and let him hold her hand, enjoying the little happiness because she knows it’s temporary and in the morning she'd be met by empty bed and hollow arms.

“I missed home.” He smiles wetly. Eyes closed as he stays on hugging her walking inside and whines when she squats down to untie his laces.

When she make him sit on the sofa and tries to leave for the kitchen, he’s lurching forward to grab her wrist and plead into her arm with moisture in his eyes, “No.No.No lovie' don’t go. Don’t go, pleaseeeee.......” She pets his sweaty curls kissing his forehead and murmurs against his hair while he loops his elbows lazily around her waist.

“Not going anywhere bub. Bringing you water.”

“No water. Just you. I missed you. Missed you so much. Missed you too much.” He’s rambling knuckling at his eyes and her belly fills with butterflies that flap till her heart and makes her feel woozy.

Though, she overcomes the bitter sweet feeling and brings him water how much he whined.

He has his hand planted softly at her thigh and gasps loudly and dramatically finishing the last droplet, and puckers his lips making funny noises against the rim of glass and she takes it away from him giggling, “’kay it's enough.”

He shuts his eyes for a moment and when opens them back it’s sea of pinks and the tears are shining at his waterline and he croaks out hoarsely, “Y/N ....?” Sobered up. He's feeling awful and in constant need to take her in his arms.

“Hmm?” She hums giving him a nervous smile and he straightens up taking both of her hands in his's, “I don’t want to be away from you anymore, darlin'. It’s worse than being temporarily away from ye'. Terrible. Terrible. I feel sick all the time as if there’s a dagger twisting into my heart ‘cos I know ‘m never fallin' in love with anyone except you ... but I don’t think you deserve me —.. I -- I —... I just think you —--- it’s killing me baby. Take me back please, baby take me back." He sniffs the tears and she’s crying with him; calling out his name and when he doesn’t listen she’s cradling his face delicately in her palms and making him look at her.

“Harry, my sweetheart. I love you. Isn’t that enough to assure you that I deserve you and only you – no one else.” He's blinking furiously and she bobs her head not flickering her loving gaze away from him.

“I love you too, will you take me back now? After what I did?” His insecurity and doubts about himself floating back.

“You left for best. Realised that we couldn’t live without eachother, didn’t you?” She pecks the corner of his lips and he leans in for a chaste kiss, their teeth clanking from smiling wide and happy and he giggles when she pushes herself off from him.

They crawl to their bed together and she flumps on his chest and he moans squeakily, “Ow.”

“Oh my, Har ....” She gasps. Shakes her head and flicks him on forehead when he grins bashfully.

“G'na take care of me?” His chin doubles over adorably as he tries to see her and brush her hair away.

“Gonna take care of you, petal” She patches a soft kiss to his chest and erupts into loud giggles when he teases her nonchalantly, “G'na help me wipe my arse.”

“Harry! Your other hand’s perfectly capable of wiping yourself clean!” He brings her closer with his uninjured hand and kisses her tenderly -- to show her all the love they missed on these few weeks.

“I love being home.” He murmurs into the kiss. Playing with her tresses round his nimble and traces kisses all over her face.

“Promise me you’re never doing silly again.” She pouts and he plucks at it – smooching a kiss to it later.

“Promise.” He tries to hook his bandaged pinky to her's and she laughs into his neck – shakes her head and kisses his cheek hugging him tightly.

[treasureswordsgirl55]

New Last Name

Character: Poe Dameron

Pairing: Poe Dameron x RebelFem!Reader (OC)

Inspired by: Bubbly - Colbie Caillat

Warnings: Fluff. All fluff. Mention of First Order. Post!The Rise of Skywalker.  

Author’s Note: Hellooo!! First of all, thanks you for all the likes and reblogs in my previous fics!! That means so so much for me, so thanks you. 

This is one of my favourites boys of movies o tv series. But, If I have to admit, I have a weakness for Poe. It’s my Flyboy. 

I posted this fic a few months ago in my other account, so I hope this fics likes you like the othes fics and if you want, the requests are open!!!

Thanks you again!!! XOXO  

                                               -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The rain is fallin' on my window pane but we are hidin' in a safer place, under covers stayin' dry and warm, you give me feelings that I adore...

- Where are you taking me? - I did not receive an answer but the only thing that gave me security was to feel the warmth of his hand taking mine, pulling slightly to accommodate me to his steps. For days he was acting strange, as if something was hiding and for Rey not to say anything about it, she made me suspect even more that something was happening to him - Poe?

He barely turned around, not stopping to smile at me. What was wrong with this man?

I continue to guide myself through the various ships until I reach his new x-wing. He barely slows down, disappears behind him, and appears with a travel bag, in addition to my backpack. When...?

He ushered them into the ship in complete silence, climbed onto it, and waved for me to come closer. That feeling of mistrust invaded me, alerting me that what he was going to say to me I would not like in the least.

- Is this your way of telling me that you should go?

- Come Here - I moved slightly backwards and if it weren't for the good reflections of him I would have ended up on the ground, or hanging from the poor ladder

- It's a joke, right?

- No love. I'm serious. Go, up - I looked around me at the same time that my mind tried to assimilate that. Did I want him to get me up there knowing how terrified he was of heights? - Do you trust in me, right?

I nodded somewhat doubtfully. Those strange behaviors and these sudden and pointless requests were making me doubt my partner's good judgment. He extends his hand and I do not hesitate to take it, so he pulls me into that small cabin that is not designed to transport two people. Or so Rey had explained to me.

- Where...? - I felt a slight pressure on the back of my knee and as soon as I entered, I fell into Poe's lap who let out a groan of pain. I laughed and felt him settle under me. Color crept up my face as I imagined part of the team watching that scene. Poe's friends were so ill-thought-out that I didn't even want to imagine what they were playing with - I'm sorry.

- Nothing. Just forget how much you weighed - I turned to hit him and he was watching me with a smile. I tried to calm down and not think about whatever we were about to do, but my body was playing tricks on me. The world felt so different from this point of view that it made me panic. The glass closed before I could think of getting out of there, and I automatically pressed my hands against the glass, trying to push it away. I felt the pressure of Poe's arm on my stomach as he pressed the various buttons on the board, resting his head on my shoulder. The small screen in front of us was activated and that green squared image appeared indicating a point - Ready?

- What are you talking about? I don't think this is legal.

Another laugh filled the small space and I frowned. He didn't find the least bit funny about that.

- Listen to me, when I tell you to pull that lever. Do you understand me?

- Poe don't tell me ...

- Keep your eyes on me - I roll my eyes since what helps me the least is thinking about him and much less in the position we were in - I'm with you, nothing will happen.

- Where will we go?

- You’ll see.

                                                -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The rain hits the window of the house with a drumming that becomes a barely audible whisper and the closest thing to a lullaby. I take the cup of hot tea between my hands and taking a sip, I watch him sleep.

Little remains of the image of the Resistance general, because before me I have the man I learned to love with all his defects, his bad humor and that affection that is difficult to hide. It is always the other way around, I am usually "sleeping" and who is awake is him, but for the first time I notice him resting.

My heart doesn’tt stop beating desperately against my chest, asking me to take advantage of the moment and observe it as I please, when all I see is a man who drops his barriers and allows himself to feel.

I put the cup on the small counter and I approach Poe as delicately as possible, who does not notice my movements in the least, I drop the blanket that surrounds me and I sit on my knees, getting close enough to see how his lips are between open and a sigh comes out of his mouth.

That first time I saw him, I remember feeling a pressure in the pit of my stomach, I felt nervous, my hands were sweating and I felt that I was losing the little control I had managed to have in a long time. And being meters from me. I thought he was too impulsive and unkind to others, who barely thought about who was around him and only sought revenge on something he still did not understand. Although something inside me was pulling me towards him.

I reach out as I caress his jet-black curls as if it were something delicate, letting myself be carried away by the memories of my fingers intertwined in his hair, holding him as close to me in that small cubicle in the Falcon, where I had managed to corner him and kiss him at my whim.

Poe had brought to the surface a part of me that I didn't know existed. Or at least I did not dare to show.

I never thought that he would do certain things for a man but he did unthinkable things in me. And he continues to provoke them, only having him by my side changes things. I smile as he let my hand, which seems to have a life of its own, go down to his lips. I barely support my fingertips and the softness makes me want to feel them on me again. I bite my lower lip as that feeling of having it all to myself takes over my thoughts and grows so strong that I refuse to think about having to leave.

I know if an emergency arises, Finn should call him on the emergency communicator he brings with him, but he wishes he had forgotten. The downsides of being the girlfriend of the Resistance General. Right?

I still have in my head the sound of his voice singing to me before sleeping, surrounded by his arms, by my constant fear of storms. I feel like a girl next to her, one of those who seem to be experiencing "first love" as something impossible to believe. As if it were all of her. 

I follow my tour of her neck, and I focus on the buttons detached from her white shirt, taking the time to play with them for a second and turning quickly to the window when I hear thunder sound in the distance.

I get a little closer to his side and I begin to feel that heat coming off his body, the one that keeps me safe and which has become my favorite place.

My journey ends on his chest, at the level of his heart. Even though he's asleep, he beats so hard that I can feel it without even getting close.

Something I had learned about Poe in all the time we had been together was that above all else, he was still a man who was carried away by emotions.

Losing Leia had broken him down, She had become her foster mother and not being there for her still kept him awake at night. Like the memory of his friends in Exegol.

That prince, as I usually call him in my thoughts, with dark curls is so full of ghosts that he can barely see the light at the end of the road.

I wanted to be his light at the end of the road.

Another thunder cuts my thoughts and I turn away as soon as the light goes out. I curse to myself as I get up quickly without making the least noise possible and run to the small kitchen in search of a flashlight, but all I can find are candles. I turn them on and look out the window at the x-wing, which is barely visible between the curtains of water, where the little emergency light had been inside the bag with my things. What if he tried to get there? It was only a few feet and Poe wouldn't even notice.

I became sure to get hold of that flashlight before it got even darker and when I reach the threshold of the living room I find the most adorable image in the world. Poe is rubbing his eyes as he tries to find the switch on his back, which doesn't work after he touches it.

- Hey - I greeted him with my free hand as he left the candle on the table next to the door-I didn't want to wake you up.

- Is that why you thought to run away from me? - How the hell .... I smiled at him and walked over to the edge of the couch, where he was leaning as if trying so hard to stay awake. He takes my hands in his and brings me closer to rest his head gently against my stomach. That little gesture of affection makes my stomach fill with those fluttering butterflies. I let go of his grip and run my hands through his hair, receiving a pleasant sigh in response. - Where were you going?

- I was thinking of going out to get the flashlight.

- With the downpour outside? - He moved away enough to look up and observe me, as well as to leave a kiss on my stomach. And there appeared another type of wingbeats that I preferred not to deepen. Just as he was, just awake, disheveled and with a deeper tone in his voice, made my heart stop beating for a few seconds. How in love I was with this man - Are you scared?

- No - I admitted as he bent down to take his face in my hands and place a soft kiss on his lips, - You're here.

I barely noticed and went to sit on his lap, without even parting us. I got carried away, I took advantage of him in the most innocent ways possible and took him to the most unimaginable extreme. I just wanted to put my hands around the neck of his shirt to take it off, he broke the kiss, letting out a laugh.

- At what point have you become so determined and daring?

- I learned from the best - I snuggled against his chest as we fell silent. The rain kept falling as if the flood were present and wanted to cut us off from everything. We never had a problem with silence, as long as we were in each other's company.

- Eileen? - I just look up and see that he’s frowning, as if there is something bothering him. We had completely forgotten about the Resistance, and we were just a couple who needed time alone. - I've had a question for days.

- About what?

- About us - The alarm went off in my head and fear began to invade me of what he was going to say. It wasn't normal for him to be insecure, only that side of him came out when he was under pressure - About you, actually.

- I did something?

He gave me one of his smiles, the kind that make your legs shake and feel like jelly, and then he bit his lower lip.

- You know, Finn had the idea to keep a record of the current resistance members ... - He knew where the subject was going. My last name was tied to the Empire. Being the daughter of two Imperial generals was something she would always carry.

- I know, my last name will not look very good there.

- I did not mean that. I know you told me you gave up your last name once you found out who they were - His voice began to sound lower, to the point of sounding a whisper - And it doesn't seem right to me that you are in the registry without a last name.

- It's not that important either - I made him fit until I was sitting in front of him and caressed his face - You don't have to worry about that. Yes?

- He doesn't - He let go of my hand and put his under the blanket that covered us from the cold, his eyes had a special shine that was highlighted by the candlelight, which made him look more attractive than he already was - but I would like you to agree to use my last name.

I stiffened as soon as I heard the last word, it had never crossed my mind to ask him for something like that. I was flattered, but a spark ignited within me: Was he ...?

- I do not know what I did to deserve you, but you are an incredible man - The sound of lightning striking somewhere in the forest surrounding the house made me jump and turn, but when I turned to pay attention to Poe, I found him with one knee nailed to the ground and holding a small blue velvet box in his hands. My breath caught in my throat and I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. The nerves played a trick on me and coughing, making the echo be heard throughout the house - Poe ...

- I rectify myself, I want you to carry my last name - He opened the box and inside was his mother's ring, which I had not noticed in my short inspection that she was not wearing it while she was sleeping - And not because of the excuse Finn invented to help me with this, but because I want to make this legal so that everyone knows that we are each other - He paused as my vision began to be blurred by tears - And most importantly, I want to make you happy. I want to see our little ones running around wherever we settle and that I can always, always take care of you. Would you let me have the pleasure of being your partner for the rest of my time in this life?

- And you ask me ?! Of course! Of course! - His lips press mine while a flash of lightning illuminates us and a strange sensation invades me at the same time that he places the ring on my left hand as best he can. If there was something that I had never dared to talk about, it was about children, much less after I imagined it in my head, but knowing that he was in the same line that I was, filled my soul with tranquility and a happiness that I could not contain. I put my arms around his neck and leaned against him, causing him to lose his balance and we both ended up on the ground. He laughed as I watched him from my position, and I felt like the happiest woman in the world.

- Eileen Dameron. I like the way it sounds - I murmured as he leaned into his arms and his gaze rested on my lips.

- Me too.

One sound distracted us inches from each other and Poe let out a frustrated sigh; We both turned to his bag and the communicator screen glowed through all the darkness. We exchanged a look and we both knew the answer: our mini "vacation" was over.

- Commander Dameron -  He took my hand as I answered and I started to fiddle with the hem of his shirt - Finn?

“Tell me what worked, otherwise Rey will kill me when he knows that I let you go for something that was in vain”

I giggled and walked over to the communicator, as I snatched it from Poe with a mischievous grin.

- Why do you talk to my future husband like that, General? - Silence on the other end of the line. Poe smirked as he moved to get out from under me and walk into the dining room - I think he cut off.

Poe took the communicator from my hand, exchanging it for a little kiss.

- As you have heard, she accepted - Silence again and I heard in the distance the laughter of my future husband. That it felt good to say or think that. I concentrated on the rain and the affection that would take that place from now on. It would be our place from now on.

- Time to go, Miss Dameron.

[atlafan]

My Everything - Part Two

A Take it Slow Sequel

What happens with Harry and Y/N after he proposes? How will the two navigate the engaged life while also continuing to juggle their jobs, friends, and families? Let’s find out.

Warnings: Fluff and Smut.

a/n: not proofread fam, I didn’t have the strength. 

Masterpost

It took Harry nearly an hour to get you to calm down after you said goodbye to your grandmother at the airport. You cried the entire car ride home, and you cried for a while at home. He chalked some of it up to your hormones, but he also knew it was just hard for you to say goodbye to her.

“It really was a nice visit. I’m glad she got to stay with us.” You say to him as you lay on top of him on the sofa.

“Me too, she’s a hoot.” He rubs your back up and down. He was happy you weren’t crying anymore. “She’ll be back soon enough. She wants to go dress shoppin’ with yeh remember?”

“I know, but I don’t want her spending the money coming up for every little thing. Like if she comes up for that, she probably won’t come for the bridal shower…” You sigh.

“You both will just have to decide what’s most important.”

“I’ll definitely need her for the dress shopping. It’ll be bad enough with my mom and sisters judging every little thing I might like. Rachel’s the best at picking things out. I’d rather just go with the girls and Nannie.”

“So you should do that. Listen, this is supposed to be fun for us. Don’t worry about other people, do things the way you want to do them.”

“I suppose with Erica doing it all before me, there are things my mom can get out of her system. We’re going dress shopping with her next month. I feel like I’m about to get really busy. El said she wants her bridal party to pick out their dresses soon. And I have class…”

“Take a deep breath. You’ll get overwhelmed if you think about too much at once.”

“You’re right, sorry.”

“S’okay, I know it can be easy to get stressed out. At least we have the whole day off together today. What do you feel like doin’?”

“I’d like to have sex, but my period is really bad…”

“We could-“

“Harry, I don’t think a shower could even help right now.” You groan. “I could suck you off.”

“It’s only fun if I get to reciprocate.”

“Not true.” You scooch down his body. “Now I kinda really want it anyways.”

“Oh you do?”

“Mhm.”

You get between his legs and unzip his shorts. You kiss on his lower stomach as you palm him through his boxers. He runs a hand through your hair, as you continue. You tug everything down just enough to get his hard dick out. You spit into your right hand to stroke him for a bit, running your thumb across his tip. Harry’s breath hitches and his head rolls back. You continue to pump him while your lips wrap around his tip.

“Ugh, fuck me.” He groans, and you can’t help but smirk when you look up at him. “Wipe that look off your face, now.”

Your mouth falls open and he pushes your head down further on him. You take the hint and swirl your tongue around him. His hips thrust up and you feel him hit the back of your throat. You choke on him for a moment and you feel tears prick at your eyes. But you work through it, and swallow.

“Shit, ngh.”

You loved hearing home moan like this, it only made you want to work harder for him. You bob your head up and down, really making a mess of it. You look back up at him, trying to give him innocent eyes as you spit trailed down your chin.

“Y/N.” He breathes as he looks at you.

You pop off him just for a moment to pump him. Your other hand rests on his hip and you give it a squeeze. Your mouth goes back down on him, and you both groan.

“That’s it, baby, that’s so good, fuck.”

You cradle his balls as you suck on him, and he comes into your mouth. You continue to suck until you’ve gotten every last drop into your mouth. You sit up and wipe the corners of your mouth and tuck him back into his pants. He watches as you get up to go to the kitchen. He knew you were going to rinse your mouth out like you always did. You come back to him, and lay in your spot on top of him like you were.

“You’re so fuckin’ good at that, thank you.” He kisses your forehead and you practically purr in his arms. There was nothing like a forehead kiss.

“My pleasure, babe.”

“Wanna go out to dinner tonight? You and I haven’t been able to celebrate just the two of us yet.”

“Yeah, I’d like that a lot actually. Can we get Italian?”

“We can get whatever you want, my angel.” You nuzzle further into his chest and enjoy the smell of his cologne.

//

After falling asleep on top of him, you wake up to the feeling of being carried to your bedroom.

“Harry?” You mumble.

“Sorry, I needed a wee, and so I thought I’d just set you down in here.”

“That’s okay.” You yawn as he puts you down on the bed. “Probably shouldn’t sleep the day away.”

He uses the toilet and comes back to sit next to you.

“But being lazy once in a while is nice, isn’t it? I feel like we had this crazy busy summer, it’s nice to just relax.”

“How do you see things at the studio now that all the kids are back in school?”

“Everyone and their brother wants a fall photoshoot. The leaves are going to peak soon, so everyone wants these like harvest style pictures. Plus, we’re already starting on holiday photos. Mariah suggested doing Santa Sessions, so we’re gonna get those booked out soon.”

“Are you going to have Santa there?”

“No, it’s more like decorations, the backdrop would look like his workshop, stuff like that. I don’t know, it’s her project.” He shrugs. “Either way, we’re stayin’ busy, and that’s the most important thing.” You nod.

“I think I’m gonna take a shower before we go out later. I need to wake up.”

“How come you’re so tired, baby?” He rubs your back.

“Think it’s just my period, makes me exhausted sometimes.”

“I’m gonna take Buster out for a walk then.”

“Alright.”

You get into the shower and stand there for a few minutes. You shave your legs and anywhere else you feel like you need to, and get out. You blow dry your hair and throw some curls in. You walk out into the living room in your towel, with your underwear on of course. Harry wasn’t back yet, and it was raining outside.

You grab your phone and call him. He doesn’t answer.

“What the…”

You race back to the bedroom and throw some sweats on. You slip on your sneakers and grab an umbrella and out the door you go. You’re not sure where to go at first, but you walk the usual route you and Harry always take Buster. It was absolutely pouring. You were starting to get nervous. You squint as you see a figure walking towards you.

“Harry!” You gasp and run down the street to cover him with the umbrella, not that it mattered now. His eyes were puffy and red and his head was hanging. “Wh…where’s Buster?”

“I don’t know.” You both turn to walk towards the parking garage. “He heard some thunder and slipped away from me. I ran after him and called for him, but…he just got away from me.”

“Oh no! Well, we have to find him!”

“I know!”

“Don’t yell at me!”

“I’m not!”

You both get into his car, and start driving around.

“Jesus, it’s gonna get dark soon. My poor baby.” You start tearing up.

“He never runs away. The one time I have a slightly loose grip on the leash-“

“You can’t blame yourself, it was an accident. We just need to find him before it gets dark. I’m going to text Niall to see if he’ll wait outside our building. Maybe he’ll come back.”

“Good idea.”

“Harry, drive towards the park near the studio, it’s not that far from here and he’s used to going there.”

“Okay.”

Your entire body was shaking. You didn’t know what you would do if your little boy was lost forever.

“Y/N! There by that tree! Think that’s him?!”

“It could be! Let me get out.”

You basically jump out of the moving car and run towards the large tree in the park.

“Buster!”

He looks up at you, but doesn’t come towards you. He’s whimpering where he sits, frightened by the cold and the thunder.

“Baby, it’s me! It’s mumma! Don’t be scared.” You slowly approach him and stick your hand out. Harry runs toward you both after parking the car. “See, it’s daddy too! Nothing to be scared of.”

“I think his leg is hurt…”

“Oh my god, I think you’re right!”

Harry approaches him and picks him. He’s soaked, but right now it didn’t matter.

“Babe, sit in the back with him, I have a blanket in the trunk we can wrap around him.”

“Okay.”

Harry gets him in the car while you grab the blanket. You wrap it around him and try to comfort him.

“I’m gonna drive to the vet.” You hum your response as you continue to try to calm Buster down.

“Do you think a car hit him?”

“I have no idea…maybe he slipped? Can a dog roll its ankle?”

“I guess we’ll find out.”

Harry gets you all to the vet, and carries Buster inside. You check him in and they’re able to take him right away due to the emergency. You’re told to wait in the waiting room. Harry keeps pacing back and forth, his nerves were shot.

“Mr. and Mrs. Styles?” A nurse comes out. You think to correct her, but now isn’t the time.

“Yes?” You say standing up. Harry also notices you don’t correct her, and for a second he feels a little better.

“Come on back with me.” She smiles.

You take Harry’s hand and follow her to where Buster was. You hear him yip, it was like he was good as new.

“We had to put a brace on his back left leg. He has a slight sprain. We’re not entirely sure how. It didn’t look like he was hit by anything, he could have slipped and fell the wrong way. We gave him a shot to numb the pain as well.”

“Oh, thank you.” You throw your arms around him and he licks your cheek. “Mumma was so scared.” You kiss him a ton. Harry pats his back and gives him kisses too. “Don’t you ever run away from your daddy again, do you under stand me?”

“Miss…he’s a dog…not a small child.” She says with a blank expression. You turn to look at her slowly. Before you can say anything, Harry does.

“Listen, I’m sure you have to deal with stupid people all day, but this dog is our child at the moment, so if my fiancé wants to give him a stern talkin’ to for running away from me, then she will, and you can just keep your mouth shut, yeah?”

“Right.” She coughs nervously. “So, here’s his prescription, and some details on how to help his leg. You can check out up front, we’ll want to see him for a follow up.”

Harry takes the papers from her, and sets him down on the floor. He has a slight limp, but he’s able to walk. You practically white knuckle his leash as you lead him back to the lobby. They give you the medicine Buster will need, and out the door you go. You sit in the back with him again.

“Thanks for the backup in there.”

“Don’t mention it, I wouldn’t let some stranger disrespect you like that. I don’t care how silly she thought it was. He was bad runnin’ from me, even if he was scared, and he should know it.”

“We should stay in with him tonight, we have plenty of leftovers we can have for dinner.”

“I was thinkin’ the same thing. We need to get his leg on a pillow.”

You had texted Niall earlier to let him know Buster was found and safe. Harry gets Buster up to the apartment. You drag his dog bed over near the sofa and put some extra pillows in there.

“I need to go change, my clothes are still soaked.”

You nod at him as he walks down the hall. If the situation wasn’t so serious you might have joked about how sexy he looked, but maybe you were save that for some pillow talk later. He comes back out a few minutes later and looks at you.

“Do you even feel like eating?” He asks.

“No, I’m sick to my stomach.”

“Me too.”

You both sit on the sofa and sigh.

“I’m very upset with him.” You say. “But I’m glad we found him before it got dark out.”

“I just feel so stupid for letiin’ him get away in the first place.”

“Harry, it’s not your fault. Accidents happen. He knows not to run away, we trained him right.”

“It was like everything happened in slow motion too. As soon as I heard the thunder we looked at each other and I knew he was gonna do somethin’.” Buster looks up at Harry. “Yeah, I’m talkin’ about you, bub.” Harry leans down and pats his head.

“I’m gonna go make us a little food.”

“Thought you were sick to your stomach.” He smirks.

“I’ve calmed down a bit. He’s here with us now, that’s all that matters.”

“Alright, well in that case, I’d love some kugel please.”

“You got it.” You stand up and kiss his forehead.

You go into the kitchen and make up a couple of plates. Harry thanks you when you come back out.

“Do you feel like watching a movie?” You ask him.

“Sure! What did you have in mind?”

“You should pick, we always watch what I wanna watch.”

Harry smiles and flips through the different options of movies on the various platforms you both paid for.

“Oh! How about When Harry Met Sally?”

“Yeah! You know I’ve never seen it, but I’ve always wanted to.” Harry’s jaw drops. “What?”

“The Film Studies minor slash Film Club president has never seen When Harry Met Sally?”

“Romantic Comedies isn’t exactly a genre you study extensively, although, I know this film set a precedent.”

“I wish more were like it, to be honest. So do you feel like watchin’ it?”

“Definitely, now’s a good a time as any.”

“This is one of my all-time favorites, Y/N, I hope you like it.”

“I’m sure I will. I love Billy Crystal.”

He starts the movie as you both continue to eat. When you’re both done he sets the plates on the side table, and puts his arm around your shoulders, pulling you in close to him. Both of you put your feet up on the ottoman.

“It’s like we’re on a little date, isn’t it?” He asks you.

“Mhm.” You smile and snuggle in closer.

“Now that my weekends are freeing up, I wanna make more time for dates. I wanna take you to the movies, and go out for drinks.”

“So you essentially want to establish a date night?”

“That sounds so…boring when you say it like that, but yeah. We both always have so much going on, I just want to make sure we make time for this.”

“Me too, Harry. We can definitely have a date night.” You squint at the TV. “Wait, so what’s happening, why are they driving together?”

“So, they both just graduated from college, and he’s dating Sally’s friend. They both needed to go to New York, so she told Harry to drive with Sally.”

“Ah, okay. And that’s how they met.”

“They meet multiple times, they keep findin’ each other over the years.”

“Aww, that’s so cute!”

You both enjoy the rest of the movie. You tear up a bit when they fight and then hug it out. You can’t help but laugh a little towards the end when Sally tells Harry how much she hates him, and then they kiss. It reminded you a little of 10 Things I Hate About You.

“What did you think?” Harry asks yawning as the credits roll.

“I really liked it! I can see where a lot of other films took things from. It had a really good pace too, like I never felt bored.”

“I’m so glad to hear you say that.” He says with relief. “I feel like I kept watchin’ you to see your reactions.”

“I know you were.” You both laugh. “Do you think we should let him sleep with us tonight? If he whines in the middle of the night for his medicine I wanna be able to hear him.”

“Good idea, yeah, he can come in with us.”

Harry picks Buster up and carried him to your room. You do your nightly routine and get into bed. Buster lays at the both of your feet and falls asleep quickly. He must be exhausted from the entire ordeal. You knew you and Harry both were.

“Who’s he goin’ to work with tomorrow?” He asks he climbs into bed with you. “I’d take him, but somethin’ tells me he’s gonna want his mum.”

“I was thinking the same thing. I don’t have many meetings, so he’ll be fine with me.”

You both kiss goodnight, and snuggle up to fall asleep.

//

Buster was able to walk, but not for long period of time, so Harry makes sure to help get him into your car. You didn’t carpool on Tuesdays because you saw Dr. Mara right after work. Once you get Buster up to your office, you give him some medicine.

“Mornin’, here’s your…aww poor thing, look at him.” He hands you your coffee.

“I know, he scared us so bad. I’m just glad we found him and he’s safe. It’s only a sprain, so if we do everything right he should be back to normal in a few weeks.”

“Well that’s good at least. Why’d he run from Harry again?”

“The thunder from the storm yesterday scared him. I think it was too loud for him.” Niall nods.

“So, I’ve just been told we have a meeting this morning, like now, in the conference room.”

“Are you serious?” You groan. “I haven’t even gotten settled.”

“I think it’s quick, Sharon said we don’t even need our laptops.”

“Okay.” You sigh. “C’mon, Buster.”

He gets up slowly and follows you and Niall down to the conference room.

“Congratulations!”

“Oh my gosh!”

Everyone from your division was there smiling at you, and there were bagels and doughnuts out on the table.

“What is all this?”

“Niall told us all yesterday that you got engaged so we wanted to celebrate with you!” Trish says.

“This is so sweet! Thank you all so much.” You look at Niall. “You’re too good to me, thank you.” You both hug.

“And I got that lox you like too.” He points to it.

“What a treat! I’m glad I had a really light breakfast this morning.”

Niall splits a bagel with you, and put some lox and cream cheese on it. You show everyone your ring, tell them how Harry proposed and showed off a few pictures. They each give Buster a little loving as well, and he soaked it up.

Eventually you go to your office, after thanking everyone for the millionth time, and get some work done. You had a ton of emails to catch up on, and a couple of projects that needed to get started. You weren’t even hungry when lunch rolled around, so you just hung out with Buster in Niall’s office.

“Our new intern starts tomorrow.” He tells you.

“Oh? And what’s their specialty?”

“Once again, we have a social media/video editor. His name is Zach, and he’s a senior. He actually goes to where you went.”

“Oh, really? Well that’ll be fun. Maybe I could be like a mentor or something.” You shrug.

“We having a meeting with him tomorrow morning. I guess we have him all day on Mondays and Wednesdays.”

“Didn’t the school year already start? Why is he just coming to us now?”

“That was on our end, HR took forever to get everything processed.”

“Awesome.” You scoff. “Well, at least he’ll actually be able to get work done being here for full days.”

“Yeah, definitely. Hopefully this one won’t have a crush on you.” He laughs.

“Stop it.” You groan. “I never want to think about Matt ever again. You know I ran into him months ago at the bar? It was when we went out for Sarah’s birthday.”

“Oh you mean the night none of you wore bras and you got that bartender’s number?”

“Yup.” You sigh. “And it wasn’t like I asked for the guy’s number.”

“I know, I’m just givin’ yeh a tough time.” He chuckles.

//

You period ended Wednesday morning, which meant you could finally surprise Harry with something he had wanted for a long time, but you had to wait the entire work day to give it to him. Around 9AM you had your meeting with Niall and Zach. Buster was being very needy with you, and at on the floor between your legs with his head in your lap.

“He really is just like his father, huh?”

“Niall!” You burst out laughing and nudge his arm. “You can’t say stuff like that. What if the intern was here?”

“He’s not here yet.” He laughs.

“Buster’s just not liking the medicine he has to take. I feel so bad, he only wants me. I think Harry feels like a bad father.”

“Don’t all kids want their mum when they don’t feel well?”

“Hi, I’m so sorry I’m late, it took me forever to find parking, and then I had to get all the way up here.”

A young man with short black hair and blue eyes walks in. He looked to be just under six feet. He was wearing a blue button up tucked into some khakis. He looked nice enough. Niall stands up to shake his hand, you do the same. He’s startled when he hears Buster yip.

“S’no problem, Zach. Please have a seat.” Niall says to him.

“Is there a dog in here?” He sits down adjacent to you.

“Yeah, sorry, this is Buster. I bring him to work with me most days, I hope that’s alright.”

“Oh, sure! I love dogs, just didn’t see him.”

“Well, I’m Niall and this is Y/N. We’ll be supervising you this semester. This is basically an intake meeting. We wanna make sure we’re putting you on projects that make sense, and all that.”

“You also go to my alma mater.” You smile.

“Seriously? That’s great! And yeah, I brought my laptop with me, I thought I could show you some of the things I’ve done, if that’s cool.”

“That would be great!” Niall says.

//

After an hour with Zach, you and Niall show him where he’ll be working, and Niall gets him started on a few things. You liked him so far. He seemed smart and down to business, which is exactly what you were hoping for. Towards the end of the day he knocks on the outside of your door.

“Come on in, Zach.” You smile and he walks in. “Have a seat.” He does so and smiles at you.

“Um, so, I just wanted to say your name sounded a little familiar, and I realized that you founded the very film club that I’m in.”

“Oh my goodness, really?! I’m so happy to hear it still has members.”

“Tons! I also work in our alumni office on campus, and I think it would be really cool if you came to campus and spoke with the current members. Sort of show them that being in a fun club can also help lead to bigger opportunities. We could do an alumni spotlight on you for the magazine.”

“Do you really think that I’m worthy of the alumni magazine?” You scoff. “I get sent that thing in the mail all the time, and it’s always these stories about old people.

“Or random dudes. I think they should feature more women. The director of alumni relations would love this, I think. He’s really nice. Could I at least give him your email?”

“Sure.” You smile. “At any rate, I’d love to come to a film club meeting some time. I could show you all the projects we used to make together.”

“That would be amazing!” He beams. “I can’t wait to tell them. We meet on Thursday nights. This week would be too soon, I assume, but maybe next week you could come?”

“I’d love to.”

He gets up and thanks you for your time before leaving. He was a sweet boy.

//

You got home before Harry on Wednesdays, which was perfect for what you wanted to put together for him. You get Buster fed and settled before heading into your bedroom. You put on some black lace lingerie and then grab your navy pencil skirt to put on over it. After that you put on the blazer that goes with it, and button it up. You slide your feet into your nude pumps. You go into the bathroom and pin your hair up into a more formal bun. All you’d have to do is take one pin out and it would fall into your waves. You touch up your makeup, and make your way up to the loft.

Harry gets home and kicks his shoes off. Buster carefully trots over to him and Harry lets him lick his hand.

“Hey buddy, where’s mumma?”

“Harry, is that you?”

He looks up towards the loft.

“Yeah!”

“Could come here for a minute please?”

“Sure thing, one second!” He uses the bathroom quick and then heads up to the loft. His eyes grow wide when he sees you. “Did you have, like, an important meeting today or somethin’?”

“I always do.”

“Wait, you weren’t wearin’ that before you left this mornin’…”

“I always dress like this, I’m not sure what you’re talking about.” You wink at him and his eyebrows raise. His lips curl into a grin.

“Is…are we doin’ this?” You nod yes. “Okay, okay.” He takes a deep breath. “Go on.”

“So, um, right, we need to work late tonight…got a big presentation tomorrow.” You try to look as serious as possible.

Harry circles around you and stands right behind you. He dips his head down so his lips are at your ear.

“And what can I do to assist you?” You turn around to face him.

“You know, standing so close to me like that isn’t exactly professional.” You smirk. “I’m your boss after all.”

“Right.” He leans against his desk. “Wouldn’t want anyone to think you play favorites with or anything.” He smirks. “Although, they already think that since I’m the only one you’re nice to.”

“That’s because you’re the only competent person here.”

“You know what I think the real problem is?”

“What’s that?”

“You can come off as uptight.”

“Well…I’m just always stressed.” You shrug. “It’s not easy being the CEO of a large company, you know?”

“I do know. That’s why you hired me, remember? To help make you less stressed, but in all honesty…I don’t think you’re using me to my fullest potential.” He grins.

Harry was amazing you. He had clearly wanted to do this for a while, and you were happy to finally be doing this for him.

“You think so, huh?” You cross your arms. “Enlighten me then, how could I be using you?”

He takes a step forward and uncrosses your arms. He takes one of the buttons on your blazer and twists it between his thumb and index finger.

“You walk around with so much tension in your shoulders. I could rub them for you, but you’d have to take this off…”

“I suppose that would be alright, but I’ll warn you, I don’t have much on underneath.”

“Doesn’t bother me if it doesn’t bother you.”

You nod and unbutton the blazer. Harry pushes it off your shoulders, and he gasps when he sees the black strappy bra that you’re wearing. You fold the blazer and lay it on your desk chair.

“This alright?” You smile.

“When did you get this, it’s really pretty.” You suck your teeth and look at him. “Shit, sorry.” You clears his throat. “Yeah, perfectly fine.”

You turn around and he starts to rub your shoulders. His thumbs knead into the back of your neck and you let out a soft moan.

“Good thing everyone else is gone for the day, or else they might get the wrong idea with noises you’re makin’.”

“Can’t help it, your hands just feel too good. Who knew you had such a gentle touch?”

One of Harry’s hands slides around to the front of your throat.

“And what if I wasn’t so gentle?” Your eyes grow wide, not that he can see. An ache starts to grow between your legs. “Got an answer for me, boss?”

You weren’t sure how to respond. You wanted him to really grip you, make it so you almost couldn’t breathe, but you were slightly scared that if you both got too caught up, you could have a flash. Although, you were almost positive Harry wouldn’t let that happen, so you decide to roll with it.

“I think…I could use a different way to de-stress.” You turn to face him. You put a hand over his and slide it down to the top of one of your breasts.

“I could get fired if HR finds out.”

“Who do you think signs their checks? I decide who gets fired around here, and it certainly isn’t going to be you.”

“Then I’d be happy to give you what you need.”

“And what exactly is that?”

That shit eating grin of his forms, the one where you can really see his dimples. His other arm snakes around your waist and pulls you close to him, so your hips are touching him. He removes his hand that’s on top of your breast to the back of your neck and pulls you to kiss him. You moan as his tongue enters your mouth. He was getting a pretty good taste of you. He lets go of you, and waits for your response.

“Ah.”

“Need a little more?”

“A lot more.”

You reach for the pin that’s holding your bun together and take it out. Your hair falls and you shake it out. Harry grabs you by your hips, and bends you over his desk. He hikes your skirt up and he groans when he sees the thong you’re wearing.

“You know, I think it’s a little…naughty of you to have been wearing this underneath your clothes.” You look at him over your shoulder. You give him a look that says, not too hard, and he nods in understanding.

You feel a smack, not necessarily on your ass, but more so right near your center. You mouth oh my god to yourself. You had zero idea he really wanted to do things like this with you. But then again, you weren’t really you and he wasn’t really him. Harry grabs your hips and places a hand on one of your cheeks so he can see his target better. You feel another smack and you gasp. He leans down so he can speak into your ear.

“See, you’re this really strong woman, and I think that’s great. But I think it’s time you’ve been taken down a notch, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

You hear him undo his pants, and then you feel him move your thong to the side. He grabs you by the back of your neck and pulls you up. He taps your bottom lip with his index and middle fingers. You take the hint and open up for him, sucking them into your mouth. You swirl your tongue around them and really make a show of it for him. He tracts them and the next thing you know he’s knuckle deep inside you. You loved it when he’d finger you from behind. There was something about the angle he was getting that always felt so good.

“You like that, boss?”

“Yes, please keep doing it.” You groan.

He pumps in and out of you, and you cry out when you feel him under you, lips wrapped around your clit. You claw at his desk as your legs start to shake. All of a sudden he stops and you look at him.

“Didn’t think I was gonna let you come so easily did you?” He raises an eyebrow at you. “You’re always so in control, but not tonight.”

He pushes you back down against the desk so your chest was flush with it. He removes your thong all the way and leaves it around your ankles. He bunches your skirt up around your hips and spreads you apart with his thumbs. He slowly inserts himself into you. As much as he just wanted to be careless and rough, he didn’t want to send you into a frenzy.

“Fuck, you feel so good.” He groans once he’s full inside. “So wet for me.” He pulls out and then slams all the way back in.

“Do that again.”

Harry happily obliges and fucks you like that for a few minutes. It was how you had wanted him to fuck you for a long time, and you were happy to be in a place where he could. He was starting to hit you g-spot and it was overwhelming.

“Shit, right there, that’s it!”

He could tell you were close, but he didn’t want you to think you could come yet. He grips the back of your neck with one hand, and squeezes your hip with the other.

“Are you close?”

“Yes!”

“You have to ask me if you can come.” He slows down his pace and rocks in and out of you.

“What?!”

“Ask me if you can come.”

“Can I come?!”

“What’s the magic word?”

“Please!”

Harry grins and picks up the pace again. Your moans and groans mixed with the sound of his skin slapping against yours. You come hard around him. He pulls out and comes on your ass. You groan when you feel the heat from it. You hear him zip his pants back up so you stand up and turn to face him. You weren’t sure if the role play was over or not. When you see his features soften and his reassuring smile form on his lips, you know it is.

“C’mere.” He holds his arms out for you, and you nearly trip into him since your panties were still around your ankles. “Whoops, sorry ‘bout that, baby.”

“S’okay.” You giggle as he kisses the top of your head.

“Let’s get you downstairs.” He picks you up bridal styles and carefully brings you down the spiral staircase. “So, to what do I owe this amazing surprise?” He carries you down to the bathroom and sets you down on your feet. He runs a rag under some warm water to clean up where he came on you.

“I just wanted to do something special for you since you proposed, but I couldn’t exactly do this for you while I was on my period…” You wince slightly when he cleans up near your center.

“Sorry…did I slap you too hard?”

“It didn’t feel like it while you were doing it.” You get out of your pencil skirt and Harry helps you get out of your strappy bra. You throw on some of his sweats and go into the kitchen with him. “We should probably take Buster out soon…”

“We can start cookin’ and then take him out. Right buddy?” He yips at Harry and he chuckles. “So…it was okay, all of it?”

“For doing in a role play, yes.” You rub the back of your neck. “But that’s the only scenario I want you talking to me like that, okay?”

“Fair enough.” He shrugs and wraps his arms around you. “Thank you.”

“Did it live up to the fantasy?”

“God, yes. Even more so. That was really cool of you, Y/N.” He kisses you quick. “So, what do you want for dinner? I’ll make whatever you want.”

“I think we have stuff for tacos, I picked up those meatless meat crumbles…”

“Tacos it is then.” He smiles.

“Come on Buster, mummy take you out quick while daddy cooks.” He tries to hide his smirk. “You wanted me to call you that earlier, didn’t you?” You say, crossing your arms.

“What would make you think that?” He asks facetiously and you roll your eyes. “All part of the fantasy, love.”

“What is it with guys and wanting to be called daddy, I really don’t get it. Why would you want me to fuck my father? Or have me picture my father?” You laugh.

“S’not what it’s about…it’s more of just like…a dominance thing. Like I said, it’s just part of the fantasy, I don’t actually want you callin’ me that unless it’s in reference to Buster.”

“Good, because that’s the only way I’m calling you that.” You smirk, and put Buster’s leash on. Harry gets to work on the tacos.

//

“Wow, Harry! This looks great!”

He had set everything up on the island like a little buffet so you could add all the fixings you wanted. You each eat three soft shell tacos and clean up when you’re done. You were stuffed. You both flop onto the sofa and relax.

“So…Glee?” He says to you.

“You read my mind.”

[cosmiclove-heavenstruck]

Gravity | JJ Maybank (Outer Banks, Season 1)

Pairing: JJ x fem!reader

Wordcount: 2100 words

Warnings: swearing, mentioning of underaged drinking/smoking

a/n: English is not my native language, so there might be spelling/grammar mistakes. Also, this is just a simple oneshot, so don't expect a great plot or anything. Have fun!

“because in my world, i'm constantly havin' a breakthrough or a breakdown, or a blackout, would you make out with me underneath the shelter of the balcony?”

─ clementine by halsey

[ Clementine, better known as Clem by the Pouges, lived on the southside of Outer Banks with her mum, near John B's home. Her mum worked pretty hard and was often out of town, so Clem was usually to herself. Since she began to work for Kiara’s dad two years ago, she sort of grew on the chaotic group and got involved in a lot more shit than expected. Besides serving tables at the restaurant, hanging out in the hammocks or on John B’s boat and handling the one or other mystery on the island, Clementines mind was occupied by a certain blonde guy. ]

The sun was nearly unberable, making me fan myself with my book. Summer had arrived, in full glory and a lot of hot air. I relaxed in my hammock behind our small bungalow and swung from side to side to keep myself from falling asleep, one foot on the dry grass.

Summer break just started two days ago and it was already boiling outside.

My hammock was placed between two thick trees, right beside the water and the wooden dock. Small waves sloshed against it from time to time and seabirds squealed above my head. I felt at peace and my body nearly forgot it already had more than ten hours of sleep last night as my phone vibrated. A new message from JJ lit up on its screen.

get urself ready

5 min.

A smile spread across my face. Within seconds I was back in my room, putting on my bathing suit, a pair of shorts and an open shirt with hawaiian flowers. I packed some drinks into my small cooling bag, slipped into my flip flops and wrote my mum a message in case she would be home before me.

With a towel over my shoulder and the cooling bag in my hand I walked outside again and onto the dock. John B was already steering his white boat towards the wooden planks as I reached the front.

“Aloha boys,” I greeted them with a big smile, and JJ held out his hand so I could easily jump on board.

“Hi Clem.”

“Aloha, darling. Watcha got there?” JJ asked, peeking over his sunglasses.

Once in a while, when I hadn't seen JJ for a day or two, I thought I wasn't completely head over heals for the sunkissed boy anymore and my heart had settled. But then he had the nerve to smile at me again and my whole body began to tingle.

“One for you.” I handed John B a cooled beer bottle which he thanked me for with a fast kiss onto my tempel. He was at least two feet taller than me. “And one for you.”

I threw another one in JJ's direction before getting myself one, placing my stuff under the bench seat and sitting down beside him.

“That just saved my day,” JJ answered and gave the cold glass a kiss, then he kissed me on my cheek. I hid my smile by taking a sip of beer.

“Don't lie, you already had two,” John B said grinning while he navigated the ship to where Pope lived. The boy was standing outside, helping his dad by cleaning some empty, second-hand boxes as usually.

“Hey, Pope, get your ass in here!”

“I told you yesterday, I can't!”

His dad came outside, a broom in his hands as if he wanted to chase us away. It wasn't a secret his dad disliked us.

“Oh, come on, it's summer vacation,” I interfered and waved him. Pope was already putting down the water hose and giving his dad an excusing look.

“I'll do it tomorrow. I promise!”

“Hell nah, you're stayin'!”

“I’ll be back for dinner!” Pope laid the pipe down and snatched a towel from the railing.

“Get in the boat, get in the boat,” John B whispered, whereupon Pope jumped onto the deck of the ship.

“Pope! Get back here right now!”

“We're getting him back safe, promise!” JJ yelled as John B turned the speed back up and we rushed through the waves up to Kie's house.

“Man, your dad is so unrelaxed. He should try one of my joints.”

“Don't you dare. He'll get us all killed.”

I laughed at the boys conversation. Such idiots. But I loved them nonetheless. They were my family.

Kie lived on the rich northside of Outer Banks, even though she hated it with nearly every fiber of her heart. The darkhaired girl was casually walking up to us, in her hand a bag fully of snacks ─ at least I hoped so.

“Morning y'all.”

“Welcome on board, pretty. Are those snacks?”

JJ got up to give Kie a hand, just like he did with me. Her hair was in a messy pointail, held together by a green cloth.

“Oh, you know. Some watermelon slices, stuff like that,” She joked, smiling.

Kiara was pretty. And not just that, she was smart and knew how to handle things. That didn't stay unnoticed by the guys. They were practically all into her, even if they weren't admitting it. Which wouldn't have been a problem if I was that confident in myself too. Or a bit more adventurous, inventive, whatever.

I wasn't jealous of her. In fact, she was one of my best friends, the only female one I may add. She made sure I got a job at her father’s restaurant, for which I couldn't be more thankful.

“Hey Kie.”

“Hey,” She greeted me, hugging me tightly before sitting down next to me. We provided everyone with drinks so we could touch glasses.

“Salud, guys. To the best summer of all times,” JJ announced, holding up his bottle.

“To the best summer of all times,” We echoed him and clinked our bottles together.

John B turned up the speed and the volume of the stereo as the waves splashed against the boat. I closed my eyes, smelling the salty water, my coconut sunscreen and the beer. I had missed summer.

We stayed out all day long on the water, sunbathing and diving in the ocean. Kie connected her phone with the stereo and put on some of our favourite songs. As the sun was slowly going to set, we all laid in the front of the white varnished boat, sandy and drained from all the sun. Within five minutes, we infested Kie's brought snacks and finished the beers.

JJ was passing around a joint he made himself. His skin glowed orange in the evening sun, even though there were some light bruises on his rips. His head was resting on my tanned legs.

After everyone had taken one or two drags, my body didn't feel as tired anymore. Kie started some more upbeat songs and while Pope navigated the boat back to John B's place, we danced. It probably looked horrible, but it was fun.

First, I was just dancing with Kie. Spinning her around and stuff, but she knew about my feelings for JJ. She was the only one I had told, ever. She was also the only one who believed JJ was interested in me too, as much as I tried to talk her out of it.

So, of course she used my blurry state to get me to dance with JJ. To make it less awkward, I stole his sunglasses and put them on, stupidly smiling at him.

“We dancin' now?”

“Absolutly.”

Grinning, he grabbed my hands and pulled me closer to him. Kie winked at me.

JJ put one of his hands on my hips, swaying me around in the front of the boat.

The sun was melting into the water and gave everything an orange touch. My body was glowing because of the heat, my heartbeat was going way too fast. JJ's blond hairstrands fell into his eyes and I couldn't stop laughing. Then he let me make a twist so my back was pressed against his belly and our hands were intertwined. Once he had unknotted us, he dipped me before pulling me up again. We were so close, our noses nearly touched.

“You look good with my glasses.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Then I might keep it.”

I grinned and bit my bottom lip. His eyes looked so pretty. Blue like the ocean.

“Hey guys, not on my boat, okay?” John B reminded us that we still had company around us.

I rolled my eyes and ─ as much as I didn't want to ─ let go of JJ. My hand slipped out of his and it felt like I was suddenly bound to gravity again.

Pope and Kie attached the rope of the boat with the hook on the dock, and I grabbed my stuff and followed the others to John B's house. I placed the now empty cooling box and my towel on the porch. My body felt like the alcohol and weed had left out of nowhere. The sun was barely seeable by now and the wind was colder than expected.

Inside, I put my clothes back over my swimwear and tamed my frizzy hair in a loose bun.

“That. Was. So. Much. Flirting.” Kie bumped her ellbow into rips with a knowing smile on her lips.

“Shut up. That was nothing.”

“Are you kidding me? Have you seen the way he looks at you?”

I crossed my arms, eyeing her in disbelief. My head just couldn't comprehend the idea of someone liking me like that. Especially not JJ.

“He likes you. A lot. Trust me.”

“Come on, Kie. Just because he flirts with me once doesn't mean he has feelings for me. You know how many girls want him.”

She scoffed. “Okay, fine. I'm gonna ask him.”

“Wha─ No. No, Kie!” I whisper-screamed at her and tried to grab her arm, but she escaped my grasp and jogged into the kitchen where the boys probably looted John's fridge. Fuck.

“Uh, guys, my mum texted me. I'm gonna go now, see ya tomorrow!” I yelled and quickly escaping onto the porch. The warmth seemed to have disappeared, thick rain drops where pouring down onto the shelter of the porch.

There was no way I would just let Kie embarrass me because ─ surprise ─ JJ wasn't actually flirting with me. Absolutely not.

I was already on the last step and out in the rain, as someone called me.

“Clem? Wait.” JJ. Goddamnit. I shut my eyes for a second before facing him.

“Yup?” I asked, trying to sound casual.

He scratched the back of his neck. “You─ uh... You still have my sunglasses.”

My heart dropped. Had I honestly expected something else?

“Yes, right. Sorry.”

I shook my head, scoffing as I took them off and went up the stairs again. I left my stuff down on the paveway. Internally, I was shaking like hell. My heart was a wreck. Utterly nervous. Maybe Kie hadn’t said anything, maybe he hadn’t heard her, I thought.

I stood infront of him again, not as close as before though. Without thinking and instead of just handing the stupid glasses over like a normal person, I put them on his face. He didn't need them, the sun had already vanished beneath the ocean. I did it anyway.

JJ pushed them up in his hair.

And then we were just looking at each other and I hade to pull myself together so I wouldn't faint. I gulped and tugged at my own shirt, that ridiculous hawaiian shirt.

“So,” JJ spoke under his breath. The rain was still pouring down onto the plastic shelter. My heart beat felt louder, and I wondered if he could hear it. I was so scared.

“Goodnight, J.”

With that, I turned around and wanted to leave, like I always did when I was too afraid to face the truth.

“I like you too.”

Everything in me froze just to melt in the next second. My heart stumbled. So Kie did tell him.

Slowly, I turned back around.

JJ just stood there, hands in his pockets and sunglasses in his hair, chewing unsurely on his bottom lip. He seemed vulnerable. No smug grin, no stupid joke on the tip of his tongue.

“I mean I really, really like you, Clementine. More than that.”

For once, I didn't want to be afraid. If he could be brave, I could too. Within a second, I was back in front of him, though way closer. Even closer than on the boat.

And this time, I kissed him.

My hands grabbed his hair, pulling his face down to mine, and once he had understood, I felt his arms wrap around my waist. There was no gravity pulling me down when we were this close.

“I really like you, too,” I mumbled between two kisses. I could feel his lips forming a smile as he pressed them onto mine again.

“"I thought you'd never admit it,” He said, grinning.

“Don't get used to it,” I answered, grinning just as wide as he did.

And then he kissed me again under the shelter of the balcony, surrounded by the heavy sound of the rain, while I buried my hands in his hair and he pulled me off the ground.

[hollandsmushroom]

Day 6 of sending you my fav lyrics from my fav songs

The rain is fallin' on my window pane

But we are hidin' in a safer place

Under cover, stayin' dry and warm

You give me feelings that I adore

They start in my toes

Make me crinkle my nose

Wherever it goes

I always know

That you make me smile

Please stay for a while now

Just take your time

Wherever you go

-Bubbly by Colbie Caillat

THIS IS SO PRETTY I LOVE THE RHYME

[sugarbutterbroadway]

Paint the sky in shades of red and fairytale white

A/n this fic was requested by @violetwolfraven and honestly turned out to be way longer than expected, I still hope you all enjoy and please leave some feedback if you did :)

This was a day to remember. They were all freshly eighteen—well, almost all. Race wouldn’t be turning eighteen until the beginning of November but that couldn’t,wouldn’t and didn’t stop him from doing whatever he wanted, much to the chagrin of Spot. And Jack’s starry eyed eighteen had worn off a while ago, he was due to be nineteen in a month give or take. So it was more the feeling of being eighteen that stayed. Davey’s parents were finally laying off a bit and Medda was a bit more lenient with the curfews and the overnight trips. That led to sleepovers at the Jacobs and random drives into the city, this summer was honestly one to remember. They had their senior trip,their senior prom and they were all proud graduates with college on the brain.

But it was coming to a close. It was the final days of summer, mid August. The scorching sun had gradually shifted for cloudy, mild days and rain. That made Davey especially happy, he loved cloudy days. He loved finally being able to sit outside and enjoy it, he always got a bit cranky because of the heat. And Jack, well he was so head over heels that he loved everything that Davey loved simply because he loved it so passionately. He loved the way Davey sat in the grass,draped in one of his sweaters, looking around at the world like it was finally a place where he belonged. He loved the gentle look his eyes took on that was only reserved for Les and baby animals. He loved seeing Davey smile and well, look his age. Not the class president,not the head of every damn club that didn’t involve a sport—even though he kicked ass at soccer—not as the step in parent who took over when his folks were so tired they were dead on their feet.

 No, none of that. He didn’t like seeing David, he liked seeing Davey. Davey whose body was equal parts coffee and water,who mumbled equations in his sleep,who always seemed to kiss a little too rough when he got excited—hell, the Davey whose first instinct was to kiss him when he got excited! The Davey who showed up at his house this morning soaked to the bone asking if he wanted to have a picnic. And Jack laughed, he laughed because who does that? It was pouring non-stop but when Davey got that look in his eye, that little bit of crazy mixed determination, he got what he wanted.

And god did he get what he wanted, and a little more than he bargained for because Race was sitting in the living room and had overheard. Before Jack could say no, Race was already on his feet,stumbling into the hallway to pull on a pair of shoes. And fine, one extra person was fine, Race was usually well behaved. That was until Spot had come waltzing down the stairs,wearing Race’s dance hoodie with a cup of coffee in hand. Then Jack had a new problem, Spot had stayed the night? His mind was reeling, he narrowed his eyes at Race and tried his best to articulate that this is something they would definitely be talking about when they got home. Then he took a step outside,directly into the pouring rain and screamed. A bellowing scream that never seemed to stop and echoed off of the other houses in the neighborhood. Because what the hell? Race, his little brother,his built in best friend was having boys over? In his room? And oh god, was Charlie there—

“Babe”Davey said softly, placing a hand on his shoulder. His mind fell still, in the most pathetic way possible, it grew stark still. The only thing he could focus on was that Davey was touching him,and Davey’s other hand was on his cheek, and his face was in Davey’s chest and when he breathed in he just smelled Davey. He smelled like the library he worked at and Dunkin Donuts coffee, the caramel swirl one he’d been raving about. And Davey’s hand was rubbing his back, and his lips were so close to his ear that Jack shuddered when he breathed.

“It’s okay”Davey said, “Race is a big boy now, you gotta let go”

But it was hard to let go, they both knew that. He couldn’t get over the conditioned thought that he was all that Race had, that Race depended on him. He couldn’t get the thoughts of sharing his bed in the orphanage because nightmares used to rack his small helpless body, God Race used to be so small. It was the same with Charlie, and he was a hypocrite. He wants Davey to slow down and take a break, but he couldn’t do the same for himself. He hadn’t realized his knees had gone weak until they were both lowered to the ground. It happened, they both knew it happened sometimes. Jack would get so angry and overwhelmed that his brain would just short circuit, and then in a flash he wouldn’t be able to hold himself up. Sometimes he’d fall, sometimes he’d faint.

But just because it was known, didn’t make it suck any less.

“You’re okay”Davey soothed, pulling him into his lap. “You’re not back at the refuge, it’s August 14th, the year is 2019 and we’re in upstate New York so we’re far far away from that place”

“Synder’s not gonna get Cru-Charlie?”he stammered.

“Snyder has been in jail since Medda adopted you three”Davey said, “No Snyder,no cops,no nothing. You and the boys are all safe here”

“We’re all safe here”He repeated.

“Yeah”Davey hummed, rubbing his arms. “We’re all safe here”

They sat outside huddled in Medda’s driveway until Jack’s brain came floating back to him and he laughed. It startled Davey a bit, but his lip pulled up in a grin.

“What’s so funny?”Davey asked.

“It’s just-”He cut himself off with a snicker, “ ‘m a real train wreck, Davey. We’re both sittin’ out here in Medda’s driveway, ‘m cryin, tell me this isn’t straight out of a teen drama”

“I-”Davey went to protest, but cut himself short.

“Exactly”He snorted, “It’s just funny because it’s so cinematic!”he continued, “The rain hittin the driveway,a handsome boy comforting me, it’s perfect”

“Jack…”Davey said wearily.

“And the script”He said, putting a hand to his chest. “Absolutely genius”

“I-I’m just doing what your therapist said will help”Davey stammered. And Jack’s eyes went starry again because how could anyone get any more perfect. The fact that Davey was even open to going with Jack made his heart beat faster.

“I know”He said, “And you did everything right, baby. Brought me right back to earth. It’s just...you know me and my humor, it makes me feel better. I just found this funny because of how fairytale it seemed…” And Davey, always the one to surprise brought one of Jack’s hands to his lips and kissed it gently. “You deserve fairytale, Jack” another kiss, “I’ll try to be the best prince I can for you”

“You already are the best,”He said.

“Then I'll be the greatest,”Davey said, those hazel eyes filled to the brim with determination and something else.

“Yeah?”He said.

“Yeah”Davey said, pecking his cheek. “Which is why once we get into some dry clothes, we’re gonna have a picnic”

“I ain’t never had a picnic”He said.

“Well there’s a first time for everything”Davey said.

“Yeah”He said, but his smirk was lethal. “That’s exactly what you said the first time you-”

“I can’t hear you over the sound of me walking inside”

-

A million innuendos later the two finally made it inside. The sound of the door opening once again must have summoned Race because he came sprinting from the kitchen, apron around his waist.

“Jack I-oh”He said, blue eyes wide. “Is this a bad time?”

Davey seemed to be the only one who could read a room because he placed a kiss on Jack’s cheek and mumbled, “I’ll be upstairs babe, you got this”

And thanks a lot Davey, because now Jack had to confront his problems. For the first minute or two him and Race just stared at each other, patiently waiting to see who would snap first. And as usual it was Jack. He sighed and motioned for them to sit on the couch. Once they were both seated, he spilled.

“You’re growing up”Jack blurted out, when Race tilted his head he elaborated. “You’re growing up and it freaked me out a bit, I’m sorry Racer”

“Why?”He asked, he looked uncomfortable, he felt uncomfortable. His knees were pulled up to his chest tucked safely underneath his chin.

“Because I still remember when you was so small”Jack said, a slight catch in his voice. “So small and just..you know. I gotta realize you ain’t that small anymore, that you can take care of yourself. That Ma, will always have your back…”

“Come hell or high water”he finished, he remembered the first time Medda told them that. It always brought a smile to his face. God did he love Medda. 

There was a beat of silence.

“Did you…?”He asked.

“Yeah”Jack nodded, “Yeah, I freaked a bit, but it’s not your fault. You’re allowed to grow up, Race. I mean you’re almost eighteen! I can’t keep you on a tight leash your whole life because...because ‘m havin a hard time letting go, it ain’t right”

“So you’re not mad?”He said quietly. “About Spot stayin the night?”

“We still gotta talk about that”Jack said, giving him a look. “But I ain’t mad, just...try not to do shit with Charlie in the house!”

Race’s face went white. “Oh god, Charlie…”

“Yeah, oh god Charlie!”They heard shouted. They looked up the stairs to see Charlie standing over the banister with a grim look on his face. “Keep your antics to yourself, I’m tired!”

“It’s almost noon, Charlie!”Jack called back, “You know Ma don’t like you sleepin in!”

“What mama doesn’t know won’t hurt her!” with that there was a slamming of the door. Jack and Race both looked at each other and sighed. Though it made their hearts a little warm that he still called her Mama.

“This family is dysfunctional”Jack mumbled.

“Tell me about it”

-

“Where is this magical picnic taking place, Davey mine?”Jack asked, lazily slinging an arm over his boyfriend's shoulder. “We’re walking, you ain’t got no picnic basket and it’s raining”

“For once I agree with Jack”Spot grumbled, he was wearing one of Race’s rain coats but his shoes were soaked.

“Yeah, why didn’t we just take the car?”Race complained, “Both of you idiots can drive!”

“Because”Davey huffed, “It’s closer than you all think, and I don’t know about you but I actually care about the environment”

“You better stop there”Jack teased, “Once you get him goin, he won’t stop”

“Because it’s important,”Davey said, ignoring the blush in his cheeks. “So keep quiet, or so help me God I will turn us all around and go home”

“Fine, mom”Race said, rolling his eyes. “I’ll stop bitching about the fact that my boyfriend is literally shaking-”

“Racetrack-”

“Cause he’s got an iron deficiency-”

“Racetrack-”

“And it’s freezing out here!”Race exclaimed.

There it was, that signature Racetrack temper that would send anyone else running. But Davey wasn’t anyone, his eyes remained neutral and he nodded.

“We’re almost there” is all he said before shifting his gaze forward and lengthening his strides. With little more than a raised brow from Jack, he thought he was in the clear. It was wishful thinking because the minute those two lovebirds inevitably flew off to their own world, Spot was pulling him back. He waited for Jack and Davey to walk ahead a few steps before falling back into a leisurely pace.

“You know I don’t like when you do that”Spot said, his voice was even, unreadable. It made his own stomach twist itself into a pretzel. Race winced and twisted the ring on his pinky, he didn’t know what to say. Spot was right, they have spoken about this before, on two different occasions. 

“I’m going to ask you something, and I don’t want you to lie to me,”Spot said.

“Anything,”He said, but his heart was already beating out of his chest.

“Have you been taking your medication?”

Race froze. Not literally as his feet were still moving, but his brain had drawn a blank. Of course Spot would notice a difference, Spot had been there since the beginning. He knew who Race used to be,how angry he got, and he knew what he was like now. His tense shoulders must have been answer enough because Spot sighed. It didn’t even seem intentional, but Race knew what sighs meant. 

It meant that Spot was disappointed. 

“I’m sorry”he said, he didn’t know what else to say. In a surprising gesture Spot took his hand in his and squeezed tightly. It might have been subtle to anyone else, but it meant the world to Race because Spot hated PDA, any form of it.

“It doesn’t mean i’m gonna leave you or that I don’t love you anymore”Spot said quietly, “We can talk about this later, but just know i’m in it for the long haul. Boyfriend or best friend, i’m yours”

Leave it up to Spot Conlon, a man of few words to be able to make Race melt in a sentence.

“I love you too, Spotty”he said, “Love you so much”

“I love you more,”Spot said easily.  Race simply shook his head and squeezed the hand that was shaking in his own.

“Impossible”he said, and he wanted to kiss him. He wanted to sweep Spot off his feet and kiss him right there in the rain, make the whole day a cliche. But he was working on his boundaries, and he was making good progress. Instead he opted to squeeze Spots hand on and off as they continued walking.

“Is it just me or does Davey have an extremely punchable face”he blurted out.

“Racer-”

“I promise I'm not gonna do anything!”He said quickly, “Honest, I like Davey, you know this! He just..he just really looks punchable.”

“You’re...you’re so violent, oh my god!”Spot laughed, it was sudden and loud. Jack and Davey’s heads whipped back and Race was very confused.

“I know I am”He said slowly, “How is this news to anyone?”

“It’s not”Spot continued, “it’s just-god, you say some of the most random shit. I ain’t got a clue what goes on in your brain, but it’s a fucking gold mine!”

“Wait, I wanna laugh too!”Jack whined, “What’s so funny?”

Spot and Race shot each other a look and smirked, “You had to be there”

-

The group walked for what appeared to be forever but Davey was enjoying every second of it. Sure his parents had laid off a bit now that he was out of high school but they still had expectations, and one of those expectations was to bring Les with him wherever he went. He didn’t have any problems with Les, he was a sweet kid. But he didn’t necessarily want his little brother trailing along when he was trying to be sweet on Jack. And he usually felt guilty. If Les wasn’t with him then he was with Sarah and Katherine, he didn’t want to pin that on them either. But Les was getting older too, which meant the Jacobs finally caved and let him go to summer camp. All summer long, June to August. That’s what dreams were made of. Davey looked into the distance and saw that the little canopy he set up an hour prior was still there. He leaned forward and squinted, making sure the people who were supposed to be watching it were still there too. Race was the first to catch on.

“Is that where we’re going?”He asked.

“It is”Davey grinned. The last thing he was expecting was Race to take off like a shot in the direction of the canopy,hood of his raincoat falling off his head and soaking his curls. He shook his head at the blonde but he was pleased. If it was Racetrack approved, then it would work for everyone. Spot shot him a withering look and without a word started jogging after his boyfriend, barely keeping up. Davey wanted to laugh, he wasn’t called Racetrack for nothing.

“You did this for me, baby?”Jack asked, his eyes soft.

“All for you,”Davey all but melted. And he couldn’t help it! All his life he had been so factual,such a realist, his feet never once left the ground. Davey liked his facts, he didn’t like to wonder,didn’t like what he couldn’t see. So he was hard to befriend. He wasn’t accepted by many of the other kids because he didn’t see the point in playing pretend when they could play with the number blocks right in front of them. Didn’t see the point in coloring the sky red when it was supposed to be blue. That was until a little boy with two front teeth missing and big green eyes came up to him and asked if he wanted to play. Davey had said no, multiple times, but this boy was persistent, said they could play whatever Davey wanted. And that’s how Davey taught Jack how to do multiplication in first grade. Jack had been one of the few to burst his way into Davey’s life. He was the one to show him that the sky could be red sometimes if he used his imagination, that they could be pirates in space even though they didn’t leave the sandbox. But most of all, he didn’t try to change him, and didn’t ask for anything in return but a friend. So how could Davey not melt?

“You’re lookin at me funny”Jack said, with a nervous chuckle. “And we’re here, I mean we’re all just waitin for you to-”

“I love you”Davey blurted out. His heart fell to his ass the minute he said it, but it felt right. Jack’s jaw dropped. No, it didn’t just drop. It unhinged itself completely from his face and flew away. He was gaping.

“I-I’m sorry?”Jack coughed, pounding his chest. “Can you repeat that? Cause it sounded like you said-”

“I love you, Jack Kelly”Davey said firmly. “I love you and I’m in love with you and...and thank you for showing me that the sky can be red”

“I-what are you talkin about Davey?”Jack stammered. Davey grabbed his hand and pulled gently so they could sit down. He was vaguely aware that they had an audience, but they didn’t matter, because all he could see was Jack.

“When we met in the first grade, you were the only one who tried to be my friend”Davey started, “And I pretty much hated you for it, cause I thought you were going to leave. But you were so patient with my know-it-all annoying self and let me teach you multiplication and read those little chapter books because it was what I liked to do, remember?”

“Yeah, I remember,”Jack said, his lips pulled up in a smile. “Junie B. Jones, right?”

“Right”Davey grinned, “You let me sit there and show off all day everyday, but you also taught me how to be creative. I remember getting so mad at you because you were coloring the sky red, and I was ranting about how the sky should be blue because that’s what it looked like and you-”He stifled a laugh “You just looked at me and said ‘who cares? It’s just a color’”

“Very on brand”Race muttered. 

Davey ignored him and squeezed Jack’s hand. “No one had ever said anything like that to me before at that point. Every adult just agreed with me and praised me for being ‘so smart’, but you took me down a peg and challenged my thinking. I went home that day thinking about how it was just a color-”

“Wait”Jack said, his eyes wide. “I fucking remember that now! I also remember you colored the sky green in school the next day and-”

“-And I was so excited to show you, and you said-”

“-I said it looks pretty Davey, and I liked it because it was green-”

“-like your eyes”Davey finished, the two were practically nose to nose. “This has been a long time comin, Kelly. I love you because you’re my best friend, and i’m in love with you because you make me want to be better everyday”

“I love you”Jack whispered, bringing a hand up to cup Davey’s cheek. “I love you, Davey. I...this is hard for me, really fucking hard. Kids like me don’t get fairytale”

“No, they don’t”Davey chuckled, blinking away a tear. “But they deserve it, and you deserve it”

“You really are my prince”Jack grinned, “My prince Davey”

Davey brought his own hand up and tapped Jack’s ring finger. “And one day i’ll make you a Prince too. I’m in this for as long as you want me”

“What if I want you forever?”

“Then i’ll stay forever”

“Can you please, kiss already!’Katherine exclaimed, breaking through the veil of privacy. “I mean honestly, we’re all waiting for it!”

Davey laughed and pulled Jack closer, but he dodged the kiss. The green eyed boy turned to face the group and wiped his own tears. “We don’t do that kind of stuff on command or for free!”

Davey shook his head and instead pulled Jack into his lap, he needed to keep his boy close.

As Katherine and Sarah gushed over the speech, Spot and Race sat on their own corner of the picnic blanket grinning like fools.

“How do I feel like a proud parent and he’s not my kid?”Race sniffled, wiping his face with his shirt.

“I don’ know,”Spot said, rubbing his eyes. “It’s them creative writing courses, makin Davey a fuckin poet”

“God, why aren’t we romantic like them?”Race said.

“Because we wouldn’t know how to act”Spot snorted. “I called you babe once and you laughed at me for two hours”

“Because it was funny!”Race defended. 

“We were in front of my friends!”

“It’s not my fault you said it!”

“They clowned me about it for weeks!”

“Well maybe we’re just not built for PDA mushy stuff”Race said, crinkling up his nose. “But I still love you, Spotty”

“I love you more, ‘Track”Spot said. “One day i’ll get some balls and do somethin about it”

“Oh Spotty, you’re askin me to marry y-” his cry of joy was cut off by a hand being clamped over his mouth.

“This, this is why we don’t do romance”

-

Once the excitement died down, Katherine and Sarah had just decided to stay. There was more than enough food to go around, and they both couldn’t stop trying to one up each other with who had more embarrassing memories of the boys. So yes, this was a day to remember. With college-and now love on the brain, it was something that couldn’t be forgotten. Both brothers sat side by side trying to figure out how they had gone from angst ridden lost causes, to romantics with bright and shiny futures just waiting for them. The very nature of it was fairytale, two boys who seemed to have all the odds against them ending up with the partners of their dreams.

So yes, it was fairytale. But everyone deserves a little bit of fairytale, especially the ones who least expect it.

[lunanight2012]

A Whole New World Prelude Pt 3

Key:

E/C = eye color

H/C = hair color

H/L= hair length

S/C = skin color

Y/N = your name

L/N = last name

N/N = nickname

(Two hours later)

I screamed, {E/C} eyes shooting open and quickly sitting upright. Not prepared, I smacked my head into something equally as hard.

"Ow! What happened?" I asked, rubbing my head. 

"Ye bloody passed out on us two hours ago. I got ye stitched up." Harry explained, startling me. Opening my eyes, once more, I saw Harry pressing his palm to his own forehead, wincing as he did so. “Why is yer head so ‘ard!!” he hissed, glaring at me between his fingers.

"S-sorry!" I exclaimed, backing up.

I stopped when I accidentally knocked over a photo frame. I froze, catching the frame before it could fall. Lifting it up, I turned to look at it. A family photo it would seem.

Is that his dad? Wow he doesn't look like the Captain Hook I remember. His mom seems very pretty, and nice. But wait, how was this picture taken?

"Is this your family?"

"Ye. Now if ye don't mind." Harry took the photo out of my hands before I could even say anything else.

I blinked. "You have sisters?" I blurted out.

"Ye, now shut yer mouth and come on. School's out now and Uma wants us on the Lost Revenge." Harry stated, grabbing my wrist and pulling me off the bed.

~~~At The Lost Revenge~~~~~

I froze as soon as we got on the ship. Everyone was looking at me. I tried hiding behind Harry. Wincing in pain as I released my grip on Harry's jacket. 

'It's gunna be ok. It's gunna be alright.' I repeated in my head.

"{Y/N}? {Y/N}!" Uma yelled snapping me out of my thoughts.

I peeked out from behind Harry to see Uma glaring at me. 

"Were you listening?" She almost growled at me, I shook my head.

She rolled her eyes. "Well then you're going to pretend you know how to handle a damn sword. Come on crew! Let's prepare to face those worthless brats!" Uma exclaimed.

The crew cheered, holding up their swords. Harry took a spare sword from one of the crew and took my {dominant} hand and placed the sword handle there. Of course I still winced from the pain. 

Harry walked me over to a part of the deck and instructed me to stay put and to look mean. As soon as he walked away I looked up at the sky and noticed a small crack in the sky. 

'Huh? Wait, is that the barrier they were talking about?' I thought to myself, not even realizing that around the pupils in my eyes were thin rings of gold. Barely noticeable. 

"Oh Shrimpy~! What have you got there? That new girl shouldn't even be here!" An all too familiar voice boomed from the docks.

I shivered and gripped the sword handle tighter.

Mal and her gang. 

My hands started to shake. A memory of my past flashed through my mind.

My mother screaming at me when she found me in the backyard in the rain. But what she was screaming at me about was that the rain didn't touch me. It was pouring yet I was completely dry. I knew I had an affinity with water. But with this damn barrier I'm just getting nothing. Maybe it was just in my world. Maybe I'm just a freak..

Suddenly a knife came flying towards me. On some miracle of reflex I swung the sword and reflected it. I looked up and saw a boy… What did Harry say his name was.. Jack? No…. Josh? No….. Jay! That's his name.

Jay was Jafar's son. Hmmm cute but not my type. Suddenly I was sword fighting Jay. And I had never fought with a sword before…. Wait have I? Maybe as a small child.

"What's your name, new girl?" Jay asked me, snapping me out of my daydream.

"I don't have to tell you!" I replied, smirking.

Jay smirked as he continued to sword fight with me, slowly pushing me towards the edge of the ship. Shit. If he keeps at this I'm going to fall in. And yea, I never learned how to swim.

I'm unsure if he could see the slight fear in my eyes or he just thought he had the upper hand. But all of a sudden Jay got up close to me, wrapping an arm around my waist. He then whispered in my ear.

"We could use someone like you on our side. Consider this our offer~!" Jay smirked, a very quick peck to my cheek before he let me go.

I was too out of it. Didn't realize I was falling till i hit the ocean head first. Unprepared, I started drowning. Struggling under the water, my eyes were getting heavy. All I could think was, 'Why don't my powers work?????'

As my vision started fading the last thing I saw was a figure, then darkness.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"{Y/N}? {Y/N}???" I could hear my name but it was so far away.

Air? I could feel air entering my lungs. 

My eyes shot open and I quickly sat up, coughing up water.

"Oh good ye're alright! I'm gunna kill tha' bastard!" Harry exclaimed.

I looked up after coughing up all the water that was in my lungs. Harry was sitting on the beach, drenched, smudged eyeliner. And oh my god, my face was definitely heating up, mostly because Harry looked absolutely hot. Shit.

I sneezed. Shivering from having just been in the ocean. Harry sighed and stood up. Holding out a hand to me.

“Come on. We gotta go get ye dried off so ye don’t catch a cold.” Harry stated.

I grabbed his hand and with his help got up on my feet.

My {H/L} {H/C} hair was soaking wet. My clothes were soaked. My nose is starting to burn from the salty ocean water. I looked at Harry, hugging myself.

“L-Let’s g-go. I’m f-f-freezing!” I exclaimed in a shivering stutter.

Harry smirked, grabbing my hand in his. “Come on, {Y/N}. Let’s go back to my place, well I guess since ye’ll be stayin with meh it’s “our” place. But anyways come on.” Harry rambled on, pulling me to follow him.

Once we got to the apartment Harry had me go into the run down bathroom while he looked for some clothes for me to wear. I stood in the small bathroom, examining my surroundings. There wasn’t much. An old sink, a toilet that somehow manages to work, and a shower that looks like it could use some scrubbing down. I was startled when Harry opened the bathroom door and threw some clothes at me.

“There ye go. They were meh older sister’s clothes. They should fit. Ye can dry off with that towel in tha’ corner.” Harry stated.

I looked over at him and noticed his eyes were closed. At least he’s a gentleman. He closed the door, leaving me in the bathroom alone. I blinked, feeling my face heat up again. Was it just the thought of him seeing me? I shook my head. No. He’s only helping me because Uma would get mad at him if her newest recruit was sick. Also, is there medicine on this island? I have a feeling there isn’t.

I quickly dried off and got changed. {If your H/L is medium/long, then: I put my hair in a high ponytail.} I took a deep breath and opening the door. Harry was in the small kitchen area, though all it had was a retro styled rundown fridge and a sink. 

“T-Thanks for lending me your sister’s clothes.” I smiled.

Harry waved the back of his hand at me as he was at the kitchen sink. Was he hand washing dishes? 

I looked around the house. Messy, small, kind of reminded me of those studio apartments back home. This was definitely bigger than the apartment I had. But this one is definitely messier. Can’t complain though. I guess this is what my life is gunna be now. Hmm. 

“{Y/N}? Ye there? We need ta go. Uma’s gunna want us at the shop.” Harry explained, now standing at the front door, hook in hand.

How long has it been now? I walked over to him and we walked outside, and towards the Chip Shop. I looked up at the cloudy sky. Hmm. Has it really been an hour and a half already? Wow. 

“Ye alright lass?” Harry asked, raising his eyebrow in confusion.

“I’m alright, the day is just going by very fast that’s all. And…. I’m just thinking about the fight on the ship.” I responded, rubbing my left wrist with my right hand.

Harry continued with his confused look. “What do ya mean by that?” 

“Well. So um. Back in my world I had a small affinity for water. But here I can’t even make the water do what I want even a little. So I’m just bothered by that.” I explained as we walked through the market. 

I watched Harry steal a slightly rotten piece of fruit from a stall. Understanding now that this is not a place where good things happen. It feels like they get the leftovers from the mainland. I looked around as we got closer to the Chip Shop. 

This was just the beginning of my life here in this new world. What happens next? Well just wait and see? ;-)

That’s it for the Prelude! Just to let you all know that each chapter is gunna be 3 parts each. And oh boy is Chapter 1 gunna be exciting! Hope you all enjoy!

Tag list:

@descendantofthesparrow

(If you wanna be tagged plz let me know and I’ll add you to my list)

[buckybarnesbingo]

As part of our Discord party, we took song recs!  Here are some excellent, Bucky-flavored tunes!

My Body Is a Cage - Arcade Fire  (@blurockets)

Control - Halsey  (@writing-mermaid)

Summer Rain - Belinda Carlisle  (@fightingforcreativity)

This song just screams Bucky's story before the whole hydra thing to me. he was happy, struggling with life but happy with his friend/love had plenty fun and survived. Then he is send out and he's still saying he'll be back but he doesn’t want to go. and he never came back in the end. Because the person coming back after is not Bucky from before anymore.

Behind Blue Eyes - The Who  (@polizwrites)

Take Me Home - Ryan Dolan  (LiquidLightz)

We Three (My Echo My Shadow And Me) - The Inkspots  (@blurockets)

An Oldie that you could go into thoughts of identity and how there are sort of three facets to Bucky. The Echo prewar and maybe during war, my shadow ws and Me and it's also just pretty.

In Chains - Shaman's Harvest  (@menatiera​)

Whole Again - Granian  (@27dragons)

This song is about recovering from trauma (and the pressure that well-meaning friends can put on you to recover faster without really helping, or maybe that's just my interpretation).

More under the cut!

In Case You Don't Live Forever - Ben Platt  (@aoifelaufeyson​)

The Becoming - Nine Inch Nails  (@blurockets)

It's part of the Downward Spiral and that whole Nine Inch Nails is a concept album following a guy that falls into a spiral of drugs and things that culminate into a breakdown and well death

Stand By You - Rachel Platten  (@writing-mermaid)

Losing Your Memory - Ryan Star  (@rebelmeg)

The whole song has strong post-Cap2 vibes.  But there’s one particular part that talks about Montauk in the winter, that makes me think of freshly un-Hydra’d Bucky visiting one of the beaches in NY that he remembers being at with Steve when they were kids, struggling to catch more wisps of memory while he stands there on the shore.

New York - Snow Patrol  (LiquidLightz)

Stucky feels... Bucky thinking of Steve

Older - Ben Platt  (@aoifelaufeyson​)

We'll Meet Again - Vera Lynn (@rebelmeg)

Another one with Bucky remembering, haunted by a song he knows he’s heard before, and all kinds of faces and voices in his mind that he can’t quite place.

I Am Machine - Three Days Grace  (@pherryt)

Kill Our Way To Heaven - Michl  (@tisfan)

Nightmare - Set It Off  (@menatiera​)

This another Bucky & Winter, just the angsty version where Bucky is terrified of his "monster" self and would very much like to run away from it but can't

Demons - Imagine Dragons  (LiquidLightz)

Through The Long Night - Billy Joel  (@polizwrites)

This has major Stucky feels for me

Lost n Paradise - Evanescence  (@lbibliophile-mcu​)

I Know Places - Taylor Swift  (@writing-mermaid)

Clearly it's about people trying to runaway from people that are chasing them. I started to write a story inspired by that song

Bad Guy - Billie Eilish  (@aoifelaufeyson​)

Hey You - Pink Floyd  (@blurockets)

Imagine like a weird hallucinatory sequence that ends with Bucky being thrown into cryo

Bee Gees - Stayin' Alive  (@phoenixgryphon)

well you can tell by the way I use my walk i'm a hydra man no time to talk

Breathe Me In - Jared and the Mill  (@pherryt)

Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd  (@polizwrites)

Pink Floyd song that gives me Bucky/Stucky feels

Cat People - David Bowie  (@phoenixgryphon)

See these tears so blue / An ageless heart that can never mend / These tears can never dry / A judgment made can never bend / See these eyes so red / Red like jungle burning bright / Those who feel me near / Pull the blinds and change their minds

In the Mood - Glenn Miller  (@phoenixgryphon​)

The Sun Will Rise - Kelly Clarkson  (@writing-mermaid)

She's my favorite singer and I wrote a story based on that song, I think this is a pretty optimist song that shows that even if something bad happened, the next day can be brighter and the light will chase the darkness.

Talk Dirty To Me - Jason Derulo ft. 2 Chainz  (@aoifelaufeyson​)

Coming Back to You  -  Jennifer Warnes via Leonard Cohen  (@polizwrites)

My first Stucky fic (Another Mile of Silence) was based on this song

Slip - Elliot Moss  (@blurockets)

The Unforgiven - Blakwall  (@psychiccatpanda​)

Bucky Nat where they are so close to something good but because of the nature of their wonky memories it doesn't quite happen.

A Monster Like Me - Mørland & Debrah Scarlett  (@writing-mermaid)

Another song that inspired me for a story. It's about someone that made horrible things when he was younger, telling his love one to go away because he's a monster.

Coney Island - Antje Duvekot  (LiquidLightz)

preWar Bucky, Stucky feels

Dancing Queen - Abba  (@phoenixgryphon​)

Sleeping Sickness - City and Colour  (@blurockets)

Post WS Stucky Especially with that movies theme of things breaking down.

I've become / A simple souvenir of someone's kill / And like the sea / I'm constantly changing from calm to ill / Madness fills my heart and soul as if the great divide could swallow me whole / oh how I'm breaking down

Song of Bernadette - Leonard Cohen, cover by Jennifer Warnes  (@polizwrites) 

a WinterIron song for me — tho I ended up using a line from it for a   Tony/Bruce fic.

Sugar, Sugar - The Archies  (@phoenixgryphon​)

Believer - Imagine Dragons  (LiquidLightz)

recovering WS Bucky

Dark Side - Kelly Clarkson  (@writing-mermaid)

When We Were Young - Adele  (LiquidLightz)

Bucky recovering , Stucky feels

Next To Me - Imagine Dragons  (@writing-mermaid)

Nightmare - Set It Off  (@menatiera​)

This another Bucky & Winter, just the angsty version where Bucky is terrified of his "monster" self and would very much like to run away from it but can't

The Phoenix - Fall Out Boy  (LiquidLightz)

angry anti-Hydra WS Bucky

Animal - The Cab  (LiquidLightz)

sexy WS

Dyin' Ain't So Bad - Bonnie and Clyde (Original Broadway Cast Recording)  (@book-dragon-13)

Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy - The Andrews Sisters  (@rebelmeg)

This one just screams Bucky!  Especially the part about the Cap going out and grabbing him a band!

Behind Blue Eyes - L'Orchestra Cinematique  (@menatiera)

Firework - Katy Perry  (@phoenixgryphon)

Ghost Story - Charming Disaster  (@blurockets)

stucky imagine an iw war au where after the snap everyone snapped is a dimension off only the slightest bit so it feels like people in a shares space are haunting each other

Lone Digger - Caravan Palace  (@ibelieveinturtles)

Shadow on the Wall - Mike Oldfield  (@fightingforcreativity​)

for over 70 years Bucky has been nothing but a weapon, a toy, a shadow of himself. something like that leaves traces and that sometimes you don't feel like much of anything anymore. So when he starts to remember, starts to have flashes of what he did and he has this one person standing up for him, tearing the world apart for him, he tethers himself to them like their shadow on the wall. Building his own prison, the prison which follows the person helping him whoever that is

A Bad Dream - Keane  (@menatiera​)

Secret - Heart  (@fightingforcreativity​)

this is a winteriron or pre war stucky song for me. Because Bucky no matter which pairing I look at in that situation feels like they can't be out. stucky: because of the homophobia back then 

WinterIron: because they're supposed to be enemies sort of and Tony and Steve are standing at two different sides of the line, the line to which end Bucky had sworn to follow steve

Deliverance - The Mission U.K.  (@ibelieveinturtles​)

Most of what I have for Bucky is specific to fics I'm writing but I think this is a good one too

Red - Nightcore male version, original from Beth Crowley  (@menatiera​)

this is my post-WS angry Bucky to-go song

All Along The Watchtower, Bear McCreary (Battlestar Galactica version)  (@ibelieveinturtles​)

this one is from a dragon!Bucky fic I'm determined to finish one day...

Bring Me To Life - Evanescence  (@psychiccatpanda​ and @lbibliophile-mcu​)

Holding Out For A Hero - Bonnie Tyler  (@ibelieveinturtles​)

Hollow - Icon For Hire  (@fightingforcreativity​)

This is kinda self-explanatory considering that the song is about mental health

Not alone - RED  (@menatiera​)

this is kind of the song I often base my Bucky & Winter relationship to each other, how they worked through hell to keep each other alive and how they relied on each other. Mostly this is Bucky reassuring Winter and keeping him, well, human, by being there for him in his head.

Whisper - Evanescence  @lbibliophile-mcu

Memories - Within Temptation  (@fightingforcreativity​)

A song about memories, keeping ghosts alive and yet not really

On Every Street - Dire Straits  (@dreaminglypeach​)

More Steve looking for Bucky post WS, but still. 

 three cord symphony crashes into space / the moon is hanging upside down / don’t know why it is I’m still on the case / it’s a ravenous town / you still refuse to be traced / seems to me such a waste / and every victory has a taste that’s bittersweet / and it’s your face I’m looking for on every street

Chlorine - Twenty One Pilots  (@aoifelaufeyson​)

It’s My Life - Bon Jovi  (LiquidLightz)

[dopescotlandwarrior]

A Hero Among Us-Chapter 12

                            Special thanks to @statell​ for all your help

Previous chapters at AO3

Chapter Twelve

January went by in a blur. The confirmation of ownership of the hidden property made the great caper a reality. Jamie and Ned spent time bent over plans, Claire and Misses Crook spent time cleaning out the dirt, pulling draperies to wash, sweeping piles of dust to be cleared and washing furniture. Rupert installed a line that could withstand the weight of wet rugs and the women beat them dustless and then washed them. Misses Crook was an absolute stickler for cleanliness, Claire was a bit more practical opting for moderately clean.

“Misses Crook I have spent many hours here and still have not seen all the rooms. Can we agree to a deep scrubbing when time permits? May I show you your rooms?”

The older woman looked up, “rooms?”

Claire reached for the knobs of double doors pushing them open with great flourish and breezed by Misses Crook who was spellbound, mouth open, and stuck looking into the largest room she had ever slept in. Claire pointed to the sitting room and bathroom with her own tub. Misses Crook shook her head no and finally found her voice. “Misses Fraser, this is yer room, the master’s room.”

Well no, our room has its own hallway off the top of the stairs, like a separate floor it seems. I believe this was the room of the nanny or governess because its surrounded by three smaller rooms. That hall there leads to three rather large rooms, possibly for guests.

The home was decorated in the European style of fancy, over-furnished rooms and when they discovered the attic, Claire jumped up and down with happiness. They had a place to move the excess furniture.

Jamie wanted to take advantage of Randall’s declaration on the vineyard and keep nosy neighbors away from their new property. Claire and Misses Crook went with a land representative on Wednesday afternoons and endured hours of boring property viewings with a long-winded salesman. Every third or fourth property Claire would make a fuss and talk openly with Misses Crook about bringing Jamie to see it. It was enough to keep the gossip ship afloat and moving in the wrong direction.

Jamie decided they would start the transplanting on February fifteenth and prayed for enough time to get the healthy vines removed at the very least. Each week, the men would deconstruct one cabin and move the wood to the new property. It was always done on nights with little moonlight in silence and relying on their sense of touch. When dawn lit the landscape again there would be one less cabin. It was very difficult terrain between the two properties. There were strained and broken ankles from walking in the dark and general exhaustion from the distance and burden of transporting materials. Jamie saw the wear on the men and not a vine had been dug up. He ordered the cabin construction to stop for now. The men were given an extra meal, a day off to fish, sleep, get drunk or get laid, if they were lucky enough. It made a difference. On the next workday they would clock the removal and transport of a single vine so Jamie could estimate how much of the vineyard he could save.

Jamie called it the dress rehearsal and chose the fifth of February, 1882. The exercise was to move a single vine and estimate the time to pull it from one vineyard and bury it in the other. They all feared an early arrival of Randall and the loss of their crop, so moods lifted as the date approached to finally move them to safety. At six in the morning, Jamie smiled and pointed at a vine randomly as two of the men approached with shovels, just happy to be included in the dress rehearsal. At six o’clock that night, Ben pulled Jamie from the hidden property, his hands and feet were bloody from the unyielding earth refusing to release the vine. The challenge continued with traversing the rugged land and retrieving the dead replacement from the same unmerciful dirt on the other side. Jamie was despondent. Ben forced him on Brimstone and promised to help find a solution. Jamie knew it was God or nothing. He couldn’t bear to think of how this would crush Claire. For the first time since devising this scheme, he wondered I it was even possible.

Ben could not help Jamie, so he went home to sleep a few hours. The men tried to speak to him, but he didn’t hear them. He walked to the back yard and laid on the swing. For hours he watched the twinkling stars, and his failure raged inside of him. He dozed until soft hands touched his face and his eyes jerked open. Claire smiled at her husband and laid next to him.

“Why do you sleep without me tonight Jamie darling?”

“I was watchin the stars,” he lied.

“There are no stars shining tonight.”

Jamie looked at the sky and was surprised to see the stars were blocked from view. As far as he could see in all directions the stars were blocked. He felt another powerful hammer drive a nail into the coffin of his project.

“It will rain tomorrow Sassenach. Not thrilled but it’s been months without a drop. One man’s prayer goes unanswered so another man may flourish. A better man,” he said softly.

“I know one thing better than my own name Jamie and it is you are the best man. You have the truest heart, highest integrity, and a moral fiber that points to the harder road. I have never known such a man as you. I have enough faith for both of us, so rest my love and I will carry your burden of doubt. In ten days, we will move this entire vineyard.”

It was the first ray of hope he felt since early morning. She spoke with authority and conviction he rarely heard from her. “Thank you, Sassenach, I feel a bit better.”

Claire pushed up on an elbow and spoke into her husband's ear; “For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, but the wicked stumble in time of calamity. Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.”

Jaime took her face in his hands and searched her eyes, “and if yer wrong?”

“I am already right. You are my vineyard Jamie, my golden crop, my riches, my promise of the future. No one can take that from me. We own a vineyard in our own right, we have a glorious house and strong men, we don’t need these vines. Ben can find the native people to teach us how to graft and in three years we will prosper safely.”

Jamie took several gulps of air and held her close, “Sassenach, my brilliant Sassenach. Thank ye. Ye have released me from torment and yer amazing. I will spend the rest of my days thanking ye for all ye have said.”

The flash of lightning came with an explosion that threw them into deafness. Claire looked terrified and Jamie picked her up and ran to the house. Misses Crook was there with towels and looked out at the downpour as she closed the door. They all sat at the kitchen table and Misses Crook served hot chocolate to ease sleep and calm nerves while she blushed at Ned. Jaime could not let go of his wife under the table. The thunder was fiercer than any of them had ever heard and they chuckled their appreciation for shelter.

Jamie carried his bride to their rooms and tucked her in. He looked out at the cabins and hoped the men would find some rest tonight. The wind howled and the thunder crashed making Claire call to Jamie for comfort.

Jamie held her close and stroked her hair. “The rain has a debt to pay, our sleeping vines are baked dry. It is a good thing mo chridhe, fear not.”

When Claire was asleep Jamie went back to the window. Frank did many things right, like building the cabins on a raised platform of earth so the water fell away and was routed to the empty land behind the cabins. Where the vegetable garden had been…and Cho lived under a rudimentary lean-to that rested, unsecured, between two small trees. “Christ, Cho.”

Jamie pulled his slicker on and rubber boots. When he opened the door, the wind ripped it out of his hands and slammed it against the wall. It took all his strength to close the door before heading into the wind to find Cho. It took him some time to round the corner behind the cabins and he waded through a foot of water looking for his man. The rain was still blinding, and he was feeling panicked with no sight of Cho. He pushed on looking forward and then he saw him. Clinging to a small tree, head down, fighting the wind. Jamie pried Cho’s fingers from the tree and dragged him to the house. Cho lacked the strength to fight the water and wind and his single layer of cotton clothing was soaked to the skin. The old man stood on the doormat shaking violently. He tried to protest the special treatment and leave out the front door. Jamie stayed his hand.

“Oh good Lord, Mister Cho I’ll get ye warm right away.” Misses Crook came with towels and a blanket. Her heart broke for Cho because of his uncontrollable shaking. Misses Crook went for some tea and hot chocolate and did her best to make him comfortable.

“I know it’s not what ye want Mister Cho but yer stayin inside until the rain stops. Yer a bit too important to lose,” Jamie said softly.

Cho refused the bed in the second guest bedroom and chose to sleep in the bathtub where he seemed to fit perfectly.

The rain raged for a solid week. Part of the terraces came down and the men pulled heavy mud away looking for the vines. It would clear up for half a day and then rain hard for two. The men went back to dismantling the cabins and stacked the wood into individual cabin piles on the new land. Jamie requested the next cabin be stacked behind the barn but didn’t say why and the men didn’t ask.

Claire used the time to pack their clothes, the kitchen, and the treasures she wanted safe. Jamie investigated more of the outbuildings on the new property and found a carriage, a six-horse barn, and expensive saddlery. He wondered what happened to the horses.

On the first clear night in eight days, the night watch noticed several men watching the vineyard. It made Rupert’s skin crawl to know Randall senior was having them watched. He told Jamie the next day.

“Walk with me, Rupert.” The two men walked into the vineyard sinking several inches into the mud. As Jamie talked about building a raft, Rupert walked up to a vine and pulled it out of the ground, taproot and all. His cheeks were bunched up in a happy smile and when Jamie turned around he stopped mid-sentence and stared at the vine in Rupert’s hand.

“Sweet Jesus, ye just pulled it out of the earth, did ye nae?” He gave one a tug and it came right out of the ground. “We start tonight but we need to build a raft, actually three will do. Can ye do it, Rupert?”

“Angus has experience with water but what do ye want with a raft?”

“Get Angus, tell him we’re gonna float them across, starting tonight. Tell him the wood is behind the barn. Get all the men to start pullin the vines starting in the back and work forward. The ground is so wet they will come out easy and we can stack them at the lake. Go, hurry! We need to make haste while the ground is soft.”

Rupert took off to find Angus. Jamie saddled Brimstone and left to fetch Ben. By early afternoon Angus had completed one very substantial raft, but it had to be finished on the water because of its large size. He sent men to carry it to the lake and started on the next raft. They would tie them together, load them with the vines and four men would row the rafts to the other side. When Misses Crook rang the bell for supper to be brought down, Angus was starting the third raft.

With the little light of day left, Jamie and Ben were at the lake looking at the vines piling up and the sections of raft waiting to be connected. They decided twelve men would row to make the best time possible. Split the men into two crews, one at each property, pulling vines and planting the replacements. Things were moving fast now and when the night was dark the men loaded three huge rafts with vines, six men on each side sat on the very edges of the raft, heels touching butts and they started rowing. By the time they were in sync, they were moving across the lake faster than Jamie hoped. He watched the stars to keep their direction and finally saw the shore fire that Ned built to guide them in.

Ben’s crew had another six acres of vines stacked on the beach awaiting the dead vines to stick in the holes. On the third trip across the lake, Jamie exchanged the eleven exhausted men with fresh rowers, and they waited for the vines to be loaded and pushed off for the last run before sunrise. Jaime looked up and saw only clusters of stars here and there, otherwise, the night sky was hidden by incoming clouds. Twenty minutes in, he was dead lost. He told the men to sit still and wait for enough light to navigate. He could see lightning in the distance and watched it come closer. I hope we’re close, he thought.

When the sun finally punched through the layer of clouds it was barely enough to choose a direction. Jamie heard the morning bird song and after five minutes he decided that weird sound was someone imitating a bird and doing a poor job of it. They had drifted quite a way based on the sound Ned was sending across the water. He motioned the direction to the men, and they put their backs into it. Jamie’s relief was profound when he saw the fire and Ned, hands to mouth making his bird noise and pacing the shoreline.

The clouds were pushing a wicked cold wind and the men fought against it to bring the rafts to shore. Men descended on the vines, pulling them off and into holes already waiting for them. Jamie stumbled onto the shore and tied the rafts securely. He had never been so exhausted in his life but there were equal amounts of elation and relief in what they had done. His Sassenach was right, it was the hand of God that intervened, and he wasn’t done yet. The thunder exploded above them, and the rain came hard pushing Jamie and Ned into the house. Jamie looked out at the men stomping the mud around freshly planted vines and yanking dead ones as they moved back to the raft. He could barely see their outlines, but their smiles were impossible to miss.

With the work done for the time being the men gathered, dripping wet, not knowing what to do. Jaime herded them downstairs and promised food would be coming. He built up a huge fire and the men laid down on the hard ground and passed out, shivering with cold.

Jamie wanted to get the women off the {soon to be Randall} property as soon as possible and prayed the rain would let up long enough for Ben to bring the two horses. He pulled the carriage out and readied it to roll. It was nerve-wracking waiting for Ben, but he finally heard Ben’s whistle and ran out to show him the barn. The men hitched the carriage to the two horses Ben brought and Jamie was on his way negotiating the hills and holes of the terrain before finding the road. It was difficult keeping the horses calm in the sliding mud but his anxiety over Claire pushed them through it.

Angus saw the carriage and came running. He held the horses while Jamie ran inside the house apologizing for the wet trail. Claire ran to him and hugged him close but didn’t let go. Jamie looked at her, so petite and clean with Misses Crook standing behind her.

“We have to go ladies. We will float all you’ve packed another time. Can we bring food for the men? It’s been a very hard night for them.”

Misses Crook tried to pass Jamie the heavy cauldron that created the porridge every morning. Jamie took it from her and told the women to wear their heaviest wrap, the wind was freezing. Once they were settled in the carriage Jamie climbed up and thanked Angus, telling him to sleep. They were back on the sliding road heading toward their new home. A lightning bolt came down on the road ahead spooking the horses. They took off running and Jamie did all he could to keep control of them. The women were screaming, the rain was coming down in sheets and Jamie almost slipped out of his seat putting the fear of God into him. When he finally brought the horses under control it was time to leave the road and cut into the property. Jamie stopped the carriage and swung down. He tied the reins off and looked in the window at two women clutching each other, wide-eyed with fright.

“It’s a beautiful day for a ride ladies! Dinna fash, this part is the most fun.” He smiled at Claire and she boldly rushed forward and kissed him.

“You will take us home then?”

“I like the sound of that Sassenach. I must walk the horses in because it’s slippery. The carriage will bounce a lot but it’s plenty safe. If it’s too hard to hold em I’ll be pullin ye out into the rain but let’s see how it goes.”

Jamie reached for the reigns and considered the danger. If the horses spooked and bolted it would flip the carriage killing the horses and probably the women inside. He stood there considering his options and felt a meaty hand pull two reins from the bunch he held. He looked up at a smiling Ben Yountz and almost dropped to his knees with relief. The men nodded and each took a position at the mouth of a horse. They walked the carriage and horses into the property and the ladies were deposited in the house, no worse for wear an hour later.

The men unhitched the horses and slapped their rumps driving them into a stall. Jamie climbed into the hayloft and tore a bale apart smelling the fresh hay. They haven’t been gone very long, he thought. Maybe a year, maybe less. He pushed hay into the stalls and walked with Ben to the house.

Misses Crook had porridge bubbling over the fire in the kitchen and Claire was nowhere to be seen. Jamie scooped a bowl into the hot cereal and went to find his wife. She was spreading sheets across the biggest bed he’d ever seen. She moved quickly and with purpose as the rain came down outside. She approached Jamie and pulled his shirt off, boots and pants, handed him soap and pointed at two French doors.

“You want me to go out there mo chridhe? But why?”

Claire opened the doors to a porch and he smiled as he walked naked outside and washed. Claire draped towels over him and dried him off handing him a clean shirt. When she looked up there were tears rolling down her cheeks.

Jamie held her cheeks and wiped the tears with his thumb. “What is it, love?”

“You”…she swallowed hard, “are the most courageous man alive, and I am the luckiest girl in the world.”

Jamie pulled her to him and kissed her shoulder walking backward as she pushed him toward the bed. He laid down and thought he had gone to heaven. “God Sassenach, have ye…”

Claire looked down at her husband, sound asleep. She moved the hair out of his eyes and watched the corners of his mouth turn up. She thought her heart might burst looking at him, this man she loved so deeply.

Night after night the scene was repeated. The men never complained, Ben was always there to lead his half of the men, and they slowly worked their way into three hundred acres of grapevines. By March first, they had half the vineyard safely planted at the new site. Jamie rode to the old house and was surrounded by men who followed him inside like they owned the place. When he saw the kitchen, he almost fainted.

“What the devil has happened here?”

The men looked at each other and lifted their shoulders, it all looked right as rain to them. Jamie saw food stuck on the floor, countertops, footprints going down the hall and a sink full of disgusting dishes.

“Ye men are pigs.”

Robbie slapped his impressive girth and announced no loss of weight with the men cooking for themselves.

“Jesus Christ, I’ve never seen a room so dirty in my life.”

Later, the men sat around Jamie enjoying the sunny afternoon. He looked from one face to the other and saw sheer exhaustion. They didn’t look well at all and he needed to call a time out to rest. He made the decision to split Rupert and Angus between the two groups at night and exchange the groups weekly. First, they all needed three days off to rest and recharge. He had hardly seen his wife in two weeks, and he was exhausted.

Claire found a wardrobe in the attic and expected it to be full of blankets and men’s coats. When the door swung open her eyes got huge and her open mouth turned up in a smile. Her hand reached for the floor-length robe of the softest fabric, knit somehow, with fur piping, like mink. She pulled the garment out and ran to her room to try it on. It was the most exquisite garment she had ever seen and decided it was time to seduce her husband.

Jamie came bounding into the bedroom a few hours later and stopped dead at the sight of his wife. She reclined on a chaise lounge with a beautiful robe on. The front was open to her navel, belted, then opened again to see her legs up to high-thigh. He knew he would lose his grip on sanity if he didn’t take her this minute. He listened to the rain pour outside and felt the soap in his hand, he walked naked into the rain but watched her every second. He dried off, still watching and walked to her lounge. He ran a finger under the fur piping and touched her nipple. Suddenly he wanted to touch everything, he wanted to be inside her right away, his exhaustion was making his mind scramble and he called to her. A starving, horny, sleep-deprived man could not decide what to do first and he dropped his head in his hands. He saw Claire’s naked leg swing across his lap and straddle him. She pulled his head to her breasts and then kissed him so deeply it touched his soul.

Claire kept her eyes locked on Jamie’s and slid to the floor. She held him in her hands and opened her mouth as she watched him watch her. Her tongue touched all his places and she took notice of what made him weak. When she pulled him into her mouth, she tilted her head so he could see. Jamie pulled her up and aimed himself at her wet core and as she dropped down on him, he thought he would explode. Claire’s body brought him sweet release, she fed him and laid next to him until he chased his dreams.

For the next three days, Claire wore the beautiful and extravagant robe, kept ample food in the room, and read Jamie to sleep after every meal and orgasm. For both of them, it was three days in heaven.

Jamie felt the boards under his knees and dug his ore deep in the water to gain the most speed. He was back in the zone with a single purpose, to ferry the vines to safety. On March twentieth the entire vineyard had been moved except the two acres in front of the house. Ben told him to let it go, he had enough. The ground was tightening around the roots laying claim to those that were left. Jamie felt defeated.

Two nights later Jaime woke to the crash of thunder and room brightening lightning. He listened to the pounding rain and heard voices in his head say, “come and get me… come and get me… come and get me.” He tucked his head against the wind and rain and ran to the vineyard pulling up vines as he ran along. Robbie appeared next to him pulling up vines. They pulled what was left and then ran them to the shore of the lake. Two other men showed up, rubbing their eyes as they loaded the vines onto the raft. Robbie jumped on the raft opposite Jamie and the men rowed hard as the rain pelted them.

Jamie and Ned devised a whistle system when the sky was cloudy, and Jamie sent his inquiry across the water. Five minutes of whistling in all directions and finally a whistle came back. They moved toward it until they saw the light from burning lamps inside the windows of the house.

The next morning the men stacked the dead vines on the rafts and made jokes about the boss not being human. Ned walked out and put a shaky foot on the closest raft looking like he might lunge for it.

“What might ye be thinkin Ned”, asked a concerned Highlander.

Ned looked up as his spectacles slid down his nose, “we must get the vines across right away. We can’t have anyone notice those front acres are suddenly empty.” He prepared himself for the lunge to the raft until a large hand pulled him back. Ten Highlanders piled onto the rafts and a grateful Ned watched them disappear over the horizon.

For the next two weeks, Jamie, Ben, and most of the Highlanders worked on the old property trimming the vines that had been left overgrown and shabby. All the work they had done would be for naught if the vines looked like dead transplants.

As the old vineyard was being trimmed, men were taking loads of personal belongings across the lake and the new house was feeling more like home to the women.

The rest of the cabins were relocated except the front ten. Many days Jamie would work in the equip barn on some project that only Angus knew about and he wasn’t talking. As the calendar was turned back onto the month of May, Jamie and Angus took another trip across the lake on a dark night, loaded the precious cargo from the equip barn, and floated it back. They would work silently for several more hours constructing their surprise.

The next morning Cho sat outside eating his porridge when Jamie asked for his assistance. The quiet man stood and bowed, following Jamie around the cabins and ducking under a line of willow trees that were budding out for the spring. Cho stopped at the site of something miraculous.

“Come Mister Cho. I made this for ye, Angus helped, and I hope you like it. I tried to remember all you told me about your property at home. The floor, the Che-friendly angles, and exposure. You had a water garden, like this I believe,” Jamie pointed to the large area that was dug out at differing depths and wound around his house with a large pool right in front. “I waited for you to fill it with water in case it needs something.”

Cho had remained like a statue looking white as a sheet. Jamie feared he overstepped, or insulted Cho and was filled with dread. He boldly kept going and lifted a large door that when raised above the head slipped easily into grooves in the roof structure. The space inside was ten times his lean-to at the old property. There was a circular fire pit in the middle with a corresponding hole cut into the roof. There was a new bedroll, a low table with a tea service and a canister full of his favorite tea that Claire had ordered from China town. There were four woven mats around the fire pit for relaxing and conversation with visitors.

Claire had been fetched by Angus and walked up to Mister Cho. She took his hand and walked him to the structure smiling brightly. Her curtsy was to the ground, head bent, held for at least a minute. When she rose she took his hands again, “thank you Mister Cho, for saving my life, twice.” She released his hand and joined her husband who asked Cho to come in for one last thing. Cho moved like a sleepwalker, with tears streaming down his face. Jamie pointed at Cho’s love in life. A floor easel, paints, brushes for his calligraphy and pictures, graphite, rulers, and clips. Jamie laid a highly polished box at Cho’s feet. “I made this as watertight as possible and from the Manzanita tree. The wood is so dense it can float for a week with no problem.”

Cho ran his fingers along the edges of the box, the tongue and groove craftsmanship, and the beautiful red wood. Lifting the lid he saw paper of various sizes stacked neatly inside. He held the box to his chest and bowed to the Frasers. He would have a home of his own and make his meditation pond beautiful. The willow trees sheltered the home from view of the vineyard and he could be alone and commune with nature until the next emergency. Cho set the box down and held a hand of each of them, pressing it to his forehead as he bowed, still too overcome to speak.

That night, Cho unrolled the thick new bedroll and watched the stars out of the hole in the ceiling while the fire kept him warm. It was the most luxurious moment in his memory and he smiled as he fell asleep.

[stanathanxoox]

Bubbly

gif is not mine

@drethanramsey-ismybabe asked Bubbly - Colbie Caillat with Dr Ethan Ramsey

It was karaoke night at Donohue's, you hadn't planned on singing you really hadn't but when you had been working a 14-hour shift on next to no sleep for the previous two days and then added alcohol into the mix there hadn't really been much choice. You get up on the makeshift stage and scroll through the song options before finding exactly the song you were looking for.“Aha!” you say into the microphone. Smiling as the first chords play through the speakers you get ready to sing as your eyes meet the blue pools sitting across the bar at the sipping his drink, you can see the corners of his mouth are turned up in a slight smile. Your eyes never leave his as you sing the song you know from heart, bearing your soul to him.

Will you count me in? I've been awake for a while now You've got me feelin' like a child now 'Cause every time I see your bubbly face I get the tingles in a silly place It starts in my toes, and I crinkle my nose Where ever it goes I always know That you make me smile, please, stay for a while now Just take your time wherever you go 

The rain is fallin' on my windowpane But we are hidin' in a safer place Undercovers stayin' dry and warm You give me feelings that I adore 

It starts in my toes, make me crinkle my nose Wherever it goes I always know That you make me smile, please, stay for a while now Just take your time wherever you go But what am I gonna say? When you make me feel this way I just, mmm And it starts in my toes, makes me crinkle my nose Wherever it goes I always know That you make me smile, please, stay for a while now Just take your time wherever you go I've been asleep for a while now You tucked me in just like a child now 'Cause every time you hold me in your arms I'm comfortable enough to feel your warmth It starts in my soul, and I lose all control When you kiss my nose, the feelin' shows 'Cause you make me smile, baby, just take your time now Holdin' me tight Wherever, wherever, wherever you go Wherever, wherever, wherever you go Wherever you go I always know 'Cause you make me smile, even just for a while 

There's a clap from all around as the song fades, but your attention is stuck on Ethan. He gives you a wide smile before he gets to his feet, and walks out. The next thing you know you can feel your cellphone vibrating in your pocket. Pulling it out, you can't help but grin as you see the name Jonah popping up on your screen. It was your code for him so that when your roommates saw your phone they wouldn't suspect anything was happening between you and Ethan. You clamber down from the stage before checking the message he had sent you. That was beautiful, meet you back at my place ASAP it reads you beam at his words before sending back a message of your own 

Thanks babe xx be there soon. You hurry to collect your things and rush out of the bar trying to escape before any of your friends catch you, luckily their all engaged in other things so your escape is clear. You make your way across the street to where your car is parked. However, when you try to get your car to work the damn engine is flat, you try ticking it over once, twice, a third time but nothing seems to happen. Instead of heading back into the bar to talk to the bartender or even one of your friends you call Ethan, he picks up almost instantly 

“Ethan, I need your help” you say and you can hear the concern in his voice “What do you mean Y/N? What's happened?” he asks and you are about to explain about the engine being flat when a sudden explosion erupts from the hood of the car, and your thrown back across the footpath, before hitting your head on the concrete wall, you can hear a murmur from the phone speaker but mostly all you can hear is the ringing in your ears as you lose consciousness.

When you wake, it's to the sound of a heart monitor and the bright lights of the hospital room. You try sitting up, but feel a soft hand on your shoulder stopping you from moving, you begin to panic before you meet the blue eyes of the man you love, they're full of concern and desperation but they show a little bit of relief at seeing you awake. 

“Ethan” you whisper and he leans down placing a kiss on your forehead before he says 

“Shush, it's okay, try not to move sweetheart” you give a small smile at hearing the term of endearment he normally doesn't say outside of the his apartment. “How long have I been here?” you ask and he frowns 

“It's been two days since the explosion, honestly when the doctors showed me the results from your CT scan and MRI, I'm surprised you're actually awake after such a short time” he says and you raise an eyebrow “What do you mean?” you ask and he says 

“I'll let your assigned doctor tell you” he says, and your face falls. But you understand why he's doing this, it's overstepping the boundaries for him to have even have told you this much since you weren't his patient. 

It feels like an eternity before the doctor comes in to discuss the findings with you, he's about to dismiss Ethan but you shake your head and reach out for him “No! Let him stay” you beg, panic setting in, your hand outstretched, waiting for his hand to hold and the doctor raises an eyebrow at you before turning to Ethan “The patient has asked for you to stay” the doctor says and Ethan looks at you, trying to decide on whether or not he should stay or if he should leave, you meet his blue eyes, pleading with him and he sighs before making his way over to your bed and he takes your hand in his before he turns to the doctor who is eyeing the two of you suspiciously before Ethan growls and the doctor begins to explain his findings. The doctor runs the normal tests now that you're awake as well and declares that your stay in the hospital will be a short one if there are no further signs of complications, such as seizure. When the doctor exits the room you look over at Ethan as he watches you digest the news. 

“I'm sorry this happened to you sweetheart” he whispers, sitting next to your bed in the horrible plastic hospital chair. You give his hand a gentle squeeze, 

“I'm just glad your here Ethan. I love you” you whisper and he beams, before he leans over and places a kiss on the back of your hand “I love you too Y/N, so much” he says and you smile.

Tag List: @tiva-jenry-caskett-rizzles-densi, @jimmybpride, @dressed-up-just-like-z1ggy, @nikkiwierden, @samchelforever007, @kirkspockbones, @xoncisxncislaxncisnolaox, @lasalle-pride-sebastian-love, @haliannej, @brooklyn-99-amyxjake​, @mizzezm, @genius2050, @twilight-twihard, @cullencoven2019, @captainxholmes, @luciferxchloeislove, @drethanramsey-ismybabe

Tag List for Open Heart: @melissagoodwill, @lady-kato, @i-bloody-love-drake-walker

[strawberriestyles]

Prologue: Into the Valley

(Banner made by the savior herself @tiostyles)

Harry X OFC (AU)

In which Blue, a perpetual wanderer, finds herself drawn to the mystery of Wolver Valley, and to a certain motorcycle-riding mechanic named Harry.

Author’s note: Here she is! I have a lot of plans for this fic and I can only hope it comes out the way I picture it. The OFC is Naomi Scott for anyone wondering. Chapters will post as they’re completed! And I have quite a busy month coming up, so I apologize if updates are slow. Let me know your first impressions!! And please like and reblog. Enjoy! Xx

Thank you to my lovely betas: @biteharrysthigh // @lilacobscure // @metinthehallway // @belle-ofthe-sea // @nofoookingway // @lyllibug // @justsaying20

She arrived on a late afternoon in the thick of summer. Wolver Valley hadn’t seen rain for entire weeks and dust was kicking up in clouds along the sides of the road. She arrived noisily, metal grinding against pavement all the way into town, where she bought a batch of fresh strawberries at the farmer’s market, surrounded by curious, wide-eyed locals. They directed her to the nearest mechanic, and she got back in her car and ground her way there.

The man working didn’t seem to hear her arrive, clanking metal and all, to the parking lot outside of the shop. It was full of junk cars, beat up and dented and missing fenders. “Axel’s,” read the worn blue letters hanging just below the roofline. She stepped out onto the asphalt and slammed her door shut, but still no reaction from inside the drawn open garage door. No surprise. There was music blaring from a set of speakers atop a tall, drawered toolbox.

She made her way inside, boots on concrete, toward the feet sticking out from beneath a silver motorcycle, propped up off the floor. Smoke rose from her lips. She flicked the ashes of her cigarette onto the floor and strode over them.

“Excuse me,” she said, over the sound of the speakers.

The top of a head peeked out over the bike’s seat, eyebrows raised. There was a bunch of dark hair gathered up into a fraying bun.

“Yeah, basically my car is falling apart.”

The man sighed, pulling his feet back beneath the bike and standing up on the other side of it. He took a dirty cloth from the handlebar and wiped his fingers on it. He was taller than she had expected from the bit of leg that she had seen, and his one arm was scattered with black ink.

“Who are you?” he asked.

“A girl who needs a mechanic,” she replied testily. “Bit of a rude greeting, don’t you think?”

“Sorry.” He draped the cloth back over the handlebar and rounded the bike, wiping his palms on the thighs of his dark jeans. “Don’ really see unfamiliar faces around here very often. Wha’s your name?”

She noticed the lilt of his accent as she took another drag from her cigarette. His eyes followed the movement of her hand and the smoke that unfurled after her breath.

“Blue,” she answered simply.

“Blue? Tha’s your name?”

“That’s what people call me.”

The man raised a brow again. “Well, Blue, I would appreciate yeh puttin’ that out. Happen to have a few gas cans in here.”

Blue retreated to the entrance of the garage, where she took one last drag and then stomped the butt of her cigarette out on the pavement. The man followed her.

“‘M Harry,” he introduced when she turned back around.

“A white shirt is an odd choice when your hands are always covered in grease, Harry.”

Harry glanced down at the front of his cotton t-shirt and then shrugged. “’S an old one. So, wha’s the problem?”

“I was hoping you could tell me.” Blue gestured out to the parking lot and to her car awaiting them. “A piece got disconnected underneath and now it sounds like I’m driving some ancient muscle car.”

Harry stepped across the lot and dropped down on his hands and knees to take a look beneath the car. The asphalt was hot on his fingers. It was only a moment before he was standing back up.

“Exhaust pipe’s broken. Tore right off the muffler. Probably rusted out. Yeh drive a lot?”

“Back and forth across the country."

“In this little dinky thing?”

“She holds everything I need her to and gets me where I’m going.”

Harry scratched at the stubble forming along his jaw and nodded. “I’ll have to get her inside to take a better look, but ‘m probably gonna have to order a new pipe. Could take a few days to come in and we're a little backed up with work.”

“We? Where are the other mechanics?” Blue asked, gesturing to the garage, with all of its toolboxes and closed doors.

“’S Saturday.”

“Yeah, but you’re here.”

“‘M workin’ on my bike.”

Blue sighed.

“Were yeh plannin’ on stayin’ for a while or just passin’ through?”

“I wasn’t planning to be here at all, but I guess I’ll have to check out the town,” Blue said as she opened up the driver side door to pull her keys from the cupholder and her bushel of strawberries from the passenger seat. Then she opened up the door to the backseat and pulled out a heavy duffel bag, swinging its strap over her shoulder and closing both doors.

Harry took the keys from her. “D’yeh need a ride to the motel?”

She glanced back into the garage, at the motorcycle, glinting metallically, and shook her head. “Think I’ll take a walk. If you could tell me where to get a decent drink, though, I’d appreciate it. The air’s a little dry here.”

“Five and Jive’s just around the corner from the Red Roof. Tell Leya I sent you.”

Blue gave him a sarcastic salute and bit into a strawberry, licking at the juice before it could dribble down her chin. Harry turned on his heel and traveled back into the garage while she stepped out onto the sidewalk, heading back in the direction of Wolver Valley’s main strip, craving some fries and a vodka tonic, and hoping desperately that this place could amuse her until her car was patched up.

Chapter 1: First Impressions