#the wedding was absolutely insane and everyone there was dressed to the nines it was SO FUN

[hahafixon]

What Happens in the Dark of the Night ~ *Choi San*

Summary: San, the prodigal son of his kingdom, is cursed to die whether he goes through with this arranged marriage or not. That's why he's summoning a demon to help. However, the solution isn't any better...

Pairing: Choi San X Fem!Reader

Genre: Angstyish Oneshot

Word Count: 2171

Warning: swearing, mentions death, mentions murder, demon au and all that goes with it

Masterlist

Taglist: @plutonieve​​ @mxnsxngie​ @maeleelee​ @kpop-will-kill-me

The night was perfect. The ballroom was pitch black, save for a lone red candle on the sigil that was drawn on a piece of parchment in the middle of a salt circle. San had to make sure this ritual went perfectly, lest he summon the wrong demon. However, he was certain he drew the right sigil for tonight's summoning. He was fairly sure he would get the right demon for the job.

Walking counter clockwise around the salt circle nine times, San held the lit black candle tightly in his hand and murmured the incantation. He then stopped abruptly and shouted, “BELIAL! I SUMMON THEE! BELIAL I SUMMON THEE FROM THE DEPTHS OF HELL!”

He blew out the black candle and the red candle spewed red hot flames with sickly green smoke. He shielded his eyes and covered his nose as the demon erupted from the smoke. Upon lowering his arm, he gasped.

Instead of Belial, there was a woman in the middle of the circle. She was dressed in a black pencil skirt and a black button down with a black blazer thrown on top and the sleeves rolled up so he could see the small red fissures tracing up and down her skin. A black wide brimmed hat covered her eyes, though he could still see her sinister smile from underneath it. Her black gloved hands gripped at the top of a matte black cane with a silver horse head. She gave a low, deep chuckle that almost seemed to reverberate through his soul.

“Well, well, foolish mortal.” She called, her voice smooth and alluring. “What, pray tell, is the reason you call upon my services this dark and wild night?”

“You’re not Belial.” San deadpanned, crossing his arms over his chest like a stubborn child. “I was specifically summoned for Belial.”

The woman snapped her head up and he could see her fiery red eyes illuminate in the darkness as she sneered at him. “Well, what do you want me to do about it? Dad said he didn’t want this case so he told me to come and help you. Now what do you want? Hurry up before I change my mind and head home.”

He balked at her words. “Dad?!”

She nodded, with a disgruntled sigh. “Yes, Belial is my father. Now why do you want him? I mean if you really want him that bad, I can send in a good word for you and when you attempt to summon him again in three years, maybe he’ll be more accommodating to your specific needs.”

“But I can’t wait three years!” He exclaimed. “I'm expected to get married tomorrow!”

“And?” She looked at him like he was crazy. “What do you want me to do about it?”

“I want you to stop the wedding of course!”

At this, she let out a hearty laugh. “Ah, you’re a funny one, mortal. I mean you’d be crazy, absolutely INSANE, to think a demon King would help you with something so trivial.”

San began to sputter, trying not to appear as offended as he was. “Well, maybe that’s why your dad sent you! So you could handle all of the trivial matters instead of the big tough cases.”

She glared at him and he almost let his fear for this demon daughter show. “Don’t get cocky with me now, Prince San, only son of the King and Queen. Don’t think I don’t know who you are. Everyone who’s anyone knows about you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Again, she chuckled, deep and sinister. “Prince San, the prodigal son. After being blessed, not cursed I might add, with a daughter, the King and Queen made a deal with an angel for a son, which they did receive. However, miracles don’t last forever and angels aren’t always as kind as you foolish humans portray them to be. It is rumored that a demon had taken the guise of an angel and cursed you so that if you did not marry by your twenty-fifth birthday, you and your kingdom would die. How does that sound for a prophecy?”

“But I don’t want to marry!” He didn’t mean to sound like he was pouting, but it slipped out anyways. “I cannot and will not marry someone I do not love, or even know for that matter. No matter what my status in society or whatever stupid laws exist out there, I refuse to accept this marriage!”

The woman stared at him, her mouth slightly ajar. Trying to regain her composure, she sputtered, “Wha- did you not just hear what I said?! If you do not get married you, your family, and your kingdom will all die! I think getting married to someone you don’t love is a miniscule price to pay for the safety of yourself, your family, and the citizens of your kingdom!”

He sighed. “I know, I completely understand that. But I just can’t do it.”

She scoffed. “So, again, I ask you what do you want me to do about it?”

“I told you! I want you to stop this wedding!” He shouted, his teeth bared. “You’re a demon. Can’t you undo the curse or something?”

“Undo the curse?!” She gasped as if he said something wildly offensive. “You have any idea how many laws that would break? You can’t just undo another demon’s curse! That’s an act of high treason, you know?”

San groaned, crouching down and putting his face in his hands. “I can’t get married. I just can’t get married to this princess. I’m willing to do whatever it takes, but I just cannot marry her.”

The demon woman frowned before awkwardly trying to kneel in her tight pencil skirt. “What do you mean you can’t marry her? I mean I may be a demon through and through, but I’m sure she’s not that bad. Besides, you can like divorce her or kill her after like a year.”

He shook his head wildly. “No, you don’t understand! If I get married to her, she will destroy my kingdom! She plans on poisoning me at the wedding so she can take over and destroy my people’s good work. I tried to bring this up with my parents, but they won’t listen! Even my sister is powerless to stop this wedding from happening, even though she believes me! I am okay with laying down my life for my people, but if they get hurt because of it, I will not standby and let it happen.”

She groaned, muttering under her breath, “Ugh, this is why I didn’t want to come here.”

“What?”

“You’re so dramatic! Just like every other mortal I have ever met!” She whined. “You know what the princess is planning to do, so you should stop it yourself. On the day of the wedding, you poison her instead.”

“And make it seem like I’m the crazy murderer? Absolutely not!”

“Then tell everyone about the curse and how things would be different if you weren’t cursed.”

“What, and sully my parents’ good name because they were duped by a demon because they desperately needed a son? I could never do that to them!”

The demon screamed in frustration. Standing up, she pinched the bridge of her nose with one hand and gripped the head of her cane tighter with the other. The red fissures on her arm pulsed a brighter shade of red, as if he could see her nonexistent heartbeat in her arms.

“Every solution I give you, you say no to! I can’t possibly help you with these conditions! You’ve wasted my valuable time for your frivolous and incessant whining.” She spat.

“Well I didn’t summon you! I wanted your father and yet he sent you instead! So you have no room to complain!” San shot back defiantly, standing up as well.

She folded her arms over her chest, the cane staying ramrod straight despite the fact she wasn’t holding it. “You know you’re really starting to piss me the fuck off. I should punish you for your insolent behavior.”

He crossed his arms as well, his face set with a determined look. “Oh yeah? What are you going to do about it? Return to your father crying about how a prince made your life oh so difficult?”

As she sneered at him, he heard a low growl that almost made his breath catch in his throat. There was a pause before she tilted her chin up and a wicked grin made its way across her face. “Fine. You want to play games? I can play games. I am a demon after all. I will punish you by helping you.”

“And how is that a punishment?”

“Simple: you’ll marry me instead.”

San’s heart practically stopped and his jaw dropped. He tried to yell at her in rage or at least say something to her. But his mouth just comically opened and closed like a fish. Her look of sheer triumph made him seethe and shake with fury. What he wouldn’t give to wipe that smug smirk from her stupid face.

“Hell no.” He finally managed to spit out.

“And why not?” One of her eyebrows arched as if challenging him. “It’s a perfect plan really. I’ll assume the form of your blushing, murdering bride-to-be and kill her so that I take her place. Then you will forever be tethered to me. And by forever I mean for all eternity, even when you’re dead.”

“So break one horrible arranged marriage for an even worse one? Never.” San shook his head. “I will never marry you.”

She shrugged. “Fine, be that way. I’ll just leave you to get married tomorrow and you’ll die along with your family and kingdom.”

He gritted his teeth. This wasn’t fair. This wasn’t how this summoning was supposed to go. He was supposed to find the solution to his problems and be done. He was supposed to be free, not contemplating death versus enslavement. If only his parents weren’t stupid enough to fall for a curse from a demon. None of this would have ever happened.

San huffed. “Fine.”

Again, the demon raised an eyebrow at him, but there was a twinge of shock and an even smaller dash of fear in her eyes. “Fine?”

Nodding, he looked her in the eyes, face devoid of emotion. “I will marry you on one condition: you still keep my people and my family safe. It’s the least you can do for an eternity tormenting me.”

He was surprised when she nodded before bowing her head. “But of course. I have no intention of destroying a kingdom you’re oh so willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for. That would simply be unfair of me.”

San would be lying if he said he wasn’t shocked by her words. Not only that, but she said it with such sincerity, he had half a mind to believe her. Nevertheless, he remained cautious. She was a demon after all. He couldn't trust her. Drawing himself with an air of authority, he knew he could not betray any weakness to her, no matter how hard she would try to break through his armor. He would never yield to her, no matter what.

“Very well. We shall be married tomorrow.” He gave a curt nod of his head.

She nodded. “Very well. I will see to my affairs of disposing of the princess.”

“Please be discreet.”

“Of course. I strive for discretion.” She gave a halfhearted chuckle.

He sighed. “And when the wedding is done, will you go back to hell or will you kill me first?”

San could have sworn he saw the faintest look of betrayal on her face before she huffed in annoyance. “I can’t kill you. It’ll break the vow I made. I will be by your side till the day you die and then once you are dead, you will still be mine, but we won’t have to be together as often.”

“Sounds fair.” He shrugged.

She nodded again. “Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

He could hear her breath catch as she took a tentative step out of the billowing smoke and onto the ballroom floor. Once she was out of the smoke, she gestured for him to clear some of the salt circle so she could get by. After doing so, she strode past him, not sparing him a second glance, disappearing down the hall.

San then cleared the red candle and the salt by himself, his thoughts swimming. He didn’t know what to think or what to do. He basically signed away his kingdom, his family, and himself to a princess of Hell. He wasn’t sure he even made the right decision in the first place.

But there was one thing he did know for sure. Despite everything, he was determined to prove himself. He was stronger than this curse and he was stronger than all the forces of Heaven and Hell working against him. He was going to be a King worth remembering.

[incorrect-ikevamp-quotes]

Comte’s One More Wedding Event (full release)that should have just came out in Japanese Version. Could you translate it or summarize it, please? Thank you for your time.

I can't believe you want to give me this kind of power, but if you insist 😂💛

That being said, because my translation skills are rough at best, I'll be summarizing and selecting specific parts to discuss if I feel a need to quote directly.

If you don't want spoilers for Comte ES, run!

Y'all. Y'ALL. REEEEEEEEE I LOVE HIM. NOBODY LOOK AT ME I'VE BEEN CRYING ON AND OFF FOR DAYS

ANYWAY

So this particular event begins with MC bringing Comte a letter as he thanks her. One glance at the return address tells him that it's a pureblood gathering invitation, and upon opening it he's right. He shrugs it off and says he'll reply to it later, setting it aside.

MC, perceptive as ever, asks if he's declining the invitation. Comte explains the nature of the party and how only purebloods are allowed to end. Furthermore, the gathering takes place on their first wedding anniversary--and he would much prefer to spend the day with her.

Comte: “MC, any gorgeous evening party–no matter how beautiful–means nothing to me without my wife at my side. The place I belong is with you.”

MC: “Er…”

His gold eyes are steady and unwavering as he looks at me, and my heart skips a beat.

Comte: “Anywho I have no intention of attending this party, as it also overlaps with the date of our anniversary. Our first wedding anniversary is an important day, and I want to spend it with my beloved wife.”

Comte smiles winningly, all while staring straight at me.

MC, however, finds herself conflicted. Given how little she knows about purebloods, she wishes she could attend the party to better understand him and the community he's a part of. She admits this, to Comte's great surprise, but feels bad about it because she doesn't mean to ask something impossible of him. (One of the requirements of the party is that you have to be a pureblood vampire to be invited. ON WEDNESDAYS WE WEAR PINK) Comte clarifies that--because she's his wife--she's welcome to attend alongside him. He offers to take her with him if that's what she wants.

MC: “Are you really sure it’s okay for me to go, though?”

Comte: “Certainly. But I would never force you if you were uncomfortable, of course.”

MC: “No, I don’t hate the idea!”

Comte: “But I’d understand if being surrounded by purebloods would be rather nerve-wracking for you…And so many of them have a superiority complex a mile wide; they’re a prideful bunch. While it may not be all of us, there are enough that it might be stifling for you to be around them.”

Comte: “In light of all that, are you certain you still wish to go?”

[I know he’s just doing his best to prepare me for what I might face at a party like this--he doesn’t want me going in with the wrong idea. It’s very likely he had intended to decline the invitation to spare me the discomfort, and the burden of making a choice that would affect/limit him too. The concern in his features makes me melt.]

The part I love most about this scene is that this is just the beginning of so many attempts on his part to prepare her realistically, but also support her decision. As much as he wants to go with her he's never going to put her in the position of deciding for the both of them. He knows there's a great deal of pressure to face among such a forbidding/traditional society, and if she needs more time to prepare for that--he wants to give her the space to get used to something so unfamiliar. In truth, I don't see him ever asking her to go if she didn't want to--even if it stung to have that part of him rejected...

MC considers for a moment, but she's resolved to understand him and his people better. She explains as much, and Comte brightens at the confession.

MC: “I’m sorry if it’s a bit much to ask of you, but thank you…!”

Comte: “I should be the one thanking you, now I look forward to the gathering.”

MC: “You’re…looking forward to it?”

When I tilt my head quizzically, le Comte draws me close with a faint smile on his lips.

Comte: “I’m excited to introduce you as my wife.” (SCREAMS AND CRIES)

This gets INSANELY cute because he gathers her close to him and she just gets very bashful about it. She apologizes--saying she knows she should be more used to it given they've already been married a year now, but his response is so sweet: “Why apologize? I’ve always thought my wife is the cutest.”

They both think back to their wedding ceremony at the mention of how long they've been together, and MC's eyes find the flower pins she gifted him on top of his hourglass (which fking one he has like 300).

Some background for anyone unaware: when Comte and MC got married, MC gifted him these flower pins--they were flowers that were preserved (in metal I think? idk exactly how it works they just look metallic in his outfit art). She explains that they're an attempt to symbolize her love for him, in that she intends to remain unchanging in her feelings forever. I find it's also an apt metaphor for MC herself; it's not unlike her agreement to become a vampire to stay with him.

MC: “You’ve been taking good care of the flowers I gave you.”

Right next to the hourglass lie the preserved flowers I gave him. They gleam in the light with ease, clearly polished and looked after–not a speck of dust on them.

Comte: “With those you swore your love to me. Isn’t it only natural that I’d take good care of them?” (LISTEN COMTE YOU AND I BOTH KNOW THE REALITY OF THE MALE SPECIES QUIT PLAYIN)

After that scene there's a timeskip to the night of the party--and after everyone celebrates their anniversary in the mansion all day--they hop in a carriage. MC is a little lost in thought, preparing herself for what's to come. When he asks if she's nervous she fully admits to it, but with a caveat. She's nervous because she doesn't know what to expect and she's concerned about committing a social faux pas, but she's not afraid or anxious.

Before I came to this time I had absolutely no concept of what an elaborate dinner party looked like–and besides which, this time it’s going to be a room full of purebloods. I’m nervous, sure, because I’ve never done this before--but it’s not quite anxiety or fear.

MC: “As long as you’re beside me, I’m invincible–anytime, anywhere.”

I can navigate anything: unfamiliar social circles, even an entirely new era of time. Because Comte is always so steady and reliable, always there for me, my anxiety ebbs and I can shine–be the very best I can be.

Comte: “MC…”

Comte looks absolutely moved by what I have to say, directing a gentle, tender look at me.

Comte reiterates his previous warning, that they might be weirdos and/or rude because they're stuck in their ways. He knows their discriminatory nature is wrong, but he believes in her ability to overcome those things--and fully intends to support her. He also lets her know what to expect in terms of the schedule: mostly mingling, and dancing is reserved for the very end of the party only.

Gatsby hour begins and MC marvels at the enormous venue sparsely populated by people dressed to the nines (I can only imagine how Comte dressed her up for this event in light of that LMFAO). Comte tells her he's going to get some drinks, and MC agrees to wait for him. In a classic lowkey queen move, she retreats against a nearby wall to take in her surroundings. She feels a certain intensity to be surrounded by people who look so young and beautiful, and yet carry the experience of lifetimes within them. She also notes the slightest permeating scent of blood in the air, assuming most of the people in attendance are drinking Rouge in their wine glasses.

When Comte returns to her, he offers her a glass of red wine, and she takes it with a smile.

MEAN GIRLS TIME!!!!!

So these two ladies approach le Comte yelling about how long it's been since they've seen him, and about the rumors that he got married. Without missing a beat he confirms it's true, and introduces MC to them as his wife. MC offers a greeting and a curtsy, but the women openly spurn her because she's not a vampire lmao. ("Who put you on the planet" energy, essentially). I still can't tell if they were acting like insane mother-in-laws on Comte's behalf, or out of jealousy--or weirdly both.

All casual dismissal, the women sashay away from us, dresses swishing.

[It seems like I really won’t be accepted as Comte’s life partner so long as I remain human…]

Comte: “…I’m sorry. I’m afraid that is the usual attitude of pureblood vampires. Not all of us are like that, but they still made you feel uncomfortable ;;;;”

MC: “That’s not something to apologize for. I’m happy to attend such a lovely party as your wife.”

I don’t want to ruin the occasion for him, so I beam at him.

Comte: “MC…” His lips descend close to my ear, pressing the lightest kiss against it.

Comte: “Thank you, MC…I’m happy, too.”

While Comte is full of uwus and love for his wife, she notes he stops there--likely because it's a public venue. (And I'd wager respectability politics, given a lot of old school people tend to say horrible things at the slightest sign of PDA lol. It would give them all the more reason to be nasty to MC.) MC notes that no matter how small the gesture or how often he extends his affection, it always sets her heart racing (what a damn mood) and they both gear up to greet everyone else. They're both like ganbatte!!! at each other and it's really cute, haha.

[No matter how many times he does things like this, I’m always caught off guard. I imagine we’ll be this way forever…]

Comte: “Here we go, the party’s only just begun. Let’s get to it and enjoy ourselves. No need to hesitate, it’s our wedding anniversary after all–this is a time for you to smile.”

MC: “Haha, thank you very much! Then I’ll definitely enjoy it to the fullest!”

We continue to greet and chat with other purebloods, the night goes on while I sample some of their food–

At some point MC separates from Comte to use the restroom. When she exits to rejoin the crowd, she hears the voices of those two women that openly rejected her earlier. They basically talk about how Comte and MC will never last or have a meaningful relationship, and that Comte is wasting his time not breeding more master race pureblood babies for the community's future. (Not remotely surprised Leonardo does not like them at this juncture lmao)

While MC was well aware she'd face some level of disdain, she admits that it still hurts to hear--and doesn't want Comte to see her upset. So she walks out to a nearby balcony to look at the stars and cool off before returning to his side.

Comte: “MC.”

MC: “Eh…? Comte, when did you get here?”

Comte: “You hadn’t returned for a while, so I went looking for you.”

MC: “Ah, I’m sorry to worry you. The stars were so lovely I couldn’t help but linger a bit to enjoy the sight of them.”

When I try to hide my gloomy feelings, he stares at me.

Comte: “You seem upset all of a sudden. Did something happen? Did someone…say something to you, by any chance?”

MC: “Ah, I can’t hide from you it seems. I guess I am a little upset.”

Comte: “…”

Comte: “MC, do you regret marrying me?”

MC: “!”

MC: “That’s not the case at all. No matter what finds us in the future, I’ll never regret having married you. I’m glad I met you, Abel–that will never change…”

When I tell him my heartfelt feelings, he gently wraps his arms around me.

Comte: “…Me too, MC.” The voice that murmurs at my ear is filled with such ardor that my heart melts.

Comte: “It might have been too much to ask of you to come here. But no matter how difficult the truth may be, it’s an undeniable fact that I’m a pureblood.”

Comte: “I was so happy that you wanted to know more about me–to know me better–that I was spoiled by your words. And yet, as a result of that indulgence, I hurt you…”

MC: “…No. That’s not it. Abel, I’m not familiar with vampires. But this last year, I was with a pureblood who’s kinder than anyone else I know.”

I have no innate fear or dislike of purebloods–because the person I love more than anyone else in the world is a pureblood vampire.

MC: “That’s why I’m not afraid, or dreading any of this.” It might seem outlandish, but his presence was like magic; it was enough to give me the strength to have courage and find kindness for the people around me.

MC: “No matter who stands in my way in the future, I will do my best to be recognized as your partner someday. Didn't I tell you before? I'm invincible anytime, anywhere, as long as you're there with me!”

Upon hearing her resolve to stay with him, he feels the need to renew his vow to her too--telling her that he'll always love her as well, and that his feelings have only grown since then. One important bit to note in his confession is that he fully admits he had a hard time coming to term with what he was, he's only a little more accepting of being a pureblood because her existence redefines what an eternity means to him. He explains that, while no end of time used to be an upsetting and hollow concept to him, the fact that his long life will be spent cultivating his love for her gives him the strength to face his reality.

They kiss and MC acknowledges that life--no matter how long--always has its ups and downs. Sometimes there will be rough times, like when those Mean Girls women were actively nasty and unfair to her. And sometimes there will be joyous times, like how Comte just repeated his vow to her so sweetly. But more than anything, it's important to live in the present moment as fully as possible, and she deepens her kiss with Comte accordingly.

After what I assume to be an excellent make out, they return to the venue and rejoin the group of vampires. Now then, because it's Comte and Comte refuses to take any shit he reveals his ace in the hand. Premeditated and all cunning expectation, the show begins:

After reaffirming our feelings for the other, we return to the hall. When we wandered around to greet people today, there were also vampires who were kind to me. For those that remain perturbed by my presence, they continue to sneer at me as though I were an eyesore.

[I don’t care. Comte’s by my side…]

Comte: “…That’s right, MC. There was one thing I forgot to mention.”

MC: “Huh?”

Comte: “A short while ago, you said something about doing your best to earn their approval. I wouldn’t even worry about it, you’re perfect just as you are. Everyone here just doesn’t have the slightest inkling as to your charms yet. For those with the ability to see, feel free to show them as many times as you like.”

MC: “Comte…”

At that very moment, a waltz begins to flow into the hall.

Comte: “Oh, is it time to dance already? MC, shall we?” (Oh Is It TiMe To DaNcE aLrEaDy, damn clown)

MC: “Yes.”

In time with the melody, we begin to waltz together. When I'd first arrived to this era, the steps and the dance itself were unfamiliar to me. Now when I dance with Comte it’s nearly effortless–natural as breathing.

[Comte has taken me to so many evening parties at this point. Thanks to his impeccable leading any uncertainty in my step is elegantly disguised.]

Comte: “MC.”

As we danced, he called my name--crooned it softly.

Comte: “…Have you noticed? Everyone is watching us.”

At the sound of this new information, I look around.

[Oh, it’s true–everyone really is looking at us…]

And it’s not like before, tinged with displeasure and contempt. It’s like they can’t look away from us now, dazzled and intrigued.

MC: “Makes sense–you’ve always been a very graceful dancer, Comte, it’s impossible not to find it captivating.”

Comte: “No. Without you as my partner, I can’t enjoy it nearly as much as I do now.”

He grins as he says so, the sentiment reflected in his buoyant step. Beautiful, noble…and above all, lively. Even though I’m always by his side, I remain endlessly captivated by that smile and movement.

Comte: “We are more in tune with each other than every other pair here, don’t you think?”

MC: “Haha, that’s right!”

I think le Comte is lovely no matter who he’s dancing with, but I’m sure I’m the one who gets along with him best–I think so, because his golden eyes reflect no one else but me.

[No matter what anyone says…I won’t give up this position to anyone else.]

When the song is over, and the dance is finished, the hall is filled with the raucous sound of applause and cheering. All these people are looking at us and their eyes are shining.

[I wonder…if maybe our feelings for each other were transmitted more clearly after that dance? The mere thought of it makes me feel ticklish and delighted.]

After their lovely display, the Mean Girls ladies approach MC to apologize as everybody is leaving for the night. MC accepts their apologies and says she wants to find a way to get along with them moving forward, though they're still pretty reluctant (probably only apologized to save face).

Differences in lifestyle and family tradition...I think there are many reasons why they can’t accept me. I don’t think it’s easy to understand the breadth of the gap between us; I’m sure I’ll need more time to be able to bridge those differences.

[I don’t know the way of life or struggle of the pureblood people yet. But…I want to understand.]

Even if we are endlessly different, I don’t want to give up on finding some sort of compromise. Next to me, le Comte smiles silently. For the foreseeable future--as long as it may take--I want to prove that I can make this person happy.

I deadass can't stop laughing at the fact of Comte standing next to MC all :)))))) (y'all he is emitting BOSS M U S I C)

After that, Comte and MC also head into their carriage and head home:

Comte: “MC, thank you.”

Le Comte remarks on the way home in the carriage.

MC: “…? I haven’t done anything worth thanks.”

Comte: “For today, for coming with me. And--up until now and from now on--for being by my side. I wanted to thank you again.”

He leans over from where he sits next to me and entwines our fingers together.

MC: “…Abel?”

Comte: “…Today is not just the day of the party, but our wedding anniversary too, right? From here on out, it’s time for only us two to be together.”

This is essentially where the premium story ends, and then it moves into the epilogue. I'll give some tidbits from the epilogue, just because it was so endlessly gratifying. Other than them having the smash of the century, it's mostly Comte going overstimulation feral service top. But there are so many really romantic moments during the shameless fking ;-;

The more he kisses me, the more my need for him spirals out of control. As if to entice him I twist my tongue with his deeper and deeper.

Comte: “MC…”

He exhales my name on a single heated syllable, and I can tell by the way he’s looking at me precisely what it is he wants.

Comte: “MC, what do you want to do…? I want to make you happy tonight. Do you want me to be kind? Or take you with reckless abandon?”

MC: “Abel…please do as you like. That’s what would make me happiest. :>”

Comte: “…I see. So you want to be made a mess of, is what you mean.”

MC: “Mn, aah–”

When his hands trace my sides seductively, my sensitive body reacts on it’s own.

Comte: “…You’re really cute, MC. Tonight, I’ll remind you the joy of being mine again.”

---

Comte: “Always so sensitive. Just the slightest touch, and you cry out with such a sweet voice…”

MC: “Well, it is your fault…”

[Because if Abel touches me like that…He spoils me and leaves me in an endless sea of pleasure, building up to that crest–fading–and building up again…because he loves me so dearly.]

Comte: “My fault, is it?…I like the sound of that.”

With a bewitching smile, he makes short work of his tie and button down. Even the most casual gestures like this are done with such grace that it becomes sensual. I’m drawn to the sight of him revealing more and more of his skin, thinking he’s far too much of a tease.

Comte: “…If you look at me with such desirous, greedy eyes, I’m going to lose control myself, MC.”

----

MC: “I…all I do is take from you…” I’m embarrassed because I’m so inexperienced that all I do is drown in the pleasure he gives me.

Comte: “…If you really think so, then you’re too unaware.”

MC: “Mn–ah, hah…”

Comte: “I’m the one who can’t stop wanting you…MC.”

When he leans over to murmur in my ear, his voice is suffused with desire–breathing shallow. From the gap between his lips, I can see the fangs which have never broken my skin…

MC: “Abel…do you want to bite me?”

If the answer is yes, then I’d be delighted. A vampire’s hunger for blood is often tied to romantic feeling. If he wants to suck my blood, then that’s all the more evidence that he loves me.

Comte: “That’s right. I want to sink my fangs into your soft skin…To taste your blood, to know your body and soul--I want to make every part of you mine.”

MC: “Mn…”

He drops a kiss to my throat, tickled by his tongue as he licks there–as if to taste me.

Comte: “But…”

Only I am reflected in his eyes.

Comte: “The only thing I want more than biting you is to take good care of you. I don’t want to impulsively take anything from you.”

MC: “Abel…”

....

Comte: “Someday…I will make you into a vampire. But, right now, I want you to stay exactly as you are.”

The heat of him coupled by that serious look...my heart is swept away.

Comte: “So…can you bear with my hesitation for just a little while longer?”

MC: “Yes…forever. I’ll always be yours.” I replied, wrapping my arms around his back. He squinted, as if he were staring at something dazzling.

Comte: “I’m always hesitating, but…MC. I will absolutely never let you go. I swear my love to you forever, my dear wife.”

----

The last part of the epilogue is confusing because I'm not sure if it's intended to be an actual dream or Comte just messing with her, but here goes:

[Morning already…?]

At the sensation of sunlight, I open my eyes.

MC: “Eh!?”

Comte: “Are you up, MC? The defenseless face you make when you’re asleep is adorable, but when you open your eyes and look at me that’s also lovely.”

He was lying in bed, unlike last night, wearing the same outfit he had on for our wedding.

[Ah, I’m most likely dreaming.] When I realize it, I get a ticklish feeling in my chest and can’t help the smile that finds my face.

MC: “Haha…”

Comte: “MC? What’s wrong?”

MC: “No, I was just thinking you really will always be by my side. I’m glad to see you in my dreams like this…I’m happy.”

Comte: “…Haha, that’s right. I’m happy too. But…it’s not always a dream right?”

MC: “Er…”

His voice easily makes my heart flutter, like sweet sake.

Comte: “Would you like to see if it’s a dream? …Once again, with your body.”

My heart thunders under his sultry gaze, covetous gold eyes beckoning me closer. (COME HITHER FUCK)

MC: “Yes, Abel. As many times as you like…take me.”

I know dream-like, impossibly happy days will continue as long as I stay by his side–

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

There is so much going on here that I don't even know how to encompass all my feelings other than to say MARRIED COUPLE G O A L S. AAAAAAAAA I LOVE HIM SO MUCH HE'S SUCH A DOTING HUSBAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PUT A RING ON ME S I R

I really love the endless reciprocity coming from MC, lmao. She very openly wants to respond to his efforts, wants to make him happy too, is just as desirous in their coupling. I also love how much personality and spunk she has??? I was fucking d y i n g when she was like:

MC: "Aren't the stars so nice." Comte: "Adorable that you'd try to out-fake the king faker. What really happened." MC: "Damn it."

It's been a long time since I've gotten this much serotonin from a story m a nnnnnn

[plus-size-reader]

Dream Come True

Spencer Reid x Plus size!reader

Word Count: 1638 words

Warnings: none

Summary: Spencer gets advice from the ladies at the BAU when he starts seeing someone new, but it doesn’t work because she is unlike anyone else. She’s quirky and strange, but Spencer wouldn’t have her any other way. 

——————————————————————————————————

Spencer had very little experience with the ladies, as a general rule. 

He had always had much more important things to worry about from a very young age than girls or dating. After all, with an I.Q like his, social cues like that were difficult. 

...But that all seemed to change with you. 

He met you at the library of all places, reading about cold cases involving serial killers. It was a strange hobby for a civilian but Spencer thought better than to point that out, considering what he did for a career. 

If nothing else, your interest in something so polarizing for most only increased Spencer’s draw to you. He found it so incredible that you would even think about something like that.

Though, that wasn’t the only thing about you that Spencer found immediately interesting. You had to be the most compelling human being he’d ever seen and he worked with Garcia every day. 

Every single thing about you was perfectly unique, like you’d given each tiny detail of your appearance it’s own thought. 

For someone like Spencer, it was absolutely wonderful to see someone as obviously invested in the minute details of who they were as a person. Up until now, he had always thought he was the only one.

Everything seemed to be absolutely perfect, like the stars had aligned when you two met and it was all meant to be. However, it wasn’t that easy. Even if you and Spencer were obviously feeling the same way, that didn’t change the fact that he couldn’t even speak to you. 

He didn’t know anything about women and he certainly didn’t know anything about how to effectively court a woman like you. Clearly, you were way out of his league. 

So, Spencer did the one thing he knew to do and gathered the help of every single lady he knew in hopes that it would help him understand you better. 

“Hey guys, can I ask you something?” he started, putting himself in the center of the girls, who were all talking about the girls night they were planning for this coming Saturday. 

They had been casually in discussion but as soon as the younger man entered the picture, all their attention pointed to you. “Sure Spence, what’s up?” JJ asked, the first to speak of any of the women. 

Whatever this was, they wouldn’t hesitate to help him. The problem was that Spencer wasn’t even sure if their advice would work on you. Even with the very little experience he did have with women, he knew that you were unlike anyone else on the planet. 

For all he knew, this wouldn’t benefit him at all but he had to try. 

“I met a girl” 

It was just a simple sentence, but to every one of his friends, hearing those words was like a declaration. Spencer had never really shown too much of an interest in the opposite sex while working at the BAU, aside from a few comments here and there. 

The news of a new love interest in his life was quite an exciting one, for Prentiss, JJ, and Garcia alike. They could hardly believe it but still, Spencer was met with squeals of excitement all the same. 

“Tell us about her. What is she like? Is she pretty? I bet she’s pretty” Penelope gushed, already dreaming up what a wedding would be like, and how stunning you must have been. 

Every potential detail about you swarmed around her head as she thought about what it would be like when she did finally get to meet you. She had only been dreaming about this forever. 

This was a dream come true for her. 

“I find her to be very aesthetically pleasing, yes. Her name is Y/N and I met her at a bookstore and then we got coffee at a cafe down the street” he informed, knowing what followup questions she would have before she could even ask them. 

It was perfect.

Of all the places where Spencer could have met his soulmate, a library was absolutely incredible, at least as far as Penelope was concerned. She couldn't have thought up a better place in the confines of her mind. 

“Sounds great. So what do you need help with?” Emily spoke now, recalling the start of this conversation above all else. She was just as ecstatic for Reid as the others but she wanted to help him too. 

That seemed to get him back on track. 

“Right. I have no idea what to do to show her how much I care for her? I enjoy her company but every time I approach the idea of telling her that, I can’t find the words” he explained, wishing desperately for a change to that.

He wanted to understand you, he wanted to be able to show you just what a change you’d made in him but he couldn’t. Communication had always been a problem for him, but the feelings he had for you made it that much more difficult.

“Dr.Spencer Reid, speechless? I can’t believe it” Emily grinned, proud of herself for her little joke. Though, Spencer was so wrapped up in his search for the answer that he paid it no mind.

He was desperate to understand, for your benefit and his own. 

“I’m being serious guys, what do I do? Is there anything you guys would like that I can do for her?” he tried, romance seemed very simple in readings and poetry but it was much more complicated in real life. 

Life wasn’t as simple as Romeo and Juliet had made it out to be. 

“Take her to a nice dinner, that’s what Will always does for me” JJ suggested, thinking that would be as good of an option as anything else. If nothing more, it was a good place to start. 

...And that was exactly what Spencer was going to do. 

Spencer called you almost immediately after getting together with the girls and set up a dinner date for the restaurant Will always took JJ for special occasions. He had never been there himself but it had to be nice. 

He just hoped that you would like it.

~

“This is really fancy Spencer. I don’t think I’m dressed for something like this” you commented almost immediately, looking around you at all the upper class people, enjoying their Friday night dinner. 

They were all dressed to the nines and made you look like a fool by comparison. Currently, you were wearing jeans, a doctor Who t shirt, and mismatched sneakers, one blue and one green. 

All things considered, you looked crazy. 

Even so, Spencer thought that you looked beautiful. You always looked beautiful, and it didn’t matter if you were here or somewhere else, that was always going to remain the constant. 

It was obvious to Spencer immediately that you were uncomfortable here, but perhaps it was just because you hadn’t been brought here before. After all, your dates were usually much more casual. 

It wasn’t until that discomfort persisted that Spencer actually started to get worried. You were exhibiting clear signs of upset, fidgeting with your menu and glancing around the room every few minutes. 

“Are you okay?” he wondered, watching the tenseness in your shoulders when you glanced up at him, only relaxing once you met his eyes. Even as uncomfortable as you were, you found comfort in Spencer. 

You couldn’t help it. 

“There’s just a lot of people here, that’s all” you assured, doing your best to focus on having a nice time with him, even though all you could really think about was all the other patrons and the things they must have been thinking about you.

You were used to being an outcast, and having people comment on how strange you were but that was why you avoided places like this. With you and Spencer here together, you could only imagine what they were thinking. 

It was driving you insane having to think about it. 

You wanted so desperately to just have a nice evening but it was too loud in here and you couldn’t tear your eyes away from the other people having dinner. It wasn’t fair to Spencer.

You owed it to him to have a good time but you just couldn’t focus. 

“Oh, um I understand that. Would you like to go somewhere else? Somewhere quieter?” he offered, he should have known better than to do this but he just wanted it to be nice. 

He wanted to show you that he was capable of giving you a nice dinner just like everyone else, but it never occurred to him that you wouldn’t want that. If only he’d actually thought about you while making these plans. 

It made all the sense in the world that you would struggle in this setting. You had always been anxious in public with too many people. For you, this was much closer to torture than relaxation. 

“I don’t want to ruin your nice evening though Spence, you put so much thought into this” you sighed, you could just suck it up, for his sake if nothing else. 

...But Spencer knew better than to allow that to further any discomfort you may have been experiencing.

“Come on, we can go back to my place and watch a movie or something. I don’t mind” he assured, throwing down cash on the table and escorting you out of the restaurant before anything else could trigger your anxiety. 

Nothing was worth that, and besides, no one said that you two had to follow anyone else’s blueprint to prove how much you cared about each other. You could do this your own way, just like you did in your personal life. 

In any case, Penelope was right...you were a dream come true.

[sterek-bingo]

Greetings everyone, it's finally time to announce this year's themes!! We're sorry for the delay, but here they are!

Childhood friends- A trope that could easily be one of the fluffiest or one of the angstiest- not to mention anything and everything in between- this AU asks you to imagine how Derek and Stiles may have formed their relationship if they had known eachother as kids, ofcourse it doesn't have to be strictly AU, it isn't impossible that they knew eachother as kids to some extent!

Nightclub- Ah nightclubs, from The Jungle to The Bronze to The Scratching Post to Le Bon Nuit, it seems like every teen show has a popular town nightclub, and though you don't have to use the ones that have appeared in Teen Wolf, as long as there's music, dancing, and teenagers, you're probably good to go!

Pirate- Argh matey! Are you ready for high stakes and high seas? For treasure hunting, sword fighting, and answering the calls of sirens and merfolk? Then climb on aboard, for it's a pirate's life for us!

Rivals- The best thing about rivalry is that it can happen with anything! Sports, academics, baking, rival Alphas, rival covens, rival love interests.... or love interests who are rivals, wich is exactly what we're going for here!

Neighbors- And then they were neighbors... one of the most popular tropes in history, it's time to put Stiles and Derek in a neighboring situation! Apartments, condos, houses- AUs, canon compliant, canon divergent- fluffy, angsty, rom-commy, it doesn't matter the details, this trope can work for any plot!

Medieval- The days of kings and queens, knights and dragons, action and adventure, it's time to go back in time to place our favorite duo in the middle ages! ...Or you could always just place them at Medevil Times too!

Fake relationship- One of the most popular tropes, fake relationships can come about via all sorts of plots, from A/B/O to fluff to office AUs to even canon, and the best part of fake relationships? Watching them become REAL relationships!

Mistaken identity- An especially good theme for humor, "mistaken identity" can span quite a few different plot types, plot twists, and

Pride- From LGBTQ+ pride to pride in eachother to werewolf pride to pride as a sin, this theme is quite versatile and can either be seen as something to be celebrated or condemned depending on how it's portrayed

AI- Artificial Intellegence has been a hot topic of conversation as well as fiction over the past few years, and now it's time to Sterek-fy it! There are so many possibilities- Scientist? Mechanic? Engineer? Are AIs evil? Are Stiles and Derek AIs? All that matters is that artificial intellegence is included!

Arranged Marriage- Be it for politics, for status, or just for the sake of trying to find that special someone when no one seems to be working out, arranged marriage is an age-old plot that's been around probably as long as fanfiction has, if not longer!

Matchmaking- Here's a theme that's quite versatile, as you can either have Stiles and Derek as the matchmakers or as the match being made! From fluff to A/B/O to romcoms or even angst, this is a theme that really branches out over genres!

Full shift werewolves- One of my favorite thing about Teen Wolf, full-shift werewolves provide interesting additions to the lore, excellent plot material, and perhaps best of all... a REALLY nice aesthetic!

Self-Defense- Be it taking a self-defense class, killing in self defense, or defending against a bully, there are plenty of ways to turn this theme into something fun and unique

De-aged- What happens in fanfic... clearly doesn't stay in fanfic considering this trope made it all the way to being part of canon, but that's more than fine, it just give us more material to work with if you ask me!

Penpal- Be it writing to eachother or writing to someone else, be it online or through mail, in a modern AU or one taking place in the past, penpals are a great form of communication and some truly magnificent romantic plots can stem from this theme!

Wedding- Is there anything more romantic than a wedding? That depends on who you ask, but one thing is certain, it's definitely a fun theme! It could be Stiles and Derek's wedding, or it could be just one that they're attending, all that matters for this theme is that a wedding is involved in some context

Seasons- Spring, summer, fall, and winter, the four seasons often make for great themes, and now you have the choice to use any one you want- or several! You could even go for something that involves all four of them, whatever you create, it's sure to be a thing of natural beauty!

Baking- No matter if you have a sweet tooth, or are a bigger fan of savory goods like garlic bread, everyone loves a good baked good, and now is your chance to explore what kind Stiles and Derek love most! This is an especially good opportunity for fluff and the more light-hearted creations, though it certainly doesn't have to be

Petnames- From classics like "honey" and "sweetie" to the stranger sort like "creature" and "Wolfy McFlufferson", petnames are affectionate, fun, and definitely good material to work with, especially with Stiles who has a petname for everyone, although maybe that just makes it even more fun for Derek to use them for once....

Madness- We’re all mad here... madness, insanity, a loss of the mind, they’re all the same thing, and have all been frequently featured in Teen Wolf, no matter if you take inspiration from one of the many instances of madness from canon or create something brand new, your work is sure to be maddeningly good

Insomnia- Insomnia is another frequent theme in canon, and it’s something that Stiles experiences often, you can play upon that in your work, or perhaps give Derek the sleepless nights, or even get creative and use the theme of insomnia for someone else and in some other way, we just hope creating for it won’t keep you up at night

Reconnection- Stiles and Derek have a series-long history of playing into the old romantic trope of spending a fair deal of time apart before reconnecting in a dramatic reunion, and now is your chance to add onto that history! Ofcourse it doesn’t have to be the lovebirds that reconnect, you can go wild with any ideas you want to use, just so long as Stiles and Derek remain the focus

Travel- Roadtrips, train rides, and international flights, what could be simultaneously more romantic and absolutely irritating than travel? There are dozens of possibilities just for the method, not to mention the reasoning, so the diversity of this one will really be a blast to play with!

Hollywood- Ah Hollywood, the city of shining stars and twinkling lights, and, atleast for the purpose of this theme, Stiles and Derek! Now is your chance to run wild with the glitz and glamor of the film capital of the world!

Mad science- From Frankenstein to Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, from bringing people back to life to creating experimental drugs, there are alot of ways to use “mad science” as a theme, is it dark? Is it crazy? Is it evil? Or is it something... else? There’s no way to do this one wrong!

Fashion- Arguably one of the biggest categories of fandom, fashion can be whatever you want it to be! Show staples like Derek’s leather jacket and Stiles’ plaid, dressing to the nines in suits and tuxes, playing with gender non-conformity with heels and skirts, or just going wild with whatever else you feel like, even a fashion disaster can work for this theme!

Overworked- A feeling that’s overcoming most people these days, being overworked is something I’m sure neither of our favorite boys are strangers to, now it’s up to you, will you give them a break? Or choose to keep working them into angst? It’s up to you!

Ice- Ice ice baby! Be it ice skating, ice on the road, ice powers, or even just ice cubes, there are alot of things you can do with this cool theme and we look forward to all of them!

Turning- Stiles is a blank slate for supernaturalism, and that makes him a perfect person to use for this theme (though obviously using Derek is just as acceptable) but what does he turn into? A werewolf? A vampire? An abominable snowman? We can’t wait to find out!

Wild card- This is the obligatory bingo square in the very middle where you can do absolutely anything you want! That’s right. There’s no restriction, no guideline, no THEME! It’s your freebie to do anything you may have been wanting to do, but haven’t really had the time or inspiration to do until now- here’s your chance. Now go forth and create Sterek!

[userarchive]

Unexpected Circumstances Ch 6

*not my gif* Warnings: Language, brief mention of death, brief mention of smut.

You stirred in your sleep, curling against Sonny tighter, wrapping around his body, humming in satisfaction. You felt his lips press against your head as you slowly opened your eyes, a smile braced your face as you reached up, stroking your fingers through his mussed up hair.

“Mornin’ sweetheart.” He looked down at you, that usual goofy grin on his face, you smiled back up at him, ever so happy to be wrapped in his arms.

“Morning.” You murmured, “How’d you sleep?” He leaned down, kissing your lips gently, 

“One helluva lot better with you here,” His nose took the time to snuggle against yours, causing you to quietly giggle, “I’ve missed this Soph…” Sonny started to pepper kisses across your face, causing you to laugh into his neck, trying to push against his tickles as he pulled you tighter against him.

“Sonny!” You managed to exclaim, pushing against him as he rolled you onto your back, that adorable face looking down on you.

“What doll?”  You stared up at him, a goofy smile on your face, god you had missed him so much, you pulled him against you into another kiss, your lips fitting perfectly against each other. Sonny hummed softly against you, his hands tracing the sides of your body, he pulled away from your mouth, trailing his down the side of your neck, biting into your pulse point, sucking at your sensitive skin. You swatted at his chest, pulling his face back to yours, kissing him softly. Carisi pulled up, stroking your face with his hand, thumb smoothly moving across your cheek, eyes full of adoration, “I love you.” He whispered quietly, a smile burst across your face, pulling him back to you for a chaste kiss.

“I love you too.” You murmured against his lips, a smile evident on his. Your lips found each other again, moving more passionately this time. Sonny’s tongue curled its way into your mouth as his hand cupped your core, your hips thrusting against him, begging for more friction. A loud blaring broke you out of the heat of the moment, your phone….fuck…you nipped Sonny’s neck as you pushed him off you, reaching over him to grab the offending device, 

“Montgomery.” You paused for a moment, “Which hospital?” You sighed heavily, “Okay, I’ll be there in 20.” You kissed Sonny deeply, puling him against you as you sat up, his lips smiled against yours. As you pulled away you groaned in realization. “Fuck…”

“What?”  Carisi quirked a brow at you,

“I worked yesterday..,.I can’t go in today in the same clothes, you and I both know how nosy Amanda is.” Sonny chuckled at that, shifting off the bed to dig through the back of his closet.

“Here” He tossed you a dark blue dress shirt, dotted with tiny white polka dots “It’s the smallest I’ve got.”

“Bless you.” You stood on your tip toes to kiss his cheek as you rummaged around finding and pulling on the rest of your clothes quickly. You rushed out of the bedroom, tucking the shirt into your dress pants as you grabbed the files you’d left amongst Sonny’s work stuff, shoving them in your bag. Saying a quick thank you to Sonny as he handed you your shield and gun, you kissed him quickly in the doorway, “I’ll see you later.” As you glanced back for another look you weren’t surprised to find him leant against the doorframe, ever so adorable dopey grin on his face.

***

You’d met Olivia at Mercy to try to talk to the vic while Amanda processed the crime scene with Fin, after various stops around Manhattan the squad had all returned back to the precinct to start going over various cases. You and Amanda were sitting at your desks finishing paper work from a few earlier cases, she’d taken in your appearance when you’d first walked into the squad room alongside Olivia. She noticed that your shirt seemed to be a bit too big…and she could have sworn it looked rather familiar, she also noticed the forming hickey on your neck that you had no idea was even there. You’d noticed her giving you a weird look earlier, she wasn’t dumb, she was a detective after all, you started to piece together a lie in your head as you worked. She smirked, figuring she’d ask you about your Sunday night over lunch.

“Hey, you have the Jackson files?” Amanda asked, as she couldn’t find them amongst her things.

“Yeah.” Your head ducked as you dug through your bag, pulling them out to pass to your partner. She muttered a thanks as she leafed through them.

“These are for the Thompson case…I could’ve sworn I dropped these off to Carisi yesterday.” You felt your body tense as you slowly raised your head from your paper work. 

“Weird… I—“ You were cut off by none other than Carisi himself as he appeared at the side of your desk, dropping the Jackson case files onto it.

“Found these in my stuff Soph, must’a grabbed the wrong ones.” You were 100% sure that your heart literally stopped beating in that moment. You and Sonny had only called each other by your last names around the rest of the squad, keeping your secret, well, exactly that, a secret. You also knew Amanda was quick to flare up, and you knew that there was some weird history between her and Carisi. Amanda’s brows furrowed, looking between the two of you,

“What’s goin’ on here?” She questioned, you could hear the irritability creeping up in her voice.

“Nothing.” You replied almost too quickly, “I was going over the case with Carisi at his office after work, must’ve grabbed the wrong stuff.”

“Really?!” Amanda’s voice started to alert Olivia in her office, “Cause you said you had a dinner to get to last night.” You heard Carisi huff beside you, “And that hickey is certainly telling a different story!” She definitely didn’t miss the lightning fast glare you shot Sonny, confirming that he was in fact the one leaving marks on your skin.

“Amanda…” You tried to trace together the words, your brain stumbling over itself, “It’s not what you’re thinking…”

“You sure?! Cause I’m thinkin’ maybe all that UC work may have rubbed off on you and you jumped into bed with our A.D.A. the first chance you could take advantage!”

“Rollins!” Finally Sonny found his voice, “It’s not like that!” He made a move to get closer to the blonde, causing you to stand from your chair, grabbing his arm to pull him back.

“Really?! Then what’s it like Carisi?!” The three of you were all on your feet and had gained the attention of the entire squad, Olivia moving out of her office to assess the situation.

“Hey!” Her shout pulled your attention out of the escalation, “Anyone want to explain why my detectives are fighting like children?” Amanda was the first to turn to her, gesturing between you and Sonny.

“Did you know these two were sleeping together?” Benson glanced between you, an eyebrow cocked, you dropped your head, running your hands over your face while Carisi fidgeted awkwardly

“Something you need to disclose?” Her Captain mode fully activated, a relationship between a detective and an A.D.A. was tricky, and had potential to even get cases thrown out. 

“No.” Sonny stated simply,

“You sure about that?” Olivia replied, she knew how this worked, and the last thing she wanted was a perp getting away with something because Buchanan was able to use a fling between coworkers to clear a trial. You sighed heavily, gaining eye contact with your Captain.

“We disclosed nine years ago….” That certainly gained the attention of the room, everyone frozen in surprise. You watched as the expression on Benson’s face change as the wheels turned, slowly putting things together from what you’d told her your first day at SVU.

“What?” Amanda couldn’t wrap her brain around what was happening right now, how in the hell did this happen? How had neither of you, both of whom were her partner at one point, and Sonny who she’d known for 7 years had never mentioned anything. 

“Sophie’s my wife….” Carisi quietly mentioned, bringing another round of shock through the room, but it was Fin who called across the room to you.

“You’re no 34B.” You turned to Sonny, brow quirked,

“34B?” His hands shot up in defence,

“I thought you were dead!”

“WHAT?!” It came from Amanda again, the anger that had cut through the air in the room dissipated to confusion and surprise from everyone. Before you could start to explain your history, you could feel Olivia’s gaze on you, so you turned to her first,

“The disclosure should’ve been in my jacket, it’s all there.”

“I never got your jacket…I got the transfer form from Campbell that was it.”

“I bet you did get a jacket labelled Carisi, S  about a year ago that you figured was a double of Sonny’s?” Liv let out a huff, realizing her mistake, nodding to you.

“Okay, wait….” Kat began, “Can we please rewind back to the whole you being dead thing?” You let out a exasperated sigh, leaning against the side of your desk, gearing yourself up.

“I was at Staten Island Vice, they’d caught wind about the sex/drug ring with Alejandro Martinez and wanted to send someone in. I’d been doing UC work with them since I was in the academy, so it was an obvious choice. Problem being that they claimed it needed to be completely legit, not a single hole in my story, not a feather of evidence that would link to me being a cop and absolutely no contact with the outside world.” You took a breath, “They had me delete practically all of my social media, had TARU wipe everything from the internet that they could, and then they said they needed to fake my death.” You spared a glance to Carisi, a world of apologies written in your eyes, he gave you a small smile, you’d already had this conversation with him of course, “The shock was when they told me the date….They said the ring was looking for a new recruit and my only level of entry was that upcoming Saturday…”

“Which happened to be our wedding day…” Sonny cut in at that point, filling in the blank you hated having to admit.

“Oh my god.” Liv knew there was history between you, but had never imagined something as insane as this.

“They were at least kind enough to wait until after the ceremony…” You said that part bitterly, Vice claimed that the more witnesses to your ‘death’ the better, you’d been pissed about it ever since, and were honestly more than happy to be transferred out of the unit.

“That’s cold.” Fin commented,

“Yeah…can’t say the reception was very lively…” Sonny reacted, you reached out, squeezing his elbow in reassurance, 

“I’m sorry…” It was barely above a whisper, meant only for Dominick, you turned to Amanda, “So…yeah…I am sleeping with the A.D.A.” She let out a light laugh at your comment, 

“Hey, I’m…sorry for the way I reacted…that wasn’t cool. Even if it was just a hook up I was outta line.” She apologized softly, you smiled across at her.

“So…we’re good?” Olivia hesitantly asked from her position outside her office, everyone nodded, agreeing that things were okay, “Good. Because our vic’s ready to talk, Rollins, Montgomery, go.” You both nodded, grabbing your coats before you headed out into the streets.

You were happy the air was cleared, and VERY thankful it at least came out after you & Sonny had had a chance to figure things out yourselves. There was still a long road ahead to get back to where you were and you both knew that, but at least this way you weren’t holding any secrets back from your squad. You imagined Amanda was going to grill you for practically every last detail on your drive to Mercy, so you braced yourself. 

[growingstronglikeahighgardenrose]

The Greatest Gift

The last part of my ‘The Holiday’ series, and with it also my last entry for the 12 Days of Sanditon challenge (albeit four days late). It’s been a wild ride between past and present, I had a blast exploring all characters in all kinds of settings, and I hope you did too!

Pairings: Charlotte/Sidney, Esther/Babington, Georgiana/Crowe

Characters: Charlotte, Sidney, Esther, Babington, Crowe, Georgiana, Susan, James

Prompt: The Gift/Tis the season to be jolly, for the 12 Days of Sanditon hosted by @sanditoncreative​

Synopsis: Charlotte finally arrives to the holiday home as everyone is preparing for the New Year's Eve Party. She realizes with shock she has much catching up to do.

Available on AO3 (please drop a like if you enjoyed)

Over mountains cold, and rivers frozen, lay a house amidst the woods. The house was neither large nor small, it was just perfect for the amount of occupants who spent their days there. Before they’d entered the house, they’d been two separate groups of friends, acquainted but not familiar with the other. But after spending days together filled with fun excursions to Inverness and the surrounding woods, and nights drowned in alcohol, friendships were established, and relationships blossomed underneath the star filled sky.

When the missing link, one part of the reason as to why these friend groups had come together, Charlotte Heywood arrived on the thirtieth of December, she had a lot to catch up with. In just eight days, Esther, who had always been keen on keeping her personal space, had shed her old habits which had been developed through years of living in a cold household devoid of love, and was now always touching Babington in some way. She rarely sat on a chair anymore, finding the lap of her newly acquired boyfriend much preferable. Charlotte had sometimes wondered how her friend would be if she were to enter a relationship, but never had she thought that she’d dive into a relationship after just a couple of weeks of knowing someone, and get comfortable with being in a relationship so easily. But then again, no one was aware of how Esther and Babington had regarded each other with certain fondness and interest since Esther’s first year at Sanditon Uni.

James, Georgiana and Crowe boasted it had been their ‘Mistletoe Madness’ scheme which had brought the mom friend and dad friend together. Babington and Esther didn’t care to tell them anything about how it had actually happened.

But then Sidney and James laughed how Georgiana and Crowe had used their mistletoes a lot as well, always accidentally finding themselves underneath them, and regularly disappearing together. Susan smirked that James, despite mocking the four new lovers, had actually appointed her as the official proof-reader of all text messages he sent towards a girl she was interested in.

Sidney had sorely missed his girlfriend, and couldn’t be parted from her for any prolonged period of time. Now nine, the group revelled in the haze of the period between Christmas and the New Year, happy and relaxed despite the approaching finals.

It was the season to be jolly, and no sadness or dark thoughts were allowed in their holiday home.

December thirtieth passed, and everyone was looking forward to celebrate the start of the new decade. Was it to be the sweet ten years in which the world would recover from the past decade? Would stocks reach record peaks, and Wall Street boom a steady golden roar as everyone celebrated life?

The next decade was as much a mystery as the paths their lives would take after this year. Within less than a year, they would all graduate. They would never be students again. The era of absolute freedom came to an end. The real world was quickly approaching. The twenties were the decade of their twenties, and they would end ’29 in their thirties: they would find employment, get engaged, get children and pay taxes. It was a bittersweet day as they accepted the prospect, and some were more heavily affected by nostalgia for years gone by than others. But united they stood strong, encouraging each other with smiles, hugs and words of kindness.

They had no clue what would happen to their friendship in the next decade, but they were determined to at least celebrate the last day of the year, sliding into the new year Gatsby style, clanking crystal and dancing with reckless abandon. The day was spent with ice-skating, a snowman competition and preparing appetizers and desert for the festive meal. There was little work to be done for the main meal since they’d all be using the electric grills on the table to bake their own pieces of meat and vegetables, yakiniku style, the only thing they had to do was to chop some vegetables and prepare a pot of pasta salad.

After all was prepared, the girls took two bottles of fizzy martini to their bedrooms to prepare for dinner together. The men remained behind, deciding to watch the new Witcher series and start drinking as well. If the preparations for the Christmas dinner were anything to go by, the girls would take up to two hours to get ready.

 Make up your mind sweet baby, right here, right now's all we got

A little party never killed nobody, so we gon' dance until we drop

A little party never killed nobody, right here, right now's all we got

 In the largest bed chamber, The Great Gatsby soundtrack was playing. Esther was in the shower, Susan was doing her makeup, and Georgiana was doing Charlotte’s hair. Esther returned, starting to paint Susan’s nails a deep red, but putting a golden topcoat over her ring finger. Afterwards, the favour was returned. They all kept changing places, drinking martini and laughing, until they were all washed, their nails painted and their hair was done up in some kind of 20s style with decorative glittering hair combs and lacey headbands.

The playlist was switched to one of Georgiana’s after the album was done.

  We go together

Better than birds of a feather, you and me

We change the weather, yeah

I'm feeling heat in December when you're 'round me

  ‘Oh, that’s our song’, Georgiana sighed happily as she plopped down on the bed, Esther crying out that she had to be careful with her hairdo.

‘That shall be one hell of a opening song on your wedding’, Susan laughed.

‘You have a song already?’ Charlotte asked with amusement.

‘Of course, don’t you?’ Georgiana asked, turning onto her belly to look at Charlotte.

‘Well, we’ve only been together for a month.’

‘And honeyboo and me have only been together for a couple of days, yet we have one. Was there never a song you two had a moment to, or which reminded you of your relationship?’

Charlotte bit her lip. Was there a song which reminded her of him? She could still remember the song they first danced to years ago. But it wasn’t representative for their relationship. Yet, yet she couldn’t help but think of him every time she heard it in the years since.

‘I have one’, Susan admitted to give Charlotte some more time.

‘Oh, which one?’ Georgiana asked.

‘It’s a bit cliché, but it’s Waterloo. It’s the song I chose as my swan song on the evening my achievements as a student representative were celebrated. It’s always been one of my favourite songs, and well, he was always there with me when it was put on. And, after all, he did have a hard time conquering me.’

‘How long have you been together with Alexander?’

‘Almost my entire studies. I think I can expect an engagement before I turn twenty-five at the pace we’re going.’

‘And you’re of course going to accept’, Georgiana smiled.

Susan nodded.

‘How… do you know? It’s easy to know you love someone, but when do you know it can be forever?’

‘When, even way past that first sweet period has passed, you still feel butterflies thinking of them. But that’s not all, that’s how you know you’re still in love. But I knew we had a real chance at staying together when, amidst all the craziness of the year in which I combined seven councils, simply receiving a text or a hug from him felt like a good night’s rest after a particularly exhausting day. All my worries and all my burdens still lay heavy on my shoulders, but he made me feel calm and strong.’

‘Oh, that sounds so wonderful. He sounds so sweet’, Esther breathed.

‘It does’, Charlotte admitted.

‘He isn’t sweet by no means. He never says everything will be alright, he never says it’s okay if I fail. He tells me what I have to hear instead, but  he’s a good, supportive and capable man, and he understands that I need someone who encourages me, not someone who tells me sweet things. But I love him.’ She shook her head, as if, after all these years, she was still amazed by the love she felt.

‘I have a song, by the way’, Charlotte admitted.

‘Tell!’

‘It’s the song that played at least thrice the evening we first met. Halsey’s song: Closer.’

‘Oh, that’s cute! And it fits as well!’

‘It does?’ Charlotte asked as she put on her red velvet dress. Esther snuck to her room to get her dress and shoes.

‘Yeah! You look as good as the day I met you. I forget just why I left you, I was insane… And four years, no call… And then you met and hit it off again!’ Georgiana smiled.

‘Well it’s only been about three years and we only hit it off again after a month of weekly meetings.’

‘Details!’ Georgiana cried before finishing her glass.

‘So, Esther, how bout you and Babbers hmm?’ Georgiana asked as Esther entered the room again, glittering 20s style Mary Janes and blue flapper dress in hands.

‘Why so curious?’

‘So you have one’, Charlotte smiled.

‘Maybe I do.’

‘Oh come on Esther, you already keep secret how you two have gotten together, you can at least tell us the name of the song.’

‘Fine. I Want To Know What Love Is, satisfied?’

‘Why Esther, I never took you for a Foreigner fan’, Susan exclaimed.

‘Coincidence. Can we now stop discussing love, I’m not planning on being emotional before midnight.’

Georgiana laughed and handed Esther her glass once she’d finished zipping her dress.

‘Alright then ladies, let’s go to the living room and have some fun.’

    In dark suits the men sat gathered on the couches, hair groomed and smelling good. But their preparations didn’t compare to the flurry of glittering glimmering festival to their eyes the girls presented as they descended upon them with their curled hair and sparkly jewellery and bright red lipstick. Their cheeks and beards were covered in bright lipstick, and champagne was popped.

‘You all really came prepared’, Princey laughed as he trailed his fingers down Susan’s long white gloves.

‘We agreed upon celebrating Gatsby style. We simply did as agreed upon.’

‘I’d say you did more than just that’, Crowe breathed as Georgiana rubbed her cheek against his shoulder. He wasn’t sure he’d make it till midnight without a short heated intermezzo.

She jumped upright with a smile. ‘Excuse me as I try to capture the moment.’

She photographed him like that, sat in the couch with arms raised in question, a glass of champagne filled with water in hand – he wanted to remember every minute, at least until midnight.

‘Do you like it?’ Esther purred softly as the others were occupied.

‘You have no idea.’

‘Enlighten me.’

‘You look extraordinary… Magnificent.’

‘Do I?’ she smirked as she traced his stubble with her gloved hand.

‘Miss Denham, I must beg you to spare me. I’m not afraid I’ll last the night otherwise.’

‘Who says I intend you to?’ she laughed as she readjusted her weight on his lap. He could only just supress a groan and press his lips against hers.

A flash went off, the screen presenting a figure with flaming red curls with her arms around the brown haired man she sat on top off, his hands almost reverently placed on her upper back.

Another flash captured James and Princey pointing their tongue at each other in mock disgusted of the kissing.

  There's glitter on the floor after the party

Girls carrying their shoes down in the lobby

Candle wax and Polaroids on the hardwood floor

You and me from the night before but

  ‘I’m still so confused as to how it all happened. I don’t know what to think about it’, Charlotte confessed to Sidney as they gazed at their friends.

‘I think this would be a so called… Christmas miracle’, he laughed.

‘I believe the entrance of this house must have been a portal to a Hallmark movie. It all just went so quickly.’

‘Didn’t we go quickly as well?’ Sidney asked, burying his nose against her sweet smelling neck.

‘It was different.’

‘How do we know they’re not different as well?’

‘Well, with Esther and Babington I dare not judge, but Georgie and Crowe?’

‘Hmm, two dramatic extroverted personalities seeking enjoyment together? I don’t think they’re that odd together.’

‘Perhaps not.’

‘Let us not worry. Before we worried it would be awkward introducing our friends to each other. Our fears turned out to be utterly unfounded. Let’s just enjoy this.’

Charlotte agreed, pressing her lips against his.

‘Let’s. I just can’t believe it all. I’m so happy, this is perfect. I just… Look at everyone having fun and being happy and laughing so much! And it isn’t just because they’re drunk. I’ve never seen all my friends in such a pure state of happiness for so long. I haven’t seen any of them smile so much. I think no one has gone half an hour without smiling once I arrived.’

  Don't read the last page

But I stay when you're lost and I'm scared and you're turning away

I want your midnights

But I'll be cleaning up bottles with you on New Year's Day

   The night was filled with laughter, and the hours slid past at record speed.

Heels were kicked off and dancing took place. It really wasn’t good, and they would be divided between loathing their embarrassing postures in the pictures, and loving the photographs because of the memories they contained.

 You squeeze my hand three times in the back of the taxi I can tell that it's going to be a long road I'll be there if you're the toast of the town babe Or if you strike out and you're crawling home

 Midnight was approaching. Shoes were put back on again, and the girls were provided with the blazers of the men. The Final Countdown was put on – James’ final joke of 2019 – as the group started counting down. The new decade was approaching, and they all stood outside united in the snow, bottles of champagne in hand.

Ten seconds to go and the bottles were shaken, ready to be popped at midnight. They screamed and laughed their way through the countdown, and then the moment was there.

 Hold on to the memories, they will hold on to you Hold on to the memories, they will hold on to you Hold on to the memories, they will hold on to you And I will hold on to you

Corks went flying and lips were kissed as firework shot into the sky. Streams of champagne reached for the sky as friends embraced. They could see the explosions of gold, red, purple, green and blue from the nearby city perfectly above the lake, it was even reflected on the lake. Champagne  was drunk from the bottle, and group pictures were taken of all of them in the snow, with fireworks artfully exploding in the distance.

All loneliness and heartache of the past years, and all insecurity about the future was left in the old year, obliterated by the happiness of the past few days.

A new era in their lives was approaching, and they were ready for it, together, united.

 Please don't ever become a stranger whose laugh I could recognize anywhere Please don't ever become a stranger whose laugh I could recognize anywhere

 They would always remember the first New Year they celebrated together. Even as responsibilities started entering their lives, they always fought to keep the week between Christmas and the New Year free for each other to capture the feeling of old, and create new ones.

Slowly, people were added to the celebrations. Susan and James brought their partners with them the following year, and Princey his first serious girlfriend the year after. And then, a ring was added to the company around Susan’s finger. Esther and Babington were up next, at the ages of twenty-seven and thirty, to tie the knot.  Then followed a round belly for Charlotte, who was surprised when Susan announced her flat belly contained a baby as well. And at the end of the decade, Esther announced her pregnancy and Georgiana and Crowe who hadn’t been meant to last the first time around, reunited after finally accepting all that came along with growing up, and this time they decided to put in the serious work. Crowe admitted himself to an AA program the day after New Year, they were wed the day after he got his One Year degree.

They exited the decade with a big Gatsby Party, and though they had indeed had a bigger financial strain on their backs and uncorked non-alcoholic champagne like they would’ve had it been the 1920’s, they were all still just as happy and rich in friends as they had started the decade. Their friendship had been the best gift they could’ve ever received.

 ____________________________________________________________

71263 words, 12 works, you guys! I'm 4 days late (10 if we count the official deadline of December 25) but I've finally wrapped up the 12 Days of Sanditon.

I want to thank everyone for reading, liking and commenting! It has been such a delight and your words of encouragement kept me convinced to persevere and wrap up the challenge even as I found myself uninspired or tired. It hasn't been my best work, I probably skipped over a lot of typo's and grammar mistakes, and the wordings and stories probably weren't always as good but I haven't written as consistently as this since I was 15! I could've probably spared myself a lot of trouble by not making my works as long (some are well over twenty pages on word), but I had a blast and I hope you did too! I love this fandom, tiny and young as it is (and it won’t get a lot better since the show’s been cancelled) and all the active people in it <3

Much love, Lynn

[hollandroos]

Run To Me; Epilogue Part 2

Summary: Dad!Mob!Tom. Sequel to BAK but you don’t have to read that one first. If you wish too, the link is in my bio masterlist!! Where old feelings arise but other things get in the way. Whether it’s kids, fears or things from your past coming back to haunt you.

Run To Me: Series Masterlist link is in my bio!

Words: 2.5k

Warnings: It’s literally all fluff

A/N: Right, this is the first part of the epilogue and I really tried to make it like 4k but I feel like 3.5k is already long as fuck and this took me a while to make perfect! Enjoy!!

You looked in the mirror with a worried expression, eyebrows knitted together and lips drawn in a straight line. That was the only way you’d get yourself not to cry.

Because never in a million years did you expect to be standing here today in that damn white dress that brushed against the tiled floor and the flats to match because you refused to wear heels. The sleeves were lace and ran down your arms, settling at your wrists with a bracelet– one with your each of your kid's names engraved around the side.

You had tried the dress on multiple times in the last year, of course you had and you’d cried each time but this time was different. You had feared that it wouldn’t fit each time, that it’d become too loose or baggy but it was perfect. Your hair and makeup were done to perfection and you were standing in your dressing room awaiting the moment the music would begin to play and you’d be handed a bouquet of all your favourite flowers where you’d be given away to Tom forever.

It was scary if you put it that way– scratch that, it was scary no matter what but your love for him had no limits. As did your love for your children and you’d waited nine years for a proper wedding. Many insane years.

Sam was going to walk you down the aisle.

You, two bridesmaids, waiting for you out in the hall, two parents of kids from Rosie's school that you’d become close within the last year and god did it feel good to have people to rely on, and people to take Rosie in when she needed company or when she’d been deprived of sleep thanks to the seemingly never-ending toddler screams that filled the house at the most ungodly hours of the morning.

Hearing a knock at the door, you spin around and the dress twirls around your ankles as you do so– Sam walks in with a small smile, peeking his head through the door briefly.

“They’re crying for you again.”

You breathe out a sigh and smile, trying to make it look like you hadn’t just been close to tears. “Let them in.”

“We’re about to–” He goes to tell you that they were about to start and now wasn’t the time but you were adamant on seeing them before, reminding them one last time that they were to be quiet during the ceremony and be good for their uncles but truth be told you just wanted to hold them, and to glance at their growing faces one more time before you walked down the aisle.

“Let me see my kids, please.” You ask him, trying not to slip your perfectly lined bottom lip between your teeth.

He nods and turns around, gesturing them in.

Two little kids waddle in just taking their time hand in hand which practically made your heart melt and you blamed that on the tears that settled in your eyes. Rosie grips Harrison's hand so he doesn’t fall over. Harrison was good at walking, but while Rosie wouldn’t admit it she was highly protective of her little brother. Tears stained his cheeks.

You and Tom had made bets about how he’d come out and you guessed that he’d have Tom’s hair, those same brown curls that Rosie wore but you lost that one because your son had your hair and your nose– your same laugh and everything. You often laughed about it. The two kids stop at your feet and Rosie stood in absolute awe of your dress for a moment.

“Hey, baby. I hear you were playing up for Uncle Sam?” You clamber down to knee level, being ever so careful not to rip or damage the expensive wedding dress in any way and find yourself face to face with your son who looked simply dapper.

Rosie huffs, “I told them they had to be good and they kept arguing or toys.”

She looked just as good as her brother but instead of wearing a toddler-sized monkey suit, she wore a dress that ended at her knees. The top half was a plush, gentle white while the part that ended at her waist frilled out into a gentle pastel pink. It was a little flower girls dress. Her curls were all natural. The right word was beautiful, she looked beautiful.

Harrison moves his lips like a fish, trying to find the right words to utter. “Mamma– missed you.”

You smile and peck him on the cheek. “I missed you too, where’s your sister?” Before you can say another word, another little girl waddles in. She was the same size as Harrison, if not maybe the slightest bit smaller but she wore a dress almost identical to Rosies. She was a better walker then Harrison and only seven minutes younger than him.

“Mum!” She booms, picking up the pace and crashes into your dress out of pure joy. You take her with open arms, your bracelet tangling in her dress for a moment.

Leah was the definition of joy. She was always happy, always laughing and bringing light to everyone's day. At only two and a half she surely babbles a lot and you’d find her talking to her dad when he checked up on her at two am, uttering complete nonsense but he’d sit and listen to everything, nodding and pushing her to continue. She loved building blocks– more so chucking them at the wall and even at her older brother.

Rosie found it hilarious.

Harrison definitely didn’t talk as much but he was surely smart, a soon to be genius and would spend weekends kicking a ball around the backyard with his dad– but his guilty pleasure, the one thing he loved more then anything was baking with you. He’d do the thing Rosie used to do which was sit in the dry sink and attempt to stir the ingredients.  

And Rosie? Still stubborn, still fierce and still had a growing passion for art. Her favourite place was the gallery downtown and her room was filled with painted canvases. She’d even gotten Tom and you to make a few paintings of your own and had been distraught when Harrison and Leah tipped her paints into the bath. Still, she was ever so protective of the two even if she hadn’t liked them at first.

“You guys look amazing, thanks for taking care of them, sweetheart.” You straighten out their outfits and smile at Rosie.

“It’s okay. I wanna go to the lake and daddy said that he’ll take me there after the ceremony so we can see if there’s any fish.” She looked ecstatic.

“How is your dad? Does he seem okay?” You chew on the inside of your mouth slightly, trying not to smile because you swore that if you did, you wouldn’t be able to stop and your cheeks would be sore before the ceremony could even start.

“He can’t stop smiling, Grandma was laughing at him because his cheeks were as red as the roses!”

“Oh, are they now? Well I guess that’s a good thing. You laugh lightly, some of your nerves settling as she completes the story with wild hand movements. The fact that you knew Tom was nervous too calmed you slightly.

Two little sets of hands play with the decorations on your dress, fiddling with the lace and the tail. Leah and Harrison looked so much alike that if they were the same gender you swore they’d be identical. And the best part? They were literally mini me’s not of Tom, but you.

Harrison grunts as he loses his balance and falls into your dress and seconds later chubby fingers are planted on the expensive fabric as he pushes himself up. They were two awfully curious children.

Your attention is quickly directed to Leah who shoves a bracelet out in front of you, a simple silver chain and one that was completely childproof nor contained any small charms that’d slip off and cause her to choke. It was her first birthday present you and Tom and she wore it every day.

“Mamma– look.” She smiles.

“Yeah, it matches your necklace.”

There’s a knock at the door and it opens carefully– as it does, you force yourself up and the kids scatter. Only the person you least expect walks in.

“Tom! You aren’t meant to be in here.”  You scold him like you would if it were your children. “It’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding, you know?”

He has his hands over his eyes so he can’t see and you had to bite your lip to stop yourself from laughing at the site. But he did look good in the suit and tie, hair gelled back neatly.

“I know I just– I just had to talk to you.” He murmurs, keeping his hands over his eyes. Tom was extremely tempted to peek and see you before you walked down the aisle, itching to know if you’d gone for the princess design or the mermaid one.

Yes, he knew about the many different designs. The boy would find bridal magazines littered all around the house.

“I wanted to talk to you too.” You tell him, voice much softer then before as you loop your arms around his waist, breathing in the smell of his cologne.

He tenses. “What– you’re not getting second thoughts are you?”

“No, of course not.” You shake your head, your hair that’d been done to perfection brushing against his suit. “I just needed to see you beforehand, twenty-four hours is the longest we’ve been apart in years and I realised that I hate sleeping myself and it’s oddly quiet without three kids under ten and a grown ass man running around the house.”

Tom laughs, cheeks heating up like Rosie had described. “I missed you too, my mum had to take the keys from me so I didn’t come down to the hotel.”

Leah tugs at his pants, wanting up like she always did. While Harrison was clearly a mummy's boy, the two girls always tended to gravitate towards Tom and it never bothered you in the slightest because at the end of the day you were their mother and they’d always need you too.

Plus, while Tom and Rosie had a strong relationship and he was always the one she’d run to for fun and games, you were always the one she’d crawl on at the end of the day for a cuddle or pull aside when she knew she’d done something wrong. Rosie trusted you on another level.

The little girl quickly gives up as he only chuckles in response, her attention running out as it draws her to a pair of shoes on the floor next to the two of you.

In the moment, you take his hands off of his eyes and take them into your own. After twenty four hours of not seeing each other and fretting over the wedding– over whether or not everything would be perfect and if everyone would show, or even if something big would pop up like the cake not showing or a storm appearing out of the blue it felt nothing less then comforting to feel him again.

Tom gapes at your dress, the one that hugged your waist perfectly before flowing out only slightly with the see-through lace across the neck and arms. He was simply in awe, tears collecting in his eyes as he stares at his bride. He doesn’t even bother to wipe his eyes, staring across at you like a fish.

Wide, beady eyes stared you down not as if you were a snack– but instead a fucking gem.

“Fuck, you look beautiful.”

You do a little twirl, spinning under his arm and Tom watches the way of brushes against the floor, tangling around your legs.

It was stunning, the entire dress was a piece of art in itself.

“Thank you, you look amazing too.” You giggle, straightening out the blazer. “Is everyone here?”

“Surprisingly everyone we invited made it.” He tells you with a wide grin, still trying to savour every single detail down to the colour of your lipstick. “I can’t wait to see you walk down that aisle.”

“There will be no surprise now.” You pout.

“Darling, the second I see you in this dress again I’ll combust, believe me.” He places a kiss on your knuckles, lips brushing the diamond ring that remained on your finger. Coffee brown eyes stare into your own, a look of absolute love and adoration filling his eyes. “Are we about to do this?”

You let out a small huff of air, glancing over at your three kids that played in the corner. Rosie had your bouquet in her hands, Leah played with a wet pacifier and Harrison was throwing a bouncy ball he must’ve found somewhere against a wall.

How you got to this point in your life exactly? Where you felt free and content, absolutely in love and awe of everything you had? You didn’t really know but you did know that without Tom none of it would’ve been possible.

“Nine years ago I never would’ve thought that we’d be here. I thought I was going to live miserably for the rest of my life and to be fair, I did for a time but this is so perfect.” You chuckle, trying not to ruin your makeup before you could even walk down the aisle. “We have a house, three kids already and your family that has always been so supportive and now we’re getting married. It feels like… it feels like this is what we were meant to be from the start.”

“We made it here.” Tom sighs and purses his lips together, ignoring the clock on the wall that told you the both of you were going to be late to your own wedding. “To be fair I don’t think any of this would’ve happened if it weren’t for Rosie. That girl bought us back together.”

You nod agreement, trying to ignore the fact that she was growing up way too fast. “She really did, didn’t she? And somehow those other two brought us even closer.”

You’d continue to push that thought to the back of your mind because she’d always be your baby. Tom would too.

“What do you think a fourth will do?” He asks with a playful tone. It’s enough to make you roll your eyes and shake your head dramatically.

“You’re dreaming.”

“Are you– Tom! Get out, we were looking for you!” Nikki marches into the room, seeing her son, the groom and the soon to be husband standing face to face with you and lets out an audible gasp, heading towards him. “You’re not supposed to see her before the wedding.”

She grabs him by the collar of his suit and tugs him out but before she can get him out the door he shouts a very clear and loud ‘I love you’. It’s enough to tug your lips into a smile and the kids in the corner to giggle in response. She comes in only a moment later and you try not to laugh having heard her scolding him from the outside.

“Right, you guys ready? We got a wedding to complete.”

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[takaraphoenix]

Shadowhunters Finale Review

...I can’t even summarize my thoughts properly right now because I am just so wildly exhausted and disappointed and frustrated, so here’s the unfiltered running commentary I made during the two-parter, sorted by characters and due to length beneath the cut:

On Jonathan:

Jonathan back at it again, killing flowers. ~puuure eeeviiil~ (Sorry. Still not over Jocelyn being a fucking dickhead who is ready to murder her son over one dead flower he killed as a toddler...)

...I just... I'm so tired of what they did with Jonathan? When they set him up as Sebastian Verlac, he seemed to layered, but this season, they are completely reducing him to the Incest Boi whose only motivation is “Clary doesn't love me enough!” and absolutely no one has even half a fuck to give about everything he has suffered...? Every abuse that is driving him and forged him...?

He could have been such a layered character. I'm not even talking redemption wise, to use the abuse to make him A Good Boi, but he could have been such an interesting villain, there could have been so much to him. This is stupid and sad.

But I am chocking on my laughter at the Seelie Queen literally teaching him WHAT HE COULDA BEEN TAUGHT FROM THE GET GO. To channel his powers. Granted, she channels them into killing Shadowhunters. But they could have been channeled into killing demons.

With the right parent, the right training, without living in hell and being tortured, he could have been an exceptional Shadowhunter. But let's pretend that he is Truly Inherently Evil only because of his demon blood and hey it's legit because he wants to bang his sister so who cares about this guy LOL.

HOLY SHIT THEY REALLY MADE CLARY MURDER HIM WITH A HUG. What a fucking way to go. I don't... I don't even know what to say to that to be honest.

On Clary:

WHAT THE FUCK HAS SHE DONE??

“How do I come back after everything I've done”. What. What line is that. That's the line they could have given Jace in the first episode of 3B. You know, the guy who saw his own body commit 30+ murders, among them the murder of his own grandmother.

What... What's that everything Clary has done? Dress hotter than usual? Go to a rave? Try some Seelie drugs? Sure she killed Lenaia, but that was also a chick she didn't even know and so far she's not been very traumatized by like – killing her own biological father (seriously, the writers never bothered to give her a genuine reaction to that). Way to be overdramatic, writers.

Shitty Ex Machina Rune's existence aside; WHY does the Ex Machina Rune work?? RUNES DON'T WORK ON DOWNWORLDERS. That was like a whole thing in season 1. They kill mundies and they don't work on Downworlders?? Why the fuck is Clary allowed to play – not just an angel but an actual god at this point.

(But y'all know I am going to use this shitty dumb stupid rune in so many fanfiction.)

...But like holy shit. It is so callous to have her say that she wouldn't trade the Shadow World for anything and that “and I met Jace” like he brought all light into her life when the Shadow World killed her mother. Have the writers just completely forgotten that a month ago she lost her mother, her only biological family left?? Ah but it's totally fine because she has Jace now!!! And even though we literally started the episode off with her being devastated and wondering how she will ever come back after everything she has done, they are now only half an hour later already forgetting that she has just gone through major trauma, that she murdered her own father, that she lost her mother? But oh the Shadow World is super awesome, wouldn't wanna trade those past two, utterly traumatizing months for anything!!! Not even for my mom being alive LOL! Just... do the writers even care about the characters? At all?

HOLY FUCKING GODS THEY REMEMBERED JOCELYN. FUCK THIS IS RIDICULOUS ESPECIALLY AFTER HER CONVERSATION WITH SIMON IN EDOM. I am baffled. But I am 100% behind Jocelyn's message because Clary has been a scary motherfucker all this season now with all the things she has done and the rule-breaking. Fuck yeah she shouldn't be allowed to play God, which she DOES at this point.

But like, on a scale of 1 to 10 how dumb did they have to make Clary? Out of all of the ways she could have killed Jonathan, they decided “Nah man she is totally giving up her Shadowhunter self to hug her brother to death” instead of having Miss Stabby-Stab-Stab pull out a dagger and stab him to death? She literallly just got the warning and decides “LOL nope this is how I go out”. What---

There is a huge difference between a character sacrificing themselves for the greater good because there was 100% no other way and a character somehow turning a completely manageable situation into a self-sacrifice that is completely unnecessary... She could have just stabbed him. Or, you know, captured him with a trick instead of murdering. She could have stayed a Shadowhunter without using the Deus Ex Machina runes, living like a normal Shadowhunter. But they really made her go “If I can't play god, I'd rather give up the Shadow World”.

What the fuck even was that “One Year Later”. They literally just wasted a whole year since C/ace reuniting had zero negative effect on her? She didn't combust or anything. They could have literally went after her the day of the wedding, explained amnesia to her and brought her back. But the writers had to be dramatic bitches that put Jace through hell again, huh.

And what exactly did she believe happened? Like, Jocelyn and Luke and Simon?? Basically everyone she ever knew? What did she think happened to them and to herself? She just decided to go back to art school or what? Did they even think about this ending?

Honestly. It'd have been better had they actually Donna Nobled her and said she can never remember and has to be a mundie. But this? This year gap and bullshit and C/ace looking at each other and she suddenly remembers his name because True Love Wins? That makes it even dumber.

On Jace & Meliorn: (I'm trying to give each character their own for the finale, but... I can't separate those two in this case)

THAT STARTLED LITTLE BACKING OFF JACE DOES WHEN MELIORN TAKES IT TO THE BEDROOM. If that wasn't a coming on from Meliorn, I don't know what is. I am definitely living for this little bit of Jeliorn because that was a ship I was sure I'd never get to see proper interactions of. So, small blessings.

Hng. Jace can't lie. How pretty. Seriously his bond with Meliorn is like the saving grace from all of this. And how much fun Meliorn is having with this. Oh my gods my shipper heart is soaring.

SERIOUSLY I AM LIVING FOR THIS. “A serious question. How handsome do you think I am?” WHY WOULD YOU EVEN ASK THAT. Because you want to let my shipper-heart beat some. Thank you, Meliorn, personally, for my life. (Not to mention the answer. A NINE?? Jace. You so pansexual and into handsome Downworlders. It's canon now and I am blessed.)

I'm just absolutely living for Jace getting to interact with a non-Clary and a non-Alec (especially since all of his Alec-interactions this half-season have only been about Ma/ec...). It's... so refreshing to see them use Jace as... a character... instead of a prop. Even if he's played as a comic relief, I am taking so much more from this.

(ALSO: Jimon sparring! Jimon sparring and JACE BOOPING SIMON'S NOSE WHAT THE FUCK.)

On Alec:

What's with Maryse telling him to “take time to mourn”? What the fuck is that? XD He has literally been in Edom and gone back too. There's always been ways in and out. You're sure fast to bury him.

But also, maybe Alec should focus on the way to bring Magnus back instead of planning this fucking stupid wedding. You'd need your groom first.

Tonight. They're literally... I am weeping at how stupid this is. They got engaged yesterday and are getting married today. I had... actual, dumb hopes that the wedding would happen after a time skip. But I forgot this show doesn't know what time is. Ahahaha. Hilarious.

But holy shit am I angry about him being all dodgy and asking Maryse's permission to invite his own father to his wedding. Like. I am very rationally angry about the fact that all the kids sided with their abusive mother over their father, but that they are really all just treating him like that now is insane. Sure, he cheated on their mother, but he is still their father?? He has still been their father and he has been the good parent. If you can forgive Maryse's abuse just like that, how do you hold Robert cheating on Maryse over him like that? This is absolutely insane. What kind of priorities do those writers have to fuck it up this badly? Like the “oh no dad cheated on you let us all comfort you and totally forget the shitty way you have been treating your children!!!” wasn't bad enough on its own, but that they are completely acting like Robert was not just the cheating husband but somehow also the bad parent now? If this is where the show wanted to end it, they should have from the get-go also written him as the bad parent and her as the good parent, then I'd understand this, I'd understand the taking sides thing, the way they all completely turned away from Robert, the way Maryse blossomed and turned into an entirely different character. That ALL would make sense IF they hadn't decided in the first season and in 2B to write Robert as the warm rather and Maryse as the cold and abusive mother. The starting points and end points don't match.

On Magnus:

Magnus. On that throne. In that light. Now that's a look, to be honest.

Also, awkward conversations with the stepmother are very amusing. :D” (But, honestly, Anna and Harry playing off each other is really great. They play the power-dynamic really fascinating.)

Magnus being like “Well no need to close the door if we burn down the place right?” is a mood. It's so stupid and ridiculous, but like it's right. XD”

I'm glad Magnus at least said thank you to Lorenzo and even invited him to the wedding.

I genuinely don't know how to react to “High Warlock of Alicante” to be honest. Like. I don'T know what to say to that.

On Maia:

...I'd like to live in the alternate reality where Maia was more than just her relationships to boys. I'm still let down by the fact that the one (1) badass shot she got in the trailer was literally her walking away from Jordan's funeral fire, with her other ex and her future boyfriend flanking her from either side. If that doesn't summarize this show, I don't know what does.

And while I admire her decision to reconnect with her parents, it also seems rather messed up considering she literally just decided to be The Alpha. So let's leave the pack that has suffered so many recent losses... all alone. That's... not exactly Alpha behavior, even if it is the right thing for her as an individual at that point.

I mean like yeah sure she came back to become an Alpha, but still it's—a weird choice.

BAT BAT EXISTS BAT IS THERE I LOVE BAT HE GOT TO SPEAK. I am so so salty that he didn't get developed properly, that his relationship with Maia didn't get fully fleshed out.

On Isabelle & Simon:

Isabelle as the Human Torch is sure a very nice visual, to be honest.

(ALSO HELEN! HELEN! HELEN! I am 200% sure I can ship Aline/Helen/Isabelle in peace now. Don't @ me.) Though explain to me why Helen doesn't get the fuck away from Isabelle ASAP after realizing that Downworlders turn Isabelle into basically a bomb? I mean, she is half-Seelie.

...and can everyone maybe focus on “Izzy now catches fire when she is touching Downworlders” instead of “SHE WAS KISSING SIMON!!!”...? Like, priorities, dudes?

And how did she conclude “I explore when I touch demon blood. I should totally go to Edom! The place where demons live!”... and act like that should totally “”shield”” her from the atmosphere? What... logic goes into that? I'm serious, someone explain to me why “I explode when I come in contact with demonic stuff” leads to “but I'ma be extra safe in hell where all demonic things live and the very atmosphere should be demonic!!!”...

And Simon and Isabelle... kiss once... like... literally once and the next time they get a moment of being shown alone they literally already fucked. This show... knows that... you can actually go on dates and have a relationship with... oh no never mind this show has never heard the word “pacing” before I forgot sorry LOL

On Luke:

...But like why did his runes return though. I mean, getting turned into a Downworlder like... burned the runes away. They were gone. Why would him no longer being a Downworlder also immediately reapply all of his runes.

I don't know if I really like this, to be quite honest. I don't feel like we know enough about Luke for me to know what to feel about this? Like, he said he didn't want to be alpha and he's been turned against his will sure, but he's been a wolf for like 20 years now. It's... I don't know what to feel on this. Like, he seems really happy about this, but it also feels incredibly cheap due to the show never actually focusing on his thoughts and feelings??

Okay no now that I'm through with it I actually actively hate it. He should have become mundie. Erase it all. Let him live a mundie life with Clary.

On Lorenzo:

I love how Lorenzo brings up the Downworld Council. SOMETHING I HAVE BEEN WONDERING ABOUT TOO. What the fuck happened to that. But nope, SoRrY Lorenzo you are just here to save Magnus. Again. (Others too, but still. It's once again for selfish reasons of helping the Shadowhunters with shit.)

I really like where they took his character. I thought he was just going to be a shallow prop to take Magnus down. Petty and empty. But that they actually give him growth and personality and a personal goal and that they also made him rekindle with Magnus after admitting what he truly wants? That was... actually good. That was more than I ever expected from those writers. Huh.

ALSO FUCK ME I AM 100% BEHIND LORENZO/UNDERHILL.

On Max:

MAAAAX!!! MAX WITH GLASSES! MAX BEING PRECIOUS! He is literally the only thing about episode 22 that I liked. Like that entire final episode was a fucking shit-show.

On Raphael:

Honestly at this point just fuck this show. It is his father’s wedding and he is a mundane. But let’s just have him interact with his ex and her new guy so he can give them his blessing instead of having him actually interact with Magnus.

[beatyoutothepunchline]

On Telephones

Carrie Fisher once said to, “Take your broken heart and make it into art.” I don’t know if she ever found a way to mend a mangled heart--one that can’t will itself to make any art right now--but if anybody has got something better than slamming a two buck chuck while laying on the floor of your dorm room, listening to Julia Jacklin’s cover of “Someday” by the Strokes for the ten millionth time, while going between six different tabs on Glassdoor of jobs you didn’t get while waiting for inspiration to ding like the semi-hourly email from Sur La Table, reminding your newly single ass that “love is in the air” and while it is you can take an extra forty percent off all clad cookware, I’d like to know. All of this is happening on my phone, which I’m trying not to look at right now and am failing miserably at because I’ve spent the last ten years slowly becoming more and more addicted to and reliant upon it. I’m not sure I could go twenty seconds without checking my Instagram feed, and I can assure you that unless the little blue dot on my map app moved with me, I wouldn’t ever get to where I was going. (Have you tried to ask somebody on the street recently where something is? Everybody’s got their headphones in). Remember when phones were just phones and all they did was call people? I do… vaguely. I remember using my stubby, bitten down middle school fingernails to pull up the antenna of my 90’s Nokia, plopping down on the floor in the living room of our house in Omaha and calling everyone in my mom’s address book and tell them I had a cellphone and if I needed to be reached personally, I now could. I remember my mom walking into the room and asking what I was doing, so I told her. I was on the phone with our next door neighbor, Doris Helfrich. My mom pulled the phone out of my hand and apologized laughing it off. I was too old to be doing stuff like that. Twelve or thirteen maybe, but I’m amazed there was a point in my life when talking on phone was a source of anxiety. This is due to the pressure of trying to make a good first impression, which I’m bad at to begin with. I’m one of those people you need to meet at least eleven times before they can form an honest opinion about me. There’s even more pressure over the phone, because there is nothing to go on other than my voice. This wasn’t something that I noticed until I got older and became slightly more perceptive and self conscious of it. I personally have no problem with it, however, in recent years it has come to my attention thanks to the groundbreaking observation of several of the men I’ve gone out with that I sound, “nervous” (In my defense, I’m usually burning the candle at both ends and my voice is shaking because I’m jacked up on an insane amount of coffee.) Or they say I sound scared or sad or angry. My absolute favorite though,came from this idiot I am crying over who told me,“You sound like a California girl.” Because apparently I talk slower (I’m assuming he meant I had a super cool laid back, So-Cal surfer drawl) and because I say “like” a lot (I do, but it’s usually because I’m trying to find the right way to say something. I’m not sure why taking my time to choose my words carefully needs to be pointed out to me as if it’s a bad thing.) But I’m cool and I quote from my favorite Valley girl, saying, “Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man,” or some other joke that fits the comment. The smart one’s laugh and move on. The dumb ones ask, such as said idiot ask, “Why do you use comedy to distract from insecurities?” Truth is I didn’t have any until idiot dudes started pointing them out to me. I hate to admit I let something that stupid get to me, but whenever my phone rings now there’s this sense of fear that the voice on the phone doesn’t match the person I am, and the takeaway will be what I sound like, not what I’m trying to say. The next phone I got was a burnt orange Sidekick, which meant I could finally text people instead of having to call them. Not that I knew anyone to text. Certainly, the sixty-year-old neighbors I called on my Nokia didn’t know how to text or didn’t. But I meet people at school, those people invited me to parties where I meet more people. Those people and I talked for a while and if general teenage awkwardness (because let’s be clear: teenagers were socially awkward long before phones started making them that way) or my inability to form a sentence without sounding like an idiot didn’t ruin the conversation we’d exchange numbers so we didn’t have to talk with our mouths anymore. I distinctly remember a two week period in high school where I met a dude at a party, told my friend to give him my number, lost my phone for two weeks (totally content with never seeing it again) only to find it with an eighty-nine percent battery life and three texts from the boy my friend gave my number to. And really there are two things that are amazing about this. The first is that there was a point in my life where I went two weeks (336 hours, 20,160 minutes) without looking at my phone and that there was a point in my life where I truly didn’t care if the dude from the party texted me. Right after the party, or at all. What happened to her? Fourteen years old in that cocktail dress my mom bought me last minute from Forever 21, standing along the back wall of a dark high school gym, the bass rattling my chest. There was a point in my life where the loudness of it all didn’t freak me out. There was something almost kind of meditative about it. Not the people or music. There is absolutely nothing meditative about being surrounded by teenagers in varying stages of puberty (and yet somehow simultaneously, at the peak of it), dancing to “Apple Bottom Jeans” by T-Pain and screaming “REMEMBER FIFTH GRADE?!” or singing out of key to “Fireflies” by Owl City and screaming “REMEMBER SEVENTH GRADE?!” or little circles of light from a disco ball spinning around your head like someone knocked out in a cartoon. I stood along the back wall of the gym, closed my eyes and focused on the bass until I forgot all the lyrics and all the people around me. If I were twenty-one then I’d have pulled my earbuds out of my clutch and put in my music, Jon Brion or Aimee Man or the Velvet Underground, and slow danced with myself. Unfortunately, I was fourteen. I didn’t know who Jon Brion or Aimee Man were and I didn’t go to the dance alone. For some reason, I decided to go with a bunch of girls who were appalled by the sight of grinding. I was appalled by them being appalled by people who made different choices than they did and decided to call my parents to pick me up an hour into the dance. “Already?” My mom asked though I’m not sure why she was surprised. I always left the party early. As I sat waiting on a concrete bench outside, a girl ran out of the building like Cinderella and the clock was inching toward midnight. She was wearing a powder blue ball gown that looked more prom in the ’50s than a homecoming in 2013 and she was bawling her eyes out, mascara and eyeliner streaking down her face. She sat down on the opposite end of the bench from me. There were about twelve identical benches around us, but she sat on mine for some reason. From what I gathered between sobs into her cell phone she and her boyfriend had just broken up because he had and cheated on her with another girl, who he had taken to homecoming instead of her. Back in my dorm room in 2019, in between Julia Jacklin songs, I started to binge-watching videos by Thoraya Maronesy where she challenges people to call their crushes and ask them out on a date, or asks what the kindest thing they’ve ever been told and there was one video titled, “Who's 1 stranger that you still remember?” And as I watched this video, I tried to think about a stranger I remembered meeting and only one that came to mind was this girl on the bench. And the only thing I remember feeling at that moment was disgust. Because I didn’t understand why she would cry over someone like that. I didn’t get it when I invited him to a lit series I was asked to read at. I’m scared of talking to one person, the thought of standing in front of fifty hipsters in Carhartt beanies who are all tastefully one drink into the evening, armed with big vocabularies and ready to critique me is terrifying. It’s not like Iowa where if you screw up people won’t remember it because they’re not paying attention, won’t remember it because they’re five beers in, or will remember it but love you enough to make it into a joke they’ll tell at your wedding, to your children when they are old enough to get it, and put in your obit. To my surprise, they were all incredibly nice and he was the asshole. I took his judgment of shaky voice and my word choice as honesty. I let him rip into the poets that read the whole walk back to the train, only meekly interjecting with, “At least they’re writing poetry.” I let him call me cute and mansplain the intricacies of his book on finance and politics. I didn’t get it until I made dinner for him (which took well over the estimated hour cook time, because I, in fact, do not know how to operate an oven) and he told me that he was seeing three other people while I was home over winter break. Over break. When he was calling me every other night to tell me he missed me, I was dipping out of dinner early, laying on the landing of the staircase of my parents place or pacing around the freezing garage floor talking to him for an over hour. Because who calls anymore unless they really like you? Only then did click and I finally got it. Heartbreak is a sixteen year old who--for the first time in her life--finally feels like Nora Ephron didn’t completely lie to her, only to have that feeling stripped away by some stupid thing some boy told her. Because a woman well versed in her past mistakes and a man well versed in his didn’t write the right words for that asshole. Heartbreak is a big blue dress that directly juxtaposes the era. That you write off as being delusional or dated, but secretly gives you hope that slow dance still happen, that late night telephone conversations between two people still exist, and still mean more than what is said during them. Heartbreak is mascara running all down your face and no one chasing after you when you leave the party. And let me tell you, that kind of heartbreak looks much better on a sixteen-year-old girl at homecoming than on a twenty-something sitting alone at her kitchen table, with a botched TJ’s lemon chicken sitting in front of her, still a little raw in the middle. I glance down at my phone, trying to convince myself it was to check the time instead of Snapchat, or Instagram. It’s the time of night I would have called him and I debate calling my mother, but I’ve already called her. She likes breaking news, not this repetitive, 24-hour loop of a relationship I prefaced with, “Don’t get used to hearing about him. It’s not gonna last.” I know she will be a hundred percent honest with me. She’ll tell me to wipe the snot out of my nose, splash some cold water in my face and get over it. So instead I call my grandma because I want to talk to somebody that will pretend to care and she is scarily upbeat and gets wildly off topic. She will save me. Or distract me. Maybe they’re the same thing. As soon as she picks up, she tells me about how my uncle Rob was in Chicago for a Navy conference. “But only for two days,” she says as if to avoid offending me. As if I would be furious to find out he didn’t want to spend the few free hours he had in his tight schedule to see me. She told me he left his Navy blues or whatever you call them back in DC where he sometimes works, or in Sicily where he is currently stationed. I forget where she said he left his Navy blues because I wasn’t listening to her tell me how he ran all over town on his lunch break, acquiring pieces of a uniform from thrift stores and getting them tailored to fit him before dinner that night. Where nobody was the wiser, save the two men he asked had a spare necktie. I didn’t stop to consider how beautiful that was--how it could be a short story. One I could’ve been writing if I wasn’t preoccupied with things not working out with the guy I was seeing. My grandma, now picking up on my not so subtle crying, tells me in an uncharacteristically flat, matter-of-fact tone, “It works or it doesn’t,” before telling me to link up with my mom’s second cousin who lives two streets down on Michigan Avenue. That I should consider writing him a letter. Maybe network a little. I write down his address, toy with the idea of writing a letter, but hang up when my grandma starts telling me to “network” with people. A few hours after my conversation with my her, no further into my homework or a story about my uncle, I go from break up songs to love songs when “Big Me” by the Foo Fighters pops up on my recommended list. I’d heard the song before, but I had never really listened to it. Some people say it’s about a fight this guy has with his girlfriend and the line, “If we can get around it/I know that it's true.” Meaning, if it’s the real deal, they’ll figure it out together. Some say that lead singer, Dave Grohl, simply meant it as a corny love song for his wife at the time, some insist it’s about dealing with the loss of Kurt Cobain. I don’t know. I wasn’t in the state of mind to analyze it, so I let the music video inform the brilliant and infuriatingly vague lyrics. The music video for “Big Me” parodies a Mentos commercial, aptly renaming the mint candy “Footos.” In it, Grohl, the band, and several actors (who, if not ripped off of the set from an actual Mentos commercial we’re perfectly cast as being the kind of people that could be in one), encounter a series of minor a setbacks. A woman gets parked in by a self-centered businessman, Dave Grohl gets cut off by an angry lady in a limo, and a kid is kept from getting into a Foo Fighters concert. After a moment of contemplation as each tries to figure out how to deal with the situation they are confronted with, they have this sort of “Ah-ha!” moment, before popping in a “Footo,” smiling at the camera and coming up the solution that has been there all along. The band picks the car out up of the parking spot so the lady can get out, Dave Grohl befriends the woman in the limo that cuts him off and give her a Footo, and the kid is able to sneak into the concert and play with the band. It’s equal parts funny, stupid and feel good and I can’t help but smile when I watch it. I text my brother a link to the video and tell him that I’m having one of those nights where I look at Dave Grohl and think, “Alec could do that.” I pause to explain that, “I don’t know exactly what I mean by that.” But I tell him have fun making that EP he and his band are making. I listen to the song fade out and check my phone, wishing I could pop in a Mento, choose happiness and figure out how to fix myself when I think of one last number I can call. I get up off the floor, walk over to my desk and slide the poem my mom gave me out from under the chip clip holding it to my picture frame. The poem was her dad’s. It’s titled “Don’t Quit,” and when I’m close to quitting I read the poem. When I want answers to questions I flip it over to the phone number written on the back under the name D. Imer. I have no idea who he might be is or what it might means. I open my phone, dial the number, and stop just short of calling. Not because I care about what the person on the other end will think of me or my voice, but because I don’t want to ruin the illusion I’ve created. Deep down I know it will not redirect me to a secret telephone line that will give me answers to all my questions.

[maarcelline]

Marceline opened the app in her room, watching everything load up and waiting for the location of her double to appear on the screen. Finally, a large circle indicating the general location of Marceline’s clone showed itself on the map… which had new places outside just the circular city.

And Marceline’s double’s location was apparently somewhere in the place called… Yesteryear.

It was south of Spirale, also a circular city, just a bit larger than where she was, and her double’s location seemed to be was towards the edge. It would probably take a while to get there, but if she flew fast, she could do it. She thought about asking one of her friends to come with her, but she didn’t know if any of their doubles were in the same area, or how deeply succumbed to the sickness her own was. Time was of the essence, and finally, Marceline decided to go on her own.

She threw two portable chargers into a bag, slung it over her shoulder, and took off towards the south, flying over the city for a while before she could vaguely make out in the distance what seemed to be… the skyline of another city. It was far away, but she could see tall buildings on the horizon. That had to be Yesteryear. And so, her goal in sight, Marceline beelined towards her double.

Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy, she thought this would be. Go in, narrow down where her double was, talk her down and get her to go into this alternate dimension, and then go home.

But upon reaching Yesteryear, too many different sensations of familiarity began weighing on Marceline. The first was how derelict everything was, much like how Spirale was upon everyone’s initial arrival. It also reminded her of the hellscape she wandered as a child.

But also… there was a sense of familiarity like she knew this place before it became the ruined cityscape it was now. Like she knew it in its heyday. Which had to be impossible, right? She only came to Spirale like, what, almost nine months ago? How could she know this place?

She shook off her thoughts and opened her app again, focusing once more on locating her double. She followed her map until she was in the circle that showed the general area where her double was located, and she looked up… and found the familiarity hitting her in the chest again.

What was the deal with this place? Why… did she know it? Know its streets, its buildings, its… everything? She came to an intersection and knew that by turning right and following on the left side of the street she’d find… but why would the shop be there? The shop was back in Spirale. Both branches of it were.

And yet there was the familiar facade of a clothing shop. The glass windows were broken, and greenery was taking over the inside, which was almost entirely empty except for some metal racks and a counter. She floated through the open door, into the back room and up some stairs to the rooftop, where she could swear she died once before.

But that was impossible, wasn’t it? That was in the old place. Why would the old place… be here? Unless….

No. It was definitely impossible.

Marceline dove off the roof, phone in her pocket as she followed the not-so-inexplicably-familiar streets to where, if this place were what she thought it was--and it absolutely couldn’t be what she thought it was--there would be a house that she once called home.

One last corner, and--

There it was. The house. It was empty, decrepit, and overgrown, but it was absolutely and without a shadow of a doubt her old home from the other city. The one she’d shared with Peridot, and Shirou for a time, and… and a second man. The second man owned the house. What was his name? Dia? Deo?

Marceline finds herself wandering into the house without thinking, and floating her way up the stairs and into the room that might once have been hers, if this was truly the house, and then…

There she was. She was facing the window, her back to Marceline. Marceline lowered her feet to the floor with a soft noise, and cleared her throat, hoping not to surprise this other self too much.

The Other Marceline suddenly turns with a gasp and wide eyes, clearly startled and a little frightened in this new place. “Wh--who the hell are you?”

Meanwhile, our Marceline finds herself startled as well--Her double looks strikingly like her mom, but with much longer hair. Her double was also undoubtedly human. Our Marceline finds her eyes falling to the Other Marceline’s left hand, where a simple wedding band rested on her ring finger. Yes, she was married to the Other Peridot.

“Okay, this is gonna sound crazy, but I’m you, from a world different from yours. From a world where I’m a vampire and Peridot’s a living gem, like a literal peridot.” Our Marceline just bluntly comes out with it, hoping for the best.

“You… fucking, what? No, okay, come on. Be real here, lady, there ain’t no way…” The Other Marceline immediately folds her arms and narrows her eyes, taking in Our Marceline’s appearance. “Prove it.”

Our Marceline blinks. Prove it? “Um. Okay.” She lifts off the ground, sitting cross-legged about three feet in the air. “How do you want me to prove it? I could drink some red, do you see any red around here? I don’t drink blood.”

“Bullshit, what kind of vampire doesn’t drink blood? What are you, a Twi-hard?”

Our Marceline actually laughs at that. “You’re not the first person to say that to me, though it’s weird to hear it come from myself.” She shakes her head, then looks at the Other Marceline with a weirdly sober face. “You ever get told you look like Mom?”

The Other Marceline’s face goes blank, and then she squints in confusion. “Dad used to say that.”

“I’m just… it was one of the first things I thought when I saw you. You look like my mom, and just… I have to assume our moms probably looked the same, if… yeah.” Our Marceline sighs. “It’s been more than nine centuries since I saw her in anything but pictures. I really miss her.”

Other Marceline blinks, then looks away. “Damn, how old are you, girl?”

“A little more than a thousand. I’ve lost track beyond just centuries. I don’t remember my birthday.” Our Marceline shrugs. “It doesn’t matter though, Dotty doesn’t even have a birthday so it’s not like we’re uneven there. Varian’s is in March though, I gotta remember that, that’ll be coming up quick.”

The Other Marceline nods, still watching Our Marceline with mild suspicion. “Yeah, I’m planning to make it a big thing for him. He deserves some good, y’know?” She stares at Our Marceline for a long moment, and then her shoulders slump. “Man, you’re really not kidding, we’re the same person. You’ve even got Varian. What about Travis?”

Our Marceline chuckles. “Yeah, I’ve got Trav. He’s absolutely lumping insane and he’s killed more people than I could hope to keep track of and he’s got a weird thing for it, like it gets him off or something. But dang if I don’t trust him with everything I have.”

The Other Marceline’s eyes go wide. “He’s killed people? And you still hang out with him?”

“Well, yeah, I mean, I don’t approve of the death and junk, but I’ve certainly killed plenty of vampires in my day. I can’t judge.”

The two Marcelines meet eyes, staring each other down for a long beat… and then they both bust into light laughter, shaking their heads.

Our Marceline takes this moment to step closer, holding her hand out for a handshake. “I’ll properly introduce myself, real quick, before I get down to the main issue at hand. I’m Marceline Abadeer, Vampire Queen and rad-as-heck punk-rock queen, too.”

The Other Marceline playfully scoffs, but takes the offered hand and shakes. “Vampire Queen, huh? I can dig it. Marceline Abadeer, bassist for a nameless band with my buddy Travis and employee at Dressed to Kill, where I work with my other friend Shirou.” They let go of each other’s hands and smirk lightly at each other. “So,” Other Marceline continues. “What’s this ‘main issue’?”

Our Marceline folds her arms and straightens. “There’s a virus, and you have it. Everyone from your world has it, if they’re here. And the only way to fix it is to send you back to your world, where you’ll all live happily and like none of this ever happened. And we gotta act fast, because it takes your reason and makes you crazy.”

The Other Marceline laughs. She just laughs and rolls her eyes, and then she realizes Our Marceline isn’t laughing. “Okay, okay, so… so say I believe this--which, I mean, I’m already losing my damn mind if I’m seeing an alternate version of myself. What do I gotta do?”

Our Marceline smiles. “You don’t gotta do anything. I just gotta use this app on my phone to send you to this other dimension and boom, you’re safe.”

“... that’s it?”

“That’s it!”

The Other Marceline purses her lips, then nods. “Alright. Let’s do it. I mean, if it doesn’t work, I’ll know this was all a crazy dream, but if it does work, I’ll just… be back home.”

Our Marceline nods, holding her hand out again. “Exactly. And hey, it was cool to meet you, Marcy.”

The Other Marceline takes the offered hand again, nodding with a smile of her own as cold grey skin meets warm cocoa skin. “Yeah. This was neat. And, uh, thanks for saving me.”

They let go and Our Marceline pulls her phone out, opening the necessary app before saying, “You’re welcome. I hope you have a great life, girlfriend.”

And then she taps the ‘seal’ button, and The Other Marceline is gone with a fizzle of static.

[buckyscrystalqueen]

The Wedding Date: Part 1

Pairings: Stripper!Chris Pratt x Reader

Warnings: Swearing

Word Count: 5,707

Aesthetic by @sorenmarie87

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Every time you looked at the wedding invitation in your hand, you honestly felt sick to your stomach. The fact that she even invited you to the wedding blew your mind but the fact that she and your mother FORCED you to be the maid of honor… it was sickening.

“It’s not gunna change shape if you keep staring at it.” Your friend, Scott said as he purposely set a shot of vodka down on the invitation, even more purposely spilling a bit of it onto the ‘eggshell white and peacock blue’ color scheme. You glanced up at the bartender and let go of the card stock.

“I still maintain that she was put on this Earth to make my life miserable.” Scott tapped his nose in agreement as the women in the crowd of the strip club you were in screamed for the next act. You didn’t even look over your shoulder anymore, you just threw back your shot and snapped for another one.

You were the only woman in the entire building that wasn’t drooling over the half naked man behind you; the novelty of it wore off a long time ago. That’s what you get when your best friend (and really one of your only friends) is the bartender.

“What I don’t understand is how your own sister can marry your ex boyfriend after he cheated on you.” You tapped your nose as he poured you another shot.

“My mother says it’s my ‘blood duty’ to stand by her side, too.” You picked up your shot glass and held it in front of you with a smirk. “Here’s to hoping I don’t spill blood while doing my blood duty.” He picked up his glass of water and held it up to your shot glass.

“I’ll drink to that.” You both threw back your drinks as yet another dancer made his way up onto the stage. You still didn’t turn around as Scott poured you a coke so you’d be able to eventually drive when you were done hanging out.

“Are you sure you can’t come with me?” You asked sadly as you tilted your glass to splash the dark brown liquid on your ex-boyfriend’s name. You looked up at Scott’s sigh as he leaned on the bar in front of you.

“You know Stacy is due that weekend, (Y/N).” You nodded and ran your fingers through your long, brown hair.

“I know.” You sighed as tears stung your eyes. You ran your finger in a circle on the lip of your cup. “I just don’t want to have to do this alone, ya know? It’s bad enough my own fucking sister…” Your words caught in your throat and you shook your head. “It’s just a shitty situation.” He nodded as he leaned on the bar next to you and sighed.

“I know, babe, it really is. And you know if I didn’t have husband duties myself, I’d be there for you in a heartbeat, no questions asked.” You nodded as you took a big swig of your soft drink, missing the smile that spread across your friends face. “I know who you can take.” You glanced over at him as the woman began cheering again. Scott smirked over at you before pointing to the man who had just walked on stage.

Chris Pratt was the most popular stripper at the Candy Bowl; the best male strip club off the strip that always beat out even Thunder Down Under AND the Chippendales on a good night but never got the callouts at hotels like the others did. You totally understood why he was the favorite; he was six foot two with gorgeous green eyes and short brown hair. He always wore tight white shirts and sweats that left NOTHING to the imagination and you honestly believed his muscles had muscles.

“Are you crazy?!” You snapped as you turned toward the stage to watch him dance. “There is no way…”

“Hire him.” Your head whipped back toward your friend who shrugged. “Look, I’ve known him for years; he’s a good guy. But I know how you are. It’s all business with Miss Lawyer butt.” You glanced over at him out of the corner of your eye and rolled your eyes, causing him to chuckle. “I’m serious. He acts like your boyfriend for the week of festivities, you shell out a couple grand and you guarantee that you don’t end up alone at the wedding.” Your head tilted to the side as you watched Chris’ hips rock to the music on the stage. You had to admit, while it was absolutely insane, it wasn’t a half bad idea. With a scoff, you turned back toward the bar.

“I need another fucking shot for this shit.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“So this is my situation.” You explained as you sat back stage after Chris’ set. You forced yourself to not look at him as he sat in his skimpy bottoms and counted out the money he made that night as if it were no big deal. “I have a wedding in two weeks that I have no choice  but to participate in. My idiot sister is marrying my ex-boyfriend. Now, I’ve been single for nearly nine years since they got together and I have…”

“My name is Chris.” You looked over at him as he sat in his chair and stared at you. “Do I even get to know your name before I let you go on?” A blush raced across your face as you crossed your legs and looked away.

“(Y/N). Now I would like…”

“Look at me.” You growled and looked back over at him as your face turned a deeper shade of scarlet. “Sorry but just because I’m nearly naked doesn’t give you the right to be disrespectful.” You nodded and cleared your throat.

“M-my proposition is this. A week long, all expenses paid trip to Italy and five thousand dollars for your time. You pretend to be my significant other and…” Your words were cut off as he burst out laughing.

“So… so you want to… hire me… to be your boyfriend for a weeding? Damn, never heard that one before.” You scoffed and got up from your chair.

“Just forget it.” You headed to the door, mumbling about how you were going to kill Scott, when Chris grabbed your arm to stop you.

“Look, I’m sorry.” He said as he took a step back. “It’s just… I’ve heard a lot of shit in my days doing this but this kinda takes the cake.” You nodded as tears welled in your eyes.

“I-I-I wouldn’t ask… if I…” He nodded and put his hand on your shoulder.

“Hey. I get it, OK. I’ll help you.” You nodded your head and looked away, unable to face your reality.

“I assume you don’t own a suit.” You harshly brushed your tears away and forced yourself to look back at him. “Meet me here tomorrow at noon. I’ll take you to my guy to fix that. Do you have a passport?” He shook his head, realizing it was not the time to get smart with you and you nodded. “I’ll make some calls and we’ll get it taken care of tomorrow.” Without another word, you turned on your heels and walked out of his dressing room so he wouldn’t see the fresh wave of tears.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You sat in the middle of Giorgio Armani with a cup of espresso in your hand as Armando, the man who always did your father’s suits measure your wedding date. You had a giant book of available suits and colors on your lap and you were trying to figure out which ones would match the dresses you already had.

“He’s a tall one. Muscular, too.” Armando said in Italian with a laugh. You looked up at the two men as you leaned your arm on the book.

“Do you still have that suit that you did for daddy for my graduation?” Armando glanced over at you and nodded slowly.

“I believe we do but I don’t know if that can be ordered that fast. Your friend is a little too tall.” You nodded in understanding as you looked back down at the book.

“You speak Italian?” Chris asked as you grabbed a sticky note and stuck it on a page of another suit you liked.

“That among others.” You looked up at him with a small smile. “You don’t have to pretend to get to know me.”

“What if I want to get to know you?” He cut you off with his eyebrow raised. You shook your head as you set your small coffee cup down on the table next to you.

“I’m not worth it.” He shook his head and stepped off the platform he was on to walk over to you.

“You are worth it. You just can’t see it yet. That, honey is my real job.” You rolled your eyes at him, instantly regretting it as your eyes landed on the skin tight wife beater he had on. You couldn’t rip your eyes away from his washboard abs and he chuckled. “You can touch it if you want. You are paying for it.” He whispered. You caught yourself and forced your eyes to his.

“You couldn’t get me to touch your abs for a million dollars, honey.” He nodded slowly as he studied you with the most beautiful green eyes you had ever seen.

“Well then. Better remove the temptation.” With a small shake of his head, he stood up and walked back to the platform with a new determination in his heart to get you to see what he did in you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“So what was the name of your childhood puppy?” You glanced over at Chris as he leaned against the counter while you paid for the four suits you were rush ordering and the half dozen or so button down dress shirts and ties.

“Pongo.” He had been playing this game for the last hour; asking you everything from favorite color to least favorite season just trying to get you to open up. You were reluctant at first to answer but found that the longer you held out and ignored him, the more he turned on what you now referred to as his ‘heartbreaking puppy eyes’. Those, no matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t ignore.

“Mine was Bandana. He was all black except for this white triangle that looked like a bandana. Corny, right?” You shook your head as you signed the receipt, not even looking at the cost.

“Cute. Typical kid name, ya know?” He nodded as he picked up the bags of his new shirts and followed you out the door.

“Favorite ice cream?” You stopped and looked up at him as he nearly collided into you.

“Are you ever gunna quit?”

“Are you gunna loosen up and stop looking at this like a business deal and start looking at it like a possibly enjoyable experience?” You shook your head as you tucked your hair behind your ear. “I’ll stop when that happens.”

“Good luck with that.” You said as you turned on your heel and headed toward where your car was. You heard him laugh as he followed after you.

“I have faith. There’s something about you, (Y/N). It’s just a matter of you seeing it, too.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

“You know, I’m just a regular person just like everyone else. I just… you know, take my clothes off for a living where as you… don’t.” You glanced over at Chris in the back of the town car with a laugh as he shrugged. “Exotic dancer, lawyer. Same thing.”

“To-may-to, to-mah-to, I see it.” He laughed and nodded.

“If I had it my way…” He said as he leaned against the car door to look at you. “I’d open a dog rescue.” He looked down at his hands and shrugged his shoulder. “You’re actually making that dream possible.” He looked back up at you with a handsome, genuine smile. “Thanks for that, by the way. I’m sorry it’s such shitty circumstances but… I’m glad I’m helping you as much as you’re helping me.” He shrugged his shoulder and leaned back against the door once more. “Just gotta find a co-signer for the building and Romeo’s Redemption Animal Rescue is in business.” You nodded your head as you turned toward him.

“We pull this off where no one questions us, I’ll co-sign for you.” A smile lit up his face, making the gold around the pupils of his green eyes sparkle.

“You don’t have to do that.” He said despite the fact that his eyes told you he was grateful for the offer. You simply shrugged as your car pulled up to the Las Vegas airport.

“It’s like Scott said at the bar.” You looked away from him as you grabbed your purse and your carry-on bag. “You helping me is better than going to a wedding alone. Might as well return the favor.” You went to put the bag on your shoulder but he gently took the strap from you.

“I got it.” You looked back over your shoulder and he smirked. “What kinda boyfriend makes his girl carry the bags?” You couldn’t help but smile as you passed him the bag.

“Alright, Casanova. You win.”

——

“So, I have this.” You said as you pulled a manilla folder from your bag. “Figured since we have five hours on this flight and eight on the next we could…” Your words were cut off as you looked over at Chris. His eyes were wide open with child like wonder as he pushed the buttons on the screen in front of him. “Pssst.” His smile dropped and he looked over at you like a child with his hand caught in the cookie jar.

“I’ll make you a deal.” You said carefully as you handed him the envelope with a smile. “You humor me and learn slash answer these questions on this flight and I will leave you be on the next flight where first class is even better. That one’s seat’s lay down into beds so you can sleep the whole flight.”

“You know you’re ruining flying for me.” He said as he opened the envelope and pulled out the few pages. “Because I have so many places to fly to since this is my first time flying and all.” He cleared his throat loudly and pretended to adjust a nonexistent tie as you put your hand on the side of your face to hide your blush from the last few people boarding the plane.

“Etwas interessantes, um meiner familie von dir zu erzählen.” Your head whipped over toward him as he glanced over at you out of the corner of his eye. “Yea, I speak German fluently. Something interesting to tell your family.” You smiled and nodded.

“I am fluent in Italian as you know, French, and Portuguese. Just so you know a little about me, too.” He nodded as you handed him a pen so he could mark off the first question off the list.

“How did we meet?” He lowered the paper and cocked an eye brow at you. “What, strip club is too… low class for you?”

“Look at the next one.” You said as you moved his hand down so you could point to question three. “‘Are you really comfortable being introduced as Chris the stripper?’” You looked up at him and gave him a small smile. “Look, if you think a lawyer would be embarrassed to be dating a stripper, don’t be. You’re freaking gorgeous and no matter what your girlfriend does for a living she’d be lucky to have you. You have the option here to say you are anything you wanna be, including a dog rescuer.” He nodded as the pilot made the announcement that you were getting ready to take off. You sat back in your seat a bit but stayed facing Chris.

“Chris the dog rescuer. I really do like the sound of that.” You nodded in agreement as he looked over at you. “So how about, we met through our mutual friend Scott who I went to high school with. And I’m opening a dog rescue and I work at a bar off the strip. That way neither of us are technically lying. I would love to get rid of the stripper title, honestly.” You nodded in understanding as he crossed the two questions off the list.

“Remember what I said at the club, if you are uncomfortable with any of this, just tell me.”

“I know.” He picked the paper up and looked at the next question. “Go to karaoke song?” You sighed and nodded.

“Unfortunately, my sister thinks she is amazing at karaoke so we will be forced to endure at least one night of it.” He smirked as he crossed the question off the list.

“Just tell her I’d rather strip at the bachelorette party.” He glanced over at you out of the corner of his eye. “Tennessee Whiskey by Chris Stapleton or any thing by Tim McGraw.” You sighed in relief.

“Thank God, you’re a country boy. A man of my own heart.” He nodded as he looked over at you before closing his eyes as the plane took off. “Mine’s ‘Man, I Feel Like A Woman’ by Shania Twain.” You said as you put your fingers in his palm under his thumb. His body tensed as he grabbed your hand like it was a life raft. You couldn’t help the smile that spread across your face as he held his breath.

“I don’t like it.” He said as he shook his head.

“It’s almost done.” He nodded and gripped your hand tighter for a few moments before the plane leveled off. “See, you’re done. And you only have to do it three more times and then never again if you don’t want to.” He groaned as he loosened his grip on your hand only slightly but he didn’t let it go. With a nod, he picked the list back up and took a deep, steadying breath.

“‘What makes you feel most alive?’ Not fucking flying, that’s for sure.” He absentmindedly began to tap his thumb on the back of your hand as he looked at the ceiling. “Honestly, making people smile. Whether that may be because of my dancing, or when I volunteer on those puppy adoption days outside the pet stores.” He glanced over at you. “Oh yea, I do that, too if I’m not at work or out with friends. I try to volunteer with them once a month. That’s why I want to open a rescue.”

“Damn, you’re just like a saint, aren’t you?” He chuckled and shook his head as he fiddled with your fingers.

“I am so far from a saint.” He blushed as he looked down at your entwined hands before he carefully let you go and pulled his hand back. “Sorry.” You shrugged as he looked back up at you.

“We’re supposed to be a couple, right? Might as well get used to pretending.” He nodded and picked up the paper in one hand and your hand in the other. He laced his fingers with yours and you couldn’t help they way your stomach flipped.

“Alright, next question.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“OK, so Tara is your sister. She’s marrying the prick named Rick.” You nodded in confirmation as Chris listed off the members of your family he would need to know as your boyfriend on his fingers. “Your mom, who we don’t like, is Sara Beth, step dad, who is alright, is Daniel, your favorite parent is your dad, Doug, your step mom aka the trophy wife we aren’t a fan of but who we tolerate is Anne…” He glanced over at you and shook his head. “Lot of freaking people.”

“Yea, imagine what it’s like to go through Thanksgiving and Christmas.”

“Yea, I bet. That’s why I’m glad my parents are still together. Then we have the quiet baby of the family, Keith, his high school sweetheart, kind wife Melissa and their three kids, Kyle, Emily and… John?”

“James.” You yawned as he draped his arm over your shoulder. He pulled you into his side and instinctively kissed the top of your head as the cab driver brought you to your hotel. You could feel tears welling in your eyes as the slights of your favorite city in the world flew past the window.

“This is where I wanted to get married.” You said softly. You felt Chris’ arm tighten around you as you continued. “We traveled a lot growing up. I always loved Rome so much. Tara…” Your tears fell on his shirt and jeans as he rested his cheek on the top of your head in silent support. “She always used to say she wanted to get married in Paris… until Rick… those two managed to take… everything.” You felt Chris’ arm move to yours and he gently sat you up and turned you toward him.

“They didn’t take everything, sweetheart.” He said gently as he reached up to brush your tears away. “They didn’t take your smile, I’ve seen that plenty of times in the past… I think it’s been 24 hours but I don’t even know what time zone we’re in any more so I could be a little off on that.” You huffed a laugh as a small smile spread across your face. He returned the smile and pointed at you.

“See, there it is. They didn’t take that. They didn’t take your kind heart because if they did, you wouldn’t have agreed to help me with my rescue. They didn’t take away your…. Um… your voice unless I learned how to read lips really well somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean.” Your smile got bigger as a giggle slipped from your lips and he shrugged. “Yea, so I’m reaching here. But look, they didn’t take anything from you. If anything, they set you free. Obviously, the prick is a piece of shit and your sister… well, I know she’s family but I’m sorry to say, she’s a shitty person, too. And you deserve more than that, ya know?” You nodded in agreement as he took your chin between his thumb and forefinger.

“Besides, if you had married the prick then how would we have met? I bet I am much more fun than that douchebag on my worst day. I am a stripper after all. I got moves.” You giggled and nodded as he moved his hand away from your chin and pulled you back into his side. “And I hold your hand when we fly. Bet he didn’t do that.” You burst out laughing and looked up him through your lashes.

“I wouldn’t be proud of that if I were you.” He shrugged his shoulder, purposely bouncing your head.

“I am very proud of that. That’s boyfriend status right there.” You rolled your eyes and sat up as the cab pulled up to the curb of the Hotel de Russie. You thanked the cab driver and paid him as Chris grabbed the bags from the floor. You didn’t even have the cab door open for two seconds before the shrill shriek of your step-mother’s voice screaming your name woke you up better than any cup of coffee could. You looked over at the young, 5 foot tall, bottle blonde with massive fake tits curtesy of your father and groaned to yourself.

“You’re finally here!” She squealed as she dropped her ever present Virginia Slim on the ground and ran over in her higher than sky-high heels. You braced for impact as she practically threw herself into your arms. “Oh, I’ve missed you!”

“Hi Anne.” You said calmly as you tried to pull away from her death grip. It took her a moment before she got the hint and let you go. She pouted out her bottom lip and put her hand on your shoulder.

“Oh sweetheart. This should be your wedding…”

“Anne, let me introduce you to my boyfriend, Chris.” You stepped away from the cab to let Chris out. You smirked as you watched Anne’s jaw drop.

“Well I’ll be damned.” She whispered as she took a step forward. “Look at you, handsome.” She reached her hand up to touch his chest but you side stepped in front of her.

“My daddy inside?” You asked sweetly as Chris put his hands on your hips and stepped around you to grab the bags from the back. You watched her watch him for a moment before she nodded at you.

“Yea, he’s inside. You’re the last to arrive other than your cousin, Julie.” You nodded as you glanced over at Chris. With a dismissive smile back at Anne, you stepped over to your date and laced your arm with his.

“They’ll take care of the bags, honey.” He glanced down at you as he set your last suitcase on the cart. You handed the employee a decent tip and gently led Chris toward the door.

“This is insane.” He said as his eyes danced around the lobby. You looked up at him and your feet stopped walking at the look of shock and fear on his face. He looked down at you and shook his head. “I don’t belong here.” You quickly glanced around and pulled him over to a empty bench along one of the walls. You both sat down and you took his hands in yours.

“You do belong here.” You told him softly as you laced his fingers with yours. He squeezed your hands tightly as he looked up at you. “You belong here with me. We’re the two misfits of the party, remember?” He nodded slowly as you moved both his hands into yours so you could cup his cheek.

“Look, you’re tired, you’re out of your element, I get that. But I brought you here for a reason. I have zero intention of leaving your side for longer than a bathroom break, OK. And think of it like this, your like that guy from the Titanic; Leonardo DiCaprio. Yea I’m gunna drag ya to some fancy-schmancy rich people shit but you can bet your ass I’m showing you my favorite dive bar. We got this, you and me.” He nodded as the fear almost completely disappeared slightly from his eyes.

“Yea… yea, we got this.” You smiled and kissed his cheek before standing up to head over to the desk. Chris kept his hand laced with yours as if you would disappear if he let go. You got the two of you checked in to your Executive Suite; opting to take one that was a floor above the rest of the wedding party and a room facing the Pincio for your guest. You headed to your room quickly in hopes that you wouldn’t run into any of your family just yet and breathed a sigh of relief when you heard the door close behind you.

“Think you could rush me here any faster?” Chris teased. You smirked up at him as his jaw dropped at the view. “Oh, my God… Look at this!” With a nod, you followed him past the bathroom and the bedroom to the lounge. “This… this is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.” You leaned on the wall of the hallway for only a moment to watch your new friend open the floor to ceiling glass doors overlooking the city before the hotel staff knocked on the door with your bags.

“I got it.” You said with a smile as you turned around to let the ‘kid in a candy store’ enjoy the view you had seen plenty of times before. You pulled open the room door to let the bellhop in and your jaw dropped. “Daddy?”

“Think you have enough luggage, princess?” You giggled as you jumped into his arms.

“I blame my daddy for spoiling me all these years.” He set you down and pouted as he walked into your room so the hotel staff could begin unpacking your luggage.

“Well my little Queen deserves the very, very best.” He held up a bottle of vodka and a liter of coke as you headed toward the lounge. “Figured you need this as much as I do.”

“No. Way.” You glanced up at Chris as he pointed at your dad. “That’s…” A blush crept across your face and you nodded.

“Yea, my daddy was the drummer for CCR.”

“We don’t talk about it. Ever.” Your dad said as he sat down next to you on the couch. “Asshats don’t deserve the time of day.” Chris nodded as he sat down on a chair right next to you. Doug poured three shots and passed them out with a giant smile. “Here’s to the fact that my pride and joy isn’t the one marrying that fucking tool this weekend.” Chris snorted as the three of you touched glasses and tossed back the strong liquor. Your dad chuckled as he poured another round.

“So where did you pick this one up?” You glanced over at Chris with a smirk.

“Strip club.” You watched your date blanch as you sat back on the couch. “You should see him dance. Best in Vegas.”

“Wait…” Chris started and Doug held up his hand to stop him.

“Im guessing if my daughter never told you who I was, then you don’t have the full story on our family dynamic yet.” He handed Chris a shot and shrugged as he looked over at you. “Parents aren’t supposed to pick favorites but (Y/N) is definitely mine. Her bother and sister, shit I’m not even 100% positive they’re mine. My lyin’ ex was quite the floozy.”

“Daddy.” You said warningly as you looked over at him. He simply rolled his eyes, handed you a shot to essentially shut you up and continued.

“Now my baby girl here, she’s all me. No doubt in my mind. Her mother and I were just starting to get rocky when we had her. I used to bring her everywhere with my like those rich sluts with those damn pocket dogs. She was my little Queen. I gave her the world and then some and my wife wasn’t a fan. For five years, Sara Beth was jealous of her own daughter before she had Tara, hoping that I would share my love again. Only problem is…” He pointed up at his hair. “I’m a brunette. So how’d I make a blonde baby girl?”

“Daddy…” You warned again as he threw back his shot and poured another round.

“I did right by Tara. Claimed her as mine, same with Keith and I love all three of my kids… But in my mind, (Y/N) is my only child. Her mother has always been jealous of her which is why this fucking monstrosity of a wedding is happening and why my little Queen is forced to be the maid of honor to her stuck up sister and her piece of shit ex. Fucking bitch.” He tossed back another shot and gestured at you. He exhaled the fumes and got up to get cups for the soda from the bar. “Now, I talk to my little Queen every single day. If she was dating someone, I’d’a known about it. Last I knew, she was coming alone but I guessed I missed the memo that you’d found a date.”

“It was changed literally last minute. I… um…” You glanced over at Chris, slightly embarrassed to admit it and he gave you a small smile.

“We came up with a friendly business arrangement.” He said carefully. “She needed a date, I needed someone with clout to sign for a dog rescue I want to open.” Your dad nodded as he pushed two glasses of soda across the table and leaned back on the couch.

“You help my baby girl with this and consider yourself financially backed for the first year you’re open. Anyone who helps my little Queen is helping me and deserves the help in return.” He sat forward and stuck his hand out to Chris. “Thank you.” Chris blushed and nodded.

“Thank you, sir. (Y/N)’s definitely one of a kind.” Doug chuckled and nodded as he leaned back and put his arm on the back of the couch behind you.

“That she is, son. That she is.” He reached down and twirled a strand of your brown hair around his finger before letting it fall against your messy bun. He leaned forward to grab his soda. “So what’s the story?”

“The truth. Met him through Scott at the bar he works at off the strip and he’s opening a dog rescue.”

“That way we keep it as close to the truth as possible.” Chris chimed in.

“Sounds good to me. No holes.” All three of you nodded. “So I assume you two want take a nap and freshen up? What do you say dinner with just the four of us tonight at that little local place you like.” You couldn’t stop the scowl that crossed your face as you looked over at him.

“Does she have to come with us?” Your dad’s face hardened slightly as he looked over at you.

“You be nice, missy. Anne is a nice woman.”

“Who will lose a hand if she tries to touch my date again.” Your dad sighed.

“Yea, she’s still touchy feely and she’s still an airhead but that woman sucks like a Hoover.”

“Daddy!” You screeched as Chris choked on his drink. Doug chuckled as he stood up and kissed your forehead.

“What?” He shook Chris’ hand once more and headed toward the hall. “I’ll come get you for dinner at 6.” You rolled your eyes and poured yourself and Chris another shot as the sound of your dad’s slightly sloppy Italian floated down the hall and out the door as he tipped the staff for you.

“I’m gunna need a whole bucket of this shit to get that fucking image out of my head.”

Part 2

[alia15]

THE day. Part 2.

Peacocks.

My wedding venue is swarming with them. 

Well, those, and chickens and turkeys. And roosters.

The Milleridge Cottage is on a larger property on Long Island that’s been around for many, MANY years and also has a restaurant, an adorable little village (shops, a bakery, a florist) and yes: a farm. 

When our limo bus pulled up to the cottage on Friday, November 15, my bridal party was greeted by all the wildlife which I’ll admit is an interesting and hilarious scene on your wedding day. Also, not mentioned in Part 1? The weather. Bright, sunny, and warm for mid-November. I refused to check the weather the entire week of the wedding (you can’t control it so why bother looking?) and it ended up being an absolutely perfect fall day. I greeted the turkeys, walked into the venue and the scene immediately took my breath away: I loved The Milleridge the second we stepped foot inside to look at it as a potential option for our big day, and loved it even more each time I visited after that. Now? Seeing it all set up for my wedding day? It was everything I envisioned and more. I made my way up the beautiful staircase and waited in the bridal suite for my groom and his groomsmen to arrive. 

There were those butterflies again.

There was so much commotion downstairs that I wasn’t able to be a part of as I was in hiding (#FOMO), but the time finally came for me to head down those stairs and meet my soon-to-be-husband at the bottom. Remember the crazy thoughts in my head from Part 1 of this post? They came back as I imagined myself tumbling down those stairs after tripping over my very long, large dress. 

I walked REALLY carefully. And slowly.

Leo was at the bottom of the staircase and in front of him stood a crowd of our family and best friends; standing there like paparazzi with their iPhones up and the biggest smiles plastered on their faces. Our photographers and videographer captured my every move. What a scene. I eventually made my way down (without falling! win!) and tapped Leo on the shoulder to, ya know, say what’s up before the biggest moment of our lives. 

We both joked that while we loved this moment, it certainly wasn’t a private one. This was some of our audience (plus about 30 more people, lol):

The next few hours (yes, plural) were spent taking all our photos and thankfully, we were able to do so outside. If you know me or follow me on social media, you know how much I love a good sunset, and the universe did me a solid and gave us an amazing one that night. 

It was crazy to think at this point -- after SEVERAL hours -- that the main event hadn’t even started yet. After wrapping up pictures with everyone, we headed inside. 

I went back up to the bridal suite to hide for the second time that day. 

The venue got louder and louder as it filled up with guests, and all I heard were the sounds of a large CROWD. My heart raced. I fixed my hair and re-applied my lip gloss 37 times. I stood up. I paced. I sat back down. I didn’t want to look at my phone because I knew it would overwhelm me, so it was just me up there with my restless thoughts. The day had been so perfect already; I just wanted it to continue. A few things swirling in my mind:

Would the reverend show up? (He did)

The venue was confusing to find; were people going to know to go to the cottage and not the restaurant? (They did) (And whoever didn’t, eventually figured it out)

Did anyone in my life get incredibly sick that day and have to miss the wedding? (No)

Were our young nieces and nephews going to have meltdowns and not walk down the aisle? (quite the opposite; they were amazing)

Was there any drama? ANYONE WHO CRASHED OUR WEDDING? Is everything OK down there? WHAT’S HAPPENING??! (shut up, crazy)

Eventually, it was time. All of our guests were situated for the ceremony and our bridal party was lined up downstairs. And things could not have gone smoother: no one tripped, no one objected to our nuptials (lol), the kiddos were perfectly behaved and cooperative, and our reverend was a HUGE hit (shout out to the hilarious and charismatic Rev. Sica!). It was a beautiful ceremony complete with an amazing string quartet, and I swore I felt the love in the room before I even entered it.

We were officially husband and wife. And it felt fantastic.

After our relatively brief ceremony, I felt like I was floating on a cloud. We headed back up to the bridal suite to get a quick breather before cocktail hour began; something my bridal attendant had recommended we do and I am SO glad we listened. Normally if I’m anxious I lose my appetite, but Leo and I enjoyed our own private cocktail hour and ate the INCREDIBLE spread they provided for us. Every few seconds it would hit us.

Holy crap, we’re married! 

My bridal attendant bustled my dress, and it was time to join the party. I could NOT wait to see everyone.

The magic continued as we greeted everyone at our cocktail hour and took in the whole scene. It was surreal and a total out-of-body experience. You spend SO much time and energy planning a wedding and you focus on all the details -- large and small -- and then you’re there just seeing it all come together and come to life. I can honestly say without a shadow of a doubt that EVERYTHING looked and felt the way I wanted it to that day. I was overjoyed and overwhelmed, in a good way. So many people had given me the advice to “take it all in” and “enjoy every moment” and I’m really happy to say I did exactly that.

The good times intensified as we did our official entrance to our reception (”Let’s Dance” by David Bowie....come onnnnn now!) followed by *THE* most epic dance party of all time. One of my best friends, Carl, was our MC and he and our DJ, Eddie, brought the house down the entire night with an amazing mix of songs old and new. I did not leave that dance floor except the one time I changed dresses -- you know I had to do a costume change on ‘em! 

I could go on and on with the details but instead I’ll just share some incredible highlights from our reception:

Our first dance: Leo was nervous about it (it’s nerve-racking to have all eyes on you and he doesn’t exactly love to dance) but in the moment, nothing else mattered and no one else was even in the room. (Song: Precious Love by James Morrison) 

After that, I danced with my Grandmother; a really special moment that I will cherish forever. It was really emotional and beautiful; especially as the whole family (and Leo!) joined us at the end. 

The speeches! My brother Mike was my “man of honor” and Leo’s sister Rina was our “best woman” and both of them gave GREAT and hilarious toasts (with cameos from all my brother-in-laws). My dad gave an amazing one, too: let’s just say he made a joke about getting to second base that got a huge laugh (Leo’s a baseball coach. lol). 

Birthday celebrations! It was my brother’s 40th birthday that day and my mother-in-law’s was the following day, so we were able to sing to them and give them their own special cupcakes and candles to blow out. 

The father/daughter & mother/son dances.

Our live painter! He set up shop in the corner of the room and painted our first dance and added our families to the portrait (I’ll include the photo at the bottom of the post!). I waited until the end of the night to go look at it and was genuinely stunned.

Ending the night with two perfect songs: (I’ve Had) the Time of My Life -- from one of my favorite movies of all time, obvi -- and then my friend Pat requested the grand finale/encore: “Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays” by ‘NSYNC. (This is his trademark and is known to play this song when we’re out even in the summer)

Speaking of the end of the night, we had a McDonald’s cart rolled in around 11:15 and the guests went crazy for it. Nothing like stuffing your face at a wedding and then ending the night with a greasy cheeseburger and fries. Leo had it for breakfast the next morning.

Aside from the hotel’s fire alarm going off around 4am (yes, really) it was a perfect day from start to finish. Now, almost six months later, I find my mind wandering to the memories of November 15 when I’m feeling especially low or down in the dumps. I look at the pictures often and the various videos make me instantly happy. People told me during/after the wedding how insanely happy I looked, and it was genuine. I was. I am.

It’s not hyperbole: my wedding day was the best day of my life. I got to marry my perfect match while surrounded by every single human in my life that I love endlessly. I got to have a great dance party, eat incredible food, all while surrounded by a beautiful venue with all the personal touches we had worked on for the nine months prior. 

The pandemic might have prevented us from going on our Italian honeymoon, but that’s okay. We’ll get there someday. I’m just eternally grateful and relieved that we were able to have all our other big wedding moments (engagement, shower, bachelor/ette parties, rehearsal dinner, wedding!) all in the same year -- making 2019 really hard to top. 

Thanks for letting me share the story of our big day with you all! 

[5hfanfiction]

The Kissing Game (Epilogue)

A/N: Never say I didn’t do anything for y'all. Enjoy :)

-

In. Out. In. Out.

Lauren chanted repetitively in her head, consistently reminding herself to take deep breaths so she wouldn’t pass out.

She stood in front of a mirror, people running to and fro around her, and she stared at her complexion anxiously. She couldn’t help herself as she began meticulously picking at everything she thought was wrong with her. It wasn’t that she hated her body or anything, her mind just went into anxious overdrive and she couldn’t help it.

“She told me to tell you to stop worrying,” Lauren heard from behind her. Turning around, she saw Dinah leaning against the corner of the wall, looking at her with a humorous smile on her face.

“I can’t stop worrying, it’s who I am as a person. Plus, what if everything goes wrong?” Lauren replied, her words rushing out of her mouth like a waterfall. Dinah approached her calmly, placing her hands on the green eyed girls shoulder and giving them a gentle squeeze.

“Even if everything went wrong, do you think she’d love you any less?” Dinah asked seriously.

“No,” Lauren mumbled, and she was right. Through everything they’ve been through, she never loved Lauren any less. In fact, everything they’ve ever been through seemed to make her love Lauren more, and the green eyed girl’s heart fluttered wildly at the thought.

“Exactly. Now let’s take some deep breaths, okay Lauser?” Dinah spoke reassuringly, making sure Lauren was listening and not panicking.

“You would think you’d stop calling me that after all these years,” Lauren chuckled.

“Well you’re still a loser in my book so no can do,” Dinah joked, the green eyed girl throwing her head back in laughter. “There she is. Okay now deep breaths.”

Dinah breathed with Lauren until her heart rate returned to a steady pace. Once she was effectively calmed down, Lauren wrapped her arms around Dinah’s waist and laid her head on her chest, hugging her tightly. “Thank you so much, Dinah. For everything.”

“Don’t sweat it, Lauser. Now come on, I’ll do your makeup.”

-

If Lauren thought she was nervous beforehand, she was absolutely terrified now.

There she stood, front and center, a mass of people lost in the idle chatter sprinkled amongst them. Lauren took a moment to look around and acknowledge those who were here. To the left she saw her parents, yapping away with a relative of hers. Towards the middle were Ally and Sydney, leaning towards each other for a loving kiss that made Lauren’s heart swell with joy. They had been together for quite some time and Lauren always mentally high fives herself when she sees the together. To the right was Luis, sitting beside his long term girlfriend and old friend of Lauren’s, Alexa. Lauren was thankful he gave up his fuckboy lifestyle to settle down and love someone properly. She always knew he would be a perfect boyfriend to someone.

Lauren adjusted her dress awkwardly, shifting where she stood to bring temporary relaxation to her heel bound feet. Every second that ticked by made her feel more and more anxious again, and this time she didn’t have Dinah to comfort her. A wave in her peripheral vision caught her attention and she turned to see her father, tears welling in his eyes, as he mouthed ‘I love you’ to her. Lauren couldn’t help but smile gratefully at her father, returning the gesture happily.

Suddenly, a gentle note rang through the room as everyone averted their attention to the back of the room, where a young girl, Lauren’s cousin, skipped happily down the center of the crowd, dispersing happiness and flower petals all across the floor. Directly behind her was Dinah and Normani. Lauren couldn’t help but get a little choked up at how beautiful her best friends were together. They complimented each other inside and out and God damn were they dressed to the nines. Behind them were a small abundance of other people including her brother, sister, and Shawn Mendes. Lauren actually despised that boy when she first met him, assuming he was a threat the moment she laid eyes on him, until she met his boyfriend Troye Sivan and actually talked to him. They’ve been incredible friends ever since.

A chorus of notes sprung through the air as the crowd stood, their bodies turned towards the back as they watched. Lauren swallowed thickly as she waited impatiently, praying to God everything went as planned.

As the duo turned the corner, everything went into slow motion for Lauren. There in front of her was the one and only Camila Cabello, dork extraordinaire and the love of her life, walking through the center of the crowd in the most elegant white gown Lauren has ever seen. She looked positively radiant, almost unreal, as she made her way towards Lauren with her father beside her, tears welling in his eyes. Lauren didn’t even notice she was crying until Normani handed her a tissue, which she gratefully accepted.

As Camila and Alejandro reached the altar, Alejandro lifted the veil over Camila’s face and Lauren couldn’t help but gasp. The brunette was absolutely stunning. Like, magnificent goddess type stunning. Her makeup was done perfectly (probably compliments to Normani) and her hair was done to absolute perfection, small ringlets cascading down the side of her face while the rest was in a beautiful up-do. Alejandro wiped his tears as best as he could as he embraced Camila, murmuring something in her ear before handing her off to Lauren with a gentle smile directed towards the Cuban.

Green eyes met brown ones in a moment of what seemed like destiny for the two girls. They smiled warmly at each other as the crowd directed their attention to the priest.

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to gay,” Big Rob, Camila’s boss and long time friend of the couple spoke, the room bursting into giggles at his little joke. He smiled like a kid in a candy store before continuing with the ceremony. Lauren, for her part, heard none of the things he was saying, as she stared at Camila in awe of her beauty.

“Lauren, Camila, I would now invite you to speak publicly your commitment to your partner. Camila, would you like to start?”

Camila nodded slightly before clearing her throat. “Lauren Michelle Jauregui Morgado, you are the love of my life, and I could promise you a great many things in life, but these I will never break. I promise to love you and care for you, I promise to be honest and patient with you, and I promise I’ll leave you at least one banana.” The crowd erupted in giggles, Lauren included, as Camila continued. “I promise to not only continue to be your best friend, but to be the most bomb wife you’ve ever seen. I love you.”

Lauren giggled and wiped the tears from her eyes, her dork of a fiancé managing to make her laugh and cry at the same time. She rejoined their hands as Big Rob asked her to speak her vows.

“Karla Camila Cabello Estrabao, I promise to love you until I run out of love, then love you some more. I promise to cherish every moment I have with you because lord knows I can only make it two weeks without you before going insane,” Lauren joked, making Ally, Normani, Dinah, Camila, and Luis laugh particularly loud. “I promise to pick you up when you fall, metaphorically and literally since you’re clumsy as hell.” Camila ducked her head as she giggled, tears steadily streaming down her face. “I promise to never take you for granted ever again, and I will always be by your side. I love you.”

Camila and Lauren took a moment to just look at each other, beaming as they cried happy tears together. The rings were given to them as they bestowed them upon each other, speaking more about their eternal love for one another.

“Do you, Karla Camila Cabello Estrabao take Lauren to be your lawfully wedded wife?” Big Rob spoke, addressing Camila.

“I do,” she responded with such assurance that Lauren felt her heart swell.

“And do you, Lauren Michelle Jauregui Morgado, take Camila to be your lawfully wedded wife?”

“I do.”

“Then by the power vested in me by the state of Florida, I am honored to pronounce Lauren and Camila as wife and wife, sealed together today by law and love. Lauren, you may now kiss the bride.”

Lauren uses the hand that was holding Camila’s to pull her towards her, her other hand coming to rest at her waist as she dipped the brunette and kissed her with all of the love and passion she could muster. Camila kissed back just as intensely, the sounds of cheers and screams surrounding them. Lauren lifted Camila up gently as she ended the kiss, unfortunately having to keep it PG in front of their family.

“Ladies and gentlemen for the first time, Mrs. And Mrs. Cabello-Jauregui!” Big Rob yelled excitedly, causing another uproar of cheers and whistles throughout the crowd.

Lauren smiled happily at her wife, and apparently couldn’t help herself as she leaned in and captured Camila’s lips I another loving kiss. She vaguely heard Dinah in the background as she yelled “it’s Camren yo!” and she smiled happily into the kiss.

As they pulled back, Lauren couldn’t help but giggle mischievously, and Camila just looked at her wife with a playful smile. “What are you laughing about, Mrs. Cabello-Jauregui?” She asked, ecstatic to finally be able to use that name. To use their name.

Lauren looked her wife in the eyes, thanking every deity that she knew that they made it here, to this moment. Thanks to Dinah and that stupid game, their many years of friendship turned into the best relationship Lauren could have ever asked for. She graduated high school with the woman she loved, she went to college with the woman she loved, and now, after six years, she married the woman she loved.

Remembering what Camila said, she smiled and giggled again. Camila turned her head to the side like a confused puppy as she looked at Lauren.

“What’s so funny, honey?” She asked again, making Lauren smile happily.

“It’s your turn.”

-

A/N: And that is the REAL ending to The Kissing Game! I’ve had this written since I posted the “final” chapter and I was gonna wait a week but I’m impatient and wanted to give this to you. I really hope you guys liked this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. All of your comments give me so much life and they make me laugh and smile and I always look forward to them. I do what I do for you guys, because I without you I wouldn’t be here. I love you all so so much and I hope you always remember that.

With love,

Katie

(As always, you can find my stories on wattpad here)

[staffcommandershepard]

A Second Chance at Family

So I’ve been throwing around some ideas of a mom!Shep as I have posted a lot about in the past day or so because I found this deleted audio of femShep and Anderson talking about her being a mom and I cried 

After destroying the reapers, Jo and Kaidan retire to his land on the Sunshine Coast in Canada to spend the rest of their lives with one another, but Jo learns they had brought another life into the world.

*Note: This Shepard is a Colonist/Sole Survivor, so she had lost her mother, father, and brother on Mindoir.

Part one: A Mother Like Mine

“How far off are you?”

“Riika is saying an hour, maybe less.”

“Alright. I'll get the oven going, make you something hot to eat.”

“As long as it’s Kaidan’s fried eggplant, I’ll be happy. I'd be even happier if you actually told me what was going on, Jo.”

“I’m sorry Liara. I'll see you in an hour. Be careful.”

“I will.” 

I take in a deep breath as the vid between us goes dark and I turn off my Omni-tool before putting eggplant, potatoes, some different mixed veggies, and steak into one pan, seasoning it a bit as I put it into the oven. It isn't Kaidan’s necessarily, but it's his recipe. I wouldn't be able to cook worth shit if he didn't show me simple things. I sit back down on my stool at our counter, looking down at my tablet to read a bit more, but I don't take in a single word as I realize my mind is wandering to other places, places it hasn't wander in a long time….I get up and head for our bedroom, the floor creaking beneath my socked feet as the lonely silence in our home grows even lonelier as more memories come and go in my brain. Too many memories, and now is definitely not the time to stress myself out. I roll my eyes at myself as I push the door open, taking a few more steps to the closet and digging beneath old gear and clothes as I find the cardboard box that is beginning to show some wear and tear after almost twenty years. I take a deep breath as I sit on the floor, staring at the lid and running my hand across the top of the harsh writing. Mom’s handwriting was as bad as mine is, which is most definitely a curse a lot of the times, but I can't help but love how hastily she’d write things and how Dad would just ask her to type her notes up instead.

I smile as I put the lid aside, my smiling growing wider as the first face to greet me is a six year old me with the absence of my two front teeth, a very bloody smile across my face. 

 Of course, my eleven year old brother is next to me, smiling just as wildly as he holds up a string with my teeth at the end of it. Ripped the loose suckers out with his toy helicopter, it was all my idea but we were both so surprised and happy that it worked that Dad had to take a picture. I place the photo aside, reaching in for another and I find the one of Henry and I with our parents, the four of us dressed to the nine for Aunt Catherine’s wedding. In this one, I was twelve, Henry seventeen, and I can't help but laugh a bit as I place that one aside to find Henry at the same age, but standing with Rosalie, his absolutely insane ex-girlfriend, ready for a school dance. I remember when she cheated on him with his best friend, Freddy, but told everyone they broke up because he put his hands on her, rather than owning up for what she did. Mom went ballistic because she couldn't deal with the fact that a girl was accusing her son of being abusive, so she let Henry go to school the next day, armed with a megaphone and Freddy to let everyone in the cafeteria know what nasty deeds she and Freddy did. I put that one aside as well, flipping through a few more as I see my first baby picture, one of Henry and I playing in snow, and a beautiful one of my mother on her wedding day. If I showed this to any of my friends, they'd think it was me, just with green eyes. I had my father’s blue eyes and his bright smile, Henry had his eyes too and his strong jaw line, but he was lucky enough to get Mom’s dimples. All of us has deep brown hair though and you knew a Shepard in the colony when you saw one. Henry and I looked so much alike, it was scary sometimes. I pass by a few more childhood memories, but my heart skips a beat when I find the picture of the two of us in our backyard together, his large hands cupping my tear-stricken face as we smile at one another. I was sixteen and he was twenty-one, and he looked handsome in his fatigues.

It was a few years after he had joined up with the Alliance and he was actually being stationed back on Earth for a while. He told my parents he’d be in Japan for two years and he’d schedule a leave in between, and the next leave he got was supposed to be for Christmas, but there was too much going on on Earth for him to make it home, so I was angry because I couldn't see him. He had promised me he’d be home for Christmas and for my sixteenth birthday on February 8th. The day of my birthday, I got home from school, still hurt that the holidays came and went without Henry. Mom had told me to go outback, “Will you just listen and go outside?”, she had actually said and I was pissy, but I listened. He was sitting on the picnic table with my gift. I had asked for an Alliance hoodie from him with our last name on it for a while, but I was just excited to see him after so damn long, and he said he had gotten two weeks of leave to celebrate with me since he was in good with his CO. My mom got the perfect picture. It was the last picture of the two of us, and the last picture Mom had taken. Batarians rolled in three days later.

I close my eyes, still smiling as I grip the picture in my hand, hearing his laugh in my head as if it were yesterday. Twenty years….I look back down at the box full of photos, the box full of every memory of my family, the box that I will always keep and I grab some of pictures of the four of us. The one of us at that wedding, one of all of us smiling and having fun at a beach when Henry and I were young enough to be held in our parents’ arms, and the picture of us at Henry’s graduation from boot camp. Simple, happy memories with all of us included. I put the remaining photos back into the box, returning it to the bottom of the closet as I grab my chosen ones and head for the kitchen. He would be thirty-eight this year, probably one of my  higher ups, but I can see him settling down on Earth with a beautiful wife and a ton of beautiful kids. Henry always loved Earth and he had told me once that he wanted to live somewhere sunny and warm, and have a big family. He was the family-type, it was how our parents raised us. He would love Kaidan, well definitely love torturing him because he’s engaged to his little sister, but love him for how good he is to me. If he were here though, things definitely would’ve turned out differently. I wouldn’t be in the Alliance, that’s for sure, but I think it’s best I focus on the future for now, considering it just got more complicated….I grab a few magnets and stick my pictures to the fridge, the bright smiles of my family brightening up the kitchen. Never thought I’d be able to bring the pictures out, but it’s time I stop hiding them away inside of myself to mask the pain. The sound of the oven beeping startles me out of my reminiscent daze and I turn to grab oven mitts, the sound of the doorbell sounding just as I pull the steak out. “It’s open!” I yell across the house, the heat coming through the gloves as I toss the hot pan onto the ceramic surface of my stove, looking to my hand to make sure it didn’t really burn me. We need actual mitts, not just decorative ones. I realize the difference now. I look up, greeted by Liara who is now laughing at me and I realize she saw my lovely housewifing at work. “Listen, give me a man at eight hundred yards and I can blow his head off without breaking a sweat, but cooking is like a foreign language to me,” she sits at my island counter, still laughing a bit as she shakes her head at me. 

“Funny, considering you can speak two separate Earth languages and quite fluently. That steak smells absolutely delicious, by the way.”

“Gracias, mi hermana. I know I’m not great at cooking, but Kaidan’s taught me a thing or two, so I think this is good enough to be edible, at least.” I hand her a plate of meat and vegetables along with a glass of water, grabbing my things as I head for our porch, opening the sliding glass door to allow her entry first. My heart begins to race as we sit across from each other as the Sunshine Coast lives up to its name, the sunshine warming us up and relaxing me as bit as I take a gulp of water before digging into our lunch. I have to bring it up sometime, but I can’t help but not want to talk about it. I’ve never been good expressing how I feel about things, especially anything to do with my personal life, but Liara is part of my personal life, and she understands me so well. She’s the first person I thought to talk to before I talked to Kaidan. When will I talk to Kaidan? It’s only a matter of time before I can’t hide this anymore. I swallow hard, the only noise being whatever comes from the nature around us and our own chewing, but I can feel her eyes on me as I stare down at my plate, pushing a potato wedge around before I take in a deep breath, but nothing really comes to mind. Everything just flies out before I can come up with a way to actually begin saying what I need to. I have never had trouble talking in front of people, I actually am pretty calm making speeches and doing interviews, but put me in front of a friend and tell me to tell a secret and I forget how to speak.

“You and Kaidan still have one of the most beautiful homes, Jo. But I know you didn’t invite me all the way out here days before the Alliance requested my assistance to enjoy this view and a good meal. You said you had to talk about something, that you needed me.” I nod, putting down my fork as I take in another deep breath, but I hold it in this time as I close my eyes. Just tell her, Jo. She is the easiest person in the galaxy to talk to. You didn’t call her just to stare at her, you called her because you know she can give you good advice and say exactly what has to be said without worrying about feelings. I finally look up at her, her face still calm and collected as she waits patiently. Out with it.

“I’m pregnant.” She drops her fork and her mouth falls open as if someone’s electrocuted her, her reaction not necessarily happy, but she is definitely shocked to hear my news. It isn’t everyday that someone can surprise the Shadow Broker. She starts to smile as she gets up from her seat, coming around to my side as I stand up as well, her arms wrapping around my neck as she hugs me and I squeeze her just as tightly as she squeezes me. I sigh deeply, closing my eyes and melting into her hug like she’s a warm bed as the weight of that secret falls off of my shoulders. So much built up tension gone in the blink of an eye as if it was nothing. This was definitely a good idea. She pulls away, cupping my face to smile at me and I return the smile.

“How far along are you? I know humans carry children for almost a full year, so you can’t be that pregnant unless you’re just very good at hiding it.” I laugh as we retake our seats, her seat changing to the one next to me rather than across as she pulls her things in front of her. I take another sip of water, rubbing my stomach with my hand as I look down at it and then back to her. She still sits there with such a huge, warm smile that makes me feel even happier for telling her first.

“Doc said a few days ago would make me two months, so yeah, it’s not necessarily obvious yet. I’m still trying to believe it honestly.”

“This is such beautiful news, Jo, I am absolutely thrilled for you and Kaidan. The two of you are going to make the greatest parents. Your child is so very lucky,” I smile widely, rubbing the back of my neck with my hand as she holds my other one. She watches me, her smile changing as she releases my hand and her expression is now one of skepticism. I look at her, my eyebrows touching as I grow confused. “He doesn’t know yet, does he?” She raises an eyebrow at me as I refuse to make eye contact with her. I let out a small laugh, shaking my head as I take another sip of water. Liara knows me entirely too well. 

“No, Kaidan doesn’t know yet. I found out a few days ago and you were the first person that came to my mind. I don’t know what to tell him because honestly, Liara, I am so fucking scared, it’s crippling. I’ve been a soldier for almost twenty years, I haven’t really known anything else except how to shoot a gun and talk to people. I don’t know how to make a bottle, how to change a diaper, how to console a screaming baby at four in the morning, and I couldn’t tell you if I even know how to hold a baby. The two of us have known one life our entire lives, neither of us know how to be parents.” I look down at the table, shaking my head as I rub the back of my neck again. These are times I wish that my mom really was here. I miss our family all of the time, but this is just one of those days where I know she would know exactly what to say and know how I feel. She and my dad were young parents, she had Henry at 20. She had siblings though, a niece and three nephews that she looked after before she had him and she had that first-hand experience with children that I don’t have. She was the best mom, I know I may be a little prejudiced, but it was the truth. She never judged us, never even really had to punish us because Henry and I got along so well, since day one. They did everything they could to make our home life easy, to make us feel loved everyday and not hinder the opportunities that came about in our lives. We were encouraged to chase our dreams, no matter the barriers holding us back. To her and my father, we had no barriers. We could do anything we wanted. I close my eyes, Liara’s hand grabbing my own tightly once more. 

“If I learned anything in my last one hundred years of being alive, it’s that no one knows how to be a parent, Jo. Every parent is thrown into a rough fire the second they find out that they’re going to be parents. It’s alarming and terrifying, but they say that the second you hold your baby, you just have answers. No one is necessarily a bad mother or father, no matter what they truly believe. Look at Wrex, look at how far he’s come. Wrex knew he always wanted kids to keep the krogan a living race, but the second that the genophage was cured, he got Eve pregnant and didn’t even have a second thought. He just knew in his heart that he could be a good dad, well a dad to many, many krogan children, but you’ve seen him with Mordin and Tangsley, you’ve seen him roughhouse with them and hold them close to him afterwards. Wrex is an amazing parent and his race hasn’t seen many living children until now. Half of the babies now are most likely his, but he embraced that heavily because he just knew in his heart that he could do it. There will always be a struggle on whether or not you are doing the right thing, but that is with everything in life, Jo. I will always hold my mother on a pedestal because even though she was changed and twisted into the monster you only knew her as, my mother was my best friend and my teacher. She is the reason that I love archaeology and learning, and why I love so deeply. She taught me that there is always a beautiful good in this galaxy, no matter what is out there. She thought she was a failure because she lost to Saren and Sovereign, with her last dying breath, she thought she had messed up as a mother, but in the same instant, she had told me she was proud of me. She knew that even if she had failed, that she knows that I didn’t, and I would give anything to have my real mother back, but I know that she is looking down at me, at everything I have accomplished with my closest friend with whom I consider family, and I know that she couldn’t be more proud of me if she tried. That is parenthood, Shepard. I know I don’t have a child to speak for, however I know for absolute fact that you and Kaidan are going to amazing parents. The two of you have a beautiful life to share with your baby, Jo, a baby who will one day be able to go around telling all of their friends that their mom and dad saved the galaxy.” I close my eyes as I wipe a tear from my cheek, thinking to Liara’s words and to the memories of Benezia and to meeting Wrex’s new family on Tuchanka. My heart begins to swell as I picture Kaidan with our child, sitting on the couch in our living room, biotiball or an old movie playing on the TV, both of them sound asleep as I pick the baby up out of his arms, but it startles Kaidan awake, his panicked look as he tries to find them, only to find them still asleep in my arms. The smiles he would give that baby, the love he would have for them. God….She holds my hand tightly, tilting my chin up and I open my eyes to look at her. She smiles softly, just watching my expression as I hold her hand with both of mine now.

“Thank you for being so goddamn good at these things, Liara. I don’t know where I’d be without you, really, I don’t.”

“Probably in a miserable, lonely state of mind. You should tell him soon, Jo.” I hug her tightly, her hand rubbing my back lightly as I just squeeze her again.

“I know, I know. He really is going to be a great dad, at least that’s what I think. He has such a big heart and he’s so calm all of the time. He reminds me a lot of my dad, honestly.” We both turn back to our plates, but I can still feel her eyes on me as I finish off the last of the vegetables in front of me.

“What was he like?” I smile, seeing his warm smile and hearing him call my name in my head. Charlie Daniel Shepard, or Chuck as my mom and his friends would affectionately call him. 

“He was always cool, calm, and collected. No matter what was going on, he’d turn it into a joke and do anything just to make my mom laugh. He’s where I get my lovable sense of humor from.” She laughs along with me at my joke, her own plate becoming nearly empty as we just sit in the cool breeze of the Canadian air, the sun gaining a slight orange tint as dusk grows closer. I swallow the last piece of steak, placing my plate on top of Liara’s also empty one as I head back into the kitchen, placing both of them into the dishwasher and I hear her close the sliding door. I still can’t believe any of today is real, well any of the last week, honestly. She is going to be this baby’s godmother. That’s something for Kaidan and I to discuss together, but I’ll let him pick the godfather, that’ll be a good trade. Neither of us are religious, but I am technically Catholic. I was baptized when I was a baby by my parents into the Catholic church, and we went every Sunday to the church on Mindoir, but once I hit around twelve, we went less and less because my parents were one of the “I am Catholic but don’t need to go to church to prove that” couples, so my brother and I never complained. We used to sleep in the pews honestly, but having godparents was more of a symbol. Mine was my mom’s best friend growing up, May, and my uncle Clark, and I was close to both of them until that last day. It was a promise sort-of thing, like if anything had happened to my parents, that May and Uncle Clark would take care of me. They lived on Mindoir too, though. I look up at Liara, who is looking at the new additions to our fridge and she smiles widely, grabbing the picture of us at Henry’s graduation. She shows it to me and points to my mother.

“By the goddess, Jo, she is absolutely beautiful. You look so much like her, but you and this other man have your father’s eyes.” I smile, looking at the picture with her as I point at the man she speaks of.

“That’s Henry, my older brother. He was only eighteen there, so I guess you could consider him a man.” She looks at me, her eyes wide as she smiles. I forget sometimes that they don’t know my past. By they, I mean my friends. Sharing my family’s life story isn’t something I usually bring up to them, and Kaidan is the only person who actually knows anything about my family. When he proposed to me, I made sure that there were no secrets between us, and my family is my most well-kept secret because of how protected I’ve kept them from the journalists and reporters who have written stories about Mindoir after it happened, and the countless stories they’ve written about me over the years. Write about me, sure, but no one has to know about my parents or my brother. I let them rest a long time ago, so I made sure no one would talk about them. Anderson actually helped me seal up my records a very long time ago so they didn’t get brought up by reporters. Actually taking their pictures out of the box is a huge step for me. Kaidan and I have started a family and I think I’m ready to speak of my family more outloud now. I smile at her as she studies the picture once more in her hands

“I hadn’t known you had a brother. He is very handsome, and it’s hard to believe that he is only eighteen there. It does make sense though, honestly. You’re very much a tomboy and having an older brother could influence that rugged behavior of yours,” I push her shoulder lightly as I laugh at her joke, but hey, she isn’t necessarily wrong. “He is in an old style of Alliance fatigues though, I haven’t seen those in a long time. He’s the reason you joined up, isn’t he?”

“Yes, actually. He’s the exact reasoning,” She frowns slightly, but smirks again to try and hide it as I realize the sad tone in my voice. I clear my throat and lean against the counter as she returns the picture to the fridge. She leans next to me and I lay my head on her shoulder, taking in a deep breath as I close my eyes. “I want you to be the godmother to our baby, Liara. Kaidan and I decide that together, but I know he will agree. There’s no other person I would rather have watch over them than their Aunt Liara.” I feel the corners of her mouth pick up as she lifts her head to look at me, a slightly curious but happy expression on her face.

“Godmother? I remember learning about human religions just out of curiousity, so I think that’s from catholicism, right?” I nod my head, smiling as she cocks her head to the side, her expression more like confused now. “I hadn’t know the two of you were catholic, or having your baby be catholic. I am also not catholic, Jo.” I laugh and shake my head at her. I had almost forgotten how literal Liara was. Almost.

“Well I didn’t think you became catholic, Liara. Kaidan and I really aren’t, my parents were catholic and I was baptized, but I don’t practice anything, neither of us do. It’s more of like a symbolism thing to me. My godparents were the closest people to my parents, just like my brother’s godparents were as well, and they were a huge part of their lives and mine. Godparents take care of their godkids if anything happens to their parents and you are my best friend, Liara. There is so much you can teach our child and if anything should happen to us, I would be grateful for you to continue loving them the way they deserve to be loved.” A smile breaks across her face as she nods at me, her eyes growing glassy, but she doesn’t let a tear fall as she hugs me again.

“I would be honored.” I hug her just tightly as she hugs me and we stand there for a few beats until I hear her sniffle, breaking the hug and wiping her face with the back of her hand. She looks to my oven, reading the numbers as she opens her omni-tool. “I should probably start heading to Vancouver to greet the Alliance. They’ve been waiting for some numbers from Thessia and Illium to see how we’re doing over there.” I nod as she hugs me again, kissing my cheek.

“Please be safe. You’re welcome to come back and join us instead of staying in a hotel there. We have plenty of room.”

“Well one of those rooms will have to be claimed for that baby soon. But yes, I would love to stay with you while I’m on Earth. I will send word when I’m on the base.”

“Sounds good. Thank you for everything, Liara, really. I didn’t know who else to tell and I knew you’d give it to me straight. I love you.”

“I love you more. Give Kaidan my love when he gets home.”

“You know I will.” She waves as she returns to a small asari aircraft and I wave her off before shutting the door behind me.