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kurowrites · 3 years

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Aviophobia

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

---

It wasn’t like Wei Ying particularly hated air travel, not at all. After all, it was still the most practical way to travel long distances, and the distance between China and Europe was definitely long. The problem was that though he had just sat down in his seat, he was already horrifically bored. The airplane hadn’t even finished boarding yet, and there were around ten hours of flight still in front of him, and he couldn’t wait to arrive at his destination already.

He wasn’t looking forward to the flight, not least because he didn’t actually want to leave. After a year of not seeing her, Wei Ying had finally been able to take some time off and visit his sister, who had been living abroad with her stupid, loaded husband. He’d spent two weeks with Jiang Yanli and his little nephew, and it had been so good to see them again. A-Ling had grown so much! But now, a lot of work was waiting for him back at home, and he really needed to return, not sure when they would be able to meet the next time. That, he definitely wasn’t happy about.

Wei Ying distractedly fidgeted around in his seat, trying to keep in mind that it was no use to take out his laptop now, because the flight attendants would ask him to pack it up again for take-off in a few minutes. He had taken a book with him, anticipating this situation, but right now, the book seemed so unappealing he couldn’t even be bothered to unpack it from his backpack.

Come on, he mentally urged the passengers who were still moving along the aisles in search of their seat like a group of very slow snails, move faster, so we can leave.

Despite his best efforts, the other passengers did not speed up their pace, and so Wei Ying was cursed to sit there and wait until everyone was seated. He tried not to notice the usual offenders that managed to get in everyone’s way and blocked everything with their luggage, and tried to relax (rather unsuccessfully).

As he was idly watching the passengers pass him by, he caught a flash of white that caught his attention. Just when he was sure that his eyes were playing a trick on him, a man in a pristine white suit separated from the crowd and sat down right next to him. He pushed his briefcase under the front seat, fastened his seat belt, nodded to Wei Ying once, and then directed his glance straight forward, turning into a beautiful marble statue.

Wei Ying tried not to stare at his new neighbour too conspicuously, but he couldn’t really help it. The man seemed to be horribly out of place here in economy class, with a tailor-made white suit that very obviously was of high quality and therefore very expensive. His face equally set him apart from the other passengers, with a noble look and a bone structure that looked more suited to the cover of a fashion magazine. Wei Ying, in a simple hoody, soft jacket, and old jeans that were selected specifically for comfort purposes (after all, he would have to vegetate in them for ten hours), wondered how this unicorn had gotten lost among the common folk.

His seatmate was incredibly handsome, obviously wealthy, and… extremely stiff.

When the flight attendant finally announced that boarding had been completed, and that they were waiting for permission to proceed to the runway, the man next to him put his hands on both armrests, and for a second, Wei Ying was ready to be offended that this man hogged all the armrests for himself without consideration for the other passengers.

Then he noticed the man’s knuckles going white, his hands holding on to the armrests as if…

Wei Ying looked at the man’s face again. He was still staring straight ahead, his handsome face expressionless, his breath deep and controlled.

His eyes were fixed at some indeterminate point in the distance, and their focus did not waver at all.

And they weren’t even moving yet.

Oh dear, Wei Ying thought to himself. Someone is not a fan of flying, huh.

He knew that a lot of people probably wouldn’t appreciate his meddling, but then again, he couldn’t sit there and do nothing while his neighbour was counting breaths or whatever the fuck he was doing to calm himself down. He wasn’t going to sit next to this man for the next several hours and pretend that he didn’t notice that this person was very obviously panicking.

So he reached out, and carefully put his own hand over the one currently clutching at their shared armrest.

“It’s going to be okay,” he said, as quietly as he could. “You’re not alone, and you’re going to be fine.”

The man sucked in a shocked breath the moment Wei Ying touched him.

Wei Ying was ready to draw back and apologise for his unrequested interference, Maybe he shouldn’t have touched him, maybe he had misread–

The hand under his turned around and grasped his own, holding him fast.

“I apologise,” the stranger replied in a faint tone of voice. “For my unseemly display.”

Wei Ying laughed quietly, relief washing over him.

“It’s alright,” he replied conversationally. “We all have our little burdens to carry. As for me, I am deadly afraid of dogs, and I will jump into your arms when I see one. Not that I have much shame to begin with, but my fear of dogs is definitely bigger than any shame I might have. There will be screaming and a general amount of unnecessary, very ugly drama.”

That, finally, had the stranger remove his gaze from the undetermined point in the distance he had settled on, and he turned towards Wei Ying.

Wow.

Wei Ying had been woefully underprepared for this event. The man was even more handsome, facing him directly, and Wei Ying was sure he had never seen such beautiful eyes.

How, he wondered again, had this man ended up in economy class? He should be flying a private plane, not panicking next to Wei Ying on a commercial flight. He should be someone’s trophy husband.

“Dogs?” the man asked him, as if a fear of dogs wasn’t an entirely normal phobia to have.

“Yes,” Wei Ying replied earnestly. “Have you seen them? So fast, and they make so much noise all the time, and their teeth. Ugh. It’s a completely rational fear to have!”

By now, the plane had moved onto the runway, and was starting the jets up.

The man clutched at Wei Ying’s hand almost painfully as the plane started to vibrate, but surprisingly, he did not look away from Wei Ying, steadily holding Wei Ying’s gaze.

“Well, so is a fear of flying, I guess,” Wei Ying mused as the airplane began to move. “But think about this: it’s far more likely to get mauled by a dog than to get involved in a plane accident. There are dogs everywhere, and you never know when one is going to come around a corner! And some owners really don’t know to handle their dogs. So, you see. My fear is much more rational than yours. Also, I did get mauled by several dogs in the past, you know. It’s not even a theoretical fear for me, I know exactly what those bastards are capable of. Dogs are horrible. Not to mention that it’s too late to do anything about your fear now, anyway. Look. We’ve taken off.”

The man kept clutching his hand and stared at him without replying. Wei Ying didn’t know if he even heard anything Wei Ying had said, what with the noise and the pressure in their ears. But the stranger never looked away, and he never let go of Wei Ying’s hand, so that was good, he thought.

Eventually, when the airplane had gained enough height to level off slightly, and the pressure on the diminished, his handsome neighbour finally let out a deep breath and turned his gaze away.

Wei Ying felt almost disappointed to be relieved of the heavy weight of his gaze.

As he had said, the most beautiful eyes he’d ever seen.

“Ridiculous,” his neighbour murmured, eventually, after a long period of silence.

Wei Ying laughed.

“Hello Ridiculous,” he greeted, shaking their still-connected hands playfully. “My name is Wei Ying.”

The man’s head whipped around, and he sent him a positively offended look.

And then, after a beat of silence, he said,

“Lan Zhan.”

---

It needed some careful prodding and digging, but eventually, Wei Ying found out that Lan Zhan the reason why Lan Zhan was on this plain at all was because he had taken over the business trip as a favour to his older brother, who had been unable to travel.

Wei Ying felt the need to tease him for his self-sacrificing sense of familial piety, but he didn’t quite dare to tease Lan Zhan about it. After all, Lan Zhan had done a good thing, at the cost of his own suffering.

Lan Zhan was already bad enough when it came to flying as it was, but then someone had made a mistake with the booking, and he had been booked to fly economy rather than business class on his return trip. Lan Zhan, already at the airport and very troubled by the notion of having to fly, period, had not had the energy to discuss the mistake in his booking and decided to keep his assigned seat. After all, it hardly made any difference whether he was flying business or economy. He would spend the entire flight terrified, either way.

“Well, it was very lucky you ended up choosing economy,” Wei Ying mused. “Now you have a free emotional support pet for the entire flight.”

He grinned cheekily and wiggled Lan Zhan’s hand, still safely encased in his own.

Lan Zhan frowned at the joke.

“I thank you,” he replied regardless. “It is… much easier with you here. But I do not wish to trouble you with my… unfortunate condition.”

What a polite, honest man!

Wei Ying was delighted.

“It’s no trouble at all! You saved me from hours and hours of boredom, so it’s really not just you that’s profiting from this. Are you going to be fine when I have to go to the bathroom though?”

Lan Zhan frowned again, but nodded once.

“Good, good,” Wei Ying praised. “And if you wait for me very nicely, I’m going to get us some snacks from the kitchen. They never bring out the chocolate, which is a crime, really.”

---

In the end, after Wei Ying wheedled out information about Lan Zhan’s job and life for what felt like hours, Lan Zhan managed to relax enough to doze off for a little bit, and they spent the rest of their flight in a repeating pattern of chatting, dozing off, and then being woken up to be served questionable airplane meals.

When they finally touched down at their destination (Lan Zhan once again clutching Wei Ying’s hand as if it was the only lifeline that he had – and Wei Ying trying not to be too happy about that), they took their carry-on luggage and slowly ambled out of the plane, moving towards the baggage claim with the rest of the passengers.

Lan Zhan, as soon as he was out of the airplane and on solid ground again, straightened up and took on a confident stance.

Wei Ying was a little bit in awe. He looked even more handsome and formidable now, in his still pristine white suit. He was even taller than Wei Ying had first thought, definitely taller than Wei Ying, and Wei Ying mused whether there was anything about this man that wasn’t awe-inspiring.

(Well, there was that small case of aviophobia, but who could blame him for that, really.)

Wei Ying felt his hand twitch, and he sternly told himself that it was silly to wish for them to continue holding hands, now that they were out of the plane.

“Well,” he said awkwardly as he grabbed his luggage off the conveyor belt. He wasn’t quite willing to say his goodbyes yet, but he was equally unable to think of any reason to hold on to Lan Zhan’s company for a little longer. “I had a good time on our flight, Lan Zhan. Well. I guess you don’t really want to hear that. You probably had a horrible time. For your sake, I hope that you won’t come close to any planes for a while.”

“Wei Ying, too,” Lan Zhan replied. “For your sake, I hope that you will not meet any dogs suddenly coming around corners. So that you don’t have to leap into anyone’s arms.”

Wei Ying gaped, and as he stared at Lan Zhan in disbelief, he noticed the smallest uptick of Lan Zhan’s lips.

“Ayoo!” he cried. “Lan Zhan, are you teasing me? Look at you, all confident now that you are back on solid ground! Be a little more grateful to your emotional support pet!”

Lan Zhan nonchalantly picked his (very small, compared to Wei Ying’s big, lumpy one) suitcase up from the conveyor belt, and placed it next to his feet.

“I am grateful,” Lan Zhan said, serious again. “I have a car waiting for me outside. You are welcome to join me. I will drop you off anywhere in the city. As a sign of my gratitude.”

“Mmm,” Wei Ying made a considering noise. He didn’t want to say goodbye yet, not when Lan Zhan made him such a nice offer. But then, he was also really hungry.

“I would love to get chauffeured around, but to be honest, I was planning on getting some decent coffee and a nice breakfast somewhere first. The food in that plane was horrible and I’m not functional without decent coffee.”

Lan Zhan was quiet for a moment.

“Can you wait for half an hour?”

“Huh?”

But before Wei Ying could ask him to elaborate, Lan Zhan was already herding Wei Ying towards the exit. He somehow managed to argue Wei Ying into accepting the car ride (Lan Zhan didn’t even argue, how that worked, Wei Ying sure didn’t know), and then Lan Zhan drove him to the nicest little shop for the most delicious breakfast that Wei Ying could have possibly wished for.

He was ravenous by the time they arrived, but he definitely wasn’t in a mood to complain as soon as the first delicious whiff of fresh coffee and food met his nose in welcome.

Lan Zhan was very attentive as they sat down to eat, generously plying Wei Ying with coffee, and letting him pick all his favourite foods. Wei Ying also learned that when Lan Zhan wasn’t scared for his life, he was remarkably smart and funny. It was so easy to get comfortable with him that Wei Ying had a hard time believing that they had never met until just one day ago.

Lan Zhan was fun.

“Lan Zhan, you’re joking,” Wei Ying laughed, playfully swatting at Lan Zhan’s arm. “Your first serious family fight was because of rabbits?”

“They were very cute,” Lan Zhan replied seriously, insistent on the point.

Wei Ying leaned forward eagerly, meeting Lan Zhan’s serious mien with a big grin.

“And then, what happened with them?” Wei Ying asked. “Did your uncle cook them in a pot? Were you forced to eat rabbit stew?”

“The fourth generation now lives in my back garden.”

Wei Ying gasped. “You kept them?”

Lan Zhan showed the barest twitch of his lips. “Of course.”

Wei Ying nearly slid under the table at the sight of Lan Zhan’s proud little smile.

If Lan Zhan was trying to seduce him, then Wei Ying would consider himself sufficiently seduced by now.

Goodness gracious, that smile was criminal!

And he was the proud owner of a hoard of rabbits!

“Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan,” he sighed, shaking his head. “You are a veritable little rebel. But, speaking from one pet to another, there is no way you can only tell me about your rabbits and not show them to me. That would be very rude.”

And on Wei Ying’s request, Lan Zhan took out his phone and showed Wei Ying his rabbit children. And then, since he had his phone out already, he shared his contact with Wei Ying. And when they had finished their breakfast, Lan Zhan led him back to the car and drove him home to his apartment, as promised.

When Wei Ying opened the door of the parked car, ready to hop out Lan Zhan stopped him.

“Thank you, Wei Ying,” he said, his beautiful, serious eyes gazing at Wei Ying steadily, as he had done in the plane. “For your help.”

Wei Ying laughed, and rubbed his nose.

God, he really liked the way that Lan Zhan looked at him.

“For what it’s worth,” he replied quickly, “I’m willing to be Lan Zhan’s emotional support pet anytime.”

And then, because he felt like was too presumptuous and said too much, he hopped out of the car, grabbed his luggage, and weaselled away, to the safety of his apartment.

Once the door of the apartment was closed and his luggage thrown into a corner, he took a deep breath. He dug his phone out of his jacket to inform Jiang Yanli of his save arrival. She was probably wondering why he hadn’t sent her a message yet.

When he unlocked the phone, as expected, there was a message from his sister, asking him if he had arrived safely. However, before he could send a reply, his phone pinged with another message. A message not from Jiang Yanli.

[Lan Zhan, 11.46 am] I’ll take you by your word, Wei Ying. I might have to rely on your services again.

Suddenly, Wei Ying was glad that no one could see him here, hiding behind the door of his own apartment, as he blushed as red as a tomato.

This man!

#kuro writes #the untamed #wei wuxian #lan wangji #wangxian #mdzs #did I waste my sunday on this?#I just might have

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earliebirb · 3 years

Text

nosedive

steve/tony, fluff, (newly) established relationship, 3250 words

Tony stares absentmindedly out the airplane window as he puts his phone up to his ear, watching people run back and forth, performing last-minute engine checks. Some of the guys look sweaty and out of breath.

From the comfort of the air-conditioned Stark Industries private jet, he feels a slight twinge of sympathy for the people having to suffer in the humid summer heat.

He loosens his tie and sinks deeply into his seat, closing his eyes with a massive yawn as he listens to the ringing tone. He hadn’t been able to sleep very well throughout his five-day stay in Tokyo, too anxious about the contract to rest properly.

The ringing tone goes on for a few more seconds before ending with a click, replaced by an achingly familiar voice greeting him in his ear.

“Hello?”

Tony’s eyes spring open. Outside, an aircraft marshaller walks by, speaking rapidly into his walkie-talkie.

“I had a blueberry muffin for lunch today. One single blueberry muffin.”

“...What?”

“It didn’t even taste that good. I couldn’t finish it. Too dry.”

“Tony, that’s not good. Is that all you had for lunch? You should really eat—”

“The meeting went well, by the way. Mr. Watanabe finally signed the contract, everything went as planned. My ride to the airport, however…”

“I told you things would go smoothly, you had nothing to worry about. You’re a brilliant negotiator—”

“The traffic? Fuck. I had to keep shifting in my seat to avoid pins and needles.”

“That sounds awful, are your legs okay—”

“Did you know that Tokyo is number nineteen on the list of cities with the worst traffic congestion in the world? I know that, because I looked it up on the way to the airport. But boy, did it feel like it deserved the number one spot. I think I lost feeling in my ass.”

“I did not know that. And, uh, is your ass okay—”

“Thank God for my private jet. These plush seats are the best things I’ve ever spent my money on.”

“That’s objectively not true, and you know it—”

“Then again, I think these seats in particular were Pepper’s choice? We remodeled the airplane’s interior like… two years ago. I couldn’t be bothered to meet with the airplane seat people and I just told her to pick whichever looked best. I had much more important things to tend to, like sewing up the holes in JARVIS’s Christmas stocking.”

“I am concerned about how you sort your list of priorities—”

“Hm, that’s right. I think it was around two, three weeks before Christmas and I didn’t want JARVIS to be upset about the whole stocking thing, you know?”

“I’m sure he wouldn’t have—”

“Also, you’re right, the single blueberry muffin was a bad idea because now my stomach won’t shut up. So I’ve ordered some pasta for my in-flight meal. Robbie’s making it, you’ve met Robbie—”

“I’ve met Robbie, yes, he’s—”

“Larry’s replacement after he resigned. Gotta say, I was sad to see Larry go. Guy worked for me for seven years. But then there was that thing with his grandma, and he had to leave, so… But! Robbie makes a mean carbonara, maybe even better than Larry, don’t tell Larry I said that—”

“I don’t even know Larry like that, how would I—”

“Mr. Stark, we’re ready to go.” The pilot—Paul—emerges from the cockpit, staring at him in anticipation.

Tony nods and makes a few rapid gestures with his free hand that he supposes Paul is only able to interpret perfectly after years and years of working for Tony. The gestures roughly translate to something like “Copy, I hear you, just let me wrap this up and then I’ll let you know when I’m done. Capiche?”

Paul—bless him—just gives him a curt nod and retreats back into the cockpit.

“Anyway,” Tony takes a deep breath and puffs his cheeks out with the exertion of his exhale, “I called because… I got a feeling, Steve.”

“A… feeling?”

“Just— A gut feeling. A feeling in your gut. Inside of me. Like a hunch?”

“Okay,” Steve says patiently, his voice low and warm, “what are you feeling?”

“I… got a bad feeling. Today. A few hours ago. The feeling came to me when I was sitting in traffic, and I just— I feel like something bad’s gonna happen today, Steve. I can feel it in the air. In my heart. In my gut. In my joints.”

“Your joints? Like… the feeling old people get when it’s about to rain?”

“Okay, maybe not in my joints. Also, are you calling me old, grandpa?”

“I did not, you told me you felt something in your—”

“Anyway, so yeah. Where was I? Oh, right. Feeling. Bad feeling. Like, like, I don’t know, something bad’s gonna happen. Like an accident. Like a plane crash.”

“God, please don’t say that. You’re scaring me, Tony.”

“And I guess, I just called because I… I feel like I need to do this before the plane crashes and I die a violent and fiery death.”

“Nothing bad’s going to happen, Tony—”

“Like, if I didn’t do this today, maybe I’d never get to do it, you know? And, uh, okay, I’ve honestly been ranting to stall for time, but the longer I keep it in the more nauseous I feel, so maybe I’m just gonna do it now so I can die in peace—”

“Do what? And stop saying that—”

“Look, I’m trying to be brave and honest here and— Wait, actually? Maybe I’m being a coward because if the plane actually does go down, I won’t have to face the consequences of my actions, so I guess I’m just going to say fuck it, and say that I love you.”

“The plane is not going to— Wait, what?”

“I, uh. Love you. I’ve known it for a while now. And, uh, I know we’ve only been dating for like, a week, but—” Tony blinks. They’ve only been dating for a week.

“...Fuck.” Tony can feel his own pulse starting to race. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”

“Tony?”

They’ve only been dating for a week. What is he doing? What the hell is wrong with him? Normal people don’t do this.

“Fuck. Shit, I mean— Uh, I’m sorry. That was super weird, huh?” Tony laughs nervously. He closes his eyes, gritting his teeth and cursing his stupid brain. Of course it’s weird. He always gets too attached to people way too quickly. No wonder Pepper was his only long term relationship. She was the only person who could put up with him—everyone else just got weirded out. “Uh, see you tomorrow? Or not. Fuck, sorry, I’m just gonna hang up before this gets—”

“Tony, wait.”

“...Yeah?” Tony says, hyper-aware of how breathless he sounds. His heartbeat is ringing in his ears. Everything is going to be fine. Right? Right. The worst thing Steve could do is… break up with him.

Oh, God, that is the worst case scenario. He really should’ve just kept his stupid mouth shut.

“Tony, are you freaking out? I feel like I can hear you freaking out from all the way over here.”

“No, I’m not, of course I’m not. Who says I’m freaking out? You have no proof. I am calm, I’m calm as a clam, is that the saying? Did I get it right? Or was it happy— Anyway, I am absolutely calm, I’m the calmest I could possibly be. Any calmer and I’d be asleep. I’m—”

“Tony. Breathe.”

Tony forces himself to drag in a slow breath as he grips the arm of his seat with his free hand, focusing on the soothing hum of the airplane’s engine.

“Look, Tony, I—”

“No, listen. I’m sorry I jumped the gun, I hope I haven’t weirded you out or anything. You really, really don’t have to say it back to me. I mean it.”

“Tony—”

“No, in fact— Please don’t say anything. It’s fine. Let’s just pretend this never happened, okay?”

“But—”

“Drop it, Steve. Please?” Tony pleads. Clearly, his brain hadn’t been firing on all cylinders. That is the only reason that could explain his temporary lapse of judgment. “Look, I feel like talking about it more right now is going to send me spiraling into a panic attack.”

“...Okay. Fine.”

“Thank you. Uh, I’ll see you when I get home. If I get home. If the plane doesn’t crash. Haha.”

“Would you please stop saying that? It’s not funny.”

Tony latches onto the change in topic like a lifeline. “It is objectively true, you know. In order for me to be able to see you tomorrow, the plane has to land safely, and unfortunately, some things are just beyond my control. Like, who’s to say the plane won’t explode mid-air and—”

“The plane is going to land safely and you’re going to come back home to me in one piece. This is non-negotiable, Tony. You hear me?” Steve demands, his voice all hard authority and no-nonsense, like there will be Consequences should Tony fail to comply.

As if he could ensure Tony’s safety with the force of his willpower alone.

Come back home to me.

That sounds good. Really good. Tony closes his eyes and pictures Steve’s baby blues in his mind’s eye. Warmth flowers in his chest.

“I hear you.”

“Great.”

“Awesome. I, uh, I gotta go now.”

“Okay. See you tomorrow.”

“See you.”

Tony hangs up and lets Paul know that he is done with his phone call. The jittery feeling left over from his call with Steve refuses to leave him, however, so he pulls up the drawing application on his phone and begins sketching something just to give his brain something else to fixate on.

He tends to lose track of time when he is hyperfocused on a project, so he isn’t exactly surprised that the next time he becomes aware of his surroundings, the plane is already well up in the air, his sketch of what looks like a flying coffee pot is almost finished, and Robbie is placing a plate of spaghetti carbonara on the table in front of him.

“Spaghetti carbonara. With extra cheese.”

Tony’s mouth waters as he eyes the mountain of grated Pecorino Romano sitting atop the pasta. He sighs dreamily and smiles up at Robbie.

“You’re a lifesaver.”

“Enjoy, Boss.” Robbie grins and slips back into the kitchen.

He only realizes just how truly famished he is after taking his first bite, and proceeds to finish the rest of his meal with gusto. Afterward, he spends the majority of the remaining flight time sleeping, the result of post-carbonara food coma and his sleep-deprivation finally catching up to him.

It’s well past two in the morning when Tony finally makes it to his floor in the Tower, which is why he is surprised to see Steve sitting on his couch, one of Tony’s fantasy novels open in hand.

“Steve, what are you doing here?”

Steve’s head snaps up at the sound of his voice. Tony frowns. “Actually, why are you awake at all?” He is usually an early sleeper, unless—

“Nightmare?” Tony gives him a sympathetic smile. It wouldn’t be the first time. In the early days of their friendship, Tony and Steve would sit together in the living room whenever they had trouble sleeping, talking to each other until the sun came up.

Steve shakes his head, closing the book with his eyes still trained on Tony. “No, I was just… waiting for you.” Tony blinks.

“It’s…” Tony glances at his watch. “Half past two. In the morning.”

“I know, I just…” Steve stands up, shoving his hands into the pockets of his sweatpants. He ambles over before coming to a stop right in front of Tony. “I wanted to see you.”

Tony stares at him uncomprehendingly. “You’ll see me later anyway.”

“I couldn’t wait any longer. I didn’t want to go to sleep without seeing you first,” Steve says, low and earnest. His gaze wanders around Tony’s face, as if he were cataloguing each and every facial feature and trying to locate any changes he might’ve missed during his absence.

“Oh.”

Steve steps closer, arms snaking around Tony’s waist and pulling him close. His next words are whispered against Tony’s shoulder.

“I knew you’d make it home safely.”

“Uh, yeah.”

“You were wrong.”

“I was… wrong.” Tony swallows. “Uh, turns out the bad feeling completely disappeared after I woke up from my nap on the plane, so I suspect that perhaps the bad feeling I got was due to my severe hunger and sleep deprivation. I mean, I’ve heard about hallucinations caused by hunger or exhaustion, but this was—”

Steve presses a soft kiss to the column of Tony’s neck, effectively cutting off Tony’s ramblings.

“Tony,” Steve whispers against his skin.

“Yeah?” Tony squeaks.

“Please don’t call me before a flight and say that you think the plane is going to crash, ever again.”

“Right. Noted. I’m sorry.”

“Apology accepted,” Steve says, pulling away slightly and loosening his hold around Tony.

Tony allows himself to relax, letting out a quiet sigh. This thing with Steve is so new and delicate that every single physical contact still sends his heart fluttering, butterflies going crazy in his stomach.

Which makes, in retrospect, his abrupt love confession—as truthful as it was—that much more insane. God, Stark. Never do that again.

Except, it turns out that Steve only pulled away to slide his hands down the back of Tony’s thighs, wrapping his hands around them, and then lifting him up without warning.

Tony yelps, and in his alarm, promptly locks his ankles around Steve’s waist. When Steve begins moving, Tony quickly wraps his arms around Steve, resting his chin on Steve’s shoulder.

“Uh, Steve?”

“Hm?” Steve says, calm and nonchalant, as he begins walking away from the elevator.

“Um— Wait— My suitcase—”

“Leave it. It’ll still be there in the morning.”

Tony blinks, staring dumbfoundedly at his lonely suitcase, abandoned by the elevator. It becomes smaller and smaller with every step Steve takes.

“Where are we going?”

“Your bedroom.”

“Why are you carrying me there?”

“Because I want to.”

“You know it’ll be faster if you just let me walk, right?”

“Maybe. But you won’t be in my arms.”

“Um.”

“Bear with me, will you? I missed you.”

“I, uh, missed you too.”

Steve hums, satisfied. Tony lets himself settle more comfortably in Steve’s arms.

When Steve has successfully carried him to his bedroom, Tony fully expects Steve to deposit him on the bed.

That is not, in fact, what happens.

Instead, Steve turns around and begins walking backwards towards the bed before sitting down on it. Tony, still seated on his lap, swallows and pulls back slightly to look at Steve.

“Look, Steve, as much as I’ve missed you, I’m kind of tired right now. I mean, don’t get me wrong. This whole carrying thing? Great. Very romantic. Ten out of ten. But I’m just not in the mood for sex, you know? Like, I’m not even sure I would be able to get it up if—”

“We’re not going to have sex.”

Tony blinks.

“We’re not?”

“We’re not. I’m just here to tuck you in.”

“Oh.”

Steve reaches up and begins undoing his tie. After setting it aside on the bed, he begins to unbutton Tony’s shirt. He takes his time, one button at a time.

“So…” Steve begins with a deep breath as he unbuttons the final button. “Did you mean, uh, what you said to me? On the phone?”

Tony closes his eyes, feels his own cheeks heating up. “Steve—”

“I’m sorry, Tony, I know you told me to drop it. But— I feel like if you did mean what you said, I owe it to you to… set the records straight.” When Tony opens his eyes again, Steve is looking up at him, blue eyes solemn.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean… We have only been together for a week. Well, eight days. In fact, we’ve only been on one date. And it was interrupted. By giant lizards.” Steve chuckles incredulously.

Tony remembers that day very well. They were in the middle of dessert at Tony’s favorite Italian place when they received the call to assemble—something about giant lizards wreaking havoc in Central Park.

The lizards had green, gunky blood that got into the nooks and crannies of the suit. It had taken forever to clean.

“But Tony…” Steve gathers the material of Tony’s unbuttoned shirt in both of his fists, pulling him closer until their noses are only inches apart.

The second their eyes meet, Steve smiles the sweet, lopsided smile that never fails to make Tony’s stomach flip.

“I need you to know that… I didn’t have to date you to know that I loved you. I figured that a long time ago.”

Tony stills, breath frozen in his lungs.

“I guess, what I’m saying is… I love you too. I’ve loved you for a very long time, Tony. Even way before—” Steve breaks eye contact, looks down as he clears his throat. When he speaks again, his voice is tight. “Way before we got together. I’m talking… years before.”

Tony still finds it hard to breathe. “Oh.”

“Yeah,” Steve says, the word more breath than sound. He meets Tony’s dazed gaze. “So you don’t have to worry about… jumping the gun. Not with me. I’m in it for the long haul.”

“...Okay.”

“Okay.”

“Good.” Tony feels a lightness growing inside of him, spreading outwards to his extremities.

“Good.” Steve smiles, warm and impossibly fond.

“...Glad we’re on the same page.” Tony’s gaze drops down to Steve’s lips.

“We are.” Steve inches closer, nose brushing Tony’s. He then tilts his head ever so slightly and takes Tony’s lower lip between his, kissing him so tenderly Tony’s heart feels like it’s about to burst with it.

Steve’s warm hands slide up Tony’s naked back under his open shirt, sending goosebumps breaking across his skin. Tony buries his hands in Steve’s hair and relishes the feeling of the soft strands caught between his fingers. They stay caught up in each other for a few moments, capturing and releasing each other’s lips until the need for breath becomes too unbearable.

They break apart eventually, accompanied by soft chuckles. Steve smiles up at him, lips slick and cherry red, courtesy of Tony. He reaches up to caress Tony’s right eyebrow with the pad of his thumb, fleeting and affectionate.

“Get some rest, okay? You must be really tired. I should probably go to bed, too.”

Tony looks down at his lap, clearing his throat. “Uh, I know that we haven’t done this before, but…”

Steve waits patiently for Tony to gather his thoughts, hands stroking up and down Tony’s sides.

“Do you want to stay with me tonight?” Tony finds the courage to meet Steve’s eyes, holding his breath.

Steve’s blue eyes are gazing at him intently, looking at him like he’s the only person in the world worth his sole, undivided attention.

Tony swallows. “No sex. Just to sleep. If you—”

“Yes.”

“Yeah?”

“I would like that very much.”

“Okay.”

“Good.” Tony feels his own lips slowly curve up into a smile, wide and unbridled.

“Good.” Steve nods, lips twitching, his eyes never leaving Tony’s.

Tony grins, feeling near giddy with delight. “Glad we’re on the same page.”

“We are, sweetheart.” Steve looks up at him, blue eyes fond and smile radiant. “We definitely are.”

#stevetony #stevetony fic #stony #stony fic #superhusbands #steve/tony #steve x tony #mine #earl wrote something

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venatorfemella · 3 years

Text

No Vacancy

Dean Winchester has had a full day of flying - which he hates - to get to a destination he’d rather ignore.

Castiel Novak has had a long week at a work conference and is just ready to fly back home.

Both men, exhausted, have an unpleasant first meeting that lasts longer than either of them wanted.

Also Here on Ao3

---

Dean downed the last few drinks of whiskey before rushing through the terminal to the gate. He was out of breath when he got there, but smiled and winked at the attendant scanning his boarding pass. The attendant smiled back, but not without rolling his eyes.

Dean shrugged at him and entered the jetway feeling pretty loose. As he got closer to the plane, though, his heart rate sped up and beads of sweat formed on his forehead. He told himself to stop being such a sissy and get a grip.

He found his row in the middle of the plane, only a pretty little thing sitting in the aisle seat. He’d finally get to stretch out instead of being crammed into yet another middle seat - there really was a god.

“‘scuse me, miss.” The woman moved to let Dean into the row. Dean dropped into the window seat and pulled up the shade to look out. He’d absolutely close it once they started moving, but for now, it helped him feel less trapped. The airport workers on the tarmac were struggling to get all of the luggage into the next plane over, entertaining Dean more and more as his whiskey sunk in.

———

“Wait! Wait, I’m here!”

The flight attendant looked up to see a dark-haired man in a trench coat running toward him at the gate.

“Please tell me I can still board!”

“I don’t know, sir. They were just about to close the doors, but I’ll check.”

Castiel tried to catch his breath as the attendant picked up the phone to call the plane. He prayed to any god that would listen that he wouldn’t miss this flight - was there a saint of airplane travel?

“Well, sir, it’s your lucky day.”

Castiel gave the man the most grateful smile he could muster and handed him his boarding pass to scan.

He shuffled down the plane to his row, only to find his window seat taken. He looked at his ticket, then checked the seat number. Yes, there was a man sitting in his seat.

“Excuse me, you’re in my seat.” Castiel was polite, raising his voice only a little to make sure the man would hear him.

Dean looked up and saw pretty blue eyes staring at him. He grinned.

“You can still sit here, I don’t mind sharin.”

Castiel cocked his head, confused for a moment before rolling his eyes.

“Please move.��

“Aw come on, sunshine,” Dean stretched, “I’ve had a long day of middle seats - let me have this window.” Dean winked at him.

Castiel, feeling the opposite of charmed, frowned and furrowed his brow.

“Move.”

“Ugh,” Dean scowled and got up. The woman from the aisle seat was already impatiently waiting in the aisle. Dean shoved against Castiel’s shoulder with his own as he exited the row. “Oops. Sorry.”

Castiel glared at him, but said nothing while he slid in to take his seat and buckle up. Dean dropped down into the seat next to him, yanking his own seatbelt to get it fastened while grumbling under his breath. Castiel could smell the whiskey.

“Ah, that explains it.” Castiel quipped.

“Explains what?” Dean sneered back.

“Maybe you’d be less vile if you hadn’t drank a liquor store before getting on the plane.”

“What did you just say to-“ Dean started to say as he twisted toward the man.

“Ladies and Gentleman, thank you for choosing us as your airline today. Please be sure to have your seats in the upright position, and any of your belongings in the overhead bins or underneath your seat. Soon we’ll also ask you to shut off your electronic devices, or set them to airplane mode.”

Castiel sighed and closed his eyes, resting his temple against the wall.

“What did you just say to me, dick?”

Castiel opened his eyes, but didn’t move. “Nothing.”

Dean let out a humorless laugh. “You suit-and-tie assholes are all the same.”

“Yes, and drunks are all the same as well.”

Dean turned hot and twisted toward Castiel again.

“Ow!” The woman in the aisle seat squeaked. Dean turned back to see he’d bumped her elbow.

“Aw darlin, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s fine. Just, can we all relax and get through this flight?”

“Well, sure thing, sweetheart. I’m already feelin more relaxed sittin next to you here.”

Castiel couldn’t contain his laugh.

“Okay fucker, that’s it.” Dean unclasped his seatbelt and started to stand.

“Ladies and gentleman, we are sorry to report that there are mechanical problems that must be fixed before this plane can fly. We will need to deplane and everyone will get put on new flights to your destination. Please be patient and listen for announcements in the terminal.”

“Son of bitch!” Dean yelled from his half-standing position. He sunk back down into his seat, defeated.

Castiel sighed and stared at the seatback in front of him. Both men sat in silence, waiting for their turn to exit the plane.

———

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Dean said again to the woman at the airline counter.

“Again, I’m very sorry, sir. Tomorrow is the soonest flight we can get you on.”

“What am I supposed to do tonight? You expect me to just sit here for 12 hours?”

“You are welcome to stay here in the terminal, or here is a list of nearby accommodations that may have availability.”

“Lady, I saw the line I just waited through, pretty sure there’s no vacancies at this point.”

“I’m sorry, sir. Maybe try the nearby hostels here at the bottom? Those usually don’t fill up as quick.”

Dean sighed and took the paper over to an empty spot against the wall. He looked around the terminal, weighing his options. He could try to stay in the terminal, but apparently bad weather in the Northeast grounded some flights and people were everywhere.

Dean shook his head and started making calls on his flip phone. After the first couple hotels were either full or way out of his price range, he finally went to the bottom of the list and called a couple hostels.

“We are actually mostly full, buttt…” Dean sat on the floor in the middle of the airport as he listened to what sounded like a teenage boy humm and tap on a keyboard.

“Yeah so no single rooms available, but looks like we have one spot in a double shared room. So if you’re okay with sharing…”

“Wait, like one bed for two people?” Dean had stayed in many crummy motels in his life, but never at a hostel so he had no idea how they worked.

“Ha, no dude. It’s two single beds in a room.”

Dean sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose with his free hand. A toddler had been having a fit in the terminal for going on 30 minutes. Dean could feel a headache creeping up, especially with the last bit of alcohol leaving his system.

“Fine, yeah, I’ll take it.”

———

Dean checked in at the hostel front desk and got his room key. Music was blaring from a bar on the first level and several young people were milling around, making Dean feel ancient in comparison.

He went up the elevator and through a few halls before finally getting to his room. But his key wouldn’t work. Because of course his key wouldn’t work. He tried it several times, jiggling it this way and that to no avail. He leaned his forehead against the door, eyes closed, and whined out loud to himself.

Or so he thought.

The door opened and Dean fell forward into the man who opened it. The man held out his hands to help steady Dean as he stood up straight.

“Hey, sorry to wake ya man, my key just -“ Dean looked up into familiar blue eyes. “You gotta be shittin me.”

“Wonderful.” Castiel sighed as he walked back into the room, leaving Dean at the open door. “Close the door, please, it took forever for the room to get warm.”

Dean walked in, roughly shutting and locking the door. “Perfect end to a perfect day.”

“Listen, I’m exhausted, you’re exhausted. We’re here to sleep, so let’s just sleep and leave each other alone.”

“Fine by me.”

Castiel got back into his twin bed and turned away from Dean, facing the wall. Dean examined his bed and surroundings. Satisfied there weren’t any biohazards around - none he hadn’t survived before at least - he undressed down to his t-shirt and boxers and lay down. A groan escaped his lips as he was finally able to stretch out.

He wasn’t sure how long he’d been laying there before he felt a drip. Then another drip, then faster drips. He finally woke up enough to connect that something wet - please god let it be water - was dripping on him in bed. He jumped out and turned the lights on.

“Unbelievable!”

“What are you doing?” Castiel grumbled.

“There’s a leak. Because of course there’s a leak.”

“A what?” Castiel sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes, adjusting to the light before seeing the trickling stream of water dripping onto the middle of Dean’s bed.

“I’ll be back.” And with that, Dean left the room.

———

The slamming door woke Castiel. He’d tried to stay awake until Dean got back, but ended up falling asleep sitting up.

Dean sat down on the foot of his bed, away from the drip, and roughly raked his fingers through his hair.

“So?”

Dean jerked his head up, but instead of looking angry, he simply looked wrung out.

“So. There are no other rooms. They put a ticket in about the leak, but no one will be out til the morning to fix it. So. I’m fucked.”

Castiel couldn’t help but feel bad for the man. He didn’t know how much better he’d be holding up if it was his bed under the leak. That gave him an idea.

“Why don’t you move the bed?”

Dean looked at him like he was crazy. “Where? You see the size of this room right?”

Castiel stood up, and looked at the room, sizing things up. He paused and thought before presenting his suggestion.

“Just move it to the center.”

“The center?”

“Yeah it should get it out of the way of the leak.”

Dean stood up next to Castiel and looked at the room. He was right, but-

“Dude that puts the bed right up against yours.”

“I’m aware. Look, I’m not thrilled either, but it’s that or the floor. I’m going to bed.”

Castiel got back into his bed and faced the wall again. Dean looked at the floor, then his bed, then Castiel’s back.

There was no option. Dean was not going to sleep on this floor.

The frame scraped on the floor as Dean pushed and pulled it over to the center of the room. He laid down and looked over at his sleeping roommate. It wasn’t so bad. I mean, it wasn’t that many hours ago that he wanted to get up close and personal to him after looking into his baby blues. Felt like an eternity ago, though.

What a long day. Three flights, middle seats, layovers, drinking to ease his nerves, drinking to bury any thought of what he was journeying toward.

But the drinks were long gone and now he lay in a dark, musty room with the faint sounds of dance music coming up through the floor, and the soft breathing of a stranger sleeping next to him.

Bobby was gone. Dean would never see him again. Never be able to call him with a question about a car or for updates on family friends or stories about his long gone parents.

His second dad was gone.

Dean didn’t even realize he was crying until a sob escaped. He tried to stifle the rest.

“Are you okay?” The man next him asked, voice deep with sleep.

“Yeah. Sorry.” Dean quickly wiped the moisture from his cheeks, as if that would hide the sounds that already gave him away. He heard shuffling next to him.

“You’re not. What’s wrong?” The man’s voice was clearer and a little closer now that he wasn’t facing the wall.

Dean huffed out a laugh. “Why do you care? We’re strangers. It’s fine man, go to sleep.”

There was a brief moment of silence and Dean thought the man had taken his advice.

“I’m Castiel. Novak. What’s your name?”

Dean turned his head toward Castiel’s voice. “Uh, Dean. Dean Winchester? Why?”

Castiel shrugged in the dark. “We’re not strangers anymore. Will you tell me what’s wrong now?”

Dean smiled. He had to give it to the guy. Clever.

“Eh. Just life. And death, I guess.”

“Death?”

Dean didn’t know why he was still talking to this jackass, but he was tired and it felt a bit like confession. A dark room where he didn’t have to look anyone in the eyes while he talked.

“My Uncle. He died. It’s uh, why I’m flying. His funeral.”

“I’m so sorry. I take it you were close?”

“Yeah, you could say that. He was like a second dad, I guess. Especially after my dad died.”

“That’s so hard. I’m glad you had someone to spend time with after your dad.”

Dean fell quiet at that. Thinking of all the times he probably could have traveled back to spend more time with Bobby, but didn’t.

“I’m sorry, I’m prying. It’s in my nature, and I forget sometimes that it’s not always appropriate.”

“No, it’s. It’s fine. It’s been a bit since I’ve seen him is all. I hate flying, and you know, a ton of other bullshit excuses. It’s been awhile.”

“You hate flying?”

“It’s unnatural, man! A giant metal tube that weighs, I-don’t-even-know-how-much, shouldn’t be in the sky.”

“Oh, so you have a phobia.”

Dean sighed. He hated that he had a fear of anything. “Yeah. I guess.”

“You really loved him - you’re pushing through your fear to get to his funeral. He knew that you loved him too.”

Dean turned onto his side, mirroring Castiel’s position. “How would you know?”

“Parents know. It’s normal to feel like you didn’t see them enough when they die, Dean. But parents know their children love them.”

Dean swallowed to fight back more tears as he thought about Bobby as his parent. And hoped that what this man said was true, that Bobby knew how much he meant to him. He cleared his throat.

“So uh, what about you, what are you flyin the friendly skies for?”

“I’m heading home actually. Was at a conference for work.”

“And what does Catstiel - Casteel? Do for work?

Castiel chuckled, “it’s Cas-ti-el. And I’ll tell you, but don’t panic.”

“What? Are you a contract killer or somethin?”

Castiel smiled. “Mmm. Much worse. I’m a Psychiatrist.”

Dean lifted his head from the pillow, his mouth opened but no words came. A laugh burst out instead.

“So you been shrinkin my head this whole time? That’s slick, doc.”

“Thanks for the compliment? I think? But no, I haven’t been analyzing you. We’re just talking. I’m a normal person.”

“Well if your attitude on the plane earlier is any indicator then yes, you’re a normal person.”

“MY attitude? You’re the one that tried to charm me out of my seat and then turned aggressive when I didn’t acquiesce.”

Castiel’s calm, playful tone took Dean off guard, keeping this from turning into an actual argument.

“Well, you’re the one who resorted to name-calling.”

“I did not.”

“Dude, you basically called me a drunk.”

“Were you drunk?

“That’s besides the point.”

“Well, I apologize for calling you a drunk. I should have been more specific in my statement.”

Dean chuckled and sighed. He felt just a little lighter than a few minutes ago. It was a nice reprieve.

“So you thought I was charming, huh?”

Castiel rolled his eyes and a yawn overtook him unexpectedly.

Dean sighed. “Yeah we should get back to sleep.”

“You sure? We can talk more if you need, I don’t mind.” Castiel tried to stifle another yawn.

“Yeah, I’m sure. Um. Thanks for. Just. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome, Dean.” Castiel reached over and gently squeezed Dean’s shoulder before turning onto his back to sleep. “Good night.”

“Night, doc.”

———

Dean slowly stirred from sleep, feeling warm and safe. His face rested on a smooth shoulder as he breathed in the faint scent of cologne. The chin resting on the top of his head moved slightly, ruffling his hair and waking him fully.

His eyes opened wide as he remembered where he was - in a hostel with the good doctor. He was curled into the side of Castiel, who was laying on his back with his arm outstretched, serving as Dean’s pillow. Dean’s upper leg was slung over one of Castiel’s.

Dean slowly tipped his head up, hoping to find Castiel still asleep.

Those wide blue eyes were very much awake and looking back at him.

They both looked at each other in silence, neither moving a muscle. Dean swallowed and let out nervous laugh.

“Mornin, sunshine.”

“Good morning, Dean.”

Dean moved first to get off the poor man. “Sorry, man, didn’t mean to uh- yeah sorry.” He ran his fingers through his hair and walked over to put his clothes from yesterday back on.

Castiel shimmied across the second bed to get up and get dressed himself.

“No reason to apologize.”

“Alright, but uh, were you watching me sleep?”

Castiel’s cheeks turned pink. “What? No! I had just woken up like you, I swear!”

Dean chuckled. “Dude, I’m just messing with you.”

Both men startled when a loud knock came from the door. “Maintenance!”

“Guess it’s time to go - share a shuttle back to the airport?”

“I’d like that.” Castiel gave Dean the cutest smile that should not be allowed to come from a full grown man.

———

“Well, doc, guess this is it.” Dean stood up, hearing the announcement that his group was boarding now.

Castiel was put on a different flight, leaving an hour after Dean’s.

“Guess it is,” Castiel smiled. Dean thought he looked a little sad, but he was probably imagining that.

“Thanks for the, uh, chat. Have a good trip home.” Dean reached out and shook Castiel’s hand.

“Yes, you have a good trip as well. I mean.”

Dean smiled, “I know what you mean. Thank you.”

Dean turned away, and Castiel panicked, “Wait, Dean.”

Dean turned back, brow raised. “Yeah?”

Castiel pulled his wallet out and grabbed a business card, handing it to dean. Dean read it:

“Good things do happen.” Castiel Novak, MD Psychiatrist

“Damn, you must think I need a lot of help.” Dean half-joked with him.

Castiel’s eyes went wide. “No. Oh no no, um wait.” Castiel plucked the card from his hand. He looked around and then leaned over to a woman sitting nearby. “I’m sorry ma’am, do you have a pen I can borrow?” After digging in her purse for a moment, she handed a pen over to a very grateful Castiel.

Castiel wrote on the back of the card, hesitated, then wrote something else before handing the card back to Dean.

“That’s my personal number. Call me, I mean if you want. If you need someone to talk to about the funeral and everything. Not as a shrink. As a friend.” Castiel’s cheeks were pink once again.

Dean smiled and started to look down at the card when final boarding was called for his flight.

“Shit, Cas, I gotta go. I cannot miss this flight. Thanks again!” Dean ran for the gate.

Dean sat in his window seat - a seat he was sure to request as soon as he arrived at the airport that morning. The plane started to back away from the gate, so Dean searched his pocket for gum to chew during take-off. He felt Castiel’s business card and pulled it out.

He read the card again and then flipped it over to the back. A wide grin broke out on his face as he blushed at the scribbled numbers and note:

Call me XX

———

It’d been a long week. Lots of shed tears, laughter, hugs, and paperwork. No one talks about the paperwork. Dean was exhausted but he’d made it through. Sammy ended up being able to take time away from his law firm, so having his baby brother there with him helped a lot.

It was Saturday morning, and Dean sat on the porch at Bobby’s house - now Dean’s house according to the will - drinking coffee to keep warm. He pulled out the business card that he’d kept in his pocket all week and dialed the scribbled number on the back.

One ring. Two Rings. Three.

“This is Dr. Novak.”

Dean smiled at hearing that familiar deep voice.

“Mornin, sunshine.”

One beat. Two beats. Three.

“Hello, Dean.”

#suptober21 #day2 #no vacancy #destiel #first meeting #airplane #hostel #strangers #no smut #teen and up #mention of character death #grief #alcohol #alternative universe #room sharing #ao3 fanfic #did i do this right #tumblr noob #supernatural

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novelconcepts · 4 years

Text

fic: walking with the lady

Every movie, every book, every story about the horrors of letting in the ghosts has prepared Dani for the constant state of alarm. The panic. The discomfort of the situation.

Not a single goddamn one told her how stupid it would be.

***

The first time Viola Lloyd rears her spectral head outside of a dream, Dani is doing her best to enjoy an incredibly pleasant spring morning. She’s been having strange thoughts--strange echoes of night terrors that have been escalating, images weaving as though shot from the depths of some great ocean--for a few months now. Has been trying her very best to take Jamie’s advice and not worry about it. One day at a time. Stop gazing into every reflective surface in the county and just...live.

And she’s been doing that, she thinks, with a decent amount of peaceful abandon for a woman carrying an unknown beast in the depths of her psyche. She’s traveled. She’s seen much of America, and more of Jamie. She’s learned she’ll never get any better at tea, that she’s honestly not terrible at pasta, that she can talk the ear off old women who just want to stop and smell the flowers. It’s been a serene six, seven, eight years, if she lays them all end to end, and she’s glad of it.

But the dreams are coming faster now. With more regularity. Long stretches of night fade into black and white, into memories she can feel with her whole body, but knows aren’t her own. Corsets and sweeping skirts, a sister she never had, a husband. A child. None of this belongs to Dani, so it must be her, mustn’t it?

It scares her. She talks about it to Jamie when she wakes--sometimes in the morning, sometimes in the middle of the night; whether she’s truly awake or not, Jamie always listens. They always hunker back down, holding tight to one another, Jamie whispering into her hair that you’re still here, you’re still you, it’s all okay, Poppins. It helps, as much as anything’s going to.

What doesn’t help is sitting here on this park bench, a list of shopping plans open in her lap, and hearing--hearing isn’t even the right word for it, it’s like a ringing voice coming up from the very back of her head--someone say, “And what on earth is that?”

Dani sits straight upright, every line of her body rigid with fear. “What...is what?”

She’s said the words out loud, she realizes when an elderly man with a basket of stale bread turns slowly to look at her. Her mouth twists itself into a rictus grin of apology, and he shuffles off, looking very much like a man prepared for his own murder at the hands of a lunatic schoolteacher.

“Well,” the voice says, coolly amused. “That was embarrassing for us both.”

What, Dani thinks, the fuck is going on?

“What’s going on,” Viola Lloyd’s deep, accented voice says, “is truly beyond my knowledge. Do you know the last time I had this many thoughts of my own? Must have been...oh, three hundred years, now...”

Why, Dani thinks furiously, are you having them now?

“I certainly couldn't say.” Viola sounds astonished. “The last I recall, I was trying to reclaim my child--”

Flora, Dani interrupts with a rush of anger, was not your child.

She imagines she can feel Viola’s hand flip to and fro, carelessly. “It’s all apples in the end, isn’t it?”

She’s clenching her fists in her lap, she realizes, as if there’s anything to fight. As if she could ward Viola off from inside her own body.

“Oh,” Viola says coolly, “I wouldn’t worry just yet. I couldn’t say for sure--it’s all rather new, you must understand--but I don’t think I could do anything to you. Not yet. Look, here, I’ll try...”

Dani’s muscles strain against an invisible force that never comes. Viola chuckles.

“See? Nothing. The lights are on, my dear, but none but you is really home.”

Then why are you awake? Dani demands.

“Not a clue, darling. It’s nice, though, isn’t it? You really take it for granted in life.”

Take what for--

“Seeing,” Viola breathes. “I haven’t seen anything properly in centuries. I’d forgotten how bright the world was. How full of...color.”

Is it Dani’s imagination, or does Viola’s tone hold an edge of disgust on that final word?

“So, again, I find myself asking. What on earth do you call that?”

Dani allows instinct to turn her head, somehow sensing the direction Viola wishes for her to look. She finds herself staring at a young child playing at her mother’s feet.

I--it’s... And it’s here, in this moment, faced with the nearly impossible task of explaining to the 400-year-old ghost woman who shares her body what a Slinky is for that Dani Clayton decides this whole cohabitation thing might have been a mistake.

***

“Hang on,” Jamie says. “Hang on, she’s awake in there?”

Dani, folded nearly double on their couch with her face in her hands, nods. Her head is pounding. Viola has been, ah, what’s the polite way to put it? Running her mouth. For nearly four hours.

“She’s got some...opinions,” Dani mumbles into her cupped hands. Jamie stops rubbing light circles into her back, curious.

“About what?”

“Might be a shorter list, to ask what she doesn’t have an opinion about,” Dani says. At the back of her head, she feels Viola cross her arms.

“This sounds like you are on the path to impudence, Miss Clayton.”

“But hang on, I thought--” Jamie seems to be choosing her words carefully. “I thought she was just sort of...in there. Tucked away, like the kids said. What do you mean she can see?”

Dani blows out a long breath, wishing dearly for a cigarette. “I don’t know, Jamie, I’m not the authority on carrying Victorian women around in my skull.”

“Bit nearer to it than me, Poppins.” Jamie’s smiling, plainly trying to make her feel better. Dani turns to glower at her.

“I love you very much. Please don’t test me right now. She hasn’t stopped talking for more than twenty minutes all afternoon.”

Jamie raises her hands in surrender. “Can she...can she see me now?”

“Tell her,” Viola says. “Tell her I can see her, and her mannishly-inappropriate hairstyle.”

“I will not be saying that,” Dani mutters. Jamie raises an eyebrow.

“Are you having a conversation now? What’s she saying?”

“Please let her know I find her insistence upon men’s trousers silly at best, her blouses are entirely too loose, and I am bewildered by the wealth of ankle she seems to find appropriate in mixed company--”

“She says you have a nice smile,” Dani says. Jamie’s eyebrows raise to her hairline. Viola makes a horrible little noise of revulsion.

“How dare you place words in my mouth!”

“You are absolutely not telling me the truth, are you?” Jamie says in the same moment. Dani groans.

“Aspirin. I am going to need so much aspirin.”

***

It’s not all the time, thankfully; Dani thinks she’d go mad if Viola were truly there at all hours, yammering away about silks and petticoats and the good old days when a person could just drop dead of the plague with no notice. Sometimes, Viola even goes days at a stretch without saying a word, as though she’s sunk back to sleep in whatever little corner of Dani’s mind she calls a bedroom.

And then, like a thunderstorm, she emerges once more. Usually with something snappy and irritating to share with Dani.

“Are we really wearing that?”

“There is no we, Viola,” Dani grumbles. She’s in the process of trying to choose between a flower-patterned dress and a denim vest, unable to gauge what kind of day it’s going to be when she steps out of the closet and into the chaos. Business has been booming down at The Leafling, which is wonderful, but more than a little overwhelming. And Jamie, god love her, has taken to watching Dani when she thinks Dani won’t notice, always with this worried little crease between her eyes.

It’s making her crazy, if she’s honest about it. Jamie isn’t the worrier in the relationship, and watching her slip into the role is making Dani feel worse about the whole situation. She needs Jamie to tell her it’s all fine, it’s all perfectly all right, they’re going to make it through this new weirdness together no problem.

“My dear, we became a we the night you said the magic words,” Viola says, a bit pettily. “Or have you forgotten me already?”

“How,” Dani grits out, “on earth am I supposed to forget you? Feel like I spend every day just...waiting for you to spring up and ask some idiotic question about cars or airplanes or deodorant--”

“For a schoolteacher, you surely lack for patience, Miss Clayton.”

Dani closes her eyes, searching for strength. Her hands grope, landing on dress and vest and yanking them free. “You know what? Both. We’re doing both today.”

“We most certainly are not! Not even a glove to be found? And again with the florals! We’ve been over how tacky the florals are, Miss Clayton. Miss Clayton, are you listening?”

“No,” Dani says decisively, wriggling into the layers and looking around for her chunkiest pair of earrings.

“You are the scandal of the town, Miss Clayton,” Viola sniffs.

***

“Does she, ah...watch when we do this?”

Dani groans. They’d been having such a nice evening--an old movie fading slowly into wandering hands, Jamie’s mouth making its way down her neck, Jamie’s fingers slipping beneath the hem of her shirt and tickling her ribs. She’d just flipped Jamie onto her back, was just looking to remove the deeply inconvenient articles of cloth between them, when Jamie pressed a palm lightly against her chest.

“Not trying to be weird about it,” Jamie says, breathless. Her eyes are dark and heavy; though she’s stopped Dani moving closer, one of her legs has wound around Dani’s hip, easing her in. It’s giving Dani the worst kind of mixed message, to say the least.

“Would you like us to put this sort of thing on hold until I find a way to exorcise the demon from my head, Jamie?”

“I did not say that. I decidedly said nothing of the kind.”

Dani lets her head fall forward, covering Jamie’s face in a fall of blonde. “Sorry. That was snippy. I just...I don’t know the answer. She’s...” She tilts her head, eyes shut, searching. “Quiet. For now.”

Jamie brushes her hair back, cups the side of her face, thumb moving in a slow arc across her cheekbone. “S’all right then. Can’t blame me being curious, can you? I mean, it’s not every day you find a third party sneaks into your bed.”

Dani leans into the soft stroke of her hand, sighing. “I don’t like it, either, you know. She’s so...judgey. I hadn’t realized ghosts could be judgey.”

“What’s she judging?” The hand on her chest slides, gripping a fistful of her shirt, pulling her toward Jamie. Dani sighs again, letting Jamie kiss her with the soft determination of someone apologizing for stopping this train in the first place.

“Me,” she murmurs against Jamie’s lips. “You.”

“Me?” Jamie sounds affronted. “What’s there to judge about me, I’m a bloody peach.”

Dani laughs, bites her lower lip until Jamie groans. “It’s not anything personal. It’s just...the whole world is so different from what she remembers. There’s TV, jean shorts, women out there having jobs and lives without consent of their husbands...for her, it must be the Wild West.”

“Judges what she doesn’t understand, is that it?” Jamie is doing an admirable job of pretending to still be invested in this conversation, even as her hands are making short work of Dani’s sweatpants. Dani sucks in a breath.

“I guess. Yeah. Can’t blame her for that, really.”

Jamie mulls this over, fingers tracing hipbone. Her nails bite gently into soft skin. “Does she judge us for this, I wonder?”

“Do you care?”

“Not,” Jamie says, twisting her hand and bringing their mouths together hard, “in the least.”

***

“Put it out the window.”

“I am not putting it out the window, Viola.”

“Down a flight of stairs, then! What in all cosmic reaches of hell is this for, if not throwing it somewhere it can never harm another soul again!”

Dani exhales through her nose, slowly, embracing every meditative memory of dealing with errant children. “I am not,” she says slowly to the empty apartment, “going to throw my television anywhere. And I'd really appreciate it if you’d stop making that suggestion every time I turn it on.”

“You are letting your soul rot from the inside out with this filth!” Viola is all but shrieking. Dani imagines her pacing back and forth, back and forth, her hands wild. “Your moral fiber, Miss Clayton. What of your moral fiber?”

“If MTV rots away one’s moral fiber,” Dani says, as calmly as she knows how, “then I suspect we’re all lost causes, anyway.”

Viola is silent for such a long time, Dani thinks she’s done the trick. She turns her attention back to the laundry she’s been folding to the tune of Janet Jackson. Her head bobs gently in time as the videos shuffle past--Madonna, Michael, Paula, George. Then, with the hour change, newer fare. She’s still getting around to some of these artists, still trying to work out how she feels about them.

"Did you hear that?” Viola seethes. “What was that about an anaconda? Is this man suggesting we feed a woman to snakes? What barbarism do your people accept in this age?”

Dani folds a pair of Jamie’s socks with such deliberate care, she nearly forgets to breathe while doing it.

“Moral fiber,” Viola hisses. “Moral fiber is wasted on this age of nudity and...and...hammertime.”

Dani finds herself desperately invested in ironing the wrinkles out of a pair of jeans with her hand until Viola goes quiet again.

***

“You could have such nice hair,” Viola croons. “Such nice hair, if you would only put them away...”

“They’re convenient,” Dani says, scraping her hair back into a pink scrunchie. Viola makes a noise of disgust.

“They’re abhorrent. Honestly, your time and its...fashions. What do you call this?”

She’s gesturing toward the bathroom counter, to the little basket that holds all the hair supplies. Dani sighs.

“It’s a headband, Viola. We like headbands. They keep the hair out of our eyes.”

“There are other ways. Fine hats. Lovely veils. Why don’t you own any lovely veils, Dani, do you want the common folk seeing your every decision in your eyes?”

Dani reaches for the hairspray. Behind her, Jamie bustles in with shirt half-buttoned, suspenders swinging around her thighs. Viola makes another catty little noise.

“Any news?” Jamie asks, reaching around for a hairbrush and kissing Dani’s cheek.

“She doesn’t like scrunchies,” Dani reports. “And she’s started calling me Dani.”

Jamie frowns. “Good sign or bad?”

“Impossible to guess.”

“Tell her you want some veils,” Viola says sweetly. “And for her to learn the value of a fine skirt.”

Dani, ignoring this, reaches around the back of Jamie’s neck and pulls her into a searing kiss. Jamie drops the hairbrush with a clatter, leaning Dani back against the counter and gripping the small of her back like she’s suddenly forgotten they’re both late for work.

When they break apart, they’re both flushed, Dani giggling into the underside of Jamie’s jaw, Jamie’s eyes glazed. In the back of her mind, she hears Viola sigh.

“That is truly childish, you know.”

***

It’s kind of an accidental habit, punishing her inner ghost for bad behavior by channeling her frustrations into sex. She couldn’t explain it if she tried, except to say Viola does tend to shut up when Dani’s properly distracted. Maybe it’s just the way the connection works, thinner when Dani isn’t willing to give it energy. Maybe Viola’s embarrassed. Either way, a year after Viola first speaks, her life with Jamie burns hotter than it ever has.

It’s best when Viola is trying to run her mouth over Jamie’s fashion sense, she’s noticed. It is, in fact, the only way to shut Viola up about the aforementioned fashion sense. Which Dani intellectually understands; coming up from a world 400 years away, where women dressed in endless layers and a person’s value was often found in the shine of her jewels and the rich fabric of her skirts, slamming face-first into the 1990s must have been a trip. Truly, Viola is lucky Dani didn’t cart her out of that lake earlier. If she thinks scrunchies are bad, she should have seen the heyday of shoulder pads.

Honestly, though, the worst thing is listening to Viola trill on about how much better Jamie could look if she’d only bow to the whims of femininity. Jamie, whose primary word on fashion has always been “can I dig a hole in this?” is perfect just the way she is. In fact, as the years go on and her jeans grow cuffs, her shorts grow shorter, her tops crop midway up her stomach, Dani thinks the world is finally suiting Jamie instead of the other way around.

“She’s prancing around for the world to see--”

“It’s ninety-six degrees out,” Dani says in a low voice. She understands these conversations with Viola can be internalized, but she tends to wind up wearing this distant expression every time, and Jamie can spot it a mile off. Best to just mutter aloud in the sanctity of their own home.

“She’s walking her wares up and down the block,” Viola rages on. “Not a shawl to be seen!”

“Jamie,” Dani calls from the kitchen, “have you ever in your life worn a shawl?”

“That’s, uh, one of those blankets with the fringy bits, yeah?” Jamie calls back. She’s bent over the air conditioning unit, trying to coax life into the old girl. The cropped line of her black t-shirt rides up her back, revealing glistening skin. Dani tips her head to enjoy the view. “I’ll pass on account of any blanket in this heat being like to kill me.”

“Best not to test it,” Dani agrees. Viola heaves the longest-suffering sigh Dani’s ever heard.

“It doesn’t bother you in the least, your woman out there, where anyone could see her...her bare stomach!”

“One,” Dani says coolly, “she’s my girlfriend, not my woman. Two, I’ve never once tried to dictate her clothing, and I’m not stopping because a dead woman insists. Three, I happen to like it.”

“Like what?” Jamie strolls back to her, pushing sweaty hair off her forehead with a sigh. She stops a few inches away, rocking back and forth on her heels like she wants nothing more than to close the distance despite the mind-numbing heat.

“Viola is commenting upon your more risqué clothing choices.”

“What? This?” Jamie grasps the exceedingly high-cut hem of her shirt and tugs it gently upward, teasing. “What’s her problem with all this?”

“It’s on display, evidently.”

“As it should be,” Jamie says almost primly. “I’m a fine specimen to behold. Learn to enjoy it, love, it’ll be faster than trying to change the view.”

This last, she says in a slightly louder voice, as though speaking to the shadow behind Dani’s eyes. She’s grinning, and Dani has time to think how strange it is, how quickly they’ve learned to accommodate Viola’s appearances into their conversations--Jamie has taken to leaving beats between her sentences, allowing for Dani to process two people speaking at once--before Jamie is wrapping both arms around her and lifting her off the floor. She squeals in surprise, delight turning to desire as Jamie licks a bead of sweat from her neck.

“Not again,” Viola sighs. “You’ll wake the whole village.”

“Apartment,” Dani corrects, catching Jamie by the jaw and kissing her hungrily. It’s too hot for this, probably, but she can’t quite remember how to care when Jamie pulls free of her grasp and slides to her knees, taking Dani’s skirt with her.

“It’s a nightmare, regardless.”

***

Eventually, Viola proves herself capable of learning a thing or two. Namely, that she is welcome to run commentary on anyone in the world except for Jamie.

Even old ghosts can learn new tricks, apparently, although it takes a number of months, a great deal of sex, and one memorable weekend in which--upon Viola raging over every article in Jamie’s side of the closet for half an hour--Dani simply removed the option of clothing from Viola’s sight altogether.

“This,” Jamie panted, both of them on the floor with a sheet draped over their tangled limbs, “is working for me in the weirdest way, Poppins.”

“I think she’s really starting to hate me,” Dani said conversationally, even as her fingers slipped between Jamie’s legs yet again. Jamie’s hips rose to meet her, one hand burying itself in her hair.

“Well, that makes one of us, doesn’t it?”

***

Not commenting on Jamie, naturally, does nothing to stop Viola talking about every other goddamn thing in the world.

“We’re going to have to have a long talk about not shaming women for their bodies, you know,” Dani tells her one afternoon. Viola has been tearing a young woman to pieces over her short skirt, furious that someone so pristine could soil herself with such impunity. Dani must be getting used to this in the weirdest way possible, because this kind of floral language is starting to feel second-nature.

“I would never shame anyone,” Viola protests. “I am simply stating fact. Men do not value women as it is, and while we may win their games, we get nowhere at all if we do not play them.”

“This isn’t a game, Viola, it’s her life. Her body. She can do whatever she likes with it.”

“But I want her to succeed,” Viola insists. There’s an almost disconcerting eagerness to the words. She really truly believes what she’s saying. “A woman viewed as nothing more than a strumpet will have an even more difficult time securing a dowry, and then where will she be?”

“In college?” Dani suggests blithely. “Traveling? Living isn’t just for men, Viola, I know you know this. You refused the oath of obedience on your wedding day.”

“Of course it’s not for men’s sake alone, but when the law--”

“The law is different here,” Dani says, almost gently. “Has been for a long time. Or haven’t you noticed how well Jamie and I get along without a man to be found?”

Viola’s silence stretches so long, Dani’s sure she’s either gone back to sleep or is finally choosing this moment to let the ugly banner of homophobia unfurl. She’s been waiting for this moment for years, it seems, waiting for the ghost in her head to mimic her mother on the one and only occasion she attempted to send home a letter.

“You’re different,” Viola says at last, very softly. Dani blinks.

“Pardon?”

“You’re different,” Viola repeats. “Jamie is your forever. Does that young girl have her forever, Miss Clayton?”

“Well--I don't know, I don’t suppose it’s my business--”

“Perhaps she will find it in one like our Jamie,” Viola says impatiently. “But perhaps she will find instead the stones of men who have not, over four centuries, really changed all that much. Is it so wrong of me, to have a mother’s care for that?”

Dani doesn’t know how to answer. Doesn’t have the first idea, when faced with a Viola who is not simply catty for cattiness’ sake, but genuine. She opens and closes her mouth a few times, unable to find argument.

“We just. We just don’t pick on girls for what they do with their bodies, all right? It’s...it’s cruel, and it isn’t necessary.”

Viola sighs. “Fine. But we still ought to discuss the pattern choices. Those polka dots are not flattering in the least.”

It’s only later, watching Jamie chop carrots for dinner, that Dani realizes Viola had said our. Our Jamie.

“Oh sweet Christ,” she mumbles.

***

The change is slow. Subtle. If not for the fact of carrying this woman in her head, Dani’s not sure she even would have noticed.

“She what?” Jamie looks up from the plant she’s tending, fingernails grimed with soil, wedding ring carefully strung upon a thick chain around her neck until she can clean up again. “She...sorry, what?”

“I can’t be sure,” Dani muses. “It sounds...crazy. But I think she’s starting to like you.”

“Well, sure,” Jamie laughs. “I’m a deeply likable human being. But this is the Lady, yeah? Same one who dragged Peter fucking Quint to his death? Same one who thinks I show too much skin?”

“I’m...not convinced she thinks that anymore.” It’s really hard to say for sure. On the one hand, it’s possible Viola has shut up about Jamie’s shorn sleeves and shorts because every time she mentioned either, Dani made it her personal life’s mission to make sure Jamie never wore anything else around the house. On the other...

“I think she looked at your butt the other day.”

Jamie raises her eyes slowly, brow furrowing. “Can she do that? Turn your eyes to something you weren’t already looking at?”

“No,” Dani says, a bit stiffly, all too aware of stepping into the trap. Jamie grins.

“Thought not.”

“But it was different,” Dani presses on through flushing cheeks. “I mean--even if I was already looking, she was--I mean--she--”

She doesn’t know how to explain it. How the rumble in her chest, already so familiar at the sight of Jamie puttering around their home, had seemed to expand until it encompassed all of her. How it was like someone had turned the heat in the room to its breaking point.

“I can just tell, okay?” she says, aggrieved. “She looked at your butt, and she liked it.”

Jamie makes a thoughtful face, brushing dirt off her hands with slow, deliberate motions. “So...what you’re saying is...your personal ghostie has a crush on your wife?”

Dani presses her face against the counter, letting the cool metal relieve her blush. “Shit. Yeah. I think she might.”

“This is,” Jamie says triumphantly, pressing up against Dani from behind and kissing the back of her neck, “the funniest thing that has ever happened, by a country goddamn mile.”

***

A series of events, cascading in short order, that Dani almost actually feels bad about. If one could feel guilty about putting strain on one’s personal-pan Casper.

The Britney Spears video, for one. Viola still does not like music videos--or music, frankly, unless it involves a ridiculous number of flutes and orchestral swells--but she’s grown to tolerate them. Mostly.

That is, until Britney sways onscreen in a plaid skirt and schoolgirl pigtails.

“Fuck,” Dani gasps, hand coming down hard against her own breastbone. It’s like someone grabbed the dial on her blood pressure and cranked it all the way up. That someone, she suspects, being the dead woman who has been more and more present of late.

“I--I cannot--I simply am not capable of understanding--” Viola sounds like she’s short-circuiting. “I know we are not meant to comment, but what on earth is she doing?!”

“Dancing,” Dani says sharply, trying to coax her breathing back down. Is this what a stroke feels like? Is her fucking ghost roommate giving her an actual stroke? “Viola, you’ve seen dancing.”

“She is so young! She is a child! Who is protecting this person from the world?” Viola is furious. Viola is exploding. Dani sort of wonders if her chest is going to explode, too.

“She’s...a pop star. This is what they get paid lots and lots of money to do.” It’s a bad answer, she knows. These videos make her a little uncomfortable too, when she thinks on them too long. But Viola? Viola’s rage is a towering beast of a thing. For a minute, lungs scraping at the air, Dani is genuinely afraid this is the point where the switch flips. Where she finds herself staring at the room from the back of her own head.

“Someone,” Viola says in a low, terrible voice, “must protect these children.”

It takes almost an hour to calm her down. Dani doesn’t turn MTV back on for a while after that.

***

“The. The moon?” The opposite end of the emotional spectrum this time. If Viola had been nearly apoplectic over Britney’s choreography, she now sounds faint.

“You should have floated that a bit more softly,” Dani tells Jamie, who looks confused.

“Float what, all I did was mention NASA--”

“The moon,” Viola repeats. “We have seen. The moon.”

“She’s having trouble with the moon landing,” Dani says. Jamie waves her hands helplessly.

“Poppins, I have trouble understanding the geography of Texas, we all have problems.”

“We have,” Viola breathes, “stepped foot. Upon. The moon.”

Dani pours herself another large glass of wine.

***

“How’s this, then?” Jamie gives a very small, somewhat self-conscious twirl. “Too much? Too little? Too, ah, revealing, as the ghost contingent might say?”

Dani, leaning against the bedroom wall, can’t quite find the words. Viola, too, is conspicuously silent.

“It’s bad,” Jamie says, nodding fervently. “Yeah, y’know, I think I knew it when I picked it up. Better on the sales rack, as they say. I can just...if you wouldn’t mind popping the zip real quick...”

“Yes, Dani,” Viola says quietly. “Pop the zip.”

“You don’t even know what that means,” Dani hisses. Jamie raises an eyebrow.

“What’s that?”

“It’s not bad,” Dani says quickly, ignoring the little harrumph Viola utters. “It’s very not bad. Opposite of bad, really.”

Relief floods Jamie’s face. The dress is low cut in a way very little of her clean-up clothes are, with a slit running clear up the leg. Patterned in burgundy petals, the black velvet is stark against her pale skin.

“I won’t get run out of the convention, then? Only they said there’s a bit about drinks and networking, and it was just shy of black-tie. I could do that instead. Get a black tie. Think I’d look nice in a black tie.”

“The dress,” Viola says in a low, conspiratorial voice. “Tell her it is a nice dress.”

“It’s a nice dress,” Dani repeats with comic dazedness. “Best dress I’ve ever seen, maybe.”

“And now,” Viola says soothingly, “you go to her. Walk confidently now, shoulders back, chin up--”

“Are you...wing-man-ing me toward my own wife?”

“Seduction requires confidence, Dani.”

“What’s she saying?” Jamie’s face has gone a curious mix of apprehensive and amused. Dani swallows.

“Seduction requires confidence, evidently.”

A slow grin spreads across Jamie’s face. Dani raises a hand, finger extended.

“Don’t. Don’t make that smug face.”

“What’s smug about it?” She’s moving across the room, arms already reaching. “This is my very natural expression, I’ll have you know. The most normal expression in the world for a woman whose wife is being told to undress her by the ancient rage-ghost sharing her body.”

“Our lives,” Dani says helplessly, already pressing herself flush against Jamie, “are different than other people’s lives.”

“Yes,” Jamie agrees in a low voice, sliding the sweater over Dani’s head. “Can’t find it in me to complain, though, can you?”

***

It’s weird, almost. Weirder, that it’s almost not. That the beast in the jungle, the creature Dani spent nearly a decade dreading, has pounced at last and...mostly, she just seems to want to see Dani happy.

Jamie finds it hilarious, in that pretend-callous way Jamie has of smoothing over genuine concern with soft laughter. She doesn’t like Dani sharing her mental space with someone at all hours, Viola popping up like a wack-a-mole game on high. But, if Dani must share the space with anyone, at least--

“It’s someone who thinks I'm gorgeous.”

“You are gorgeous,” Dani replies, a bit exasperated. “Gorgeous, silly, perfect person. But my inner ghost has a crush on you, that isn’t strange for you?”

“Poppins, my life has been strange since a doe-eyed American strolled into it and told me she still saw her dead fiancé when we kissed.” Jamie reclines on the bed in a sleep shirt and underwear, hands playing lightly with the pillowcase beneath her head. “Strange is my bread and butter these days, and if I had to sacrifice you to have it any other way, we both know how it would go.”

Dani makes a mulish sound under her breath. Jamie cups a hand to her ear.

“Say again?”

“It’s weird,” she repeats, arms crossed over her chest. “She’s weird. I always thought she’d do something bad--walk me off a roof, or strangle someone to death, or try to rob a convenience store. But mostly she just wants to protect young girls from an uncaring world and look at your butt in the shower.”

“That is...very specific,” Jamie says lightly. Dani shakes her head.

“It’s so bizarre. The longer this goes on, the more she sees of the world, it’s like...like she’s getting more real. More Viola, less Lady.”

Jamie sits up, hand sliding to rest high on Dani’s thigh as if to shield her from harm. “But not more solid, right? Not taking up space you already rent?”

Dani shakes her head. “That’s the thing. She doesn't feel like she’s taking over. And it feels...like she should.”

“You want her to?”

“No, no, of course not.” Dani raises Jamie’s knuckles to her lips, raining soft kisses up and down her hand until the tension goes out of her brow. “I just don’t understand what’s happening. This isn’t...what I expected.”

Jamie exhales, shifting her weight until she’s sitting in Dani’s lap. She takes a Dani’s face between her hands, kisses her long and slow until Dani eases back against the headboard.

“This is good, Poppins. You’re a good influence. You were on those kids, and on me, and now on this Lady of yours. Maybe that’s all a ghost needs, deep down.”

Dani leans into her, lets the rhythm of kiss and gentle bite and hands slipping beneath her clothes carry her away for a while. Still, no Viola, and she’s grateful. She doesn’t like to think how that would feel, Viola popping up while Jamie’s curling her fingers deep, groaning soft against her shoulder. There is a time and a place for hauntings, and time with Jamie is something else entirely.

She’s pretty sure Viola even respects that. Which is, like everything else, incredibly strange.

***

Viola attends their second wedding. Their real wedding. It’s bizarre on a level Dani isn’t prepared to deal with, feeling her surface as the plans become reality. Jamie’s got flowers, naturally, and Owen’s catering, and Henry has the kids--who are kids no longer, but fully-formed people with lives of their own--running errands on the day. And Dani...

Dani is looking at herself in a wedding dress for the second time in her life, only this time, she can breathe.

“You are radiant,” Viola says. Dani closes her eyes for a moment, steels herself.

“Nothing else to say? No notes?”

“You chose wisely,” Viola says. Dani sighs.

“I figured lace was classic, and someone told me I had nice shoulders once, so--”

“The dress is beautiful,” Viola says. “But I was not talking about your grooming for the day.”

Dani gives a shaky laugh. “I love her, you know. I really do.”

“I can tell.” A beat of silence. Then: “I did not understand at first. Her. Or you. I suppose I will never understand completely. But...I understand the depths of what you feel. It is a part of me, too, I think. That devotion, sinking into all the spaces where I had forgotten.”

“You’re in love with Jamie, too?” Dani asks, not really wanting the answer. Viola laughs.

“Yes. And no. You and I are intertwined, Miss Clayton. What you feel, I feel, to a degree. More importantly, I have seen your life with her. The life you build with the reckless joy of two people doomed one day to die.”

“Thanks,” Dani says, a bit sharply. She senses Viola putting her hands up, a terribly-modern gesture of surrender.

“You understand what I mean. It takes courage, to love this completely. To do so while carrying a burden neither of us can truly comprehend is...something else altogether. There is a strength there I could not have understood on my most willful of days.”

“You turned Death away at your own doorstep,” Dani points out, smiling. Viola is pleased.

“I did, didn’t I? And I could never regret it, even now. But you. You are doing something so much more incredible. Loving, even knowing what ending love must craft.”

“This is a bit dark for my wedding day,” Dani points out. Viola nods.

“You are radiant. And you are fortunate. And I wish you both all the happiness in the world.”

It is the strangest wedding toast she’s ever heard, and something within Dani’s heart has never been more at peace.

***

“How’s our Lady doing tonight?” Jamie asks as Dani slips into bed beside her. She tips her head, thinking on it. Viola, as she usually is once Dani crosses the bedroom threshold, is nowhere to be found.

“Good, I think. Calm.”

“And my wife?” Jamie looks at her, eyes serious. “You’ve been quieter lately. Fighting her less?”

“She’s been fighting me less,” Dani says. “She...likes it here, I think. Likes us. You know, I thought after this much time, she’d get bored or restless or...go back to her old ways, but...”

“But I’m just too gorgeous,” Jamie teases. Dani slings a leg across her body, holds tight to her with hands that never feel as though they can hold on hard enough.

“I think sometimes...sometimes it’s just about remembering. What it’s like to be a person. What it’s like to be in love.”

“Mm,” Jamie agrees, fingertips drawing dizzying spirals on the bare back of Dani’s shoulder. “Well done, you. You’ve tamed your beast.”

Dani sighs, content. “I think it was a joint effort.”

“Yes,” Jamie agrees, kissing the top of her head. “Because I am, famously, too gorgeous to deny.”

#the haunting of bly manor #the haunting of bly manor spoilers #fanfiction #dani x jamie #jamie x dani #me: I'm gonna take this show incredibly seriously and analyze it in detail #also me: wouldn't it be fucking hilarious if viola just rode around in Dani's mind yapping all the time?#also also me: oh no it went from being stupid to having heart anyway what the hell #anyway this is all karatam's fault and she knows it #and like everything else it isn't as silly as it could be because my dumb heart got in the way

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kikyan · 3 years

Text

~Pop goes [Y/n]~

Yandere! Laughing Jack x Female!Reader

“ Hey [Y/N]?”

“ Yes, dear old brother of mine?”

“ I finally made a friend. . .”

“ Oh? What does this friend look like? What’s his name?”

“ Well his name is Laughing Jack and he is a clown!”

“ Oh, a clown? I love clowns!! When can I meet him!”

“ He’s my friend [Y/N]. . .”

[Y/N] little brother whined as he looked at his sister hanging upside down from the tree in their backyard. [Y/N] wasn’t like most girls, while most girls would ignore their brother, younger or older [Y/N] didn’t. She absolutely adored her younger brother Zach.

“ I’m not trying to take away your friend silly!! I just want to meet him!! How does he look?”

“ Well. . . he is super tall and is black and white all over. Plus he-”

“ Wait. He is black and white?”

“ Yes, dummy if you listened-”

“ Why isn’t he colorful like the rest of the clowns we’ve seen?”

“ I don’t know but I can ask him!”

“ Please do because I am curious! Can’t keep me in suspense now can you?”

Jumping down from the tree [Y/N] fixed her clothing which consisted of jeans and a hoodie, complementing the cold temperatures plaguing her small town. Fixing her hair so it wasn’t in the way, [Y/N] ran to engulf Zach in a hug as she twirled him around laughing, causing Zach to smile and laugh as well.

“ You know I love you right Zach!”

“ Of course! You tell me that everyday sister!”

“ Well, I don’t want you to forget okay! Now let’s go back inside because I am freezing out here and I know that we are both craving some food right about now.”

“ Okay [Y/N]! Also, Jack told me that he doesn’t have color because he isn’t like most clowns!”

“ Well, that’s interesting, we don’t attack creativity or originality so that’s good!”

“ YOU’RE LEAVING US!”

“ I CAN’T STAND IT HERE WITH YOU ANYMORE!”

“ OH SO FUCK YOUR WIFE AND KIDS HUH? YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS FOR ME TO GET A JOB RIGHT? NOW YOU’RE LEAVING ME AND THE KIDS FOR THAT WHORE!”

“ DON’T INSULT HER LIKE THAT! IT’S NOT MY FAULT I FOUND THE RIGHT ONE A LITTLE LATER THAN USUAL! BESIDES, IT SEEMS YOU HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO SUSTAIN YOU!”

“ WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT MEAN?”

“ MAYBE IF YOU STOPPED WHORING AROUND MAYBE WE WOULDN’T BE HERE!”

“ AND THE KIDS?”

“ YOU BIRTHED THEM NOT ME! YOUR PROBLEM NOT MINE!”

As the screaming raged on [Y/N] Zach close by as he was sobbing in the hug. Asking his big sister why their parents were arguing and why they were screaming, most importantly why they were hiding but [Y/N] only smiled as she laughed and placed a kiss on Zach’s forehead.

“ It’s okay Zach! Remember the song I taught you, “ Half a pound of tuppenny rice, Half a pound of treacle, That's the way the money goes, Pop goes the weasel!”

Zach nodded before singing as soft gasps came out as he tried to calm his breathing and stop his crying as he sang with [Y/N]. Soon after the screams ended [Y/N] smiled as Zach fell asleep with his cheeks all puffy and slightly red. Kissing his forehead slightly, [Y/N] whispered as she promised Zach a promise that she has yet to break.

“ I’ll protect you Zach, I swear it. Nothing and no one will harm you for as long as I live.”

The next day [Y/N] woke up with Zach’s hand holding her own as she guided him down the stairs after brushing their teeth in the morning. [Y/N] smiled as she and Zach both jumped down from the second step to the floor, giggling a bit as they skipped over to the kitchen. To their surprise, their mother was already up and running cursing small curses as she tried to make breakfast for her kids.

“ You kids are awake! Great I have an interview at 9 and it’s 8:45! [Y/N], you can finish the rest of the breakfast right? Remember chores first and games later okay! See you soon!”

Their mother ran as she hurriedly put on her heels and grabbed her purse, exiting the house soon enough. [Y/N] stood holding the spoon that was used to mix the contents of a pot wondering what the hell she was supposed to do.

“ Um. . . Zach, sit at the table and I’ll make us breakfast okay!”

“ Okay [Y/N].”

[Y/N] grabbed a chair and climbed it to peek at the contents, it was just oatmeal but it couldn’t be that hard to make, could it? She simply got the container and read the directions making sure to follow it correctly. After making the food [Y/N] served it and handed a plate to Zach and placed hers next to him.

“ [Y/N] I’m thirsty.”

“ I think we have some spare orange juice, I’ll see if I can find it.”

Going to the fridge [Y/N] opened it and found a small bottle of orange juice that was filled enough for both of them to drink from. As she made it back she served her brother a cup of juice which he drank rapidly. [Y/N] only smiled as she picked up her own spoon only for Zach to say, “ [Y/N] my food is hot. Can you blow on it?”

Sighing a bit she laughed and picked up the spoon blowing on it slightly to cool down the oatmeal and decided to play around with it.

“ Zach! Here comes the airplane!”

Making childish sound, ‘vrooom’, ‘ Zooom’ she spoonfed Zach the oatmeal she prepared, it seemed like the disaster that occurred yesterday was being drowned out of the laughter of Zach as he enjoyed playing with his older sister.

“ [Y/N] I’m hungry.”

“ Hold on Zach if we could rush cooking trust me I would, I am starving.”

“ Jack gave me some candy that I could have.”

“ And he didn’t give me some? I am offended.”

“ Because you are a girl [Y/N]”

“ That does not make sense but okay I guess, treasure your candy and I’ll treasure our dinner.”

“ Wait, I want to eat dinner too!”

“ You already have candy Zach, you can’t have dinner if you have candy!”

“ O-okay! I’ll put it away!”

“ I’m just playing Zach but if you have candy before dinner it will give you a tummy ache, and you won’t enjoy candy if you do that.”

“ Hmm... Okay [Y/N]”

Mixing around the chicken noodle soup [Y/N] pondered and thought where her brother got the candy from. He said Jack gave it to him, but Jack wasn’t real was he? Unless. . .

“ Hey Zach, question what kind of Candy did Jack give you?”

“ Hm. . . not sure all I know is that they are colorful though. I would share but Jack doesn’t want you to have any.”

“ Hmph! Fine! That’s fine, I guess I won’t share my soup with him either! His loss. . .”

At the sound of this sarcastic remark, Zach jumped up to say, “ H-he says that he can’t give you candy because you aren’t special but your soup looks tasty!”

“ Oh? Well, thanks for the compliment Jack but it’s a shame that I’m not special enough for candy. If there is extra feel free to take some soup I guess.”

[Y/N] began to serve dinner with a pondering thought. ‘That candy came from nowhere so it’s only safe to assume that Zach is lying or Jack is real, what did he mean by special? There isn’t much difference between me and Zach aside from age, I would say the both of us have vivid imaginations and similar personality. Wait! Could it be age? I’m gonna have to keep Zach close by... .until I get to the bottom of what’s happening.’

[ Y/N only stared at Zach eat the soup with a smile on his face, Zach was the only reason [Y/N] could even smile in this world.

“ Brush your teeth?”

“ Yes.”

“ Wash your face?”

“ Yes.”

“ Ready for bed?”

“ Yes- WAIT! NO! THAT’S NOT FAIR!”

“ Keep it down Zach! Before the neighbors come after my as- I mean come complain!”

“ Were you about to say a naughty word?”

“ Yes, but I didn’t. Anyway’s we are having a sibling sleepover because mom isn’t coming home till late so.”

“ Yay! Does that mean I get to cuddle next to that bear dad got you?”

“ Yes, yes it does. Now onward child to my room!”

“ Yay! Wait, Jack is asking why I can’t sleep by myself.”

“ Well, Yah see Jack, Zach and I have sibling sleepovers that not even mom can stop so, it’s a tradition and I will be shook if it ends now!”

“ What does that mean?”

“ It’s best if thy don’t know!”

“ Hmph! Rude.”

“ I-, okay well someone ain’t getting cuddles!”

“ Aww C’mon!”

“ Well hurry to bed.”

“ Okay, wait, Jack where are you going?”

“ Is Jack leaving or something?”

“ He said he is going to walk around the house.”

“ Huh, okay just make sure to watch out for some steps.” el

Suddenly, sleep overcame everyone as Zach cuddled into [Y/N] as [Y/N] only stared in horror as she saw the silhouette of another being, assuming they are only staring at them. It was a tall-skinned being with shaggy hair. [Y/N] could not see who or what it was but she tried to steady her breathing and make it seem like she was already sleeping.

Suddenly the being began to move and [Y/N] closed her eyes and clutched onto Zach tighter afraid that this being would harm Zach. The being shifted and officially left the room and began going down the stairs only to briefly pause, before stepping over a step and continuing his way down.

‘ He knew about the step, he knew the stairs had strange steps! Either he was here for some time inside the house already or he is Jack!’

[Y/N] stayed awake for some time before succumbing into a deep sleep, not before staring into the eyes of a tall-skinned monochrome man resembling that of a clown.

“ Hey Mom, I’m sorry to bug you but will you be gone all week, at night that is?”

“ Yes, but why do you wanna know that sweetie?”

“ Well, let’s just say that Zach really misses you and stuff.”

“ Zach has you right?”

“ Well yeah but having a mother seems better, I’m not saying I don’t like taking care of Zach but it’s just that maybe it would be safer if you got here earlier. What in case someone breaks in or something?”

“ This is a good neighborhood so I doubt that, besides you have the next door neighbors in case of anything so don’t worry. On top of that, why do you ask now? What happened all of the sudden?”

“ Nevermind mom, I get it, you have to work and I’ll just try my hardest okay! Have a safe day today mom!”

“ Okay sweetie, remember get Zach to school and you too okay! Bye! Call me or the neighbors if you need something!”

As [Y/N]’s mom left for work once again in the morning, [Y/N] pondered on the thought that again, like always nothing changed.

“ You have your lunch right?”

“ Yes!!”

“ Okay good boy Zach! Now off we go to school, I’ll pick you up after my school okay?”

“ Okay! Does that mean we can play later after school?”

“ Of course silly!”

“ Hey don’t call me that [Y/N]!”

“ Okay, if you say so, but also if you get good grades! Don’t forget to be nice to ‘ Everyone. . .’.”

“ But I am!”

“ Okay but why did you fight with that kid named Tommy?”

“ He said that the boys had to take care of the girls and that I was a baby because you still took care of me!”

“ Zach. Let me say something.”

[Y/N] crouched down to meet her brothers height as she began to speak.

“ Zach, mom is a girl and she takes care of the both of us! Does that make us babies?”

“ W-well n-no”

“ I am your older sister so I have to take care of the younger people! Does that make you a baby?”

“ No. . .”

“ You’re not a baby Zach. . . in fact I think you’re a strong boy! Who saved me from the pirates? Who saved me defeat the giant in the backyard?”

“ I did!”

“ Exactly, now would a baby be able to do that?”

“ You’re right [Y/N]! Thanks. . . you really are the best sister in the whole world!!”

“ I know I am! Now get to school before we both get in trouble-”

Zach began to run across the field to get to his class as [Y/N] ran to get to her class before her teacher called roll. Upon entering her classroom she was met with her teacher calling roll, luckily, [Y/N] name hadn't been called and she quickly sat down.

“ I feel so bad for her. . .she was telling me how much she liked that kitty she got. On top of that all those spooky things going around her house.”

Feeling intrigued, [Y/N] asked about the so called ‘spooky’ things occuring.

“ Well, Sarah. You know Sarah right? Well, anyways her cat was found last night hanging from the tree, cut open and was spilling some form of candy. It was so gross and Sarah was crying and crying. Her little sister was horrified but Sarah said that all these weird things happened ever since her little sister got a new friend.”

“ A new friend?”

“ Yeah, Sarah thinks it was an imaginary friend at first but then her little sister started appearing with treats and whatnot, just something that an imaginary friend wouldn’t do, but she just assumed that her friend was some neighbors kid or a homeless. Anyway, that’s all I know.”

“ O-o-oh, well if you have Sarah’s number let her know that she has my condolences.”

“ Of course! Oh wait! [Y/N] don’t you have a little brother?”

“ Yes I do.”

“ Has anything strange has been happening so far?”

“ Well not really we both have a vivid imagination so it shouldn’t be much.”

“ I see. . . take care of him okay? If it is someone, make sure to keep him safe. There are a lot of strange closeted freaks around here.”

“ O-oh. . . yea of course! Nothing is going to happen, over my dead body!”

After class was done, [Y/N] took out her phone and began to search for anything occurring matching those descriptions.

‘ What would make a good search that might get me something other than clown giving candy’

[ Y/N] laughed at her search idea but dismissed it as she remembered that this was important and began to continue searching.

‘ Hmmm. . . animals dead cut open spilling candy?’

“ that might work”

Once hitting the go button she was met with grotesque images but nothing of the sort. Sighing she tried maybe searching for a more personal thing.

‘ Black and White imaginary clown’

Some lazy articles were present but one that caught her eye was, “ WOMAN CLAIMS HER SON WAS MUR. . . .”

Without thinking, [Y/N] clicked on the link and was sent to an article talking about a woman who claimed her son was murdered by a monochrome clown. It talked about how the mother had a son named James who told her he had an imaginary friend. However later that day she had a nightmare, of other children in a fair playground. Her son was given candy by his friend but she thought he was lying. Later that day the dog was murdered, cut with candy spilling out. She ran and alerted the neighbors, the cops telling her that it was a robbery, but she swore that everything was locked. The next day she kept her son in, setting a baby monitor to listen for anything strange, but suddenly she claimed her son was killed and nailed onto the wall. She tried to kill the clown except she stabbed her son on accident. She is now in a criminally insane institute and someone keeps playing, “ Pop Goes The Weasel,” outside her room.

“ Well damn, this clown is one fucked up clown.”

[Y/N] put her phone away and began to think. The mother found out and after 3 days her son died. This is strange, if this follows a pattern, this is the second day and something should be dead spilling candy late at night. We don’t have an animal so I don’t think that’s gonna happen, but if he improvises, well damn. She checked her phone and link again to find out the clowns name, “ Laughing Jack.”

‘ Shit. . . it’s the same name as Zach’s friend. . .no doubt about it. This is the same clown we both are dealing with. I swear. . . Zach will not die by his hand!’

“ I’m sorry [Y/N], but he called you a naughty word and I got mad.”

[ Y/N] tried to hold back her laughter when she went to pick up her brother that day. According to the teacher, Zach and Tommy got into a fight because Tommy called out a bitch and you just had to laugh. Yet, it was a cute sight to see your brother defend you. Zach kicked Tommy in a certain place, normally Zach would be in trouble but other kids heard what Tommy said so it outweighed the crime.

“ It’s okay Zach, you tried to help me and that’s all that matters. By the way, did you really kick him there?”

“ Yes, I know you told me never to hit there but I had too!”

“ just between us, good job!”

“ Thank you [Y/N].”

Walking down until they reached their house, [Y/N] told Zach to put away his things before coming downstairs for lunch. As [Y/N] was preparing a meal she began to think of Jack. If Sarah’s sister happened to have the same friend that would explain where Jack was always leaving to. It all started to make sense, but if her cat died yesterday that would mean that Jack would. . . no he wouldn’t. He would need also need to kill an animal and give it to us, but what if he works differently and there is no pattern? I mean she was the only witness I remember even being on the web.

“ [Y/N]! What are we eating?”

‘ I mustn’t think like that, Sarah will be safe, her sister will be safe. Everything will be fine. . .’

“ Anything you want Zach. . .”

Setting in a nice room and sleeping, what could go wrong. A loud clunk was heard, waking the siblings with a jolt. This scared Zach, but for [Y/N] she was both scared and glad. If It was jack then luckily Sarah’s sister was safe, but if it wasn’t Jack that would mean that it was a robber and that Jack was going after Sarah’s sister.

“ [Y/N]. . . what was that? I-is m-m-mom back?”

“ Stay here Zach!”

[Y/N] was walking in silence, avoided the step that made noise, and walked down only to hear Zach come down the steps and whisper, “ [Y/N] the bear dad got you is gone!”

‘ An animal. . .”

[Y/N] sprinted down and ran the steps to see her teddy bear, the giant one her dad got her for her birthday before he left hanging from the ceiling fan, with candy spilling out. Relief washed over her as she realized that Sarah’s sister would be okay if it weren’t for Zach screaming, alerting his sister to his side. [Y/N]’s eyes widened at the sight, a red liquid. . . ‘ Blood?’ except followed by the blood were a pair of eyes, blue eyes like those of Sarah, small baby teeth, and a tongue. [Y/N] wasted no time and grabbed her brother and ran to the neighbors calling their mother and the police.

No doubt about it, the police said the same thing. It was probably a robber, but they warned their mother that she shouldn’t leave her children like that alone ever again or CPS would be involved. Their mother thanked them and apologized to the officers along with the neighbors for staying awake and taking care of the children. The police went inside the home to recover the bear and the organs, explaining how they might be connected to a murder that happened recently, right across the street from them, two blocks down. At the sound of this, [Y/N] panicked and asked if the victim was a little girl, blue eyes, light brown hair, an older sister, etc. The officers were surprised and suspicious of [Y/N] for knowing a lot of info and began to question the girl.

“ How do you know that?”

“ I heard about some strange things occurring at her house, you see she is one of my classmates and I'm worried! Was it her?”

“ Y-yes it was, but the conclusion we came to would be that the person who did it probably tried to scare you too and they snuck in to display what you saw in your house. You will be questioned later but be safe. Parts of the crime scene were found in your home, either you’re the next or its someone who gets a kick out of these displays.”

“ Thank you officer and of course, you will be informed if anything changes!” [Y/N]’s mother apologized and thanked them once more. The house was secure and they could return, the only shocking thing was that Zach was speaking to Jack again. Zach was a little uncomfortable that jack arrived a little later after all this happened and that he was laughing. Zach just kept asking Jack where he was and if he was okay.

[Y/N]’s mother was a little confused but rushed her children inside the house. [Y/N] walked over to her mom and they began to talk, mostly about the incident.

“ Mom, hey. . . I think it’s best if me and Zach stay home. . .”

“ I want you to go to school, it’s safer.”

“ If someone did some inside the house to scare us, let’s say we are next. That means that they might stalk us and if we go to school, which means that will find out where we are will only lead to more danger.”

“ If you stay home where he might come back you’ll be in more danger, [Y/N] listen to me, it’s not that hard to listen to your mother is it?”

“ Why can’t you take the day off and take care of us? You always come home late, ever think that maybe we are more in danger because of that?”

“ No need to raise your voice nor get sassy! As your mother I am doing the best I can for you guys but if you want to complain then complain to someone else because I am sure we are all shaken up after these events-”

“ If you were around the house more you would know! Ask your boss, I am sure she will be okay with you staying home or coming home back earlier-”

“ I bring food to this table, to this home by working more hours! If you had a job then maybe you would understand how difficult it is-”

“ I do have a job and that’s being the mom you FAILED TO BE!”

‘ slap’

“ I DON’T EVER WANT YOU TO TALK BACK TO ME YOU HEAR!”

Zach came down the stairs and ran to [Y/N]’s side in fear for her. Their mother sighed and told Zach to go back upstairs to sleep, but Zach refused. [Y/N] laughed a little before grabbing Zach and saying, “ No wonder Dad wanted full custody of us. . .”

“ W-WHAT THE HELL DID YOU SAY?”

“ I said what I had to say! Dad saw that you could never be a good mom and look, I am that proof! Who is playing house now?”

[Y/N] tucked in Zach before giving him a kiss on the cheek and saying good night. She walked back to her room, before Zach said something to [Y/N] that made her smile. “ Y/N, b-be safe, I love you and Jack wants me to tell you, good job for standing up to her.”

“ Thank you Zach and Jack, thanks for that.”

Another day, and Sarah didn’t come to school so nobody heard the details about last night. [Y/N] has only tonight, because if everything so far has been based on the pattern, Jack was going to kill Zach tonight and [Y/N] wasn’t going to let that happen. She thought of some ways that she could outsmart Jack.

‘ Jack can teleport because all the doors were locked and he killed Sarah’s sister yesterday and did his whole charade thingy. Anyways, if that’s the case then he can’t know where Zach is but he hangs with him all the time and if I tell Zach to run Jack will only get to him faster, Jack could also kill me too. . .My only choice is to confront him. .’

Once having her resolve, [Y/N] left school a little earlier than usual, her mother would be getting a call so no doubt about it she will find out, but in the end she would thank [Y/N] for saving Zach. Except that never happened. It was late at night and [Y/N]’s mother wasn’t going to come home and just stay late working. [Y/N] had a plan to confront him, simply put they were going to have another sibling sleepover, if Jack only killed children he would have to take Zach away from her giving her enough time to bolt with Zach or to tell him to go over the neighbors and leave her with Jack.

“ Zach, mom is going to be late again so come and sleepover in my room. I don’t have the bear anymore but still, I can be the next teddy bear.”

“ Okay [Y/N]!”

Zach was safely tucked in the bed and was snoring peacefully, [Y/N] pretended to be asleep and heard a soft shuffle, only for a voice to speak.

“ You’re not asleep.”

[Y/N] opened her eyes, bridal style carried Zach and ran. She had to make it downstairs and at the very least make him go with the neighbors. Zach awoke within the ruckus and was confused when [Y/N] told him to run to the neighbors when she opened the door. Jack apeared right in front of them halfway down the stairs, only for [Y/N] to jump over the railing and continue to the door.

“ ZACH NOW!”

Zach ran and kept ringing the bell until the neighbors opened, Zach was safe! [Y/N] turned around to meet with Jack, she sighed before she told him that he would never get Zach.

“ Thank’s for the compliment but I’m not going to let you hurt Zach.”

“ Out of all the children I’ve killed, every home I visited, you are the only one who paid attention, cared even, if only the others were like you.”

“ Thanks, but like I said I don’t intend to let Zach die here!”

“ You aren’t stupid, you know that I could easily kill him, but I admire that side of you. If only Issac was like that, shame really. I came for life and a life I shall have, so tell me, wanna strike a deal?”

“ Please help my sister!! She is trapped with someone scary!!”

“ Of course! Let’s call the police!”

By the time the police were called onto the scene, [Y/N] was long gone. [Y/N]’s mother was arrested for child negligence and for not administering parental supervision such as a babysitter or a relative coming over. Zach was forced to live in an orphanage but his neighbors gladly took him in, unknown to the rest they were trying to have a child for so long but haven’t been able to, Zach didn’t mind. Except, he wanted his sister [Y/N].

Christmas rolled around and Zach was opening the gifts his new parents got him, except one was wrapped nicely in decorative paper. Zach’s parents weren’t sure who got it, but it was for Zach. It was a big bear, one like [Y/N] had. Zach cried a little at the memory before smiling, his sister was alive, he knew this, but where was she. She was right outside watching him smile, [Y/N] smiled at the sight before an all too familiar clown arrived to pick her up. He grabbed her hand, feeling nothing from him, [Y/N] thought back to that night, the night he claimed her as his, mentally. Whether it is for comfort or for something else, Jack was glad to have someone like [Y/N] with him, someone to care for him. He looked down at the girl as he ruffled her hair before leaning forward.

His hand got closer and closer to her cheek before he touched it.

“ Pop Goes [Y/N~”

#yandere #yandere fanfiction #yandere x y/n #yandere x reader #yandere x darling #yandere laughing jack #laughing jack #creepypasta #yandere creepypasta #laughing jack x reader

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specialagentartemis · 3 years

Note

Hi, I just wondered if you'd be up for saying a bit about your OC Rebecca Lambert? Cos I saw you mention her on my post and I am very intrigued...

(Feel free to ignore this if you don't feel like talking about her.)

Absolutely! I love to talk about Rebecca! I originally came up with her when thinking about Lovelace coming back from space and having to go tell her crews’ families what happened. Rebecca was kind of a vehicle for Lovelace Angst. Which is still very good, but she’s also spiralled out into a character of her own.

Rebecca Lambert is Sam Lambert’s older sister. She’s three years older than he is. I usually write them as Potawatomi through their dad's side. They were close when they were kids—she was louder, more outspoken, though they’re both equally argumentative. She would end up punching bullies for him sometimes at school, which he didn’t really appreciate because he’s anxious and self-conscious about everything. As kids, they would spend a lot of time sitting and reading quietly in the Shawnee public library. Rebecca liked to read books about history and contemporary/literary; Sam liked to read sci-fi. Those days in the library instilled in Rebecca a love of libraries, and in Sam a love of space and a desire to get out and see the world.

They were never really anybody special growing up. Rebecca got more political, more interested in community and activism; Sam spent his time reading books and watching the airplanes take off from the airport and dreaming about being somewhere else. At 18 went to college at the University of Oklahoma and then did a Master’s in Library Science. That was kind of the last straw for Sam; his dad was from Shawnee, his mom was from Tulsa, no one in his family had left Oklahoma in a generation or more, he wanted to get out and go places and be somebody.

So he went into the Air Force academy, and he and Rebecca had their first real big fight over that. Rebecca couldn’t understand why he wanted to leave; Sam couldn’t understand why she wanted to stay.

Rebecca grew up to be an avowed socialist/anarcho-syndicalist (depending on who she’s madder at at the moment); she wants to be a community organizer but doesn’t really have the people skills for it. She works at the Shawnee Public Library and it’s her calling, but fighting against conservative town policies and conservative town budgets is a full-time job in its own right.

When Sam told her he was going to be an astronaut, going to go to space, they had a fight about that too. Rebecca didn’t want him to go, didn’t trust Goddard, didn’t understand why he’s always felt the need to get as far away from Shawnee as possible; Sam, anguished and frustrated, responded with “Why can’t you ever just be happy for me?” and her answer was, bluntly, “I don’t want you to die in space, you idiot!” She loves her brother. She really does. Even if she doesn’t understand any of his life choices.

And then he went to space and never came back. And Goddard Futuristics refused to tell her or anyone in her family what happened.

This began her campaign to pry that information out of them. It… didn’t go that well; in their eyes, she was a nobody from nowhere, with no power. And all information about Captain Lovelace’s mission had been scrubbed from the internet.

But Rebecca was angry and determined, and after some years of no responses, she eventually made a small news story in a Florida paper by driving to the Goddard HQ, parking her pickup truck on their lawn, and banging on the door yelling “WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY BROTHER, YOU BASTARDS?”

And guess who, at that point, was monitoring the news for information about mysterious astronaut deaths connected to Goddard?

So about a week after she was released from jail, threatened by Goddard’s lawyers, kicked out, and returned home to Shawnee, she gets a phone call. “Hello. My name is Dominik Koudelka, and I’m a reporter. Goddard Futuristics killed my wife. I think we might be able to help each other uncover the truth.”

Finally, finally, someone is listening.

Dominik comes to meet her and talk to her. She takes him to the library. See, Goddard can scrub information from the internet… but they can’t touch microfilm. And she has a copy of the local newspaper on microfilm from when Sam’s shuttle launched, which she goes back to every once in a while… to prove to herself that she’s not making this up, that this all really happened. And she shows Dominik. “Here. This was my brother’s mission. They were supposed to come back three years ago, but they never did, and Goddard wants to pretend the whole thing never happened.”

But Dominik is staring at something else.

“Who’s that?” he asks, and points at the older man in the crew photo.

Rebecca has read this article enough times to name everyone in the photo. “That’s the science officer, Elias Selberg.”

“No…” Dominik says, “No, his name is Hilbert, and he was on my wife’s crew.”

They both realize, right then, that there is so much more being kept secret than two missing space crews. And they have a lot more people to find and contact now, and a much bigger investigation.

And thus begins Rebecca’s entry into what @geejaysmith and I call The OC Investigation Squad, a collection of OC family members left behind on Earth who band together and have investigations while the main plot of the show is going on, trying to uncover the Truth about Goddard and bring them down.

#Wolf 359 #replies #lazy-hufflepuff #OCs #My OCs #The OC Investigation Squad #I have so many stories I want to write involving Rebecca... someday....

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followyoursecretsmutblog · 4 years

Text

strictly speaking.

Request: Anonymous - I am not sure you are open for ideas, if not just feel free to ignore me. I have this in my mind for a while but I know I couldn’t write it as you. So: Our guy is Napoleon Solo, who is on a plane with his lady, a fellow spy (their relationship is secret). Because they are on a plane with others, they can’t do it, but they started to talk what they would do to each other if they were alone. So it’s basically just talk, but a steamy one. I could die to read that. 👀👅

A/N: Thank you for the request! Sorry it took so long, I really appreciate your patience! I hope you enjoy it! This is my third attempt at Napoleon, and I had a lot of fun writing this!

“Solo, keep your hands to yourself. We are in public.” You say softly, crossing your legs and flipping the page of your magazine.

“Well, you are no fun.” He says as he puts his hand back in his own lap.

“I am a lot of fun. You were reminded of that this morning.” You say cheekily, looking at him through the side of your eye.

He just smirks as he leans over toward you, pretending to look out the window, watching as you pass the clouds. “This morning was the morning. I want you now.” He whispers hotly in your ear.

Your hands shake for a moment at the sound of his voice, so calm yet so dominate.

Taking a deep breath, you flip another page. “We are in the middle of an airplane. The toilets are too small. And I am very comfortable.”

“Let me make you uncomfortable, my dear.” He sits back down in his seat, grabbing the paper he stashed in the pocket upon sitting down. “What do you say to a little game?” He asks, opening the paper with a snap.

“How dirty are we playing?”

He says nothing for a long time, seemingly engrossed in whatever article he is reading.

“If we weren’t called in today, what would we be doing?” He asks finally.

“Most likely spending the day in bed. It would have been our first day together in a while.” You turn the page, seemingly uninterested.

“I bet if we were at home right now, you would be on your... third orgasm. Maybe fourth.” Your eyes snap open and your legs clench together.

“Leon, don’t start something you can’t finish.” You hiss.

“Dear, I can get you off without even touching you. Trust me, I am perfectly fine.” His blue eyes slide to yours, shinning with mischief. “For instants, you look good, but imagine how good you would look with my fingers inside of you.”

You let out a soft laugh at that, shaking your head at him. “Whew, and here I thought you were actually going to say something smart. That is just pitiful, Leon. Try again.” Your smile doesn’t slip as you turn your gaze outside the window.

“You don’t want my fingers?” He asks, his own eyes shifting back to his paper.

“If I was looking for a quick fix, sure. But, if we were to be home, I was hoping you would use that wicked tongue of yours first.” You slip your hand onto his thigh as you give it a quick squeeze, letting your fingers brush against his crotch before pulling it away. “You know how much I love the things you do with it.”

“What makes you think I will give you what you want from the start? We would have all day together, I’d love to take my time with you. Reacquaint myself with your body.”

You let out a soft laugh at that, shaking your head as you turn your attention back to reading. “Leon, you and my body are very much acquainted. I fear you may know it better than me.”

“Of course, I do. Only I know that if I were to lightly run my fingers over the inside of your thigh, your nipples will harden and your will breathing will catch.” He says huskily, watching you as you slip your hand between your legs, your fingers dancing along the soft, tender skin of your thigh. As your fingers move up, you can feel your breath becoming harder to come by, your legs start shaking as your nipples harden against the rough material of your dress. “Just like that.” He says, his satisfied smirk audible.

Straightening your back, you move your hand back to the magazine, flipping pages. “Okay, I’ll give you that. Only because I love having your hands on me.” You can see his smile out of the corner of your eye. “But, you, my sweet, love my mouth on you. The way my tongue glides over your harden length, playing with your slit as my lips wrap around you, sucking and biting.

Leon shifts in his seat slightly, but other than that, he is unaffected by your words. “Let’s see, if you would already have me at my fourth orgasm, that means we would have to take a small break, get you back to full mast.” A smirk graces your lips as the images swirl in your head, the two of you lying in bed, light sheen of sweat covering your bodies. The midmorning sun illuminating Leon with an angelic glow as he tells you how good you were for him, how well you took him as he runs his fingers softly across your cheek.

As the scene plays in your mind, you speak your actions out for him softly, breathlessly, as if it were a dream you never wanted to forget. “I’d kiss you softly before rolling you to your back and climbing on top of you, running my greedy little hands along the plains of your body as I move lower, my lips leaving a trail of nips and kisses as I reach your half hard cock. Oh, Leon, the way I would look up at you as I take you in my mouth. Letting my tongue trace every vein and ridge on you, my teeth scratching against you as you moan for more.

“You would thread your fingers in my hair, pushing me lower and lower, wanting me to take you all in.” You stop, tilting your head back against your seat, one of your hands coming up and resting on your throat. “I can just imagine the way you would feel moving in and out of my throat. Feeling the way your velvety skin would slide against my tongue.” You turn your head ever so slightly in his direction, seeing his hands clenching his paper tightly. “I can practically taste your come in my mouth, my dear Leon.” You whisper out.

“I should fuck that mouth of yours, teach it a lesson. It is very filthy.” Your eyes roll back into your head at the sound of that, loving it when he is rough with you. He grabs his jacket from the floor, laying it casually across his lap. “Whoever taught you that kind of language?” He chides, giving you a side eye as you turn back to the window.

“Attention passengers, we will be starting our descent. If you would please put your tray tables up, your seats forward and give your trash to the air hostess. On behalf of the crew, thank you for flying with us and we hope to see you soon.”

“Only the filthiest man I know.” You can’t hide the smile from your voice. “But, back to the good stuff, your cock down my throat.” Napoleon chokes a little at your brazen words, you can see his body vibrating next to you. “Let’s see, after you get hard again, I would pop off you, your cock red and covered in my saliva, ready to take me. Would you let me ride you, Leon? Let me take control for a bit? I’m sure it would be worth your while.

“My pussy taking your thick shaft, slowly sliding down, feeling you twitch for me to go faster. But, of course, I won’t.” You shift your eyes to his, waiting for him to look at you. It takes a moment, you have been quiet far too long, his curiosity nipping at him as he turns, meeting your heated gaze. “Because, we have all day together.” You say seductively.

“And once I bottom out, I would just sit there, letting my walls clench around you, massaging your very generous girth as you beg me to move.” Napoleon lets out a huff at that. “Trust me, baby, you will beg.” Turning back to your magazine, you continue, “You always do.”

“Sir, can you please put your tray table in the upright position? We will be landing in about 5 minutes.” The air hostess says brightly, snagging Napoleon’s attention away.

“Of course, how silly of me to have forgotten.” He dazzles her with a bright smile and you watch her eyes wonder down his body. With a satisfied click of her tongue she walks off, swaying her hips obnoxiously. “Where were we again?” He brings his voice lower, eyes dragging back to his paper. “Please, tell me more about how I will be begging for you.”

“Actions speak louder than words, my sweet Leon. The way you will shift your hips, the way the muscles in your abdomen will clench, how you with be fisting the sheets to stop from touching me. All those signs tell me everything I have ever needed to know. You beg, baby, and you look so good while you do it.” You turn the page, “When I would be ready to move, I would place my hands against your stomach, using it as leverage to pull up, feeling you slide out of me. But, I would keep your head in, letting my walls clench at the feeling of you not being inside me anymore before dropping back down.”

You clench your legs together at the thought, feeling yourself get wet at your own imagination, remembering just this morning how it felt to have him inside you, slowly fucking you awake. Letting your climax be your alarm, to be your precursor for how your day was supposed to be.

“I would get tired of your teasing really fast. As much as I love watching you move on top of me, I would let you finish. I do love watching you come, the way your body shakes, how your nipples beg to be pulled and sucked, how your pussy clenches around my cock. How you make these little pants and gasps, begging for more.”

The plane lands and starts taxing to the gate, your game almost over. “What would you do with me?” You ask, feeling your core throb, in desperate need of attention.

“I would wait until you were just about to come back down, grabbing your wrists in one hand and rolling us so I was on top of you. Pinning your hands above your head, I’d start fucking you. And not that sweet, slow, torturous fuck from this morning, no. This will be hard and fast. The only sounds being heard will be our skin slapping each other and your moans, begging me for more. Because you sound like such a good girl begging for my cock. Wanting it to go deeper, to fill you up.”

The plane stops, and the people around you start unbuckling their seatbelts and standing as the air cuts off. “Leon, tell me more.” You whine, your hand gripping your magazine tightly, trying to keep your mouth closed in fear of crying out.

He says nothing for a long time, just folding his paper and stuffing it in his bag and taking his seatbelt off as well before shifting in his seat to face you. You look at him, begging him silently to put you out of your misery. You were so close, and you have only just been talking about it!

With a satisfied smirk he reaches over, unclasping your belt and setting his hand on the top of your thigh, giving it a hearty squeeze. His fingertips pressing into your inner thigh making you shake even more. “And then you come, crying out my name. I get to feel your walls clench around me again, feel them drain my cock of my come as I spill inside you, filling you before pulling out, watching as it drips from your quivering pussy. Soiling the sheets in the best way possible.”

He slides his hand up higher, his signet ring brushing ever so slightly against your aching clit, making you gasp. Placing his lips against your ear, he whispers one command you can’t help but follow as your eyes roll to the back of your head and your body shakes.

Come.

My requests are closed. For those that have sent me one, please know I am working on them slowly. Thank you for your patience.

#henry cavill #henry cavill imagine #henry cavill one shot #henry cavill x reader #henry cavill fluff #henry cavill smut #napoleon solo #napoleon solo x reader #tmfu #the man from uncle #anonymous #request #yourlocalhumandisaster #yoursecretsmutblog

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eldritchw1tch · 3 years

Text

i don’t want you like a best friend: a tswift-pimms playlist

link

this is the pimms playlist i spent more than a year working on from like, 2018 to the end of 2019! as such, it only contains music up through lover, not anything from folklore or evermore. @permets-2 finally poked me into posting the liner notes, which I gave up on because tumblr formatting was fighting me, so please know i haven’t actually looked at them since 2019 and there might still be missing things? idk.

this playlist is absolutely dedicated to my beloved @faiasakura, who did her own version of an all-tswift pimms playlist completely independently (we actively avoided comparing notes, lol), which can be found here!

i don’t really go here lately but i hope this is of interest to someone!

Prologue

1. Don’t Blame Me (reputation)

for you, I would fall from grace

Just to touch your face

If you walk away, I'd beg you on my knees to stay

…

Lord save me, my drug is my baby

I'll be usin' for the rest of my life

Act 1: The Q

2. Gorgeous (reputation)

a crush

Ocean blue eyes looking in mine

I feel like I might sink and drown and die

…

You're so gorgeous

I can't say anything to your face

'Cause look at your face

And I'm so furious

At you for making me feel this way

But what can I say?

You're gorgeous

3. Treacherous (Red)

something magnetic, pulling them both in

And I'll do anything you say

If you say it with your hands

And I'd be smart to walk away

But you're quicksand

…

Your name has echoed through my mind

And I just think you should, think you should know

That nothing safe is worth the drive

And I will follow you, follow you home

4. Dress (reputation)

a shared and precious secret: love, desperate and messy and everything. But also: the scrutiny, the frenetic anxiety, the fear.

I’m spilling wine in the bathtub

You kiss my face and we're both drunk

Everyone thinks that they know us

But they know nothing about—

All of this silence and patience, pining and anticipation

My hands are shaking from holding back from you

5. Tied Together With a Smile (Taylor Swift)

the pressure builds; jack’s anxiety gets worse

Hold on, baby you're losing it

The water's high, you're jumping into it

And letting go, and no one knows

That you cry, but you don't tell anyone

That you might not be the golden one

And you're tied together with a smile

But you're coming undone

6. Long Live (Speak Now)

the glory, the playoffs, the memorial cup: the golden boys of hockey, on top of the world

Long live the walls we crashed through

All the kingdom lights shined just for me and you

I was screaming, long live all the magic we made

And bring on all the pretenders

One day, we will be remembered

…

Hold on, to spinning around

Confetti falls to the ground

May these memories break our fall

7. State of Grace (Red)

the 34 days, inside kent’s euphoria

This is a state of grace

This is the worthwhile fight

Love is a ruthless game

Unless you play it good and right

These are the hands of fate

You’re my Achilles heel

this is the golden age of something good and right and real

8. Cruel Summer (Lover)

(that golden season and its dark underbelly)

So cut the headlights, summer's a knife

I'm always waiting for you just to cut to the bone

Devils roll the dice, angels roll their eyes

And if I bleed, you'll be the last to know

Said, "I'm fine," but it wasn't true

I don't wanna keep secrets just to keep you

And I snuck in through the garden gate

Every night that summer just to seal my fate (Oh)

And I scream, "For whatever it's worth

I love you, ain't that the worst thing you ever heard?"

9. Haunted (Speak Now)

the overdose: kent finds jack on the bathroom floor

Whoa, holding my breath

Won't lose you again

Something's made your eyes go cold

Come on, come on, don't leave me like this

I thought I had you figured out

Something's gone terribly wrong

You're all I wanted

10. I Know Places (1989)

kent in the waiting room, holding on hope

Something happens when everybody finds out

See the vultures circling, dark clouds

Love's a fragile little flame, it could burn out

It could burn out

…

Lights flash and we'll run for the fences

Let them say what they want, we won't hear it

Loose lips sink ships all the damn time

Not this time

Act 2: The Fallout

11. The Story of Us (Speak Now)

kent goes to the draft; jack won’t answer his calls

Now I'm standing alone in a crowded room

And we're not speaking

And I'm dying to know

Is it killing you like it's killing me?

Yeah, and I don't know what to say

Since the twist of fate, when it all broke down

And the story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now

…

The battle's in your hands now

But I would lay my armor down

If you say you'd rather love than fight

12. Last Kiss (Speak Now)

jack and kent, the same realization from opposite sides

So I'll go sit on the floor

Wearing your clothes

All that I know is

I don't know how to be something you miss

I never thought we'd have a last kiss

Never imagined we'd end like this

Your name, forever the name on my lips

13. Death By A Thousand Cuts (Lover)

Starting to live with the devastation and the broken heart

Saying goodbye is death by a thousand cuts

Flashbacks waking me up

I get drunk, but it's not enough

’Cause the morning comes and you're not my baby

I look through the windows of this love

Even though we boarded them up

Chandelier's still flickering here

’Cause I can't pretend it's okay when it's not

It's death by a thousand cuts

14. If This Was A Movie (Speak Now)

regrets and memories

Last night, I heard my own heart beating

Sounded like footsteps on my stairs

Six months gone and I'm still reaching

Even though I know you're not there

I was playing back a thousand memories, baby

Thinkin' 'bout everything we've been through

Maybe I've been going back too much lately

When time stood still and I had you

15. Cold as You (Taylor Swift)

the grief and pain become anger and bitterness

And when you take, you take the very best of me

So I start a fight cause I need to feel something

And you do what you want cause I'm not what you wanted

…

You put up walls and paint them all a shade of gray

And I stood there loving you and wished them all away

And you come away with a great little story

Of a mess of a dreamer with the nerve to adore you

Interlude 1: Jack

16. I Almost Do (Red)

kent doesn’t know as much as he thinks he does (but jack doesn’t either)

I bet you think I either moved on or hate you

‘Cause each time you reach out, there’s no reply

I bet it never, ever occurred to you

That I can’t say hello to you

And risk another goodbye

…

Oh, we made quite a mess, babe

It’s probably better off this way

And I confess, babe

In my dreams, you’re touching my face

And asking me if I want to try again with you

And I almost do

Act 3: Coming of Age in Vegas

17. New Romantics (1989)

vegas; teammates; living in the moment; drinking, dancing, and self-destructing

We're all here, the lights and boys are blinding

We hang back, it's all in the timing

It's poker

He can't see it in my face

But I'm about to play my Ace (ahh)

We need love, but all we want is danger

We team up, then switch sides like a record changer

The rumors are terrible and cruel

But honey, most of them are true

…

Heartbreak is the national anthem

We sing it proudly

We’re too busy dancing (yeah) to get knocked off our feet

Baby, we're the new romantics

The best people in life are free

18. Begin Again (Red)

kent starts to move on

And you throw your head back laughing like a little kid

I think it's strange that you think I'm funny 'cause he never did

I've been spending the last eight months

Thinking all love ever does is break and burn and end

But on a Wednesday in a cafe, I watched it begin again

19. The Way I Loved You (Fearless)

all the drinking and dancing and dating still feel empty and hollow; he just wants to feel again; he just wants that love back

I miss screaming and fighting and kissing in the rain

It's 2 AM and I'm cursing your name

I'm so in love that I acted insane

And that's the way I loved you

Breaking down and coming undone

It's a roller coaster kind of rush

And I never knew I could feel that much

And that's the way I loved you

…

He can't see the smile I'm faking

And my heart's not breaking

'Cause I'm not feeling anything at all

And you were wild and crazy

Just so frustrating

Intoxicating, complicated

20. The Lucky One (Red)

kent parson: the loneliest boy, so alone at the top of the world

You had it figured out since you were in school

Everybody loves pretty, everybody loves cool

So overnight, you look like a sixties queen

…

And they tell you that you’re lucky, but you’re so confused

'Cause you don’t feel pretty, you just feel used

And all the young things line up to take your place

—

Another name goes up in lights

You wonder if you’ll make it out alive

21. Come In With The Rain (Fearless)

(starting to move on is not the same as letting go)

I’ve watched you so long, screamed your name

I don’t know what else I can say

…

But I’ll leave my window open

'Cause I’m too tired at night to call your name

Just know I’m right here hoping

That you’ll come in with the rain

Act 4: Implosion

22. Out of the Woods (1989)

memories he can’t escape of a love like a car crash

The night we couldn't quite forget

When we decided, we decided

To move the furniture so we could dance

Baby, like we stood a chance

Two paper airplanes flying, flying, flying

And I remember thinking

Are we out of the woods yet? Are we out of the woods yet? Are we out of the woods yet?

…

You took a Polaroid of us

Then discovered (then discovered)

The rest of the world was black and white

But we were in screaming color

23. Red (Red)

Kent decides to go to epikegster

Loving him is like driving a new Maserati

Down a dead-end street

Faster than the wind, passionate as sin

Ending so suddenly

…

Remembering him comes in flashbacks and echoes

Tell myself it's time now, gotta let go

But moving on from him is impossible

When I still see it all in my head

In burning red

Loving him was red

24. The Last Time (Red)

didja miss me? (something tentative; something a little bit hopeful on both sides)

Find myself at your door

Just like all those times before

I’m not sure how I got there

All roads they lead me here

I imagine you are home

In your room, all alone

And you open your eyes into mine

And everything feels better

25. The Archer (Lover)

kent tries to extend an olive branch but it’s still covered in thorns

Combat, I'm ready for combat

I say I don't want that, but what if I do?

'Cause cruelty wins in the movies

I've got a hundred thrown-out speeches I almost said to you

…

I've been the archer, I've been the prey

Who could ever leave me, darling

But who could stay?

…

And I cut off my nose just to spite my face

Then I hate my reflection for years and years

26. Bad Blood (1989)

jack’s answer to kent’s wounded lashing out

Oh, it's so sad to

Think about the good times

You and I

…

’Cause baby, now we've got bad blood

You know it used to be mad love

So take a look what you've done

’Cause baby, now we've got bad blood, hey!

27. Breathe (Fearless)

kent, driving away from epikegster

I see your face in my mind as I drive away

'Cause none of us thought it was gonna end that way

People are people and sometimes we change our minds

But it's killing me to see you go after all this time

…

And we know it's never simple, never easy

Never a clean break, no one here to save me

You're the only thing I know like the back of my hand

…

And I can't breathe without you, but I have to

Breathe without you but I have to

28. All Too Well (Red)

despite all the pain, there’s an irresistible nostalgia for what they had all those years ago—for when things were so much simpler

Maybe we got lost in translation

Maybe I asked for too much

But maybe this thing was a masterpiece

'Til you tore it all up

Running scared, I was there, I remember it all too well

And you call me up again just to break me like a promise

So casually cruel in the name of being honest

I'm a crumpled up piece of paper lying here

'Cause I remember it all, all, all

Too well

…

Time won't fly, it's like I'm paralyzed by it

I'd like to be my old self again

But I'm still trying to find it

Interlude 2: Kent

29. Fifteen (Fearless)

a memory, a reflection

'Cause when you're fifteen and somebody tells you they love you

You're gonna believe them

And when you're fifteen and your first kiss

Makes your head spin 'round

But in your life you'll do things greater than

Dating the boy on the football team

But I didn't know it at fifteen

…

When all you wanted was to be wanted

Wish you could go back and tell yourself what you know now

Back then I swore I was gonna marry him someday

But I realized some bigger dreams of mine

Act 5: Moving On, Growing Up

30. Clean (1989)

finally learning to be his own person, separate from that shared past

There was nothing left to do (Oh-oh, oh-oh)

When the butterflies turned to

Dust that covered my whole room

So I punched a hole in the roof (Oh-oh, oh-oh)

Let the flood carry away all my pictures of you

…

The water filled my lungs, I screamed so loud

But no one heard a thing

…

Rain came pouring down

When I was drowning, that's when I could finally breathe

And by morning

Gone was any trace of you, I think I am finally clean

31. 22 (Red)

friends and freedom, and real joy in that this time around

It feels like a perfect night

To dress up like hipsters

And make fun of our exes, uh-uh, uh-uh

It feels like a perfect night

For breakfast at midnight

To fall in love with strangers, uh-uh, uh-uh

…

Yeah

We're happy, free, confused, and lonely at the same time

It's miserable and magical, oh, yeah

Tonight's the night when we forget about the deadlines

It's time, oh-oh

32. So It Goes… (reputation)

[a doomed love can still be a good one]

'Cause we break down a little

But when you get me alone, it's so simple

'Cause baby, I know what you know

We can feel it

…

And all the pieces fall right into place

Getting caught up in a moment

Lipstick on your face

So it goes…

…

I'm yours to keep

And I'm yours to lose

You know I'm not a bad girl, but I

Do bad things with you

So it goes…

33. Dancing With Our Hands Tied (reputation)

[a doomed love can still be a good one]

I, I loved you in secret

First sight, yeah, we love without reason

Oh, twenty-five years old

Oh, how were you to know?

…

Could've spent forever with your hands in my pockets

Picture of your face in an invisible locket

You said there was nothing in the world that could stop it

I had a bad feeling

…

I'd kiss you as the lights went out

Swaying as the room burned down

I'd hold you as the water rushes in

If I could dance with you again

34. Wildest Dreams (1989)

[a doomed love can still be a good one]

He's so tall and handsome as hell

He's so bad, but he does it so well

I can see the end as it begins

My one condition is

…

Say you'll remember me

Standing in a nice dress

Staring at the sunset, babe

Red lips and rosy cheeks

Say you'll see me again

Even if it's just in your

Wildest dreams, ah-aah, haa

34. Shake It Off (1989)

At the top of his game, at the top of his sport, and actually happy at long last

I never miss a beat

I'm lightning on my feet

And that's what they don’t see, mm, mm

…

But I keep cruisin'

Can't stop, won't stop groovin'

It's like I got this music in my mind

Saying it's gonna be alright

…

'Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play

And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate

Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake

I shake it off, I shake it off

Heartbreakers gonna break, break, break, break, break

And the fakers gonna fake, fake, fake, fake, fake

Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake

I shake it off, I shake it off

35. Holy Ground (Red)

Remembering with enough distance and experience to appreciate what was, not ache from it

Spinning like a girl in a brand new dress

We had this big wide city all to ourselves

We blocked the noise with the sound of, "I need you"

And for the first time, I had something to lose

And I guess we fell apart in the usual way

And the story's got dust on every page

But sometimes, I wonder how you think about it now

And I see your face in every crowd

…

'Cause darling, it was good

Never looking down

And right there where we stood

Was holy ground

Act 6: Reunion

36. ME! (Lover)

reconnection, reconciliation, re-appreciation

I know I tend to make it about me

I know you never get just what you see

But I will never bore you, baby

(And there's a lot of lame guys out there)

…

'Cause one of these things is not like the others

Livin' in winter, I am your summer

Baby doll, when it comes to a lover

I promise that you'll never find another like me-e-e

37. This Love (1989)

an unexpected reawakening

Tossing, turning

Struggled through the night with someone new

And I could go on and on, on and on

Lantern, burning

Flickered in my mind, only you

But you were still gone, gone, gone

…

Been losing grip, on sinking ships

You showed up just in time

…

This love is good, this love is bad

This love is alive back from the dead, oh-oh, oh

These hands had to let it go free, and

This love came back to me, oh-oh, oh

38. End Game (reputation) (ft. ed sheeran as jack)

After all this time, there are things they aren’t ever going to let go of again, no matter the trouble they bring

I got a bad boy persona, that's what they like (what they like)

You love it, I love it too 'cause you my type (You my type)

You hold me down, and I protect you with my life

…

I don't wanna touch you, I don't wanna be

Just another ex-love you don’t wanna see

I don’t wanna miss you (I don't wanna miss you)

Like the other girls do

I don’t wanna hurt you, I just wanna be

Drinking on a beach with you all over me

I know what they all say (I know what they all say)

But I ain't tryna play

…

I wanna be your end game (End game)

I wanna be your first string (First string)

I wanna be your A-Team (A-Team)

I wanna be your end game, end game

39. You Are In Love (1989)

something real; something sacred; something to build a life on

You can hear it in the silence (silence), silence (silence), you

You can feel it on the way home (way home), way home (way home), you

You can see it with the lights out (lights out), lights out (lights out)

You are in love, true love

You are in love

…

You kiss on sidewalks

You fight and you talk

One night, he wakes

Strange look on his face

Pauses, then says "You're my best friend"

And you knew what it was, he is in love

40. Change (Fearless)

when the two biggest hockey players of their generation come out of the closet—together—are in love with each other—it changes more lives than just theirs

So we've been outnumbered, raided, and now cornered

It's hard to fight when the fight ain’t fair

We're getting stronger now, finding things they never found

They might be bigger but we're faster and never scared

You can walk away, say we don't need this

But there's something in your eyes says we can beat this

…

'Cause these things will change

Can you feel it now?

These walls that they put up to hold us back will fall down

This revolution, the time will come

For us to finally win

And we'll sing hallelujah, we'll sing hallelujah

Oh, oh

41. Call It What You Want (reputation)

When it stops mattering what anyone else thinks

All my flowers grew back as thorns

Windows boarded up after the storm

He built a fire just to keep me warm

All the drama queens taking swings

All the jokers dressing up as kings

They fade to nothing when I look at him

And I know I make the same mistakes every time

Bridges burn, I never learn

At least I did one thing right

I did one thing right

I'm laughing with my lover, makin' forts under covers

Trust him like a brother

Yeah, you know I did one thing right

Starry eyes sparkin' up my darkest night

…

My baby's fit like a daydream

Walking with his head down

I'm the one he's walking to

So call it what you want, yeah

Call it what you want to

42. Lover (Lover)

love

We could leave the Christmas lights up 'til January

And this is our place, we make the rules

And there's a dazzling haze, a mysterious way about you, dear

Have I known you 20 seconds or 20 years?

…

Can I go where you go?

Can we always be this close?

Forever and ever, ah

Take me out, and take me home

You're my, my, my, my lover

43. New Year’s Day (reputation)

love

You squeeze my hand three times in the back of the taxi

I can tell that it's gonna 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

…

Don't read the last page

But I stay when it’s hard or it’s wrong or we're making mistakes

I want your midnights

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

44. Daylight (Lover)

Building a new life in the daylight

My love was as cruel as the cities I lived in

Everyone looked worse in the light

There are so many lines that I've crossed unforgiven

I'll tell you truth, but never goodbye

…

I once believed love would be (burning red)

But it's golden

Like daylight, like daylight

Like daylight, daylight

…

I don't wanna look at anything else now that I saw you

I don't wanna think of anything else now that I thought of you

I've been sleeping so long in a 20-year dark night

And now I see daylight, I only see daylight

56 notes · View notes

peachbearies · 3 years

Note

Hey, I was wondering can I request a prettymuch imagine where you are dating nick and you go with the boys to a video shoot and you go on live to give the beanz a sneak peek 👀👀

Good News - N. Mara

Requested

›› Synopsis: Being nick’s girlfriend and hanging out with him and the boys on set, so you go live and give them a sneak peak.

›› Genre: Fluff

›› Paring: Female Reader x Nick Mara

›› Warnings: nothing

›› A/N: sure I can do that I just hope it’s well written for you, I’ve restarted this request too many times lmao, enjoy!. And grammar errors or anything you want me to change please feel free to tell me in the comments.🤍

Shoot after shoot, you were starting to get bored with sitting there. But you had to be honest with yourself it was been a while since you've seen the boys, so anytime spent with them was a fun time. From diving out of an airplane with them for Nick's birthday, to proclaiming Austin's first kid, the last bit of 2020 has been extremely fun.

Nick waltz over to your frame luring you in with both hands on the couch ”what you doing ma” his lips looming your temple; lobbing his body subsequently to you his arm embroiled around your middle ”just glimpsing on Instagram, how's your shoot going?” you lay your phone face down lending him your scrutiny, but nick dips into your neck clutching your thigh down to your calves. Making you let out a timid scoff, your hands deposited on his chest to impede him from going any further. For your sake.

”stop prevailing a flirt for once” you titter at him, Nick frowns with that significant smirk blatantly spread across his skin ”not when you gazing like a meal, and you're mine?” nick’s eye inciting butterflies to transpire in your chest, the crimson stain across your ears and cheeks. ”whatever, what you come over here for?” the oscillations in your throat thundering against your chest, further fueling nick’s cockiness. Nick adored to drill your nerves and turn you into the biggest nerve wreck.

His smile appearing a trivial vaster than before ”came to check on you ma, am I tolerated to do that?” his eyes easing your frame in an elevator motion ”yeah you can” scampering closer to him your head places on his shoulder.

”I'm so excited to get music out to the beanz” nick starts, you caress his arm tenderly hearing nothing but his wants fill your ears, Nicks voice, when he was serious, was calming and assertive. “Did you hear what I said ma?” Nick hands grabbing your face to look into his eyes ”hm?” your voice came out weak. ” Hmm, I knew it” his lips disjoin scantily you could feel his body heat securing you your eyes darted at his jawline feeling your heart jabbing against your chest all you could hear was your volatile breathing. His tongue flowed past your lips mashing your body against the couch, his fingertips drenching into your waist so neat.

The environment felt voiceless until someone solicited his name ”yo nick! Where you at? We gotta get back to shooting” vacating you breathless his eyes form in a crescent before he was away. ”I'm right here!” nick walks out of your view. With your hand on your chest, you clasp your phone again going back to social media. You've been at set for hours, so you decided to get on live.

Fixing your clothes as it was starting up, you see tons of people start flooding in ”hello everyone how are you?” you smile at the hearts and lovely comments.

”where are you?” you read, countering you flipped the camera showing them the set “I’m at the set with the boys for their music video” dismounting off the couch you reveal them your favorite room they filmed in “I like this room, the purple lamps are my favorite part honestly, and the plants too they're great, even though there fake”

”can we see your outfit?” you read ”sure, it's nothing special just casual” you pan your camera in front of the mirror. Seeing the hearts float up on the screen made you smile ”thank you guys”

”babe!!” nick screams your name, hearing the sounds of his sneakers gliding across the floor ”im in here!” you yell back to him, further apologizing to the ones watching for being loud. Looking at nick in the mirror he walks behind you clapping your ass with one hand.

”ow! Babe, I'm on live” you remind him ”say hi disrespectful” nick nuzzled his head in your neck, holding your body firmly against him, ”hi everyone” he mumbles

”why you acting shy?” you pick at him ”im not, I'm just tired, I haven’t talk to you all day” smiling the comments flood with ‘🥺’ and ‘mom and dad’ , one comment that sounds out to you, you read it outloud. ‘Nick you’re doing great and I can’t wait for prettymuch 2.0’ you read for Nick. His head tilts up smiling at the camera.

“Thank you guys for still sticking around, I know it’s been a drought with our music but trust me it’s worth the wait, wanna say a lot of things but you’ll have to wait and see” you lean into his arms, unconsciously he wraps them around you middle “I’m telling you guys, it’s super dope what they got planned, couldn’t be more proud of them” Nick looks down at you with the eyes he shown you the first time he said “I love you” , matter of fact he always looked like that. And it’s true Nick really did love you more than he let off, Nick is more of an action versus word person, so even though he doesn’t say it, he does mean it.

“Okay guess imma get off live and I’m going to spend time with the short stack, he’s being a whiny brat” you announce , Nick pulls away giving you his signature side eye, followed by a smart remark. “I’ll show you a whiny brat in a minute” , panicking you look at the chat “okay!!! Goodbye everyone I love you all” ending the live you hide your face in his chest earning chuckles that passes his lips “what you so shy about” his hand ghosting over your lower back.

“You’re too much”

“Maybe, but I’m just enough for you” scoffing at his words you push him away walking out the room “can we go home?” You ask, not hearing anything from Nick you turned around

Feeling your feet being lifted off the ground and you stomach laid upon his shoulder.

“Did I ever tell you how good you look today” Nick mummers to you, “no, but thank you” walking towards the door Nick announces to everyone he’s leaving, feeling embarrassed by the scenario you’re in you hide your face shyly waving goodbye. “Can’t wait to cuddle you ma” setting you on your feet he opens the door for you covering your head to prevent you from hitting it. When he arrives in the driver seat instantly his hand hooks in between your thighs.

“So proud of you baby” you caress his chin, your nails leaving soft scratches on them, his smile growing larger by every stroke “hmm thank you mamas” the ride home was serene, mainly with you complimenting him on his new record deal and album, there was so much you wanted to talk to with his fans, but you kept quite letting them release the news first. When you guys arrived home, you laid on his chest feeling his soft lips on your cheeks and his fingertips scanning over your lower back.

“I’m so thankful for you, I love you so much” Nick whispers in your hair “I love you more” pressing a final kiss on his lips before drifting off to sleep.

#prettymuch #prettymuchimagines #nick mara

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coffeecupsandfinerwines · 3 years

Text

“Wreck Me”

Pairing: Caskett

Rating: K+

He loosen his tie for a third time that night. Feigning interest in the blonde across the small candlelight table. Castle finds his mind wondering to a certain brunette, how much he misses the cadence of her laugh and the golden flecks that shimmered in her eyes. What was she doing, how was she?

No, he shakes his head. Rick Castle is moving on. It’s been 6 months. They tried to make it work with her in DC, her new job, and planning a wedding. They were arguing more. He loves- loved her too much to let it end in fire, so he called it. He wouldn’t be the reason she quit her dream job, especially when that job can help her get closer to solving her mother’s murder. He wouldn’t. So her let her go.

Only problem now is telling his heart to do the same.

It’s getting late, he feel a twinge of guilt looking at the woman rising from her seat across from him. He’s barely listened to a word she said all night. Helping her with her coat before they exit the restaurant, her words cut through his thoughts, “You interested in a nightcap?”

He looks into her bright green eyes, they are too green he thinks, “Not tonight.” Castle watches as the hopeful fire dies and raises his arm to catch her a cab.

“Whoever she is,” his eyes snapped to hers as he pulled the door open, “she must of done some damage.”

“What do you mean?” He questions the woman with red stained lips as her hand brushes his to balance herself with the car door.

“You have this soul crushing look you’ve been fighting to hide all night. I don’t know who she is, but I know you probably shouldn’t let her get away. If she causes you to wear that much heartbreak on that ruggedly handsome face, she probably puts just as much happiness there, as well.” She dust a kiss to his cheek to bid him goodnight and slips into her cabs.

Castle contemplates her words on his walk home. A chill runs up his spine from the cold November air, he hastens his speed to the loft. His mind in overdrive on Kate. His partner. The person he still want to spend the rest of his life with.

He enters his office with a newfound purpose. He throws his coat off and hears it crash onto the lamp. He ignores it. Instead going for his laptop, he searches for ticket from JFK to DCA and purchases the next ticket out. He has 40 minutes to get the the airport. Rick goes to his closet and begins throwing clothes in a bag. He leaves Alexis and his mother a note then rushes to his door almost forgetting the lock. Castle heads for the stairs forgoing the elevator because the stillness of the ride down will give his mind time to talk his heart out of his mission. He already knows he will have that battle on the plane. He knows because his head has already won that battle thousands on times in the six months of separation. And here he is again. Only now he’s leading with his heart.

Castle sighs in relief when he is finally on the plane. There’s no more backing out. He has an hour and twenty minutes before his flight lands. He tries to write down everything he need to say on the small airplane napkins. It’s not enough. It will never be enough.

He shouts the address he memorized all those months to her new home and offers the cabbie and extra 100 dollars to get him there in record time.

The street is dark, it’s five till 2 AM and he starts for her door. There’s a slight pause before he finally knocks. There is no going back. He waits for a minute before he knocks again. No answer. So he keeps knocking until he see a light flicker on in the window. Her hand moves the curtain and her eye peeks from behind to find who the hell keeps knocking on her door. Castle see the moment she registers he is on her front steps. He hears the lock unlatch and watches as the golden door knob twist.

The sight before Richard Castle knocks the breath out of his chest. Kate Beckett in one of his old white button downs and sweatpants. Her hair in a bun with piece falling free framing her face, her eyes are squinting to adjust to the light bleeding from inside the house. He’s never seen her more beautiful.

“Castle? What the hell are you doing here at 2 in the morning?” Concern and sleep evident in her voice. She takes his arm with a tug and attempts to pull him in the house. Castle freezes but gives into the warmth radiating from her hand.

“You have wrecked me Katherine Beckett.” It slips out before she has a chance to turn around from shutting the door.

She sets her gun on her dining room table, turns and stalks up to him anger and tiredness raging in her eyes. “So you flew to DC to tell me how I’ve ruined your life? You know, Rick-“

Castle steps closer with only a few inches left to close the gap. The scent of cherries and vanilla invading his thoughts. Just a few hours ago that scent would have had him home curled up watching her favorite shows just to feel closer to her. Now he has her back and he’s not letting her go without a fight.

“You’ve wrecked me, Kate. Not just when you left, but when you let me in. I know what it’s like to love you and to be loved by you. I can’t sit across a table from another woman and not compare her to you. When I smell coffee or cherries it sends my stomach in knots. I close my eye with reruns of Temptation Lane or Nebula 9 playing in the background and pretend you’re still there.” His right palm finds it’s home on her cheek. “So, I don’t care if you stay in DC or you in New York or halfway across the world. Wreck me Kate Beckett. Never stop wrecking me.”

He closes the distance between them with his lips and wraps his fingers in the long, dark curls that sit tied up on her head.

When the need for air become to strong, they break resting his forehead on hers. “You know,” he hears a slight giggle ring to his ears. Oh how he miss that sound. The warmth of her hand wraps around his and pulls him down the familiar path to her bedroom. “You wrecked me too, Richard Castle.”

#caskett #kate beckett #richard castle #caskett fanfic #caskett au #katherine beckett #rick castle #fanfiction #castle fanfiction #castle season six #Beckett in dc

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storiesforallfandoms · 4 years

Text

coming home ~ yungblud

word count: 921

request?: yes!

“Hi I love your writing so much! I was wondering if you could write some really cute yungblud fluff. Like maybe he comes home from tour early and suprises her, and a lot of kisses and hugs and if you want you can make it steamy 😏 lol it's up to you if you want to. I feel like I've read all of the yungblud stuff on tumblr and need more. Thank you love you 🖤”

description: after being on tour for months, dom decides to surprise his girlfriend when he gets to come home early

pairing: yungblud x female!reader

warnings: swearing

masterlist

The hardest part about dating a famous musician was having to be away from them for months on end when they had to go away on tour.

I started dating Dom just months before his career really took off. He wasn’t sure if he’d make it as big as he did, and even told me he couldn’t see himself getting bigger outside of the UK. Flash forward months later and he’s a household name world wide.

Nearly a year into our relationship, he went on his first North American tour. We called or FaceTimed each other at least once ad ay and texted as often as possible, but I still missed him like crazy while he was gone.

That tour only lasted one summer; three excruciatingly long months. But they were nothing compared to the nearly year long world wide tour he went on nearly six months later.

It was the longest I had ever been away from Dom, and by month four I was really starting to feel the distance between us. By month eleven, I was eagerly counting down the days till he would be home.

“How many days now?” he asked me at the beginning of all our calls.

“Don’t act like you don’t know,” I teased one day when he asked.

“Of course I know, but I like hearing when you tell me.”

I giggled. “Twelve days.”

“I hate that number,” Dom sighed. “Still too big. I hate the double digits.”

“Only three more days and it’ll be single digits,” I pointed out.

“Still too big. I want the number to be one more day, or even better, zero days.”

“I know, babe. I wish it was, too, but it’s so close now, you’ll be home in no time.”

“I can’t wait to have you in my arms again. I miss you so much.”

“I miss you, too, Dom.”

I found myself missing him the minute we had to hang up. He was right, twelve days was way too long. All I could hope for was once he was home he wouldn’t have to leave for a long time.

~~~~~~

Later that night I was sat in bed watching TV when my phone rang. Dom’s picture greeted me when I checked it and I couldn’t answer his call fast enough.

“Hey you,” I said, smiling to myself.

“Hey love,” Dom’s voice responded. “How was your day?”

“Boring,” I sighed. “Apparently they were overstaffed at work so they told me not to come in. I ended up doing nothing but watch TV. What about yours?”

“I did a lot of travelling, so the whole day was basically just sleep.”

“Ugh, that sounds great. I may not have done anything but I’m so ready to sleep for hours tonight.”

“I’m so ready to sleep in an actual bed instead of the seat of an airplane.”

I raised an eyebrow although I knew he couldn’t see me. “An airplane seat? What happened to the tour bus? I thought you were driving through America for the rest of the tour.”

Before he could respond my doorbell rang. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. Who was knocking at my door this late?

“Hold that thought, babe, someone’s here.”

I begrudgingly rolled out of bed and walked to the front door. I wasn’t sure who I expected to be on the other side, but I definitely didn’t expect it to be Dom.

I was in such shock that I was left speechless. I dropped my phone and immediately jumped into his arms, wrapping mine tightly around his neck. Dom laughed and carried me into the house, kicking the front door closed behind him.

Dom dropped me onto the couch and leaned over me to start kissing me. I pulled him down so his body was pressing against mine. I wrapped my legs around him, bringing him down and trapping him to me.

Dom chuckled as he finally pulled free enough to look down at me. “Are you happy to see me or something?”

“What are you doing here?” I asked, finally letting the two of us up “What happened to twelve more days?”

“I finished the tour earlier than I told you I would,” he explained. “Before the tickets for the last few shows went on sale we did some rescheduling so that I could come home early. I didn’t tell you cause I wanted it to be a surprise while I came home.”

“And you didn't think I’d look online and find out the dates were changed?”

Dom was silent, as if thinking the question over, before responding, “Well you didn’t, so it all worked out.”

I laughed and rolled my eyes before lunging at him so I could hug him. He started laughing and asked, “So you are happy to see me?”

“Of course I am, dumby,” I told him.

Dom smiled and cupped my face, pulling me for another kiss. He took me in his arms and I wrapped mine around him. I never wanted to stop kissing him. I wanted to hold him in my arms forever and never let him go, especially not to go on another tour.

“Are you still really excited to sleep in a real bed?” I asked him.

“I am,” Dom replied. “But I can do that after we have welcome home sex.”

I squealed with excitement as Dom lifted me off the couch and carried me back to my bedroom, where we spent the rest of the night and most of the next day.

I’m sorry it’s so short :/

#yungblud #yungblud imagine #yungblud x reader #dominic harrison #dominic harrison imagine #dominic harrison x reader #dom harrison #dom Harrison imagine #imagine #one shot #request

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etherealfangirl10 · 4 years

Text

Friend?

One Shot

Masterlist

Pairing: Jerome x Reader

Gender: Female

Genre: Fluff (?)

Warning: Mention of murder (?)

Summary:

-(Y/N) is an inmate at Arkham Asylum, preferring to keep to herself and her only want to get out of that hellhole. But what happens when she catches the attention of a certain red head?-

(Y/N) let out a long sigh, plopping her head down onto the metal table she had seated at. Day 17 at Arkham. All she had to prove that she was sane, which shouldn’t be too hard, considering she was. But, alas, her psychiatrist didn’t think so. The creep. He probably only wanted her to stay so he can continue to ogle at her and have an excuse to brush his disgusting hand over hers. It made her wanna chop it off, sometimes.

Now, now. She truly wasn’t crazy. But taking the insanity plea was better than wasting away at Blackgate for 20 or so years. She figured she’d be out of Arkham in no time. But the more days (Y/N) spent wasting here, the more she doubted she’d get to leave anytime soon.

The slop on her tray forgotten, she lifted her head to place an elbow on the table to support her head as she gazed around almost lazily. It was full of crazies and psychos in here. Serial killers, cannibals, rapists... (Y/N) shivered at the thought of it. She didn’t have any strong opinions against murder, considering the reason why she was there in the first place, but she certainly didn’t want to be the object of those dark thoughts.

It was difficult, though. Being a woman in Arkham made it hard to stay unnoticed. Men, and even some other girls, seemed to watch (Y/N) every time she entered a room. Not because she was drop dead gorgeous, at least she didn’t think she was, but because they were thirsty, horny, and, oh alright, she wasn’t a terrible sight to look at, but she just couldn’t believe there was anything special about her.

(Y/N) tried to avoid the other inmates, mostly. It would do no good to get buddy- buddy, and do even less good if she were to get on bad terms with some of these people. If she stayed away, she’d be okay.

That’s why, when her (E/C) gaze caught the eyes of another, a dark green gaze framed by dark red lashes, standing out against pale skin... she instantly looked away, down at her tray, biting her lip gently in slight panic. They didn’t think she was staring, right? Oh jeez, please don’t come over.

(Y/N) squeezed her eyes shut as she heard a shuffle from that direction, then footsteps. Please be walking away, please please please?

Nope. Quite the opposite, in fact.

“Hi, gorgeous.” A boyish voice sounded above her, and she felt the table shake as someone jumped over the seat next to her, settling down beside (Y/N).

The girl slowly opened her eyes, plastering on a fake smile. Don’t piss other inmates off, (Y/N). She turned towards the male, taking him in. Oof. The male looked more boy than man, with boyish features and body shape. Lanky, but she could tell that he had lean muscle hidden under those stripes. Pale skin, freckles scattered across his face. Catching her attention, her gaze flickered up to his fiery red hair, combed neatly into place, or at least attempted to be. It gave off untamable vibes, strands of fire falling over his forehead, leading (Y/N) to his facial features once again. Not gonna lie, cute nose. It wasn’t too small or too big, and his pink lips were boyishly thin, stretched into a wide smile. While the smile seemed to portray the male had ‘friendly’ intentions, she couldn’t help but be unsettled by it, yet some part of her drawn in, nonetheless.

“Anybody home?” (Y/N) was broken out of her trance as he spoke once more, his words trailing off into a short, contagious giggle. (Y/N) felt her cheeks flame in embarrassment as she realized she was staring, and ducked her head before meeting his gaze once again.

“Er, yeah, sorry.” The girl breathed, and cleared her throat cautiously. “Can I help you?” (Y/N) inquiried, gazing at him curiosly.

“Sure ya can, Doll. You can start off with telling me your name.” He hummed, leaning forwards slightly, his eyes sparkling mischievously.

“Didn’t you know it’s rude to ask for someones name before giving your own?” (Y/N) shot back without thinking, and she internally face palmed at her stupidity. Why would they care about manners? We’re in Arkham for goodness sake.

Surprisingly, the males grin only widened, and he placed a hand over his heart, his eyes turning mockingly apologetic. “Oh, how rude of me! The name’s Jerome. I hope you can forgive such that grievous mistake on my part.” Jerome chuckled, teasing her. Well, too late to turn back now.

“We’ll see about that.” She responded, and he tilted his head slightly, one eyebrow raised before she continued. “I’m (Y/N).” Instinctively, she reached a hand out for him to shake, but, with a glimmer in his eyes, Jerome took her hand and raised it to his lips, placing a gentle kiss to the back of her hand. Letting out a soft, nervous laugh, (Y/N) took her hand back and placed it on her lap.

“Nice meeting ya, (Y/N). Whatcha in for?” He pressed on casually, as if he was asking about what she was eating. Ah, right. Couldn’t forget she was surrounded by maniacs.

“Ah...just...murder.” More specifically, her ex boyfriend and ex best friend, even though they were her boyfriend and best friend at the time they decided to bang each other. She didn’t mean to kill them, but things escalated, and once she grabbed a knife and drew blood, it was like something else took over her body. She liked the feeling, and that’s what scared her the most.

“No way! Me too! Chopped up my mom.” He replied almost enthusiastically. “She deserved it, though.” He added, his boyish tone discarded and replaced with a type of darkness, his eyes darkening and his smile suddenly appeared to be more sinister. What the frick?

“I’m sure she did, Jerome.” (Y/N) responded after a couple of seconds, trying to gauge his change of attitude. It disappeared in a flash, though, returning back to the bubbly personality he had before.

“Ya know, a girl as pretty as you is sure to attract attention around here.” He continued, propping his head up on his fist. “I thought you might wanna have a friend by your side, (Y/N).” Jerome hummed, blinking innocently up at her. Had she just imagined all of that?

“A friend?” She questioned, furrowing her eyebrows. She didn’t need a friend. She just wanted to keep to herself and get out of here. “Thanks, but I’m good.”

“Aw, come on. Everyone needs a friend! See that big handsome fella staring at you like you’re fried chicken?” Almost reluctant to turn and look, (Y/N) followed Jeromes gaze to see an older looking man, indeed checking her out. Eesh.

“Yeah? What about him?” She inquired, instantly looking away and back to Jerome, wondering what he had in mind. She was used to the staring.

“Richard Sionis. He’s a millionaire. Got his own airplane, got a boat with a hot tub on it. And he killed twenty five people-.” Jerome gave a tiny chuckle at that. “Just for fun.” Why was he telling her this?

“Am I supposed to be scared or something?” (Y/N) huffed. For some reason, this whole exchange had fueled her with the confidence to actually speak up for herself. So that’s what this was? She was a damsel in distress to him?

Jerome grinned at that, turning to face her more clearly, angling his whole body towards her. “So. He likes you.” He chuckled, and she lifted an eyebrow, feeling her own smirk play at her lips from watching the male smile so much. What was with this dude? “He wants to be your friend.”

She spared another glance over to the man, and caught his gaze running over my body. (Y/N) fought back a cringe and turned to lean closer to Jerome. “But I don’t wanna be his friend.” She murmured, frowning. “I don’t know about you, but he doesn’t seem like the... friendly type, if you know what I’m saying.”

Jerome giggled, before whispering, almost like they were on some secret mission, “That’s why you could use a different friend, to protect you from guys like him.” He persevered. Hmm. He had a point. She didn’t exactly need protecting, but extra armor couldn’t hurt. (Y/N) analyzed him once more. But how would that Richard guy know that she even had a fr- ohhhhhh.... well, public displays worked. She just hoped she was on the same page as him. And if not... ah, well, let’s just hope they are.

“Mm... I see.” She murmured softly, letting her gaze travel down to his lips and back, leaning in closer. Jerome blinked in mild surprise as he felt her hands delicately run up his chest, her nails trailing over his neck before resting her thumb on his jawline. “So will you be my friend, Jerome?” (Y/N) asked with a slight purr to her tone, batting her eyelashes innocently up at him. His smile had faltered slightly, his eyes trailing down to her lips and back, his breathing becoming shallower.

He didn’t get to reply before she finally connected their mouths, brushing her lips over his softly before pulling back, his body automatically leaning forwards to try and stay in contact. (Y/N) let out a smug hum as he pressed his mouth to hers eagerly as she ran her free hand through his already untamed locks, grabbing onto it and tugging gently, enticing an almost inaudible groan to to fall from his lips.

It was over quickly, perhaps quicker than (Y/N) would have liked. The girl pushed against his chest lightly, tilting her head away from his as he caught his breath. She was used to kissing, her ex had loved to drag her into bed anytime he could, even if she didn’t feel like it. But to her surprise, Jerome was quiet, a large smile taking over his face. Little did she know, that was his first kiss.

Sneaking a look over at Sionis, he could see the man looking away, a disappointed expression on his face. Huh. That was easier than expected.

Turning back to face Jerome, she saw he was now gazing at her, clearly amused. “You’re bad...” he muttered, and for a moment, she couldn’t think of anything to say in reply. Bad in what way? Bad bad? Good bad? Was bad bad a bad thing? Was good bad a bad thing?

Luckily, she didn’t have to sort out her thoughts and reply, because the bell signaling that lunch was over rang out through the room.

Without another word, her mind struggling to figure out what had just flipping happened, she stood up and strode away, not even bothering to spare a glance behind her.

If he was serious about her being his ‘friend’, then he should be following like a lost puppy.

#gotham #gotham series #jerome #jerome valeska #cameron monaghan #gotham jerome valeska #jerome+valeska+x+reader #jerome+x+reader #imagine #x reader #etherealfangirl #gotham imagine

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nehawriter16 · 3 years

Text

2020 / 24

There are only 2 things I can do on an airplane – dose up on sleeping meds and pass out, or order one too many cappuccinos, keep my exhausted brain awake, and will it to talk to paper. The flight from JFK was in the afternoon and in the chaos of leaving for the airport early in the morning, I forgot to pack my pills.

Two cappuccinos in, my hands were shaking and begging to be typing out the Mrs. Maisel speed monologue that constantly runs in my head. Even though there is a month left in this year, I decided to do my annual New Years Eve post. Over the last 3 days, I’ve been drilling it down to go from gibberish to slightly readable.

Here it is.

Like the rest of the world, in January, I was blissfully unaware of the shitstorm that would follow. I got into several colleges on the East Coast for a Master’s in Finance degree. Every day, I would race down the stairs with my laptop and show my parents: another admit, another scholarship! On the surface, I was making pro and con lists for each one. Deep down, my heart had already picked Fordham in New York. It was New York. Nothing else would cut it.

The day after I turned 24 in January, I also met my (now ex) boyfriend on the internet. Completely by accident, he saw my profile because a mutual friend followed my writing. Two days later, she texted me and said he would like to talk to me. Did I want to talk to some boy studying in Paris? I was single and bored and already had my year laid out for me, so why wouldn’t I?

It moved quickly. Three months later, we had been speaking every day and were exclusive. We had not hung out in person. It was stupid, but I had never come across anybody who liked me as much as he did. In every relationship I had been in before this, I always knew I was more emotionally involved. I fell in love with his devotion to me – he would stay home (who stays home in Paris!) and choose to spend virtual time with me over going to clubs with his friends. I watched myself become the epicenter of his life and thought – this is how much I’ve always wanted to mean to somebody.

In March when the pandemic hit and India shut down, my father sent a car to pick me up from my internship in Bombay, where I had moved two weeks ago. I didn’t pack so much as my toothbrush – the driver brought me home and I had no idea that it would be months before I’d get to leave again.

Morales stayed high in the beginning – we thought it would end in 21 days, then 2 months, then 5. It has taken over the whole year now, and despite us gridlocking it into “2020,” we all know the first half of 2021 will also be filled with masks and sanitizers and not hugging your friends. I wonder if I will ever settle into somebody’s arms without cringing again.

March melted into April, that melted into one long drawl until suddenly it was August and college was beginning the following week. I found myself refreshing the US consulate’s website absent mindedly one afternoon, and all appointments that had been suspended suddenly showed you a tiny little bar that read “reschedule.” I screamed and clicked.

I had thought I would be spending the year stuck at home, awake and attending classes at odd hours. While my classmates went to happy hours in dive bars in Manhattan, I would be in my bedroom, still chained to my parents’ curfews and ultimatums. But then suddenly, I was standing before a US immigration officer in Bombay, and he was telling me I had been granted my student visa.

All that was left to do was book a flight to New York, and break the news to my boyfriend, who was on his way to my abandoned apartment at this very moment for our first date, 7 months after we first began speaking. He had come home in March when France went into lockdown, and it was starting to feel like a throuple with long distance, the third and very present member in our relationship.

I packed up the belongings I had left there, and we sat across from each other on the double bed. I kissed him first. There were roadblocks, and our personalities and views clashed on so many important things, but I loved him. Two days later, I said: I have to leave for New York in 3 weeks. He didn’t take it well.

In September, I landed at JFK. When the wheels of the plane made contact with the runway, I was smiling behind a mask I’d had on for 16 hours. On the Air Train to Manhattan, I felt a sense of happiness wash over me and toyed with the possibility that maybe I wouldn’t mind if it was just me in this city. I would be okay alone.

I found an apartment, a roommate, signed a lease in a beautiful building in Hell’s Kitchen, walking distance from college. I met lots of people from my class and instantly picked out the ones I wanted to become good friends with. I dove straight into academics and extra curriculars at college – after 5 months of nothing happening, life was suddenly exciting again.

When New York lit up every night, it felt like anything was possible. I started eating better and walking a lot. My hair grew out from the bad haircut I’d gotten the year before. Coffee was no longer just coffee, it was finding a new café and walking through Central Park. Drinks were not just drinks, they were about accidentally stumbling onto a secret bar in the East Village, finding favorite spots in the neighborhood, letting a cute waiter recommend a cocktail to me even though I was perfectly capable of picking one myself.

The boyfriend and I were fighting more than usual. I was getting tired of it. We had discussed a life together, but it was slowly and surely becoming clear to me that I would resent myself for making big compromises for a person who still had a lot of growing up left to do. As New York got cold, I did too – without trying. When one particular argument got really bad, I asked for a break from the relationship. He didn’t like it.

A week later, I woke up to a girl sending me screenshots on Instagram of her conversation with him (pre me asking for a break) on a dating app, and without getting into details, I will tell you it was not a conversation anybody with a girlfriend should have been having. I should have been broken in half on the inside, but now I could finally say, without feeling guilty – this relationship was not working, nobody was happy, and you were so unhappy you thought talking to other women was okay. I spent all of one day drinking with a friend in Central Park and sobbing myself to sleep.

But mostly, what hit me after the initial shock had died down was a tsunami of relief. I felt lighter, freer. I try not to think too hard about the trauma that comes from finding out that the person you think is so devoted to you, and definitely loves you more than you love them (or so you think) is being unfaithful, because it hurts a part of me that is already very bruised from all the things that have happened to me before. So I don’t.

But it was New York. I was young and smart and there was a wine shop down the block that sold $14 bottles of Moscato. I didn’t need much else to know I would be okay. At 20, I would have jumped right back into going on dates every other night to distract myself from what had happened, then never called any of those men back. At 24, this emotional speed bump resulted in a lot of quiet introspection in my bedroom. I spent a lot of time alone, on the phone with friends, and walking around the city. I had learnt to like my own company enough to not fill a suddenly empty void with anybody else’s, even though there have been several tempting offers in this past month, and sometimes, I have succumbed to them, but mostly I am very strict with who deserves my company.

It was nice to spend that second month in New York by myself. I owed absolutely nobody a single minute of my time. No one asked me questions, or called me and expected me to share my day unless I wanted to, and once I had worked hard and cleared out the things from my to do list for the day, time stretched out before me and I had the autonomy to decide the smallest thing down to who to meet, what to eat, how much to sleep.

I didn’t let my academics and ambition suffer – no matter what happens, I never do and I never will. The grades stay up – it’s built into my system. I am back home now and just 2 days in, I find myself wishing I hadn’t left New York. I was starting to build a life I liked there, and the only price I had to pay for it was a 4 pm sunset. It would have been slightly lonely, but I like the time I spend by myself. I worked hard to become like that.

This month, I will see my friends here at home. I’ve missed them. I can’t believe I grew up in this city and I already feel so alienated from it just from 60 days of living away. Is that how badly I wanted to leave?

I might be dramatic and fly back on my 25th birthday, so that I can say, “I was on a flight,” and ignore the slowly expanding bubble of dread that comes with turning that old. I like the ambiguity of airports and I’m the sort of inherently sad person who would love to be alone and unreachable on my birthday.

I acknowledge that my problems this year have been so small in the face of those of us who have lost family members, contracted the virus, had to give up internships or had jobs taken from us, been torn away from family, or had to make it through this alone.

I feel almost guilty that good things have happened to me in a year that has predominantly been bad for almost everyone else. I feel apologetic, even though from 2017 to 2019, I was treated like life’s sick joke so I should deserve these good things that I worked hard for.

I definitely feel myself growing up, though. Emotionally I find I have a clearer idea of what I want from relationships and friendships, and I don’t second guess cutting off anybody who doesn’t serve that purpose or messes with my mental peace. I still have days when self-doubt comes over for a cup of tea, leaves me weak in the knees, but most days are free of it. I am also moving out of that chameleon phase where I mirrored what I thought a room full of new people would want from me, and I am unapologetically myself, irrespective of who’s watching.

Last year I remember wishing for something stupid, like “I wish there was somebody to kiss on New Years Eve,” because I’ve never had anybody to smack lips with when it’s midnight. This year, I don’t care. I’ll kiss myself in the mirror, for all I care. I love her. She’s my homie.

It’s been a weird year. I know who I was in 2019, and I remember wondering if I was proud of her. Things were still in purgatory then. But I steered my life and brought it back on track. This year, I am proud of myself without doubting it.

There’s no measuring scale for personal growth, but if there was, I feel at least a couple of inches taller in 2020.

#personal 2020 writing

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seaofghouls · 3 years

Text

DUCKTALES OC INSERT

Ep 1: Woo-oo! A seagull flew from ship to ship, being chased off my fishers on the sea, until it landed on a specific white boat, being scared off by commotion inside the house. "Come on, hold still Uncle Donald!" Louie yelled, yanking his sailor uniform off as Donald squawked. "Good morning, Uncle Donald!" Huey said, cooking breakfast. "Hey, Uncle D." Valentine waved. "You can't wear this to your job interview." Louie put his uniform into the washer. "My uniform!" Donald cried as it caught on fire. "You gotta dress for the job you want. Not the job you have, which is no job." Louie said, holding up a suit. "That's true." The young adult standing next to him said. "Yeah, take it from the 18 year old." Louie said. "Huey, don't touch the stove. You'll get hurt." Donald scolded. "But it's a big day! And a big day calls for a big breakfast." Huey said. Huey held out a plate full of food to Donald as it seemed to deflate. "...Egh." Valentine groaned. "I'll get the iron!" Huey called out. Pulling the table out, it hit Donald in the head. "Stop helping me! Put on your life vests! What if the boat goes down while the babysitters here?" Donald scolded.

"Yes, Uncle Donald." The three of them sighed. "Why do we have to have a babysitter? I'm technically an adult!" Valentine argued. "I don't trust you enough to not burn the boat down." Donald said. "Fair enough." Valentine shrugged. "Where is that babysitter?" Donald grumbled. He called up the babysitter. "Well, what time can you get here?!" Donald groaned. The other caller hung up. "Where am I gonna find another babysitter at 10:00?!" Donald sighed. "10:00?! You gotta go!" The three ducks cried. Huey put the suit on Donald and the two triplets shoved Donald out the door. "Kids, I can't just leave you!" Donald said. "We can survive for a couple hours." Louie said. "A couple of hours.." Donald mumbled. "Well, okay, but just keep those life vests on." Donald said, walking away. Then the boat started. "What is that?" Valentine wondered. "Where's Dewey?" Donald sighed. "Sleeping." "Who's Dewey?" "Where is that little squirt, anyways..?"

Donald stormed back into the boat before coming out with Dewey and picking up the other two boys. "Val, in the car." He said. "You got it, Uncle D." She saluted. The triplets argued in the back of the car and Valentine sighed.

Donald typed a location into the GPS. "Destination: Mcduck Manor." "..Mcduck?" Valentine's eyes widened. "Mcduck Manor?! As in Scrooge Mcduck?!" Huey gasped. "The bajillionare?!" Dewey exclaimed. "You're finally gonna sell us." Louie said.

"I'm not gonna sell- He owes me." Donald sighed. The triplets started ranting about how awesome he is while Valentine slumped back in their seat. "You alright, Valentine?" Donald frowned. "The last time I saw him, I was like 7 or 8, and I never knew why I never saw him again. I just knew it had something to do with Mom. ..I'm scared, I guess." Valentine sighed.

"It's only for a couple of hours. We always have the boat, you'll be fine, alright?" Donald tried to reassure him. "Okay, Uncle D." Valentine gave a small smile. After a while, they pulled up in front of the manor as a car from behind honked at them.

Donald walked out of the car to meet Scrooge. "Donald Duck." Scrooge narrowed his eyes. "Uncle Scrooge." Donald narrowed his eyes. The triplets were freaking out while Valentine just twiddled her fingers. "So.. you're looking good." Donald said. "Still living on that boat?" Scrooge questioned. "Yep. Still a trillionare?" Donald asked.

They started arguing and Valentine sighed. The triplets looked out the window in awe. "Come on, kids." Donald said. The four of them got out of the car. "Huey, Louie, Dewey, meet Scrooge Mcduck. Val, you already know Scrooge. Remember, no tricks, no lies, no trouble." Donald said. "Yes, Uncle Donald." The four of them said.

"I wasn't talking to you." Donald narrowed his eyes at Scrooge. Donald left and Ms. Beakley let them in. The triplets followed Scrooge around, but Valentine wasn't that interested. "Hi, Ms. Beakley. It's been a while." She smiled. "Hello, dear. You've grown quite a bit." Beakley smiled back.

The kids sat down at the table and Valentine sighed, pulling out their phone, feeling awkward. "Talk to them." Beakley whispered to Scrooge. Scrooge groaned and kept reading his newspaper. The triplets were right next to him at that point. "So.. do children still like marbles.. or..?" He trailed off. The triplets loaded him with questions.

"Are you really our uncle?!" "How old are you?!" "What's your net worth?!" Valentine shut off her phone and laid their head down on the table. "What's the deal with you and Uncle Donald?!" "Oh, is this fork real silver? Can I have it?!" "How come you never visit?!"

"Because you're so old and moving is so hard?!" "You owe us, like, a LOT of birthday presents!" "You used to be a big deal! Whatever happened to you?!" "Beakley!" Scrooge called out. "I'll take care of it." She said, leading the boys off into a different area of the manor.

Scrooge looked back over at Valentine. He frowned, looking at them. He was their main parental figure until he and Donald cut off contact for 11 years. "So.. how have you been, lass?" He asked. "Okay, I guess. I've been looking for a job as a scientist, no luck though." She said. Scrooge hummed. "Well.. feel free to do whatever.. I've got some things to take care of." Scrooge said.

Valentine nodded. Scrooge walked off. Valentine sighed, thinking about what it was like before. They were a happy family. Now, things were different. ... "Ugh.. I gotta text Drake. He'll entertain me.. heh." Valentine laughed. The house shook. "What is that?!" Valentine cried.

They ran outside, seeing Scrooge being carried away on a golden dragon. "Oh my." They saw the triplets and Webby. "What the heck is going on?!" Valentine cried. "Get on the plane, big sib!" Dewey said. "Uh.. alright then." She went along with it.

As they were flying, they saw Scrooge falling off of the dragon. "Open the door!" Valentine ordered. The group grabbed hands to reach Scrooge and pull him in the plane. "Webby, how do we stop it?" Dewey asked. "It's mystical, so we'll need a mystical device. Like an oblivion mirror or a medusa gauntlet.. or.." Webby listed. "Like this?" Louie waved the medusa gauntlet. Webby and Huey glared at Louie.

"What? I was gonna give it back." Louie defended. The group devised a plan to use the gauntlet on the dragon. "Open the door, Pilot!" Valentine called out. Scrooge got hold of the dragon and it turned to stone, launching Scrooge up into the air. "Scrooge!" They gasped. He landed in the Money Bin and was fine. "Woo!" "Yeah!" "I knew it!"

"Family truly is the greatest- Oh no the ground!" ... "In the short time I've known you, you've wrecked my home and my money bin, unleashed ancient evils, and almost got me killed twice!" Scrooge scolded the 5 ducks. "Four times if you count each monster as an individual time." Huey corrected.

Scrooge laughed. "That was incredible! When you pulled me into the airplane and who would've thought of a medusa gauntlet? Brilliant! Oh, and you swung me out just in time! You kids are nothing but trouble! Curse me kilts, have I missed trouble. I suppose I'll have to keep an eye on you to teach you how to get into trouble properly." Scrooge ranted. "Beakley! Clear my schedule. I'm taking the wee ones on a field trip." Scrooge said into his phone.

"About time, and once again, I am not your-" Scrooge hung up before she could finish. "Now! Let's go find the lost city of Atlantis." Scrooge grinned. They cheered. "And no one tell your Uncle Donald!" "Yeah!" They all cheered again.

---

#ducktales 2017 #dt17 #ducktales insert #ducktales #ducktales oc #oc #self insert

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donnajons · 5 years

Text

Leave Paris, Move to Gotham Chapter 2

So, this is over due, but it’s here and it’s alive! I couldn't post all the tags, it was a fully mess. Please tell me what you think about. it

It was too late to change her last name.

Her landlady registered her under that name, so the bills came under that name. Her boss, Miss Prince, wrote her checks under Marinette A. Wayne, and she got a fake ID under that name and her photo.

But why the last name Wayne was such a bad thing?

Well, turns out that the last name was well known in Gotham thanks to an eccentric playboy billionaire, whose company hold the 87 percent of the jobs in the Gothic city. At least twenty people asked her if she was related to Bruce Wayne last week. Even Miss Prince asked her if she was one of Bruce’s children. Apparently, the man had adopted a dozen children with black hair and blue eyes like her.

Well, she couldn’t change her last name, but she had the option of change her appearance. That was one of the reasons why she changed her hair color to a pastel pink. She kept her bangs just to divided in two and hold them with pins, so she could show her forehead. The pink was a good choice. It made her look like a totally different person. The only thing that didn’t match were her black eyebrows, but she didn’t want to dye them too.

After paying and say goodbye to Selena, Marinette still had more than a hundred dollars in her pocket, and it was still early, so after a whole internal debate and some encouragement from Tikki, Marinette went to a Hobby Lobby and bought a bag of embroidery thread and some needles. She felt guilty when she gave the money to the cashier and walked home with her knew embroidery set. A strong part of her wanted to go back to the store and return the threads, but Tikki was stronger than that part of her.

“Remember, Marinette. You deserve to have pretty things and hobbies. You can buy embroidery thread and not feel guilty about it. Think of all the pretty pattern that you can sew in your clothes! Tell me one.”

Marinette smilled. What would she do without Tikki?

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Marinette was nervous, and this time it wasn’t because of Char Noir, the miraculous, or money.

The Pink haired girl was about to ask her boss if she could use the sewing machine in the back to fix some of her clothes in her free time. It wasn’t that her clothes were ragged. The thing about her clothes was that they were too plain. She bought them in the discount section of Walmart in the men’s and women's section. Some of them were way too big for her, and others were just… not her style. After she came back from the store and checked the miraculous box, Marinette started to decorate her clothes… well the ones that fit her. That’s why she wanted to ask Miss Prince if she could use the sewing machine, so she could fix her clothes.

It was lunch time, and Marinette was as ready as she could be.

“M-miss Prince.” Her voice lacked confidence even though her boss was kind to her.

A tall woman with black long hair turned around to see her.

“Oh, Marinette. You change your hairstyle! Pink suits you well!”

The girl shyly moved a piece of hair from her face. “T-thank you, Miss Prince. Miss Prince I-I was wondering if you are okay with it, but of course if you don’t that’s fine. I would totally understand, and I don’t want to bother you…”

For someone that wasn’t a native English speaker, Marinette knew how to bladbling like a pro.

Miss Prince put a hand on her shoulder and said “Hey, breathe. You can’t ask me what you want if you don’t breathe, breath, Marinette, breath.”

And she did.

“Good. By the way, your English is getting better. You’re speaking more fluently.” Her boss smiled, “Now, tell me what you need.”

Marinette took a deep breath, “I-I was wondering if you could let me use the sewing machine on the back. I want to fix some clothes that I bought, b-but of course it would be in my lunch break and only if you let me.”

Quickly, Miss Prince smiled to her. “Of course, you can use the sewing machine but not at lunch time. You are a young woman still developing, so take your last hour to fix your clothes.”

Marinette opened her eyes in surprise. “B-but, Miss Prince, we have some clients at 3:00. You told me that you want me to take measurements and star the pattern for their suits. I could fix my clothes tomorrow if you let me.”

Her boss choked her head, “And you will, but you will only take measurements. I have seen your work. You are quick and precise when you take measurements. It would take at most ten minutes per customer. The pattern will take you less time. Now, don’t argue with me and eat something.”

As Marinette walked to the back store, she couldn’t help but be grateful for having a great boss like Miss Prince. She was always comprehensive and kind to her like the time she forgot her money lunch. Miss Prince bought her favorite sandwich and didn’t took it from her paycheck. Oh yes, Miss Diana Prince is an excellent boss by caring about her employees, well employee.

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Bruce Wayne was a patience man… most of the time.

There were just a few things that could make him lose his cool. One of them was getting gala clothes for his oldest sons. Tim and Damian, his youngest, were easy to dress because they had a style. While Tim liked a more classic suit, Damian preferred a little bit more extravagant style and yet elegant. This was what made easy to dress them: they had a good taste in fashion. His oldests, for the other side, had not taste whatsoever. Dick was too extravagant for his own good (If it wasn’t for his father and Alfred intervention, he would be planning on buying a pink suit with falcon feathers. His next son wasn’t better. Jason’s concept of a suit is a clean letter jacket, jeans, and a bow tie.

There was only one person who could help this fashion disasters, and that person… wasn’t, Bruce.

Diana Prince, AKA Wonder Woman, has a boutique with pretty high standards, and by God’s sake, the warrior was the only one that could tame his sons and at the same convince them to use a fucking tuxedo.

“On other news, there has been another victim from the mysterious serial killer, The Jewel Panther, this time on the city of Nice, France. The victim was a nineteen-year-old Japanese girl and was found on a local jewelry store in the same way the other victims of the Jewel Panther. We recommend all young ladies from the age of thirteen to twenty-two that have Asian heritage, fair skin, prominent freckles, black hair, and blue eyes to take precautions in France and neighboring countries…”

Bruce turned off the radio.

It was bad enough that the league didn’t want to take that case, but to hear it repeatedly was just tiring. The league didn’t consider this Jewel Panther to be a menace worthy of them. He was “too normal” for they, but what could be normal about a fucking serial killer that some how ripped off all the organs from the thoracic are of the victims without making an insertion of any kind just too leave their skin flawless.

That wasn’t fucking normal.

Bruce finally arrived at Diana’s boutique where his oldest sons were waiting for him.

“Finally, you are here. Two more minutes and I was going to leave.” Jason, his second oldest, reclaimed the three men got inside of the boutique. “For somebody that preach about responsibility, you’re late.”

“Knowing that you two aren’t a bit punctual, I told you two to be here by two thirty. You will probably arrive at two fifty. We have an appointment at three.”

“You know I would be offended if it wasn’t true.” Dick said as he sat down on one of the chairs. “So does Diana have the suits?”

“No, she is going to take your measurements to make them from scratch.”

“Do we have a saying on the style” Jason asked without hope because he knew that answer would be:

“No.” Unexpectedly, this answer came from Diana Prince, who got inside the room with a small, very small girl.

“As long as I am alive, you two will dress properly… at least just for the gala. For what you two are wearing, I cannot do miracles.” Diana said as she looked like them like if she was judging their appearances (Little note, she was.)

She got an offended hey from the brothers at what she only smiled.

“This is Marinette. She will take your measurements in the changing room. Marinette can you take them there?”

The small girl gave a shy nod “I-if you could follow me.” She said with a thick accent that neither of the brothers could identify came from. Dick and Jason followed the tiny girl.

Once his sons were gone, Bruce asked Diana “Since when do you hire help?”

“Since the business grow up” Diana knew that tone. It was the I-know-that-you-doing tone.

“Not likely, you like to do your clothes by all yourself. The only people that you have ever hired is a few Amazonians, and she has a French accent. Her physique is not anywhere near an Amazonian.” He gave her the look again. “So, what’s her story?”

Diana signed. He wasn’t the best detective just to don’t live it up.

“It’s good that you bring up the topic because I was going to tell you anyway.” She stood up closer to him “Three weeks ago, she came up looking up for work. You should have seen her. She looked so lost and even thinner than she is today. She told me she needed a Summer job, but by Artemins’ sake, she looked like she was starving for weeks. It was obvious that the money was for food and a place to sleep.” She bit her lip. “Her story had holes like how her parents haven’t move from France yet because they were busy or how she couldn’t give me her ID because she lost it in the airplane, but what gave it away was her last name.”

Bruce lift an eyebrow, “Her last name?”

“Her full name, or the name that she gave me, is Marinette A. Wayne.”

Marinette A. Wayne. What are the chances?

Bruce was about to ask when Diana interrupted him.

“I asked her if she is related to you. I mean at the time she had all the Wayne’s characteristics: black hair, and blue eyes. She seemed like one of your children, but she told me that she wasn’t related to you. She didn’t even know who you were until I told her that Bruce Wayne was a rich influence man that basically rules Gotham, which makes it even more weird.”

“There is a lot of people with the last name of Wayne, what would be weird?”

“Because, not offence, but anyone knows that the last name Wayne bring problems in Gotham. Nobody in their right set of minds would move to Gotham having that last name.”

She had a point. The Wayne family had a lot of money and prestige, but they also had an immense number of enemies. Having that last name was dangerous, and more for a teenager without supervision.

“What are your theories about her?” Bruce asked her.

“She is an immigrant, maybe illegal if she didn’t want me to see her ID. Probably from France, her accent gives her away even though she tries to sound Chinese. She is running away from somebody because her parents are not in the picture. She is always alert and ready to hide. I have seen how she shakes and jumps every time something makes a loud noise. She cries in the bathroom sometimes. She is trying to survive, but she can’t do it alone for more effort she tries to put in.”

Marinette had another characteristic of the Wayne family: Psychological trauma.

“You said you were going to tell me eventually, why?”

Diana stopped for a second.

“I’m leaving for France after the gala for two weeks. If the League doesn’t want to do something about the Panther, I will. Those girls didn’t deserve that end, and their sisters don’t deserve to live under all that fear,” For the look on his face, Diana could tell that he was with her on this. “and that’s why I need you to ask you a huge favor.”

She put her hand on his shoulder.

“I need you to keep an eye on her while I’m not here.”

“You want me to babysitter her?” Bruce asked her.

“Not babysitter her, I just make sure that she is fine without letting her know. I will leave Gotham with more peace knowing that you and your sons will keep tabs on her.”

“And what would be the excuse to come to your boutique for three weeks? Another suit?” The trillionaire asked her. He was on board to keep an eye on this girl because somehow this girl reminded him of her other daughters… I said somehow.

“The boutique will be closed, so I’ll give her three weeks in advance and the materials, so she can work from her apartment. I also will talk to her about a mandatory Summer fashion course in Gotham University that will began a week before I go. I understood that your son, Damian, is taking Summer classes there to get ahead. So that would be a good excuse to keep an eye on her. Don’t you think?”

Bruce smirked. Diana was a sneaky woman.

“You planned this pretty well, didn’t you?”

“I like to be prepared. You better than no one should know it. So, can I count on you?”

Diana offered her hand to him, and Bruce willingly accepted.

“You can go without worrying about her.”

Diana gave him a small smile. “Just please, don’t adopt her before I come back. You have enough children.”

Bruce was used to this constant running joke about his obsession, as Jason liked to call it, but never tease Bruce Wayne about adopting more children because it would end in him preparing the adoption papers.

“You are very funny.” Diana could swear that she saw a little smile on his face. “Lets go, before my kids start bothering your ward.”

The two of them started walking to the changing room. “I wouldn't be worried about her. Under that shy face, I can see a ferocious warrior. I kinda want to teach her how to fight when I come back.”

“Carefull, you may end up having a daughter” This time she could swear over Athermis that she saw a smile on his face.

Diana just smiled. “That wouldn’t be so bad.”

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Diana was right about her; Marinette was good at taking measurements.

It took her eight minutes to get Dick’s and another eleven to finish with Jason. It could have been eight, but the man was too ticklish and too tall. She had to stand up on two boxes just too get the measurements of the two men.

“Soo, do you like working with Diana?” Dick said trying to break the ice. Noone have something since they arrived to the changing room, well except a few reprimanding words from the little girl with pink hair.

Marinette finished taking the last measurement from Dick’s waist. She tried not to look at them in their eyes. The less attention she got, the better.

“I-it’s good. Miss P-prince is a kind boss.” She said as she wrote down the measurement on Diana’s notebook

“How long have you been working with her?”This time it was Jason who asked.

Was this an interrogatory?

“N-not long. Three weeks I think.”

“That’s good. Does she gives you a discount in the store?” The man with a few white hairs asked again.

“I-I don’t think so. We have never talk about discounts, but she lets me use the sewing machines to fix some oversized clothes and finish the embroidery. She also buys me lunch most of the time and doesn’t take it out of my paycheck. So I guess that’s better than a discount.” She kept her look on the notebook even though she finished writing down on it.

Dick and Jason shared a look. The way that she said the part about the lunch was, sad and full of gratefulness. Both men look at the girl more carefully. She was thin, at the point that they could see the bones or her hands. Maybe they should avoid that topic.

“You said you put embroidery on your clothes. Are those like the ones that you have on your blouse?” Dick asked pointing at her.

She looked down her clothes. She was wearing an orange blouse with pretty blue patrons on the collar.

Marinette gave a shy nod.

“Did you used a sewing machine?”

She shocked her head.

“No? Well, I’m impressed. This is a pretty good job. Do you think you can put something like that on my suit for the gala?”

Marinette’s blood cold down and her heart almost stopped. The idea of disobeyed Miss Diana terrorized her.

“I-I don’t think that Miss Diana would let me. She already has your suits figured out.” She passed to them the photos of the suit. They looked really formal, elegant, and expensive… and boring for Marinette’s taste.

“In your opinion, what would you change about the suit. In the hypothetical case that Diana ask you to make some adjustments for the suit.” Dick asked her.

“I don’t know if I should. I-I may get in a problem.”

“You won’t. That’s the beauty of the first amendment. Tell us your thoughts, Stephanie. It’s not like Rovin Rotten it’s gonna appear.”

Marinette didn’t understood the reference, but somehow it gave her the it gave it the valor to tell what was on her mind.

“I-if was unto me, I wouldn’t change the design of the suits, but rather the materials. Like for example for you uhm…” Marinette pointed at the tallest.

“Jason”

“Yes, Jason, Sorry. I would change the material to a more shining, like the leather jacket that you are wearing, but it’s not actually leather. It’s lighter. And you…”

“Richard, but call me Dick.”

“Right… W-well Dick, I’m t-thinking that you would look good with some metallic blue embroidery pattern on the lapel, and...and the pockets…. But I-I guess the original design is more proper for that kind of gala.“ She could feel how her face redded at the look of the two men.

“You know…” Dick said as he gave her a polite smile… “your ideas are pretty good. Maybe if we tell Diana about it, she could put ‘em on the suit.”

No, what if she gets mad? What if Miss Prince gets so mad at her that she decides to fire her?! How could she keep the miraculous box safe if she didn’t have money to sustain herself?!

“N-no. I-I don’t want to disrespect her. S-she worked so hard in those designs.”

“Never be afraid to speak your mind if you think that you can improve something” Marinette’s blood cooled again. She quickly stood up and bowed. It was forced habit that she did every time she apologized.

“Hey, Diana. We were just takin’ with your talented girl. She has great ideas.” Jason said.

Diana crossed her arms and gave her a sneaky smile. “Is that so?”

Marinette wanted apologize, but before she could even open her mouth, Dick spoke.

“Yeah, she is talented. Like the ideas she has for our suits. I bet that you heard them?”

The woman nodded.

“I did, and I think they are really good ideas. You have a lot of future in the fashion field so much that I want to talk to you about a great opportunity to improve your career. We can talk about it after our guss are gone, which remind me did you finish taking their measurements?”

Marinette couldn't believe this. It was too good to be true. Maybe it was true, and miss Prince wanted to talk to her about something good, but there was also the chance that she wanted to be alone with her, so she could fire her in private and not in front of her clients.

“Marinette.” She turned at the Diana and the other. Their faces seemed concerned. “You okay?”

She spaced out. She should stop doing that.

“Y-yes, I just got lost in translation. I finished taking their measurements.”

“If we are no longer needed, my sons and I will leave.” Bruce stepped up avoiding to look at the girl to not make her uncomfortable.

“Of course, we will have your suits for the first fit in by Friday.” She and Bruce shaked hands.

Marinette saw his two sons stand up and cme closer to her. Maybe, this was the last time that she would see them again.

“It was a pleasure to meet you Pinkie Pie.” He put his hand up waiting for a high five. “Pss, this is the part you high five me back.”

The girl shakingly high fived him.

“Hey, I want a high five too.” Dick put up his hand, and Marinette awkwardly high fived him.

“Dick, Jason we got to go. Alfred is making dinner.”His sons left the room while saying goodbye to Diana. Then Bruce turned to Marinette to shake her hand. “Miss Marinette it was a pleasure to meet you. I hope we will meet again.”

“L-likewise, Mister…”

“Bruce Wayne, but call me Bruce, Miss Wayne.”

Marinette opened her eyes while open. Bruce Wayne as the Bruce Wayne, and he knew her last name.

“P-please, c-call me Marinette.”

The man just smiled and left the room letting Diana and Marinette alone.

So the worst things that could happen today may happened at the end. She may lose her job and get sued by the Bruce Wayne for taking his last name, and lets not forget that she is using a fake ID. Scratch that, she is an immigrant. Marinettes has seen enough news to now that that country is in thin line with immigrants She was in soo many problems.

“Marinette,” The older woman took her purse. “What do you think if we go out for dinner?”

Well… Marinette didn’t expect that.

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

Marinette couldn't say no to miss Prince. She was just too nervous to reduce the offer.

The restaurant was fancy and expensive. Only the beverage was worth more than three months of rent. The people there were dressed in fancy outfits from Versace to Oscar de la Renta; it made Marinette feel underdressed with her orange T-shirt and cheap jeans.

“So, Marinette, you told me you are interested in the fashion field.” Miss prince said as the took a sip from her glass of wine.

“Y-yes miss Prince. I do ever s-since I was a little girl.”

“And what do you plant to accomplish them?”

Marinette froze. What were her plans?

Months ago, she had a prosperous future. She commissioned big pop and rock stars like Jagged and Clara. She won many design competitions from Gabriel Agreste. She was building a name, but now, all her work and effort was worthless. She had to start all over again, but the difference now is that she didn't have the same motivation. Before Gotham, she did it because she has her parents supporting her. Today, she did it to hold to the little sense of normality in her life of chaos.

“I-I don’t know ma’am. Maybe I could start by designing clothes and maybe sell them on Etsy. I h-hadn’t have the time to think through it. Moving here was too time consuming.” The girl said as tried not to shiver. If Miss Prince was going to fire her, Marinette hoped that she did it quickly, so she didn’t have to live with this fear any longer.

Miss Diana put her glass down. “Marinette I’m am gonna be sincere to you. You have talent and dedication. Those two qualities can get you somewhere good, but that can bring you to the glory, to your golden dream is passion. And by Arthemis’ sake, you have more passion than a hundred people together. I have seen how you enjoy creating new clothes and fixing them like if it was a way to get away from everything. That’s why I want you, if you allow me, to support you to become a fashion designer.

Okay… okay.... That took Marinette by surprise. She expected miss Prince to fire her for over speak, not to offer her support.

“I-I.. Y-you want to help me?”

Diana smiled. “Of course, in fact, I have a proposition to you.”

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

Marinette locked the door of her apartment, put her key pack at her purse, and started happy dancing.

Diana (she insisted to be called by her first name) told her that after the Wayne’s gala she was going to close the boutique for three weeks. While this made Marinette sad because she would have to live from her saving can, what Diana told her next made her really happy. Diana offered her to work with her not for her.

Here was the deal, for the next three week after the gala, Marinette would be working on her usual tasks but at her apartment while she attended a course about fashion design in Gotham University, fully paid by Diana. At the beginning, Marinette refused telling Diana that she felt that she would be abusing her kindness, but the older woman said that she saw this as an investment. Paying for her education was an investment so Diana and she would sell her clothes on her store under the girl’s name. They both would win. Marinette gets an education, and Diana a new brand for her boutique.

For Marinette this was like a dream come true. In fact, this was the best thing that has happened to her since… well since she defeated Hawkmoth. She will be studying in one of the most prestigious schools of fashion in the world, and if everything goes well, she will sell her clothes at Diana’s boutique, which is one of the most prestigious boutiques in the US.

“I still cannot believe it, Tikki!” Marinette said to the goddess, “this feels like a dream come true!”

The Kwami giggled, “I’m so proud of you Marinette! You deserve this!”

After putting her pajamas, Marinette let her body fell on her hard bed. She smiled like in a way that she hasn’t in the last month. “Tikki, please tell me that this is not a dream.”

The Kwami turned off the light and put a blanket over her body. “You aren’t dreaming, but you should do it soon. Diana wants to hear your ideas for the suits tomorrow morning.”

Marinette closed her eyes while she smiled. For the first time in a long time, she felt that she could just fall asleep and worry about nothing.

“Hey, Tikki?”

“Yes, Marinette?” The kwami said as she lay beside her hodder’s shoulder.

“Thank you for everything.”

The kwami gave her a kiss on her cheek. “You don’t have to thank me for everything. You deserve the best.”

Eventhught her apartment was cold, sink in the kitchen dropped all night, and her neighbors screamed like if they wanted to kill each other, Marinette felt more at peace for the first time in ages…

Sadly this wouldn’t last long.

@cyborgcandy

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#damien x marinette #daminette #ml x dc #maribat #lpmg

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