#( my brother in law's like oh your sister crossed that bridge a long time ago lololol )

[may-day-voice]

Mother's Day

w/ Izuku Midoriya, Shouto Todoroki & Katsuki Bakugou

please do not repost, but you have permission to reblog :)

• Watch/ Listen on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Fu2ifujKQI4

• Read on Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/1109387237-oneshots-pro-hero-au-172732014-mother%27s-day

IZUKU MIDORIYA | Potluck Brunch

"Do you think that this is too much?"

"I'm sure it's fine."

Midoriya's smile warmed the chilliest of mornings while the cherry blossoms began to drift in the spring breeze. It was a busy start to the day grocery shopping for a surprise brunch he wanted to make for his mother. That did however include having to wake at four in the morning to peruse through the markets for the freshest ingredients.

You yawned loudly while carrying various shopping bags on hand, eyeing Midoriya carrying the more heavier ingredients with him - mostly the meat.

"Still trying to wake up?" Asked Midoriya.

"Just trying to slip back into my old routine," you explained, nuzzling your nose into your scarf. "I used to clean my equipment every two days at the break of dawn."

"You used to clean your guns?"

"Dismantle and put them back together too. I used to time myself."

You spoke casually and nonchalantly about those memories, recalling that competitive feeling to beat your time again and again. However, you heard nothing from Midoriya, finding that he only stared at you quizzically.

"What? I was... bored," you slowly explained, a little embarrassed about the topic.

"That explains your reaction time," pondered Midoriya, his eyes staring upwards in thought. "Constant practice and muscle memory would only make them second nature to you."

"Are you theorizing now?"

"Hehe, maybe a little."

You grimaced and yet smiled at Midoriya, bumping your hip into his playfully. He was still the observant and analytical man, always putting forward his ingenuity over his Quirk.

Soon, the both of you made your way to his old family home in an apartment complex, taking the elevator up before approaching the very familiar front door to his mother's. After a knock or two, the door opened, revealing a short woman whose eyes upon seeing the both of you, smiled happily.

"Izuku," she greeted, receiving a large hug from Midoriya.

"Nice to see you mum," he spoke, pulling away for you to greet her as well.

"So good to see you Inko," you cooed with a gentle hug. "Hope we haven't disturbed you."

"Oh nonsense, what's all this?" She asked, eyeing all of the bags in hand.

"Happy Mother's Day," cheered Midoriya while he lifted the heavier bags in hand. "We're going to treat you with potluck brunch."

"Izuku had this planned over the last week," you explained with another yawn escaping your throat. "Nothing but the best ingredients."

Inko glanced between yourself and Midoriya, along with all of the ingredients on hand in astonishment, before her eyes pricked with tears. You contemplated whether she was growing upset, however she closed in for another hug, sharing it between the both of you.

"You two work so hard. You didn't need to do this," she cried in happiness. Because of her short height, you glanced at Midoriya who was also standing awkwardly from the hug, finding that smile on his face again.

"We wanted to," he comforted while he gently pulled away, allowing Inko to release her sudden hold before he entered the apartment. "We'll take care of the cooking and cleaning."

"Today is meant for you," you reassured her, following Midoriya with a smile. "You don't lift a finger at all."

"As long as Cutie doesn't grill a cake," he teased from within, causing your shoulders to stiffen from the twang of embarrassment.

"Huh?" uttered Inko in confusion.

"Hey! It was only once!"

SHOUTO TODOROKI | Visiting Hours

Entering into the hospital ward still felt like an odd experience. Already having bypassed the reception desk with ease, Todoroki and yourself brought a few gifts for the occasion, including a small bouquet of Autumn Bellflowers.

"Have your brother and sister visited already?" You asked curiously with the resonant sounds of footsteps filling the halls.

"Natsu visited after work, and Fuyumi spent the day with Mum yesterday," bluntly replied Todoroki.

"That's good."

Todoroki eyed a smile on your lips, the both of you walking side by side while he smiled to himself. He cherished these little stares he could steal to see you happy next to him, hoping for you to slowly become more ingrained in his life now that you were engaged.

"What?" You uttered, catching his eye on you.

"Nothing," he replied, still with a warm smile.

Soon, Room 315 was in sight before Todoroki knocked on the door, opening it for you to enter first. You spotted his mother by the window, enjoying the gifts that were brought over the past day until her tired yet calm eyes spotted you by the door.

"Welcome," she greeted, walking up to you with open arms and hugging you. That was unexpected. You quipped in surprise, before she gently released you to turn to her son.

"Hello Mum," cooly greeted Todoroki.

"Please sit," invited Rei, pulling you gently by the arm to seat you by the dining table while Todoroki placed the bouquet of flowers elsewhere. Though the tug of Rei's hands were gentle, it held purpose. You felt it in her grip, in the tiny fingertips while she pulled you into the room.

Something wasn't odd, but it was different.

"How are you both?" She asked with delight.

"Aside from work, we've been doing fine," replied Todoroki.

"Yeah, there's been a hiccup, but nothing that we couldn't handle with some old friends," you added with a smile.

"I've seen the news," started Rei, her eyes dulling a little from her thoughts. "That man that is causing a mess, there's no sign of him?"

You turned to Todoroki, catching his eye once more before he joined the table, calmly holding onto his mother's hands.

"The Commission's got eyes on him. We'll find him soon," he reassured, receiving a calm

smile from his mother. "How are you going, Mum?"

"I've been well. Natsuo brought over some gifts and Fuyumi visited with some delicious treats and meals." Rei's eyes turned to Todoroki, filled with a sadness you had seen time and time before. "Your father came by as well, only for a short while though."

"I see," shortly replied Todoroki.

"Will you be slowly moving back to the estate?" You asked out of the blue, catching Rei off guard. "I mean, there's a place there for you, and maybe it's good to stay close with... family."

"Very soon," replied Rei without hesitation. "It's a shame. I was hoping to see you more often."

"Oh, I mean I don't live far from the hospital so if ever you need anything I'm a phone call away."

A silence befell the room, one that felt odd, like how Rei held your hand not too long ago.

"What?"

"Oh it's not that I don't appreciate the offer, but I would've thought Shouto would have invited the suggestion to you," explained Rei with that content smile, almost similar to the ones she gave on Todoroki's birthday.

"Love, would you like to move in with me?" Asked Todoroki from beside you without warning and without fail.

A stammer stopped your mouth from forming comprehensible words, taken back by the question. You looked between the two, spotting that content and warm smile on mother and son. Ones that you couldn't object or argue with. This was supposed to be Mother's Day.

"This is the best gift yet," commented Rei, smiling gently at your flabbergasted reaction.

KATSUKI BAKUGOU | Future In-Laws

Both Bakugou and yourself stood by the front door of his old family home, having arranged half a day to visit his mother for Mother's Day. You noticed how blue the sky was, how bright the sun shone, and how calm the Neighbourhood felt.

If only Bakugou was as cheerful.

You eyed him every once in a while, his face unchanging with that scowl etched in his brow. It wasn't his normal, usual, aggravated self. It was more of a-

"What?" He growled, his eyes glancing into yours.

"Nothing," you responded coolly with a smile.

"Don't gloat."

"I'm not."

"If that hag says anything, we're walking back home."

A snort escaped your nostrils, a small one but nonetheless one that continued to bubble into your shoulders. "I love your parents," you commented.

"That's what I'm afraid of."

"You're here!" Exclaimed Mitsuki, causing a cringe on Bakugou's snarl but a smile from yours.

"Hi Mitsuki!" You chirped, hugging the woman by the door.

"Oh hush, you can call me Mum now."

"Mum?"

"Shut up hag," reacted Bakugou with a snarl. "They're not calling you that."

"I give them my consent, Katsuki. You have no say in the matter," snarked Mitsuki.

The tension was, well, insurmountably tense, standing between two very aggressive individuals in a staring contest. Until you spotted a familiar set of eyes from inside the house, waving meekly despite his tall stature.

"Hi Masaru," you greeted with a wave of your own.

"I see the day has started," he commented while his eyes worriedly observed the growling match his wife and son were dealing with by the door. You only chuckled until-

"Oh, you can call him Dad now, or Pop whichever you prefer," mused Mitsuki with a chirp, with no sign of aggravation on her face or in her voice.

"Honey, they don't have to call me-"

"No, I won't accept it. Our Katsuki has found his one and only, so they're now a part of the family!"

"Will you shut it you old hag?" Interrupted Bakugou again. "They're not calling you that, and they don't want to."

"You're not the voice of reason here, you brat! Even as a man, you're still a child!"

You stuttered at the sudden change and turn of phrase every so often. The thought crossed your mind that you would've been so used to this family dynamic now. But there were some things you hoped you weren't the center of attention for. That was difficult when you were between Bakugou and his mother.

You gently held onto Bakugou's arm, pressing your body against it in hopes to comfort him while you smiled at Mitsuki.

"Why don't we cross that bridge when we cross the threshold?" You suggested. "After all it's your day today and we are happy to spend it with you out of our Hero schedules."

A deep sigh escaped Mitsuki's lips while she smiled back at you. "Of course, I still think that you're now a part of the Bakugou family, so no pressure when you're comfortable with the new names."

"You'll hear it straight from me," you reassured, causing a giggle to erupt from Mitsuki.

"Splendid, come on in." Mitsuki skipped inside the family home, leaving Bakugou and yourself by the door to spot Masaru following after her, mouthing his thanks to you.

You felt Bakugou's aggressive and tense nature wash away while you held onto his arm throughout the small conversation with Mitsuki, tenderly rubbing your hand against his skin before you noticed his stare on you.

"You okay?" You asked with a smile.

"Yeah, no thanks to that hag," he retorted. "But... thanks."

"Always here for you."

You felt his large hand intertwine with yours, fingers pressed together, palms touching. A smirk appeared on Bakugou's lips before he led you into his old family home, a place you had become acquainted with for years, now stepping into it as his fiancé.

#shouto x reader #todoroki shouto x reader #midoriya x reader #bakugou x reader #bnha au #bnha sero #bnha fluff #bnha fanfiction

[gotmilk5101520]

Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia Watch Episode 14 Return of the Trollhunter

Now we begin the second half of season 1 (It’s actually season 2 but we don’t talk about that)

“Holy moly!”

Toby survives that.

“What the heck was-?”

“Huh?” We now return to your daily schedule bizarre adventures.

“Hop on!”

“Adios, fire cat”

“Hey, maybe save the jokes for when we aren’t gonna die” Well it sounded cool in his head.

“I can’t believe you took that stupid rock to your science class!”

“First, it’s not a rock. It’s a volcanic slag”

“And how was i suppose to know there was a flaming monster hiding in it?”

“You bought a magic rock off a troll named “Marvin the Monster Dealer” What did you think would happen, Tobes?” What happened before this moment?

“Um, Master Jim, you said this was a luminaire”

“When that is obviously an infernal hellheeti” Getting away with saying hell.

“Should i punch it?”

“Can i punch it?”

“Yes!” “No!”

“I was going to add, make sure you do not feed the fire by attacking it!”

“Opps” Punching doesn’t solve everything.

Jim uses Water Breathing. Tanjiro would be proud.

“Uh, guys, the fire hydrant-”

“Close enough”

Just keep walking.

Why is the opening still the same, even though Bular is dead now?

“Morning mom”

“Hi”

“Made your favorite breakfast”

“Sorry, kiddo, in a rush”

Should i be glad that Miraculous Ladybug doesn’t have something like this? It would be painful to watch. Fortunately, everyone in Miraculous Ladybug is stupid.

“I mean, it’s been like a month” Wait it’s been a month since last episode? So what have they been doing in a month?

“I don’t know how to fix this unless i tell her the truth”

“But if i do, they’ll send me to the crazy house” Hey, you told Claire, and she didn’t send you to the crazy house. Well she was tempted to do that cause you weren’t making any sense, but she didn’t.

“They fixed your tooth” Why did it take this long for Steve’s tooth to get fixed? I doubt all of the first half happened in a single month.

“I heard he was run out of town by the mob”

“I heard he got a mail-order bride and moved to North Korea”

“As if. Where do you think Mr. Strickler went, Jimmy-Jam. After all, he was dating your mom”

“Why does everyone keep bringing this up?!”

“Guys, this is my brother, and NotEnrique’s driving me nuts”

“You know how many times i have to change him?”

“He knows how to use a toilet”

“He chooses the diaper” “Yeah? Well at least you didn’t have to shove your hand in stinking diapers, and have it still stink to this day” “Ugh. Why does it still still stink? Have you washed your hands?” “Yes! 100 times since i got home with my cold McDonald’s French Fries” “Well excuse me, prince” “It’s well excuse me, princess!” “Are you two gonna kiss right now?” “Shut up Toby!”

“You spend so much time with Lake, you’re practically swimming in him” That’s what she said.

“We’re just friends. End of story” Wait, did- Did Claire just Adrien Agrested Jim? Goddamn it Adrien! Your Just a Friending made it’s way to Arcadia and got Claire. I hope you’re happy.

“Okay, people, who can tell me what happened in the year 1989?”

“No, seriously, i don’t remember. It was a crazy year” Let’s see. What video games came out that year.

“Really, Palchuk? That’s it. I’m dating your mom” “No, no, wait!”

Okay hold on. Why does it take a month for Claire to see Trollmarket? Out-of-Universe reason i can understand. You want to do a one month skip, and we all want to Claire’s reaction to Trollmarket. Could you imagine Claire going to Trollmarket off-screen? We get a few mentions of it here and there, but we never see her full reaction. I can understand the out of universe reason. But what i don’t understand is the In-Universe reason. Like Jim told Claire the truth a month ago. There’s no reason to keep anything a secret with her. Like why? A month to progress all of this? Cause i think it would take Claire a week at most to take it all in. Slower than when J- Never mind.

“Now, you’re gonna want to start drawing a semi-circle”

“Oh! You have it. Okay, never mind” Easier than me drawing an actually circle.

“It’s... It’s lively. Shit that’s Aja’s thing!”

He pets.

“Jim told me you helped him face Draal”

“And slay Bular” Wait Jim explained the entire first half of the season to Claire? Where are the fucking fanfics?

“And that Vespa!”

“Best birthday ever. Except for the part where Jim gets chased by a Stalkling” “That is something i want to forget”

“You’ve read A Brief Recapitulation of Troll Lore?”

“Volumes 1 through 47 It took me a while to decipher the symbols”

“But once i got past the Fifth Declension, i started to get the hang of it” It’s embarrassing when your (Not yet, almost, but not really, not for another season) girlfriend knows more about Troll Lore than you.

“She read the book!”

“She read the book! Master Jim, i love my daughter in law!” “Wait what?”

“She’s a flower” Mood.

Always have a drink before you continue.

“I accepted a human Trollhunter’

“And allowed the pudgy one to stay for moral support” Toby is the moral support boyfriend. Claire is the moral support girlfriend. See? Two different roles.

“But this? A third?”

“It’s an infestation!” Hey they’re not rabbits where they multiple every 5 seconds. Then again, Jim and Claire- Never mind again.

*Talks in Troll*

“She speaks Troll”

“And Trollmarket is honored to have you as well”

“Oh, Blinkous! If only the amulet had chosen such a learned and delightful fleshbag”

“Hey!” Trollhunter Claire au.

“That was awesome, Claire”

“Vendel loves you and he hates everyone!” I said it once, and i’ll say it again: Vendel is the most relatable character in this series.

Where did this light came from?

“Hopefully, this will give the girl some closure”

“She does understand why we cannot allow the bridge to open?”

“Well, you said it yourself, we’d be fools to open the bridge and risk letting Gunmar out”

“Right, Jim?”

“Oh, of course”

“We’d be crazy to do that“ Yeah... A crazy fool, heheheheh...

“Hey buddy, it’s your sis”

”Don’t you start thinking i’ve forgotten about you”

“We’re gonna get you back. I promise”

“See you soon, little chicharron”

*Cries in Troll*

“I need to share a word with our Trollhunter” That’s what it’‘s like when dad wants to talk to you alone. Then again, i don’t have a dad so...

“Hey, Draal? It’s strange, but i feel like i’ve seen you before. Have we met?” “Uh...”

“No. You must’ve mistaken me for someone else”

“Hate to be there when we have to rebuild Jim, right?”

“What a mess”

“Well, i just grossed myself out” We’ll see about that in Wizards.

“You fight in an arena surrounded by the remains of dead Trollhunters?”

“That is...”

“The most heroic thing i’ve ever seen. If their ghosts talked, then it be like Mulan”

“Sometimes, the heart leads you down paths you should not cross”

“How did you-?”

“Figure it out?”

“Your devotion to this girl is as obvious as Marinette’s feelings for Adrien. WHICH IS STILL DRIVING ME CRAZY!!!”

“But you know the danger”

“If you went in alone, you’d be killed”

“Which is why we will answer every call”

“You said i have to answer every call. Now-“

“Wait, did you just say “We”?”

“Aaarrrgghh and i discussed it. We knew you were going in, with or without our approval”

“But... If Claire’s brother is important to you, then he’s important to us”

“For folly or for fraught”

“We are a team”

*Cries in Troll again*

“Is this normal?”

“Nothing’s normal around here”

“Get used to it, sister” Translation: “Welcome to your new life”

“But only a Trollhunter can wield Daylight”

“We are Trollhunters!”

“Oh, man! Now, i’m dead!”

“That stupid Soothscryer killed me in the Forge” He thought Bular would kill him. But nope, instead it’s the fucking Soothscryer.

“What do you mean, he’s in the Void?”

“The Void sounds like a very empty word. A bad word” I hear the Void is very welcoming.

“Yeah. And are these happy ghosts we’re talking about here”

“Or Mulan’s ghost family?”

“He is now under the spiritual guidance of”

“Master Trollhunters”

“Ghost guidance counselors?”

“So, it is like Mulan”

“Wow! So trolls and ghosts exist”

“What’s next? A Midsummer Night’s Dream?”

“Fairies?”

“Fairies? Preposterous!”

“Fairies lost the war to the pixies centuries ago” Hate to meet these pixies, right?

“But if we’re going in, they said the only way we’re getting out alive is if we kill Gunmar” Well that’s a bigger lie than any lie Lila can make.

“And with Strickler gone, maybe we have a chance”

Speak of the devil. Or changeling.

If i ever seem dead, be sure to throw rocks at me to be sure.

“Who has awakened me?”

This is me and my sister.

“You know my name”

“A shame i will never know yours”

Angor Rot had to deal with the goblins wrath.

“My ring”

“My flesh”

“Yield to me!”

“For i wear the One Ring”

“You have killed thousands”

“You are chaos incarnate”

“And you”

“are...

“mine”

“Hahahahaha!”

The second half of season 1 (Actually season 2) is off to a great start.

Shit, what do i say that has something to do with next episode? Uh... See you next episode?

#trollhunters #milk watches trollhunters #tales of arcadia

[xxsovereignsarayaxx]

Elizabeth Mikaelson - What If? Chapter 20

Word Count: 3411 Warnings: Klaus being Klaus so nothing new there. Lizzie-Lijah Stag Tag: @skeletoresinthebasement​ @akshi8278​ (Want to be added let me know)

Both me and Rebekah returned back to Klaus’ mansion, as she walked in the door I stopped by the thresh-hold. “I do hope we made the right decision by running Matthew and Elena off Wickery Bridge tonight.” I told her.

“We’re free Lizzie can’t you see that? With Elena dead, Alaric can’t hunt us down.” She said, as she turned to face me.

“I understand that stopping Alaric was the top priority so we didn’t have to run anymore but was it worth the life of two teenagers that had yet lived their’s? It often makes me think that we as a whole family take our lives for granted. But nevertheless you’re right, we are now free.” I replied, moving past her and heading to where the alcohol was kept.

“I have to ask, what was your phone call about earlier?” Rebekah questioned, following me.

Pouring a drink and handing it to her and then proceeded to pour another for myself. “Do you remember briefly when we were in Chicago and me and your brother were not on the best of terms?” 

As she brought the glass to her lips. “Of course, you mentioned something about having a niece?” 

I nodded. “Yes well, whilst we were having life or death issues with your mother, Nicole’s father passed away. When me and Elijah left we headed to Richmond, and after close inspection we believed that… that your mother was the cause as a ploy to get us to leave Mystic Falls so she could plan her next demise for this family. Nicole’s father Jacob wanted me and Elijah to raise her as our own. He trusted us and in result Elijah finally gets to experience what he has never had before. I was able to manipulate that new found feeling to get Elijah to leave last night by phoning my contact to whom we had left Nicole with. It was wrong of me to do that but I can already sense that he feels duty bound to protect that little girl with his life.” I explained downing my drink in one and then lowering my head in shame, clutching the glass in my hand.

Placing her glass on a nearby table Rebakah walked over to me. She brought me into a hug. “You had to play with the hand you were dealt, you knew I wouldn’t leave willingly so you had to give Elijah a good enough reason to leave. You did what you had to do to protect us both.” She said, rubbing my back. 

Returning the gesture with my free hand. “I do hope you’re right Bekah.” I whispered. 

“You are the best sister I could have had. Don’t ever forget that.” Rebekah replied. 

The next morning I made my way to the Salvatore Boarding House and knocked on the door. But no one answered, thinking that the only other place I thought the brothers could be would be the Gilbert house so I turned on my heel and headed off there instead. 

As I arrived I knocked faintly on the door and I repeated my action by waiting patiently. The door opened by Damon. “What are you doing here?” He snapped. 

“I came to speak with you and your brother regarding mine and Rebekah’s actions last night. However I can sense that Elena didn’t truly die last night did she? She is in transition.” I offered.

“Look at you stating the obvious. But it’s a bit late to atone for your sins don’t you think?” He replied in the same angry tone as before. 

“You’re angry…”

“TOO RIGHT I’M ANGRY! You and your deranged sister in law drove the car she was in, off a damn bridge.” Damon interrupted shouting. 

I could see tears well up in his eyes and smell the intoxicated state he was in, followed by his veins appearing and then he launched himself towards me. His anger fueled his actions and the next thing I knew I had been pinned to the wall in the hallway of the Gilbert home. The force of the impact I felt caused the hung picture frames to wobble. His hand was wrapped around my throat trying to crush my windpipe. I stayed pinned to the wall for a brief second before reaching out and grabbing his wrist and twisting it with a force I heard it snap. Damon let go clutching his broken wrist.

“You being angry does not stop Elena from her fate. You need to accept that she will either feed and complete her transition or that she chooses to die and won’t. But regardless it is her choice and her choice alone. I originally came here to apologise for mine and Rebekah’s actions. But we alike Elena had a choice to make. We either had to go on the run and get hunted down like animals and risk being slaughtered. Or unfortunately kill the one person that would protect us. Be grateful that Elena had vampire blood in her system or you would be mourning for a corpse.” I told Damon sternly, as I left him in the hallway to think as I made my way up the stairs. 

I knocked on Elena’s bedroom door, and let myself in. She was on her bed with Stefan who was sitting on the end of it. 

“I heard what you said to Damon.” She said quietly. 

I let out a sigh. “I am sorry that this has happened. I wish there was an alternative in stopping your friend.” 

“Thank you.” Elena said sheeply.

“I don’t know the ins or the outs to what happened after the accident last night, but I presume that you had accepted you were going to die correct?” I asked her. 

She looked at Stefan and then myself but she nodded at my question.

“Vampirism isn’t a cure from death, it’s a second chance to do the things you dreamt about.” I replied and gave her a smile. 

“Whatever choice you make. No one will think of you any differently.” I added softly and left the room, as I was about to shut the door Stefan held it and then joined me on the landing. 

“Your brother is angry, I understand that. But I hope you understand why it was done in the first place. The Mikaelson’s have caused problems for each and every one of you but just like the family you have formed here we are exactly the same. You protect the ones you love, we just have a habit of taking it to the extreme.”     

“Thank you for coming here Elizabeth. I don’t expect you to take responsibility for everything that has happened but thanks for trying to.” 

I let out a chuckle. “The things we do for the ones we call family, ay?” 

“Yeah the things we do.” Stefan replied with a soft chuckle. 

I left the Gilbert house and got my phone from my jacket pocket. Unlocking the phone I swiped down the contacts list and my thumb hovered over Elijah’s name. Summing up the courage I pressed it and brought the phone to ear as I carried on walking through the town. 

“Elijah?” I asked when he accepted the call.

“I have Nicole she’s safe but Jean-Paul on the other hand, seems his wolves turned on him he didn’t make it. I’m sorry my dear. When will you be joining us?” He asked me, I heard Nicole’s chatter in the background. 

“Once I have everything wrapped up in Mystic Falls I will come and find you and Nicole, I just want to make sure your sister is safe before I leave.” 

“How is Rebekah?” Elijah asked.

“Better than expected? She is mourning the loss of your brother but I think she feels more at ease knowing that we no longer have to be on the run. Alaric is no longer a threat to the family, Elena died with vampire blood in her system at Wickery Bridge last night. She is currently in transition.” 

“I see. Well I suppose it could not be helped.” 

“Is Nicole ok? I can hear her chattering in the background.” I asked.

“She is fine. Just finishing up her breakfast.”

He ended the call with a “I love you.”  

I was relieved that Elijah didn’t suspect that it was my doing regarding J.P but I was saddened to hear that he had died from my request. He must have gotten bitten by one of his wolves in their attempt to save themselves. My thoughts kept me busy as I remembered some of the fond memories I had for Jean-Paul. 

1903

The streets were filled with people in celebration, laughter and songs of joy filled the air. The  scent of cheap and expensive alcohol filled my nostrils and all in all the environment was happy and content, well it was until a young man with blond hair was thrown out of one of the nearby drinking establishments and fell at my feet. Startled by what had happened I bent down and helped the man up but as soon as my eyes caught a glimpse of the face my demeanor changed. 

“Jean-Paul…” I said with a french twang to my voice.

“Oh mon Dieu…” The young man replied in a state of shock. “Oh my god...” 

“I thought I told you last time to stop causing trouble. And yet here you are.” I said with a soft tone.

“Ma chère Liz!” Jean-Paul exclaimed. “My dear Liz!”

“Enjoying the festivities a bit too much are we?” I teased, smoothing out the skirts to my dress.

“It is time for celebration, thank you for your assistance three years ago mon cher!”

After recalling one of the fonder memories of Jean-Paul I approached the Lockwood family cellar. Walking to the heavy looking wooden doors I opened them with ease and carefully made my way down the set of stone stairs, the heel to my boots clicked with each step. As I got to the bottom I saw a coffin and what looked to be Tyler Lockwood sat on top of it, however I knew better.

“Must you insist on using that same parlour trick as before? Or are you just a one trick pony Niklaus?” I asked with a grin.

“Lizzie love. How did you figure this one out?” My brother in law asked me with a smile.

“Elijah said Tyler Lockwood had died and yet here his body stands before me. But when I made a visit to Elena just now I saw Damon and Stefan even picked up the heartbeat for the youngest Gilbert Jeremy, Miss Bennett was not there. However I can smell she was here and not too recently might I add. So I put two and two together.” I replied to him crossing my arms.

“Speaking of Elijah where is my brother?”

“Shouldn’t we address that Rebekah believes you're dead? And Elijah is far, far away from here.” 

“If Elijah is long gone why are you here love? Don’t tell me after all these years you’ve just realised we have something?” He asked with a smirk. 

“Watch how you speak to me Klaus…” I hissed. I felt a sudden wave of anger flow through my body, I’ve always known that he was jealous of Elijah but to actually insinuate something like that was absurd. Without fully realising I flung my right arm to the side and I stood and watched Klaus in Tyler's body hit the stone wall with a force I’m sure I heard a crack form.

As Klaus was picking himself up from the floor I walked over to the coffin he was sat on. “I gather your real body is inside here?” I gestured at the coffin. 

“And that you require Miss Bennett to put you back in your body?” I added, raising an eyebrow.

My brother in law never said a word but just smiled at me.

“Looks like for the first time ever you’re speechless, I must be off now. Have fun brother.”

Leaving the cellar my phone started to ring, fishing it from my pocket I answered the call.

“Damon?” I asked, sounding puzzled. 

“I need you to come back to Elena’s. Something has happened.”

“Of course. Is everything the matter?” I questioned.

“Best see for yourself.” Damon told me and hung up.

Putting my phone back in my pocket I sped over to the Gilbert house. 

As I approached the door I saw Matthew being choked by Damon and saw another person try and break up the fight along with the sheriff of the town.

“Damon, stop! It wasn’t his fault.” She cried out.

“Let him go, Damon! Now!” The sheriff shouted. 

I saw Matthew try and push Damon off of him but to no avail I could hear that he was slowly losing the ability to breathe. I rushed over to the commotion but as I got there Damon let him go, the fragile human slunk down a little and was breathing heavily trying to get his breath back. 

“I'm here as requested. What has happened?” I asked the small group.

“Elena, Stefan, Caroline and Rebekah have been taken by the council.” The sheriff tells me.

“What?” I asked, looking shocked.

“Alaric caused a stir in the council, we’ve been locked out of our offices and we have no access to any of our resources. The pastor has taken over.” She replied.

“But Caroline got away, she was in a van and somehow managed to escape.” The other woman said, as she turned to me. “I’m Meredith.” 

“Elizabeth.” I said quickly and gave her a smile.

“We have no idea where they are…” Damon says, sounding tense. 

“And with your vervain and Alaric’s weapons, they could be anywhere.” The sheriff says.

“Holding vampires would take a lot of manpower, is there a number of people missing their daily business in the town?” I asked.

“There are a few people I haven’t normally seen.” Meredith replies. 

“Come on guys, think. It takes a lot to hold a vampire. Reinforced steel, iron doors.” Damon said. 

“The pastor has a cattle ranch.” Matthew started.

We all looked at him. “Those pens could be easily modified.” He finishes.

“It’s remote, it’s secluded.” 

Damon turns to Matthew. “Well, guess what? Looks like you get a chance to prove how sorry you are. Let’s go. Lizzie you too might need some extra muscle.” 

Damon, Matthew and I left the house to get in Damon’s car. Getting in the backseat I let the two males up in the front. “So do we have a plan for this rescue mission?” I asked with a slight bit of sarcasm in my voice. 

“We are the plan.” Damon replies to me. 

As we drove to the farm I could feel the tension with Damon and Matthew. And the drive was silent as Damon parked the car on the side of the road he stopped the engine and we all proceeded to get out and walk towards the house, I took in the location seeing that the barn was off to the side. 

“So, what, we just storm the place with zero weapons?” The human asked Damon.

“Nah, we don’t need weapons. Just bait.” Damon replies as he rushes towards him and bites his neck. Matthew falls to the ground groaning in pain while Damon has blood covering his mouth and chin.

“The boy has been through enough Damon! For Christ's sake I almost killed him yesterday.” I hissed.

“Find the others.” He barked.

“Fine.” 

And with that I disappeared, using the night to my advantage I stuck to the shadows as I made my way closer and closer to the barn. As I was getting closer to the barn I heard the heartbeats of a couple of guards and sneaking up behind one I snapped his neck as his body collapsed to the floor it alerted the other and came to investigate the noise repeating the action. I walked out cautiously to the barns entrance seeing two more guards carrying what smelt like vervain. 

“I got this. Bring the other on in.” He said to his friend. 

The guard nodded and went about his business when I sped over to him and put my hand over his mouth. “Hello there.” I said in a low voice and my fingers wrapped around his jawline and I quickly pulled snapping his neck. 

“I thought I told you to shut up.” The remaining guard said from inside.

“Here’s the thing, my family we...we have money, castles, apartments, jewellry. Just name your price and let me out.” Rebekah said. 

As I crept up behind the human, careful to not make a sound. 

“I’d much rather watch you die.” He spat. 

“Well that can be arranged.” I said.

Shocked the guard turns to see me behind and he stumbles when Rebekah rushes forward at her cage, fumbling for his gun I grabbed hold of the his head and launched it towards the bars to where Stefan slams the head repeatedly until blood appeared and dropped the body outside of Elean’s cage. Seeing the blood trickle towards her I busted open the cage door and walked up towards Rebekah and put an arm around her. 

“I trust you're capable of letting yourselves out? I only came for my sister.” I told them and whisked Rebekah from the barn and off the property. 

“Are you alright?” I asked her.

She flung her arms around me and started to sob. “Nik saved Caroline but left me.” 

“You saw him in Tyler Lockwoods body didn’t you? I found out myself this morning I was going to tell you when I returned back to the mansion but then Damon called saying you had been taken.”

“He chose her over me, Lizzie. Her! Some blonde bimbo he has known for like five minutes.” She cried angrily. 

“I know, I know.” I replied, trying to soothe her.

We arrived back at the mansion and as we walked in the door we saw Klaus putting blood bags into an ice box, Rebekah still in tears approached him.

 “How dare you save Caroline over me!” She shouted.

“Hello brother. Thought you were dead. So pleased you’re not!” He sassed back.

“Niklaus!” I shouted at him.

Still in anger Rebakah carried on shouting at her brother. “You left me!”

“I only had time to save one of you and you can’t be killed. Rest assured, I had a worse day than you. I think it’s time for us to move on, find some more werewolves.” 

“What if they burned the bodies after staking then Nik, you had no idea what the council were planning!” I replied to him, standing next to Rebekah. 

“So you can create your hybrid family? You don’t know anything about family!” Rebekah yelled.

“Well, I know how easily they can be manipulated and silenced with a dagger.” He scoffed. 

Rebekah rushed to the ice box and grabbed one of the blood bags filled with Elena’s blood and threw it against the wall, bursting it.

“No!” KLaus shouted in disbelief to what he was seeing.

Rebekah takes hold of the final two blood bags in her hands. “Drop them.” Klaus threatens.

“I mourned you! My heart broke thinking I’d never see you again.” 

“Put the blood down, Rebekah. There’s a good girl.” Klaus patronises.

“For once forget about the blood. Your family is here not in those dastardly bags!” I attempted but it was too late.

Enough with the stalemate Klaus looked just as angry as Rebekah but for all of the wrong reasons. “DROP IT!!”

“You want your family?” Rebakah asked, as she squeezed the bags bursting them. The last of the blood splattered the floors, walls and us. “Here’s your family.”

Klaus rushes over pushing me into the wall with force and grabs his sister by her throat. “You know something Rebekah? You’re right. I don’t care. From this moment on you're not my family, you’re not my sister. You are nothing.” And snaps her neck and drops her to the floor.

As I picked myself up from the floor. “You’re wrong.” 

“Excuse me?” Klaus seethed walking towards me, he eyes glowing gold.

“You say she isn’t family and yet you only snapped her neck. You had every opportunity to rip her heart from her chest and you didn’t. You do care. If it were anybody else your ruthless reputation would have been upholded.” 

Feedback, likes and reblogs encourage me to write more and more often ❤

#vampire diaries #elijah mikealson #Niklaus Mikealson #Rebekah Mikealson #elijah mikaelson x reader #elijah x reader #elizabeth mikaelson #mentions of elijah #damon salvatore #Damon the eternal stud #Stefan Salvatore #elena gilbert #fanfiction #fanfic #fanfics #Mystic Falls #vampires

[layce2015]

Life is Strange 2 (Sean Diaz x Reader)

Chapter 18: Highway To Haven

Chapter 17

So the...the wolf brothers were split apart...the oldest Wolf was badly hurt...but, with the help from the fox, nothing would stop the wolf from following his brother's tracks...

Fuck, it's hot! I thought as Sean and I walk on the side of the road. I was wearing shorts and a tank top while Sean was wearing his pants with a sleeveless shirt, both of us were wearing our backpacks and damn did it feel heavy. 

"Okay...still a few hours away from Haven Point...we're almost there..." Sean informs me as I sighed. "If we make it there, alive, and not turn into fried chickens." I said as I look down at my sunburned skin. "I know...I'm burning up too. Maybe there might be some shade at the next billboard." He said and we continue on and come upon a billboard with some shade.

"Yes! Shade!" I groaned as we get into the shade and set our backpacks down. "My feet are killing me." He groans as he sits down and leans against a large boulder while I lay down on my back and draped my right arm over my eyes. "Feels like hiking in hell!" I groaned. "Agreed." He said and I let out a sigh. "Even though I normally hate it but...I wouldn't say no to an ice cold bath right now." I remarked and Sean chuckles. "Or a pool at least." He said and I giggle. "Fuckin' A....yes!" I said as I continue to lay there until I heard a pen running across some paper.

I lift up my arm and look over to see him starting to draw and I began to giggle. "Wow...even in this intense heat and with one eye, you're still drawing." I said, impressed. "Well, I've never drawn a desert before. Plus this place is so empty, there's no way I can mess up my depth perception." He replied and I laid my head back down. "Got me there." I said as I laid my hands on my stomach and closed my eyes as I listen to him running his pen over the paper.

I began to hum a song when I heard him put away his sketchbook and started to dig around in his bag. "Hey, Vixen! Here!" He said and I open my eyes and look over to see he was holding out a water bottle to me. I sit up and take the bottle. "Thanks." I said and I drank from my bottle and he drank from his bottle. 

Once I finished taking a few sips of water, I hand the bottle back to him and he puts them in his backpack. "I guess we better get going." He said as he starts to get up. "Damn it, already?" I asked as I look up at him as he puts on his backpack. "Yeah, we still got a long way to go." He said and I sigh with disappointment. "Okay..." I said as I get up, grab my backpack and put it on and we continue our walk.

Suddenly, we hear a horn behind us and both of us look over and see a diesel truck coming up behind us. "Is he honking at us?" I asked as the truck continued to honk at us. Then the truck passes us but starts to slow down. "He's stopping!" Sean said and we start to run toward the truck once it pulled up to the side of the road and stopped. 

"Truckers can't be cops, right?" Sean asked me. "I don't think so." I said as I shrug and we make it to the passenger door of the truck. Sean then places his hand on my shoulder and I look over at him. "Just...get ready to run...if he's a freak." He said. I nodded as Sean gets up to the door and opens it to reveal an older guy driving it. "Hey! You two need a lift? It's too damn hot to be walking." He said and Sean and I share a look before I nodded at him.

We look back at the trucker and said. "Yeah, thanks..." 

"Hold up..." Sean said to him then gestures for me to get up first. I get in and sit down before I scoot over and let Sean get in. Once inside, he closes the door and sits next to me in the passenger seat, which was pretty big, and the trucker starts to drive.

"You two look like shit...your eye okay, young man?" He asked Sean. "Nah...it's gone." Sean said. "Hmmm...okay. Tough shit. And what about your hand there, ma'am?" He asked me as I look down at my scarred hand. "It's getting better." I said and he nods as Sean and I lean back in the chair.

"Hey, Anton, you there? Everything alright?" A voice asked through the radio. Anton picks up the radio and pushes the button. "Yeah, what's up?" He asked. "GPS tells me you parked in the middle of nowhere just wanted to know what happened?" The voice asked as Anton looks over at us. "I, uh...I had to make a shit stop. Over." He replied and the man's voice begins to laugh.

"Too much information, but 10-4." He said and Anton laughs. "You mean number two." He said. "You owe me a beer for that. Over and out." The guy said and Anton puts away his radio then looks over at Sean and I, seeing our nervous stares.

"Don't freak out. I...I wouldn't have picked you two up if I cared about that hitchhiking law..." he said and we smiled. "Okay...cool." we said, with relief, then he reaches to the side and holds up a large sandwich to us. "So...you two hungry or what? Both of you look hungry." He said. "No, thanks." We said and he nods. "Your loss, kids." Anton said as he puts the sandwich away.

"What's your destination?" He asked us. "Haven Point." Sean replied. "You've heard of it?" I asked Anton. "Oh, yeah. Straight ahead. 'Bout an hour." He said and I nod at him as we sit there in silence. "Take a nap if you two want. You two don't have to stay awake to be nice." Anton said and we look over at him with suspicion.

"Hey, don't worry, kids. I'm not a fucking weirdo. Just a boring trucker..." he assures us and Sean and I share a look before I lean my head on his shoulder and he leans his head on top of mine.

"Laat stop, Haven Point..." Anton said as he stops and pulls up to a small church. "Thank you so much..." I said, appreciatevly. "You and your boyfriend just be careful out here...these people are...kinda weird." Anton warned and we look over at him. "Really?" We asked and he gives a slight nod. "Okay." Sean mutters as we start to pick up our backpacks. "10-4, good buddies." Anton said and Sean gets out of the truck first. Then he turns and helps me out and I turn around just as Anton waves at us. We waved back at him then Sean shuts the door.

We continued to wave back at Anton as he starts to drive off and he honks back at us. "Well...there it is." I said, gesturing towards Haven Point, and we start to walk up to the church where I see a large banner that said Happy Easter! "Wow! I forgot about Easter." Sean said as we stared at the sign. "Yeah, I totally lost track of time." I said before we walk away from the banner and head towards the church where there was a little girl standing in front of the door and a man kneeling down to her level.

She begins coughing like crazy, kinda reminded me of the time Daniel was sick so many months ago. "You okay now? Is it gone?" The man asked the girl. "I...I think." She said as she coughs some more. Poor thing. I thought as the man nods at her. "Good. Scoot back inside now." The man said as he looks over and sees Sean and I walking towards them. "Okay, dad." the girl said and she walks back inside as her father stands up and looks at us.

"Uh...hello there. Is everything all right?" He asked us. "Yeah, yeah, uh...don't worry." Sean said as we stop walking and stand in front of the man. "You two here for the services?" He asked us. "Uh, not really...we're looking for someone." I replied. 

"Don't be shy...everybody's welcome here. No matter who you are or where you're from, in His eyes we are all equal." The guy said as he gestures towards the church then turns back to us. "Plus...we have a pretty nice spread after the service...stay as long as you want." He said. "Okay..." Sean and I said, in unison. "Thanks." I said to the man. "Don't thank me. I'm just a vessel for our Reverend. Thank her. Looks like you two are here to see our new miracle...right?" He asked us and I give him a confused look.

"Uh...what miracle?" Sean asked him. "Ha! You guys haven't heard of him? Then I won't spoil it for you two. He'll be here any minute now. Just come inside and see for yourself." The guy said then he turns to the door, opens it then looks back at us with a smile. "Praise the Lord." He said before he goes inside.

I look over at Sean in fear. "Y-You don't think..." I started to ask before Sean shrugs. "I really hope not. But...I guess we're gonna find out." He replied and we head inside of the building. "Oh, feel that cold air!" I said in relief as the cold air washes over us. "Thank God for A/C." Sean said as I walk over to a billboard and look at the announcement and saw one that caught my eye.

There was a flyer that said Behold the Angel Daniel and it had an illustration of a young boy that looked alot like Daniel. "Oh my God....Sean...you need to see this." I said as I point at the flyer. He walks over to me and sees the flyer. "No way...The Angel Daniel?" he said. "Oh, shit..."

"What are we gonna do, Sean?" I asked. "I don't know...we'll think of something." He said then I look behind us and see the stairs. "Let's go up the stairs...we might draw too much attention if we go through those doors." I said as I point at the main double doors. "Yeah, you're right. C'mon." said Sean and we head up the stairs which leads us to a balcony. We walk out on the balcony and kneel down as we lean against the railings while the service went on.

"Faith. We hear that word a lot. But, Faith is not just a word, my brothers and sisters. Oh, no...what is faith?" The woman, who I assume is the Reverend the man spoke about, said as shs stands in front of a podium. "Remember Luke 18:27. What is impossible for Man...is possible for God. With that righteous faith comes the salvation of your souls! Can you cross that invisible bridge to salvation?" The Reverend said as she picks up the microphone and walks back and forth on stage as she looks out at the crowd.

"Do you want your soul to be saved, brothers and sisters?" She asked and the crowd started shouting. "Yes!" 

"Oh yes! You are not like all these sinners out there! So I never asked the Lord for a sign...then, He gave me one! He spoke to me and told me that I was doing right...and to award our great faith...the Lord sent me the ultimate gift. An angel...a child graced with the power of God. The miracle we have all been praying for...waiting for...can I get a Hallelujah?" She asked and the crowd cheered while Sean and I exchange nervous and worried glances.

"Do you have faith in his power? Do you have faith in me?" She asked and everyone started raising their hands and started to praise. "Then please welcome our newest member and our latest miracle...the Angel Daniel!" She said and she gestures over to a door on her left and Daniel walks out of the door and onto the stage next to her.

"Oh my God." I whispered as The Reverend walks up to Daniel, who has a bowl haircut and wearing a nice button up shirt and jeans, and places her hand on his shoulder. "Here is Daniel...the prophet who was thrown to the lions by false prophets! But God saved Daniel so he could do His work!" The Reverend said and people stood up and started to shout. "Hallelujah!"

"Yes, Daniel was brought to me to deliver us! To guide us from the wilderness to our destiny! Now, Daniel will reveal the true power of the Lord!" She said and she sets her microphone down on the podium. Daniel turns around to face the wall with a large cross then raises his arms up and made the cross float up and out onto the stage, this made the crowd go nuts.

"Behold this miracle! Believe!" Reverend said as she spreads her arms out as Daniel moves the cross out to the crowd. "Do you feel your soul rising like the cross? Rise...get up...stand up!" She said as some people got down on their knees and others were jumping up for joy. Then Daniel moved the cross back to its original place as people continued to cheer.

I look over at Sean, who looked shocked at this. I frown at him then reach out and take his hand in mine, he looks over at me and I nod at him. "You have seen a miracle with your own eyes. Now we have a voice...a messenger...our flock keeps growing. I see more and more new faces. But this...is only the beginning. You must spread the word! Bear witness to this miracle! Thank you so much for coming and God bless all of you. Amen." The Reverend said and she walks away from the podium then places her hands on Daniel and they walk over to the side door as a man in a white button up shirt and tan pants comes up to the podium.

"As our Reverend said, we do appreciate your kind donations. This helps us keep our church and spread the word of God!" The guy said as Sean turns around and sits down then lean against the railings. "Oh yeah! There's only a few tickets left for our picnic raffle next Sunday! Don't miss the child and another miracle!" He said as I turn and sit next to Sean as he raises his hand and leans his head against it.

I wrap my arms around his shoulder and hug him as we hear the guy dismiss the service and the people began to leave. I lean my head on his shoulder as he places his hands on my arm and we stay like that for a few moments before I heard footsteps.

"Hey!" A girl greets and we look up and I noticed it's the little girl from earlier, now carrying some books. "Oh, uh, hi." We said as I unwrap my arms off of Sean and we stand up. "I saw you two out in the parking lot earlier." She noted. "Yep, that was us." I said. "I like to be here too." She said as she walks over to a bookshelf. "We can see the whole room, and it's where our Reverend Mother teaches us classes." She said and she begins to cough again and drops the books.

"Whoa!" Sean said as we run over to her. "You okay?" He asked her. "Do you need some water?" I asked with worry. "Ah, no...sorry, I'm just kind of sick." She replied. "Oh, that sucks." I said. "Yeah, that's...too bad." Sean said and she coughs a bit more before she kneels down to the books, Sean and I kneel down as well and help her clean them up.

"Hey, what happened to your eye?" She asked Sean then she pointed at my left hand. "And what happened to your hand?"

"Well, that's a long story..." Sean replied as we put the books away on the shelf. "That's okay! My name's Sarah Lee! What's yours?" Sarah asked us. "Aww, you must be Jacob's sister! Did you get that letter from Jacob, back when he was in California?" Sean asked her. "Yes! How did you know he was in California?" She asked him. "We were with him, uh...that's how we met." Sean replied and she stands up. 

"You are Daniel's brother? And his friend? Really?" She asked, gleefully, and I smiled. "He's always talking about you two!" She said. "Hey, uh...not too loud...but yes, I'm Daniel's brother and this is..." Sean said then he looks over at me and we stared at each other before he turns back to Sarah. "...my girlfriend." Sean said to her, and my heart leapt for joy at this. "But we need some help..." I said to her, trying to bite back the smile that was trying appear on my face.

"The Reverend Mother says we always have to help our neighbor...what do you need?" She asked. "Who is this Reverend?" I asked her. "You don't know her? That's our mother Lisbeth...she was blessed by the hand of God when she was my age. She can't ever sin. The Lord guides her." Sarah replied.

"What is this place?" Sean asked her. "This is our home. Our church and community. The Reverend Mother says we were all chosen by God." She replied. "What is Daniel doing here?" I asked her. "He's our miracle! And the Lord brought him right to our Reverend Mother. I like him, he's really kind and funny! We play together all the time." She replied as she coughs a bit more. 

"So...can you take us to Daniel?" Sean asked her. "Oh yes! He's gonna be so happy when he sees both of you! He missed you guys so much for his birthday, it will be like a late surprise!" Sarah said as she takes our hands and we stand up then head down the stairs and towards the door.

Sarah smiles at us then opens the door and leads us into the main church area. "Daniel, you're the living proof of their faith...and mine." Lisbeth said to Daniel as they walk out on stage and Sarah leads us into the room. "I know you understand..." she said. "I guess, I mean..." Daniel said as Sean and I pull off our backpacks and set them down on the floor.

Daniel looks over and his eyes widen once he sees us. "Sean? (Y/n)?" He said in shock and he runs over to us. "Sean! (Y/n)!" He shouts as Sean kneels down and Daniel runs and hugs his big brother. "You guys came back! I knew it!" He said, happily, then he pulls away from the hug and goes over to me and hugs me. I smiled and hugged him back.

"You've grown up, enano." Sean said as Daniel pulls back from my hug. "Do I look older--?" He asked then he stopped and stared at Sean. "What? What happened to your eye?" He asked Sean. "Don't worry, it's okay." Sean said then Daniel looks over at me then he noticed the scars on my left hand. "What happened to your hand, (y/n)?" Daniel asked me. "Like your brother said, munchkin...don't worry." I said, smiling. 

"Did that happen at the farm? Because of me?" Daniel asked. "I'm so sorry." He said then he hugs Sean again. "I'm sorry." He said and I walk over to them and kneel down and hug both of them. "It's over, Daniel. We just gotta walk on." Sean said as we break the hug.

"Does it...hurt?" Daniel asked Sean, pointing at his eye. "No...not as much as your haircut." Sean replied and I giggled. "Shut up. It's different...I kinda like it. Guys, I didn't want to leave you two there...nothing I could do...I was so scared. I even thought you guys were dead, and--" he rambles but I place a hand on his shoulder. "Daniel, it's okay. We're together now. The three of us." I said. 

"Yes!" Daniel said as he takes my hand off of his shoulder. "So, are you guys gonna stay with us now?" He asked. "I, uh...we still need to go to Puerto Lobos." Sean replied. "But--we don't need to. We have a new home now! Look!" Daniel exclaims just as Lisbeth comes up to Daniel and places her hand on his shoulder.

"One step at a time, Daniel, give Sean and (y/n) a chance to process this...I'm sure this is all...so...overwhelming." she said as Sean and I stand up. "By the way, my name is Lisbeth Fischer..." she introduced as she holds her hand out. Sean shakes it first as she continues. "We all prayed for your safe returns." She said as she goes and shakes my hand.

"Sean...(y/n)...you two must be believers now in our Lord, too!" She said as she gestures towards Daniel. "Kinda." Sean and I said, in unison. "Daniel told me you two had faith. That's how both of you got here...but first...I need Sarah Lee and Daniel to grab the medicine kit. We have to take care of our new guests. This is a place of healing." She said. 

"Aw, let's do it later. I wanna talk to them now!" Daniel said, impatiently. "Daniel. Now!" Lisbeth said to him, firmly. "Okay...Reverend Mother." Daniel said as Sarah takes his hand and they run off. "Whoa, whoa!" Sean and I said but they went through the stage side door and shut it.

"Well, Sean and (y/n)...it's a pleasure to meet you two. This is a real blessing today. You two were away from Daniel for quite awhile." Lisbeth said as she turns to us. "We were in a coma." I replied, defensively. "Of course! I wasn't judging either of you...so what is your plan? This is a blessed family...and it would be good for Daniel to have both of you by his side. You two should know that the Lord has big plans for him." She said.

"God...or you?" Sean asked her.

"God, of course." She replied.

"This isn't Daniel's home. That's where we're taking him. In Mexico." I said to her. "That sounds very selfish. He has all he needs right here." She said as she gestures around her. "Sounds more selfish to try and keep your main attraction." Sean accused. "Judge not lest ye be judged. Daniel will be staying here, whether you two like it or not." Lisbeth said, firmly. 

"Daniel sounds more like a prisoner than a guest." I said to her. "It saddens me that you see things that way, after everything I've done for him. I know why you two are scared. That's because both of your hearts are full of sins. I know about that poor man you two beat down back in Washington." She said and I give her a confused look. Is she talking about that asshole at the gas station? We didn't beat him up! He tied Sean and I up in his office and beat us up! I thought. "This is a terrible sin. And until you two make penance for it, I can't accept you two here." She replied.

"What?" Sean said, confused.

"Are you serious?" I asked her, angrily.

"I'm sorry, my children." She said.

"We're not your kids!" I shouted at her.

"And Daniel isn't gonna be your golden cow!" Sean shouts then he goes over to the side and starts to walk to the door. "Daniel! Come on!" He calls out to him. "Why don't we ask him what he wants to do?" Lisbeth asked as she tries to stop Sean from going to the door. "Do not touch me!" Sean shouts and he pushes her away and she stumbles back and falls down to the ground, making me gasp. 

"What the fuck?" Sean asked as she slowly gets up. "What did you do?" Daniel asked as he and Sarah come back in. "Nothing." Sean said. "Enough!" Lisbeth said and she turns her head to us and I could see blood pouring down her nose. "You spilled blood...in the Lord's home." She said, viciously.

"Guys! What happened?" Daniel asked us. "Your brother and his friend came in here, impure and acting like criminals. But they can be saved, Daniel." She said as she gets up and walks over to Daniel.

"I'm sorry, guys...she's right. I will pray for both of you. And when you guys are ready, we can." Daniel said. "She's trying to manipulate you, Daniel!" I said to Daniel, desperately. "Let me lead you two to the one true light that never goes out. I want to be your friend." Lisbeth said to me. "You're crazy!" Sean shouts at her and we start to walk over to Daniel.

"Let's get outta here, Daniel." Sean said as he grabs his arm but Daniel yanks his arm out of Sean's grip. "I wanna stay...just go." He said and my jaw drops. "And there's your answer." She said as she pushes us back. "We're together again, so we can go." Sean said but then I felt someone grabbing me.

"Come on." A guy's voice said as he grabs Sean. "Let go of me!" We shouted. "Daniel!" I shout as the two guys start to drag us out of the church. "Let us go, assholes!" Sean shouts. "Daniel! They're not your family!" I screamed. "Stop it!" One of the men ordered. "You just need to have faith. We'll be waiting..." Lisbeth said as they start to drag us out the door.

"Daniel!" Sean shouts.

"It's okay, guys!" Daniel said.

"Daniel!" Sean and I shout as the double door closes and we were dragged outside and thrown out. "Here you go. Satisfied?" One of the guys said to us as he and his friend tosses mine and Sean's backpacks at us. "Now don't either of you ever come back!" The guy in the white shirt said as his friend starts to leave.

At this moment, Sean and I start to get back up. "Come on, kids. Don't make me do this...neither of you are gonna win." He said then he punches Sean in the face. "What the..." I started to exclaim but he punches me in the face, both of us were back on the ground. As we get back up, the guy goes and shuts the gate and we slam our hands against the fence. "Daniel! DANIEL!!" We shouted. "You two are pissing me off. This is private property." The man threatened as he pulls out a gun. "I have a legal right to stop any intruders. Like you two." The man sneered.

"I...just...want...my brother." Sean said in between breathes. "But...he...doesn't want you. He was brought here and this is where he's staying. Next time, I will not hesitate to use this." He said as he holds up his gun. "Now get out of here." He said as he walks away.

"Oh, yeah! Beating up kids, threatening them with a gun to shoot them! HOW VERY CHRISTIAN OF YOU!!!" I screamed as Sean starts slapping the fence while I kicked it. 

"Sean..." a voice said behind us and we turned around and saw a woman, with shirt blonde hair, standing behind us. "Karen." Sean said to her in disbelief. "Karen? As in your mom?" I asked and he nods as he continues to stare at her. "You won't get him back like this." Karen said. "Let's go." She said as she turns and walks towards an old beat up truck.

Sean and I share a look before we grab our bags and follow her to the truck. "Sean, what happened to your eye? And who's the girl?" Karen asked once we got inside the truck, Sean sits in the passenger seat and I sit in the back. "Why the hell are you here? How did you find us?" Sean asked, ignoring her questions. "Well, uh...I got a letter from...uh, Jacob. He said you were missing...and that Daniel needed help. I believed him." She replied.

"Hmph...so you finally decided to check on him." Sean sneers. "You know, Sean...sooner or later...we're gonna have to talk." She said before she starts the truck and begins to drive away from the church. "Where are we going?" I asked. "I already have a hotel room. Both of you are gonna need to rest. And, Sean, you're gonna need to clean that dressing." She said. 

"(Y/n)..." I said. "Sorry?" Karen asked as she looks at me through the rearview mirror. "My name is (y/n)." I replied and she stares at me through the mirror before she looks back at the road as we head towards the hotel.

#life is strange fanfiction #life is strange 2 #life is strange #daniel diaz #fan fiction #fandom #fanfic #reader imagine #x reader #reader insert #reader #sean diaz imagines #sean diaz x reader #sean diaz #lis2 sean #lis sean #telekinesis #video game imagine #video game #video games

[kisstheprincessofpurewhite]

After My Father’s Funeral Chapter 1

Summary: Funerals can be stressful, but so can weddings--especially with a family as effed up as theirs. Unfortunately for Leia, she has both to attend in one go. So much for repression. Modern AU 

Pairings: Leia/Han, Mara/Luke, Jyn/Cassian, Leia&Han&Luke&Mara&Cassian&Jyn, Uncle Owen/Aunt Beru

Chapter summary: Let the past die, bury it if you have to.

Chapter pairings: Mara/Luke, Jyn/Cassian, Past!Leia/Cassian, Luke&Leia&Mara

A/N:  Based on the idea that it would be really traumatizing to be a Skywalker in the modern day.  See Ao3 and FFN versions for full authors notes.

If Leia had learned anything from her albeit limited experience traveling, it was that bureaucracy was a bitch. “Bureaucracy is a lawyer’s best friend, Miss Organa,” her boss, Akbar, had told her. “These people, they try so hard to cover every little crack and crevice, but it’s our job to find where they were wrong.” Today, in-line at the airport, Leia was fairly certain it was the whole idea that was wrong with bureaucracy. After her ticket failed to work, she had to wait in-line to speak with a representative, having already spoken with two other employees and a supervisor. It was as if the universe was preventing her from going home, which she desperately wanted to take as a sign to switch her flight to someplace with tropical beaches. She was even considering Canto Bight, when it was her turn in line.

“Thank you for flying Rebel Air. How can I help you, ma’am?” The smiling woman said.

“Yes, hello, I have a last-minute booking to Naboo, and my tick-“

“We have a policy on exchanging flights for last-minute bookings, ma’am. I’m sorry.” The response was tired, rehearsed, as if countless people had tried to weasel out of the policy of the company.

She sighed inwardly, bidding the dream of the casino goodbye. “I don’t want to exchange, I want to get on my plane, my ticket won’t check me in.”

“How odd, may I see your ticket and some ID, please.” Leia handed both over, and the woman scanned it. “Naboo, huh?”

Leia was not in the mood for smalltalk. “Yep.” The airport had to be the worst place for small talk.

“What brings you there? Big racing down there, I hear.”

“Yeah, yeah, I grew up there. I’m going for family stuff, you know. A funeral and then a wedding.” The representative nodded and smiled knowingly. How ironic, there’s no way she could’ve known.

The computer made a noise, not a good one either, and the rep made a face, and tried again. “Hmmm,” she said. “Odd, let me get my supervisor.”

Leia groaned and laid her face on the counter. She hated to leave her fate in the hands of strangers, without any agency as to getting anywhere. After a few moments, she huffed, trying not to lose her temper. She wasn’t in a hurry per se, but also wasn’t in the mood to spend any more time than she had to with airport employees.

The rep appeared with another employee. “I’m sorry about that Ms. Organa, here’s a new ticket for you, should work now,” the (presumed) supervisor told her, scanning the ticket. There was a happy sounding beep, and she took her ticket with a thanks.

She checked her bags, and sat down at her gate. The tv above the gate was on; she immediately regretted glancing at it.

“…the noted activist, and so-called ‘Champion of Free Speech’ Anakin Skywalker has died. The 65-year old had been battling lung cancer for nearly a decade before passing away at his home in Naboo on Friday. Skywalker first rose to fame as a leader of the Imperialists under the name ‘Vader.’ But Skywalker had moved away from the group in recent years—even calling it a ‘cult’ in one noted interview—to support pro-environmentalist groups. His family asks to make any donations to…”

“Quite the enigma, that man.” The voice made Leia jump, and she looked over to see a man sitting next to her looking at the TV. He saw that she had looked over and continued. “I read his book ‘Anti-anti-‘, and let me say—“ She immediately got up, took her carry-on bag, and moved to sit on the opposite side of the seating area with her back to the stranger. If the man was at all offended by her behavior, she neither knew nor cared.Skywalker certainly had a way of ruining everything, even the flight to his funeral.

The Naboo airport held one of her most treasured memories: when she had parted with her brother, Luke, for the first time since what she had dubbed the Ruling. They who had spent a majority of their formative years apart, only to be reunited at 16 through the worst of all circumstances, left each other for the first time since then in a tearful goodbye at the airport four years ago. At the time, she knew she wouldn’t miss the city, her old college, or even her (recently) ex-boyfriend, but she hated leaving her twin after trying so hard to stay together.

So today it was only fitting that it be Luke’s face to greet her at the gate. Their embrace was tight and full of longing, she hadn’t seen her brother since before they had turned 25. Leia turned and greeted the woman beside Luke with her own tender embrace and a kiss on the cheek.

“Mara, you look so well,” Leia said, gripping her soon-to-be sister-in-law’s forearms.

“Thank you, as do you as always. Thank you for coming sooner than we’d originally talked about, I’m sorry if it spoiled any of your plans.” She blew her red hair out of her face, smiling broadly.

“Well, if they were spoiled it’s how ol’ dad would’ve wanted it,” Leia released Mara and heading towards baggage claim.

“Now, Leia-“ Luke’s voice was a warning, one that she wasn’t about to heed.

“‘Now, Leia’” Leia mockingly repeated. “I promise to keep my comments to myself during the wake and the funeral, but I make no such guarantees about anywhere else.”

She couldn’t hear Luke’s sigh, but she knew it was there. They picked up her bag, and hopped into Luke’s old truck.

“When’re you going to get a new car?” Leia asked. “The windows still roll down.”

“Luke had said something about the end of days, but that is in contention,” Mara joked from the backseat.

Luke only smiled. Leia knew that he wasn’t bothered at all at Mara’s comment, or even at her’s towards Skywalker. Her brother had the most positive temperament of anyone she’d ever met; she resented him just a little for that.

“I hope you don’t mind staying with Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru,” Luke said as they crossed over Amidala bridge. The bridge connected the inner city and the boroughs of Naboo, a passion project of their late mother’s. They had named it after her, a symbol of how much she had been universally loved in her local community.

“Of course not,” Leia stated, only lying a little bit. It was difficult to pin blame on anyone for the unpleasantness that had framed the last ten years of her life. Luke was definitely not a candidate, and therefore should not have to suffer her contention. Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru were contenders as well as her own dear parents. The only person who Leia could surely, 100%, be blamed was Anakin Skywalker. And blame him she did.

They pulled into the drive-way of the Lars’ Farm, and all three each rolled out of the hot car—Luke’s air conditioning had quit sometime in college. Her Uncle and Aunt greeted her warmly, showing her to the guest room, which had, at one time, been Luke’s room. After the Ruling, Leia had sat with Luke in this very room and imagined their lives together growing up as they might have been. The faces of those who would raise them were blurry, but so many of the memories she’d constructed had felt so real, it was bittersweet to think of her childhood without him. Now the walls were bare of Luke’s Ahch-To and X-wing posters and the room certainly smelled better.

She was debating between living out of her suitcase or unpacking when Luke came in with his hands in his pockets and a peculiar smile on his face. Leia knew that look, as she knew every look--every movement even--of her brother’s. Choice words were about to be said, and she was sure she wasn’t going to like them.

“A bit different from when we were 18,” Luke commented.

“Certainly smells better.” That got a chuckle, but it didn’t really reach his eyes.

“Leia…” She sighed, and crossed her arms. “I’ve never been able to tell you what to do-

“Nor will you ever.”

“-but could you at least keep your comments about dad, our dad, to a minimum? Or at least confine them to just between us?”

“Mara knows perfectly well what I think about your father, no sense in hiding from her.” She tried not to be exclamatory, only firm, in her distinction of “your.”

Luke was not having said distinction. “He was your father too.” His tone was matter-of-fact, not loud.

“No, he wasn’t. A father is there for you, a father teaches you how to ride a bike and playfully threatens your prom date. Anakin Skywalker was not my father.”

Luke sighed, exasperated. “What more could he have done to redeem himself to you?”

Leia rolled her eyes. “Well, there’s no use asking that question now as there isn’t anything more he could do. He’s dead.”

“I know that, but what could he have done?”

“Not be a racist? Not inspire god-knows how many to kill? Not left our mother to die? Taken care of us after she died? Oh, and when he didn’t do all those things, how about not putting the fact that we are related to him in the goddamn public record? You know how many opportunities I’ve lost because of him? All a potential connection need do is google my name and right there is ‘daughter of noted activist Anakin Skywalker.’” She stood from the bed, ready to defend her viewpoint in the impending argument.

“You think I haven’t had doors closed in my face too? You really think you’re the only one to suffer?” They weren’t yelling, Luke never yelled. But his voice was firm and contentious.

“No, but you still defend him, he ruined our lives!” Leia didn’t understand how Luke could see the events of the past and come to any other conclusion.

“What would you have done, Leia? If you were in his shoes, what would you have done?” He had always seen the world through their results: Skywalker had brought them back together as brother and sister so ergo Skywalker was good.

“How can you continue to defend him? He’s ruined your wedding!” There were tears in her eyes now, threatening to fall.

“By dying? It’s not like he could choose when-“

“I wouldn’t put it past him.”

Luke sighed, and she felt the tension drop. Their argument would not escalate further. “Mara and I already live together, and we have the rest of our lives, the wedding is just a day.”

“One of the only days in your life where you have all of your loved ones together in one room.”

Luke shrugged. “Maybe you’re right, maybe he was comforted by the idea that everyone was going to be here anyway.”

Leia bit back her comment, knowing it was no use to argue with him. She sat back down, her temper deflated. Luke kneeled on the bed beside her and laid a hand on her shoulder.

“You have every right to be angry, and I hope one day you decide to let it go. Either way, I’m glad you’re here.” Leia bit back the tears until Luke embraced her and she let them fall, silently crying into his arms.

“Luke, Aunt Beru wants to know-“ Mara said, poking her head into the room. “Oh, sorry. Is everything alright?”

Leia nodded and wiped her face as Luke rubbed her back. “Yeah, it's just a lot, you know, to be back here, in this room. We tried weed in here, one time, did Luke tell you?” Luke was right, there was no use dragging Mara into her trauma.

Luke didn’t seem phased that she had lied about what was going on, and groaned. “Never again, I will never understand the appeal.” The three of them laughed and Leia fingered the duvet cover. She tried to tell herself it was only the jet-lag and airport that had made her so upset.

The Wake was the next day, and flew by before Leia even noticed. Both the funeral and visitation were closed events, invitation only, with enforcers hired to keep any unwanted company out. There was a slight mix-up that involved a Senator from Scarif but was soon sorted out without much hassle. Overall, the night was full of people wishing both her brother and her well. Though the stream of mourners was steady, there couldn’t have been more than a few dozen. Mara had mentioned something about the event conflicting with the races, and Leia laughed to herself that not even her father’s funeral could compete with this town’s obsession with racing. Most of the guests were also wedding guests, and promised to be there in a little over two weeks under much lighter circumstances.

“I hope they all RSPV’d, otherwise it's going to be terribly awkward to turn them away,” Luke said to Mara and Leia during a small break between mourners.

“‘Sorry great-aunt Myla, I know you said you’d be here two weeks ago, but that was then and this was now,’” Mara mimed Luke turning away elderly potential wedding guests. The three all cracked a smile and greeted another couple, Anakin’s former editor and his wife.

They had chosen a closed casket for both events. Still, Leia couldn’t help but glance at the casket every so often with a sick desire to set her eyes on Skywalker one more time. To see if he was really dead? Would she find joy in knowing he’d finally gotten what he’d deserved: a slow death, probably most of it in pain? She snapped her head away and shook her head. Pretty soon, she’d turn out like him: evil.

The funeral was the Friday after. In front of the mirror, Leia was hoping no one would notice that she’d worn the same black dress to both the wake and the funeral. She only had maybe two black dresses to begin with—white was more her color. And, even then, she’d had to pack for nearly a month and could only take so much with her. Besides, she was grieving, right? Who expected someone to be en vogue while in mourning? To finish the outfit, she wore big, dark glasses so that—hopefully—no one saw her rolling her eyes during the ceremony.

The temple was surrounded by natural beauty, flowering trees and even a waterfall. She was sure Luke had picked out this place. Another receiving line, more mourners. After a dozen or so, she was stifling a yawn and excused herself to get some water.

It was on her way down the hall that she ran into someone she had not expected to, and, from the look on his face, he had not expected her either.

“Cassian?” She said, removing her glasses.

“Leia, its good to see you again.” They awkwardly stood in the hallway. Cassian was with a very pretty woman their age, with big blue eyes and somewhat of a European face. If the rumors from Luke were true, then this must be...

“Leia, this is my fiancé, Jyn Erso. Jyn, this is…an old friend, Leia Organa. We went to school together.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” Leia said, smiling and extending her hand.

“Ditto.” So she was English. “Sorry about your loss.” She shook Leia’s hand. It shouldn’t feel weird, should it? To meet your ex’s fiancé. She tried to smile and push it out of her mind.

“Thank you both for coming, but, in truth, I had not expected you to be here.”

“It was more for your brother and Mara-“

“And you, of course,” Jyn interjected.

“Of course. You and Luke and Mara, we came to support you. How are you doing?” She couldn’t make out his tone, and therefore if he was referring to her life in general, the funeral, or the wedding. She said as much. Cassian chuckled and Jyn even cracked a smile. “All three, I guess.”

She addressed each in sequence. “Fine, ehh, and fine.”

“We should get together and catch up, the fo- five of us,” Cassian said.

“We’re having a party tomorrow night to celebrate the wedding,” Jyn said. “You’re invited, of course.”

“Well then, of course I’ll come,” Leia assured. The three of them started back towards the entrance where her brother and Mara were waiting.

“And we’ll have to meet, and catch up,” Cassian reminded.

“Yes, catching up, let’s. It was nice seeing you both, I’ll see you in there, and maybe after. Definitely tomorrow.” Leia talked as they walked. She took her place next to Luke as Mara kissed the cheek of some tall scruffy-looking guy. Leia figured he was probably one of her family as she had never seen him before, but thoughts of the man were quickly put out of her mind.

“Cassian! Jyn!” Luke said, shaking the hand of the two, Mara embraced them both.

“It’s great that you’re both here, we’ll see you tomorrow.” Mara told them and Leia nodded, already turning to the next person in line.

The funeral went by also without a hitch, though Leia had her fair share of eye-rolling and snorts—the latter of which she masked as sobs with the help of an acquired tissue. The speaker carefully skidded over Skywalker’s debatable crimes against humanity by simply referring to them as “dark times.” Leia had to pretend to blow her nose to contain the scoff from that one.

Soon enough they were wheeling the casket up the aisle and headed to the cemetery. Only close friends and family were attending, no more than ten or so people. Luke and Mara rode in Leia’s rental rather than Luke’s truck. They were right in the front behind the hearse.

“I don’t think I ever thanked you for coming early, Leia,” Luke said, and Mara rubbed his arm.

“No need, I wish I could’ve come sooner and helped out with any affairs that needed to be tended to.”

Luke shrugged. “There wasn’t much to sort, he knew it was the end and had already planned with money set aside. He was in the hospital for the last year, didn’t even have a house or many personal items. No, all he-“ Luke must’ve known that she wouldn’t’ve cared if Skywalker had wanted her at his funeral or not, and amended his statement. “All I wanted was for you to be here.”

“Then I’d do it again, one-hundred times over. Anything for my baby brother.”

Luke smiled. “I’m the oldest.”

“Are not.”

“Are to.”

“I can dig up the pictures of the birth certificates again, if you insist.”

Luke seemed to shrug. “Pictures can be doctored, unlike your attitude.”

That made Leia laugh out loud as they pulled into the cemetery, the loud bell proclaiming their purpose for visiting.

There was a small ceremony at the tomb-site, the speaker inviting anyone to come and say something. Luke gave a small speech, as did a few others, but Leia hardly noticed. She was looking over the rise to the group of men wearing all black who seemed to be staring at them. They had shaved heads. One raised a sign over his head that read: “Long-live the Emperor.” That was enough for Leia.

“Excuse me,” she said quite suddenly as she got up and to the enforcer who’d come with them, directing his attention to the intruders. He quickly spoke on a walkie-talkie, making his way in the direction Leia had pointed.

The group noticed the man heading towards them, and some started to run away. Most stayed put.

“Hold fast, brothers!” one yelled so that even the dead could hear. “They can’t stop our free speech!”

“We aren’t the government, you fucking dickhead! It's a private ceremony, and you’re intruding! Go be a waste of oxygen somewhere else, you ignorant, servile scum!” Leia shouted back.

“It’s you who are the scum! Not giving this great man a proper burial as he outlined in his 1986 manifesto!”

“Tell that to executor of his fucking estate with a will from circa 2014! Leave us to mourn in peace, and let the past die before I kill it myself!” Leia’s throat was hoarse, but she would gladly out-shout a symphony to keep skinheads away from Skywalker’s burial. Not for the sanctity of Skywalker’s grave or anything like that, instead for the sake of peace for those she loved.

“You hear that, she’s threatening me!”

By now the enforcer had caught up to them, and most of the group had fled. But the person conversing with her across the cemetery had to be restrained and escorted out. Leia sat down and with a nod, the speaker continued as if not missing a beat. No one seemed too surprised something like this would happen. All Leia could think was it figured that Skywalker could even ruin his own burial.

They lowered the casket and began burying it. As they did this, Leia made her way over to a different plot, placing the bouquet she had brought with her on the tombstone: “Here lies ORGANA Bail and Breha, loving wife, husband, parents, and friends. May the force be with us all.”

“Hi,” Leia whispered. “It’s been a minute.”

The wind whispered over the peaceful place.

“Wish you were both here, I think about you every day.”

She laid on her back, head on the flat stone as though it were a pillow, and imagined herself there, forever.

“Practicing?” A voice said and she cracked her eye open to see her brother, his tie untied, and dirt on his pants.

She nodded and closed her eyes. She heard the grass rustling as he lay next to her.

“Do you wanna be buried here?” Luke asked.

“Yeah, it’s so peaceful. You’ll be next to me, right?”

“Of course. I’ll even do you one better and split a coffin with you. Save us a lot of money.” With the private ceremony and unlisted grave, there was hardly any money left for the two of them. Leia had felt bad for Luke what with the wedding three weeks away, and had refused what small amount was left for her, insisting he take it.

Leia laughed. “Go out of this life the way we came in?”

Luke also laughed. “I didn’t even think of it that way.”

“Hey, at least we’ll be together. I never wanna not be together, in one way or another.”

Luke sighed in agreement, and took her hand. They stared at the sky together, watching the clouds.

“You two should move to Coruscant, there’s a ton of writing jobs there. And it's not too far from Ahch-To, which I know you love.”

“We’ve talked about it.”

“You should do it.”

“We’ll see.” Luke was silent for another moment. “We should be getting back.”

Leia sighed and got up. “Any more appearances until the wedding?”

Luke looked pensive for a moment as he got up. “Well there’s Cassian and Jyn’s party tomorrow, and our party that we’re throwing and-“

“Ok, ok, I guess I’ll have to always be on my best behavior.” They started walking towards the cars.

“Thanks for getting after those guys,” Luke said after a moment of walking.

“It was my pleasure, I assure you.”

“Never thought you’d defend dad’s right to have some peace.”

“I was thinking mostly about how much I didn’t want to see you try to have a calm discussion with the skin-head before he reset your clock.”

“I could’ve taken them.”

“Sure.”

They reached the cars where most everyone had left, Mara was waiting by the car.

“There you two are, I was beginning to wonder if you’d fallen into an open grave or something,” she said.

“At least then we’d leave this life the way we came in,” Luke joked.

“Gross, you know, there is such a thing as too close, you two.”

“It was Leia’s joke!” Luke said as he claimed the front seat.

They started driving back Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru’s, stopping to get a late lunch.

“You met Jyn, right?” Mara asked from the backseat. Leia nodded.

“Yeah, she and Cassian seem cute together.”

“He’s great. She’s my maid of honor.” Leia nodded. “She seems really nice, kinda quiet. But nice.” “Well, we’ve been through a lot, the two of us. I’d like if you two got along. I know there’s some history between you and Cassian, but-” Leia shook her head emphatically. “There won’t be a problem, I swear.” “You’ll have to meet my best man,” Luke piped up.

“Speaking of someone she might have a problem with,” Mara muttered.

Luke looked over his shoulder at her, but Leia didn’t catch it. He ignored Mara’s comment otherwise. “He’ll be at the party tomorrow.” Leia hummed in agreement. “Try not to kill him, will you? Or at least wait to kill him until after the wedding.”

“I make no such guarantees,” Leia quipped, getting a small laugh. “But I promise to at least try to leave him in one piece for the pictures.” She racked her brain and trying to remember if Luke had said something previously about this guy. Did Luke even mention him at all? He kept up with such a strange crowd since dating Mara, who knew a lot of people in the racing scene. Leia groaned internally, praying to god he wasn’t one of those stuck-up racing types. 

#han x leia #star wars #Han Solo #leia #han #leia organa #leia skywalker #luke skywalker #mara jade #mara #mara jade skywalker #luke #star wars: original triology #modern AU #star wars au #star wars modern au #original trio #original triology #rogue one #rogue one: a star wars story #star wars wedding #star wars funeral #funeral #wedding #sw #star wars expanded universe #expanded universe

[forloveoflibertea]

To Be Remembered | o n e

[ originally published on Wattpad : May 23rd, 2017 . unedited . word count: 2,196 . updated January 23rd, 2018 . ]

o n e

« w h y d o y o u w a n t t o k n o w w h o i a m ? »

'"Who am I?"

'"Only you can know who you are, child; no one else can command you to become someone you are not. You are, at your innermost core, who you truly are—only you can know, only you can choose to bare your truest self to the world."

'"And if I do bare my true self? What then?"

'"The world is beautiful, but cruel. It does not know us, in the same way that we do not know its truest extent. To bare one's true self—to bare one's heart—makes us vulnerable. If you bare your true self to the world, there is no telling to the extent of the pain you will go through. I tell you, my child, only bare your truest self to the one that you love, the one who can accept who you truly are."'

He blinked tiredly at the screen, the light reflecting off of his reading glasses. With a huff, Arthur shut off his laptop directly after saving and closing the file. He pinched the bridge of his nose, blindly pulling off the glasses and placing it atop his nightstand.

Green eyes gazed at the ceiling, glazed over in thought as they idly followed the white pinpricks which were supposed to resemble the stars in the night sky. He'd long finished his homework, the papers neatly tucked into his binders, which were, in turn, carefully stashed into his messenger bag. That wasn't the problem, nor was his elder brother's distinct absence from his own house.

Arthur had met Antoinette, Camden's wife and his sister-in-law, as he'd tried to silently stalk up the stairs as soon as he'd come back to the house that afternoon. Or it was more that Antoinette, the French bitch she could be, successfully ambushed him after fifty tries ever since he'd traveled across the pond to live with his brother and his wife, and had persuaded him to join them for a disastrous dinner. (A cynical Briton forced to sit before an eccentric French woman do not a successful heart-to-heart over dinner make.)

The problem was that, as much as Arthur tried, he couldn't seem to get rid of that look in the American boy's eyes during that History class. There was incredulousness there—that was already a given—but what bothered the Briton was the smallest glint of sadness he'd managed to get a glimpse of in that tiny moment that their eyes met.

He didn't understand why that bothered him—after all, he didn't know the boy personally, aside from the occasional rumours he overheard.

"Alfred F. Jones," he muttered under his breath, the name rolling off of his tongue. The American was rather popular in the campus populace—both with the females and males, what with the widespread 'fact' that the boy was bisexual. (Although, with hearsay from the popularity-crazed teenagers who went to World Academy, Arthur could only take what they said with a grain of salt.)

A stereotypical all-American cliché—high school American football quarterback, energetic, and an everyone-loves-me kind of bloke, from the Briton's occasional (unintentional) eavesdropping on the rumour mill. But there were odd occurrences: the first was that the boy—now a Junior, like Arthur—had quit the football team the school year before, when he was a Sophomore, after building up a reputation of being the 'Golden Boy' of the academy. (Or, as Arthur could gather from what he heard through the grapevine, as the 'Crown Prince' of the social hierarchy.)

It only proved to become even stranger by the fact that no one really knew what the true reason was behind the sudden—and completely unexpected—event. The second odd occurrence was that Alfred F. Jones seemed to join the so-called 'Suicide Squadron' shortly after what was widely known in the campus as 'The Tragedy' and 'The Apocalypse'.

The third was that no matter how much Arthur tried to dig deeper into the true essence of those two events, he couldn't get a single clue from every student he came across. Each one had their lips zipped tight, and immediately left after he posed the question.

He sighed heavily, running a hand through his messy blond hair.

What a troublesome web of mysteries.

—

In World Academy, there were three unspoken rules which every student—both in the Social Hierarchy and out of it—already knew by heart, and the corresponding punishments labeled to each.

The first rule: Each student must be subject to one caste only.

There were two primary castes: the Royals and the Commoners. The Royals consisted of the highest-ranking in the Hierarchy, and were made up of the most popular and the richest students. The Commoners were neutral students, or those who were average in everything a high school student considered to be important: looks, luxury, and intelligence. The Commoners were the middle class in the Hierarchy.

The second rule: No student should ever associate with one who is not from their own caste without permission from the King.

To be allowed communication with a Royal for a Commoner was treated to be a special privilege. There was a strict criteria that the current King of the Hierarchy, Ivan Braginski, followed, and thus there were limited allowances for a student to mingle with someone who wasn't from their own caste.

And the third: Associating with the Suicide Squadron or anyone rumoured to be in cohorts with the Bad Touch Trio will immediately be punished.

These were the three unspoken rules of World Academy—and Arthur Kirkland, being a newcomer to the lions' den, unwittingly branded himself a 'Rogue' as he broke the rules.

—

"Say, Arthur, why do you always want to remain anonymous?"

The addressed Briton turned around, catching the stare of the green-eyed brunette. He offered a polite half-smile as the girl tapped at the printed sheets of the articles he had left upon her desk for her perusal.

"It's better this way." He said, and the girl—Elizaveta Héderváry, the Editor-in-Chief of the campus paper—frowned heavily. She stood from her seat, sweeping up the papers to wave them in front of the mildly startled Briton as she approached him.

"Don't you know how many of the students love the works you've been submitting to the paper ever since you came in that first week?" She demanded, advancing towards the uneasy Briton, who backtracked a step with each inch she moved forward.

He remembered the first time he'd gone to the school paper office with remarkable clarity. (And an underlying embarrassment.)

It had been the Friday afternoon of his first week at World Academy, just after his final class for the day. He'd planned to spend it the way he had the entire week after school: hiding out on the rooftop of the main building, writing and discarding what he wrote until the sun lingered just above the horizon in the few moments before it finally sunk and gave way to the night.

Arthur never liked to go back to his brother's house; the layout of the entire edifice reminded him too much of their home back in England. Camden had even tried to recreate the look of Arthur's own bedroom back at the old house, perhaps to alleviate the 'homesickness' the teenager didn't have. But there were too many memories lingering in every nook and cranny which resembled the old house, too many voices crowding his mind and begging his attention.

Too many regrets he could never erase.

So he spent as much time at the campus until he was forced to go back to the house. And that afternoon, as he was heading out of the main building, he met Elizaveta, who had been locking up the school paper clubroom. Or it would be more accurate to say that he literally bumped into her, and the impact sent his papers flying every which way.

He had apologized, of course, and had almost regretted doing so when she grabbed him by the shoulders and screeched, "I found you!" (Later, Arthur would realize that she had found out from whom the anonymous poem he'd left at the school paper office's submissions box earlier that week came from due to the similar handwriting both pieces—the one he'd left and the one she was clutching that day—had.)

"Your poems alone garnered so much praise, Arthur," her voice quieted, and he almost breathed a sigh of relief. When Elizaveta got going, it was extremely difficult to stop her. "Why don't you want anyone to know who's the writer behind these beautiful pieces?"

The brunette held up one of the articles, and Arthur glanced at his own looping script.

"I wait on these shores for one who'll never come back;

I wait beyond seas, beyond oceans of tears I lack."

"'And I turn away from hope, from hope that's gone,'" Elizaveta whispered, as the Briton looked away, "'And I turn to these lands, where forever I wait alone.'"

"It's better this way," Arthur repeated firmly. "Who would want to know someone like me, lass?"

Who would want to know someone who's given up on himself long ago?

The Hungarian girl smiled, and she turned around, walking towards her desk, upon which she perched herself with a knowing grin. "Oh, you never know, Arthur."

She jutted her chin in his direction, to which he elegantly raised a brow in questioning. Elizaveta merely grinned even wider, raising a hand and waving towards someone in the boy's general direction.

"Hello, Alfred!"

Arthur immediately turned around, and guarded green eyes met with amused blue. He forced himself to maintain his usual façade, crossing his arms across his torso as he regarded his fellow Junior.

The American strode into the room, nodding his head in recognition to the only girl in room with a bright grin. "Hey, Liz. Mattie's been looking for ya'; apparently, he needs your help with keeping a tight leash on the BTT again."

The Hungarian sighed, shaking her head as she hopped off of her desk, smoothing out her black Fall Out Boy tee, which was paired with a checkered skirt and ankle-high boots. (Arthur internally approved.) "Let me guess: Gil's at it again with some of the Royals, isn't he?"

Alfred nodded, stopping just a yard or so away from the Briton with his hands pushed deep into the pockets of his jacket. "Pretty much." He agreed, tilting his head in the direction of the door. "Also Franny's been flirting with the King's sisters again, while Toni... Well, I haven't seen him anywhere today."

"When will that French idiot learn that Natalya can turn his skinny ass into a freaking shish-kebab?" Elizaveta grumbled as she slung her bag over her shoulder, stomping her way to the door. (The Briton carefully kept his distance.) She turned to look at the two, tipping her head in the direction of the door. "Better get out while I'm still here; the lock on this door's been busted for a while now, which means that if somebody closes it with too much force, anybody who's still inside might get stranded for hours, and you do not want that to happen to you. Just ask Kiku—that happened once."

Arthur immediately sped out through the doorway, waiting for the Hungarian to follow suit as Alfred did the same. He kept his head turned away as Elizaveta passed by with a wave, which he returned, rather reluctantly.

He made to walk away, perhaps go up to the rooftop if he still had time, when the American reached out, placing a hand on his shoulder. He stiffened, abruptly whirling around on his heel to face the boy.

"What was that—"

"'Who would want to know someone like you', huh?" Alfred said, and Arthur narrowed his eyes, shoulders hunching defensively. The damn American had the nerve to listen in on a private conversation.

"What's it to you?" He uttered calmly, his tone of voice betraying the underlying current of tension which threaded through his taut muscles. It had been one of his few moments of weakness, a question of bitterness he'd unknowingly let slip in front of the only person he considered an acquaintance in this school, and now this enigma—this Alfred F. Jones had overheard him.

He couldn't have been more careless.

Alfred was a mystery—a mystery he was in the process of unraveling, and perhaps in doing so, he might unravel the mystery about himself that he tried so hard to protect.

He couldn't let anyone know who he really was.

"Well.. I guess you could say that I want to know you." He smiled, and still Arthur remained tense, unable to relax.

"Why?" He finally managed after a brief moment of silence which stretched between them. "Why do you want to know who I am?"

Alfred only smiled wider.

"That's for me to know, and for you to find out, Artie."

It was when the American had started to walk away that Arthur let loose an outraged shout at the bloody insufferable nickname.

—

Notes:

Camden Kirkland — OC! Scotland

Antoinette Kirkland (neé Michel) — Nyo! France

#usuk #ukus #aph america #aph england #aph scotland #nyo! france #aph hungary #axis powers hetalia #modern au #high school au #implied/referenced self harm #implied/referenced suicide #part two

[deathvalleyqueen]

Her Father’s Daughter - Chapter 4

Title: Her Father’s Daughter

Raiting: R/Mature

Chapter Word Count: 2,323

MASTER LIST

Chapter Four: Sad Goodbyes, Strange Men and Stranger Mustaches

Negan was not what most people would have called thrilled when his daughter brought home her cousin and his weight in weed but he did see a change in his daughter as the days passed and turned into weeks. The pair had always close, more like brother and sister most said than cousins. For years they even went by the same name, Joey. They offered each other a different kind of comfort than what Negan could give either of them so he stopped poking fun at Joey so much and just accepted that he was not part of his family.

While things with his family were going well, the outside world was getting more and more chaotic. Large groups of the dead were gathering together and attacking anything with a pulse that got too close. So they ramped up their scavenging and managed to salvage a decent sized camper from a gas station with only having to kill 4 infected.  That’s when the decision to leave, to try to find a larger group was made.

Even though the three of them had each other’s backs to the end, Jolene had to be the one to point out the uncomfortable truth. “If a group of them… let’s say 40 or more swarm us. No matter how hard we fight, no matter how good any of us are with our guns or knives. One of us is gonna die at least, if not all of us. We are getting too out numbered.” It wasn’t a matter of debate for her, if the two men in her life didn’t realize this she feared they were going to be doomed. There was no nice way to put it and it seemed like these days she was the only one with any perspective on the scope of the situation and Jolene was not happy about the fact she was the only one of the three thinking about tomorrow. Her pale face read like an open book. Her eyes were heavy and tired from late nights of trying to figure out the next move the need to make. She let a heavy sigh and ran her hands through her long hair that fell like a ebony wave over her the light fabric of her grey t-shirt.

Negan and Joey looked at each other uncomfortably because what Jolene said was the truth.  “So what a risk it on the open road?” Joey asked very seriously. “How is that any safer?”

“Dumbass has a point.” Negan interjected quickly.

Jolene crossed her arms in front of her chest and let out a huff. “We can’t wait for people to find us. That isn’t gonna happen. We ain’t gonna get some nice stranger in a cowboy hat coming up to us asking if we want to join their community!” She threw her hands up out of frustration at the thought.  “That shit don’t even happen in the movies.” She couldn’t hold it back any more and let out a low scream out of frustration causing Joey and her father to stare nervously up at her. “We have been all over town… in every building, house and business… everyone is either gone or dead. We are the only one’s stupid enough to still be sitting here having this fucking discussion because you two..” She said pointing a finger at each of them. “You think we have something to save here and we don’t boys… sorry to fucking disappoint! All that is left is ghosts and corpses that want to fucking eat us.”

Joey and Negan grumbled and the older man leaned forward. “So what do you think is the best plan… oh zombie apocalypse expert child of mine. What did hundreds of hours in your stupid games teach you.” Her father was being obviously condescending though he was curious to see what his daughter was going to say. He had been more than impressed with the way she had handled herself in this new world but he still worried that she was not thinking with her right mind all the time. She took risks he didn’t think were necessary, giving him his fair share of new grey hairs. Though, for the most part she had made the right call when it came to things like securing water and ammunition and only taking head shots to conserve ammo. He knew in heart of hearts though his daughter was struggling with all the death that had suddenly filled her life.

Jolene started to pace as she spoke. “We need to find some place with defenses, sustainability, fresh water, if we had a power source like solar panels basic things like lights and fridges could be run.” She mused as she paced but then she stopped and turned towards the men. “These places aren’t going to just not be settled. We are what 5 weeks, 6 since all this started . Any place that was suitable already is already taken and that presents a whole new set of issues.” Jolene pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. She should have seen that they needed to leave sooner but part of her wanted to stay in the only place she had ever felt safe, but the world was changing at an alarming rate and sitting ideally by was going to serve none of them in the long run. She took a deep breath remember her father’s words that first day they were reunited, she needed be strong for her mother. She could her Lucille’s voice echo through her mind ‘You can do this, you can beat this world my brave girl..’

Negan turned to Joey. “What the hell does she mean?” He asked somewhat clueless of what it was his daughter was referring to. He watched his daughter pace and knew that no matter what was best for them he had to get her away from this house if he had any hope of keeping his daughter sane. ‘Negan… you know she shouldn’t just have you and Joseph for company… she needs people darling.’ His wife’s voice echoed in his mind as Joey began to speak.

“Society is gone Coach… No Law… No Order… No Law and Order either..” He said with an uncomfortable laugh, his joke had fallen on deaf ears at that point. “I thought that was funny… but people are going to go back to a tribal society. It happens in every post apocalyptic movies and video game.”

Negan brought his hand to his face and shook his head unable to believe that his daughter and her cousin were probably right using their video game logic. “Fucking go on…” Negan said with a heavy sigh.

“Well when you revert to a tribal mentality you really aren’t trying to look at the greater good of society like most people did up till 6 weeks ago.” Jolene nodded as her cousin spoke. “So everything becomes and us versus them mentality.”

“We can hope that if we leave soon, come across a community within a few weeks that looks viable that they may be willing to accept new people but it’s going to be tougher as time goes on. Once the resources start getting limited…” Jolene started to shake her head and looked over at Joey who was doing the same thing. “It’s going to come down to whoever has the most… controls the most.”

Negan gave a slow nod and leaned back on his couch. “Well… I guess we better pack up the cars and trailers with everything we can and hit the road kids.” Negan stood up and the Joeys looked at each other for a moment as Negan stared at the two young adults. “Are you fucking deaf, dumb and stupid…fucking hustle.” Negan was in coach mode now, barking orders as Joey and Jolene started to gather supplies and load it into the three vehicles they had and two trailers.

Loading everything up took most of the day and some of the night but by the next morning they were ready to leave, weather they were really ready or not. Leaving the house was far more emotional than either Negan or Jolene had expected. Jolene had barely slept the night before. Trying to memorize every detail of her bedroom that she had since she was 5 years old, from the cracked window casing from when she broken in after she snuck out one night and her father locked her out trying to catch her. To the poems that she written in sharpie on the wall under the window next to her bed where she would sit and daydream on bright summer afternoons, writing them down on scrap pieces of papers and tucking them in her bag so she would remember them when the memories of this place started to fade.

  Negan too couldn’t sleep the previous night, he found himself wondering around his home getting fixated on little details like the notches in the pantry door where Lucille had measured Jolene every year on her birthday. The precise color of blue that the kitchen was painted after a three day argument as newlyweds, so many memories filled every corner of that house because it was more that just a building, it was one of the last few physical embodiments of Lucille’s dedication to their family.

As dawn broke and they placed the last few items in the vehicles Negan and Jolene stood at the end of the drive way just staring at the house. Jolene remembered when they moved in, it was her first real vivid memory. Her father and Lucille had just gotten married, she was almost 5 and getting ready to start kindergarten.  How the house looked like something from a story book. A little brick house, with white shutters and red door.

Closing her eyes for a moment she could still feel the joy she had as she ran into the empty house laughing and screaming how she finally had her own room. Jolene was shaken from her thoughts when her father placed his hand on her shoulder and kissed the side of her head. “It’s time princess…” Jolene turned into her father and started to sob softly into his chest.

Negan wrapped his arms around his daughter and held her tightly as his daughter sobbed against his chest. Out of the corner of his eye Negan saw Joey move towards him. “Not now..” He snapped before he kissed the top of Jolene’s head. “There is nothing but death and sadness left in that house, you said that remember… it stopped being a home when your mama stopped breathing. Now we gotta move on… be strong…” Jolene gripped  the back of her father’s black t-shirt as she continued to cry hard. “We had a beautiful life here… but it was all your mama. This place won’t ever feel the same. We would have moved probably any way.” He said smoothing her hair, rocking with her slightly as he stood gazing up the house. He kissed the top of his daughter’s head. “Come on Jo, time to go conquer the world.” He smiled down at Jolene who looked up at him through tears.  

“For mama..” Jolene said softly as she gained her some of her composure back and wiped the stray tears from her cheeks.

Negan shook his head. “No, for you…” He leaned his forehead against her’s for a moment, “Now get your ass to that station wagon… your burning daylight.” He said with his usual jovial manner and it made his daughter chuckle as she started walking towards her car turning back to give her father a little mock salute. “Yeah that’s right, remember who is the one in charge here you two. So no fucking funny business and I am looking at you Joseph!” Negan called at the two teens met up and gave each other a much needed hug before the three all finally got in their respective vehicles and leaving their homes for what would be the last time.

They were in no race because they didn’t know where they were going. They would drive for a few hours, stopping at any place that looked like it had anything useful left. It went on like that for days. Uneventful, downright boring even. It wasn’t until the fifth day did they finally run across a group of three rough looking men and fuel truck at a gas station.

They pulled their cars over and Negan instructed Jolene and Joey to stay in their cars. Negan walked with his hands up towards the men who had pistols drawn on him. “Hey… my kids and I ain’t looking for trouble guys.” Negan started as he gestured towards the cars.

The men still had guns drawn as a lanky, thin man with a thick mustache took a few steps forward and lowered his gun. “So what is it are you looking for buddy?”

Negan chuckled, “Well some place safe for those kids for one…” The men started to eye the cars making Negan look back somewhat nervous to see Jolene watching the exchange wide eyed.

The man with the mustache turned to his group who lowered the weapons. “You seem to have quite a bit of supplies…”

Negan chuckled. “You don’t know the half of what we have…” Negan looked back again at the cars and then back at the group of men.

“If you want to share your supplies… we have a place that has fences to keep the dead out. You and your kids can come with us.” The man with the mustache motioned for the other men to leave and Negan gave him a thankful nod. “You got a name there buddy?”

“Negan..”

“I’m Simon, pleasure to meet ya.”  The man said with a slightly unsettling smile before turning and walking back towards his truck and the fuel tanker.

#the walking dead #the walking dead fan fiction #twd fanfiction #negan fanction #simon the savior #simon twd #negan #negan twd #twd negan #negan fanfic #negan fan fiction #negan x lucille #lucille #Negan's Daughter #twd fan fic #twd fan fiction #fanfiction #ff: her father's daughter

[captaincanarygotmelike]

Fic: Voices Carry ch. 4

Read on AO3

Read on Fanfiction.net

“Lenny!” Avery exclaimed when Leonard opened the door to his apartment.

“Kid, what’d we say about your little escapades?” he said.

“Relax,” Sara said, coming up behind her, “I’m here too.”

“Well my day just keeps getting better and better.”

“Do I detect a hint of sarcasm?”

“Actually, today, you don’t,” Leonard shot back. Sara tried to ignore the hidden meanings in his statement.

Lisa appeared in the doorway.

“Did I hear the sound of my favorite four-year-old?” she said, bending down to lift up Avery. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m just on my way off to bring Ave to preschool and we wanted to stop by and invite you guys over for dinner tonight. My sister and her husband are coming over and I thought you might want to join us. From what you were saying, Lisa, you both probably would appreciate a meal that isn’t takeout.”

“Yeah, we’d love to,” Lisa said, “Wouldn’t we, Len?”

She elbowed her brother in the side.

“As much as I’d like to spend an evening with your family,” Leonard said, his voice dripping with sarcasm, “I have to work tonight.”

“Please Lenny?” Avery said, tugging on his shirt, “It’s not gonna go very late because I gotta go to bed and Auntie Laurel wants to go see Grandma too.”

“Avery,” Sara said warningly, detaching her from Leonard’s shirt, “Remember what I said? Don’t push.”

Avery said nothing, just pouted up at her mother.

“I gotta get Avery to school,” she said, turning back to Leonard and Lisa, “Lisa, I’ll see you later, say, around four? Stop by if you can Leonard, but don't worry about it too much.”

Leonard nodded.

“Ready Avery?” Sara asked, but Avery dug her heels into the floor.

“No!” she crossed her arms and shook her head, her curls becoming even more disheveled, “I’m not moving until Lenny says he’ll come tonight.”

Sara raised her eyebrows.

“Okay,” she said, “Don’t move. That’s fine,” she went behind Avery and lifted her up under her arms, “but either way you’re going to school.”

As Sara began walking down the hallway, Avery’s backpack over one shoulder and Avery herself over the other, Avery turned to wave.

“Bye Lenny! Bye Lisa,” she called, “See you later!”

“Mommy,” Avery called later that evening, “Auntie Laurel and Uncle Tommy are gonna be here in twenty minutes.”

“And how do you know that?” Sara asked skeptically, emerging from the kitchen with a salad bowl in tow.

“Cause Auntie Laurel just called.”

“Since when were you answering the phone?”

“Since it was ringing,” Avery replied. Sara shook her head in defeat and returned to the kitchen.

Just as she was reaching into the oven, there was a knocking on the door. Before Sara had time to react, she heard the sound of the door being thrown open and Avery exclaiming,

“Mommy, it’s Lisa and Lenny!”

By the time she returned to the living room, the siblings were already inside the apartment.

“Did you ask who it was?” Sara asked her daughter, who nodded emphatically. Sara glanced up at Lisa who silently shook her head.

“You know, I’m really gonna miss you when you get kidnapped one day,” she said.

“I like your outfit Avie,” Lisa said.

“Thanks!” Avery replied, twirling around several times for emphasis.

Avery was wearing what appeared to be a purple and blue leotard with an attached tutu skirt — the kind you’d see in a toddler’s ballet class. Underneath was a pair of striped tights. On her feet was a pair of pink ballet slippers.

“She had her first ballet class a few days ago,” Sara explained, “I can’t get her to take it off.”

“Wanna come see my room Lisa?” Avery asked taking Lisa’s hand.

“I’ve already seen your room, Avie,” Lisa replied as Avery started pulling her down the hallway.

“I moved the dollhouse yesterday,” Avery said, “It’s a game changer.”

“Oh, well then, I guess I have to see it.”

Lisa allowed Avery to pull her into her bedroom.

A few seconds of quiet passed by.

“I see you decided to stop by,” Sara said in an attempt to fill the silence.

“Yeah, well I have a few hours to kill before I have to go to work and I figured, where else would I spend it besides with my neighbors and their relatives?” Leonard shrugged.

“My sister and her husband will be here in a few minutes,” she said.

“Not a fan of the brother-in-law?” Leonard asked, reading her facial expression.

“I’m a fan of good company,” Sara corrected, unconsciously stepping closer to him, “Why do you think I invited you?”

“Oh?”

It was at this point that Sara became very aware of how close she and Leonard were standing. She could see the rise and fall of his chest, or at least, she would have if her eyes weren’t locked on his. He seemed to have come to the same realization as her.

“Anyway,” Sara said, stepping away from him, “It shouldn’t be too long until they show up.”

Lisa and Avery returned to the living room moments later.

“She was right,” Lisa said, “Moving the dollhouse was a game changer.”

“Lenny!” Avery gasped, “You’ve never seen my room ever!” She reached out towards him, “Come see my room!”

“You can say no but she’ll never leave you alone,” Sara advised him.

“Alright,” he sighed, allowing Avery to take his hand in her tiny one.

Avery’s bedroom was exactly like and unlike Leonard had expected Sara’s influence on the room was obvious, but there were still hints of Avery too.

“That’s my bed,” Avery said importantly, pointing to a tiny bed — the type meant for toddlers. The frame was shaped like the outline of a house. Draped over the “roof” was a string of fairy lights that twinkled like stars against a gauzy canopy, “The lights are there ‘cause I’m afraid of the dark.”

Next to the bed was a pile of picture books and a chair.

“That’s where Mommy sits when she reads me bedtime stories,” Avery said. She then pointed to a pile of toys in one corner of the room, “Those are my stuffed animals. Mommy put those letters on the wall, but I don’t remember what it says.”

“Don’t feed the animals,” he read off the wall, “They’re stuffed.”

“Mommy put them there,” Avery said again, although Leonard could have figured that out on his own; it was a perfect example of her kind of humor.

In another corner was a tall wooden dollhouse, the one that had apparently been somewhere else in the room and was a main contributor to the overall Feng Shui.

On the other side of the room was what appeared to be an actual fabric teepee, and inside was a fuzzy cream-colored beanbag chair and some more books.

“And that,” Avery said, “is where I practice ballet.”

Leonard tuned back in to see Avery point to a gold framed mirror leaning up against a wall. It was tall — not quite as tall as Leonard but perfect for the tiny four-year-old. In front of it, al manner of dance-related items — shoes, leotard, tutus — were strewn across the dark wood floors.

“The dollhouse makes a big difference,” he told Avery, who apparently didn’t remember he’d never seen the room before.

“So what’d you think,” Sara said when they returned to the living room.

“I can see why she shows it to everyone she meets,” Leonard replied, “I like the teepee.”

“It was a fourth birthday present from my dad. Anyway, you can sit,” Sara gestured to the couch, “Make yourself comfortable.”

Leonard sat and then a moment later said, “How could I comfortable with a four-year-old on my lap.”

Sara turned to see that Avery had indeed climbed into Leonard’s lap.

“Avery,” Sara said, “Lay off of Len for a little bit, honey.”

“C’mere Avie,” Lisa said, pulling Avery into her own lap. She picked up a plastic doll, “Tell me about her.”

Avery launched into the backstory of the doll, who was a ballerina by day and an FBI spy at night. Only halfway through the tale, the intercom buzzed.

“C’mon up, Laurel,” Sara said, letting them into the building.

A few minutes later, Laurel knocked on the door. For once, Avery didn’t jump to open it. She was too occupied in telling Lisa about her doll to notice anything else.

Sara crossed the living room and pulled open the door.

“Sara!” Laurel exclaimed, pulling her sister into a hug, “It’s so good to see you!”

“It’s good to see you too,” Sara said, reciprocating the hug. Over Laurel’s shoulder, she saw her brother-in-law Tommy Merlyn standing a few steps behind his wife, “Hey Tommy.”

“Sara,” he nodded in her direction, “I like the new place.”

“Thanks,” she replied, “C’mon in.”

She led them into the apartment.

“Mom’s not here yet?” Laurel asked.

“Can’t make it,” Sara shook her head, “Apparently she’s grading finals, but she’ll be done in time for when you stop by later.”

“Auntie Laurel!” Avery shouted, launching herself into her aunt’s arms.

“Avie!” Laurel said, lifting her niece up, “You’ve gotten so big since the last time I saw you!”

Avery giggled as Laurel placed her gently on the ground.

“That’s quite an outfit,” Tommy said, ruffling Avery’s hair, “What’d you do, get dressed in the dark this morning or something?”

He was joking, but even all the way from the couch, Leonard saw Avery’s smile fade slightly.

“What’re you talking about?” he said defensively, “Tutus are the next big thing You’re looking at high fashion right now.”

“Yeah,” Avery said, leaning towards Tommy with her hands on her hips and her nose scrunched up, “High fashion.”

“You wanna introduce us to your guests, Sara?” Laurel asked, gesturing to Leonard and Lisa, who she’d only just noticed.

Before Sara could answer, Avery piped up.

“This is Lenny and Lisa,” she said, pointing to each of the respectively, “They live across the hall. Lisa sometimes watches me while Mommy’s at work, and Lenny helped me build a bridge for school last week and I won a prize.”

“Hi,” Laurel said to the siblings, who nodded in response.

“Mommy,” Avery said, pulling on the hem of Sara’s shirt, “Daily bubble?”

“Yeah, you can do the daily bubble,” Sara nodded. She turned to the guests, “She’s been waiting all day so she can do the daily bubble with you guys.” She looked back at Avery, “But you have to do it now because it’s getting dark.”

“C’mon!” Avery said, gesturing for everyone to follow her onto the balcony.

“It’s been so long since I saw a daily bubble,” Laurel said, “What’s your record?”

“Eleven seconds,” Sara replied.

While everyone was getting situated on the balcony and Avery was helping her mother prepare the bubble wand, Leonard took in Sara’s sister and brother-in-law.

Laurel was just as attractive as her sister, but in different ways. It was obvious in both sisters’ stances and the way the acted around each other that Laurel was the older sister. She emanated a certain regality, maturity. He remembered Sara — or was it Avery? — saying that Laurel was a lawyer in Star City, and now that he was seeing her in person, that didn’t surprise him very much. She seemed like the “words first, violence later” type, whereas Sara was much more in favor of “punch now, talk after”.

As similar as the siblings were in appearance, Leonard decided that he still found Sara more appealing.

It was her eyes.

Leonard was aware that Sara was an attractive woman. He knew it, Mick had pointed it out during their run-in at the grocery store, even Lisa had commented on it once or twice.

The sexiest part about her though?

Her eyes.

They radiated this powerful enigma of confidence that Leonard had never felt with anyone before.

Laurel was beautiful, sure, but in Leonard’s opinion, no one compared to Sara.

Leonard, quickly realizing where his thoughts were going, moved on to Laurel’s husband. Tommy was attractive enough, at least in a conventional sense, with his sharp jawline, light blue eyes, and dark brown hair that was combed neatly to one side. In fact, he and Laurel were possibly the most generic looking couple he’d ever seen. They looked like they could be in a commercial on TV or on a billboard you’d glance at as you drove down the freeway.

Tommy looked so familiar in fact, that Leonard could swear he’d seen him before.

Before he could try to figure out why he recognized him, the daily bubble began.

It was a good one today, they got all the way to seven seconds before it popped and they all went back inside.

While Avery was showing her Aunt Laurel her bedroom (big surprise), and Lisa was helping Sara prepare dinner in the kitchen, Leonard got time to probe Tommy, to figure out where he knew him from.

It didn’t take long.

“So,” he began, regard Tommy from across the glass coffee table in Sara’s living room, “How did you meet Laurel?”

“I had hired her to take of some law-related issues at my company,” he answered.

“Where do you work?”

“I actually run my dad’s company, Merlyn Global Group.”

Leonard suddenly recalled a framed photo on a desk in a dimly lit office.

This was Malcolm Merlyn’s son.

Leonard knew Malcolm Merlyn. He’d worked with him for a few years as a part of a group called the Legion of Doom.

The Legion of Doom was pretty much exactly what it sounded like. It was a group of several people who were working to better their own lives, admittedly at the expense of most of the people around them.

While he didn’t work with the Legion anymore, he had enjoyed his time with them. He had been able to use the skills he had as a criminal, but he also felt like he had a purpose, he was doing something.

There were four members of the Legion of Doom, but Leonard was closest with the third to join, Malcolm Merlyn.

Closest is a relative term. People like Leonard and Malcolm, people who find themselves in Legions of Doom, don’t get close to other people.

But, Leonard found himself working with Malcolm more often than the others. Damian Dahrk and Eobard Thawne, an immortal wizard and a time traveling speedster respectively, tended to see things on a more holistic level, which made sense considering all that they’d been through and all they’d seen. Their plans were complicated and vague, and whenever Leonard asked about his cut, he was always met with the words “you will see countless benefits in the long run”.

Malcolm, on the other hand, thought more on Leonard’s level, and always made sure he was generously compensated for his work.

Leonard wasn’t working with the Legion of Doom anymore, not after Malcolm had started working on a little side project — one Eobard and Damian weren’t really involved in, but also not one they’d ever tried to prevent. It was a plan that Leonard didn’t agree with, so he left.

Tommy Merlyn seemed to be unaware of the work his father did outside of running a major company, which made sense. You wouldn’t want to tell your son about your plans to blow up an entire city if you didn’t think he’d approve, and while Leonard had not known Tommy for more than an hour, he was fairly certain he wouldn’t approve.

The dinner went well enough. Avery carried most of the conversation, which didn’t surprise anyone. She had vehemently insisted on sitting between Leonard and Laurel, which Leonard was perhaps a bit happier about than he should have been. She was, after all, a four-year-old girl; her approval shouldn’t matter, but for whatever reason, it did.

Aside from Avery, Leonard didn’t really interact with anyone during the meal. He mostly just watched, observed.

He watched how Sara acted around her sister. He could see the sibling bond, and he could see the love they had for each other, but he also saw something else. He saw a sort of animosity, as if there had been some conflict between the Lance sisters that had never been fully addressed.

Leonard also observed Tommy Merlyn.

The phrase ignorance is bliss had never rung so true in just one person.

He seemed completely oblivious to almost everything, oblivious to any tension between his wife and sister-in-law, oblivious to his niece’s dislike of him, oblivious to who his father was.

When the clock showed the time as 6:45, Leonard knew it was time to go. He had a job down at the docks, a job where arriving even a couple minutes too late could be fatal.

“I think it’s time for me to head out,” he said, standing from the couch where they had been sitting and drinking coffee.

“No!” Avery exclaimed. She crawled out of Laurel’s lap to Leonard, where she dramatically draped herself across his chest, holding her hands behind his neck to keep herself from slipping off of him.

“Sorry kid,” he said, “but I have to go to work.”

“But it’s nighttime,” Avery said in confusion.

“I don’t argue with the boss,” he replied, hoping that his answer would be enough to satisfy Avery.

She pouted for a moment but eventually climbed off of him.

He stood up and Lisa followed suit,

“I should go too,” she said, “Thanks for having us, Sara.”

“I — surprisingly — had a good time,” Leonard added, “See you around, Lance.”

“You too, Snart,” Sara replied.

Neither of them knew how soon that would be.

Laurel and Tommy left not long after the Snart siblings; they were staying at Dinah Lance’s house and wanted to get there before it got too late.

That left Sara to clean up after dinner while Avery sat in the living room, coloring in a coloring book while she watched a Disney movie.

The phone rang a few minutes before eight. Before Sara had time to react, Avery had already picked it up.

“Hello,” she heard her ask, before she was silent for a second, “Hi Joe!”

“Avery, give me the phone,” Sara said, hurrying around the couch. She tried to grab the phone but Avery twisted away.

“Yeah, my mom’s here,” Avery continued, “Yeah, you can talk to her.”

Avery handed the phone to her mother.

“Hey Joe,” Sara said, “Sorry about her.”

“No, don’t worry about it,” Joe replied, “Look, I know you’re off duty, but we need everyone down at the docks. We’ve got Captain Cold, and he’s putting up a pretty big fight.”

Sara glanced to her side where Avery had resumed coloring. Normally, Joe never called her when she was off duty: he knew that her situation with Avery was complicated at best, and he didn’t want to complicate it any further. If he was calling her, it was important.

“Sure,” she said, “I’m on my way.”

Sara hung up the phone and began to think logistically. She obviously couldn’t leave Avery home alone, but her usual overnight babysitter — her mom — wouldn’t be able get to the apartment in time, and not only that, she was visiting with Laurel and Tommy. There was no way she could call another babysitter this last-minute.

“Avery,” Sara finally said, “Do you want to go visit Lisa?”

“Yeah!” Avery’s eyes brightened.

“Then let’s go.”

They walked across the hall and knocked on Lisa’s door. It was opened in a matter of seconds.

“Len- oh it’s you guys,” Lisa said, her face falling, “Long time no see.”

“Sorry,” Sara said, “Is it a bad time?”

“No,” Lisa assured her, “I just thought you were my brother.”

“Is something wrong.”

“No,” Lisa said a little to quickly, “He just had to stay late at work today. You know how it is.”

“That’s actually why I came over. I just got called on duty. Apparently they’ve got Captain Cold and they need the whole squad down there to get him.”

“Aren’t you a detective, not a cop?

“Yeah, but he’s the number one suspect in sixteen of my cases right now which makes it part of my job to catch him.”

“Oh,” Lisa said, the look on her face giving Sara a funny feeling.

“Anyway, I was wondering if you’d mind watching Avery until I get back.”

“Sure.” Lisa said, smiling at Avery, “I’d love to hang out with her for a little bit.”

“Thank you so much!” Sara exclaimed, “I’ll be back in a few hours. You know the drill: she needs to be in bed around 8:30, she needs her bunny blanket to sleep. If anything does happen, just call me.”

“I’m sure we’ll have a ton of fun.”

“Do you know how to play go-fish?” Avery piped up, pulling on the hem of Lisa’s sleeve.

“I do,” Lisa nodded.

“Let’s go play,” Avery said, grabbing Lisa’s hand and pulling her back into her own apartment.

“Thanks Lis,” Sara called after them as the door closed.

When she got down to the harbor, she saw Captain Cold standing at the edge of the largest dock. Blocking his way back to solid ground was an entire squadron of cops, all with their guns pointed directly at him. He looked relatively calm about the situation; his cold gun was even still in its holster, but Sara couldn’t help but feel as if something was different. There was something almost familiar about him, especially in the way he was standing, with his arms hanging loosely by his sides and most of his weight on one leg. She felt as if she’d just seen someone standing exactly like that, but she couldn’t figure out who.

She pulled her gun out and switched off the safety as she crept down the dock towards the group of cops.

“You’ve got nowhere to go, Cold,” Joe West was saying, “Come quietly and no one gets hurt.”

Captain Cold’s eyes flicked over to her as she joined the ranks. His head tipped slightly to the side in response to the cop’s statement.

Then, before anybody knew what had happened, he’d pulled out his cold gun and shot the cop standing closest to the edge of the dock, sending her flying into the water. As all the other police officers turned their attention to her, Captain Cold jumped off of the wooden dock onto the sailboat that was attached to it. Sara rolled her eyes and tore after him, rolling onto the deck of the boat and quickly jumping to her feet.

She chased Captain Cold onto the adjacent dock and back towards the shore, their feet pounding against the wood almost in sync. He ducked into an abandoned mill, disappearing behind crates and tarps hanging from beams in the ceiling before Sara could follow him. She slowed to a creeping walk, holding her gun up higher in front of her. Her head swiveled from side to side as she watched for any movements and listen for any noises.

She whipped around as a shuffling sound resonated across the otherwise silent building. She ran towards the noise and saw Captain Cold moving towards the back exit. In a rush of adrenaline, Sara aimed her gun at his retreating form, put her finger on the trigger, and pulled. The gunshot rang through the air, far louder than the sound of whatever Captain Cold had done before. He tensed, and Sara knew that she’d hit her target. She thought he might fall but he didn’t. He stumbled down another aisle of metal shelves covered in sealed boxes. Just as she was about to chase after him, she heard a clattering crash and a loud thump. She rounded the corner and saw Cold crouched on the ground, his hand covering a bleeding gash in his leg. Gun at the ready, Sara approached the criminal. He turned back to look at her, and through the blue-tinted goggles, she saw something that looked inexplicably like fear. Captain Cold, afraid?

Sara reached forwards and pulled the goggles off of his face. Suddenly, she realized why she had felt as if she recognized him.

She was looking into the face of Leonard Snart

“Leonard?” she asked, taking a few stumbling steps backwards.

“If you want your daughter alive, you won’t turn me in,” was all Leonard Snart got to say before the butt of Sara’s gun collided with the side of his head.

I took an accidental week off because I’m unbelievably good at procrastinating, but I’m back :)

#lot #lot ff #captain canary #voices carry #mine

[cher-ley]

 by M. K. Waller

  What I do not like about smart phones:

Seeing people hyperfocused on tiny screens when I know they have better things to do;

Hyperfocusing on people hyperfocused on tiny screens when I know I have better things to do;

Struggling to ignore one side of conversations I wouldn’t even notice if I could hear both sides;

Being greeted in the dairy section of HEB with, “Hello!” and responding with a “Hello!” of my own, and then realizing the Hello-er is talking to someone miles away instead of to me;

And so on and so on.

Why I finally acquired* a smart phone:

I bought a Yoo Fitness bracelet so I could keep track of the number of steps I take each day, and the Yoo requires a Bluetooth thingy to transfer data from bracelet to phone, which archives data and and keeps track of all manner of interesting information, such as which Challenge I’m working on, how many more points I must earn to win the current challenge, and how many points the Old Yoo deducts from the New Yoo because I didn’t meet its inane and unrealistic expectations.

 Other people’s cars keep bumping into mine.

For example–and I’m skipping over the rear-ending incident back in 2014, when the offending driver gave me information that wasn’t quite quite and then disappeared into the mists of East Texas, or somewhere–in 2016, I was driving home from a Sisters in Crime meeting when Something Bad happened.

I was stopped at a red light at the intersection of Ben White and S. Congress Avenue. Two cars were in front of me. The pickup to my left was in the Must-Turn-Left lane. I was in the Turn-Left-or-Go-Straight lane. I planned to turn left.

So. The light turned green. I proceeded into the intersection and turned left, as was proper.

The pickup in the Must-Turn-Left lane, to my left, did not turn left. It just kept a-going.

Well into the turn, I glanced sideways, saw the pickup a-coming, and thought to myself, My goose is cooked. (That’s the family friendly version. I don’t remember my exact thoughts, but chances are it was something like, Oh, hell, the damn driver of that damn pickup is going to total my damn car and me with it, dammit.)

But because we’d been stopped at the light and the Perp hadn’t had time to build up speed, I came out intact.

I somehow continued to turn left, and the Perp decided, belatedly, to do the same. We crossed the bridge and I pulled off at the Chevron station on the corner. He followed and stopped there too, which was smart, because if he hadn’t, I would have pulled back out onto Congress, chased him down, dragged him from the cab, and administered a good, sound clop in the chops.

We exited our vehicles. I thought about Pollyanna and said, “Hi, are you okay?”He said, “Hola.” Complications appeared on the horizon.

He looked about fifteen, and that could have complicated things to the max–because every time a Perp bashes into my car, I feel as if it’s my fault, and when the Perp is just a child . . . It’s not reasonable, but I was born feeling guilty and frequently relapse.

But help was only three blocks away in the person of my Dear Husband, who has an M.A. in Spanish (and a J.D.**). I pulled out my little flip phone, called him, reported the pertinent fact (“The driver’s side door doesn’t look like it did when I left home.”), and said, “Don’t run.” I’d already decided that I would write down the Perp’s info at a rate

Vaster than empires and more slow.***

In other words, that kid wasn’t going anywhere until he’d faced the Man of My Family.

Well. Even though I told him not to run, David ran. He and the Perp, who seemed like a really nice young man, discussed the situation. David learned the Perp didn’t have a drivers license, and that the pickup belonged to his brother or brother-in-law or uncle, or someone, I don’t remember who. The pickup was insured, but the status of the driver was in question.

David called 911. Because he admitted no one was hurt, we spent more than three hours waiting for a policeman.

I sat in the car. I stood beside the car. I leaned against the car. I went into the store and bought us all pretzels and Cokes and bottled water and a variety of other comestibles.***

But–because I’d been to a Sisters in Crime meeting, I had my camera. I proudly produced it. David took shots of our car and the Perp’s pickup (which was in amazingly good condition).

Then I wandered around the parking lot, taking pictures and pinning down memories.

Here’s where the smart phone comes in. Traditional cameras are heavy and cumbersome. I don’t carry one with me all the time. Smart phone cameras are light and easy to handle. They fit comfortably in a purse. They’re also sneaky; you can gather all manner of evidence without your subjects knowing you’re up to no good.

A policeman finally arrived, I told my story, I guess the Perp told his story, and that was that. David asked if the Perp would get a ticket. The officer said, “Ohhhhh, yeah.”

Another wave of guilt washed over me. He was really a very nice Perp.

***

* I didn’t buy the phone. David volunteered the one he abandoned several years ago because he didn’t see the point. If he ever gets his own Yoo Fitness bracelet, I’ll have to give the phone back to him, but that will be when pigs fly.

** Juris Doctor. The criminal kind. He hasn’t practiced for more than twenty years, but it comforts me to know I have something more than my English-teacher glare to fall back on.

*** Andrew Marvell. “To His Coy Mistress.” A magnificent poem about love and time and seizing the day.

Had we but world enough and time,

This coyness, lady, were no crime.

We would sit down, and think which way

To walk, and pass our long love’s day.

Thou by the Indian Ganges’ side

Shouldst rubies find; I by the tide

Of Humber would complain. I would

Love you ten years before the flood,

And you should, if you please, refuse

Till the conversion of the Jews.

My vegetable love should grow

Vaster than empires and more slow;

An hundred years should go to praise

Thine eyes, and on thy forehead gaze;

Two hundred to adore each breast,

But thirty thousand to the rest;

An age at least to every part,

And the last age should show your heart.

For, lady, you deserve this state,

Nor would I love at lower rate.

       But at my back I always hear

Time’s wingèd chariot hurrying near;

And yonder all before us lie

Deserts of vast eternity.

Thy beauty shall no more be found;

Nor, in thy marble vault, shall sound

My echoing song; then worms shall try

That long-preserved virginity,

And your quaint honour turn to dust,

And into ashes all my lust;

The grave’s a fine and private place,

But none, I think, do there embrace.

       Now therefore, while the youthful hue

Sits on thy skin like morning dew,

And while thy willing soul transpires

At every pore with instant fires,

Now let us sport us while we may,

And now, like amorous birds of prey,

Rather at once our time devour

Than languish in his slow-chapped power.

Let us roll all our strength and all

Our sweetness up into one ball,

And tear our pleasures with rough strife

Through the iron gates of life:

Thus, though we cannot make our sun

Stand still, yet we will make him run.

Dear Husband, Pollyanna, and a Very Nice Perp  by M. K. Waller What I do not like about smart phones: Seeing people hyperfocused on tiny screens when I know they have better things to do;

#"To His Coy Mistress" #Andrew Marvell #automobile accidents #digital cameras #smart phones #traffic accidents #unlicensed drivers #Yoo Fitness

[serpantssiren-blog]

Damnit

I had barely made it down the path to the gate before the old man was out the door, drunken and deranged. Cussing like a sailor at the top of his lungs. He’d wake the neighbors at this rate. I raised my want just as he rounded the bend of the fence after me. I would curse the old fool if I had to, damn what the ministry bylaws on underage wizardry said.

I wouldn’t stay. Not another minute.

“Come back here this instant you ungrateful little queer!” he hissed between clenched teeth.

Oh, now he was trying to be quiet. Didn’t want the neighborhood knowing his meal ticket was a fruitcake huh?

“Sod off!” I cried turning on the balls of feet and storming off, pulling my trunk along behind me.

“I’ll jinx your fucking prick into your arse I swear dad! Then we’ll see who’s queer eh?!”

I finally made it to the end of the block, my house a lighted blot in the distance behind me. I pulled my hood a little higher over my head and down the bridge of my nose a bit before sticking out my want. A purple triple-decker bus materialized down the black driving up to a stop where I stood. The doors flung open and I got on without a look back. I was headed to Diagon Alley. I’d claim the money my mother and grandfather had left for me, get my school supplies and then it would be on to King’s Cross.  I’d be damned it I allowed the old man to ruin my first year at Hogwarts for me.

 Dad hadn’t always been crazy and deranged. But after mom’s death, he just got worse and worse. Being a squib from a pureblood wizarding family had always been a big burden on him but after mom’s death, it was like suddenly the buffer between him and all that was gone. He became almost cruel and hard. Constantly berating me for every little imperfection of which truthfully there were little. I was every pureblood family’s dream. Intelligent, quick-witted, magically talented for my age and though I didn’t wish to sound vain fairly attractive. Dad used me to try and reestablish himself in the higher pureblood social circles but grew jealous when I ended up being far better received than he was.

 I set on one of the many, small beds that served as seating on the knight bus, tucking my trunk away underneath. There was no one on the first level of the bus. I was alone and for the first time in a long time, I let myself cry. I cried for my mother, for my father, for myself. I cried for how angry and hurt I was and how cruel he could make me. I must have cried myself to sleep because the next thing I knew I was being roughly shaken awake. There was a rather red-faced man looking down at me.

“you were headed to Diagon Alley right?” he asked.

I nodded rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

“Well, that’s where we are, kid. It’s your stop. BLIMEY! Are those eyes natural? Are they some kind of jinx?” said the young man getting a bit too close to my face.

I had the same eyes my mother had and her mother had. The greyish purple color that was a startling contrast to my dark skin.

I shoved my way past him, tapping my wand on my hip to summon my trunk and have it trail behind me.

I got off the bus with neither a word no backward glance. The leaky cauldron was directly across the street where the bus had stopped. Stepping out onto a muggle street required I drop the enchantment from my trunk, and cast a quick charm to darken my eyes a bit. Didn’t need some stray muggle catching sight of them beneath the hood of my cloak and asking questions.  My eyes were an oddity to wizards and witches alike but to muggles, them downright frightening.

 Inside the Leaky Cauldron was a complete shift from the muggle world outside. Witches and wizards went about their activities in complete open.  No one spared my presence much attention as I moved to the back of the tavern into the small back area outside faced by a large brick wall.

I took my wand and sighed.

“Ok let hope you remember the pattern.” I breathed out

I tapped a selection of bricks and stepped back. The wall began to shift and roll and fell away to reveal the entry into Diagon Alley. I let out a sigh of relief. Stepping out onto the crowded street I was quickly swept up in the hustle and bustle of witches and wizards going about their shopping before the school year began their shopping. I enchanted my trunk to fallow me once again and made my way to Gringotts. As I went I passed by the window display of the magical menagerie and stopped. There in the window among a rather large litter of kitten of blinding white and peach was a single dot of darkness. It was a small black kitten, with tufted ears and piercing purple eyes, almost as vibrant as my own. She seemed just as disinterested in her brothers and sisters as they seemed in avoiding her. I made my way to the shop and up to the display. Our eyes locked and she uncurled herself from where she had been resting far from the others and came right up to the glass wall of her display to me. I ignored her companions who had noticed their sister’s attention had begun to mewl and meow for my attention as well, and reached in and picked her up, which I had the impression she normally wouldn’t allow.

“Oh, my!” cried a voice over my shoulder.

A tall thin woman came over to me, a shocked look on her face.

“That damned beast has never come to anyone let alone allowed her to be held without scratching the bloody hell out of someone!”

“How much is she,” I asked looking back at the cat holding in my out starched arms.

“and why are your eyes purple? Is it hereditary?”

“actually we aren’t sure. She was just born like that. My husband thinks she’s part something else. ( galleons but are you sure you want her.”

I ignored her last statement and paid her the money plus a little extra for food, a cage and the prettiest collar she had.

“come along Amethyst. Let's go get the money grandfather left us.” I cooed to my new familiar.

 My cart was loaded down with everything I needed for school as I stared down platform 9 and 3 quarter. Plus few things bought simply because I wanted.

Amethyst mewled from her posh carrier

“I know. I know” I quieted her as I prepared to make the run needed to break through the barrier.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I pushed myself forward building up a good speed and rushed forward.

The first thing I perceived I perceived was the shift in sound. The chatter of the platform wasn’t as ruckus as it had been a second ago. I opened my eyes and gave a sigh of relief.

“We made it” I breathed leaning heavily against the cart.

I’m not sure what I was really afraid of. I knew the barrier would let me through.

“Excuse me, young sir”

I turned to find a station worker peering down at me

“Where are your parents?”

 Crap! I had forgotten the ministry had put a law in place stating that all minors had to be accompanied to the train station. I instantly began to internally panic. What would they do if I told him I was here alone? Would he not let me board the train? Would he try to contact my parents? Put out a call to the ministry to try and locate my father? That alone was more terrifying than not making it to Hogwarts. So I would have to do what I did best. Charm and lie.

“Oh, they’re muggles, and can’t pass the barrier. I’, sure if you just pass through you’ll be able to find them right on the other side.” The lie was bitter on my tongue, being a pureblood wizard was a source of pride. Though I had nothing against muggle-born saying it was like swallowing dirt, even if it was a simple lie.

“Oh, they usually send have people waiting for a muggle born. Someone must be slacking on their job, probably Jameson.” The guy grouched.

“Ok just tell me what they look like and I’ll escort them through.”

I pulled my hood down and stared up at him; batting my thick lashes around my purple eyes.

“Look for a woman with long pitch black hair and eyes just like mine. You won’t be able to miss her.”

He stared into my eyes then blinked a few times as though trying to clear his head then nodded and dipped through the portal.

I didn’t wait for him to return. I hurried onto the train not looking back, hood back in place and tried to find an empty train cart. There was a girl with bright red hair already sitting in the cart staring out the window. Her entire demeanor screamed, “sod off!”

I pulled into my cart not bother to ask if it was taken of giving a single fig for her standoffish demeanor. Robinsons didn’t ask for things. Inquire? Sure, if the need called for it but never outright ask. I shoved my trunk into the overhead compartment along with Amethyst and her carrier and set down in the corner close to the door trying to be as unnoticeable as I could, a crime I assure you.

At some point, another boy joined us. Tall and long-limbed with feathered ear length hair. We all seemed consent not to introduce ourselves, so with a raise of my eyebrows, I went back to dozing in the corner.

The abrupt stop of the train woke me sometime later as I heard my car mates begin to move about. I quickly pulled my trunk down, set the cat carrier atop it and followed them out into the throngs of students making their way down the train aisle

We all exited the train onto the platform where we were greeted by the biggest man I have seen. He towered over us by at least a good 4 or 5 feet.

His long hair and beard were a grizzled graying mane akin to an old lion’s and seemed to grow into his warn, shaggy brown  trench coat

“Come along first years!” he bellowed in a deep gravelly voice.

“Come along first years! Is that all of ya? Good now, this way. Make sure not to fall behind you lot in the back!”

I followed as much as I disliked being oared around, how could not.

We were lead down a winding path stopping only when we came to a vast black lake covered in pretty little boats holding golden lanterns or perhaps simply orbs of light. In the distance glowing like a magical megalith was Hogwarts castle. It took my breath away. Imposing and welcoming all at once.

“Alright first years into the boats and watch yur step!” bellowed the large man clearly impressed with how awestruck we all seemed. I quickly schooled my face not wanting to give him the satisfaction.

One by one we stepped into the boats, 6 or so of us to a boat. Some of the kids stumbled, others were on unsteady. I heard a splash and sure enough, someone had fallen into the lake. I simply strode into the boat like I had been around them all my life, which in a way I had. Grandfather had owned many many boats, though by the time I was born he had retired them to a yard.

The boats began to move, tugged forward by some invisible force. Once int eh center of the lake, I chanced a look into the water and held back a scream of terror.

There were faces in the water.  Floating alongside the boats. For a single solitary moment I feared them dead bodies, infri or zombies then I noticed large almost luminous, almost fish-like eyes and grey skin speckle din silver and bluish/green scales.

Mermaids, Scottish merrows to be exact and they all seemed to be following my boat alone. The other 5 or so kids on the boat were in a state of shock and awe, pointing and leaning over the sides to get a better look. Strangely enough, however, the merrows seemed far more interested in me. They ignored the outstretched hand and fingers of the other children trying to get their attention, in exchange for keeping their glowing yellow eyes on me. Startled and unnerved  I turned my gaze back forward towards the castle, resolute on the school looming ever nearer and ignoring the sudden urge lingering at the back of my mind to dive into the water with them.

We finally made it to the castle and were quickly hurried away from the boats and up a long winding path into the castle. I pushed the strange little incident with the mermaids out of my mind. We were met by a short portly woman. She assisted a rather tall boy who seemed to be the one who’d fallen in the lake by drying his robes with her wand.

“Alright children, fallow me and stay close.” She said after sending the boy back into the ranks of students with his friends. She marched off and we all followed up the stairs and into the castle. She started in with some speech about the journey we were about to begin and the illustrious history of the school but I was far too distracted by the grandeur of the castle. Stone shoulders and hourglasses and suits of armor adorned everywhere with images of the houses emblazed on most walls. Portraits fallowed us from one frame to the next. We came to a pair of large doors and the short lady told us all to make two even lines. When she was satisfied she tapped the doors and they slowly inched open revealing a grand hall where throngs of students set at long tables under banners representing their houses.

All the kids around me seemed nervous but I was nowhere near as easily shaken. I held my head high and lead the few other braver and more in the know students down the aisle behind the women till we reached the front of the halls where there was another long table filled with adults who I figured were our new professors. Infront of them was a small stool with an old ragged hat atop it. suddenly just as the last of us had filed in and the doors to the grand hall have closed the seam near the front of the hat ripped open and the thing began to sing!

Another year has come around

Another season passed

Another troupe of wide-eyed youths

Before my stand; amassed

Come and place me on your head

Come and let us see

I’ll sort you now into your house

The place you deserve to be

In Gryffindor where bravery is valued most of all

Or Ravenclaw where quickest minds harken to the call

Perhaps in Hufflepuff where loyalty rings true

Or maybe in Slytherin where they’re ambitious

Through and through

So come and place me on your head

Let me what I can find

I know just where you ought to be

It’s all there, in your mind

The woman, who had led us into the great hall, produced a long roll of parchment as she smiled down at the hat. She thanked him for his lovely song and commenced to begin calling out names of students  

One by one the children around me ascended to the sorting hat and with thunderous applause were sorted into their houses. Finally, it was my turn

Dad had said on multiple occasions that Robinsons hadn’t been in Europe for very long and with him being a squid none had ever attended Hogwarts. In Livermorny our name was legendary but here I would be the first.

So with my head held high, I lowered my hood and took my seat. I could hear the murmuring among the students about my eyes I was sure but the moment the hat was placed on my head everything fell silent.

“oh. Oh!” said the voice of the hat. Was he in my head or actually speaking?

“I know just where to put you, my boy. Slytherin!”

The table clad in green and silver burst in roars of applause and for a singular brief tick of a moment, I thought how proud dad would be.

#first year #Harry Potter RP