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purebarnes · 3 years

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scarifice—natasha romanoff!platonic

ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ ➢ once thanos threatens to disintegrate half the population, nat, steve and the rest of the team go and ask for help from an old friend even if it isn’t convenient.

ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ ➢3.1k

ᴅɪꜱᴄʟᴀɪᴍᴇʀꜱ ➢ angst, losses, tears

ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ ꜱᴘᴇᴀᴋꜱ ➢ i wanted to play around a nat romanoff platonic story because i had this idea.

two years ago, would’ve been a good time for you if you didn’t have pick sides against your team but unfortunately you had too. to say you chose the side that you thought was right, never mattered to steve anyways. being like tony’s younger sister was even worse as you felt betrayed to what steve and bucky did to him. nat also letting them go, you felt hurt.

you promised him to never speak to bucky or steve ever again and that caused the avengers to split up. you living your own life in a small house with your daughter of 3 years old. doing your best to never give out your information so that no one could talk or be in contact with you. things might have changed with bucky if nothing happened but sadly it wasn’t like that.

changing everything about your appearance was different when you first had your daughter since she had no father. wishing to have nat or even bucky by your side but none of that mattered. losing everyone was painful but it was the right thing to do for her.

you worked with a guy that was a close friend, he wasn’t technically like the avengers but he was someone that would protect the people around him. carter is a good guy that you and mila loved. when you first met carter, he was everything a father figure would have to be.

the day was normally quiet for you, mila and carter while you all watched television upstairs and enjoying the night until you heard the glass shatter from downstairs. startling your daughter, she gasped at the sound as you went to get up immediately and pick her up while putting her in a safe room. carter looking at you for reassurance to see if he could go down, you have it to him.

“mila, honey. please be quiet for mommy. i will be right back alright.” you spoke softly when she nodded, both adults leaving to rush downstairs to see what would lead to it. quietly rushing out, meeting a couple of aliens while carter pushed you back. “you have about five seconds to tell me who you are.” carter demanded them.

they both looked at each other before looking at you, getting worried you started to let small orbs from your palm to get ready. “leave my house. now.” you roared when they went to attack carter with their weapons making him block them swiftly when you did a circular motion with your hands pushing them off of him.

the aliens started getting mad when you fought them off, you using you magic to elevate carter away when he was in pain from the attack. rushing up stairs with him when you got attack behind making you fall groaning down the stairs. trying to get up from the pain, you saw them rushing you. you kicking them underneath the legs making them fall and running back to carter.

“you alright cart? here, don’t move.” you told him using your healing ability and the orb to stitch him back up from the cut he had. one of the aliens throwing you across the room and pointing his sharp weapon to carter’s chest. seeing how close the weapon was to his heart, you whimpered. “no. don’t-give us the stone and he lives.” they threatened.

you looked down at the stone on your ring which you kept and you looked back at carter who kept shaking his head. “don’t y/n.” he whispered, you knew what the stone meant and how much power it had but you didn’t know that things like this would happen. you shook your head, immediately pushing him onto the wall with one hand and using the other to push the other one out the glass window.

seeing as it was a way to get away from them, you kneeled to carter and helped him up rushing to the room where your daughter was still quietly placed. you went to go pick up mila and grabbing a bag with her things and rushing out the window before helping carter. you sensed he was still in pain when you went to grab him and pushed him out of the window.

you were in a rough situation, you had your daughter who was clueless about everything and your friend who was in pain. “okay mila, go open that door.” she was well aware of things like this, so it wasn’t that hard for her to understand. you ended up pushing carter into the car then jumping in and starting the vehicle and leaving the home you once had.

“carter, you’re gonna be fine.” you said using your healing ability to take away the pain he had and carter chuckled. “mommy?” you would hear mila say and then turn your direction to her, she would ask what was happening. “bad guys. we just need to go somewhere safe, which i don’t know exactly where that is.” you’d mutter the last pet smiling at her and continue driving to wherever.

a few hours from driving, you heard snoring from the backseat and noticed it was mila and you got spooked by a phone call that was going through. raising your eyebrows, you see it’s from tony as that raised suspicion. “hey tony?—no, it’s uh... bruce.” the other line said when you froze as why he would calling you from tony’s phone. “hi, bruce. is something wrong?” you grew nervous to see if something happened to tony.

“nothing is wrong y/n. i need your help.” you kept quiet letting him know that he could continue with whatever he needed to say to her. “thanos is coming. he’s a plague, he wipes out half the population, he invaded planets. the attack on New York—that was thanos—whoa, slow down bruce. who is thanos?” you asked him confused on the outburst bruce was doing, “he is one of most powerful beings and wants to wipe out half of the population. to do that, he needs all seven infinity stones.”

you went to look down back at the ring when you sighed know that this would be it, this would be the start of war. “well we’ve actually met one of his pose then—who is we? what do you mean by that.” bruce asked when you went to tell him about the other aliens, “now vision is in danger. do what you can y/n, please.” you told him you’d do what you could.

seeing everyone sleeping, you drove up to where you could so that you guys could get to scotland to meet and help wanda and vision. everything about thanos was disturbing and explaining the whole thing to carter was easy as he went with anything you wanted. “she’ll be safe, i have someone.” you reminded him leaving to rush to see if you could find wanda and vision.

once you both figured out where they were, you and carter went on the plan on how to help them as you both saw the aliens from before. you spotted a few heads but nothing you could make out, “stay low. i’m gonna do what i always do.” you say flying up to see wanda fighting off the alien. you stepped down meeting wanda’s and visions eyes when he smiled at his old friend. “you don’t just stop. well lucky for you, me neither.” you said to them, pushing out orbs and dragging them across the concrete.

you stopped and went by vision to see him hurt as wanda looked down and nodded to tell you to help him. you started feeling around and once you sensed his pain, you went to start healing him. the next thing you knew, a staff was hitting your right cheek. you yelped falling backwards when someone caught you, you see natasha holding you when she smiled softly.

she helped you up before grabbing the weapon and handing it to you as you both went forward to hit the alien. you pushed the weapon towards the alien into the chest making him groan at the compact before jumping up and hitting the alien with your leg making him fall onto the ground.

“carter now.” you yelled when carter came running and catching the weapon to attack him before getting stabbed by the weapon from the other side by one of the aliens. you screamed when you saw him with the arrow in his chest, “carter!” you yelled when you grew red and used your force to push the alien backwards but nat pushing you back to stop you. “let me go, you will pay for this.” you seethed to the aliens as he fell onto the floor.

you went to start letting out orbs onto your palms and pushed everything in force to the aliens making them both scream in pain. “this is the last time, you step foot on this planet. see you again, i will kill you.” you breathed out to the aliens on the floor. “you’ll never get the chance again.” she promised you.

the next was where she was gone with her other alien, you and steve rushed down to carter who was on the floor with blood slowly gushing out of him. “carter, i’m so sorry. there is nothing i can do—just watch over mila, she needs you.” he breathed out while you cried onto his shoulder as steve went to grab your shoulder in comfort.

after containing yourself from the loss of a dear friend, you went back to the car but you were left alone. not knowing how to explain anything to mila and how her only father figure had just died in your eyes. nothing could make up for that—you knew that.

you start the ignition until you saw a few faces on the other side of the car, steve, nat, sam, wanda and a highly injured vision. you got startled a bit and sighed and turned the car off and rolling the window. “i have to go... my daughter is waiting.” you mentioned wanting to leave the place, steve nodded as he understood. “i understand y/n but tony is missing. we need you, he needs you.” steve whispered.

he thought bringing up bucky would help ease you into helping them battle thanos. you grabbed the wheel and gripped onto it tightly not wanting to make a decision that would affect your girl. natasha looked over to try to soften up things, “please y/n. if it’s protection against your daughter—are you implying i can’t protect her.” you snapped scoffing at her which she shook her head softly.

“y/n, we know she’s everything to you—if you cared about me or her, you would of checked up. look, i’m sorry that ever is happening but i will not put my daughter in danger.” you breathed out towards natasha and steve as they kept pushing you to help.

from the corner of your eye, you could see vision struggling to being held up by wanda and sam. you mentially wince at his state he was in. he went to speak up, “please. y/n, you know what it means to help others when they need it the most. as a leader, just understand that we will do anything to help you and your daughter when this all over.” his British accent trailed off when you looked back at him while nodding. “alright. i will leave that you vision.” you chuckled while starting your car.

you ended up meeting your daughter in a safe house where she was sleeping on the couch with a close friend of yours. steve and nat both wanted to be there to help you with her things, you smiled when you saw her snuggling her favorite stuffed animal. you kneeled down in front of her to wake her up gently kissing her forehead. she slightly stirred when she saw her mom in-front of her.

“h-hi mommy..” mila yawned at you getting up and rubbing her eyes with her small palms of hers, she reached over to engulf you in a wide hug. you chuckled almost falling back at her. “how was your nap sweetheart?— was ok. can we go home? where is carder?” she would ask botching his name while you would look at her with pain. you didn’t want to break down but it broke your heart when she asked about him, natasha kneeled down next you when you put your head down.

she rubbed your shoulder to help you relax when mila gre confused on who the woman was next to you. “hi. i’m natasha, what is your name?” nat asked your daughter as she looked to her and smiled a little bit, “mila.” she responded back looking up at steve who let out a smile. “who are you?” she pointed up to steve as he looked back towards her, “i’m steve.” he said softly to her.

you had a chance to look back at mila with the same look from before, “honey, carter he uh... he is in heaven. he’s safe.” you whimpered grabbing her small face and hugging her, sobbing into her shoulder. “mommy. please don’t cry.” she pleaded wanting her mom to not be in pain. mila cared a lot and she knew what was going on but she wasn’t a crier. “we have to go. go follow steve.”

steve went to grab her hand when natasha went to grab your hand and giving it a tight squeeze. signaling that everything would be alright, you got up when nat went to wipe away the small tears on your face. she pushed you out the door as you all made it back to the avengers compound.

it has been awhile since coming back and it all seemed like it’s usual self from the last time you saw it. looking up, you hear soft snores from mila that was on steve’s chest—that was a lovely sight. you saw the secretary speaking with rhodes when you went to grab her from steve’s arms.

she started to stir a little when she got off, you stayed in the front with steve and nat while walking to the secretary and rhodes. they both still didn’t see eye to eye about the accords, “mr. secretary.” steve spoke as he came near you all, “you have some nerve. i’ll give you that.” ross said to some of you.

“you could use some of that—you think all is forgiven.” trailing to steve who looked pretty intimidating towards ross when he looked at you in betrayal. “and you’re running with the criminals, i thought you were on the good side—the world is collapsing and you just lost your best defender.” you said to ross when he shook his head at how you were right. then went back to steve, “i’m not looking for forgiveness and i’m way past asking for permission. so we’re here to fight. if you want to stand in our way, we’ll fight you too.” steve finished.

ross told rhodes to arrest you all when he said he was all over it, you walked down with mila in your arms when you walked over to rhodes to hug him. “hey y/n and mini y/n... what’s her name?” rhodes asked pointing to your daughter—“mila.” you told him when he nodded smiling at how you turned into a mom.

he commented on the appearances of them all when a familiar voice was heard by nat and you, turning around rapidly to see the one and only bruce banner. “i think you guys look great.” bruce said walking out of a room to meet all of them, nat looked at him shocked that he was there in front of her. when they both greeted each other, things became uncomfortable for some of them.

bruce walked over to see you with mila in your arms and went to hug you which you handed mila to nat which she accepted while you went to reach to bruce. you smiled deeply when he hugged you as you inhaled when you were so close to a friend.

as you all were in the way to do a meeting about everything with thanos and also vision, you went to go ask rhodes about a room to place your daughter in. “is there a room so she can sleep?” you asked grabbing her bag from the floor when he told you to follow him. you brought her to a room and placed her down on the bed while rhodes left you both to give you guys a minute.

you moved the hair out of her face and kissed her forehead softly causing her to snuggle into the pillow. heading out the door, you walked out to shut the door slightly and made your way to a hall. you could already tell some arguments were brewing, they stopped when they all saw you enter. “well we just have to protect them—no, we destroy them.” nat started looking at you when vision interrupted them.

everyone looked back at vision to see if they heard exactly what he had just said. vision went on to explain what he meant as, though a few people kept refusing them to do anything like that. “let me destroy them—absolutely not.” nat rejected your choice that you wanted to make, you got up from your seat and went near her. “you know it’s our only way nat—no. just no. you aren’t sacrificing yourself just to help the planet. we have to think of a different direction.” she implied

“we don’t have another way! we do it this way or thanos gets the stones, wipes out half of the population and everything will be horrible.” you exclaimed to natasha when she shook her head in disbelief of how easy you were saying to kill you self in order to save the universe. “you would do that—if that meant protecting vision and many people then yes.” vision looked over and smiled at you.

nat sat back down fustrated at your choice, steve backed natasha in this—“we have to figure out a way to help you both with sacrificing any of you.” you sighed walking over to where wanda was standing after vision made the same thing.

bruce looked up as he thought about something so that none of them had to do so that no one would have to do anything. you would sacrifice yourself to save the world if it meant just one person would get hurt. “what if we could take out the stone without hurting vision—i know a place.”

#marvel #mcu imagine #natasha romanoff #platonic friendship #infinity war #steve rogers #natasha x oc #mcu #black widow #natasha x reader #natasha romanoff platonic #bucky barnes #bucky x y/n #bucky barnes x female reader #bucky fanfic

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akampana · 3 years

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Prompt n.24 sounds very interesting. Arturia is a king, but also a knight. And the one thing a knight has by their side, is their trusted weapon...

But we know that sometimes, a weapon is not just a weapon. Sometimes its much more...

Right, Cu Alter?

24. “You will never lose me. I will always be right here beside you.”

Cu Alter x Arturia

One-shot, set in a world where Cú Chulainn and King Arthur exist in the same time period. Enjoy! Thanks for the ask!

___

A loud clang resounded within the stone confines of the throne room, and yet it was quiet compared to the storm raging hell outside, and quieter still to the turmoil that wracked King Arthur’s mind.

Tristan’s desertion was followed by those of a number of knights. The first crack in the glass foundation that kept Camelot’s flag flying high. The exposure of Lancelot’s affair, however, was the hammer that finally smashed it to smithereens. Now here she was left amongst the rubble, with an aggrieved Gawain, a conflicted Bedivere and the cold, dead body of poor Agravain, who fell victim to her excommunicated First Knight. Arturia did not know where Merlin was. Kay had left months ago with all his fortune. She needn’t be a genius to know he wasn’t coming back.

What the people demanded was revenge for King Arthur’s cuckolding: the hunt and execution of the treacherous French knight that fled to his homeland, to whom Arturia held no grudge. Her logic demanded she carry out the farce, but what remained of her sealed-up heart did not.

From this derived her conflict, which she wrestled in solitude, here at the glaringly empty Round Table that used to seat her comrades.

Pursue the man she’s forgiven or stay her hand? Give the people what they want or stand by her own beliefs?

Arturia flinched as cool metal brushed against her fingertips, her startled eyes climbing to meet orbs the color of the wine she just spilled.

“King—!” the glare he sent her stilled her tongue at once, his inhuman crimson eyes glowing in the dim candlelight.

“Cú,” she corrected herself, wrapping her cloak tighter around herself. Her thinner night garbs did little to hide the secret of her sex. In the dead of night, she wasn’t expecting any visitors. Especially not at the Round Table, which was devoid of all life at this hour.

“Has your fire gone out for the night?” she said, twisting her father’s silver ring around her thumb as she spoke, “I will arrange for a servant to assist you at once—”

“Forget it,” interrupted the brutal warrior, reclining himself into Lancelot’s former seat as he poured his own goblet. “Can’t sleep in all this racket.”

She knew instinctively he didn’t mean the storm. Regretful green eyes inspected the mess in the corner, wasted wine that was a victim to her ire. Briefly, she wondered how the foreign king could hear her from all the way in the east wing, but it was hardly important. Cú was already a man of few words. He wouldn’t waste any on small talk.

“Yer gonna chase the bastard, aren’t ya? It’s what yer subjects want,” came his raspy declaration, cutting in through the silence just before a crack of lightning illuminated the room. Their eyes clashed in the glaring white light, blood orbs against evergreen.

“I can...I cannot deny them the justice they expect of me,” she answered, grief lacing the small voice that barely carried itself through the thunder.

“So you deny yerself. Just like you’ve done all yer life. Ain’t that right, Arturia?”

It took King Arthur a moment to fully grasp what had come out of his lips. Her breath began to labor as she wracked her brain for an excuse. Panic settled into her bones faster than the snow outside seeped into the grass. Before she could formulate anything, however, she felt Cú’s fingers encircle her wrist.

“Relax. I ain’t telling no one. Weapons don’t talk, remember?” he soothed, as much as an emotionless killing machine could, anyway.

“You are not just a weapon. We have been over this.” Arturia shot back, momentarily forgetting the source of her stress.

As her frantic breaths began to still, she managed a small question. “How long have you known?”

His claws released their grip, lamenting the small indents they left on her skin. “Since ya wasted yer fourteenth seat on a foreign king that once would have torn yer land asunder.”

Cú reached past her arms, lifting the wool cloak from the short king’s chest. Sure enough, he now had his confirmation, a modest chest that was so cleverly hidden behind her armor plates.

“‘Tis of little consequence to me,” he voiced, replacing the garment she pulled so closely around herself. She watched him as he gave her another glass of wine, trying to discern if he spoke the truth.

“I don’t bloody care about what’s between yer legs, the same way you never cared for this fucking tail that trails behind me. All I need to hear are yer orders,” her allied king continued, flicking away a loose strand of hair with the scaly appendage.

“If ya wanna kill Lancelot, Arturia, I’m with ya. Point me in the way of France. But if not, then gimme some other fucking command. I don’t give a shit, as long as it’s what ya want.”

The King of Knights pursed her lip, still unaccustomed to hearing her real name from one who wasn’t supposed to know her secret. Especially when the one who used it was someone she did not expect: the displaced King of Connacht, who was more frequently an envoy serving at her court as an allied Warrior of the Round Table than the ruler of his late queen’s territory. The latter job, Cú had delegated to Fergus, as the “Mad” King had chosen to dedicate his freedom to the one that liberated him.

Arturia shook off his crass manner of speech. After nearly a decade of having him by her side, she’d grown accustomed to his language, even if he was frequently scoffed at by Agravain and Gaheris when the siblings still lived.

The reminder of her knights’ deaths led her gaze back to her table and its empty seats. There were so few that still belonged to the living. Some of them were never to be filled again. Arturia turned to her right, to where Lancelot once sat, meeting ruby eyes instead of onyx ones.

“Then how about this,” she suggested, imprinting the Irish King’s face into her memory the same way she’d done for the rest of her knights. Slowly, she slipped off the silver ring she’d been fiddling with and slid it onto his pinky.

“Return to your homeland with as much gold as you can carry and my eternal gratitude. Take a fourth of the cattle. Reward each of those in your service with one and keep the rest to enrich Connacht.”

Thunder raged on outside the castle walls, but it was the silence of the king before her that unnerved Arturia to a ridiculous extent. For while neither were as talkative as her remaining nephew, the quiet had never been quite so tense.

“The hell?” Cú finally asked, glaring at the Pendragon ring with disgust instead of honor. “You’d have me run? Do ya think me a coward—”

“—I think you are a king that should not die for the flag of a kingdom that is not his,” she cut him off, grasping his hand before he could tear her father’s ring off. “You asked for an order. This is it.”

Cú Chulainn’s claws dug into the collar of her cloak, as he pulled her to his face, a menacing look upon his countenance.

“An order?” he grunted harshly, “Or a feeble attempt at driving me away before I can leave you?”

Arturia’s struggles suddenly ceased, her limbs going limp before the foreign king finally let go of her clothes. The chairs screeched as each ruler fell back onto them, the older one far more irate than the younger.

“That’s what this is about, isn’t it?” Cú murmured, his voice soft as his fist thudded onto the circular table. “Ya’ve been an absolute tool since that depressing redhead turned in his rank, and some thoughtless fools followed. Then ya let Lancelot leave, don’t even bloody try to tell me he got away.”

Arturia turned her head, hiding her eyes behind her hay-colored hair. It mattered not how her charisma could sway crowds, her tongue knew not how to lie. Green eyes searched the empty room, counting the few chairs that would be occupied tomorrow. Her sister’s remaining sons’, Bedivere’s and...oh, how very few.

Arturia rested her hand on his fist, urging him to keep the heirloom as proof of the great service he gave Camelot.

“Go home, Cú. I cannot...I cannot lose you, too.” the British king sighed, getting used to the chill of solitude. She’d always known that a life as king was a life alone. At least with Cú, she could choose the day he left, instead of spending her time counting the days till he made his exit, just like her knights, her wizard, her brother.

“Don’t ask something so fucking stupid then go looking so damn pitiful,” he responded, flipping their hands and dragging her into his space till her lips touched his.

There was a reason Cú had stayed, pawning off Connacht to someone else that deserved it more and joining Camelot’s court instead. Not only had Arturia broken the geis that kept him tied to Medb, but she also gave him purpose.

Cú never spoke of it, but he remembered their first meeting like it was yesterday.

It was on the battlefield, back when he was still bound by geis to serve another mistress. Medb, the sly vixen, had tricked him into her service, forcing him into the frontlines till he’d slain every single one of his former comrades.

Bathed in the blood of his friends, the red clouding his vision, the man who was once Ulster’s proudest warrior was no more. His valiant face was replaced by a monstrous visage, his armaments were stained black. Upon his head sat a crown of thorns, forced onto his head by a queen who knew nothing but chaos.

Before long, the name he was proud to take up had been given new meaning. He was no longer Ulster’s guard dog, but Medb’s rabid hound, who sunk his teeth into anything and everything that so much as irked the devilish queen. Cú Alter, she called him, now that she’d bent him to her tastes. Cú Alter, a fitting name to a warrior forced to tarnish his own title.

As the bodies piled up around him, no rhyme nor reason for their slaughter, Cú began to see himself in a darker light, grasping at straws for some sort of purpose behind all the mindless killing.

He must have been a monster. A monster that massacred all that stood in his way regardless of honor and glory. Yes, that must have been it, he convinced himself, finally submitting to the dark cage that his hated loathsome queen had put him under.

As the black chains dragged him deeper and deeper into his own personal hell, he took up his spear once again. It lashed out whenever he touched it, staining itself dark till the vibrant red he used to wield was nowhere to be found. Once more, to the battlefield, said Medb. Once more, he tore across it with a godlike ease.

Then suddenly the cursed spear collided with its match, a sword of shining light that glowed as bright as its wielder. He remembered the moment so clearly, his breath hitching at his throat as his strikes were pushed back, the wind pressure whipping his hood out of his face. His heart pounded with adrenaline as his gaze fell down to his opponent: a tiny little thing, so small they should have fallen to his last strike, but there they still stood, defiant green eyes staring up at him with no fear.

Rage overtook his figure, fueling his strikes as he tried to cast the small warrior back, but all his efforts were met with equal force.

“My name is Arthur Pendragon, King of Camelot.” a small voice, too fragile to have been a man’s, rung out across the battlefield. Spear met sword once again, pausing in their dance.

“Your name, knight.”

Even though he stayed on his feet, it was like the king had pulled the rug from under him. Their eyes locked once more, and he saw himself within the green irises, staring mouth agape at his opponent.

His name? His name? How long had it been since he’d been asked for his name? How many foes had he slain since then? How many nameless faces had he sent to the grave? How could this person, this puny king, take one look at his monstrous form and face him like a knight regardless?

“Cú Chulainn,” came his raspy voice, which too often had been used to roar like a beast. It felt foreign on his lips, which had ‘til then spoke nothing but bitter resentment.

That day, Arturia saw more than the monster. More than the weapon he’d disillusioned himself into being. Cú followed the king after Medb’s defeat, intending to find some proof that it was all a fluke, but it never happened. Arturia never treated him or her knights like a weapon or a tool. Arturia treated him like an equal.

And now, years spent the line, she was robbing him of that feeling, sending him away with glory and riches. If he were younger, he’d have jumped at the prize of heroic fame, but that was no longer what he wanted. What he wanted was to be right here, right next to the person that made him feel human again.

As their lips parted, Cú sent a glare through the empty seats of each of the deserters. He’d never understand how they could leave their king behind. He’d met his fair share of monarchs— hell, he technically was one—and even as belligerent a person he was, he wouldn’t wield his spear for any other.

“You will never lose me,” Cú declared in between rough kisses. “I will always be right here beside you. Understand?”

The Irishman returned her ring as she nodded, breathless, into his shoulder. She had one. Even if the world were to turn on Arturia, she still had one. One that would stay forever beside her.

Beside her...

Beyond Cú, the shorter king saw the backrest of Lancelot’s former seat, and finally, she knew just what to do to settle the people and follow her heart at the same time.

“Disregard my previous orders. Heed this instead…”

As the words left his king’s lips, Cú Chulainn proudly grinned.

#and then the two of them make sure the battle of camlann never happens #the end #hahahaahh #akampana asks #love confession prompts #tysm for the ask!#cuturia #cu alter x arturia #cutoria #cu alter #arturia pendragon #artoria pendragon #arturia #artoria #saber #berserker #fgo #fate

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thewidowsghost · 3 years

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Daughter of the Sea - Chapter 3

Percy's POV

Confession time: I ditch Grover as soon as we get to the bus terminal.

I know, I know. It was rude. But Grover is kinda freaking me out, looking at me like I am a dead man, muttering, "Why does this always happen?" and "Why does it always have to be the sixth grade?"

Whenever he gets upset, Grover's bladder acts up, so I'm not surprised when, as soon as we get off the bus, he makes me promise to wait for him, then makes a beeline for the restroom. Instead of waiting, I get my suitcase, slip outside, and catch the first taxi uptown.

"East One-hundred-and-forth and First," I tell the driver.

A word about my mother, before you meet her.

Her name is Sally Jackson and she's the best person in the world, which just proves my theory that the best people have the rottenest luck. Her own parents died in a plane crash when she was five, and she was raised by an uncle who didn't care much about her. She wanted to be a novelist, so she spent high school working to save enough money for a college with a good creative-writing program. Then her uncle got cancer, and she had to quit school her senior year to take care of him. After he died, she was left with no money, no family, and no diploma.

The only good break she ever got was meeting mine and (Y/n)'s dad.

We didn't have any memories of him, just this warm sort of glow, maybe the barest trace of his smile. Our mom doesn't like to talk about him because it makes her sad; she has no pictures.

See, they weren't married. She told us he was rich and important, and their relationship was a secret. Then one day, he set sail across the Atlantic on some important journey, and he never came back.

Lost at sea, my mom had told us. Not dead. Lost at sea.

She worked odd jobs, took night classes to get her high school diploma, and raised me and my twin on her own. She never complained or got mad. Not even once. But I knew I wasn't an easy kid.

Finally, she married Gabe Ugliano, who was nice the first thirty seconds we knew him, then showed his true colors as a world-class jerk. When I was young, I nicknamed him Smelly Gabe. I'm sorry, but it's the truth. The guy reeked like moldy garlic pizza wrapped in gym shorts.

Between the two of us, we made my mom's life pretty hard. The way Smelly Gabe treated her, the way he and I got along...well, when I came home is a good example.

I walk into our little apartment, hoping my mom would be home from work. Instead, Smelly Gabe is in the living room, playing poker with his buddies. The television blares ESPN. Chips and beer cans are strewn all over the carpet.

Hardly looking, he says around his cigar, "So, you're home."

"Where's Mom and (Y/n)?" I wonder aloud.

"Your mom's working," he says. "You got any cash?"

That was it. No Welcome back. Good to see you. How has your life been the last six months?

"I don't have any cash," I toll him.

"Here," comes a voice, holding out a ten to the man.

Instantly, a smile sneaks its way onto my face.

"Hey, Perc," my twin sister says with a smile.

(Y/n)'s POV

I grab my brother's suitcase and carry it into his room; I set it down on the bed.

"You wanna come sit in my room?" I ask and Percy nods, a smile still on his face.

I lead the way to my room and when I open the door, Percy sinks into my desk chair.

"Percy?" comes our mom's voice.

She opens my bedroom door.

Our mother can make me feel good just by walking into the room. Her eyes sparkle and change color in the light. Her smile is as warm as a quilt. She's got a few gray streaks mixed in with her long brown hair, but I never think of her as old. When she looks at me, it's like she's seeing all the good things about me, none of the bad. I've never heard her raise her voice or say an unkind word to anyone, not even me or Percy or Gabe.

"Oh, Percy," she hugs her son tightly. "I can't believe it. You've grown since Christmas.

Percy's POV

Her red-white-and-blue Sweet on America uniform smelled like the best things in the world: chocolate, licorice, and all the other stuff she sold at the candy shop in Grand Central. She'd brought me a huge bag of "free samples," the way she always did when I came home.

We sit together on the edge of (Y/n)'s bed. While I attack the blueberry sour strings, (Y/n) stealing a few pieces of candy from the bag, Mom runs her hand through my hair and demands to know everything I hadn't put in my letters. She doesn't mention anything about my getting expelled. She doesn't seem to care about that. But was I okay? Was her little boy doing all right? The whole time, (Y/n)'s eyes were sparkling with amusement.

I tell Mom she is smothering me, and to lay off and all that, but secretly, I was really, really glad to see her and (Y/n).

From the other room, Gabe yells, "Hey, Sally—how about some bean dip, huh?"

I grit my teeth.

My mom is the nicest lady in the world. She should've been married to a millionaire, not to some jerk like Gabe.

For her sake, I try to sound upbeat about my last days at Yancy Academy. I tell her I'm not too down about the expulsion. I'd lasted almost the whole year this time. I'd made some new friends. I'd done pretty well in Latin. And honestly, the fights hadn't been as bad as the headmaster said. I liked Yancy Academy. I really did. I put such a good spin on the year, I almost convince myself. I start choking up, thinking about Grover and Mr. Brunner. Even Nancy Bobofit suddenly doesn't seem so bad.

Until that trip to the museum...

"What?" my mom asks. Her and my sister's eyes tug at my conscience, trying to pull out the secrets. "Did something scare you?"

"No, Mom."

I feel back for lying. I want to tell her about Mrs. Dodds and the three old ladies with the yarn, but I think it'd sound stupid.

Mom purses her lips. Both she and (Y/n) could tell I was holding back, but neither push me.

(Y/n)'s POV

"I have a surprise for both of you," Mom says. "We're going to the beach."

Percy's eyes widen. "Montauk?"

"Three nights - same cabin."

"When?" I ask excitedly.

Mom smiles. "As soon as I get changed."

I can't believe it. Mom, Percy, and I hadn't been to Montauk the last two summers, because Gabe said there wasn't enough money.

Gabe appears in my doorway and growls, "Bean dip, Sally? Didn't you hear me?"

"I've got it," I offer, rising from the bed and walking out into the kitchen to make the dip for Mom.

An hour later, we are ready to leave.

Gabe takes a break from his poker game long enough to watch me and Percy lug Mom's bags to the car. He keeps griping and groaning about losing her cooking - and most importantly, his '78 Camaro - for the whole weekend.

"Not a scratch on this car, you two," he warns us as I load the last bag. "Not one little scratch."

Like we'd be the ones driving. We're twelve. But that didn't matter to Gabe. If a seagull so much as pooped on his paint job, he'd find a way to blame us.

We get into the Camero, me in the passenger's seat, and Percy in the back.

Our rental cabin is on the south shore, way out at the tip of the Long Island. It is a little pastel box with faded curtains, half-sunken into the dunes. There is always sand in the sheets and spiders in the cabinets, and most of the time the sea is too cold to swim in.

Percy and I love the place.

We'd been going there since Percy and I were babies. Our mom had been going even longer. She never exactly said, but I knew why the beach was special to her. It was the place she'd met mine and Percy's dad.

As we get closer to Montauk, Mom seems to grow younger, years of worry and work disappearing from her face. Her eyes turning the color of the sea.

We arrive at the cabin, open all the cabin windows, and go through our usual cleaning routine. We walk on the beach, feed blue corn chips to the seagulls, and much on jelly beans, blue saltwater taffy, and all the other free samples my mom had brought from work.

I guess I should explain the blue food.

See, Gabe had once told Mom there was no such thing. They had this fight, which seemed like a small thing at the time. But ever since, Mom had gone out of her way to eat blue. She baked blue birthday cakes. She mixed blueberry smoothies. She bought blue-corn tortilla chips and brought home blue candy from the shop. This - alone with keeping her maiden name, Jackson, rather than calling herself Mrs. Ugliano - was proof that she wasn't totally suckered by Gabe. She did have a rebellious streak, like Percy.

When it gets dark, we make a fire. We roast hot dogs and marshmallows. Mom tells us stories about when she was a kid, back before her parents died in the plane crash. She tells us about the books she wanted to write when she gets enough money to quit the candy shop.

Finally, it seems that Percy gets the nerve to ask about what was always on our minds when we come to Montauk - our father. Mom's eyes go all misty. I figure that she was going to tell us the same things she always said, but neither Percy and I ever got tired of hearing them.

"He was kind, Percy," Mom says. "Tall, handsome, and powerful. But gentle, two. You have his black hair, you know, Percy, and you both have his green eyes."

Mom fishes a blue jelly bean out of her candy bag. "I wish he could see you, Percy, (Y/n). He would be so proud."

Percy's POV

I wondered how she could say that. What's so great about me? A dyslexic, hyperactive boy with a D+ report card, kicked out of the school for the sixth time in six years.

"How old were we?" I ask. "I mean . . . when he left?"

Mom watches the flames. "He was only with me for one summer, Percy. Right here at this beach. This cabin."

"But...he knew us as a baby."

"No, honey. He knew I was expecting twins, but he never saw you two. He had to leave before you were born."

I try to square that with the fact I seem to remember . . . something about my father. A warm glow. A smile.

(Y/n) and I had always assumed that he had known us as babies. Mom had never said it outright, but still, we'd always felt it must be true. Now, to be told that he'd never even seen us . . .

I realize I feel angry at my father. Maybe it was stupid, but I resent him for going on that ocean voyage, for not having the guts to marry Mom. He'd left us, and now we are stuck with Smelly Gable.

"Are you sending me away again?" I ask her. "To another boarding school."

She pulls a marshmallow from the fire.

"I don't know, honey." Mom's voice is heavy. "I think . . . I think we'll have to do something."

"Because you don't want me around?" I regret the words as soon as they come out of my mouth. (Y/n) bows her head, looking at the ground and Mom's eyes well with tears.

Mom takes my hand and squeezes it tight. "Oh, Percy, no. I - I have to, honey. For your own good. I have to send you away."

Her words remind me of what Mr. Brunner had said - that it was best for me to leave Yancy.

"Because I'm not normal," I say.

"You say that as if it's a bad thing, Percy. But you don't realize how important you are. I thought Yancy Academy would be far enough away. I thought you'd finally be safe.

"Safe from what?"

She meets my eyes, and a flood of memories comes back to me - all the weird, scary things that had ever happened to me and (Y/n), some of which we'd tried to forget.

During third grade, a man in a black trench coat had stalked us on the playground. When the teachers threatened to call the police, he went away growling, but no one believed (Y/n) when she'd told them that under his broad-brimmed hat, the man only had one eye, right in the middle of his head.

Before that—a really early memory. I was in preschool, and a teacher accidentally put me down for a nap in a cot that a snake had slithered into. My mom screamed when she came to pick me up and found me playing with a limp, scaly rope I'd somehow managed to strangle to death with my meaty toddler hands.

In every single school, something creepy had happened, something unsafe, and I was forced to move.

I know I should tell my mom about the old ladies at the fruit stand, and Mrs. Dodds at the art museum, about my weird hallucination that I had sliced my math teacher into dust with a sword. But I can't make myself tell her. I have a strange feeling the news would end our trip to Montauk, and I don't want that.

"I've tried to keep you as close to me as I could," my mom says. "They told me that was a mistake. But there's only one other option, Percy—the place your father wanted to send you two. And I just...I just can't stand to do it."

(Y/n)'s POV

"Our father wanted us to go to a special school?" I ask, a little confused.

"Not a school," she says softly. "A summer camp."

My head starts spinning. Why would my dad - who hadn't even stayed around long enough to see me and Percy be born - talk about a summer camp?

"I'm sorry, (Y/n)," she said, seeing the look in my eyes. "But I can't talk about it. I—I couldn't send you two to that place. It might mean saying good-bye to you for good."

"For good?" Percy asks. "But if it's only a summer camp.

Mom turns towards the fire, and I know from her expression that if either of us ask her any more questions, she would start to cry.

I have a weird, vivid dream. It is storming on the beach, and two beautiful animals, a white horse, and a golden eagle are trying to kill each other at the edge of the surf. The eagle swoops down and slashes the horse's muzzle with its huge talons. The horse rears up and kicks at the eagle's wings. As they fight, the ground rumbles and a monstrous voice chuckles somewhere and beneath the earth, goading the animals to fight harder.

I run towards them, knowing I have to stop them from killing each other, but I am running in slow motion. I know I am too late. I see the eagle dive down, its beak aimed at the horse's wide eyes, and I scream, No!

I wake with a start.

Outside, it really is storming, the kind of storm that cracks trees and blows down houses. There is no horse or eagle on the beach, just lightning making false daylight, and twenty-foot waves pounding the dunes like artillery.

With the next thunderclap, my mom and Percy wake. Mom sits up, eyes wide, and says, "Hurricane."

I know that's crazy. Long Island never sees hurricanes this early in the summer. But the ocean seems to have forgotten. Over the roar of the wind, I hear a distant bellow, an angry, tortured sound that makes my hair stand on end.

Percy's POV

Then a much closer noise, like mallets in the sand. A desperate voice - someone yelling, pounding on our cabin door.

My mother springs out of bed in her nightgown and throws open the lock.

Grover stands framed in the doorway against a backdrop of pouring rain. But he isn't . . . he isn't exactly Grover.

"Searching all night," he gasps. "What were you thinking?"

My mother looks at me in terror - not scared of Grover, but of why he'd come.

"Percy," she says, having to shout to be heard over the rain. "What happened at school? What didn't you tell me?"

I am frozen, looking at Grover. I can't understand what I'm seeing, and I see (Y/n) looking at my friend.

"O Zeu kai alloi theoi!" he yells. "It's right behind me! Didn't you tell her?"

I am too shocked to register that he'd just cursed in Ancient Greek, and I'd understood him perfectly. I am too shocked to wonder how Grover had gotten here by himself in the middle of the night. Because Grover doesn't have pants on - and where his legs should be . . . where his legs should be . . .

Mom looks at me sternly and talks in a tone she'd never used before, and (Y/n) flinches: "Percy. Tell me now!"

I stammer something about the old ladies at the fruit stand and Mrs. Dodds, and my mom stares at me, her face deathly pale in the flashes of lightning.

She grabs her purse, tosses me and (Y/n) our rain jackets, and says, "Get the car. All three of you. Go!"

Grover runs for the Camero - but he isn't running, exactly. He is trotting, shaking his shaggy hindquarters, and suddenly his story about a muscular disorder in his legs makes sense to me. I understand how he can run so fast and still limp when he walks.

Because where his feet should be, there are no feet. There are cloven hooves.

Word Count: 3041 words

#percy jackson x sister reader #percy jackson and the olympians reader insert #female reader #fem reader #reader insert

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writingsfromhome · 3 years

Text

Bad Timing I(.5)

A/N: This is the sort of backstory to Harry and you, I think it can be read on its own if you want, or before you read the first part too. It’s angsty af, but it has some death and sensitive topics jsyk. I tried to keep it concise but it got a little wordy as angst does. xx

Part 1

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

About 12 Years Ago:

“So are you coming to that party or not?” My roommate asks. She was one of the first people I’d met last year when we started uni and even though we came from different backgrounds we remained friends over the last year, even choosing to room together again. She got me to open up and find the extroverted part of me that was able to enjoy uni outside of academics.

“Ugh, I’m volunteering for the voting booths for the rest of the week. Maybe if I can make it?”

“You’re actually doing that?” She scrunches her nose. “I don’t get it. You’re just way too nerdy to be my friend.”

“And yet you loove me,” I squeeze her against me and she laughs. “It’s my mom, she said I had to do at least one extracurricular so I could meet friends this year.”

“You already have friends,” she points to herself, and with her came her group of friends that’d quickly taken me in last year.

And my mom doesn’t like that I hang out with you, I think. She thought we partied too much even though my grades stayed decent. “She wants me to have nerdy friends too, I dunno. They’re helping me pay my tuition until I get a job so I kinda have to play nice.”

“Parents suck,” my roommate flicks through her closet. I agreed, this was just something I would get through to get through. Then they would leave me alone for the rest of the year.

Little did I know the person they’d partner me with at my polling station was someone who would be in my life for the next decade.

“I’m Harry by the way,” he’d said after we received our orientation and assigned the building we were going to babysit the votes in. “Second year.”

“Me too! I’m Y/N. What’s your major? I’ve never seen you around.”

“Law--well I haven’t decided if it’s law but that’s what I’m in right now.”

“Really? Law?” I was openly judging, he just didn’t seem the law type.

“Well what are you in?” He demands.

“Business,” I cringe.

“Really? Business?” He has a cheeky smile on, one that would become familiar to me.

“Well, you just don’t seem like the law type. They’re usually more uptight, dress way too smart for me.”

“I know, it’s like, we’re not even in the courtroom yet,” he joins in and it makes me laugh--how he could poke fun at his own people. That’s when I knew we would get along fine, and I actually looked forward to the next few days getting to know him better.

“I’m definitely telling my mum about you, she’s been begging me to make friends outside of my circle. I’ll tell her I’m friends with a law student.”

“So we’re friends already?” We’d reached our booth and began setting up the partitions. He takes over when I set it up wrong.

“Obviously,” I say. “I actually like you which means you’ll have a hard time getting rid of me.”

“I’m alright with that,” he grins and I notice the laugh lines that are brought to life as he does. It somehow made him seem more genuinely.

We spend the rest of the time swapping stories, classes, rants. We check student IDs and hand out voting cards in between but it doesn’t feel like a drag anymore. At the end of the day, I invite him to the party my roommate was going to with our friends. If he was going, maybe I would too. He seemed like he might be fun at a party.

“Er,” he suddenly seems nervous. “I’ll have to ask my girlfriend, she wanted to hang out tonight.”

“Well bring her too!” I say excitedly. “Is she law as well?”

“No, she’s in the arts.”

“I like her already,” I push. “Bring her, my friends are fun you’ll learn how to have a good time.”

“I know how to have a good time,” there was the flash of his dimples again. “Text me the address.”

And thus began a friendship for the next four years, partying together, studying together (trying to), and hanging out in each other’s rooms. We would set each other up with other friends, double dated, went out for sunrise-hikes, and took long drives at night when we had to blow some steam off from being over-stressed, over-studied uni students. Our friend circles overlapped, the fabric of our lives eventually bleeding together. We were made of the same fibers, sticking together even after uni, when our friends got more serious about their careers. When they moved out of the country or to another city, we made sure to rent places close enough that we could still see each other often. And somehow, in the new chapter of our lives, without the partying and our other friends to buffer, we became closer than before.

We cared for each other--we didn’t deny that ever. And somehow that platonic love turned romantic as we depended on each other while we navigated adulthood. I can’t exactly pinpoint where things changed, but one evening our relationship was changed forever.

7 years ago:

“She literally wants me to stay until 7, and she was offended when I said no! I’m not even getting paid for that!” I was bitching to Harry about my shitty job.

“That’s bollocks” Harry shrugs. “Just say you’ve got family obligations or something.”

“I said that the one time she wanted us to come in on a weekend and she gave me shite work the following week! I just...I can’t afford to lose this job Harry.”

“That’s shitty, I’m sorry.” He takes the last swig of his beer. “Want another one?”

“I haven’t even finished this one,” I moan at my now warm beer that I’d been nursing for the last hour, too busy ranting to drink it. “It’s getting late though I should head home before it’s dark. Don’t want that nutter that hangs around my building to harass me again.”

“I’ll walk you home,” Harry suggests. He lived a 15 minute walk from me.

“No no,” I get up and take our dirty dishes to the sink. “I didn’t even ask about you, how was your day?”

“Same old,” he sighs against the counter. “I feel like I don’t fit in, everyone my age is finishing their law degree but I don’t think I want to.”

“I knew from the day I met you, you weren’t destined for the courtroom.” I pull him into a comforting hug. “Do what makes you happy, or what doesn’t make you want to say fuck it and quit your job to hibernate.”

“You really know the perfect thing to say,” Harry chuckles but he pulls me tighter against him. I stroke his back, reassuring him he’d be alright in the end.

“Y/N-” he pulls away to say something but freezes mid sentence. I raise an eyebrow but he’s still, staring at my face.

“Harry?” I ask, but he continues staring. “Hello? You alright?”

“Yeah,” he breaks into a sudden smile. That was weird--I make sure he’s okay before letting go.

Before I leave, I kiss Harry’s cheek goodbye--I was never shy in the affection I gave my friends and Harry’s bummed mood needed extra affection tonight. But what I don’t expect is for him to catch me before I pull away, staring intently into my eyes. The lighthearted energy between us disappears instantly as it dawns on me, how close we were, the unspoken feelings in his eyes, the hesitation before he presses his lips to mine.

I kissed him back then, barely understanding what was happening, before pulling away. I give him a smile but that’s just what he sees at the tip of the iceberg, underneath my mixed feelings churn away. My best friend just kissed me, and I wasn’t totally mad about it.

“It’s getting dark I-” I say as Harry says, “Sorry was that okay?”

We laugh awkwardly, neither of us sure what to do at this point. We decide to ignore it instead.

“I’ll talk to you later,” Harry lets me go and opens the door for me. “Watch out for the neighbourhood nutter yea?”

I stand in place, feeling the fibers of our friendship unraveling but feeling hopeless in mending the tear. “Take care Harry.”

I high tail it out, my thoughts going at an impossible rate as I sort out what happened. And we try to ignore it the next couple weeks,

We hadn’t made it official then, too nervous to face what this meant about our friendships. It was only at my sister’s wedding, that I realised what was wrong between us. I’d been mourning our old friendship, and avoiding him in the weeks since the kiss. But what I didn’t realise was that our friendship had been changing over the last year anyway, and getting drunk on champagne and dancing with Harry, while my sister celebrated the happiest day of her life, made me realise there was a cause for celebration here: a new chapter in our lives.

A couple days later, after a stressful day at work, I’d taken the tube to his flat and waited for him outside. He was surprised to see me there, not saying much except to open the door and let me in. As soon as he’d closed it, my lips were attached to his and we’d let our bags drop, coats, and any piece of clothing between us. After that night, we didn’t even try to deny how we felt about each other.

“I didn’t think I could ever be this happy,” he’s whispered to me after. I thought he’d fallen asleep but his whisper in the dark made me grin to myself. “Are you awake.”

“I am. Awake and happy.” I turn to face him, giggling. “Who knew this could feel so right.”

“Our first kiss was quite wrong though wasn’t it?” Harry says and it makes me laugh.

“That’s why I needed to do a redo,” I tease. “Can’t leave you to plan anything.”

“It wasn’t planned I swear, I was trying to be spontaneous.”

“Let’s not try ‘spontaneous’ again then,” I kiss him in the dark. He pulls me snug against him, I never knew how safe it felt. The safest I would ever feel, wrapped in the warmth with my best friend and now something else.

It was a good few months, testing the waters as our relationship underwent a transformation. All of our friends were supportive, but we never missed the glances between them. Apparently, they were waiting for this to happen. But as sweet as those first few months had been, finding out my mum was sick with a timeline was devastating. I came apart at the seams but Harry stayed through it all, holding me together. He’d proposed then, wanting my mum to be part of the ceremony. We had a small wedding, intimate but still magical. It was bittersweet, the amount of love and happiness I felt towards Harry and our loved ones around us as he said I do and as he took my arm and swept me across the dancefloor. But the amount of sadness crushing my chest kept me from being the weightless bride I always thought I would be.

Through it all, Harry stayed by my side. While we were hopeful, the day our hopes were dashed, the days and weeks I mourned. When my sister and her husband came to stay with their crazy toddlers and Harry kept them entertained giving my sister and I time together. I thought he was perfect, that I’d lucked out.

That lasted a few years, 3 and a half to be exact. There were months leading up to our split and we could point to a bunch of things that could’ve led to it. a) him wanting kids, and me wanting to wait or b) long hours we worked as we changed careers and tried to make our way up or c) how hard getting pregnant actually was. Maybe I pushed him away, or he didn’t love me enough to try and make it work.

I think I lied to myself, avoiding the tension creeping into the relationship. The tired excuses and time spent apart, the lack of usual affection, or casual conversations. I was an idiot, I realise every time I think about the end in retrospect. Maybe if I caught on earlier I could have fixed us before we fell apart. Maybe I could have saved us.

“There’s someone coming in Tuesday morning to fix the broken washer, will you be home?” I ask, still in bed and scrolling through my phone. I hadn’t meant to be up this early but Harry woke me as he got up and I couldn’t fall back asleep.

“No,” Harry responds, his back to me as he ruffles through the dresser. “I’ve got a thing that morning.”

“Well I’ve got to go in early Tuesday-I thought you might be home.” I say. I hear an edge to Harry’s voice but I try not to focus on it. He’d been a little cold all weekend and I was scared to think what it meant.

“You couldn’t be bothered to check in when you confirmed the date?” Harry asks harshly.

“I...guess not.” I put my phone down and wait for Harry to turn, maybe I could read his expression. Maybe he was stressed. “Harry?”

“What?” He turns, but he looks at me with no emotion. No stress, no frustration, not even anger. It’s the lack of emotion in his face that cause my eyes to prick with tears. Harry raises his eyebrows and I shake my head, untangling myself from the sheets so he doesn’t see any tears. I rush to the bathroom but forget to close the door out of habit.

“Y/N,” a kinder Harry appears by the doorway. His face has smoothed out the harsh lines, his eyes hesitant and cautious.

“What’s happened with us?” I blurt out. “Why are you so cold all the time? Am I doing something wrong?”

Harry’s face falls and he walks towards me but doesn’t touch me. “It’s nothing like that. It’s...I don’t know. We should talk.”

He reaches his hand out but I flinch away. “Did you meet somebody new or something? What are we talking about?”

“Let’s not do this here. Right now.”

“Why not!” I finally had enough. “I’ve been walking on eggshells for months Harry! I don’t know what’s wrong and I keep waiting for you to bloody tell me!”

“This isn’t working!” Harry raises his voice to compensate for mine. I’m immediately silenced by the volume, and then the words sink in.

“Is there someone else?” I ask.

He doesn’t answer, his gaze on the hanging vines by the window. My heart drops into my stomach like a boulder, and I find it hard to breathe. I clutch the porcelain sink and ask in a surprisingly even tone, “Harry. Answer me.”

“What we have, Y/N...it’s dysfunctional.” He says quietly, meeting my eyes. “It doesn’t matter if there’s someone else, we’ve been fighting for months. Things aren’t the same between us-”

“Who is she?” I ask. I needed to know.

“That’s not relevant,” he shuts my question down quickly. “I’m sorry Y/N, I...I don’t want to hurt you. I care about you, I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Then don’t,” I’d pleaded. “We can go to counseling, talk it through-”

“I can’t Y/N.”

“Because of her.”

“No, because this isn’t good for either of us.” He’d walked up to me, cradled my face. “We’re not good for each other, not like this.”

“Who is she?” I yank his hands away.

“She’s...it doesn’t matter, I swear nothing happened between us Y/N. Knowing who she is isn’t going to help this situation--”

“It is! If it weren’t for her, you’d be willing to work on us--to see a future. You...Harry how could you do this to me? To us?” The tears come with no control. “You’re moving on before we’re even over. How are you giving up on us like that?”

“I’m not!” his voice booms in the tiled bathroom. “I’m not bloody giving up on us! I tried Y/N, so many times. I tried! You just keep pushing at me to be someone I’m not and-”

“I can say the same thing about you!” I throw the brush in my hands into the sink. “We were good! And you got it in your head you wanted a baby even though we’re young, oh my god Harry you kept pestering me to change my mind even though I told you I needed time!”

“It’s not like we could have a fucking baby anyway,” Harry says bitterly before realising what he’d said. “Shit-”

“There you go,” I mock. “I knew it. I knew you were holding that against me. And that,” I jab my finger into his chest. “Is what’s made you so moody, so mean and why we’re always fighting. You held it against me.”.

There was absolute truth to what I said. Last year, Harry had brought the baby topic up. I’d told him we were only in our mid-20s, we had a lot of time, and we still had a career to establish. But he would bring up the topic often enough that I’d given in.To make him happy. And months went by, trying for a baby. Went we finally went to our doctor, she’d told us why it was so hard, it could take us years she’d said.

Harry came home that day dejected, and left me feeling like a failure. I think it tore us up.

“You wanted a baby so fucking bad and when I couldn’t, it made me feel like a complete failure. And I told you that! And you did absolutely nothing to make me feel better. You held it against me, Harry! You didn’t even try to tell me it was okay.”

“It’s not so fucking simple,” he says, his cheeks flushed pink. Maybe it was anger, or maybe it was embarrassment from being confronted with an ugly truth.

“It is. And now you’ve upgraded to a newer model, maybe her version comes with a fertile womb.” I take the cheap shot.

He doesn’t say anything though. And I don’t know why that hurts more than knowing he’d fallen for another woman while he was still married to me. My best friend in the whole world had just broken my heart into a million irrevocable pieces.

“It’s a bunch of things Y/N,” he finally says. “That’s just part of it. We’re not...we’re just not working!”

“Did you even try to make it work?” I ask, swiping my sleeve across my face. “Did you ever think how I felt? How you made me feel Harry? You’ve been slipping away from me without talking to me-” I break off. I couldn’t speak through the heartbreak, the thunderstorm of grief threatens to consume me and my sobs are the only thing that manages to come out.

“I never wanted to hurt you,” Harry tries to place a hand on my shoulder but I jerk away, moving to sit on the edge of the bathtub. “Y/N...”

“Just go,” I say through the tears.

“We can talk more about this later-”

"Just go,” I say louder.

Harry’s phone rings again from the bedroom and he sighs. But he leaves me, crying on the bathroom floor. The sadness that was always in my peripheral consumes me. I’d carried this sadness for a long time--ever since I found out my mum was sick, the sadness plagued me. I’d neatly packed it up once I decided to move forward with my life like my mum would want me to, but now it comes back tenfold, marrying the grief of losing Harry like this. And I stay on the floor crying my grief away for hours, eventually crawling into bed and sleeping the daylight away.

When I wake, it’s 6 and Harry isn’t home. I take that as a sign and get up to pack up a few things. I call my sister who still lived in London then, and crash on her couch, staying there for a few weeks and ignoring any call or text from Harry. When I need to go back, for my things, I find him sleeping on the couch with the TV on, something I always found endearing. But I can’t afford to dwell on how much it hurt seeing him like that.

He must have woken from the noise because when he finds me, he tries to stop me and tell me that we still needed to talk.

“About what?” I ask, just tired now. Too many tears shed and too many hours laying awake thinking about the exact moment we went wrong.

“Us,” Harry looked tired too. He was probably throwing himself into his work with nothing like me to hold him back, I think bitterly. His girlfriend had probably already been to our house--his house.

“What about us?” I barely look at him as I begin folding away all my clothes.

“I don’t know,” Harry sits on the bed. “Don’t you want to talk?”

“I’ve got nothing to say, do you?”

Harry sighs, “I don’t know.”

“Nice talk then,” I say, shoving the rest of my things in just so I could get out.

“I just want you to know I care about you Y/N, I don’t want to hurt you.” He says as I pack.

“It doesn’t matter anymore. If you cared about me, and you didn’t want to hurt me you wouldn’t have done this to us.”

“I wasn’t trying to--I didn’t mean to go and fall for someone else-”

“Just stop,” I cut him off. I couldn’t hear it, how the man I loved fell for someone else. I couldn’t break down here. Again.

He said he cared but it didn’t feel that way. It hurt more than I wished to admit. He knew what I’d been through and he still betrayed me, tossed my heart like it was replaceable. The cut he left in me ran deep.

As I leave he tries to talk to me, but I barrel past him. He still reaches for me and pulls me into a hug, I struggle against him but he’s too strong. He wraps me in his arms until I go still but it’s too much. A sob escapes me, and this time he lets me push him off and leave, my bag banging into my hips every time I take a step. As soon as I got into my Uber, I can’t stop crying. There was an infinite pool of tears where Harry was involved.

3 years ago:

My trust and my heart had been been lost in the war between Harry and I. It only took him a month to mail my divorce papers which sat collecting dust on my dining table until he showed up at work one day and demanded I sign them by the end of that week. I’d taken the day off the day I mailed those in, mourning the end of something that was once so safe and beautiful.

When a close friend calls me on a warm July afternoon, I don’t consider her warning that I shouldn’t check Instagram. That I still had Harry’s friends on my list. I open Instagram before she can tell me why, and see it. Harry was getting married, again. To the woman he gave up on us for. I try to zoom in on a picture without liking it, she was pretty...and blonde. She looked familiar--probably from his office. It didn’t take him long.

It was like someone had taken a retractor to the wound I thought had finally scabbed over. The physical proof that Harry had moved on is just the salt on the wound.

I cry myself to sleep that night.

2 Years ago;

The guy in front of me drones on about his job, mansplaining to me how a mortgage worked as if I wasn’t in finance myself. I excuse myself to use the restroom, checking my phone to see a text from my sister. She’d moved to Scotland this year, to where her husband was from, and I’d missed her terribly in the last year.

A little birdie told me your demon-ex just got divorced 🥂

I stare at the screen, chest feeling tight. I felt vindicated somehow, but I also felt a small bit of sadness. What a fuck-up.

Good for him I had texted back. A part of me wanted him to hurt the way he hurt me.

I went back to my date with a renewed enthusiasm. I’d ordered more wine and got so drunk he was actually interesting enough to take home.

About 1 year ago

“Y/N,” a voice from my past says, one that haunted me some nights. I turn as I exit the shop I was just in. I blink at the sight before me, Harry in a vest and hat. He realises what I’m staring at and laughs awkwardly. “I’m in uniform.”

“You’re...police?” I look up to his face finally. He hadn’t aged a day, although the hat he wears makes him look a little silly.

“Yeah I joined the force uhm...almost 4 years ago now...law didn’t really suit me.”

I know what he was doing, trying to find a baseline to have a conversation. But he was dead to me, and I didn’t want to invite him back in when I was finally forgetting about him.

"Seems like you dropped a lot of dead-weight four years ago.”

I watch his face fall as he realises I wasn’t going to pretend to be friendly.

“Seems that way to you,” he says cautiously. “But that’s not how it happened.”

I shrug. “So. I heard about the divorce. Must’ve been hard being put through that.”

I knew I was being petty, obviously I never got the closure I want (according to my therapist) and I wasn’t over him hurting me the way he did (also according to my therapist). This was how I got my peace, and it wasn’t the best version of me but it was the only one I knew how to be right now.

“Yep,” he crosses his arms over his chest. “So, are you seeing anyone?”

He knew I wasn’t, I don’t know how but the way he stoops to my level I know he knows I hadn’t had a long term relationship since him.

“Not at the moment,” I say awkwardly. “Just focusing on my job...trying to get this promotion.”

“Sorry,” he seems to shake off whatever had come over him. “That was...nosy, I shouldn’t have asked.”

Having him be the bigger person sets something off in me, like there was an anger-bomb inside my mind where he lived and knowing that he was doing okay enough to be able to be the bigger person disrupts this calm I was trying to keep.

“Maybe you shoudn’t have stopped me to ask anything at all. We don’t have anything to talk about anyway.”

I turn around and start to walk away but he catches up, “I wasn’t trying to upset you-”

“Well you have a way of doing that. Please just leave me alone Harry.”

He huffs beside me, “After all this time, can’t we just bloody talk like two adults?”

I freeze and turn to him slowly. He seems to sense this was the wrong thing to say because he takes a step back. “After all this time? Are you serious? I was the one you left behind Harry when you went off to lives your best lift Harry. We’re not living the same life, and we’re not coming from the same bloody place. Don’t fucking patronize me and ask me to talk to you like an adult when you bring out the worst part of me. I meant what I said: I want you to leave me alone. And you know what, if we ever run into each other again, just don’t even talk to me. Pretend you don’t know me. I want nothing to do with you.”

He opens his mouth but his partner calls him from the shop’s entrance. He stays silent, letting me go. As soon as I turn the street corner I rush the rest of the way to the tube, collapsing into a seat and trying to sort out my breathing. It was a shitty feeling, knowing someone was going to be in your life forever because you shared so much history that even when that part of your life ended they were still there. There was so much apart of me, around me, that reminded me of him. And it felt so lonely carrying that around. I wanted to be done with him, I wanted my heart to purge him out. But it couldn’t stop carrying him around everywhere I go.

#Harry Styles #harry styles fic #harry styles angst #harry styles imagine #harry styles fanfic #fic #writingsfromhome #harry styles x reader #harry styles series #detective!harry #backstory #this one made me sad to write #but ALSO #if there are any errors #no there is not

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itsmeevie01 · 4 years

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Bio!Dad Bruce Month Day 8- Driving!

Marinette smiled at her brother as he helped her unload her bags from the car. When he had called and asked if she wanted to come visit for a month, the fifteen-year-old had jumped at the chance to get out of Paris. When she had landed, the first thing she had done was take a deep breath and started to process everything that had happened over the school year. At the sound of Tim scrambling down to give her a hug, Marinette brought herself back to the present. The taller teen caught her up in a hug and she clung to him and giggled. When he put her down, Marinette turned at towards the sound of measured steps nearing the group. The boy approaching her scowled and crossed his arms. Marinette shook her head fondly at him and waved.

She knew that Damien wasn’t her biggest fan, but she still tried her hardest to get along with the youngest in the family. While she had been greeting Damien, Cass had made her way over, and moved Tim out of the way. Once the girls had reunited, Marinette made to pick up her bags, only to have three sets of hands reach to stop her. With a huff, the noirette set her gaze on her younger brother. “Well, Damian, shall we?” the boy looked her over with sharp green eyes and nodded.

” Yes, sister, we shall.” The duo made their way up the drive to the manor, where Alfred was standing and watching them with a fond smile.

As they made their way closer, Marinette studied the butler. When she had, once, asked how long her had been taking care of the family, the man had smiled at her and simply said “A very long time now, Miss Marinette.” No matter who she asked, that was the clearest answer she could get.

Dick, Cass, and Tim soon followed, each carrying a bag. While Marinette had insisted that she didn’t need the extra bags, Dick had insisted that she pack an absurd amount of clothing. He had promised the extra bags would be paid for, and that was that. Marinette was not pleased, to say the least, but had reluctantly agree to her brother’s wishes.

At dinner that evening, Marinette was surprised to be greeted by Jason plopping down across form her. When she cast an uncertain glance at the chair that belonged to Bruce, Jason smirked. “B had to leave the country for something and took Duke with him. Suddenly, I had an open invitation to the manor again.” At her unimpressed response the young adult grinned. “I can’t wait to raise hell while mi here.” At Jason’s proclamation, Dick cleared his throat.

“actually, you won’t be raising hell, because none of us are going to be here.” At the looks of shock that were flooding the table, Dick smirked. “The reason we are all here is…DRUM ROLL PLEASE” Tim rolled his eyes but obliged the oldest, “we are going on a family vacation!” Damien groaned and Cass smiled.

“Dam it Dick, really?” came from Tim, while Jason shook his head in disbelief. Marinette, on the other hand blinked in confusion.

“what…what do you mean, a vacation? Is that why you had me pack an absurd amount of stuff?”

“Correct! And we are going to have so! Much! Fun!” At Dick’s excitement, Tim rolled his eyes and leaned over to whisper to Marinette

“how likely is it that someone is in the emergency room by the end of the first week?” She shook her head in response,

“that’s not even worth betting over.” Tim huffed at the ease she had used to cut off his train of thought.

“50 bucks say we are taking a plane.”

“I say were carpooling. Dick would see it as family bonding.”

“done. When your handing over the money, just remember to be thankful that we aren’t cooped up in tin cans with the rest of the hoard for weeks on end.”

“and when you hand over your money, make sure we are in the same car. I want a little bit of sanity on this trip.” The teens shook on their bet and turned to see the rest of the family looking at them, obviously wondering what exactly had taken place. Marinette flashed a smile at them, “sorry, did you need something?”

The next morning when Dick went around knocking on doors and waking up the family, only two went left unopened. When he bounded into the kitchen however, he found two pairs of blue eyes watching him from the table, coffee mugs in hand. He shook his head and moved to pour a bowl of cereal. When he turned back towards the table, he found them still looking at him. “yes?” it seemed that his question was all that was needed to prompt them.

“where are we going?” Tim started them off.

“it’s a surprise”

“when do we leave?” Marinette cut in before he had time to finish talking.

“two hours. Alfred packed everyone’s bags on the sly.”

“how long is the trip?” Marinette again.

“a few weeks. Why? Afraid you’ll miss Gotham?”

“when is our flight?” Tim, who was asking with quite a lot of hope

“who said anything about a flight?”

“shit.” At Tim’s face, Dick looked surprised. Marinette however, looked practically gleeful.

“looks like I won that bet! Hand it over, brother.” The pain on the seventeen-year-olds face was laughable.

“but- “

“Tim! 50. Dollars.”

“he hasn’t said we are taking the cars yet!”

“its implied, you genius. Honestly, I thought you were supposed to be the smart one!” Tim halfheartedly glared at her as he handed over a crisp $50 and returned to his coffee. Before Dick could ask any more questions, Jason and Cass mad their presence know, while Damian followed a few minutes later.

When Alfred had helped Dick usher the rest of the family over to two cars, he turned to face them with a big smile. While they jostled each other, Steph climbed out of her car and hurried over, looking very pleased with herself. She paused by one of the cars and deposited her bag before joining them.

“alright, now that everyone is here, lets get started. We have two cars and will be rotating through drivers. Sorry, Damian and Net, you two are forbidden form touching the wheel. Now, I have decided on our seating arrangements already. Jason, Tim, and Ste- “

“and Little Bit. Marinette rides with us.” Dick blinked at the interruption and tried to protest only to see the other three nodding at Tim’s proclamation. He sighed.

“fine. Damian, Cass. You two will ride with me. If something comes up, we’ll rearrange. Now, today we are going to make it our goal to get closer to the middle of the country. After that, we will re-evaluate and pick a destination. Load up!”

The first four hours were fine. No, they were more than fine. Then, Jason got bored and started to play music to get on the other’s nerves. When he got banished to the back, Stephanie pounced at the chance to move up front and keep Tim company. In theory, it was a good idea. That is, until the blonde demanded that they stop every half hour for food. After the third pitstop, Tim moved her stuff in the back and kidnapped Marinette’s phone. When the others reconvened, there was a slight scuffle before they realized that Tim had made the call. Since neither of the others wanted to drive, Marinette happily settled into the passenger seat. The next three hours when by quickly. By the time Tim pulled over for gas, Jason and Steph had fallen asleep. While he took care of the car, Marinette slipped into the convince store and restocked on snacks and drinks. Tim grinned at her collection that she hauled out. “magnum bars? Really?”

“yup. Best ice cream you can find.” He snorted at her,

“maybe out here in the middle of nowhere. When we get home, remind me to take you for the good stuff.” The girl rolled her eyes and plopped back into her seat.

“let’s go, before Dick thinks we died.”

The next morning, when they all piled back into the cars, the other car called. After a loud…conversation, they settled on working towards St. Louis, and going from there. Once the groups were well and truly on the road again, Jason started them on games. First was truth or dare. After that was never have I ever, food edition. (A/N-when my friends car trip, we play this. Instead of a shot, you eat. That’s all.) after the four had exhausted all of their tame, non-hero topics, the Gotamites started to slip some of their exploits that Marinette Was Not Supposed to Know About into the game. Once they had gotten as far as they could without revealing their secret identities as the Vigilante Bats of Gotham, they moved on to telling embarrassing stories. After lunch, where they stopped and switched drivers, Tim and Marinette got into a debate over a shared book series, while Jason and Steph played loud music and sang off key up front. After dinner, when they switched back, Jason and Steph once again fell asleep.

Two hours out from St. Louis, Tim turned to his little sister. “Hey Little Bit, how would you like to drive for a bit? I know you have your permit.” Marinette threw a glance over her shoulder and grinned at him.

“are you sure? Dad won’t ride with me when I drive. He says I’m worse than Jason.” Tim sniggered at the face she made while imitating their father.

“as long as we don’t die permanently, we should be fine. Its late enough that you should be ok to drive.” The smile she shot his way made Tim decide immediately that whatever happened during the next two hours, he would do the best he could to let her drive again.

An hour and a half, Tim wasn’t sure if he was right to give the keys to his sister. Somehow, they had beat Dick to the hotel. As Jason and Steph yawned and stretched, the other two made their way towards their hotel for the night. When Dick pulled up 45 minutes later, they had made their way inside, and Jason and Steph had already crashed in their respective rooms. Marinette was sitting in the room she was sharing with Cass while chatting with Tim, who looked a little pale. When Dick stopped by to gather the keys for the room he was sharing with Damian, he shot his brother a worried look.

The next morning, when Dick admitted that it would probably be good to switch up the cars, Jason and Steph jumped at the chance to switch cars. In return, Cass joined the other teens. Without the presence of anyone top pretend at being an adult, the three were able to mess around. When they checked their GPS, the group realized they not only had they been speeding, but they were quite far further than they had planned for lunch. After looking up the nearest food, Tim turned to Marinette and held out the keys. When Cass realized what was going on, she sniggered. That evening, the trio beat the others by over an hour. When asked, they all shrugged and said that they were just having fun.

Two weeks later, after the siblings had returned to the manor, Tim offered to bring Marinette with him while he ran into WE to pick up some paperwork. When the girl had nodded, her brother had grinned and tossed her the keys. At Dick’s shocked splutter, Tim turned and raised an eyebrow at his brother.

“what? Little Bit knows how to drive.” Dick shook his head fervently.

“Tim no! B said that Net was Not to Touch the Keys Unless It Was an Emergency!” Tim sniggered, and Cass who had been listening to their interaction, rolled her eyes. At Dick’s offended look, she looked to Tim. He sighed.

“Dick, she drove for as much of our trip as I did. Plus, I promised her ice cream.”

Dick Grayson’s shouting that followed the duo as they sped out of the drive could be heard echoing for miles, but neither sibling cared.

#b!dbwm #b!dbwm2020 #maribat #My writing #miraculous ladybug #this just apeared #oops #Mari is 15 here #yes i skipped over Damian joining the fam #we will get there #ml x dc

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rhosyn-du · 3 years

Text

Never make a mess when a total catastrophe will do - Chapter Two

Pairings: Jimon, past Clace, background Clizzy, a bunch of other minor background pairings Rating: Explicit Art: @cor321 Beta: @all-thestories-aretrue Tags: Alternate Universe - College/University, fake dating, oh my god they were roommates, friends with benefits, idiots to lovers, pining, miscommunication, holidays, drinking games, mistletoe, symbolically significant Oreos, domestic fluff, brief mention of past character death, Jace’s self-worth issues deserve their own tag Summary: What do you do when you find out your sister is not only dating your ex and love-of-your-high-school-life but is also bringing her home for Christmas? Bring your annoying, hot, annoyingly-hot roommate as your fake boyfriend to show them you're totally fine with it, obviously! There's no possible way this could backfire. Link: AO3 , Tumblr Master Post

Chapter Two

They didn’t talk more about it later. Jace barely saw Simon at all over the following couple weeks, in fact. It’s not that he was intentionally avoiding Simon, but they both had final exams to study for, and Simon was wrapped up in guitar ensemble rehearsals for the winter concert on top of that. If Jace had spent a little more of his study time in the library than was strictly necessary and that just happened to prevent any further discussions of dispays of physical affection and practice dates, that was entirely beside the point.

What Jace hadn’t counted on was how unprepared he’d feel pulling up outside the Queen Anne style townhouse he’d called home for most of his childhood. He suddenly wished he’d let Simon talk him into driving together and using the drive as a last minute planning session, even if it meant they’d need to coordinate their trip back to Boston. As much as he’d been avoiding talking about their plan, it really only occurred to Jace on the drive how much he wished they actually had, you know, a plan.

“Wow,” Simon said, hopping out of the hand-painted van he’d parked right behind Jace’s car. “Is that an actual turret?”

“Yup, gotta love those late 19th century architectural fads,” Jace answered as he pulled his suitcase out of the trunk. “The house belonged to Maryse’s grandparents, and I’ve never been able to tell how much she actually likes the style and how much is just childhood nostalgia, but she hasn’t even changed much of the interior except for renovations and repairs.”

“I have a hard time imagining growing up in a place like this,” Simon said as he joined Jace with his own suitcase in hand. “And it’s not like my mom’s house is tiny or anything, but this is just...” He waved a hand vaguely at the house. “A lot.”

He didn’t ask why Jace was sharing a tiny apartment furnished entirely secondhand if his family lived in a house like this, and Jace didn’t offer an explanation.

“You don’t need to be nervous,” Jace said, even though there was plenty to be nervous about. “I promise the house doesn’t bite.”

“Yeah, less worried about the house than the people in it,” Simon told him.

“I thought you were, like, the parent whisperer,” Jace teased. “Isn’t that why you offered to come with me? Because you make a great boyfriend? Trust me, as long as Alec and Izzy think you make me happy, they’ll love you, and you know more about comics than anyone I’ve ever met, so Max will love you regardless.”

“Okay,” Simon said, releasing a heavy breath. “Okay, thanks. You’re right, I just got a little intimidated by the house, but this is all going to be fine.”

“Maryse is probably going to hate you, though,” Jace continued, keeping his face carefully deadpan. “She hates everyone we bring home. It’s like a rite of passage. But you’re great with parents, so I’m sure you’ll at least avoid intentional food poisoning.”

Simon stared at him in horror, and Jace couldn’t keep a hit of a smile from breaking through.

“I hate you,” Simon told him.

“If it makes you feel any better,” Jace said, “I’m pretty sure the food poisoning wasn’t actually intentional.”

“Wait, there was actual food poisoning?”

“Come on,” Jace said, heading toward the door. “I want to get inside before we freeze to death.”

“You are such a dick sometimes,” Simon muttered, catching up to him.

Then, he slipped his free hand into Jace’s like it was a totally normal thing to do, and Jace had to catch himself from tripping over the steps.

“Careful,” Simon said, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. “I’m not going to make a very good impression on your family if you fall and break your neck before we even get inside.”

And there was just nothing to say to that, to how uncomfortable it wasn’t to have Simon’s hand in his like this, to the way it made him want. So Jace simply rolled his eyes and pushed open the front door, letting the scent of home wrap around him like a warm blanket.

“Okay,” Simon said quietly as he surveyed the entryway, complete with antique chandelier. “Feeling a little intimidated again.” And it was so easy for Jace to just give his hand a reassuring squeeze.

“Hey, you made it,” a warm voice greeted them. “With as bad as traffic has been, we thought you’d be another hour at least.”

“Hey, man,” Jace said, dropping Simon’s hand so he could pull his brother into a hug. “People must be staying home for the holidays this year, because we barely hit any traffic at all.” He glanced around. “Where is everyone?”

“Iz should be here any minute, Max is holed up in his room playing video games with his friends, and Magnus is helping Mom with some last-minute grocery shopping for dinner tomorrow.” Alec held out a hand to Simon. “I’m Alec, since Jace apparently can’t be bothered to make introductions like a civilized person.”

“It’s okay,” Simon said, giving his hand a quick shake, “I gave up on the idea of Jace being civilized the first time I saw him eat pizza that had been sitting out on the counter for three days.”

“That was your pizza,” Jace pointed out.

“Yeah,” Simon said, “which I was going to throw away because I forgot about it for three days.”

“On the subject of uncivilized,” Jace said, turning back to Alec, who was looking just a little too pleased, “you really sent Magnus shopping with Maryse? Buddy, if you decided you don’t want to marry the guy, just break it off with him. You don’t have to throw him to the wolves like that.”

Alec’s tiny smile became a little less tiny and a whole lot softer. “Magnus and Mom have actually been getting along lately. She wanted his opinion on wine pairings, so they went to the store and left me here so I can pull the bread out of the oven when it’s done. It’s very weird, but also nice.”

“That does sound very weird,” Jace told him, “but I’m glad things are working out and Maryse has found some level of chill somewhere.”

“Hopefully that means I won’t get poisoned,” Simon said.

Alec snorted. “If you want to avoid it, you should probably avoid mentioning you know about that. Or any other embarrassing family stories Jace might have shared with you.”

“And don’t eat anything Izzy hands you,” Jace added. “Anything she cooks probably won’t kill you, but the taste will make you wish you were dead.”

“So, I should just fast while I’m here,” Simon said. “Good to know.”

Jace led Simon upstairs to drop off their bags while Alec checked on the bread.

“Just toss your bag anywhere,” Jace said, opening the door to his old room. “We can argue over who gets which side of the dresser later.”

“Sure,” Simon said cheerfully, “as long as we can be civil deciding who gets which side of the bed.” He stopped just inside the doorway. “Wow, okay. The apparently very small bed.”

And this really was something that should have occurred to him, Jace realized. It wasn’t that he hadn’t considered that he’d be sharing a bed with Simon. They’d even talked about it, briefly, and agreed it was no big deal. But Jace hadn’t considered exactly how much smaller his childhood bed was than the generous queen he slept in back home. It was technically large enough to fit two grown men, but only technically.

“Don’t worry,” Jace said, falling back on his trademark bravado, “I won’t get mad if you cuddle me in your sleep. I know you can’t help it if your subconscious recognizes that I’m irresistible.”

“I’m more worried about your freakishly sharp elbows,” Simon muttered.

“As long as you don’t snore or steal the covers, you won’t have to worry about my elbows,” Jace told him. He was planning to keep his elbows, and the rest of him, as far away from Simon as possible. Which, given the size of the bed, was maybe three inches.

“Dude, I do not snore,” Simon protested. “You know that; we live together.”

“You absolutely snore after your fourth drink.”

“I wasn’t planning to get drunk with your family,” Simon said, tossing his bag onto the bed.

“You say that now,” Jace said, leaving his own bag next to the door. “But wait until you get the full Lightwood Christmas experience before deciding you want to spend the whole thing sober.”

“If your family drives me to drink, you don’t get to blame me for snoring,” Simon countered. Which was probably fair, but Jace was saved from having to admit that by the sound of voices coming from downstairs.

“That’d be Izzy,” Jace said, “and we’d better get down there before she accuses me of trying to hide you from her.”

“Jace,” called a singsong voice, right on cue, “quit making out with your mystery hottie and get down here so we can actually meet him.”

“You should be careful making demands like that,” Jace called back. “What if I’m not wearing any pants?”

“We’ve all seen it. Get your ass down here “

“I like your sister already,” Simon told him.

“You say that now, but wait until she decides you count as family. She won’t be any better with you.” He took Simon’s hand. Because it helped sell their relationship. Because he could. Simon laced their fingers together, and Jace tried not to feel any way about that at all as he led Simon back down the stairs.

They only made it a couple steps before Simon came to a complete stop, almost causing Jace to trip the rest of the way down the staircase. He heard Simon mutter a soft ‘oh crap’ at the same time a bright, redheaded whirlwind came rushing up the stairs at them.

“Oh my god, Simon?” Clary grabbed Simon into a giant bearhug, effectively tearing his hand out of Jace’s. “You’re Jace’s mystery boyfriend? How did I not know about this? You didn’t even tell me you were dating anyone, you jerk! What happened to best friend gossip privileges?”

Clary pulled back from the hug, and now that Jace could actually see her face, he could see the hint of concern she was trying to hide under her wide smile.

“Clary. Hi,” Simon said, eyes wide. “I was going to tell you, I swear. It’s just, this is kind of new and so...” He trailed off, looking panicked. His eyes caught Jace’s. “But, uh, yeah. This is Jace. My boyfriend. Jace, this is my best friend, Clary Fray.”

“Yeah,” Jace said, looking between the two of them and feeling more than a little out of his depth. He’d planned for things to be weird, but not this weird. “We’ve met.” He flashed Clary a smile. “Fray, huh?”

She nodded. “I couldn’t keep his name. Not after...after everything. Fray is the name Mom used before she married Luke. It’s the name I remember her having when I was little, so.” She shrugged. “I filed the paperwork to have it legally changed the day I turned eighteen.”

“It suits you,” Jace told her, and let himself be pulled into a tight hug that he suspected was as much because she needed one as that she was glad to see him. Clary had never told him much about the biological father she barely knew, but she’d told him enough to know that Clary held him responsible for her mother’s death, even if the courts had cleared him of any wrongdoing.

“Thanks,” Clary whispered, before surreptitiously drying her eyes on his shoulder and pulling back to flash a smile that was less forced than Jace expected. “So, tell me how this happened without me hearing about it.” She bumped Jace with her shoulder. “And if it’s so new, what possessed you to subject Simon to your family holidays?”

“Hey,” Izzy said, walking up behind Clary and wrapping her arms around her girlfriend’s waist. Jace had to admit, they looked...well, right together. “That’s my family, too, you know.”

“Oh, I know,” Clary said, offering a soft grin over her shoulder. “And the fact that I’m here should tell you exactly how much I love you.”

“Fair,” Izzy said, then looked at Simon. “So, how’d my brother convince you to join this circus?”

“We made a trade,” Simon said, straight-faced. “I put up with his family for Christmas and he puts up with mine for my cousin Rachel’s wedding.” He leaned in and told Izzy in a stage whisper, “Also, I’m weak for his smile, but don’t tell him I said that, because he will abuse it.”

“You say that like I don’t already abuse it,” Jace said, sliding his arm around Simon’s waist in a mirror of Izzy and Clary’s pose. “And to answer your earlier question, us being officially together is new, but we’ve been sort of on the verge of dating for ages. Practically since we started sharing an apartment last year.”

Clary let out a peal of delighted laughter. “Oh, you’re the roommate. It makes sense now.” Before Jace could ask what made sense, she was pulling the both of them into a tight hug. “I’m really happy for both of you.”

“If I’d known you were going to be this excited, I definitely would have mentioned it sooner,” Simon said, pulling back from the hug.

Jace tried to catch his eye, wondering what on earth was going on. He knew both Clary and Simon well enough to know he was missing something, but he had no idea what it was. Simon ignored him, and that just made Jace more suspicious.

“Come on,” Izzy said. “You can have your hug fest later. Right now, I want to help Alec get things set up in the kitchen and maybe surprise Mom by getting dinner started before she gets back.”

Jace and Clary exchanged a panicked look, and Jace frantically searched his mind for excuses to keep Izzy busy. He didn’t actually want a repeat of the food poisoning episode, after all.

“Actually,” Simon said, turning a bright smile on Izzy. “I was kind of hoping you’d be willing to show me your Lego Star Wars collection before we get too wrapped up in family stuff. Jace mentioned you have the deluxe Imperial Star Destroyer set from the early 2000’s, and I’ve never actually seen one in person.”

“Oh,” Izzy said, looking torn. “I’m not sure—”

“We can help Alec in the kitchen,” Clary said quickly. “You two go do your nerd thing. I knew this was inevitable when I finally introduced you two anyway. And this way I get the chance to harass my bestie’s new boyfriend without him in the way trying to keep me from learning the embarrassing details.”

“You know, on second thought—” Simon began, looking slightly panicked.

“Come on,” Izzy interrupted, smiling brightly and grabbing his hand.

Simon flashed Clary a betrayed look, then looked to Jace for support. Jace simply smiled at him.

“Don’t worry, love muffin,” he said mildly. “I’d never intentionally embarrass you.”

“I want you to know that I hate both of you,” Simon said before allowing Izzy to drag him back up the stairs.

“My collection is all still in my old room,” Izzy said. “Clary and I have been looking for an apartment big enough I can actually move the rest of my stuff out of here, but so far we haven’t found anything in our price range.”

Jace turned back to Clary. “Exactly what kind of embarrassing stories were you hoping for? Because I have many.”

Clary shook her head. “I’m pretty sure I’ve got more embarrassing Simon stories than you do. I’ve got almost two decades worth. But I was actually hoping to talk to you alone anyway, and this seems like the best chance we’re going to get.”

Jace followed her down the stairs and into the study. “Sounds serious. You planning to give me a shovel talk?”

Clary laughed, shaking her head. “No, I know you, remember? I’m not worried about you hurting Simon. Well,” she amended, “not any more than I am about him hurting you.” She met his eyes with a soft smile. “You might be the only person I know with a heart as big as Simon’s, as much as you try to hide it.”

Jace looked away. It had been two years since the last time he’d seen her, and she could still see right to the heart of him. He didn’t want to know what she’d see if she kept looking. “Clary—”

“Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me,” she teased. “But I didn’t actually bring you out here to talk about Simon. I wanted to apologize.”

Jace frowned, looking back at her. “You’ve got nothing to apologize for.” He was more than a little grateful not to have Clary grilling him about his entirely fabricated relationship, but he wasn’t sure where this conversation was going.

“No, I do,” she insisted. “I promised to keep in touch when you moved away, and I didn’t.”

“It’s not a big deal,” Jace said, even if maybe it had been at first. Those first few months at school had been hard. Jace always thought he was used to being alone, especially after his mother’s suicide, but he found out just how much he’d come to rely on his new family when he didn’t see them every day. They’d kept in touch, of course, but with Izzy immersed in her studies and Alec all wrapped up in his new relationship with Magnus, it wasn’t anything like what it had been when they were all under one roof.

For a while, he and Clary had been in touch nearly every day, sometimes texting multiple times a day. Jace told her about his classes and how much he liked Boston, and Clary told him all about trying to narrow down which art schools she wanted to apply to. It was almost the same sort of easy friendship they’d had before he left, after they agreed they were better off as friends.

But after a couple months, Clary’s messages came less and less often, and eventually stopped altogether. Jace tried not to let it bother him, but he started drinking a bit too much and going to a few too many parties. Which was how he’d met Maia, his attempts at flirting somehow leading to him getting his ass handed to him at beer pong, and soon he found himself with an entire group of new friends. Although Maia insisted for almost a year that she and Jace were merely antagonistic acquaintances.

Clary gave him a look that told him she knew exactly how full of it he was. “It was a shitty thing to do, and I was a shitty friend,” she told him. “Especially because I did it on purpose. Izzy and I started getting close and I started to have feelings for her, and I didn’t know what to say to you about it. I didn’t know how to even talk to you about what was going on in my life without mentioning that she was becoming such a big part of it.”

“You didn’t actually have to hide it from me, you know,” Jace said. “I was surprised when Izzy first told me, but I’m mostly just glad you’re both happy. And seeing you together, I know you both are.”

“Thanks,” Clary said. “I didn’t want to hurt you or make things weird. For a while, I thought I could just ignore what I was feeling, but Iz is just... She’s not someone you can ignore, you know?”

“Oh, I know exactly how hard my sister is to ignore, believe me.” Jace stopped, considered, then admitted something he had never said—would never say—to another person. But this was Clary, and he knew she would never repeat it. And even if she did, he could always play it off as part of the act. “She and Simon have that in common. You know, I actually thought I hated him at first? He’s so enthusiastic about everything, and so sincere, and just.” He shrugged. “Not the kind of person I thought would ever do it for me.”

“But he won you over with his boyish charm?” Clary guessed.

“Mm,” Jace agreed. And the way he loved without reserve. Not just his family and friends, but his music, his favorite films, even the crappy nachos from the 7-11 down the block from their apartment. Simon loved every part of life, and being around him, Jace could almost imagine what that felt like. “Well, that and his abs.”

“Can’t forget those,” Clary laughed.

“Not with how often he eats breakfast shirtless,” Jace agreed. “Come on. If we aren’t in the kitchen by the time Izzy gets back downstairs, you know she’ll try to help Alec herself, and I was kind of hoping for dinner to be edible.”

~~~

Dinner was surprisingly painless. Maryse was more relaxed and happy than Jace had ever seen her, and he couldn’t help wondering how much of that was related to the very unsubtle smiles she kept exchanging with Clary’s stepfather. Even Max, who was deep in throes of preteen scorn, grudgingly admitted that Simon being in a band was “pretty cool” and joined in on some of Simon, Clary, and Izzy’s excited nerd talk that went entirely over Jace’s head.

After dinner, they retired to the living room for eggnog and carols. Jace limited himself to a single cup of Magnus’s infamous eggnog, knowing better than to let himself get drunk when he was putting on a show for his family. Or sharing his tiny bed with Simon.

As usual, Jace let himself get pushed over the piano to play. He felt something in him settle as soon as he rested his fingers on the keys of Maryse’s baby grand, the feel different and so much more familiar than the ancient keyboard he had back in Boston or the well-used uprights in the practice rooms at school.

When Jace had first come to live with the Lightwoods, he’d been afraid to touch the piano. His mother had put him in lessons as soon as he was old enough, but she hated to listen to him play and often chastised him for not being a better player, saying he should be better at it with how talented his father was. Now, he understood that it was just another manifestation of the combined grief and mental illness that led to Celine’s death, but at the time he’d hated how awful he was at playing, no matter how much he enjoyed doing it.

But Maryse knew he played and encouraged him to use her piano. She told him that it had been her father’s, and though she’d taken lessons herself as a child, she’d never really loved it the way he had. She said that the instrument deserved to be loved, and as long as Jace loved playing it, she didn’t care how good he was or wasn’t.

It was the first time he’d really felt like this could be his home.

“Okay,” Jace said after the third version of O Tannenbaum with ridiculous altered lyrics—this one courtesy of Simon rather than Max or Clary, about an ill-fated toad who chose the wrong moment to cross the street, “I think my fingers are done for the night.”

“Oh, come on,” Clary said. “Simon and I have at least a dozen more of these we came up with when we were kids.”

“When we were little, I only knew the lyrics to the Christmas songs they played on the radio, so Fray made up silly lyrics to the other ones and told me they were real,” Simon explained. “And it made her so happy that I went along with it even for the couple I did know.”

“There will be plenty of time for more singing tomorrow,” Maryse said. “But if I know this one,” she continued, smiling at Max, “we’re all going to be dragged out of bed at the crack of dawn for presents.”

“Mom,” Max whined, “I’m not a kid anymore. I know the presents will still be there whenever I get up.”

“I seem to remember someone who looked an awful lot like you waking us up before sunrise last year,” Magnus said with exaggerated confusion. “Perhaps you have a twin I haven’t met?”

Max fixed him with a withering look. “Last year, I was eleven. This year I’m twelve,” he said, as though that explained it.

“Well, I’m glad to hear you’ve grown out of it,” Alec told him. “Because I intend to sleep in. And if you try to get me out of bed early, I’ll remind you of this conversation.”

“Oh, no need for that, darling,” Magnus said cheerfully. “I’ll just barricade the door before we go to sleep so he can’t get to us.”

“Brilliant,” Alec said, giving Magnus a frankly sappy smile. “I knew there was a reason I loved you.”

“And on that note,” Jace said, “I think I’m going to head to bed before I die of sweetness overdose.”

“Oh, please,” Magnus said, giving him an unimpressed look. “We all saw you and Simon making eyes at each other over those cookies you were frosting earlier.”

“It’s true,” Izzy said before Jace could protest. “You don’t get to tease Alec about being a sap anymore, not now that we’ve all actually seen you with someone you love.”

Jace froze, his mouth half open, then quickly snapped it shut. It made sense that Izzy would assume. He’d brought Simon home for Christmas, after all. That was the story they were selling even if they hadn’t actually discussed it, even if it wasn’t something Jace had said or even implied. And whatever he did feel for Simon, it certainly wasn’t love. It was, at best, a friendly crush. A very intense friendly crush.

Izzy seemed to realize her mistake, glancing between him and Simon with a look of dawning panic.

“No, you’re misunderstanding how this works,” Simon said easily, because of course Izzy’s words hadn’t sent him into a panic the way they had Jace. “Jace gets to tease Alec, and you, and you both get to tease him back.”

“Yep,” Clary agreed. “Those are the rules, because that means I still get to tease Simon.”

“Please,” Izzy said. “Clary and I are too sophisticated to be sappy.”

“I’m pretty sure I heard you call Clary ‘cuddle bug’ earlier,” Alec said.

“And I definitely saw you laugh at that terrible joke she told at dinner,” Jace added.

“She ate one of the cookies you made,” Max accused.

“Yeah, sorry, cutie,” Clary said. “We’re really pretty sappy.”

“Fine,” Izzy huffed. “But I just think you’re all jealous because I’ve got the cutest girlfriend.”

“Yes, Izzy,” Alec said drily. “You’ve uncovered my secret. I’m extremely jealous of your girlfriend.”

“I knew it,” Izzy said smugly, as though Alec had been perfectly sincere.

“Definitely in danger of dying of sweetness overdose,” Jace said.

That set off another round of teasing, this time with Izzy throwing in not so subtle attempts to drag Maryse and Luke into it. Jace wasn’t sure why Izzy was so determined to make the two admit there was something between them. It was obvious there was just from the way they acted around each other. Maryse would tell them when she was ready, just like she had when she and Robert filed for divorce.

It was almost another hour before Jace finally made his way up the stairs toward his room. He was surprised when Simon rose to follow him, but didn’t say anything until they were back in his room.

“I’m surprised you didn’t stay to nerd out with Clary and Iz some more.”

“I get to talk to Clary all the time,” he said with a shrug. “Besides, it’ll be easier to keep up the whole fake boyfriend thing if I don’t let her get me alone. She’d definitely figure out something’s up if I let her start grilling me about our relationship. Also, you don’t get to call me a nerd when you know just as much about Star Wars as I do.”

“It’s impossible to grow up with Izzy and not know way too much about Star Wars,” Jace said, pulling off his shirt and tossing it over a chair. “Are you still sure about doing this? Neither of us counted on Clary, and I’ll understand if you want to back out.”

“Huh?” Simon said, sounding distracted. Jace turned to look at him and thought he detected the faintest flush on Simon’s cheeks when he met his eyes. “I mean, yeah, no, I’m not backing out.” He gave an uncomfortable shrug as he pulled a set of pajamas out of his suitcase. “The last thing I want is to have to explain this whole thing to Clary.”

“Good point,” Jace agreed, turning around to put on his own pajama bottoms. It was tempting to watch Simon change, but it was also a very bad idea. “I don’t want to think about what she’d have to say to both of us if she knew.”

There was a beat of silence before Simon asked, “So, do you, um, have a preferred side of the bed?”

Jace turned to look at him, only a little disappointed to find Simon fully dressed in his pajamas. As usual when someone asked a question he didn’t want to think about, Jace flashed a smirk. “In a bed this small, I usually just take up the whole thing.”

“Well, unless you want me on top of you, you should pick a side,” Simon said, unimpressed. “Because I’m not sleeping on the floor.”

“I’ll take the left,” Jace said quickly, trying and mostly failing to avoid thinking about exactly how much he did want Simon on top of him. “I’m just gonna hit the bathroom real quick.”

Which was how Jace found himself locked in the tiny guest bathroom, lip caught between his teeth as he frantically tugged at his cock. He hadn’t planned on jerking off, but he couldn’t get Simon’s words out of his head, and he sure as hell wasn’t getting into bed with Simon half-hard, which was really the only other option.

He could picture it far too easily. Simon pressing him into that ridiculously tiny bed, hands gentle but firm, mouth just a little bit desperate.

He came to the thought of rutting up against those ridiculous abs.

By the time Jace cleaned himself up and returned to his room, Simon was nestled under the covers on the right side of the bed. Seeing him like that made something in Jace’s chest clench, and he flipped the light off just so he wouldn’t have to look anymore.

“‘Night,” Simon said as Jace slid into bed, taking care to stay entirely on his side.

“Don’t even think about snoring,” Jace answered.

He lay in the dark for a long time, staring into the darkness, listening to the sounds of the city that didn’t quite drown out the soft breathing of the man beside him. He tried not to think about how easy and relaxed the night had been, how perfect it would have been if only half of it weren’t a lie.

#shadowhunters #shmb2021 #jimon #jimon fic #jace wayland #simon lewis

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rosesgonerogue · 4 years

Text

How to be a Dad 101

Chapter Six - Modeling

Jasonette July Day Eight

Masterlist

When Jason was a kid, his family was too poor to take any sort of trip, which at the moment he was missing. He didn’t have any concept of how normal people travelled, but it turned out that even if you were travelling to Paris in a private jet, doing so with your entire family was a downright nightmare.

“Does everyone have all of their bags?” Bruce was calling above the din. “And passports? We need to act like a normal family, so you need to exchange your money for euros when we get there, we shouldn’t just show up with them.”

“B, you’ve already said that at least fifteen times,” Stephanie complained.

“Why exactly is she coming on a family vacation?” Damian demanded. “She’s not even dating Drake anymore.”

“Face it, Damian. Your family chose me, they were stuck with you.”

“Father, you need to choose between Brown and Drake. I cannot be expected to tolerate both for an extended period of time.”

“Oh calm down, Little D. It’ll be fun!” Dick said, slinging an arm over his youngest brother’s shoulder.

Jason sidled over to Cass and whispered, “How many weapons did Bruce say we could bring?”

She looked at him with her unreadable dark eyes. “None.”

“Okay, that’s what he said, but how many are you bringing?”

Silently she held up seven fingers.

“Damn, I have eight. Do you think I can get away with that?” They looked at each other a moment. “You’re right, B definitely has more than that.”

“If you all don’t get yourselves and your belongings on the plane within the next five minutes you’re finding your own way to Paris!” Selina called over the noise.

“Move it, suckers!” Babs yelled, running at least three people’s feet over with her wheelchair in her haste. Despite the pain she caused, once she got to the plane, she was able to expertly maneuver herself onto it, letting Dick struggle aboard with both of their luggage. Jason kept himself as far away from the eldest Wayne child as possible. Every time Dick looked at Jason, he could see the apology in his brother’s eyes, which only served to piss him off all over again. Maybe he was being irrational, and maybe he was just on edge because they were heading to Paris, but Jason couldn’t really find it in himself to care.

He slept fitfully on the flight, doing his best to ignore his family, be it Dick and Babs being the disgusting newlywed couple, or just Damian being… Damian. His dreams were strange and disjointed, filled with blue eyes and whispered French.

After dealing with customs and getting checked into their hotel (which was almost exclusively inhabited by their party, because of course it was), Jason had no desire to ever go on another family trip ever again. The thought of doing all of that without skipping lines and cutting corners they were able to thanks to Bruce’s money was almost painful. But then again, people with less money also didn’t have to deal with Damian and Tim in the same space for an extended period of time.

Thanks to the nap he’d had on the plane and the fact that he was in Paris, Jason found he couldn’t sleep. He found himself wandering the hotel, taking in the opulent surroundings. He thought he would only see hotel staff if he were to see anyone, but on his way to the hotel’s twenty-four hour gym, he stumbled across a blonde dressed vaguely like a bumblebee who was arguing with someone on the phone.

“Listen, Dupain-Cheng, you are not taking advantage of these clients. No! You’ve been staying up at all hours of the night – don’t you dare argue with me, you’re up right now, aren’t you? And you have to take care of gremlins in the morning. No, she agreed to do it, it’s not exploiting them, it’s allowing them to pay you back for the giant favor you’re doing them! Fine, I will give her a discount, but this is not how you build a brand! Now go to sleep, the photoshoot is tomorrow. Don’t give me that, we both know you’ll finish things up with time to spare. Now go. To. Sleep.”

After a few moments the blonde hung up, and she seemed to be in a foul mood when she saw Jason. “And what do you want?”

“To get to the gym? You’re blocking the door.”

“And you were just eavesdropping. Your French isn’t bad for an American,” she said, flouncing away with a hair flip. “But your accent is horrible.”

“It can’t be as bad as your attitude,” he sneered under his breath before shoving into the exercise room.

Once inside, Jason ran himself to exhaustion, grateful when he collapsed into bed and fell asleep almost immediately. His dreamless sleep was fleeting, though, because it felt like only moments later that he was jolted awake by the sound of his phone ringing.

Glaring at the offending technology, he considered silencing it, but when he saw it was Selina, he thought better of that.

“Yes?”

“You have an hour to look awake and presentable. Meet up in the hotel lobby.”

She hung up as abruptly as she had called, leaving Jason blinking at his phone. He considered rolling over and going back to sleep, but he’d probably need the entire hour just to get his hair to Selina’s standards.

Cass was already in the lobby when Jason was finally ready, and thankfully Dick was nowhere to be seen. Sidling up next to his sister, Jason asked, “Do you know what we’re doing?” His level of concern grew exponentially when she shook her head. Everyone knew Bruce was weak for Cass, so if Cass didn’t know, that meant that the scheme was entirely Selina’s.

Unsurprisingly, Grayson the peacock was the last person to make it to the group. Babs was too annoyed with him to even make some sort of innuendo, she just complained about how long it took for him to do his hair.

“So what’s the plan, Selina?” Stephanie asked, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

“You’ll find out when we get there. Follow me, we have a ways to walk,” Selina said, smiling wickedly.

The family obediently trudged after Selina, grouping up as they moved. Jason saw Dick make a beeline for him, but Babs caught his arm. “Babe, will you stick with Damian to make sure that he doesn’t maim any Parisians?”

“Sure, babe,” he said, deflating a bit.

As expected, only moments later Babs rolled up next to him. “Listen here, you giant. If you’re going to make me catch up to you, the least you can do is push my wheelchair.”

“Whatever,” Jason said, doing as she asked.

“I hope you know you’re killing my husband, by the way. He’s goingi crazy because he doesn’t know what to do to apologize to you.”

“Good.”

“I know you don’t mean that, Jason, and I know that because we both know I’m the one you’re actually mad at.”

“Am I?”

“Bringing up the French girl was a low blow. You told me about that in confidence, and I threw it in your face. I’m sorry, Jason.”

“That did piss me off, I just… Babs, why did you marry Dick?”

“Is that a trick question? Because I love him, stupid.”

“But how did you know that you loved him that much? Because ever since I met my ‘French girl,’ I can’t even think about looking at someone else. It’s insane because I knew her for like a day, but I’ve never… I’ve never felt like that with anyone before, but I didn’t feel right trying to make anything more out of what we had because of how royally screwed up our lives are. How could I subject someone who is possibly a literal angel to our lives? I’ve never questioned my decision on that before, but lately I can’t stop thinking about her, and now we’re here, in Paris where she lives.”

“Wow.” Babs said. “I didn’t know… That’s a lot, Jay.”

“Thanks.”

“Give a girl some time to process, okay? Geez. I don’t know if I believe in fate and that kind of crap, but this feels eerily like destiny. Maybe you’re meant to meet her here in Paris. If you do, then don’t run away. Stick it out for at least as long as we’re here. You wouldn’t be the first of us to have a relationship with a civilian.”

“But what if—”

“Jason, bothering yourself about all of the ‘what ifs’ is only going to drive you crazy. We don’t even know if you’re going to meet her here. Let things run their course.”

He sighed. “You’re right, thanks Babs. And I’ll tell your husband that I forgive him, the sap.”

“That’s all I ask.”

After a few blocks more, Selina abruptly stopped in front of a building. It was clearly some sort of business, but the doors only said, “MDC” across them. “This is it, kids. Come on in.”

Tim could be heard freaking out about something or other, but Jason found himself hoping that whatever was happening would be quick and painless. Inside, curiously enough, the same blonde from last night was waiting for them.

“You must be the Wayne family, here for the photoshoot,” she said in flawless English. “MDC had some personal affairs to tend to, so she will be here shortly.”

“Photoshoot?” Bruce asked, looking at Selina.

“This is the shop of the designer who is making my dress,” Selina purred with a winning smile. “Ordinarily she wouldn’t have been able to fit me, you and all the kids in with how little time we gave her, but she’s releasing her first line of clothes to the general public, and her normal models are away. It’s a fairly sizeable line, and she wanted diversity, so I volunteered our beautiful family.”

“We’re going to be modeling?” Damian asked, disgusted.

“We’re going to be modeling for MDC?!” Tim asked, nearly bouncing with excitement.

“Dude, you’re a CEO. Have some shame,” Babs said, elbowing him.

“You’re already booked and committed. Once MDC gets here she’ll decide who will be wearing what, and then we’ll get started,” the blonde said. As if on cue, there was a crash in the back room, and the blonde sighed. “That will be MDC now.”

Jason was only mildly curious what this designer might be like, but it seemed that things would be at least a bit entertaining. Even before she burst from the backroom, she was spewing frantic French to the blonde.

“Chloe, I’m so sorry I’m late, Jules kept spilling things on himself on purpose, and then the babysitter was sick, so I had to find someone else, and then I missed the train and –”

Emerging from the backroom was a beautiful pixie-like girl, a girl who had starred in almost every dream Jason had had since they’d met. Jason was completely frozen at the sight of her.

Marinette. Marinette was MDC, the only designer Selina would think of wearing on her wedding day.

She stopped at seeing the mass of people in her store, but she immediately smiled sincerely, eyes flitting from person to person. In English she said, “You must be the Wayne family, thank you so much for agreeing to model for me. It really—” she cut off mid-sentence, eyes wide. “Jason? Is that really you?”

Taglist:

@jasonette-july-2k20 @ira-sairain @myazael @pawsitivelymiraculous @nik-nak-3 @dast218 @queen-of-the-trash-planet-tm @vixen-uchiha @momothefemur @toodaloo-kangaroo @marinettepotterandplagg @goddessofthewestwind

Note:

In case you haven’t noticed, I haven’t done yesterday’s prompt yet. It’s in the works, but my life is complete chaos, and it will just have to be late. Even though it was such a fun prompt, I have been having some severe writer’s block. Anyway, I’m super excited for the next few chapters, it’s happening!

#jasonette july 2k20 #jasonette #jason x marinette #maribat #mominette

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shirtlesssammy · 3 years

Text

1x18: Something Wicked

Then:

After this they toss the ball around like old times

Now:

Fitchburg, WI

When I first started watching this show, I found great delight in all the locations the Winchesters visited that I recognized. I also laughed at how much these locations didn’t look a thing like the real place.

We begin this episode with a little girl saying her prayers. Her dad tucks her in, and she asks about her mom. She’ll be staying the night at the hospital with the little girl’s sister.

Later that night, the little girl sits up listening to the wind beat tree branches against her window. One of the branches turns into a hand that opens her window. A shadowy figure creeps across the room ---and a Deatheater scares the girl into a comatose state.

Sam and Dean are on the hunt since John is TOO LAME AND PETTY AND MEAN to go himself. Sam swears there’s nothing on their radar, but Dean insists they check it out.

(This episode gets pretty dark when it comes to John and Dean so we’ll try to add lots of pretty pictures to help with the pain.)

For Side Profile Science:

The boys pull into the nice rural town of Fitchberg Fitchburg, WI, not the more urban suburb of the state’s capital.

They ask around about anything weird in town ---just the freemasons being sneaky again. (Flashes of Hot Fuzz). Sam then notices that there are no kids at the school playground at 4 in the afternoon.

Dean heads over to talk to Hannah a mother who tells him about kids falling sick in town, and parents getting anxious over it.

Dean and Bikini Inspector/CDC doctor Sam head to the hospital.

For Bikini Inspector Science:

They head to the pediatric ward. Dean notices an old woman who decorates her room with an upside down cross (way to play with our ingrained bias of ageism and sexism show!)

Dr. Hydeker explains that 6 children are sick with pneumonia so far, and their bodies are just shutting down. They won’t respond to antibiotics or anything.

This disease works its way through families, one child after another. None of the children are conscious. They interview the father of Mary and Bethany. He mentions that they think they caught this from an open window.

Sam and Dean wonder what opened the window and go to the house to check it out. Initially, they find nothing, but then Sam notices one WACKY handprint. “What the hell leaves a handprint like that?” Sam wonders.

*RAGE Flashback Alert*

John’s heading out on a hunt and he’s giving young Dean instructions. Then he scolds his 9 year old son to pay attention.

Dean recites John’s fatherly advice: “Shoot first, ask questions later.” before John takes off. I love how he bullies Dean into being an adult here, and doesn’t even acknowledge Sam at all when he leaves.

Present day, Dean tells Sam that he knows why they’re in Fitchburg. John’s faced this monster in the past, and he wants them to finish it.

When they pull into their motel for the night, Sam asks what a shtriga is. Dean thinks it’s a witch of some sort. John faced one over 15 years ago in Wisconsin, and now it appears to be back.

Dean heads inside to get a room for them. He’s greeted with a surly 10 year old hotel proprietor. Well, the son of the real hotel manager. Dean can’t decide to be upset with the kid questioning his sexuality or soft for the kid who clearly has a great responsibility taking care of his younger brother. The mom helps Dean get a room.

While Dean gets checked in, he has another flashback.

*Scabetti-os Flashback Alert*

Dean’s feeding Sam his dinner. Sam’s sick of the same old food. He wants Lucky Charms, but there’s only one bowl left, and Dean needs to eat too. Sam throws on his baby-puppy dog look and Dean throws away the spaghetti-os and let’s Sam eat the cereal. It BREAKS me that this child has to think rationally and maturely to feed his younger brother, but he’s JUST A KID so he throws the pasta away in anger instead of eating it himself.

For One Day Sam Won’t Touch Sugar Cereal Science:

Sam does his research and discovers more about shtriga. They feed off of spiritus vitae --or breath of life. Sam says they prefer children and they’re invulnerable to everything. Dean corrects him and says that they’re vulnerable when they feed.

Sam continues that this monster takes the form of a human when it’s not feeding --generally an old woman. Dean remembers the woman from the hospital.

They head to the hospital, ready to do their worst to the old lady.

A nice jump scare that gets me every time reveals that she’s just an old woman. She demands they fix the crucifix that fell on her wall --so it wasn’t supposed to be upside down. WINCHESTER BAD.

At the motel, Michael and his little brother sleep peacefully. A shadowy hand creeps across the window and opens it.

The next morning the Winchesters return to the motel. Dean notices Michael moping outside the office. It turns out that Asher is very sick and just got shipped to the hospital. The window was unlatched, and Michael blames himself for not protecting his younger brother. Dean “Guilt Spiral” Winchester tries to help him avoid lifelong trauma by telling him that it isn’t his fault. Excuse me while I WEEP A SINGLE TEAR!

Dean gives the mom a lift to the hospital while Michael stays behind. Sam heads to the library, where I am forced ONCE AGAIN to include a picture of a Winchester rocking a microfiche machine.

For (This Joke Will Never Die) Library Science:

Sam fills Dean in on a string of child deaths tied to a mysterious pneumonia-like illness. The Fitchburg body count is just getting started. Sam finds a newspaper photo from the 1890’s featuring the very same doctor who is caring for the pediatric patients today. Dean, still at the hospital, puts on his murder face. Doctor Hydecker is IN THAT VERY ROOM looking over Asher. He asks Dean what the CDC has uncovered so far. Um. Nothing? Except a big ol’ liar and murderer.

Back at the motel, Dean fills Sam in on the hospital encounter with Hydecker. He didn’t attack the doctor at the hospital because a shtriga is only vulnerable when feeding. Also - more importantly - he didn’t have his guns on him. Dean plans to catch the shtriga in action that very night...when it returns to feed on Michael.

Sam’s horrified by this plan, but Dean insists that the end justifies the means. After all, their dad sent Dean to Fitchburg to clean up the hunt he botched...WHEN HE WAS JUST A KID.

Dean explains: years ago John Winchester left Sam and Dean alone in a motel room in Fort Douglas, Wisconsin. A few nights into John’s absence, Dean leaves the room (with Sam asleep) so he can play arcade games at a local tavern. When he returns, there’s a terrifying spectre hovering over Sam.

Dean calmly picks up the shotgun(!!!) his father left him, only for John to shout Dean out of the way. John blasts the heck out of the shtriga and then moves to cradle Sam (who is fine, don’t worry bbys).

Dean explains that he just left for a little bit! (A few hours and not, like, THREE DAYS, AMIRITE?) John’s pissed at Dean for failing to parent Sam properly. After the failed attack, John dropped Sam and Dean off at Pastor Jim’s. “Dad never spoke about it again. I didn’t ask. But he, uh… He looked at me different. You know? Which was worse. Not that I blame him. He gave me an order and I didn’t listen.”

Sam tries to convince Dean that he was just a kid and not responsible, but Dean “Guilt is Ninety Percent of My Personality” Winchester refuses to listen. John sent them this hunt as a personal message to DEAN. (Pardon me while I step outside and kick the shit out of John Winchester.) ANYWHO, Dean’s going to kill the shtriga any way he can...so young Michael gets to be bait. They head over to talk to Michael.

Dean and Sam try to convince Michael to let them watch over him while he sleeps????? Lordy lord lord. Dean tries to convince Michael that monsters are real. Only, Michael doesn’t need much convincing. He saw the monster when it attacked his brother. (Side note: I give the person filming Jensen in this episode a Major Award.)

Michael decides to sign on for the hunt on the chance that it might save Asher. Big brother club FTW! The Winchesters set up a nanny cam, instruct Michael to hide under the bed when they burst into the room, and get ready for the shtriga’s arrival. Dean tells Michael that he doesn’t have to be bait and he “won’t be mad” if he wants out after all. (I stroke Dean’s cheek and whisper, “Still beautiful, still Dean Winchester.”) But Michael’s all in if it means helping his brother.

The shtriga arrives for its murder appointment and the window slides open. The shtriga leans down in classic dementor mode to feed on a completely wide awake Michael, when the Winchesters burst in and start firing. The shtriga goes down like a trick target at a carnival, but it isn’t dead yet! (Only mostly dead.) It attacks Dean and then, symbolically, attacks Sam. While it begins to feed on Sam, Dean fires off one perfect shot into the shtriga’s forehead, killing it. “You okay, little brother?” Dean asks, also SYMBOLICALLY.

Tiny, life-force soul bits float out of the dying shtriga’s mouth, on their way to reinhabit all the sick children in town.

The next day, the Winchesters prepare to leave town. All the kids are on the road to recovery, and Michael gets ready to head off to visit his brother. (YAY!)

Sam takes a turn for the morose and mourns the fact that Michael knows monsters are real now. Dean “I’m Your Parent” Winchester tells Sam that he wishes he could have ensured that innocence for Sam as well. They drive off in a swirling cloud of Winchester angst.

Live, from Fitchquote, Wisconsin:

I'm the oldest, which means I'm always right

I was sleeping with my peepers open

You were just a kid

Sometimes nightmares are real

Want to read more? Check out our Recap Archive!

#spn recap #dean winchester #sam winchester #spn 1x18 #something wicked #supernatural season 1

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nataliedanovelist · 3 years

Text

GF - How A Star Is Born ch.X

Hercules AU, founded by @evaroze, whom this fic is a gift for. I hope y’all like it!

ch.IX

AO3 link

~~~~~~~~~~

Mabel, though a bit salty that her uncle would send her away from battle, quickly saw the chaos raining down on Earth and formed her own plan: find dipper and work together to save the world. Simple enough. So she used Gompers the giant goat to gallop across the valley and through the woods to Thebes, where a big goblin was smashing buildings and weirdness was torturing the Greek city, creating an apocalyptic atmosphere.

Mabel remembered where her brother’s house was and heard an old man yell as Gompers approached. She stopped the giant goat and gasped at who was at the entrance. In armor and a red cape, someone who looked a lot like her Grunkle Ford was staring at her with brown eyes that matched her own.

Stan smiled nervously and stepped forward. “Hi… Mabel, ri-...”

“GRUNKLE STAN!” Mabel cheered with tears streaming down her face and she jumped down into his arms, knocking him to the ground, but Stan just laughed and hugged his newfound niece. “I can’t believe it! I get to meet you! Hi! I’m Mabel! Hi!”

“Well, hey there, pumpkin.” Stan greeted as he hugged her and petted her long brown hair. “Grunkle, huh? I love it! Alright, lemme look at you.” He gently held her by the shoulders and grinned at the blushing muse. She glowed golden, her skin a slightly bright hue than his thanks to being immortal. “Holy Hera, you’re beautiful. You look like Ma, bless her soul. Wow… just, wow.”

Mabel brought him into another hug and whispered, “Thanks. I… I never thought I’d get to see you.”

“Mabel?” Dipper said weakly as he leaned against the doorway.

Mabel and Stan gave him their full attention, still completely ignoring the devastation taking place around them, and Mabel cried freely as she looked at her twin. “DIPPER!” She got off her knees and ran to him. He graced himself for impact, but was happily brought into a tight hug that lifted him off his feet. Clearly she had some god-like strength, too.

“Mabel… it’s great to see you…”

“I missed you, I missed you, I MISSED YOU!” Mabel yelled happily and sat him on his feet. She looked back at her great-uncle, who was on his feet and joining the niblings, and she reached out a hand for him and held Dipper’s hand. “Look at this! We’re a family again! So… how do you like each other?” She asked excitedly.

Dipper shrugged. “Fine.”

Stan chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his neck. “You’re not still… mad about me not telling you, are you?”

“Wait… oh.” Mabel said and let her boys go and took a step back to let them talk.

“I’m just…” Dipper gritted his teeth and rubbed his forehead, his head grazing over his birthmark that looked like a kitchen dipper. “I don’t understand. Why? Why didn’t you ever tell me? Were you… Are you really that ashamed to be family?”

“No.” Stan quickly said. “No, Dipper, I… I’m proud to be your family. I am so proud of you, hero or no hero. I… I just didn’t know how to tell you. I almost did when we first met, when this scrawny but strong and smart twelve-year-old came to my doorstep, desperate to become a hero only so he could have a family again, but… I decided you were better off not knowing. You were already dealing with so much, knowing you had an uncle who was a total failure didn’t need to be one of them.

“I’m sorry.” The old trainer of heroes said woefully. “I wish I had told you. I wish I had been more honest with you. But… kid, it doesn’t matter if I’m your uncle or not. Nothing’s changed. Not really. I’m still so proud of you and I’m still gonna do everything I can to make sure you two aren’t ever separated ever again.” Stan swore, pointing at Dipper and Mabel. “Even if it happens tomorrow or thirty years from now, I swear it’ll happen. But no matter what, you’ll always have a family, Dipper. We’ll always be a family, god or no gods, blood or no blood.”

Dipper let this soak in, then sighed and swayed a little. Really, if it wasn’t for everything going on, the big reveal probably wouldn’t have been as devastating, it was just a lot at once. “Yeah… Yeah, we will…”

Mabel’s smile dropped at seeing how pale and sickly he looked, and she rubbed his shoulders and was much more gentle with him. “Whoa, hey, what’s wrong?”

“He traded his strength away to that Bill guy.” Stan informed.

Mabel turned to look at the big goblin tearing up the city. “I’m guessing that’s why.” The young muse cracked her knuckles and grinned excitedly. “And here I thought I was gonna miss a fight! Stan, you look after Dipper, I’ll handle Ugly.” And she ran down the street for the monster.

“Mabel, no!” Dipper called after her, stepping towards her, but he tripped over his feet and Stan had to catch him.

“Easy, kid, easy. Your sis can handle this.” Stan reassured. “Check it.”

Mabel ran past people who were trying to get out of Eight Ball’s way. She slid to a stop at the town’s circle and whistled loudly. Eight Ball looked down and laughed. “A little girl?! Aw, what, are you gonna dance for me?”

Mabel growled and sneered a sly smile. “If it’ll make you happy… let’s dance!” And she pulled out her duel sword from either hip and plunged them into a green foot that was almost as big as her.

Eight Ball yelled and kicked up, sending Mabel up in the air. The goblin quickly swatted her and she was thrown against a stone wall and slid down painfully, but she staggeringly got up and resumed the fight.

“Ouch! That’s it, pumpkin, shake it off!” Stan coached.

Dipper pulled himself away from Stan and moaned, “I gotta help her…”

“Kid, you’ll die without your strength.” Stan said firmly and made Dipper sit down on a step of their home. “Just breathe and rest, okay? You’ll get your strength back in twenty-three hours.”

Dipper held his head. While so weak and in pain, it was hard for him to think. His mind was so stuffed and so full but so low on energy that he was driving himself insane, but those words created a clear path of thinking, and he shot up as an idea came to mind. “Or if you’re hurt.”

Stan raised an eyebrow. “Uh, yeah.”

“The deal’ll break if you’re hurt.” Dipper explained and looked around. He saw Pacifica guiding children into a house where they would be safe, and he whistled. “Paz! C’mere!”

The blonde woman looked ashamed, but did as she was told. She slowly approached the scowling old man and the weak young man as she nervously played with her hair. “Listen, I…”

“No, you listen. You owe us a favor.” Dipper panted, weak from the effort of whistling.

“Uh, okay.” Pacifica agreed.

“Punch him.” Dipper said, jabbing a thumb at Stan.

“Me?”

“Him?”

“Him.”

Pacifica shrugged. “Okay.” And she gave him a sharp left hook.

“GAH!” Stan held his cheek and rubbed. “Woman! That hurt!”

“Good!” Dipper laughed, his color instantly returning and his stance getting stronger, grinning with pride over his own cleverness. “You got hurt! The deal’s off!”

“YES!” Stan cheered and punched his shoulder, having no effect on the young hero with god-like strength. “That’s my little conman! NOW GO BEAT UP THAT GUY WITH YOU SISTER!”

Dipper nodded and ran off into battle.

Mabel was doing a very good job of fighting off the monster, but the fight was at a stand-still. At one point the muse was in the clutches of Eight Ball, both hands trapping her as she squirmed and pulled. “I’m gonna bite your head off!” He roared.

“LEAVE MY SISTER ALONE!” Dipper demanded, grabbing a lit torch, jumping off a tall building, and smacking Eight Ball in one of his weird eyes with the fire.

“GAH!” The monster dropped Mabel, who recovered by doing a flip and landed perfectly with a bend of her knee. Dipper jumped down beside her and they both smiled proudly at each other, only allowed a moment before eight Ball had recovered and roared, but one sly glance at each other and the fallen god and the young muse were ready to do battle.

They pounced on the goblin, Dipper throwing punches and Mabel using her duel swords, and they fell behind a large mountain with the beast. Stan and Pacifica gasp, the battle out of sight, and three voices yelled when large rocks from the side of the mountain fell. The audience ran closer, but stopped as they heard rustling. Preparing for the worst but praying for the best, Dipper and Mabel slowly emerged, a bit dirty but healthy nonetheless.

Stan hollered with joy as his chest swelled with pride while Pacifica clapped politely. “THAT’S MY KIDS! Alright, alright! I’m so proud of you guys!”

Dipper and Mabel grinned, but the brother looked up at the dark clouds seriously. “Bill’s still out there…”

“OH NO!” Mabel smacked her forehead. “I almost forgot! More monsters were attacking Olympus! Grunkle Ford needs our help!”

“You two go help Sixer.” Stan said and jabbed a thumb at the broken city. “I better help these guys out, tell the press what’s going on, the usual stuff.”

“You sure?” Mabel asked. “We could use your help.”

“Nah, you don’t need me.” Stan chuckled. “You both just took on a monster with your bare hands like it was nothing! Now go save the world!”

Mabel and Dipper grinned, excited to kick that demon back where he belongs, and the muse whistled for Gompers. As soon as he arrived they got up on him and galloped for the home of the gods, ready for Round 2.

~~~~~~~~~~

“What’s our status?!” Ford asked his best friend.

“Everyone’s bein’ turned t’stone!” Fiddleford yelled as an eyebat shined a beam down at him. “Even me!”

“NO!” Ford threw his last bolt at the eyebat, but it swerved out of the way and scooped up Fiddleford’s frozen body.

Ford looked left and right, waiting for an idea to come to him, but he was too clouded with anxiety and worry that he failed to notice the huge, now three-dimensional demon behind him. “Fordsie, I’m home.” A shrill voice sang.

“Bill?” Ford breathed, his eyes narrowing in anger and he shook with rage. He should have listened to Mabel and knew he was behind this. He growled like an angry bulldog and tried to throw a punch, but with a lift of a finger Bill had total control over Ford’s body and made him float lifelessly in front of him.

“Well well, looks like you truly are as dumb as you look. Tell me, did you really think such a powerful being would ever be friends with a six-fingered monster?” Bill laughed evilly and moved two arms close, creating lava and ice to work together to encase Ford in a stony prison. “This dimension is mine, Sixer, and it’s all thanks to you.” He said as Ford climbed and crawled to try to escape, but was steadily being encased, like quicksand. “Now all I need to do is make sure those brats stay out of my way.”

“NO! NO!” Ford screamed. “NOT MY KIDS, YOU CA-…” And he was completely covered.

“I’m the one giving orders now, Freak.” Bill sneered and sat in his new throne the eyebats had made for him, made entirely out of gods and goddesses. “And I think I’m gonna like it here.”

“Don’t get too comfortable, Bill!” A voice yelled and Bill turned red and left his throne to see behind him.

Bursting on top of the mountain, Gompers carried Dipper and Mabel, who hopped down and scowled up at the mean triangle.

“WHAAAAAAAAAT?!?! No, no no NO!” Bill roared. “Eight Ball had ONE job to do! UGH! Henchmaniacs, TAKE THEM OUT!”

The twins nodded at each other, agreeing to the plan, and Mabel gave Dipper some cover by hopping over the monsters and attacking the eyebats, stabbing them like they were meatballs. Dipper quickly hurried to the throne made of stoned gods, and used his god-like intelligence to know which god to pull loose.

After a quick analysis, Dipper gently pulled out a dark-skinned goddess with a red dress, the goddess of summer and romance, one by one all of the victims were unfrozen and the throne fell apart. Freed and ready for battle, gods pulled out their weapons and helped Mabel attack the monsters now that all of the eyebats were dead.

“YA HOO!” Fiddleford hollered and smacked little Teeth with a banjo. “Thanks, Mason!”

Dipper grinned and quickly climbed over the large pile of rock. At the top, he tore the prison apart and freed Grunkle Ford. The men had a moment much like Stan and Mabel had, simply looking at each other, until Ford blinked his eyes dry and put a six-fingered hand on each of dipper’s shoulders. “Thank you, my boy.”

Dipper felt like throwing up, but in a good way. He and Ford looked down at the glorious battle of gods defeating the monsters, and they quickly joined in.

One by one as monsters were defeated, Dipper used his super strength to pull them behind them, gathering unconscious, sagging bodies until he and Mabel were at the entrance of Olympus with their gain. Mabel swiped the Golden Rope of Truth from the goddess of summer and romance and the twins worked together to tie up the minions in a heap, and Mabel held them still while Dipper kicked so powerfully they flew all the way to the ocean and down through the little hole in space-time, which sealed instantly.

Mabel pounced on her brother, who scooped her up and hugged her tightly as everyone cheered over their victory. Ford was by their side, ruffling their hair and smiling with brown eyes full of love. “I’m so proud of you both.”

Dipper could feel all his dreams coming true, but a shrill voice rang through the dark clouds as a golden triangle fled. “Thanks a ton, freaks! But at least I got one swell consolation prize! A friend of yours, who’s dying to see me!”

The three gasp over fear of losing their missing family member forever. “STAN!”

#GF #gravity falls au #fanfiction #stangst #gift

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dis-easedfairy · 4 years

Text

Impulsive Decision Pt.8

Female Path | Male Path

Chapter 8: My Ally

Warnings!: Kidnapping | Swearing | Tae Was A lil More Than Suggestive |

Genre: Poly!au, angst, fluff, eventual smut, yandere!au

Pairings: BTS x Reader / Kim Taehyung x Reader / Kim Seokjin x Reader / Jung Hoseok x Reader / OC x Reader / Park Jimin x Reader / Min Yoongi x Reader

Summary: Y/n is the owner of a very wealthy and successful company, Barnanby Inc. Y/n attends a BTS show, since they happen to be a fan. They make a very impulsive decision to show a loophole in BTS’s security and end up kidnapping BTS and 2 girls. In a fit of panic Y/n stashes BTS and the girls in a very luxurious bunker for the time being, but Y/n’s world slowly starts to crumble the longer the boys are out of the public’s eye,

Word Count: 10,042 (about 30mins of reading at an average pace)

A/N: I’m not even going to say sorry for taking so long because it’s a reoccurring offense so. My bad. HOWEVER, I do want it to be known that I’m starting a tag list for Impulsive Decision and Noxious! Also for any works I do. Like if you only want male reader stuff, or only the female path of impulsive or you want to be tagged for both paths. I’m not gonna say it’s because I'm so damn consistent that yall cant keep up. It’s because I ghost yall and post half a year later (ouch) like ‘waddup here bye’. I’m cool with you commenting or sending me an ask! SOJUSTLETMEKNOWLOVEYOUBYE.

I happily munched on my toast with jelly as Jin was at the stove cooking eggs and bacon. Jimin was next to me, focused on his drawing. Taehyung was across from me on his phone, his legs intertwined with mine under the table, Tae was still mad that Jimin was between us when we woke up. Hobi was with Suga and I was unsure where the others were.

“Don’t get too full off of toast, okay, Y/n?” Jimin told me softly.

I nodded, looking over at his work. He smiled and proudly moved the drawing closer. It was a Barnaby design, only the character was wearing a hoodie, ripped jeans and boots.

“That’s actually really adorable.” I smiled.

“Really?” I nodded.

“Maybe I’ll draw more for you.”

“Really? I’d like that!” Jimin’s smile got bigger as he turned back to his drawing.

I rested my head on his shoulder as I watched him work.

“What time do you need to pick up your nephew?” Jin asked.

“Not until later. 12pm. I should leave by 11 so I don’t get caught in traffic.” Jin put the fluffy eggs in a large bowl and walked over to the table.

“That would be best. Do you know what you two are doing today?” I frowned.

“Not really, I usually bring him here for most of the day then take him to the park and my sister meets us there. I’m a little afraid to bring him here. ” I admitted, setting down my toast.

“Don’t be, we won’t let anything happen,” Tae reassured me.

“I mean, no one is exactly happy to be here, I don’t want the anger to be directed towards him.”

“It won’t be. Take him to the park, maybe a small trip around the city, bring him here for dinner, we’ll watch a movie in the front room and then you can take him to get picked up.” Jin suggested, forgetting about breakfast as he sat in the empty seat beside me.

“I don’t know… It’s really risky. I’ll think about it.” I really wasn’t going to think about it.

I didn’t want my nephew there. Not with the hostility and anger Linza carried.

“There’s not much to think about. It’s not like we’ll let anyone say anything to him.” Jimin reasoned.

It was useless. I made up my mind and had no intentions to change it.

“We’ll see. I think I might need to stop at my apartment, if my sister sees me without makeup she’ll lecture me.” I dismissed, picking up my toast and ignoring the looks they gave me.

Jin only let out an exaggerated sigh as he stood up to tend to the food on the stove. Taehyung frowned, going to look at a game on his phone. I could hear adorable sound effects strung into a song coming from down the hall signaling that Hoseok was coming. I just knew Jimin or Taehyung were going to say something or bring Hobi into it so I stood up.

“I think I should head out to my apartment, put on makeup and talk to Jason before I pick up my nephew,” I started picking my jacket up from the back of the chair.

I leaned over giving Jimin a small and quick kiss on the cheek. I ran around the table to do the same to Tae.

“Jin have you seen my phone?” I asked, stopping to look around the table.

“You aren’t going to eat breakfast first?” Jin asked, his voice saddened.

“If I sit down I might be late, Jinnie. I have to put on makeup or my sister will freak.” I frowned.

“You should eat.” Hobi chimed in, entering the dining room with a broken gaming console.

Taehyung turned around to glance at Hoseok but saw the broken device.

“What happened!?” Tae demanded, his face contorting to give his signature fake cry.

“Jungkook happened.” Hoseok rolled his eyes and placed it on the table.

“No results of temper tantrums on the table!” Seokjin scolded while putting rice in bowls.

“Temper tantrum?” I asked, confused more than ever.

I felt bad for the console but it could easily be fixed if I brought it to work with me. I knew a few of my employees were real tech wizards and loved the challenge.

“He sees it as ‘It’s not mine so who cares’.” Jin informed bitterly.

“He’s still a little mad, but he’ll get over it in a few more days!” Jimin quickly defended.

“He’s not calming down. Not with Linza around him.” Taehyung commented, not taking his eyes off his phone screen.

“Linza. Why do I want to scream every time I hear that name.” I sighed.

“Because she triggers everyone’s killing instinct.” A voice came from the other hall.

The owner of the voice happily skipping into the dining room.

“Good morning, Seongmi.” I giggled.

“Morning! What’s for breakfast?” She asked happily, going to plop herself on one of the stools at the kitchen island.

“Eggs, sausage, tofu, rice, and red beans…” I trailed off looking at what Jin was cooking.

Hoseok took the time to sit at the table while Jin plugged in the electric griddle.

“If you’re not going to sit down and eat, at least let me make you a sandwich.” Jin pressed, turning to the fridge.

“You’re leaving?” Seongmi asked, her eyes widened in surprise.

“You’re not accepting ‘no’ for an answer, are you?” I smiled.

“No. You’re eating.” Jin asserted.

I groaned, walking over to the table to sit next to Jimin again. Seongmi quickly came over to sit next to me.

“Are you going to work today?” She questioned, resting her elbows on the table, her hands cutely cupping her face.

“Uhmm, I don’t think so.” I begin to think if I had anything to take care of to buy time.

“Jin Oppa! Do you need anything from the store?” I asked.

Jin looked up and at me then begin to scan the kitchen, “I was making a list… Jimin, can you come to finish it? I’m trying not to burn her bread.”

Jimin only nodded, getting up and jogging over to the kitchen to search for the misplaced note pad.

“Just so you know, there are no limits. If you want me to buy a whole cow I will.” I informed, picking up my half eaten toast.

“I prefer pig.” Seongmi teased.

I felt a hand grab mine. I looked across the table. Hoseok was leaning on the table, his fingers beginning to play with mine, “I haven’t seen you with makeup, I bet you look just as beautiful.” His voice was deeper and his eyes locked on my hand.

My breath caught in my throat. His hands were so warm and somehow soft. Warmth spread throughout my chest as my heart sped up.

I’ve never had someone look at my hand so fondly before. Just like that Jung Hoseok stole my attention. I turned to him more with a small smile, “Aren’t you the charmer today?” I teased.

A smile spread on his face, even though he had a smile on his face, his eyes lifted to meet mine, full of seriousness, “Just make sure to eat and don’t tire yourself out.”

“I will! I will try not to tire myself out!” I assured.

“…Your sandwich is ready.” Taehyung cut in, popping the bubble around Hoseok and I.

“Go get your sandwich and don’t be late for dinner.” Hoseok instructed before lifting my hand to kiss the back of it.

I only nodded, hoping he didn’t feel the heat from my face from across the table. I stood up to retrieve my sandwich. Seokjin was placing it in a paper bag with a satisfied smile while Jimin finished up the list and slipped it in the bag.

“Have a good day!” Jin grinned, handing me the sandwich and placing a kiss on my cheek.

Jimin quickly moved between us to put his hands on my sides and kiss the same place Jin did, “Be safe, Jagi!” He radiated, getting a glare from Jin.

I giggled at his action, “I will, Chim.”

I felt arms wrap around my middle and a chest press to my back.

“Have a safe drive, don’t stress on Jason.” Taehyung’s soothing voice guided.

I felt him place a kiss to the crown of my head.

I was pretty sure this was their plan to murder me.

“What do you mean all the computers went out!?” I demanded, my phone between my cheek and shoulder as I fixed the bottom of my dress, “Then get them up and running! I don’t care how much it costs or who you have to call, we have a deadline to show what we got and I’m not letting a convenient power outage on one floor alone make it crumble.” I threw more clothes, makeup, skin products, and hair products in a suitcase to take to the bunker.

“Make sure the designers, programmer, and artist are well rested and fed, I don’t want our team to be running on coffee and sugar as their main nutrients. Call in an order and get plenty of water, I’ll make a stop there after I pick up my nephew.” I zipped up my bag and ran my hands through my hair.

“No! My brother will not step in. This is my department and my call. I don’t care who he tells you who he is, you are to listen to me and me only! Fix those computers, feed and rest the staff, and investigate how the power was cut off, why and who. I’ll be there in an hour and things better be productive or I’m kicking you all into shape.” I hung up.

I let out a huff. Great. Now another problem to solve. I frowned at my outfit. It was simple enough. A black dress made of a material that clung to my body but was stretchy enough to be comfortable. It had lace sleeves and round lace neckline, thankfully the lace wasn’t itchy so I was happy. I walked to my bed to the dreaded Christian Louboutin box. My older sister got them for me and I haven’t opened them. I slowly opened the box as if I was diffusing a bomb.

I let out a big relieved breath. They weren't platformed heels. They were regular black heels made of suede with the signature glossy red bottoms. After I slipped those on I rummaged through my drawers to find a belt for my waist. I settled for a black Gucci belt with small gold bees and stars on it, wanting the design to be simple. I quickly put on pearl stud earrings and searched for the necklace my father gave me.

The longer it took me to find it the madder I got. It was a Japanese Akoya black pearl necklace. It was very simple, just the black pearl with a white gold chain through it. My father gave it to me when we went to the beach in Japan one summer. We met a pearl farmer there and my father, being the proud business owner he was, asked for a tour. My father was really happy with the eco-friendly and sustainable pearls and offered them a deal. Now they have their own departments to make jewelry and give us some for our gift shops. The owner of the place gave me a black pear he found that morning, about a year or two later my father sent it back to him, then the owner sent it back with the chain in it, my father then gave it back to me, reminding me to always remember that small businesses are sometimes more reliable, loyal, and considerate partners. So now I treasure it.

I could hear my phone ring as I got on my hands and knees to look for the necklace. I groaned at the disruption, I answered it and put it on speaker.

“Yes?” I called from the floor.

“F/n. I’m just calling to remind you! You’re picking up my son today.” My sister drew out the last part nervously.

“I’m aware! You called while I was getting ready.” I grumbled, still searching.

“Wait, where are you? It sounds like you’re talking from far away?”

“I’m on the floor. Have you seen my black pearl necklace!? I can’t fin-” I spotted a round ball beside my nightstands leg, “NEVERMIND I FOUND IT!” I beamed, quickly snatching the necklace and examining it for anything out of the ordinary.

I could hear my sister sigh. “ You need to take better care of your things… Especially if it’s from our father…” I frowned.

My brother thinks the same. I felt a tug at my heart as I looked down at the necklace in my hands.

“…I knew it was here. I just wasn’t sure where. Just because I lost it briefly doesn’t mean I care less about it.” I explained, my voice small.

My sister muttered something under her breath that was too low to hear.

“Anyway. I heard Daisuke was in town. Why?” Her voice was straightforward and sent a shiver down my spine.

“I-I’m not sure. I just found out as well. I don’t plan on meeting up with him. I haven’t spoken to him in years.”

“Let’s keep it that way. Make sure to leave your apartment in the next 3 minutes or you’ll be late. Goodbye.” The line went dead.

Since when has my sister been this irritated with me? I pulled myself up to my feet. I walked over to my window, looking out for a moment. There were large clouds that did a good job of blocking out the sun for a few minutes at a time. It had been raining on and off all morning.

I looked back down at my necklace, sadness filling my heart, “…She wasn’t just talking about my necklace, was she, Dad?”

I arrived at the school a few minutes early. I got out of the car and grumbled to myself on how I would have to wear the heels all day and it was going to sting. I felt a little subconscious as my heels clicked on the sidewalk and now in the entrance of the school.

The woman behind the desk smiled, “Ms. L/n! You look beautiful! I’ll let Gyeong know you’re here!” She said quickly, moving to get the phone to intercom the classroom.

I held my hands up, “Actually, I know I’m early so I’ll just let them finish up. I don’t want to interrupt my nephew’s studies and social life.”

The woman nodded, “Yes, I understand. Feel free to walk around, Ms.L/n!”

I gave her a small bow and began to wander a bit. I hated that. How people seemed way too formal and polite. Almost afraid.

I looked over the walls of the school hall. They were covered in artwork, letters, notes, photos and accomplishments from the children that made the whole place feel happy. I found myself smiling. This school always seemed so nice, comforting and patient. My nephew had nothing but good things to say about his teachers and the whole place in general. I found myself thinking about wanting my children to go to the same school in the future.

“How many kids do you want?”

I felt myself freeze again at the question Hoseok asked me this morning. I felt my lips stretch into a smile.

“Four kids sound nice, two boys, two girls...” I whispered to myself, reaching out to trace a picture of a tree a child drew.

I quickly withdrew my hand as if the picture had burned me. What was I even thinking!? Why was I thinking like that when I kidnapped Hoseok. When I forced them into a bunker against their will. They hadn’t seen the sunlight in days and here I was fantasizing and being an overall delusional woman.

Even if Hoseok did want children, that didn’t mean with me. I would probably be the last person who he’d want to have his children. I was also way too young right now. I had a company to look after. A prison to stay out of. Nine people in my bunker that I needed to hide!

It was also way too soon to think about kids even if Hoseok did want me in that way. A small amount of time shouldn’t give me baby fever.

In the bigger picture, I barely knew these men, yet here I was, willingly daydreaming about them.

I scoffed at my mistake and took out my phone, sending Jason a quick text about work and us talking, later on, to sort out somethings. Just as I sent the text I could hear loud footsteps coming down the hall. I looked up out of curiosity and saw my nephew’s teacher, Hui Gyeong. Once he reached me he doubled over, like he had just run a mile.

“Mr.Hui? Is something wrong?” I questioned, slightly concerned at the out of ordinary acts my nephew’s teacher.

“I was just on my way to call Jeonghun’s mother.” He stated breathlessly as he stood upright.

“Why? Has Jeonghun done something wrong?” I asked, feeling slightly worried as to where the conversation was going.

He waved his hands almost in a rush, “No! Nothing like that. I just couldn’t help but be a little worried about your lives, I know your sister likes to attend clubs and there have been a lot of recent criminal acts in them! I just wanted to tell you both to be safe.”

I felt my heart sink, “Ah, I was afraid my nephew did something…” I trailed off, trying to figure out how to change the subject that made my chest tighten up.

“No, no, aside from the usual talking he’s been well behaved,” Mr.Hui said, the air beginning to grow awkward.

“I will take your words into consideration. Thank you for caring enough to warn me.” I spoke up softly.

Mr.Hui smiled, “I’m glad. Your family does a lot for children and adults, it would be horrible if anything happened to any of you.”

You will be in for a ride when everything is said and done.

“The power is back on? Thank God.” I let out a breath of relief as I sank into the driver’s seat of my car.

“Yeah, we are still waiting on security to look over the footage to see if they catch anyone being suspicious but so far we are clear. That maintenance man said it might have been a bad wire or something but I don’t believe that.” Jason spoke into the phone through the sounds of our busy office.

“I don’t either. Only one floor in the entire building went out. And it so happened to be the department we are relying on to get us a new partnership. It’s too coincidental. ” I chewed on my bottom lip in thought.

“That’s what I was thinking. We’ll go over it more at lunch.”

“We will. I have to grab a few things from the store and I’ll head over to whatever place you want. I’m paying because you seriously helped.” I pipped up, sitting up as I waited for the traffic light.

“How about in a few minutes? We’ll meet at the restaurant we take our business partners to. ”

“…Why there? It’s so high-end and we aren’t talking business, just having lunch. It’s Wednesday so I have my nephew. Maybe a more family-owned place?” I reasoned.

“Okay, just pick somewhere quiet, I’m getting a headache from all the talking and yelling in this office.”

When I arrived to the restaurant I‌ began to settle Jeonghun in. I served him water and began to read off the menu for him.

“How about japchae?”‌ I‌ asked him as he sipped on his water.

He only shook his head, looking out the window.

“Hmm. Jjajangmyeon?”‌ I questioned.

He seemed to consider it for a moment before shaking his head.

“Fried chicken?”‌

He nodded his head frantically causing me to giggle.

“Same. We’ll just order a huge serving, okay?”‌

I handed the menu over to my nephew so he could look at the pictures and drinks, just in case he changed his mind. I looked around the place and it was warm and cozy. As I was looking over the wooden beams, I could hear a bell chime.

I‌ looked over to the door to see Jason. I beamed and began to wave my arms like an idiot.

I came to an abrupt stop as I saw movement behind Jason. I strained my eyes to see who it was. As soon as I made out a familiar feature, my blood boiled.

I could see Jason’s eyes dart to the door for a split second, almost as if he was considering just leaving. Which would’ve been a good call, because I would give him hell on earth if he came to the damn table. However, he seemed to puff up his chest and march towards the table.

I let out a scoff, “So, you’ve chosen death.”‌ I‌ muttered under my breath.

I watched him and the man of my cause for irritation strut up to the table.

I had half the mind to yell ‘stalkers’ so everyone would throw them out.

“F/n…” Jason’s voice leaked false-confidence. I‌ would’ve been fooled if his voice didn't crack at the end.

Once they sat down and Jason greeted my nephew, I began to speak.

I let out a sigh, “Did the security find out what caused the outage?”‌ I questioned, pouring water into the extra glasses.

“No, bu-”‌

“What’s taking them so long?‌ It’s security footage not the bible.”‌ I took in a deep breath to calm the building anger.

It wasn’t security’s fault. They had to comb through hours of footage. Maybe even days to see who tampered with the electrical. It’s only been 30 minutes tops. I needed to calm down.

It’s just the presence of this man,

of Daisuke, who was weighing on the part of my brain that only showed anger and hostility.

“I’m sorry, I understand it could take hours to go through everything. It’s just,”‌ I chewed on my bottom lip, “This meant to much to my father. He did everything for my mother, I want to do something for him.”‌

“Are we just going to keep ignoring me?”‌‌ I‌ heard the voice of and actual demon.

“Daisu-”‌ I‌ cut off Jason’s sigh.

“This isn’t about you and your pathetic motives.”‌ I‌ began to wave over a waitress.

“Daisuke, didn’t I say don’t speak until spoken to?”‌ Jason shook his head as he grabbed his menu.

“She’s just ignoring me.”‌ He seriously sounded like a child.

“Did you already figure out what you wanted, Jeonghun?”‌ Jason asked as he looked over the menu.

“We’re getting chicken!”‌ My nephew perked up, happy to be included.

“What will we be having?”‌ A waitress pranced over with a warm grin.

“Four orders of chicken and beer please.”‌ Jason smiled back at her.

“Hey! We have a child here.”‌ I sang in a teasing voice.

“Chicken, beer and apple juice so it just LOOKS like beer!”‌ I only shook my head.

Surprisingly lunch was mostly quiet. Jason’s attention was on my nephew and my attention was on the power outage culprit. I think Jason wasn’t bringing Daisuke into the conversation because of my nephew. But I knew as soon as tonight he would be texting me to ask when we could all meet up and talk. And I hated that I knew that.

I made sure to ask the butcher to give me top-quality beef steaks for Seokjin. All the beef I could get, I did. I wasn’t aware that meat would be a priority in the house but I should’ve known.

All the meats I got were FAR from on the list, but I got them anyway.

Seokjin and Jimin mostly wrote down everyday things and a few produce items. I‌ saw all the berries and fruits looking big and ripe so I got a lot of those as well.

Surprisingly I‌ was able to keep my nephew in line but getting him various things from around the store.

Unsurprisingly, Jeonghun ran out of the car as soon as I parked at the bunker before I could explain. I quickly got out the car and ran after him. He was about to open the first door as I grabbed him and yanked him away from it.

I set him down on the ground and held onto his shoulders as I began to explain, “Listen to me, Jeonghun. We have guests in the bunker. You are NOT going to tell anyone about them. Including your mother.”‌ My voice was stern, hoping it would show him that I meant business.

“You want me to LIE to mom?”‌

“No. . . I just want you to bend the truth a little. It’s different.”‌

“No, it isn’t.”‌

“…What do you know, you’re, like, five.”‌ He gave me the most offended look I’ve ever seen a child make.

“I’M FOUR!”

“One year off. When’s your birthday again?”‌ I teased, watching him getting angrier.

He tried to wiggle out of my grasp while I get out an evil giggle, “I’m joking, I’m joking!‌ I know your birthday! It’s on the 13th of March.”‌

He stopped struggling to pout, not at all liking my playful nature.

“I’m sorry but you’re not going to be a prude like my sister. Lighten up will ya? Now, no telling mom, your dad, your aunt or uncle, your friends, NOBODY, that you met these friends. Got it?”‌

He let out an annoyed ‘okay’.

“Good. Now lead the way, I bet some are excited to see you.”‌ A giant grin formed on his face as he rushed the door.

He knew the codes just in case he was ever in trouble, so I had no worry about him getting stuck.

I watched him bounce down the stairs for a moment before turning back to the car. I gathered the several bags that I had and began to place them at the entrance so it would be easier to close the door behind me. As I was grabbing the last of the bags, my nephew's backpack, and closing the car doors, I looked over to see most of the bags were gone.

I froze into place. Trying to remember exactly how many bags I had. As I was lost in thought, staring at the bags, I saw Seokjin making his way up the stairs. My eyes widened.

No. No, no, No, NO!

I dropped the bags I was holding and ran towards the door. In a fit of panic, I ‌just grabbed the outside door and tried to slam it close.

I‌ heard a small thud and, “YAH! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?”‌

“JIN! YOU CANT LEAVE YET! I HAVE SO MUCH MORE TO FIX BEFORE YOU CAN ALL GO!”‌ I cried, pressing my shoulder against the door to hold it closed against Seokjin trying to force it open.

“I’M NOT LEAVING! I WAS HELPING! I WAS GETTING THE BAGS RELAX!”

He was what now?

I quickly moved out the way, causing him to fall forward onto the bags.

“Oh shit! Jinnie, I’m so sorry!”‌ I quickly apologized, kneeling down to help him.

He looked up like he was going to start cussing me out, but stopped once he caught sight of what outside was.

His eyes widened as he looked around. Large trees covering the small clearing. The only reason anyone would be able to tell a bunker was here was because of the small block of walls with a door in front of it. Looking like a small room in the middle of nothing.

The pathway to get here was slim and the tire tracks sometimes got covered by plants that grew faster during the spring and summer months. And in the fall, fallen leaves did the job. The snow in winter. The path twisted and turned, so it wasn’t just a straight line to the bunker, it was obscured by trees and large bushes.

“WHERE ARE WE!?”‌He almost demanded, making me flinch.

They all had their eyes covered when they arrived. There were no windows in the bunker. I wonder where they thought they were.

“The forest. A few miles from Seoul.”‌ ‘A few’ was generous.

“How did you even…? Does ANYONE know this exists!?”‌ Oh no. He was panicking.

“Jinnie, calm down,‌”‌ I began in a soft voice, “I told you I’m not going to hurt anyone, plus this is only temporary. Jason, my nephew, and a few others know this place exists. Relax.”‌

He shook his head, “I’m not afraid that you’ll hurt us, what if one of us gets hurt and the ambulance can’t get to us in time??”‌

Oh, that's what he was afraid of.

I couldn’t help the smile that began to form on my face.

He gave me a ‘really bitch’ look in return, “Why are you smiling? Do you know how dangerous it is to live so far away from civilization!?‌ What if you run out of gas and you have to walk to town!? What if a serial killer comes in and you’re left for dead because no one knows this is here!?”‌

My smile suddenly disappears.

“Here I was, happy that you weren’t going to leave me, and you have to point out every single feAR I COULD EVER HAVE LIVING HERE! WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS!?”‌

“I’M JUST POINTING OUT THE OBVIOUS!” He defended.

“THAT I OBVIOUSLY DON’T WANT TO HEAR!”

“Can you both stop yelling at each other before the others come!”‌ I heard someone hiss.

That, someone, was Hoseok, who began to quickly pick up as many bags as he could, ignoring Jin on the ground and running back down the stairs to drop off the bags before coming back.

I quickly stood up and ran back to where I dropped the bags and picked up the scattered contents. I could hear the shuffling of bags and Seokjin got up to help Hoseok. As soon as I had everything picked up I ran inside and down the stairs. Hoseok quickly shut the main and vault door. He ran past Jin just in time for Jin to shut it. We all listened for a moment before letting out a breath of relief.

No one else seemed to notice that we had all three doors open. Just waiting for someone to run out.

Let’s hope that doesn’t happen again…

All three of us slid open the door to load the bags into the kitchen.

Taehyung and my nephew were sitting on the floor as Jimin had half of his body behind the tv with cords. Seeming to be setting up a game system.

Suga was sitting in a recliner, only watching them.

As soon as Taehyung saw us he spoke, “Jin-Hyung! Can you come set this up? Jeonghun wants to play Mario Cart but Jimin and I were lost!”‌

“What’s the magic word?”‌ Seokjin taunted as he began to put away groceries.

“Now?”‌ Jimin challenged, causing Seokjin to stop and turn around.

Hoseok let out and adorable laugh with Taehyung while I pressed my lips together. I wasn’t about to face Jin’s wrath more than I already have today.

“Please!”‌ My nephew gave a big smile, successfully breaking the tension.

Seokjin seemed to soften, “At least someone has manners here.”‌ Seokjin huffed and went to set up the console.

Seokjin setting up the console turned into Seokjin doing a tournament with the boys to see who could defeat him. It was around 7pm and he hadn’t even started dinner.

“Aish, he isn’t going to start it.”‌ Hoseok complained as he rolled up the sleeves of his shirt and got up from his seat at the dining room table.

“I’ll help!”‌ I‌ pipped up, bouncing up from my chair in excitement.

We started just making meat and ramen. Hoseok found the grill pan and set it up and I set up the pot of water. We both agreed on kimchi ramen.

I had got the ramen packs out the cupboard and was turning to go to the stove. I slightly bumped into Hoseok.

“Sorry, Hobi.” I muttered, only to see him smirking when I looked up.

His hands moved to my hips to rest there lightly, “Do you think eight packs is enough?”‌ His voice sent a shiver down my spine.

“I think so. I never made ramen in bulk before… Should we add veggies to it to fill everyone up?”‌ I suggested, almost excited at the thought of adding stir-fried veggies.

Hoseok’s smirk only grew, “Would you like ‘veggies’ in your ramen, Sunshine?”‌ I can tell he liked my choice of the word ‘veggie’ over vegetables, but I couldn’t bring myself to care as I began to get hungrier by the thought of more things in my ramen.

I nodded, “I think I got a good amount at the store!”

“We can add veggies. Anything else you want, Sunshine?”‌ He asked, his voice lowering an active or so.

I couldn’t help but gulp.

Why was he so close?

His eyes were locked on mine, the smirk he had only made me look at his lips more. His skin was glowing, despite the lighting in the kitchen that didn’t do him justice. His lips were pink, they looked soft and tempting. His eyes twinkled in mischief that I couldn’t help but find adorable.

“Well…I…uh.”‌ I had no idea what to say in a moment like this.

Did I tell him I wanted to kiss him?

My nephew was in the living room with the others not too far from us.

Speaking of the others, Hoseok was ‘playfully’ nudged to the side by Jimin, who came into the kitchen with Suga.

“I’ll help you with the meat Hoseokie,”‌ Suga muttered as he turned on the stove.

“Maybe I can help with prepping the vegetables?”‌ Jimin suggested, tilting his head slightly and batting his eyes.

Oh, he was good.

I only nodded at his suggestion, causing him to grab my hand and lead me to the fridge, away from Hoseok.

Hobi let out a sigh, “We were okay with making dinner.”‌

“You didn’t even preheat the skillet. You were going to make gray meat.”‌ Suga nagged.

Jimin took out carrots, mushrooms, bell pepper, onions, garlic, and cabbage before closing the fridge, “Hyung, you didn’t even start the water for the ramen.”‌ Jimin shook his head.

“I was in charge of the ramen.”‌ I tried to defend him.

“Well, he stopped you from doing your job, Princess.”‌ Jimin moved to cup my face.

“But I–” Suga interrupted with a simple, “Get the seasonings, Hope.”

Hobi let out an irritated sigh and moved to the cabinets. Jimin quickly picked out our knives and cutting boards so I wouldn’t go to Hoseok’s side of the kitchen.

I let out a sigh.

That was a little excessive.

There was silence besides Suga and Hoseok asking about the meat and Jimin asking a question or two about the veggies.

I couldn’t help my eyes from wandering to my nephew. He was obviously really into the game he was playing with Seokjin and Taehyung seemed invested in watching their match. The thing that really stuck out was one thing.

“Hey, Chim?”

“Yes?”

“…Where are the others?”

A big smile formed on his face.

“I told Jungkook that he was losing his touch in one of the games in the arcade, so that’s where he’s at. Seongmi and Linza are in their room. I was talking about how good a drawing of Seongmi’s was and Linza wanted to learn. Namjoon is in the library. ” He seemed proud of himself.

“So you basically manipulated everyone into staying away?” Jimin frowned.

He scooped up his cabbage to put into a bowl, “Well… It sounds wrong when you say it like that.”

It did sound a little wrong.

“Sorry! It did sound a little wrong now that I think about it. Thank you. I was worried that someone would try something while my nephew was here. You really helped.” I assured.

Jimin lit up once more, “We’re happy to help. Jin Hyung helped me talk to Jeongguk and Linza.”

We all fell into comfortable silence besides Seokjin battling it out in the living room with Taehyung and my nephew.

I couldn’t help but wonder how the next few weeks would progress. If I would be able to handle everything. All of my worries seemed to evaporate as soon as Taehyung scooped up my nephew to victory taunt Seokjin. Maybe I was reading too far into everything and these were small problems. Or perhaps I was starting to downplay them to feel better.

I needed to figure out how I was going to focus on work for the next upcoming days. The boys would, of course, be under Jason’s care. There was the situation of the power going out that I needed to follow up on with security in less than an hour.

I let out a sigh, they weren’t going to let me go peacefully until after dinner.

“Is something wrong, Princess?” Jimin asked softly, causing me to snap my head over to look at him.

Man, I was still not used to that.

Jimin’s concern caught the attention of Hobi, who stopped grilling to pay attention. Yoongi took the tongs from Hobi to continue the work. He seemed as disinterested as always.

“The, uh…” Should I explain or should I just tell them I couldn’t stay for dinner?

“If something is wrong maybe we can help.” Tae’s voice added, catching my attention.

He was leaning over the back of the couch, the concern and softness made me feel more inclined to tell the truth. Even Seokjin had paused the game, his body twisted around to look over towards me.

Now I had to.

“There was a problem at the company today.” I have in with a sigh.

“What kind of problem?” Jimin asked, putting down the knife.

“How serious is it??” Taehyung asked, his posture more alert to get up.

I quickly held my hands out, “The power went out in only the room with game developers. I’m having the right people look into it!”

“But?” Hoseok pressed.

“You’re worried?” Seokjin asked.

I nodded, “I am. It was ONLY the game department, ONLY the game developer room. I would’ve felt better if it were the whole floor or even the whole building. Someone targeted that department I just know it. I told them I would be there in an hour.”

Seokjin sighed and stood up, “I’m sure everyone will have it under control, your leader instinct is kicking in.” He smiled as he approached.

“But what if it’s some asshole trying to sabotage the game so we don’t have partners or investors and the whole game department is thrown out? People will lose their jobs! The company will take a financial hit!” I argued.

“Hyung, we should let her go, she does have a point.” Hoseok reasoned.

“We can pack her dinner to take with her. It’s her company, Hyung.” Taehyung jumped in.

Seokjin let out a groan and wrapped his arms around me, pressing the side of his face to my shoulder.

“Now you’re just being a big baby.” Jimin teased as he added the veggies into a wok.

“I’m older than you!”

“You don’t act like it.”

“Taehyung I’m your Hyung!”

“Not when we’re in the bunker.”

“How do honorifics not apply here?” I asked softly.

“Would you like for us to call you L/N-nim then?” Jimin smirked, continuing to cook like he wasn’t just calling me out.

I felt a small amount of heat go to my cheeks at the formality.

“Then no honorifics.”

“…To Seokjin at least.” Taehyung jumped in.

Seokjin stood up straight, I could feel the roast of the century radiating from inside of him.

“We’ll make sure to send her off with dinner. ” Hobi intervened.

“Send who off with dinner?” A melodic voice asked.

Seongmi had happily skipped into the room, upon entering she let out a small squeal. She put her hands over her mouth to try to muffle the sound. At first, I was confused but I followed her line of sight to see my nephew, slumped against pillows at Taehyung’s side. He seemed to be slowly slipping in and out of sleep.

Taehyung looked over to his side and a wide smile stretched on his face. Tae made a soft cooing noise before grabbing the throw blanket off the armrest and draping it over my nephew.

I tried to push away the thoughts of Taehyung being an amazing father and my growing heart to sigh.

“He didn’t even wait until dinner. He must've been so tired.” I frowned.

Seokjin let out his own sigh, “Okay, you can go after we pack you up dinner. I just don’t want you to overwork yourself.” His hand reached over to pet my head.

“Overwork? She’s barely been to work these past couple of days what do you mean?” Seongmi muttered.

“But she’s worked while she’s here,” Jimin stated, his voice having a small bit of irritation in it.

“Hardly. What do you think the owner of a company does? Just make decisions? She has papers to sign, branches to inspect. Meetings with not only staff but with partners, shareholders, even press meetings! She was far more involved before all of this!” Seongmi was clearly agitated.

“Seongmi? Is everything oka-” Jimin cut off my concerned question.

“Then she deserves a break don’t you think? She has other siblings who seem capable.”

“They have their own branches to manage! They have so much on their plate as it is, especially with their new push for games! She has to go. With or without your permission. She’s a grown woman, not a doll for you to play with.”

A heavy silence fell into the room. The weight was insane and it seemed like no one wanted to speak in fear of either Seongmi or Jimin popping off.

Okay, maybe I should deescalate this as much as possible right now.

As if reading my mind Suga let out a loud sigh, “You’re both burning dinner.” He grumbled as he went between Hobi and Jimin to push Jimin aside to lower the heat down on the wok and mix the veggies.

I made a mental note to thank Suga later before I spoke, “Seongmi, thank you for thinking about my feelings right now, but it’s okay. I’ll be sure to eat dinner and come back here before 3am. I hope to get as much work done as possible while I wait for the answer of the security cameras.” I could almost feel the air being thick with tension.

The way Seongmi deflated caused my heart to break. I bit my bottom lip to think of a compromise to make sure everyone was happy.

“Hey, Seongmi? Would you like any supplies? I feel like it’s unfair to bring you anything after all I’ve put you though. Maybe I could sneak into the animation room?” I suggested.

Seongmi’s eyes locked with mine in surprise. She quickly shook her head.

“I wouldn’t want you to get into trouble!” She stated quickly.

I unintentionally let out a giggle, “Get into trouble? With my own company? By the people I employ? I’ll get you a few thinks!” I smiled.

A light blush dusted Seongmi’s cheeks as she averted her eyes and nodded.

“While we’re all here and paying attention, I need someone to help me load the little gremlin on the couch into my car.”

“He’s not a gremlin!” Tae quickly defended.

“He’s not an angel.” Seokjin sighed.

I had ended up trusting Tae to help me load up Jeonghun. I pretty much held my breath as we walked up the stairs. Taehyung looked like he was in peak father mode. He held Jeonghun with one arm under him and one hand behind his head to keep him close as Jeonghun peacefully had his head on Taehyung’s shoulder. Taehyung’s face held the look of concentration as we tried to keep our pace swift, yet careful.

I quickly moved in front of them to open the door to the back seat. Once the door was open I opened up the passenger door to put the cooler bags of food on the seat and tried my best to close it softly.

Taehyung went the extra mile of getting to the car to position Jeonghun comfortably in the backseat. Once he climbed back out I closed the door as quietly as I could.

We both held our breath to see if he would spur. Once there was no movement we gave each other a quick high-five.

“I was afraid he’d wake up!” I let out the breath I was holding.

“Imagine how I felt! I was the one carrying him!” Tae chortled.

“Why do you think I didn’t WANT to carry him?” I giggled.

“Just use me and leave me, I see how it is.” He almost scolded.

“Aww, Tae! I love you though!” I teased and I leaned forward to hug him close.

“You love me, huh?” I could hear the smirk in his voice.

I jumped when his hands slid up my sides then to my back. He let out a sigh as he put pressure on my lower back to keep me flush against him.

The warmth that flooded my cheeks also flowed into my chest. I didn’t fight his touch and put my head on his shoulder.

As an unspoken language, Tae lightly nudged me and I automatically stepped back so my back was pressed to the cool car. He moved his hands to cup my face. Once I looked into his eyes it was game over. An endless pool of comfort welcomed me.

“Make sure to not overwork yourself, okay? Don’t let anyone rush you.” I only nodded.

“When you get home, I’ll be asleep in my room, don’t be afraid to come in, okay? I want to spend as much time with you as possible before Jimin tries to hog you.” I let out a small laugh.

“I doubt Jimin will steal me away.”

“Jimin would. He’s a little… Possessive when it comes to things he really likes.”

“Do you really like me too, Taehyung?” A small smile graced his lips.

“I told you. I like the crazy ones.” I get out an offended scoff and lightly pushed him away.

“I’m not crazy. I’m an intellectual.” I grumbled, turning to open the driver door.

Tae wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close so my back was flush against his chest.

“Seriously though, I want you to myself when you get home.”

“Okay, just don’t tell anyone else I promised you this or I’ll never hear the end of it.”

Taehyung placed a few small kisses on the back of my shoulder that left tingles blooming on my skin.

“We’ll even sleep in. Lunch is better than breakfast.”

“Are you kidding? Seokjin would have my head!”

“…I want your head.”

“…Are you trying to make a dirty joke right now?”

“Only if it’s working.”

“…It might be.”

Tae let out a hum and slightly began to rock us side to side, “How about this? When you get home…” He began as he placed another small kiss on my shoulder, “I’ll let you climb on top of me…” He continued as he placed a kiss on the side of my neck, “And I’ll let you do whatever you please. It can be to sleep,” He kissed my jaw, “Or, I’ll let you use me.”

I whipped around, my face radiating dangerous amounts of heat, “YOU WHAT?” I demanded.

Tae quickly rushed forward to cover my mouth, “You’ll wake up Jeonggie!”

I began to smack at his hand repeatedly, wanting nothing but answers. However, as soon as Taehyung moved his hand, his lips took its place. It was quick and not at all boring though. Like he didn’t just introduce a completely crazy idea into our already weird relationship.

“Calm down. I’m only letting you know it’s an option!” He hissed.

“How are you so casual about this!? You’re an idol!” I hissed back.

“Not a nun!”

“Even hoes have a more subtle way with vocabulary and flirting!”

“I didn’t say I wasn’t still new to this!”

“Even rookies know you don’t just lay the ‘you can use me’ card on the table right off the bat!”

“Well, I’m straightforward!” I let out a groan.

“Now my face is hot!” I whined.

“So that means you WANT to use me.”

“STOPSAYINGTHAT!”

Arriving to the company was just as chaotic as I thought it would be. People were scattered around and rushing in a quick pace. Before I knew it my sister’s personal assistant took my nephew out my arms and my assistant was pushing me to my office.

The power outage had put us a few hours behind schedule and instead of managers just letting employees go after regular hours, they requested everyone work overtime. Which caused more chaos that you would think.

I quickly put up my hair and started getting to work. I was chewed out once or twice by a few older directors for not being in my office 24/7 but all in all people were just relieved I was fixing as much as I could as fast as I could.

About several stacks of documents and a few dozen calls into the night, my sister decided to show up.

“I understand that we’re behind schedule, but I can’t have you overworking employees saying that they HAVE to stay.” I scolded a manager from one of the broadcasting branches.

I quickly mouthed a quick ‘I’m almost done’ to my sister out of respect. She only waved me off as she took a seat on the loveseat and began to pour herself a glass of water.

“The Video Game Department does NOT affect the Broadcasting Department. If I see this kind of slip up again I WILL give you leave without pay. Do you understand? Goodbye.” I hung up and let out a deep groan.

“What was that about?” Jiann asked.

I sighed as I plopped myself on the opposite loveseat. I threw my folder on the coffee table, very done with the list of people to call and meet with.

“I got word that one of the managers in the Broadcasting Department was trying to use the overtime excuse to get extra work out of the employees.” I grumbled crossing her name off the list.

“Hmmm, maybe I should speak with them as well?” Jiann suggested.

I shook my head, “I handled it. You’ll only make them fear you.”

Jiann let out only a scoff in response. I leaned back in the loveseat and tried to relax.

“How was my nephew? Your secretary just whisked him away.” I asked, my head lulled back so I was looking up at the ceiling.

“Still asleep. His dad will be here to pick him up in half an hour. There is something else I wanted to talk about though.”

“And that is?”

“I know.”

I let out another sigh with a roll of my eyes, “Know what?”

“About the bunker.”

“Cool. So does Jae. And mom. And your son. And Jason.” My indifference was clear.

She made it seem like it was such a dark secret that I paid to get a bunker in the middle of nowhere.

“I also know about the nine people in there. The one’s the whole world are looking for.” My head snapped up to look at her.

I could feel cold spike at the back of my neck that was quickly changed into a slow burning fire in my chest. Like I had something to be defensive about, and the superior look on her face made it valid.

“This is what I think,” She began as she placed her glass on the table and picked up and empty one to pour me water.

“I think you should give up your place. Mom threw everything on us as soon as dad passed. You didn’t have time to be young and free. You let everyone go and I’ll gave our best legal team handle everything. You get away with this, you are cut free of the burden of owning the company and everyone is happy. I’ll keep you in charge of games so you’ll still be doing what dad asked of you.” She seemed to have a sparkle in her eyes as she spoke.

It was almost like she was thinking and fantazing this for longer that necessary. It only made the fire in my chest burn hotter.

“Jae and I will handle everything! What do you say?” She finished, holding out the glass of water.

I looked at her like she just told me the worst idea I’ve ever heard. Because she just did.

“I think you giving birth obviously fucked with your brain somehow. What possibly made you come up with that?” I let out a bitter giggle.

I could see the sparkle in her eyes vanished as the coldness arrose.

“What is wrong with you? I just gave you a way out! You committed several crimes and you’re looking at me like I’M the one in the wrong.” She slammed the glass down like that was about to intimidate me.

“You didn’t give me a way out, you gave yourself a way in. I’m not fucking stupid, Jiann.”

“This isn’t about me being power hungry or trying to fight for the top!”

“No. It isn’t. But it IS about your control. Your fucking pride. Ever since I was little you cared about other's opinions and I NEVER thought you would stoop this low.”

“You’re one to talk! You just kidnapped IDOLS.”

“I didn’t do it out of pride or control. I did it out of fucking impulse and recklessness. Something all CEOs have. Something you and Jae will never have.”

“Think with your head for once! If you get caught our company will be canceled! Our entire family business with crumble because of your stupid actions!” She was now yelling.

I could tell by the roughness in her voice that she was close to exploding, but I still wasn’t going to back down from this. It was my mistake and it was my company. It was mine to control and fix.

“I think it would be best if you just listened to your older sister and just stepped down with the offer I gave you!”

“And I personally couldn’t give a single fuck about what you think I should do. This is MY company. This is MY mistake. If you want to turn me in, then fine. Do it. In the end everyone will look at the company with distaste because family just destroyed family. It doesn’t matter if I was the CEO or not when it happened, you just threw your little sister to the wolves and told her to deal with it all because I ruined your image. Dad left this to me and ONLY me! You should be happy that I even LET you control what you do here! I'm not as weak as you make me seem and I'm not letting you take it from me. You make comments about Jae, but you're doing exactly what he would. If you're going to help do it out of the kindness of your heart and not because you want my spot. I would appreciate you leaving my office. Call me when you stop being a fucking child and start being a sister." I snapped and stood up to go to my desk.

“Are you serious!?”

“Deathly. Get out of my office.” I picked up the phone to make another call, dismissing her with the flick of my wrist like an asshole.

“We aren’t done talking!” She argued, now standing.

“Mrs.Han, yes, this is L/n F/n. I was calling about your manager.” I began as I walked over to my computer to pull up her file.

I knew Jiann wasn’t going to let it go as easy as I hoped. Maybe I could’ve been nicer or compromised, but something in my gut told me that it wasn’t what my father wanted and that I was meant for this role. One way or another I was going to prove it.

By time I got through at least eighty percent of the reply list, it was close to four in the morning. It seemed far quieter than it did when I came for my sister’s throat. People had mostly left, lights in the building were either off or dimmed. My fingers ached from the constant typing of emails and documents. I even had to make an announcement to have sent out and displayed to employees. I had my assistant, Hajun, begin to work on getting more security and look into better security companies.

With the ache in my fingers, neck and back I decided to call it night. I turned off my computer and lamp as I began to gather my things. As soon as I bit those who I saw I went straight to my car to go home. Only then did I see the bag of dinner that had been forgotten in the car.

I let out a groan and let my head rest on the steering wheel.

I felt bad for forgetting it, but I was too tired and stressed to be hungry.

But they made it themselves.

I frowned.

Maybe I could eat it quickly. Or at least half. Or I can lie and say I got busy and left it in my office.

I reluctantly opened the bag to find chopsticks and open the container.

The pleasant smell wafted into the car as soon as the container was open, but the first mouthful of food was a unsatisfying one. The flavor was good, but it had gotten cold. The noodles had gotten far too soggy to even pick up with chopsticks.

I knew that was mostly my fault so I made myself eat a good amount of it before closing it up and shoving it back into the bag.

Once I started up the car and turned on the radio I couldn’t help my mind from wandering.

Would my sister sell me out? Would she let any of this go? Did she hate me now?

By time I had parked at the bunker entrance I had fully convinced myself that my sister was going to turn me in and disown me.

I lifelessly unlocked the doors and locked them behind me. I tried to think positively and like I was the baddest bitch to run the company but I was now lost and felt betrayed.

I had to prove myself, but did I already ruin my chance? Did I already fuck everything up sp badly that my father would be disappointed.

Maybe it wasn’t a gut feeling that made me pop off on my sister but fear. Or entitlement.

I snuck into the bunker and down the hall. As soon as I found the right door I crept in and lifted the blanket to Taehyung’s bed and immediately slipped in. I wrapped my arms around him and buried my face between his shoulderblades.

Maybe even this was completely wrong. I had just kidnapped him and his friends. I should be in jail. He should be disgusted. He should be angry.

“F/n? Did everything go okay?” Tae’s voice rough from sleep questioned quietly.

I only shook my head, holding him tighter like he would leave if I showed any weakness.

I felt his larger, warm hand place itself over mine as he let out a huff.

“Everything will be okay. Whatever happened, I’m sure you did the best you could. Just get some sleep, I promise to make it all better in the morning. ”

( Previous Chapter ) - ( Next Chapter : COMING SOON )

TAGLIST: @butterfliespoison @armycandy10 @krystle1990 @min-mingii @toddsgirl27

#bts poly au #bts ot7 x reader #bts yandere au #bts fanfic #bts angst #kim taehyung x reader #kim seokjin x reader #jung hoseok x reader #park jimin x reader #min yoongi x reader

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wiypt-writes · 3 years

Text

Leave No One Behind

Ch 11- Mama Don’t Preach Part 2 Co written with @icanfeelastormbrewing

Episode Summary: It’s Hannah’s turn to head home for a week to see her Mama, and there’s a surprise request waiting for her too. Meanwhile, back in Sudan Ari’s left holding the baby...or in this case, puppy…

Episode Warnings: Bad Language words. Smut (NSFW, 18+ only)- in Part 2

Episode Pairings: Ari Levinson x OFC Hannah Horowitz

Leave No One Behind Masterlist // Main Masterlist

Part 1

The morning the tourist board visit was due Ari woke up early, which was unusual ever since he started sharing the bed with Hannah. Actually, it wasn't that unusual, he was still an early bird but he liked to lay in with her in his arms once both of them were awake until they heard someone else was up and it was time for them to tend to breakfast for the guests. He stretched and turned his head a little, grinning as he felt Hannah’s face by his head, but then he wrinkled his nose as she was licking his ear.

Ok, so that was new.

"Han…" he chuckled "Babe…"

Then there was a little whine followed by a tiny bark. Ari frowned and opened one eye to realise that it was in fact Simon’s tongue that was stuck in his ear.

"Gross pal… gross." he groaned as he shoved the dog away from his face. Ari then rolled onto his back and ran a hand through his hair, smiling as he realised Hannah was due back that day. 7 long days and nights without her, it had been crap. And he had to admit, he hadn’t been in a great mood. In fact, if he was being fully honest, he was totally aware he had been a nightmare to the rest of the team. And he still wasn’t particularly pleased he couldn’t go pick her up but… well, she’d be home in… he reached over for his watch and saw it was just gone 7:30 so she’d be home in round about 5 hours all things considered.

That made him smile again, it really wasn’t long at all now. So he stretched out, before he swung his legs out of bed, got dressed, shoved on his sneakers and then whistled to Simon. He opened his door and stepped out onto the sand, the sea lightly illuminated by the early morning sun, and the two of them headed out for a run before the rest of the resort awoke.

About an hour or so later after a jog and a slower walk down the coast path Ari returned, showered and headed down to the main building. The rest of the team was already at the table for breakfast. After nodding to a few guests he sat down next to Sammy, reaching for the coffee pot.

"Morning." he greeted, his tone chipper, as he poured a cup.

"Oh my God." Max gasped.

"What?"

Max ignored Ari and turned to Jake instead. "Did you see that?"

Jake nodded. "I know man, I can’t believe it."

“Believe what? Ari asked, looking around the table.

"You, smiling." Max explained with a grin across his face.

Ari rolled his eyes. "Oh, fuck off."

Besides him Sammy sniggered so Ari playfully gave him a dig with his elbow and Sammy laughed even harder, rubbing his side.

"I’m glad you’re in a good mood today because Madibo will be here in 2 hours or so and we don’t need a bratty owner. So you need to stay as charming Guy Thomas and not the sulking, whiny bitch you’ve been for the past week." Rachel instructed, looking intently at him.

Ari was about to argue but Rachel narrowed her eyes at him and he sighed, shrugging. Truth be told he had no argument.

"Oh he’ll be charming alright… but not for Madibo." Jake joked and Max let out his characteristic laugh.

"Oh come on, I’ve not been that bad." Ari tried to defend himself.

The entire table started to scoff and took turns in pointing out to him that he had been that bad and Ari snorted, shaking his head.

"You’ve been worse than Sammy is." Rachel deadpanned but her eyes were soft on Sammy who played the offended victim

"Hey!"

"She’s right." Max agreed.

"Ok, I’ll admit…I’ve been a little bit tetchy." Ari said as he lowered his head in defeat.

"I bet when me or Max leave no one is gonna bat an eyelid." Max quipped. At that point Simon barked and Jake acknowledged him

"Thanks buddy, I’ll miss you too."

There was a roar of laughter and then Sammy turned to Ari. "You know tetchy doesn’t even begin to describe it."

"Fuck you Sammy." Ari jokingly retorted.

Sammy laughed and stood up. "All right, I’m so overwhelmed with the love you are all giving me this morning."

"What are you doing? Sit down and shut up." Ari commanded, shaking his head.

"I can’t. I need to shower and then set off to pick my sister up. You remember her?"

"No, he doesn’t. Absolutely not…" Max said playfully.

"You know what, Navon…" Ari trailed off as Sammy grinned at him as he snatched up another piece of toast and left the table. "Drive safe! Be careful with the cargo" Ari called across the room.

Max and Jake both snorted as Sammy flicked Ari the bird over his shoulder before he left the room. And Rachel sighed before she demanded their attention and started telling them her plan for Madibo.

"So Jake is going to start with the diving area, show him the facilities, how we run the tours, take him out on a boat to show him the diving spots from the surface."

"Yeah if I take him over the wreck he’ll be able to see it." Jake offered.

Rachel nodded before continuing. "Then a tour of the rest of the facility, show him what we’ve done with the place. He can speak to a few guests. I don't know, see the guest book and the reviews. And then lunch."

"Great, sounds good. Where do you want me?" Ari asked.

"With Madibo. At all times. You’re the owner. You did the negotiations with him." she explained and Ari nodded.

"Ok. Stuck to Madibo it is.”

"Am I doing anything?" Max asked.

"Like what? Showing him how you twist and bend in your pyjama pants." Jake replied, throwing him a piece of toast from his plate.

"Says the tanning scarecrow." Max glared at him as he dodge the flying food.

"Don't play with the food.” Ari instructed before he looked at Max “And actually you can keep an eye on Simon."

"Are you sure you trust me with your itty bitty baby puppy?" Max looked at Ari questioning his suggestion. "Just two days ago you wanted to kill me for, and I quote, pup-napping your precious pooch."

"Better than letting him fuck Madibo’s leg." Jake scoffed.

"Exactly… that or biting him." Ari sided with Jake.

"He wouldn’t hump him. It's been a week since he saw that. Dogs have short term memories." Max offered casually.

"Ok, now shut the fuck up." Ari raised his voice.

"No, they don’t! How do they remember to sit and lay down if they only have a short term memory?" Jake inquired.

"Same as you remember to get dressed in the morning but can’t remember what you ate yesterday." Max explained and shrugged.

"Will you all shut up and help me clear the table?" Rachel said, standing up to remark with her actions she wanted the nonsense to be over.

"Not sure I remember how." Jake snorted, amused at his own wit, which earned him a slap round the back of the head from Rachel.

**** The line for passport control was taking for ever and Hannah was losing patience. She had always hated this part of travelling plus her feeling of impatience was compounded by knowing that Ari was literally the other side of the door she could see. Finally she was called forward and after smiling at the Immigration officer who stamped her passport she walked through with her bag in her hand and out of the doors into the warm Sudan air. She glanced around for Ari, ready to leap into his arms, but she couldn’t see him. Instead she spotted Sammy waiting by the jeep. He smiled and came towards her and she grinned back, giving him a hug.

“Try not to look too disappointed I’m not Ari.” Her brother chuckled and Hannah snorted.

“Oh shut up, I’m just as happy to see you”

“Yeah right!” Sammy pulled back and picked up her bag as Hannah gave a roll of her eyes and followed him back to the jeep.

“How’s everyone been?” she asked.

“Good.” Sammy nodded “Ari nearly killed Max and Jake on Monday.” He tossed her bag into the back.

“Why?” Hannah asked as she climbed into the car.

“They took Simon out on the boat. Ari thought he’d lost him…kinda went a little bit mad, not as mad as he did when he got told he couldn’t pick you up.”

“Yeah why is that?”

“We got a tourist board visit.” Sammy answered as he set off “He’s with Colonel Madibo now, so when you arrive, you’re Rosa…”

“Noted.” Hannah nodded “So other than that has everyone been ok?”

“Yeah, other than Ari, he’s been a pain in the ass. Clinging to that dog like it’s his fucking kid…”

Hannah grinned and looked out of the window as they eased onto the main freeway out of the city. But, after a few minutes or so her grin slipped. Sarah’s words had been stuck in her mind all day and night, and the worst bit about their conversation yesterday was that Hannah had wanted to tell Sarah she was wrong. She’d wanted to defend Ari but had been unable to because Sarah was right. He had put them second. And if Sarah’s comments about how Ari had refused to go to her wedding because he had still loved her were true, then that made her feel even worse about the whole situation, that she could somehow be responsible for Ari being the reckless asshole he was with regards to his marriage.

Hannah needed reassurance more than anything, reassurance that wasn’t the case and also an affirmation that once all this was over, he wasn’t just going to swan off into the sunset and leave her behind again. And whilst she could understand that he might not quit this life, and Hannah was ok with that, she knew that it could work because she’d seen her mother and father do so, what worried her was that her dad had manage to strike a balance . She wasn’t sure that Ari would be able to.

The only thing she did know was that if she had to watch Ari walk away again, it would kill her.

**** Ari, Rachel, Madibo and the two men he’d brought with him were just finishing lunch when Ari heard the sound of the jeep approaching. He tried to bite back his smile and caught Rachel’s eye. The look on her face told him his was failing, miserably.

“Do we have company Mr Thomas?” Colonel Madibo frowned and looked at him, clearly having picked up the sound of the engine which was now louder as the jeep had pulled up outside. Ari hesitated and then thought, what the hell. He and Hannah weren’t a secret, plus the team had already stated at length how much it actually added to their cover. He took a deep breath and looked at the man, smiling “It’s My girlfriend, Rosa-“ Ari didn’t miss the smile that flickered across Rachel’s face when he uttered the words “-she’s been home to Spain for a week to see her mother. One of the other guys went to pick her up before.”

“Oh, I didn’t know you were running this place as a partnership?” Madibo looked at him and Ari took a breath

“We weren’t…it’s…” he paused, rubbing his neck “…well, it’s a long story but we go way back and…”

“Say no more Mr Thomas, I get it.” Madibo grinned “The magic of the Red Sea” The man turned his head to look out of the large open lattice doors across the beach before he turned back to Ari “There is something very romantic about being by the ocean.”

“There certainly is.” Ari agreed with a smile. At that point he heard Hannah’s voice drifting down the hallway into the dining room as she jabbered away to her brother, her Spanish accent impeccable thanks to Sammy clearly having warned her about their visitors. Ari turned to look as she walked into the room dressed casually in jeans and a light blue button down sleeveless blouse. Her eyes met his and she beamed at him, a flash of what looked like relief crossed her face and he grinned, standing up. He crossed towards her and gave her a hug.

“Hi.” Hannah said gently into his ear.

“Hi yourself.” He replied, pulling back and giving her a quick kiss “Was your flight ok?”

Hannah nodded “No brat kicking my chair so…”

Ari laughed and then looked at Sammy who raised his eyebrows in the direction of the table. Slipping back in to professional, Guy Thomas mode he nodded and smiled.

“Come on guys, let me introduce you to our guests.” He took Hannah’s hand and led her to the table. “Colonel Madibo this is Rosa Garcia, she’s in charge of guest relations and this is Liam Anderson…” Ari gestured to Sammy “Our entertainment manager who also doubles up as our site doctor.”

“Pleasure to meet you both.” Madibo rose from his chair. He shook Sammy’s and then took Hannah’s clamping his other hand over the top of hers. He looked at her, smiling, before he turned to Ari “You are a lucky man Mr Thomas.”

Ari raised his eyebrows and smiled, looking at Hannah who flushed as Madibo let go of her hand. “I sure am.” He then turned to Hannah and frowned a little at the look on her face. She was smiling, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes, almost like she was nervous. Maybe she was, after all, Madibo and his guard were quite imposing when all was said and done.

“I don’t mean to be rude, but I’ve had a long flight and need to freshen up.” She spoke, a little shyly “Would you please excuse me?”

“Of course, of course Miss Garcia.” Madibo bowed a little “It was a pleasure to meet you.” “You too Colonel.” She smiled, and turned to give Rachel a quick hug before she reached for her bag.

“I’ll do that.” Ari offered “I’ll fetch it in a little while.”

“Ok, thanks” she nodded, before she turned to leave, but paused, spinning back to look at Ari “Where’s Simon.” “With Max and Jake.” Ari said.

She nodded and gave them all another stiff sile before she scurried away.

Now Ari was sure something was bothering her. He looked at Sammy for some kind of clue but he was clearly as puzzled as he was as he shrugged slightly. He then turned to Rachel who met him with a blank look of her own. But, before he could dwell on it too much, Madibo spoke again causing Ari to turn back to him.

“We should be going anyway now, but I’m pleased with what you’ve done with the place.” The Colonel looked around, smiling “My report back to the President will be very favourable.”

“All free of charge, I hope.” Ari quipped and Madibo laughed, pointing at him

“You’re a funny man Mr Thomas!”

Rachel shot Ari a warning look and he simply shrugged, giving her a cheeky grin. They followed Madibo and his 2 guards out to the truck where they shook hands, thanked him for coming and bid him goodbye. No sooner had the truck gone Ari strode back inside, picked up Hannah’s bag and headed off towards her hut. She hadn’t made it back there, however, instead he found her halfway down the beach, crouching on the sand by Max with Simon going bananas as he jumped all over her, his tail wagging furiously, excited little whines coming from him as he licked her face.

“You happy to see momma buddy?” Ari chuckled as he stopped by her side.

“No, that’s his sad face.” Max deadpanned and Ari laughed, dropping a hand to Hannah’s head, gently caressing her hair.

“You ok Firefly?”

“Yeah, just tired.” Hannah stood up and looked at him.

“Wanna go rest?” he asked, his mind straying to the fact he was quite happy to go curl up next to her on the bed, maybe a little bit of something else, and from the snort that came from Max he wasn’t the only one thinking such things. “Piss off.” Ari turned to him, raising an eyebrow.

Max laughed “I’m gone…” Hannah and Ari both watched him leave and Ari wrapped his arms round Hannah’s back, pulling her into him, giving her a deep kiss. He pulled away, his nose bumping hers. “Wanna go lay down for a while?” Hannah shook her head. “No, if I do I won’t sleep later. Think I’m gonna get changed and hit the beach.” She said, glancing around.

“Oh, ok.” Ari tried not to sound too disappointed. He hadn’t seen her in over a week and she was pushing him away. Now he knew for sure something was wrong, but he also knew if he pushed her too hard she’d clam up even more. Hannah looked at him, and he clearly hadn’t done as good a job of hiding his disappointment as he hoped as she took a deep breath, sliding her arms round his waist as she pressed into him, her cheek against his chest.

“I have something for you from Maya.” She said gently

Ari looked down frowning “You saw Maya?”

“No, I saw Sarah.”

“What?” his frown deepened.

“She left a note with Ethan, asking me to call her.” Hannah shrugged, stepping back.

“Why?”

“She wanted to talk to me.”

“What about?”

“Take a guess Ari” Hannah sighed and went to pick up her bag. Ari bat her hand away and picked it up, taking her hand in his spare as they walked silently towards her hut, Simon trotting in front of them. For the first time in weeks it was a little awkward between them, Ari unsure exactly what to say whereas Hannah was simply exhausted both physically and mentally. The relief she had felt upon seeing Ari had melted away and she was back to dwelling on what Sarah had said. Once they were inside her hut, Ari dropped Hannah’s bag on her bed. Without a word she reached into it and pulled out the envelope addressed to Daddy. Ari took it, glanced at the writing on the front, his breath catching a little before he looked at Hannah. “You know, you didn’t need to meet her.”

“Well I did, it wasn’t a big deal.”

“It clearly is.” Ari bit back, an air of frustration in his voice “I can tell somethings bothering you Hannah, so what did she want?”

“She was just curious I guess.” “Curious about what?” Ari’s temper was starting to fray and Hannah let out a growl of annoyance.

“About, us Ari, what do you think? She basically asked me outright if I loved you, then told me to ask you why you never came to my wedding and…” she paused as Ari groaned as he ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head. “She said it was because you couldn’t bear to see me marry someone else.” Hannah looked at Ari, shaking her head. “Is that true?”

“Hannah, does it really matter?”

“It matters to me, yes!”

Ari sighed, looking down at the floor as he shook his head “Look, I loved Sarah, you know this…”

“For fucks sake, just tell me the truth Ari!”

“Yes, ok!” Ari snapped “The reason I didn’t come is because the thought of you with anyone else, well it made me sick. That what you wanted to hear?”

Hannah looked at him, blinking before she shrugged. “I don’t know to be honest with you.”

“Han…” “She made me feel like shit, Ari!” Hannah looked up at him, tears in her eyes “She basically said you’d been in love with me for the entire time you’d been married to her, that she was second best and…”

“For fucks sake…” Ari shook his head “She had no right to put that on you, no right at all.”

Hannah looked down at her feet, “I can’t blame her, Ari. I’d be the same in her position.”

Ari swallowed as he glanced at his feet, looking again at the letter in his hand before he raised his head to Hannah once more. “Did she say anything else?”

Hannah snorted “She wished me good luck, said I was gonna need it.”

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” Ari bit back angrily and Hannah let out a scoff.

“She meant when all this is over, the mission and we go back home.” She glanced at Ari and he was surprised now to see the angry fire in her eyes. “She said that she had never managed to stop you leaving before, even when she was pregnant and was basically implying that once we’re home and out of this little bubble then it would all be different and you’d leave me behind…”

“Ok, no, stop…” Ari held his hand up, tossing the letter onto her bed. “Firefly, listen…” he gently took her face in his hands “That’s not gonna happen. I told you before, I’m not letting you go again.”

“I know you did, and I believe you I do.” She shook her head “And I know that it’s different for us because I’ve lived this life too and I get what being in Mossad means, you know, my mom and dad made it work, but I just…oh, I can’t explain Ari.

“Try, please.” Ari looked at her, his hands gripping her face a little more, his thumbs stroking large arcs over her cheeks.

“I’m not sure you know how to strike a balance Ari. Between this and-“ she blinked and looked down as Ari licked his lips as his hands dropped to her hips.

“Hannah, it’s irrelevant…” “What do you mean it’s irrelevant?” she frowned “I think it’s highly relevant all things considered!”

“Look…” Ari took a deep breath “I never told you this, hell, I never told anyone this because I still wasn’t totally sure until a few weeks ago but I’ve kinda decided that this mission is gonna be my last one in the field.” Whatever Hannah had been expecting Ari to say, it wasn’t that. As the implications of his words crashed over her she could do nothing but gape at him as he shrugged and continued.

“I’m 37 this year sweetheart, I've been doing this for longer than I care to remember. It’s dangerous and, well I’ve missed so much of Maya growing up I don’t wanna miss anymore or god forbid leave her behind for good should something happen.” He sighed, “Sarah’s right. I was a shit husband and a shit dad, I owe it to Maya to a least be a little less shit going forward.”

“Ari, I…” Hannah took a deep breath and shook her head “I’m not asking you to quit…” “I know.” He assured her, “And with the greatest of respect, I’m not doing it for you, I’m doing it for Munch.”

The relief crashed over Hannah in a wave. She’d been scared, not simply that Sarah had been right, but that if he did quit it would be for her, putting her first, and she didn’t want that. His daughter should be top of his priority list and to hear that it had finally hit home to him, well, it brought her a reprieve from the nagging feeling of guilt and turmoil she’d been feeling since she’d left that coffee shop in Tel Aviv. She looked up at her man, the smile creeping across her face and he dropped his head to rest against hers.

“Is that all that was bothering you?” he asked softly and she nodded in response. “So, are we good?”

“Yeah, we’re good.”

“Thank fuck for that, because I really wanna kiss you Han.”

She grinned and blinked looking up at him. “Nothing stopping you.”

With a flick of his eyebrow, Ari pulled her closer and dropped his face to hers, pressing their lips together. He kissed her softly at first before his tongue slid across her bottom lip and she opened her mouth, letting out a soft sigh. Ari’s tongue lashed against the roof of her mouth as his hand slid upwards, tangling in her hair, the kiss deepening…

And then there was a knock at the door, punctuated by a responding bark from Simon.

“For fucks sake…” Ari groaned, as Hannah shrugged a little, moving to open it.

Rachel peered back at her, a little sheepishly “Sorry to intrude but, well, I wasn’t sure if you’d be joining us for dinner?”

“Dur.” Hannah nodded back as behind her, Ari sat on the edge of her bed, picking up the letter from Maya.

“Ok, I’ll let Aziz know. I’ll leave you to it.” Rachel smiled, and with that she was gone. Hannah turned round to see Ari opening the letter, pulling out the paper from the envelope.

“If you want to read that alone, I won’t be offended.” She began but Ari shook his head. Silently, Hannah sat next to him as he began to ready Maya’s untidy scrawl, his eyes misting over. It was nothing out of the ordinary, telling him about school, her friends, how Sarah had taken her to the zoo the previous weekend and she’d seen a man holding a snake, the typical ramblings he’d expect from a 7-almost 8-year old, but it was the first ever letter he’d had from her when on a mission and it choked him up, especially the bit when he said she hoped that Simon and Hannah were both ok too.

“She err…” Ari swallowed and looked at Hannah who gently reached out and brushed a tear from his cheek, a tear he hadn’t realise he’d shed “She says she hopes you and Simon are both ok.” Hannah smiled “Yeah, Sarah said she’d asked after me.”

“Han…” his voice broke and Hannah sighed, wrapping her arms around him as he buried his face into the crook of her shoulder. This was a side to Ari Levinson that very few people knew existed, a vulnerable, almost childish side. A side that just wanted to be comforted and loved, seeking out strength instead of giving it. Hannah knew that everyone took it for granted that he was the stalwart, forever stoic leader and forgot that underneath the cool agent façade there was a gentle, kind man. A flawed human, but a human all the same. She gently rubbed at his back as he sniffed a little, pressing his face further into her neck. Hannah dropped a kiss to the top of his head and he pulled away, wiping at his eyes.

“You know…” she said softly, her head pressing to his “I really did miss the beach. Reckon Guy can sneak an afternoon off to spend with Rosa?” “Guy can take as much time to spend with Rosa as Rosa wants.” He smiled, pressing a soft kiss to her lips.

***** After clearing it with Rachel that neither of them were needed, the pair of them spent a nice afternoon together. They took 3 mile walk round the cliff edge, Simon examining the usual nooks and crannies as they walked hand in hand behind him. The sun blazed hot on both their necks and even in the late afternoon it showed no sign of giving up as they made their way back to the resort. Choosing a secluded spot away from any guests, not far from their cave, they flopped down onto the sand. Hannah pulled off her sundress and lay back as Ari shed his T-shirt and sat next to her, watching her for a moment, simply drinking her in before he lay back next to her and they continued to talk and laugh. An hour or so later, just as the sun was starting to dip to the horizon, both were sticky and sweaty from the heat, and when Hannah suggested they should shower up before dinner Ari quipped he had a better idea.

“What…” Hannah’s voice turned into a shriek as Ari scooped her up and began walking quickly to the sea. “Lobo, don’t you dare!”

“Dare what?” he asked, wading in a little so the water was lapping at his waist.

“You know what!” she clung round his neck, laughing a little.

“No, sorry, can’t hear you…” he shook his head, wading a little further towards the spot he knew the shallow sand underneath him dropped a little, making the water deeper and cooler. Hannah glared at him and struggled in his arms

“I fucking swear to God…” but she was cut off as Ari gently tossed her into the waves where she disappeared under. She broke surface a split second later, spluttering as she wiped her hair back out of her face and saw Ari laughing at her, his entire handsome face creased up as his head tipped back, right hand reaching for his left pec. "El cabron..." she hissed the Spanish word for asshole at him, just one of the many insults in her mama's native tongue that he recognised, and swept her arm in a huge arc over the surface of the ocean, sending a wave of sorts straight over Ari's head. Shaking his hair off his face with the manner of a dog, Ari chuckled and reached out for her, his fingers digging and teasing a little on her ribs where he knew she was especially sensitive. She wriggled a little, her hands resting on his broad chest as she tried to push away. Ari wasn't letting go though but he took pity, laughing as her head tipped back a little, her hands sliding up towards his face. Her delicate fingers tangled in his beard and she looked at him as his hands settled on her hips, guiding her towards him a little more. Her legs wrapped around his waist as it was too deep for her to stand up, and Ari remained with his feet planted on the soft sandy floor of the ocean, large hands on her back, submerged to his shoulders. And for the first time in a week, Ari felt at peace. "I missed you Firefly." He said softly as her lips gently brushed his before she pulled back to study his face, her arms round his neck. "I missed you too Mi Lobo." She smiled, her blue eyes as deep as the ocean they were currently bobbing in sparkled with love and lust and Ari's mouth was drier than it had ever been in his life. He felt a twitch in his groin, his arousal spiking and he actively fought back the groan that was bubbling in his throat. Fuck, she could reduce him to an absolute wreck, bring him to his knees both physically and metaphorically with a simple look in his direction. He needed her. "I'm thirsty Firefly..." he could taste the salt on her skin as his lips brushed her ear and she gave a shudder at his words, and he knew why. They were the same words he'd spoken to her one night when they had been together the first time round and Ari had been away for a week. He'd likened not seeing her to being deprived of water, to which she'd called him a dramatic asshole and laughed. Which was precisely what she was doing now. “There’s water everywhere.” Her voice was loaded with humour yet carried an undercover of suggestiveness his hands slid down to cup her ass. “But not a drop to drink.” He arched an eyebrow as he flexed his hips up slightly, bumping his semi-erect cock up against her core. Hannah gave a little moan as she clung to Ari, before she arched into him even more, pressing her lips to his. Ari kissed her, furiously, tongues thrashing together as their teeth clashed, Ari's large hands sliding up Hannah's back, pinning her to him. One hand moved down her spine and slid round and over her hips, dipping into her bikini bottoms. Hannah gave a dirty croak in her throat as he started teasing her clit, his movements slow and deliberate and her hips soon began to work against his hand, desperately seeking out a way to satisfy the craving his touch was giving her. She was on fire. She wanted more, she needed more. "Ari..." she whispered, licking her lips as she reached down and wrapped a hand around his wrist. "Wanna feel you..." "Yeah?" His lips brushed hers and she nodded as his fingers plunged into her channel making her cry out. "Feel me like that?" She panted as his fingers continued, coaxing her to the brink. Hannah closed her eyes as she teetered on that edge, so close to falling but Ari stopped his movements abruptly. She gave a little choked moan at being so close but when she felt him shift underneath her, his hands leaving her body, she knew she wasn't going to feel dissatisfied for much longer. She felt the material of his swim shorts brush against her leg as he moved them down and she pressed her lips to his, kissing him again. His hand gently moved her swimwear bottoms to one side as she dropped one hand from his shoulder into the water, taking his cock in her palm causing him to hiss as she lined him up. With a slow, power full thrust upwards he filled her and Hannah rolled her head back in pleasure, her mouth open in a silent moan as she welcomed the familiar stretch. “God, Ari..." she gasped, her bikini clad breasts jostling with the staccato breath as she rose slightly out of the water. Her nails were biting his skin as her hands tightened on his shoulders. Her back was arched, her beautiful body open to him, and when Ari bottomed out he laid his forehead on her chest and breathed in. "My good girl, takes me so well..." he praised as he kissed her skin trailing a path up her sternum and throat until he met her lips, the salt from her skin was tangy on his taste buds. He began to trust slowly, deeply, rolling his hips as Hannah worked herself on him, desperately. “More.” she begged and Ari all but growled at her plea. "I need more, Lobo..." Ari rutted upwards furiously, over and over and Hannah's back arched in pleasure. He leaned forward, nipping at her neck, then soothing the sting of his bites with his tongue as he slid his hand into her hair at the base of her skull and pressed his lips to hers, keeping her head anchored in place. The kiss because sloppy and she panted into his mouth, lips parted. "Ari...I'm gonna..." her words died off as Ari kissed her again swallowing the involuntary shaky whimper she made as she came, clenching around him. He thrust through her orgasm, picking up the pace as he rushed towards his own end and with a deep thrust he stilled as the pleasure pulsed through him, his cock twitching as he emptied himself inside her. With a few final and shallow thrusts he stilled, his forehead resting against hers as he breathed deeply, eyes closed, waiting for the world to right itself.

“You ok?” Ari asked, his breathing deep and Hannah gave a soft hum of response as his nose brushed against hers, as she opened her eyes to look at him, her entire face lit up with that blissful happiness he’d come to know and love even more this time round.

It was pretty dark now, and aware that they were in the middle of the ocean, Ari pulled back and placed a kiss to Hannah’s head.

“Come on Firefly, it’s been a long day. Let’s get some dinner and then we can go to bed.” He said softly and she gave a little sigh as he shifted, pulling out of her, readjusting his shorts all the while keeping her supported. She kept her legs round his waist as he walked them to the shallower water and then when he attempted to stand up she refused to let go, giving a giggle as he sighed, shaking his head. “Seriously?”

“You said yourself, it’s been a long day.” She grinned “I’m tired.” “You’re actually gonna make me carry you up the beach?”

“Yup.” She nodded.

“Fucking brat.” He snorted and she laughed, pressing a kiss to his lips.

“If you’re a good boy and do as I ask, then maybe after dinner I’ll show you how grateful I am.”

“Well, when you put it like that…” Ari grinned and stood up quickly hooking his arms under her legs as he swooped her up out of the water, bridal style. Her laughs carried across the slight breeze as he walked them down the still warm, sugar white sand towards her hut.

**** Chapter 12 Part 1

#leave no one behind #Ari Levinson #ari levinson x ofc #ari levinson x original female character #red sea diving resort #chris evans #chris evans characters

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chilling-seavey · 3 years

Note

i have an ABM idea:). what about one for each of the girls where they go missing or run away from home? Maybe it'll be most fitting for Clementine since she is independent.

It took me 2.5 hours straight to write this and I did so instead of writing my final projects and I do not regret a thing! Thank you for this ask! I loved this concept! Hope you don’t mind that I did it for all the girls hehe

Clementine

“It’s not fair!”

“I’m sorry you think that way.”

“Mommy, please!” Clementine begged, clinging onto Florence’s arm as she tried to fold the laundry on the dining room table. “Everyone’s got one!”

“Well, I’m not everyone’s mommy. I’m yours. And I say no.”

“Ugh!” Clementine whined, tossing her head back with a frustrated groan. “You don’t listen to me!”

“I do so.” Florence answered coolly, folding a pair of Lucy’s pyjamas from the clean laundry basket. “But you are only seven-years-old and you are not going to have a cell phone until you’re older. You have no need for one right now.”

“What if I need to call you at school?” Clementine argued.

“Use the phone in the principal’s office.”

“What do I do when everyone else in my entire class are playing games on their phones?”

“Read a book.”

“Mom!” Clementine shrieked in annoyance.

Florence’s calmness through the whole situation was driving her eldest daughter absolutely crazy. Angry tears were brimming in Clementine’s eyes as she glared at her mother. How unfair she always was.

Just then, the front door opened and Daniel came home from work, greeting his family with a call of a tired ‘hello’ from the foyer.

“Daddy!” Clementine shouted hopefully, rushing to meet him.

“He’s not going to be on your side, Clementine Ophelia.” Florence called after her.

Daniel was always on Florence’s side but Clementine was going to try her darndest. She rushed right up to her father and threw her arms around his middle in a tight hug and got right into pitching her argument.

“Daddy, I really would like a cell phone! Everyone in my whole class has one and they’re so cool and I can call you whenever I like – even when you’re at work just to tell you I love you – and I’ll be so responsible. I want one so bad. Please.”

Clementine looked up at him with those perfected baby blue puppy eyes and her sweet little pout that always got her whatever she wanted when it came to her father. But, much to her surprise, he just caressed her face with a small smile and answered with a simple, “Not until you’re older, angel.”

Clementine’s sweet face turned into one of anger and she stepped back from him quickly, accusing him with a sharp, “Mommy told you to say that!”

“Mommy and I agreed ever since you were a baby that cell phones will not be given until high school.” Daniel explained, turning his attention to his other two girls who were impatiently waiting their turn to greet him.

“Whyyy?” Clementine whined.

“Because that’s the rule and that’s final.” Daniel said gently but sternly, leaving her with a pet to her head before heading into the living room with Lucy on his hip.

“I hate it here!” Clementine shrieked, stomping down the hall to her room and slammed the door shut.

Florence sent her husband a tired thankful smile as he approached her and he greeted her with a soft kiss.

“Hope she wasn’t driving you too crazy.” Daniel chuckled lightly.

“Ever since she met me in the schoolyard at the end of the day.” Florence answered. “Talking my ear off the whole subway ride home. Thank you for having my back.”

“Of course.” Daniel tisked, leaving a lingering kiss to his wife’s cheek before moving into the living room to play with his youngest two daughters while his eldest calmed herself down in her room.

With Florence busy with the laundry and Daniel busy with the girls, Clementine had the perfect escape plan right across the hallway to the foyer and, with her backpack on and full of toys and a snack and a blanket, she slunk quietly out the front door. She was determined to get out of her parents’ terribly controlling rules.

When Florence finished the laundry, she started dinner and it wasn’t until Daniel had finished setting the table and they were ready to eat that they even noticed they were missing a child. He had gone down to Clementine’s room and knocked on the door to call her for dinner. When there was no response, he peeked inside. The room was empty. He turned to the girls’ ensuite but it was dark and empty as well.

“Clementine.” Daniel called through the apartment, slight confusion in his voice as he checked the laundry room and the powder room and Lucy’s room and the master bedroom but there was no sign of her anywhere. “Clementine!”

Florence met her panicked husband in the doorway back into the living room, “What’s wrong?”

“She’s not here.” Daniel said.

Florence’s face fell, “What?”

“She’s literally not here.” Daniel raked a hand through his hair and glanced into the foyer. “Her shoes are gone. Fuck.”

“Oh my God. Okay, I’ll turn off the stove and we’ll check the front desk to see if they saw her.” Florence said quickly and hurried back to the kitchen.

Daniel gathered Penelope and Lucy and got them in their shoes and jackets before putting on his own and grabbed his keys. Florence was right behind him, phone in hand, and a frightened expression on her face.

The man at the front desk in the apartment lobby only stated that he had seen Clementine but she had informed him that she was just going to the park. Florence called the police station as soon as they stepped outside to head towards the park. Reporting her child missing was the last thing any mother wanted to have to do and living right in the core of downtown, anything could have happened to her.

The police said they would keep on the lookout but they didn’t even get to hang up before they reached the park and Clementine was sat on the top of the play structure all by herself.

“We found her. Thank you.” Florence breathed with anxious relief into the phone.

Penelope and Lucy were sent to play in the sand while Daniel hurried to the bottom of the play structure.

“Clementine Ophelia Seavey, get down here right now.” he ordered loudly.

One thing that the girls knew well, was when their father raised his voice, he was serious.

Clementine hesitated a moment from where she sat, staring wide eyed at her father and her mother stood slightly behind him, both parents with some mix of anger and relief on their faces. The seven-year-old picked up her backpack and slowly took the stairs back down the side of the play structure to the sand and stood in front of her father with her head hung in shame.

“Look at me.” Daniel demanded sternly.

She looked up at him.

“No matter how mad or sad or upset you get, you never ever leave without telling us first. Do you understand me?”

Clementine nodded.

“There are sick people in this world and people who could take you or hurt you and your mother and I would never be able to live with ourselves if something happened to you. You really scared us.”

“Running away is not how you face your problems.” Florence added.

Clementine nodded.

“What do you need to say to us?” Daniel asked.

The seven-year-old scuffed the toe of her shoe through the sand regretfully, hands held behind her back and head bowed. She mumbled something under her breath.

“What was that?”

Clementine looked up at her parents, tears brimming in her eyes, “Sorry.”

“For?”

“Running away and scaring you.”

“Thank you. Now we’re going to hug it out and then go home and eat the nice dinner Mommy made us and then you’re going to go right to your room for the rest of the night, okay?”

Clementine nodded.

“Alright.” Daniel crouched down and she shuffled over to wrap her arms around his shoulders and he held her close for a moment before she was moving over to her mother and hugging her too.

Florence pressed a quick kiss to her daughter’s cheek before standing up and taking her hand and the family of five started back towards their building. Clementine certainly was a self-directed little girl but the entire concept of scaring her parents filled her with enough shame to never do it again. Well…until she was a teenager but you can read about that in ABM2.

Penelope

Penelope was a Daddy’s girl from the very first few months of her life. For as long as she could remember through all four years of her life, she was glued to Daniel’s side. He was one of her three favourite men in the whole world.

Of course, Daniel loved his daughters perfectly equally and he never picked favourites and this was obvious as Clementine and Penelope grew up side by side and doing everything together. Their little family of four just worked.

But then Florence had another baby one June day and their whole world changed. Penelope now had a little sister…she was no longer the youngest. She didn’t know how to feel at first. Yes, the baby was cute and tiny and Penelope liked the soft texture of her new sister’s smooth skin, but she soon realized that everything was changing. And Penelope did not like change.

Florence was tired more since she had just given birth so she wasn’t up to playing as much. Daniel was extra busy between work and helping with the baby in the middle of the night so he wasn’t around as much either.

Clementine didn’t seem to mind. At five-and-a-half years old, she was more than excited to help out with her new baby sister – after all, she had already been used to sharing her parents one time around so a second wasn’t a big change for her.

But Penelope was once Daniel’s favourite girl – at least in Penelope’s eyes – and suddenly he never wanted to play with her anymore. He was too busy trying to help out with the newborn as much as he could when he was home and it was obvious baby Lucy was growing attached to him easily.

Penelope stood in the doorway to the nursery, staring blankly at her father rocking the baby to sleep in the rocking chair across the room.

“Dada.” Penelope called sweetly.

Daniel glanced over at her and shushed her softly.

Penelope frowned, trying again louder, “Dada!”

“What is it, Nelly?” Daniel asked tiredly.

“Can you play now?”

“Not until baby sister goes to sleep.”

Penelope frowned, staring at her father tending holding the baby, and trudged off down the hall. It was always ‘not now’ or ‘I’m too tired’ or ‘baby sister bla bla bla’ and Penelope was getting sick of it. She missed the days when she had all of her father’s attention. So, since she clearly wasn’t loved anymore, she packed up a little bag in her room – filling it only with her favourite stuffed puppy and a book – and helped herself right out the front door. Her family was too busy with the baby to notice.

At barely four-years-old, Penelope had to reach up on her tiptoes to press the elevator button and when it arrived, she easily remembered what button needed to be pressed for ‘lobby’. It was the pretty one with a star on it. She was very pleased with herself that she decided to run away and the whole elevator ride down to the lobby she was not scared. Until the doors slid open and she realized just how alone she was.

Lucy had finally gone down for her nap and Daniel laid her gently in the crib, careful not to wake the one-month-old in the process. He grabbed the baby monitor and headed down to the living room to find his older girls as Florence rested in their room. Only Clementine was sat on the living room rug with her dolls.

“Where’s Penelope?” Daniel asked her as he crouched down with her.

“She left.” Clementine answered matter-of-factly.

“Left?” Daniel chuckled. “Where to?”

“Out the front door.” she answered, pointing to the foyer.

Daniel figured it was a game they were playing until he glanced over his shoulder to the foyer and saw the door left open a crack. He never moved faster in his life, scooping up Clementine and taking her to the master bedroom with her dolls. He sat her on the rug by the window and ordered her to play quietly there while Florence slept and he would be right back.

Being on the fifty-sixth floor, the elevator took forever to arrive and Daniel was nearly smacking the call button repeatedly by the time it came. By the time he reached the lobby, he was nearly having a panic attack, falling onto the front desk already out of breath.

“My-My daughter-is she-did she-“

The man only smiled at the panicked father and point behind him to the lounge. Penelope was sat on one of the leather arm chairs, looking so tiny with a juice box in one hand and a cookie in the other, and her stuffed puppy sat on her lap.

“Oh my God, thank you.” Daniel said to the man before rushing over to his daughter.

Penelope glanced up at him casually but looked away again before taking a sip from the juice box the man at the front desk gave her.

“Penelope Magnolia, what do you think you’re doing?” Daniel asked as he crouched down beside the chair.

“I ranned away.” Penelope answered quietly, kicking her legs back and forth off the side of the chair.

“You scared Daddy, bug. That wasn’t nice.” Daniel whispered, setting a hand on her back.

“You don’t love me no more.” Penelope shrugged.

“Hey. That’s not true. I love you very, very much.”

“You love baby sister more.”

“I do not.” Daniel corrected. He stood up and scooped her up so he could sit down and place her on his lap. “I love you and Clemmie and Lucy all the exact same amount.”

Penelope didn’t answer. She just took another small nibble from the cookie. Daniel pressed a kiss to her head.

“I’m sorry if I made you feel like I didn’t love you.”

She just took another bite of the cookie.

“Babies take a lot of work so Mommy and I are tired and busy but we don’t love you any less. I promise.”

Penelope stayed quiet. Daniel kissed her head again.

“You’re my favourite little lovebug in the whole wide world.” he whispered to her, giving her tummy a little pat.

She lifted up her juice box, the straw bonking her cheek in the process, and Daniel helped angle it towards her mouth properly so she could take a sip.

“No more running away though, okay?” Daniel leaned down close. “That scares Daddy.”

Penelope nodded.

“Good.” he pressed a kiss to her cheek. “And tonight why don’t I take just you out for dinner? A little date for just you and me. How’s that sound?”

Penelope smiled sweetly and nodded again.

“Okay.” Daniel chuckled. “Let’s go tell Mommy.”

They walked towards the elevator again, Daniel holding Penelope’s hand in his and her bag and juice box in his other.

“Dada.”

“Yeah, miss bug?” Daniel glanced down at her at his side.

“I don’t want baby sister to meet Chi-Chi.”

“Why’s that?”

“He gonna like her more than me.” Penelope mumbled as she took another bite of her cookie.

The elevator doors opened just as Daniel let out a tired little sigh through his chuckle and led her inside, “Believe me, Penelope Magnolia, Chi-Chi doesn’t love and will not love anyone more than he loves you.”

Penelope stayed quiet as she munched her snack. The elevator doors closed. She opened her mouth for more juice and Daniel held the small box out in front of her so she could sip.

“But,” he continued for good measure as his daughter glanced up at him, “Daddy loves you even more than Chi-Chi does.”

Penelope only giggled.

Lucy

Lucy was never one to run away. She was far too content and fair-minded to bother and even though she was by far the most independent of her sisters, she didn’t dare leave the apartment for any reason. Her issue came with being independent on family outings, most specifically in the mall. Once she saw something that caught her eye it was suddenly her most important mission to go look at it.

It was early December meaning the malls were packed with Christmas shoppers and the Seavey’s were going from store to store for some shopping for their extended family. Lucy was holding Daniel’s hand, admiring all the Christmas decorations through the mall as they walked. At five-years-old, there was always something extra magical about the winter season.

Penelope and Clementine were helping Florence pick out something for Daniel’s parents and Daniel was distracted a few rows away flicking through a line of shirts he was sure Christian would like. He dropped Lucy’s hand so he could skim the sizes and finally pulled one off the rack.

“Flora, think Chris would like this?” Daniel called, holding up the shirt.

Florence glanced over with a smile, “I don’t know, baby, he’s your brother.”

“You’re not helpful.” Daniel tisked.

“Chi-Chi will look very nice in that, Daddy.” Penelope offered.

“You think he looks nice in everything.” Clementine teased from the other side of their mother. Penelope glared teasingly at her sister.

“What do you think, Luce?” Daniel glanced beside him where the youngest daughter had been only moments before. He spun around once or twice to look for her but she was nowhere to be seen. His panicked, “Lucy!” nearly echoed through the busy store.

Florence glanced up at her husband’s obvious panic. Daniel nearly threw the shirt back onto the shelf and started looking down each aisle.

“Lucy!”

He nearly crashed right into Florence in his haste, eyes wide with fear.

“Someone took her!” Daniel rushed out.

“Oh my gosh, baby, I’m sure no one took her. Let’s calm down and breathe for a second.” Florence said gently to her husband, setting her hands on his arms.

“Lucy Elizabeth!” Daniel shouted over her shoulder.

“Oh my God.” Penelope breathed from where the older two girls stood. “Why’s he gotta yell like that?”

“I dunno but he’s stupid.” Clementine pointed across the mall hallway to the store across the crowd, the blonde five-year-old easily recognizable to her sisters as she stood just inside the entrance and was reaching up to press the keys of the piano that was set up.

Penelope smiled and the older sisters rushed out of the store and through the crowded hallway to rescue Lucy, leaving their parents to panic alone for a moment.

Daniel’s shouts could be heard over the Christmas music playing through the mall but Lucy was in her own world, plinking away at the piano keys in the music store. Her sisters coming up on either side of her only had her grinning and she showed off a few simple messy tunes that she had learned from Daniel during their lessons.

“Daddy’s having a freak out, Lu-Lu.” Clementine said, then ten-year-old bending down to scoop up her baby sister onto her hip.

“I just wanted to play music.” Lucy pouted, reaching over her sister’s shoulder as she was carried back to her parents, Penelope following right behind them.

Daniel and Florence were talking to the store manager and one of the mall security guards when they arrived back. Daniel was nearly trembling and Florence was holding onto his arm amidst her own anxieties, both listening to what the security guard was saying.

“Found her.” Clementine said, dropping Lucy to her feet in front of their parents.

“Oh my God, Lucy!” Florence gasped, both parents crouching down to take their youngest into a tight hug.

“Where were you?” Daniel asked, petting his daughter’s hair lovingly.

“There.” Lucy giggled, pointing across the mall to the music store.

Daniel huffed and scooped her up into his arms, “I should have guessed, huh?”

“Seems your sisters know you better than us.” Florence tisked to their youngest and Lucy shared a cheeky smile with her older sisters as she rested her head against Daniel’s shoulder.

#anything but mine #daniel seavey #why dont we #daniel seavey fanfic

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what-is-your-plan-today · 4 years

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Leave No One Behind

Ch 11- Mama Don’t Preach Part 2

Co written with @icanfeelastormbrewing

Episode Warnings: Bad Language words. Smut (NSFW, 18+ only)- in Part 2

Episode Pairings: Ari Levinson x OFC Hannah Horowitz

Song for Episode:

A/N: Please read Part 1 first…