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#but doesn't really work for hailey
oh-meow-swirls · 1 year
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weird how in 1 it's like. kind of implied you have to pay to enter the museum. but after that they just. don't bother-
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Okay, so PD s11 finale theories:
Route A: they work real hard get to the killer and Voight but it's too late and he's dead/dying/dies en route to Med/at Med
Though I'm not so sure abt this cause we haven't heard about Jason's leaving (no, I am not up to date with who's already been confirmed to stay, sorry)
And if this happens, I think Hailey, or someone else on the team (prob Hailey), will kill the offender and it won't be the best of shoots so she'll be forced out of the department, or it'll take a toll on her and she'll take Petrovic's advice and make a change in her life (leaving cpd, and what I'm gonna say now is another discussion entirely but: she might not even wanna continue to be a cop and let's remember she has a college degree!).
OR
She'll just be really shaken by Voight's d3ath (which will be her losing another one she loved/who was her family) and will leave bc of that, she'll think that job is taking more than giving.
Route B (a happier and therefore less likely one, lol): everything will work out and Voight will be okay but Upton's good work as a team leader will be so praised that she'll get some sort of promotion and will have the opportunity (and accept, again, following Petrovic's advice) to lead another team.
OR
Even saving Voight, she'll kill the guy (or he will!! And she'll want to take the heat) and be asked to leave the pd/leave bc she can't leave like that anymore.
In summary, I think the episode, despite being a finale (which are usually more team-coded), will be Upton centric and will highlight those conversations abt mental health and change between her and Petrovic and that's gonna have everything to do with her leaving.
Another conclusion I'm reaching after e12 is that (total shocker, yes I know 🤡) there will be no upstead reunion/closure whatsoever, bc Hailey's departure is not gonna have anything to do with that. And even though I will most likely be over the moon if we get at least a phone call with Jay, I don't think that should happen bc as much as they did the upstead break up really dirty and bad and fucked up with all those unanswered phone calls and stuff, I think it wouldn't make any sense to bring him back or even up at all again, for obvious reasons: we haven't heard about Jay/upstead in forever now. Literally no mentions that either even happened on the show ever since Jo's first episode where she points out that Hailey just got a divorce. And even though Hailey's not healed at all after all she went through (not just Jay's leaving!!), it's like she has gotten some sense of closure on that part of her life and to bring that all up again would just be straight up cruel with her/them (cause whatever happens, I don't see them getting back together, so...). But this is a drama (read character-hater) show, so who knows, right?
Well, that's it, thank you for coming to my ted talk if you made it to the end of this rant. Bye, see ya next week!
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psychostxr · 7 months
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𝐣𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐧 𝐥𝐢 | emotions
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PAIRING. jordan li x gn! reader
WORD COUNT. 0.7k
WARNINGS. cursing, mentions of death, marie bashing (i'm sorry)
NOTES. i have also hopped on the jordan li train, and my god, i've never had a character chokehold me so tightly
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Since Marie Moreau joined Godolkin University, everything has gone downhill. After the death of your friend Luke and the murder of your favorite professor, your life has gone through a ball of shit. You didn't want to blame Marie. The poor girl got caught up in Luke's drama — drama you didn't even know existed — she's just as traumatized as you are.
That's what you would've said before news spread around school that Marie and Andre were the ones that stopped Luke, not Jordan. Your partner who actually fought Luke while Marie ran at the first sign of danger. The thought of Marie frustrates you to no end, but you have other things to worry about, such as Jordan locking themself in their room since classes ended.
For as long as you've known Jordan, they've always been competitive. They climbed up the school's student ranks at Godolkin, beating almost anyone and everyone who tried to get in their way. They were one stop away from being first-ranked. But because of Marie and Andre's 'courageous act' of stopping Luke, they've been pushed up the ladder, while Jordan has to settle for fifth. It hurts to see Jordan so angry at the world and themself.
You knock gently on Jordan's door, hearing the muffled sounds of what you presume to be Marie's interview with Hailey Miller. The room goes quiet, and you wait a few moments for Jordan to open the door. But they don't.
"I know you're in there, Jordan." You turn the doorknob, rattling the door in your unsuccessful attempt to get in. You sigh and lean your head against the door. "Please open up, baby. I'm worried about you."
There's a moment of silence until the door cracks open. You take a step back, seeing Jordan's somber expression.
"Hey," you say, smiling softly. "Can I come in?"
Jordan hesitantly returns your smile. "Sure."
They open the door wider, allowing you to enter their dimly lit room. Their room is nothing from the usual, with clothes strewn over their couch and textbooks scattered on their desk. You pull your bag off your back, setting it down on Jordan's bed to retrieve your laptop and the takeout you bought from Vought A Burger.
"I was thinking we could maybe watch Property Brothers and have dinner together?" you suggest. "Or any other show if you want?"
Jordan shakes their head, their lips quirking upwards. "That sounds really nice, actually."
You pass Jordan the takeout, unsure if they've eaten anything since having lunch with you earlier today. You quickly set up the laptop on the coffee table before sitting on Jordan's bed.
Leaning against the headboard, you open your arms wide. "Come here."
Jordan doesn't hesitate, settling themselves in your waiting embrace. Their arms wrap around your torso, pulling them closer until their head finds a comfortable spot nestled against your stomach.
Feeling the weight of Jordan's emotions, you hold your partner close, your arms enveloping Jordan's shoulders. You softly kiss the crown of Jordan's head, your lips brushing against their ink-black hair.
"I'm sorry you're having a shitty day," you whisper, threading your fingers through their silky strands. "It's not fair."
"It's not your fault," Jordan says, sighing. "Shit happens."
"This school is shit," you explain, your anger spiking. "You've worked your fucking ass off to become second-ranked at Godolkin, but because of Marie and our asshole of a principal, you've lost your spot."
Jordan lifts their head to look at you. "It sounds like you're more upset than me."
"I'm sorry, it's just..." You shake your head before staring lovingly at Jordan. "I love you so much, Jordan. So much that I feel everything you feel. When you feel angry, I feel angry. When you're sad, I'm sad. So when you go through these obstacles in life, you aren't alone. I will always be there for you, baby."
Jordan crumbles at your words, and a small smile plays on their lips. They lift themself and lean towards you. Their lips press against yours gently before pulling away, leaving you no time to savour the kiss.
"I'm lucky to have you," they admit.
As you grin, you pull Jordan closer into another kiss. But this time, you can feel the intense emotions radiating off them, and you soak in the passion and love from Jordan's kiss. The rest of the night is spent in each other's arms, binge-watching Property Brothers and devouring greasy takeout.
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© psychostxr — all rights reserved. please do not repost, copy, translate, or claim any of my works as your own.
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raining-dreams · 8 months
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Best Underrated Shows
Saving Me 
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Saving Me is about a lonely old guy who invents a time machine so he can go back to his child self and fix all his past mistakes. I learned about this show from this video titled Watch THIS instead of Hailey's On It by M!n!mal M!ss Art. Despite this video, I was still very excited to watch Hailey's On It. It seemed like a story with a cool premise and cute art style (and ultimately I do really like the show) But Hailey's On It wasn't gonna be out for weeks when I came across this video and this video really sold me on giving Saving Me a try. I never would have even heard of this show without that youtube video which would have been a real shame because Saving Me is fantastic! I hope this show reaches more people and I'm dying for a season 3!!!!!
House of Anubis
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Mystery is my favorite genre and House of Anubis is chuck full of it. I used to be obsessed with this show back in high school. I had so much fun coming up with theories and live-blogging my thoughts and opinions about each new episode. Some of the acting & dialogue could be a little cringe sometimes but the story is just so good that it doesn't matter. I've heard that Het Huis Anubis (the Dutch version of the show that House of Anubis is based on) is even better, though I haven't gotten around to watching it yet.
Over the Garden Wall
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Those of us who have seen Over the Garden Wall seem to agree that this show is amazing! Which makes it feel a little weird to call it underrated. But it seems like so few people have actually seen it. Maybe because it was a mini series, it couldn't reach the same level of popularity as other shows of similar quality. If you like Gravity Falls, you'll likely enjoy Over the Garden Wall as well. (Wirt is even voiced by the same guy who voiced Dipper!) I would highly recommend anyone that hasn't seen it already.
Dead End: Paranormal Park
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I feel like it's pretty rare for animated series to exist in the horror genre for some reason. It truly is an untapped market. But if you love horror and animation, Dead End is the show for you! (Of course it's kid friendly horror since the target audience is children) The two main characters, Barney and Norma get jobs at a haunted park and work together to fight ghosts and demons. Dead End has a super cute animation style, in my opinion, and a very diverse set of characters. I encourage everyone to watch it!
Just Add Magic
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Just Add Magic is based on a children's book by the same name. It's a show about three girls who love to cook and basically discover that they can use cooking to do magic. It's a pretty interesting take on how magic works in their universe. It's very fun to watch. All of the actors are also so talented! And one of those actors is Zach Callison (the voice of Steven Universe)!
The friendship between the trio is awe-inspiring! They have so much chemistry. It's a pretty fun watch.
The Last Kids On Earth
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Based on a comic of the same name, this show is about a group of kids who have to survive on their own when a zombie apocalypse breaks out. And other various creatures start to threaten them (or even become their allies) It's basically a cute found family story. The premise is pretty simplistic but that's what I love about it. The animation style of The Last Kids On Earth is so beautiful as well!
I'm still waiting for a season 3!!!!!
Code Lyoko
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I remember as a kid being aware of this show and thinking it looked kind of interesting (and I always loved the theme song!!) but I never ended up watching it back then because I let peer pressure get the better of me. I remember I met someone who brought up how much they loved the show. When I heard them express that interest, I was at first excited to ask them more but before I had the chance, everyone else started making fun of him for liking Code Lyoko.
I guess it was like the nerd show or something? I don't really know why it was considered cringe to like Code Lyoko but upon seeing my peers act this way, I decided I can't like Code Lyoko if I want to fit in. So, I avoided watching it. But earlier this year, when I was flipping through channels, they were showing old episodes of Code Lyoko! I was intrigued since I remembered it from childhood and thought I'd actually give it a chance this time. And it's actually a pretty good show! It can be slow at times but overall I enjoy it.
If you're like me and avoided watching this back then due to peer pressure, I highly recommend leaving that in the past and just letting yourself enjoy this show!!
Slugterra
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Slugterra is honestly pretty similar to Pokemon, except it's slugs! And the entire series takes place underground. Basically, there's a whole underground world called Slugterra, home to slugs, trolls, moles, etc. And all the slugs have cool powers so the people collect & befriend slugs so they can use them as weapons ("slugslinging"). If you like Pokemon, you're sure to like Slugterra!
Detentionaire
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I discovered Detentionaire randomly while I was searching through Amazon's library of cartoons. I was looking for a new show to watch and just stumbled upon this one. It looked pretty interesting and I was surprised to see it was a show from 2011. I don't know how I missed this show back then. Idk if maybe it only aired in Canada or something? (cuz it's a Canadian show) But anyways, Detentionaire is such an intriguing show where the main character, Lee, discovers some grand conspiracy and has to try to expose it to prove his innocence so he can get out of detention. It's such an interesting concept. And, as I mentioned earlier, mystery is my favor genre, so I had a lot of fun with this one.
The only problem though is, of course, it ends on a cliffhanger. The show got canceled before they had the chance to conclude the story in a satisfying way (or any type of way) so watch at your own risk.
Catscratch
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I honestly don't even remember what this show was about but I do remember enjoying this show and being excited when I saw a new episode was out. I remember thinking it was so funny. I just don't think enough people know about this show.
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cassiesdevblog · 9 months
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~Shmovement~ in Grey Area
Hello goober goblins! Grey Area comes out ~September 15th~ and I wanna make some posts going over my involvement with the project 👁️👁️
I joined the project back in March because, while playing early builds, there were a million things, big and small, that I wanted to be able to polish up to really make the game shine, and my top priority was Hailey's movement
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Grey Area is a game where beginners will mostly play inside a small range of velocities, but, thanks to @bisthefairy, there are ways to build and maintain greater speeds, so Hailey's movement has to be tuned for both small-scale, precision platforming and large-scale, broader movements. Plus, as most of the level design was already finished when I joined, all my changes had to work with, rather than against, the established design
General momentum adjustments
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When I first joined, there were a few ways that slow and fast play would clash with one another. For instance, Hailey had low air friction. This was nice at higher speeds, because you should be able to briefly release the d-pad to shave off a little speed without getting rid of all of it, but it didn't mesh with tighter sections where you'd be asked to land precisely on small platforms
Luckily, since the smaller range of speeds Hailey usually stays within is well defined, I was able to just dramatically increase her air friction while not pressing a direction, only while inside that range.
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Unfortunately, this led to a small problem: There are lots of spots in the game where you're meant to bonk off a wall and land on a platform. Where you could previously do this without having to hold a direction, you now had to hold back a little or Hailey wouldn't make it. To fix this, I just made her use the old friction during a bonk. That may seem unintuitive, but the bonk is all about Hailey bouncing back off a wall, so it feels natural for her to travel further. In practice, the discrepancy doesn't feel like a discrepancy.
Dive momentum changes
Hailey's main mechanic is her dive: a burst movement option that lets you speed straight forward. You can cancel out of the move at any point, cutting off all your momentum. However, when I first joined, Hailey would keep a small amount of the dive's momentum after a cancel. The intent was to let you keep the flow going even after a cancel, but it led to lots of overshooting in a game with low margins for error. I preserved the original way if the player is holding in the direction of the dive, so you can still keep your flow going, but if you're not pressing a direction, Hailey will instead cancel all the momentum and drop straight down
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Release cancel (aka, half the reason I joined the project)
These subtle changes have made Hailey much more reliable to control. It feels much easier to translate your intent onto the screen regardless of how fast you're going (September 15th btw)
Speaking of intent, I've had a big impact on this game's controls! The first time I ever played, the dive could only be canceled by releasing B and then pressing it again. I felt this was really cumbersome and I barely felt in control, so I wanted to cancel by just releasing B
This was controversial though, as everyone else preferred the original way, so I instead suggested being able to cancel by pressing back on the d-pad, as it felt instinctual to hold against the direction of momentum to cancel it. I also suggested being able to press down to cancel, since a player might think of it as dropping Hailey down. Fortunately, both were implemented and the game became a bit more comfortable for me, but I couldn't get the idea of releasing B to cancel out of my head
Later, when I finally got my hands on the project, release cancel was the first thing I added, and it felt just as right and perfect and natural as I imagined it would. I figured, if I just made the other devs play with it, they might see the merits of it and change their minds. Tragically it didn't change any minds, but I was ultimately able to persuade Alayna to make it an option in the options menu. When you play the game, especially if you don't like how cancelling is controlled, please please please try changing "Press to dive" to "Hold to dive" in the options menu and join the church of release cancel. We have plenty of room :')
Other controls
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I've made a bunch of other small changes to the controls too! Generally, I like every button on the controller to do something, so I mirrored a lot of functions to previously unused buttons. Hopefully this makes the game feel more responsive and playful, as well as a little more accessible! I also made it so Hailey sits down when you press down :) It's one of only a few graphics I drew for the game! (did I mention September 15th btw)
The Bounce 👁️👁️
I've saved my biggest (and most iterated upon) change for last >:3
When Hailey dives at smaller enemies, she'll bounce off as if she goomba stomped them, which cancels her dive and allows her to dive again. I added this because I thought the sick tricks and possibility for advanced play were too sweet to pass up. Not to mention it just seemed like fun. Plus, it would add exciting counterplay to some previously unexciting enemies. It's a simple mechanic, but it underwent a lot of changes!
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Firstly, it used to work on almost every enemy, but it didn't feel right against bigger monsters. We ended up deciding that Hailey should only be able to do this against enemies around her size, so in practice, this mainly comes up with the Golch enemy. When I first played, I found the Golch really annoying, as the best and safest strategy to deal with it was to just stand and wait for it to fly toward you so you could jump on it. Now, you can dive right at it and pull off sweet tricks instead! This has ended up making room for tons of cool skips and it feels great >:3
I even redesigned the Golch's flight path so that it will usually be flying at your exact elevation (it moves faster vertically than it does horizontally to accomplish this) so you can more consistently dive straight into it
I also made it so that bouncing off an enemy clamps your speed within a relatively small range, as otherwise you would carry the momentum of the dive and easily fly off into a pit
Now, in my mind, this all worked perfectly, but then disaster struck
@zombielesbean, who uses press cancel, would try to press B to cancel right before running into an enemy in order to avoid it, but would press a few frames too late and instead the input would happen after Hailey had bounced off the enemy, so she'd dive again and accidentally fly off into a pit. We tried a million different avenues to resolve this, but all of them were significant downgrades to the mechanic
Fortunately, Alayna found that the issue was only happening because of the enemy placements in one or two spots, and after adjusting them, it was no longer an issue, so fortunately the best version of the mechanic got in >:3
So yeah!!
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Those are a few of the ways I've cleaned up and improved Hailey's movement since I joined! I've gotten my grubby paws all over every bit of this game in a similar way. Cleaning things up, tuning numbers, adding effects, making things more clear, overhauling things, enhancing the flavor
A huge takeaway from this project for me has been that polish is a full time job!! Every little bit of polish seems small on its own, but when you add them all up they can make the difference between a decent game and a total banger. It just takes a huge amount of time to accrue all those tiny things. I think that's why they say you should triple all your time estimates on gamedev...!!
Fortunately, I have a good eye and a strong passion for all those little things, so I feel like an extremely valuable asset on this project, even though my hand is largely invisible and it takes long-winded posts like this to even explain what I've done
As Bis puts it, "Cass did for Grey Area before release what Sonic modders do for Sonic games after release"
~September 15th you vibrant fools~
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dizzyjelly · 10 months
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A Nice Dinner
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Word Count: 2.4k
Summary: your niece Fiona is in town and asks to go to dinner with you, Abby, and your daughter Hailey, you agree of course. You wait for Abby, your wife, to return home from work before you head out. Dinner doesn't go super well but after some reassurance from Abby you feel better.
Cw: meltdown, stress, crying, teensiest fight between reader and Abby
A/n: ok so this won the poll i posted yesterday so here yall go!! Don't even worry bc I will still be posting Our Little Secret pt. 2, I just need to finish writing it lmao. Also PLEASE lmk if you guys like this type of wife/mama Abby bc I'd definitely write more of it if u do! And feel free to leave requests as well:)))
Your cheeks hurt from smiling so much. You were sat at the kitchen table with your daughter Hailey, she was in her highchair smiling from ear to ear as you fed her. Sure she could eat her own food seeing as she was three years old, but she was just so cute when she let you do it. It was her last bite as your phone began to rang.
You gave her a loving pat on the head before going to place the bowl and spoon into the sink then pick up the phone.
"Hi." You greeted.
"Hey! So you know how we're staying at thst place this week? Well it's only like a half hour drive from where you guys are." Your niece Fiona answered.
"Oh really? That's awesome! We're yall thinking of coming down here?" You asked, Fiona and her parents were on vacation this week.
"Well actually my parents were going on a date for their anniversary and I was wondering if I could come and maybe we could all go to dinner? I'd love to see Hailey!" She exclaimed.
Fiona had always adored Hailey, she even babysat a few times when needed. Well that was back when you lived nearby. Either way, of course you wanted to go out to dinner with her.
"That'd be just great Fiona. I'm sure Hailey would love to see you too, so will Abby and I." Abby was your wife, who was currently at work.
You and Fiona worked out the rest of the details as you texted Abby about the plans. She was on board and seemed pretty excited as well. You'd offered to pick Fona up but she said she would be fine since she had her own car. Once you got off the phone you took Hailey from her high chair and brought her into the living room. You sat and watched her favorite cartoons while you waited for Abby to get home.
♡♡♡
After pretty much doing nothing but watching cartoons and snuggling Hailey, you deemed it was time to get ready. Abby would be home in just under an hour and Hailey was still in her pajamas, as were you. So you'd taken her upstairs to her room first, so she could pick something to wear.
You were pleasantly surprised when she chose something that actually matched. A pair of jean shorts with her favorite t-shirt which was green with a dinosaur on the front. After a quick diaper change you got her dressed then told her to go in the playroom while you got ready. She ran to play with her dollhouse and you went into you and Abbys shared bedroom.
It's not like you were going anywhere super fancy, so you chose something simple. A pair of biker shorts and an older band tee that used to belong to your older brother. Which you found fitting since Fiona was his daughter. You brushed out your hair then put it up in a ponytail, making sure to take out some wispies on either side of your face.
Now that you were all read you went to see what Hailey was up to in the playroom. Thankfully she hadn't made a huge mess, there were just a few barbies lying around which didn't bother you. You motioned for her to come follow you downstairs where you would wait for Abby to arrive home.
A little while later and she was walking through the front door, still in scrubs and her bag thrown over her shoulder. Hailey ran to greet Abby immediately, wrapping her arms around her leg as she shouted out 'mama' in the most adorable way. Abby chuckled, patting her head then smiling st you as you came to give her a hug.
"How was work?" You asked as you pulled away, Abby kept a hand on your waist.
"Fine, gotta go change. When's Fiona getting here?" Abby asked as she gently removed Hailey from her leg and started walking upstairs.
"Oh probably like a half hour or so." You answered, leaving her to get ready alone.
You'd come to learn that Abby enjoyed some alone time when she got home from work. Even if it was just five minutes, she needed to be by herself for a little. So when Hailey tried to run after her, you picked her up and went to continue cartoons instead.
Abby was coming back downstairs in no time, now dressed in a comfortable pair of grey sweats and a black hoodie. She came to join you and Hailey on the couch, holding an arm around you as she pulled you into her side and Hailey laid across both of your laps. A smile formed on Abbys lips as she brushed her hair back out of her face.
It wasn't long before there was a knock at the door, you left Hailey to lay in Abbys arms as you went to answer it. As you opened the door you noticed your niece had gotten taller, and with a smile you pulled her in for a quick hug before closing the door. Immediately she made her way to sit beside Abby on the couch and scoop Hailey up into her arms.
"Hi Fiona." Abby greeted with a chuckle at her affection for Hailey.
"Hey!" Fiona replied.
You smiled as Abby made her way over to where you stood in the living room, pressing her chest against your back as she wrapped her arms around your waist. Fiona was so involved in Hailey she hadn't even noticed as you wo shared a quick kiss. You let your hands come to rest on Abbys before speaking.
"Well we can probably all fit in Abbys truck, we're ready whenever you are Fi." You shrugged, only now did Fiona look your way.
"Oh yeah, let's go." She smiled, carrying Hailey out to the car as she played with her hair.
Since you trusted her enough, you and Abby let Fiona get Hailey buckled up before you drove to dinner. Abby let you drive, which was rare and usually meant she had to just be exhausted. You understood though, work usually had her pretty beat by the end of the day.
The car was silent for the first minute or so, but it soon filled with the light hum of the radio. Then also the conversing between you, Abby, and Fiona. The occasional babble from Hailey would make its way in there as well. You guys didn't chat about much, just caught up really.
You arrived at the restaurant and exited the car. Abby got Hailey from her carseat, letting her walk on her tiny sandal-clad feet up to the door. Then once she entered she brought her up into her arms, knowing she'd try and run off and probably get herself into some trouble.
"Hi, three and a high chair please." Abby greeted the hostess.
You admired the way she would always lead when you went out, take control. It was nice to know you had someone to take care of you like that. The hostess grabbed three regular menus and one kids then took you back to your table. It was in a more secluded corner of the restaurant, which wad nice.
You and Abby sat beside each other one one side and Fiona sat across from you two. Your waitress came over in no time to ask what you wanted to drink. You ordered your usual favorite soda, and Abby looked at you for approval before getting a strawberry daiquiri. She didn't drink often, but every once in a while didn't hurt anyone. You nodded and waited as Fiona got a pink lemonade.
After a few minutes she brought your drinks out and said she'd be back in a few to take your orders. You'd already opened your menu, and were still looking. Fiona seemed to be set on what she'd be getting since she was more focused on helping Hailey draw on her kids menu.
"Anything look good?" You asked Abby, bumping your shoulder into her own lightly.
"Uh I kinda wanted to try this but I definitely couldn't finish it by myself." She pointed out the item on the menu she was speaking about, taking a sip of her drink.
"That's definitely looks good, we could just share it if you want." You offered and she nodded.
"Hailey? What do you want honey?" You asked before reading off her options.
She'd choose the third item you listed and you'd nod, giving her the menu back so she could continue to draw with Fionas help. You brought an arm around Abbys shoulders, leaning into her lightly.
"So, Fiona, you know I have to ask. Do you have a boyfriend?" You asked your niece and she blushed a deep red.
"Uh, actually no." She answered with a giggle.
"Oh? Really." Your voice picked up an octave, her physical response differing drastically from her verbal response.
"Well actually I have a girlfriend.." She smiled as her voice got lower.
"What! No way!" Abby exclaimed, unfortunately a bit too loud.
Hailey had a reaction to this of course, she hated when people were loud. Immediately she burst into tears and started to thrust around in her high chair. You sighed, removing your arm from around Abby and now pulling Hailey from her chair to sit on your lap. You bounced her lightly on your keg as you shushed her, rubbing at her arms soothingly.
"Ah- sorry. I'm sorry." Abby apologized, she just felt terrible.
"Hey, it's fine. She'll calm down in a minute." You reassured, but there was a harshness in your tone anyways because you were just frustrated.
Instead of wasting more time with another sorry, Abby instead asked Fiona all about her girlfriend. She was very excited to tell Abby all about her, and you listened too of course. She sounded very sweet and Fiona was certainly happy.
Haileys cries had stopped by now and she sat peacefully in your lap, sucking at her thumb. Your waitress came back now to take your orders, you looked to Abby and let her order for you two while you'd order for Hailey. Fiona collected your three menus and handed them off with a smile and a thank you.
You picked up your soda to take a sip when a waiter was just making his way past your table. Due to the close proximity of his table to yours, he bumped into your elbow and caused you to spill all over your shirt. And Hailey broke out in tears once again. You sighed and let out a groan of frustration, slamming your glass back down on the table.
Hailey began to thrash around in your arms, which had you looking to Abby with tears brimming your eyes. A look that merely said you were tired and needed some help.
"Here, I've got her. Go ahead and wash up in the bathroom." She took Hailey in her arms, shushing her then making silly faces so she'd giggle instead of cry.
You paid them no attention as you were already on your way to the bathroom. Once you got in there you couldn't help it as your tears spilled over. You tried to wipe them away, but there was a consistent stream. Thankfully it was one of those bathrooms where it was just made for one person, and you wasted no time in locking the door.
A small huff fell past your lips as you brought a wet paper towel to try and rid your shirt of the soda which was probably making it sticky. It was stained of course because that was just your luck. If things couldn't get any worse there was a knock at the door.
"What!" Your voice was angry.
"Hey, it's me. Come on open up." Abby spoke softly.
You sighed as you unlocked the door and let her in. Your tears continued to fall as you stood there embarrassed, the wet paper towel smooshed in your hand at your side. Abby tilted her head with a frown, bringing her hands to your shoulders.
"Baby. It's ok." She tried to reassure.
"But it's really not!" You shouted, you didn't want to yell at her but you were just so overwhelmed, "i-I just wanted to have a nice dinner! And now my shirts ruined, Hailey's already had two meltdowns tonight!" You struggled to speak through your sobs but you managed.
"Y/n, Hailey is fine. Besides can you even call those meltdowns? She just cried a bit that's all, and here you can wear my hoodie." Abby removed her hoodie to reveal a beige t shirt underneath.
You let out a small sigh, tossing the paper towel in the trash then removing your shirt before putting the hoodie on. It was too big, but extremely comfortable. And it smelled just like Abby which relaxed you a bit. Your face was still tear stained and red, even if you stopped crying.
Abby looked down at you, opening her arms and waiting as you leaned into her. You buried your face into her chest, wrapping your arms around her lower back as you let out a sigh of relief against her. She uses one hand to rub up and down your back, the other massaging your scalp. Your eyes fell shut for a moment as you felt calm for once that evening.
Abby let you stand there in her embrace for a few moments before separating from you just enough to meet your gaze. You smiled up at her, the way she brought her hands to either side of your face grounding you. She rubbed her thumbs across your cheek, placing a sweet kiss to your forehead before asking if you were ready to go back to the table. You just gave a simple nod and followed her as you walked back to the table hand in hand.
A feeling of adoration filled you as you saw Fiona playing peekaboo with Hailey back at the table. And Hailey, much to your surprise, was sat in her high chair like an angel. She was giggling at Fionas actions, which had a bubbly feeling forming in your stomach.
The rest of the evening went well, and you all enjoyed a wonderful meal together. Later you'd get back home and say your goodbyes to Fiona. Then you'd work on getting Hailey and yourself ready for bed.
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rustingcat · 8 months
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Vigilante
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Kara was late.
She hated being late, but the amount of paperwork she had to sign was much larger than she anticipated, and the lack of signal in the classified room in the DEO meant that she couldn't alert Lena on time.
Kara made it to the lab an hour later, more exhausted than she realised.
"Kara! Is everything okay?" Lena asked the moment Kara put her bag down.
"Yes, I'm so sorry for the delay. I had to sign a LOT of papers for the DEO." Lena seemed so engulfed in the work, their work. The last thing she wanted was for Lena to feel like she's forced to take on the load.
"The DEO? Did something happen?" The worry in her voice was clear. Kara put a reassuring smile on her face to take some of it away.
"Yes, yes. I just signed an employment contract, I'm officially no longer a vigilante!" Kara said with a small chuckle.
"Oh, why the change? I remember you weren't a fan of working for the government before, especially with everything that went down with Colonel Hailey." Lena walked closer to her, a concern not completely gone.
"Well, now that my identity is public knowledge, Alex was very adamant in reminding me how open I am for lawsuits. Both private ones and from the government, like they could potentially sue me for stuff they ask me to do! How crazy is that?"
"Did you sign it already? I could go over it to make sure they don't put any peculiar articles or subsections."
"It's ok, Alex is still in touch with Lucy Lane. They went over the contract together several times before presenting it to me. Lucy is really good with this stuff." She reassured her.
"So you're a government official?"
"Yeah, free from any Supergirl related lawsuits, and with some pretty sweet tax benefits. Plus all of the salary they wanted to give me is going to go to different kinds of selected charities of my choosing, so that's awesome."
"I'm glad it all worked out."
"Me too." Kara breathed in relief.
"I have some news, too." Lena said as an excited smile spread on her face.
"Do tell," Kara said, biting her lip as a smile matching Lena started spreading.
"Okay, while you were off signing what was no doubt a mountain of paperwork," Kara nodded, "I found and fixed the problem with the distributor." Lena proclaimed proudly.
"What was the problem?" Kara asked, matching her excitement.
"We switched the materials connecting it to the compressor, but not the ones connected to the bio-terminal!" She explained quickly, her hands moving around in excited blur to match.
"Oh Rao! So it means–"
"We can start testing!"
"Ahh- Lena that's amazing!" Kara crushed into her best friend, giving her the big tight hug she deserves. She absolutely loved hugging Lena, really she took any opportunity she got. Feeling her warp around her tightly as if not wanting to let go, her smell that somehow always smelled amazing and feeling her heartbeat so close to hers. Hugging Lena was amazing, and she really deserved the most amazing hug after that discovery.
"Wait, we don't have their DNA to test it with." Kara noted once they pulled away.
"It's just a test to see if it can even process something like that, It doesn't have to be theirs. We already have exactly what we need." Lena explained.
"What do you mean?" Kara was confused, they didn't collect any DNA ahead of time.
"Samples of two specimens of the same biological sex, not to mention a combination of human and non-human DNA." Lena smiled at her.
"Oh." The room suddenly felt hotter. "Yeah, no… yes I see. Yeah that- that would definitely work." They would be combining their DNA. She and Lena. Their biological data would be combined. Kara felt very normal about this.
"Will you be able to extract some of your blood? If not, we can try saliva." Lena asked and she started to look around for the tubes.
"I think I can," Kara answered, looking at her fingers in an attempt to decide which one would be easier to cut. It's not like she would have to worry about the long term effect of the wound as it would heal once she stepped out into the sun.
Lena was already grabbing a syringe by the time Kara decided to go with her thumb, hoping to make the surface of the wound big enough to extract more blood.
She checked with her tongue to see which of her teeth is the sharpest –her upper left fang, and attempted her first try. It was painful, yet unsuccessful. She braced herself for the unavailable pain and tried again. The metallic taste in her mouth paired with the pounding pain in her finger told her she was successful. She took out her thumb and tried to lift it in a way that no blood would spill out. She held it above the tube Lena handed to her, letting the small drops fill it as much as she could, squeezing a bit despite the pain, until she was satisfied with the amount.
A quick walk to the window, letting the reflected rays of the sunshine upon her finger, fixed the little cut she created. She only wished Lena had similar powers. The syringe made her cut relatively small, but a cut was still a cut in Kara’s book. Lena was pressing a small piece of cotton to her arm, holding it tightly as she worked.
Kara walked closer to her. She was healed at this point and just as familiar with the machine as Lena, it was her turn to put on some work. She took Lenas wounded arm and gave it a small kiss to make it better. Lena's cheeks were immediately coloured with a light share of pink.
"All better now." Kara smiled at her. "Do you mind if I take it from here? You can keep pressing on the arm."
Lena simply nodded.
Inserting their blood samples carefully, Kara directed the machine to start the process. It was odd, she thought to herself, seeing all of the biological specification options for the combined data of her and Lena's DNA. Afraid to make a mistake, she slowly pressed on each button, choosing to unspecify everything before starting the process.
Kara looked at Lena with an exciting smile, biting down both her upper and bottom lips in the anticipation.
"And now we wait." Lena smiled back.
They watched in silence as the machine processed their data, searching for any errors or possible problems. They went through the math and the coding multiple times, they were at the very least confident in their work. The test was not to see a baby going through a full term, that process would take a few months even in their very advanced machine. Not to mention that due to the possibility of success, they knew that their first test subject should be for people who would be willing parents. So the test itself was only to see if the machine can prepare their given data to what could later become an embryo and then a healthy fetus should they choose to continue.
The process bar got closer to the end. No errors yet.
Lena was still pressing on her wound as she followed the process bar closely with her eyes. Kara wasn't sure if it was worry, tension or excitement on her face. Probably a combination of the three. She couldn't say she was faring any better, chewing in her bottom lip with similar emotions.
The bar got closer to the end. 97%, 98%, 99%, 100%.
Kara instinctively inhaled quickly. Holding her breath until the bar disappeared completely, replaced by a 'process complete' message on the screen.
"Oh my god!" She heard Lena exhale in relief.
"It worked!" Kara turned to face her, mouth wide open in shock and excitement.
"It did!" Lena confirmed in amazement.
They were hugging again before Kara fully realised she was doing it. Jumping in excitement in Lena’s arms as the latter laughed in response. When she settled down she noticed how close their faces were to each other, she could feel the heat radiating off of Lena's face warm her own. Suddenly their excited hearts became louder to her ears as she watched Lena wet her own lips. Kara instinctively mimicked the movement. They stayed like that for a moment, before Lena suddenly pulled away. Kara felt a pang of disappointment she could not name.
"I should check on this one project before I leave for today. Could you finish everything here?" Lena hurried to find her back, refusing to meet Kara's eyes.
"Sure," she had no problem wrapping everything herself. "What do you want to do with the PF?" It was the name they decided on for a successful processed DNA combination, a shorthand for Potential Fetus.
"It's not important, you can dispose of it." Lena finished collecting her stuff and exited before Kara could respond.
"Right." She muttered to the empty room. The project she went to check on must've been important.
Kara turned her attention back to the machine. She was familiar with the options, she designed the UI herself after all, yet they gave her pause. The button to proceed to the next stage had somehow become the most fascinating thing in the world. Flash images of small hands, a wild patch of dark hair and big striking green eyes passed through her mind in quick succession. She only noticed she clicked the button once a warning message asking her if she was sure she'd like to proceed popped up on the screen. Small panic went through her body as she realised what she almost did, Rao she almost greenlighted the creation of a baby for her and Lena.
She quickly pressed no, and moved on to check the other options. She had no need to restart the process to respect the bio-data for the PF, nor make changes to the DNA. She stared at the button to terminate the PF and all data related to it, but couldn't bring herself to do it. The images flashed her mind again. She wasn't sure what it was but she couldn't bring herself to do it, she couldn't press the button.
A message from Lena asking if she wanted a ride home made her notice the time. She sent her a quick message saying she would be right there, and turned back to the machine. Kara made a quick decision to store the data for later use, just in case they wanted to reexamine it, of course. Plus it was their first success, it could also be a reminder of their progress.
Kara finished turning off whatever unnecessary parts to keep the power consumption at a minimum, went over everything twice and spared a moment to stare at the container, before she left.
The images followed her to her dream that night, along with a familiar dimpled smile by her side.
Read in order in AO3
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lizziethat · 4 months
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Some Chicago P.D. musings (Or is it Upstead musings?)
I just want to word-vomit a little about the whole "trauma response" thing re: Upstead, and it didn't really fit as part of my review, which had to be more about the episode. And the reason I want to go into it it's not even because it doesn't really fit with what we saw on screen (it truly doesn't), but because if that was ever the intent behind it, then the writing absolutely failed.
The problem, I think, it's that it's easy to say people who have suffered trauma did this as a response to that trauma and somehow equate that to trauma response when the two things are not anywhere near the same. Honestly, we've all suffered trauma to some degree, so I feel like this framing basically means 90% of the things people do in life are a trauma response.
Hailey and Jay (you can take Jay out of my cold, dead hands, I'm never using that other name) had a relationship that was not about their individual trauma. It really wasn't. Having someone you can lean on and talk to in bad times doesn't mean your relationship is all about trauma. In fact, sharing your trauma with someone is one of the healthiest things you can do.
Did Hailey and Jay marry quickly and as a response to a very emotional moment? Yes. Does that make it a trauma response? No. It was literally not about the trauma, but about looking for something good during a bad time and hanging onto that.
In fact -- part of that storyline is Jay literally checking with Hailey that this is something she really wants, not just a knee-jerk reaction to her trauma! The show established one thing and now, it just wants to sell a different thing because Jesse Lee Soffer left and they absolutely botched his exit.
And make no mistake about it, this is a choice Chicago P.D. is making. They could write out Hailey in a way that reunites Upstead, just as they could have written Jay out in a way that didn't ruin them. We wouldn't even need to see Jesse Lee Soffer for it to work. But they not only won't, they now want to rewrite history to make it seem like Upstead was always something other than what we saw with our own two eyes. That's the part that hurts.
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themultifandomgal · 9 months
Note
Possibly one with Dr Halstead please where he realises his gf is pregnant before she does because he knows and recognises the symptoms very early on and he waits for her to realise and tell him and when she does, he's like "I know baby, I realised ages ago"
Or or, maybe he suggests he thinks she's pregnant and she's like "no I'm not, don't be silly" and he gets her a test and acts smug when it's positive
Idk, whatever you think
Will Halstead- Known For A While
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I loved it this much I will be doing one for Will and one for Connor. Both imagines will be very similar though.
Trigger warning- emetophobia (talks about feeling sick and being sick)
Will and YN have been married for only 3 months after dating for 4 years. Of course the topic of pregnancy and babies had come up and they both knew they would like a baby at some point but they haven't been actively trying.
Recently YNs breasts have been tender but she is due for her period and it's not unusual for her breasts to grow and be sore, she also has a day before her period where she feels nauseous and a bit faint.
This morning YN wakes up feeling sick. Groaning she sits up and rubs the sleep from her eyes 'that seafood medley I had last night must not have agreed with me at all' YN thinks to herself
"Baby" Wills gruff voice pulls YN out of her thoughts "what are you doing awake?"
"Think the sea food was off. I'm gonna go grab some water, you want me to make you a coffee?"
"No, I'll get up with you" slowly YN gets out of bed and makes her way downstairs to the kitchen, but the urge to throw up overcomes her and she rushes off to the bathroom. Within seconds Will is by her side rubbing her back
"Shit. You think I got food poisoning?"
"Not sure. Why don't we get you back into bed see how you feel later" YN throws up once again but now she feels better
"I actually feel a lot better"
"Really?"
"Yeah. Maybe I just needed to get it out of my system"
"Huh. Well I still think you should have a bed day and rest. I'll bring up some water"
Throughout the day YN stays in bed while Will waits on her hand and foot.
That was a month ago and YN's missed her period and thrown up a lot, she's also started crazing weird foods so after talking to her friend Natalie, YN has decided she should take a pregnancy test. After reading the instructions and peeing on the stick YN waits 5 minutes before looking.
2 lines
Positive!
YN excitedly runs back to the store to find a bag to put the test in. She also decides on getting some cute baby socks and a hate. While in the store YN bumps into Jay and Hailey, her brother and sister in law. YN quickly puts what she has in her hands behind her back
"Whatcha got there?" Hailey asks smiling
"Nothing" Jay moves around her to quick for her to know what he's doing. He gasps seeing what she has in her hands
"Are you pregnant?"
"Yes, but Will doesn't know yet, so when he tells you can you please act surprised?"
"Of course. Congratulations" Jay pulls YN into a hug before letting her go pay for the items.
Back at home YN puts the pregnancy test in to the small gift bag with the socks and hat. She then makes dinner for them both for when Will gets home from work.
"Hey baby I'm home"
"Hey" YN rushes over to her husband smiling wrapping her arms around his neck then placing a kiss to his lips
"Woah what's got you so happy"
"I made us dinner. Come see" YN drags Will to their dining room
"YN this is...."
"Want a drink?" YN asks
"Yeah, just a soda"
"No beer again? You feeling ok?" YN asks chuckling
"Yeah yeah, just not feeling like drinking"
"Ok soda it is" YN leaves the dinning room to grab them both a drink, but also picking up the bag. Placing the bag behind her back she carries 2 sodas into the dinning room with one hand. Will take one off her
"What's behind your back?"
"I got you a present"
"A present?" Will smiles "what for?"
"Just because I love you" YN shrugs. She hands Will the bag. He opens it up and laughs taking out the baby hat and then the pregnancy test. YN frowns not understanding why her husband is laughing
"Babe this isn't a prank or something. I'm actually pregnant"
"No I know. It's just I've known for a while. Probably a month or so"
"What? And you didn't think to tell me?"
"Wanted to see how long it would take you. I saw the early signs most people probably would chalk down to period or bugs, bit like you"
"Oh.... are you happy?"
"God course I'm happy baby" Will gets up and moves over to YN hugging her from behind "we're going to have a baby"
"We're going to have a baby" YN repeats smiling.
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oh-meow-swirls · 2 years
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this deserves its own post so here ya go-
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digenerate-trash · 4 months
Note
THE FIXED VERSION
Write about Yan Haley watching the reader get exhausted from milking cow’s please
(I promise I was working on this before you sent this ask I just had like 5 fics today!!! Also love Stardew Valley and My Mean Queen)
AFAB Hailey | GN PC
Just a quick stop by and look. Maybe deliver a love note or two. Maybe even a picture. If you're out... you're her muse after all. Then she'd head home. Chat with Alex. Dinner with Emily. Maybe a drink at the pup, some reading. Then routine and bed.
It's a tight schedule. But Haley is good at keeping things organized. She can do everything after all.
Sliding the note into your mailbox was easy. But she really couldn't help herself. She trotted up the steps to your shabby little cabin and looked in the window... nothing.
She clutched her camera a bit before she turned out to look at the field and then at the barn. Your pride is a joy you loved the animals here. You took care of them even though they took hours of tending a day.
Haley made her way to the barn and pushed open the heavy doors before laying her eyes on you.
Sweat on your brow. Thick squeaky rubber gloves. Sat beside a cow as you reach under and try your best to get a yield from it.
For a former city dweller, you sure did adapt to hard work well. She couldn't help herself as she pressed the camera up to her face
The click and then flash of the camera alerted you to her presence.
You rubbed your eyes a bit getting up from beside the cow you pulled the bucket from under it and made your way to Haley.
"Hey- I didn't expect you to come up here today-" you laugh a bit. She looks so out of place in the barn.
"I don't think you get many visitors at all," Haley says. But that's more of a hope than anything
"It's kinda a hike from town. That doesn't seem to stop my secret admirer though." Your face twists a bit with concern. "But enough about that- I'm tired. And you probably are too. Why don't you come in and I'll get you something to eat-
You lead Haley away from the barn setting the milk on the standing bench before heading inside. You shed your gloves and hat at the front door before getting a glass of water for yourself. Then one for Haley
"Secret admirer? Someone in this town is actually into.... all this?" Haley gestures vaguely at you but secretly she's very pleased. You've noticed her. Or at least her notes.
"It's hard to believe but yes... and the notes are getting... worrying..." you say Haley sits down at the table hiding a smirk.
"I thought you fought cave monsters as a hobby- are you telling me some guy is setting you on edge?"
"If it even is a guy-" you cut her off. "But yeah. The notes get very... specific. About where I sleep and what my schedule is. They even make comments about my tan lines it's.... disturbing-"
Haley of course Feinstein a shocked reaction. "My... if I had a secret admirer like that I'd be so flattered."
"You can have em." You say grabbing two plates from the cupboard and grabbing some leftovers from the fridge.
Once you've got two meals set up you hand one over to Haley. "Makes me glad to have a friend like you. Your blunt. But straightforward with me. It's nice to talk to you y’know?" You say taking a large but down into your meal.
Haley kinda twitches a bit at that. She's been struggling with her feelings for you for a while and she can only be honest about what she wants from you in her notes. Still, she's fine to be just friends. For now. Maybe in time when you two finally start to date she can frame someone else for the notes. Or maybe you'll forget about them entirely.
When the meal is done you lead Haley out of the house before looking at your mailbox. "Son of a bitch-" you say the blood draining from your face before you hurriedly open it and take the letter out. Haley's heart skips a beat as she leans in closer to read the note along with you.
"Another love note?" She asks.
You nod hands shaking. Haley still smiles as she looks over the letter. She can hear your breath hitch as you read over the note.
Maybe she shouldn't have put in those shots of you asleep in your bed so soundly. But the look on your face is priceless.
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forbiddenmoss · 2 months
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I believe Emily is the type of person to give EVERYONE a valentine's day card/gift. When the new farmer arrives some of the local singles are quick to join in on this tradition.
Bachelorettes
Emily- Emily gives everyone a little something of valentine's day because everyone deserves to feel special! Emily also tries to make hand make each gift so everyone has their own personal little something. When working at the saloon paying attention to what little things people mention liking. Shane says it's getting colder when he walks to work? Knitted hat and scarf with little chickens on it. Leah keeps destroying her clothes with paint finner? Hand sewn apron with lots of pockets for tools. With the new farmer Emily would crochet a little guy. Maybe the farmers favourite animal maybe a magical creature from the area with a little hand written note wishing you a happy valentine's day.
Hailey- Hailey is not like Emily. You only get a gift of her if yous are very close and she likes you. But if she does you get the cutest little hamper basket. She spends a while online getting face masks and chocolates to match her gift aesthetic for you. Maybe even some matching pajamas for you both but unless yous are already dating she's adamant it's a pal-ntines gift honestly it's not like she like she has a crush on you or anything.
Abigail- I honestly believe Abigail, Sam and Sebastian would buy each other the most ridiculous gifts they can find and Abigail would be quick to rope you into it. But maybe with you she puts a little more thought into it a little card with some pun "your my boo" or "I think you are DEAD cute" and the gift would be heart felt but funny and personal to the two of you. Sebastian is the only one who notices her blushing as she gives you the gift.
Maru- doesn't understand the point of valentine's day. Especially after reading into the origins of the holiday. Besides the holiday is so commercialised it's lost all meaning. Even if dating or married maru would only celebrate the holiday of you wanted to. They really mean well and love you dearly but they show affection through actions not gifts.
Penny- penny LOVES valentines day she tries to give everyone a little card with a lovely message. Penny and Emily go around the village together giving gifts and cards for everyone. Even her lessons that day focus on self love and appreciating friends and family. Jaz and Vincent love it. After she has self care time. Self love. Now penny is really shy and it takes a lot of encouragement to to make your valentine's day card a little more special to express her feelings. I could see penny making a flower crown from wild flowers and giving it to you.
Leah- She's friends with Elliot so of course she feels the need to really express the type of love she feels for you. Platonic, romantic, aesthetic doesn't matter she'll embrace it and create a sculpture that expresses that. After her ex she is quite reluctant to express her feelings in a direct way especially when the holiday brings up so many bad memories. But letting go of her emotions through her craft feels good and since you inspired her it makes sense to give it to you. It's like her own secret confession.
Bachelors
Sam- Sam really likes the holiday especially finding the most ridiculous cringe gifts to give his friends! He is really excited when you join in the tradition and can't wait to give his friends their funny gifts. If he likes you romantically he actually really struggles choosing a gift for you. Nothing really feels right to give to you. Abigail and Sebastian were easy but you? He ends up asking his mum for advice Jodi realises he has a crush on you (wait till Caroline finds out her little boy has a crush). Jodi suggests he writes a song so it's more personal. He does this but when the day comes he gets a little embarrassed and puts the CD through your letter box. Sadly he didn't say who it was from let's hope you recognize him through his music!
Sebastian- Sebastian really enjoys the new addition to the group. It took him a while to feel comfortable around you but now he does he loves playing D&D with you he loves sneaking off to your farm to escape his family for a smoke. He really appreciates you so when valentine's day came around he was actually really excited to get you the most embarrassing gift he could think of. You want a big blanket with funny pictures of the four of you printed on it right?
Alex- Alex always gives his grandparents nice gifts to show he appreciates and loves them this year he has a person to buy for. You. When grandma Evelyn finds out she is over the moon and feels this is the perfect moment to pass on the family cookie recipe. The first batch come out edible but questionable and kinda heart shaped. If you squint. Alot. When George finds out he gives lots of dating advice. Doesn't matter if he likes you romantically or not he's getting THE TALK from George. Lucky Alex.
Elliot- oh lord. This man. If yous are just friends you get a beautiful poem expressing his appreciation of your friendship. He turns up at your door at sunrise so you can start your day knowing he cherishes your friendship and is so thankful you chose this farm to move to. It is really touching and the fresh coffee be brings is really appreciated too. If he is in love with you he would set up a candle lit picnic on the beach at sunset. Candles lit very fancy wine (or any beverage he knows you like) with lots of food to nibble on between chatting. When the sun starts to recite the poem expressing his deep love for you. His muse. His beloved.
Harvey- after maru pushing him to confess his feelings for you and Emily chatting about the valentine's day preparations he finally decides to express it. He doesn't go out of his way to find you he just bumps into you when on his daily walk and plucking up his courage gives you the card and tells you how he feels. How he appreciates you how he values you how he feels more confident when he's around you. If yous are dating or married he will prepare a healthy little breakfast hamper and take care of some things about the farm so you can take it easy and relax.
Shane- this guy. He has never celebrated valentine's day he says it's because he believes it's just for joja mart to sell lots of heart shaped crap. He knows this isn't true he just finds it easier to hate the holiday than to feel sad he doesn't have someone special to share it with. He spends valentine's day with jaz who paints his nails gets him to make lots of cards with her. He finds himself making one for you and when jaz sees you she gives you his card. He didn't realise jaz took that card he thought it went in the bin but now you have the card you were never ment to get. After than jaz drags both of you to pick flowers and make flower crowns. Sitting together amongst the flowers Shane realises jaz has left the two of you alone which leads to you giving Shane his card and starting a conversation Shane never knew he needed to have. Just ignore jaz peaking around a tree proud of her work.
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stobinesque · 1 year
Text
phryctoria | chapter 1: pyrseia (torch)
Sometimes your gay awakening is just having someone to show you it's possible. Steve comes out to Robin, and the two of them figure out how to weather being two gay teenagers in rural Indiana together.
[1][2][3][4][5][6 & 7] | [Read on AO3]
They’re both sitting in the beamer, engine idling in the Buckley’s driveway, when Steve finally works up the courage to ask the question that’s been burning a hole in the back of his head for weeks. 
“Hey. Robs?” Steve drums his hands against the side of the steering wheel to give all the restless energy a place to go.
“‘Sup, dingus?” Robin shoots back on autopilot—but when she turns to look at him she must see…something on his face, because her tone drops into something more sincere. “What’s up, Steve?”
“I—uh.” He swallows, trying to work the words past the lump in his throat. “How did you, uh, know?” the second they escape he wants to snatch them back out of the air because—really, is that not the stupidest thing he could have said?
Robin frowns. “Know what?”
Steve closes his eyes and pinches at the bridge of his nose, pushing down tears, and nausea induced by what he knows to be unnecessary fear. His face is hot with shame and all he wants is to fold himself up and hide in a corner. But. It’s Robin. It’s just Robin. He can talk to Robin. His head knows it, his stomach and heart are just having a hard time catching up right now. 
“H-how did you know that you…that you like girls?”
Steve knows that she can hear the weight behind the question, because she doesn’t poke fun at him at all—doesn't shoot back the easy 'well how did you' that sits like low hanging fruit—instead she goes quiet in that way she does when carefully considering something.
“Well…I guess I don’t know exactly when I knew, you know?”
Steve shakes his head. If he did know this would all be a lot easier. Instead it feels like he’s been turned inside out and knotted up. Like none of his pieces fit together the way he thought they did. It’s a feeling he thinks he ought to be used to by now, even if he knows he never will be. Each time his entire world is rewritten feels like it ought to be the last. (Sometimes Steve wonders what this must be like for Will. Or El. He’s got some (suspected) traumatic brain injury and a little light torture to cope with, but he was, at the very least, on the other side of puberty for most of it. He can’t wrap his mind around what it must be like to just be a kid who keeps having their life ripped away…) 
Steve is pulled from his thoughts by Robin reaching over him to turn the keys in the ignition, so that the car sits still and silent beneath them.
And then Robin—light of his life, master of his heart—continues talking. “It was all just a…gradual realization, y’know? Like—there were all these bits and pieces falling in my path along the way until one day it all kind of came together. But I guess the first time it went from this sort of, like vague awareness that I thought women were really soft, and–and pretty, and cool, was when I kept thinking about how nice it would be to hold Hailey Carmichael’s hand. Or, uh, kiss her, or…um. Other stuff.” Robin cuts the train of thought off with an awkward huff. “I think that was the first time I really thought about what it would be like if I was with another girl. But after that I thought back to other girls I’d been friends with—how I was always just a bit more cuddly with them than it seemed like I was supposed to be. Or–or how I got jealous if a girl I really liked suddenly had a new friend. And I realized there were also, like, a lot of actresses I had just thought were ‘objectively’ pretty, but actually I think they’re, like, super hot.”
Steve nods slowly and tries to catalog all of the examples Robin just listed against his own memories. He thinks about the way he used to get teased by other boys about his hugs being too soft and girly because he’d lean into them just a little too much, and linger in the embrace for just a little too long. (And, okay, it’s possible that had a little more to do with the fact that he could count on both hands the number of times either of his parents had hugged him in his memory and still have a few fingers left over but he’s going to save that crisis for another day and maybe also a shrink if he can find one that won’t try to lock him up for talking about fucking demodogs and drowned teen girls in his pool, and—right. Having one crisis at a time.) He remembers when Tommy started dating Carol and he was sulky and bitter for weeks, and it had nothing to do with wanting Carol for himself like Tommy had thought at the time. He conjures up images of Harrison Ford and Tom Cruise with no effort at all and realizes he definitely has more than a benign aesthetic appreciation for them. 
Steve’s mouth is dry when he goes to speak again. “A-and how did you know that you...don’t like guys?" Steve is shaking and he seems to lose the connection between his brain and his mouth as he rambles out the totally unnecessary clarification of— "Boys. Men. Whatever.”
At that Robin cocks her head at him, a curious look on her face. “You know it’s possible to like both, right?” She asks the question so gently. Like she’s talking to a spooked animal. Like he really might not know, and like it'd be okay if he didn't. 
(He bitterly thinks for a moment that it'd be better if the problem was just that he didn't know that was an option open to him. Except he knows that in some ways, for him, that might have actually been worse.)
Steve’s knuckles go white as he clutches the steering wheel tightly. “Yeah, I know. Just—answer the question, Rob.” His voice is hoarse and he sounds scared to even his own ears.
Robin’s eyes widen slightly, but she nods. “Y-yeah, okay. Well, uh. I guess I just never really thought I did? Like, I’d tell other girls I had crushes on boys because I knew I was supposed to. But I never really got what other girls meant when they called so-and-so hot or what’s-his-face sexy, y’know. I’d just, like, pick a guy to say I liked so that I didn’t stick out too much.” Robin is silent for a moment, but Steve doesn’t make any attempt to fill it. After a few beats of silence Robin continues on. “But that—Steve, that’s just my story. And, like, I don’t really know other, um, not-straight people, but I’m pretty sure it’s different for some people? Like, some people get married and have kids before realizing that oh, actually, maybe the love they have isn’t actually romantic, or something.”
Steve nods again. That…almost makes sense—after all, that's what happened with his feelings for her, wasn't it?—except… “What about, like, sex, though? How does someone have sex with someone for years without being attracted to them?”
Robin’s brow furrows. “Steve…you know I’m a virgin, right?”
Steve is nodding with embarrassment before she finishes the question. “No, yeah, I do. I’m sorry that was dumb—”
Robin is shaking her head. “Nope! This is a no-dumb-questions type of convo.” Robin takes a deep breath, like she’s bracing herself. “Okay. I can do this," she says to herself. And then she fixes all the intensity of a Robin Buckley Stare on him to say, “Just this once I’m gonna let you talk to me about your—” Robin wrinkles her nose “—sex life. And then never again—understood, Harrington?”
That manages to get a smile out of him and Steve turns to look at Robin fondly. God, he loves her. “Understood, Buckley.” He throws in a mock salute to really sell it. 
 “Okay, so: If, hypothetically, you have had sex with someone you weren’t attracted to, why do you think that would be?”
Steve drums his fingers against the wheel again as he considers the question. “Well, I guess…I mean, I’m supposed to like girls, right?” Steve almost expects Robin to contradict him, but when he steals a glance at her, the expression she’s sending his way just looks sad. It bolsters his resolve to keep going somehow. “Like, Steve Harrington: Golden Boy; Captain of the Swim Team; King of Hawkins High. Everyone just…expects that from me, right? And if—hypothetically—I actually didn’t want that—what I was supposed to, then the best way to make sure no one—” (even me, he thinks, but doesn't say. He thinks Robin will hear it anyway) “—that no one looks at that too closely would be to, like, throw myself at girls, right?”
Robin nods along like everything he’s saying makes sense, rather than being batshit insane. And how would she know? She doesn't have any more of a frame of reference for this than he does, really. And he thinks he has the shape of the rest of it, but it's hanging formless at the periphery of his mind. He really wishes learning things about himself didn't require so much fucking messiness and honesty, but he manages to find the courage to fight through the awkwardness to tack on, “Plus, I mean…sex…feels good? Like, regardless of if I think the person is hot or whatever.”
Robin wrinkles her nose again, but takes it in stride. She bites her lip and looks at him hesitantly—like she’s afraid of how he’ll take whatever it is she’s about to say next. “And…what about Nancy?” The question is almost a whisper. Said softly so as not to break him.
Steve blows out a shaky breath and squeezes his eyes shut. “I…Nancy Wheeler is the girl I could have lived a happy enough life with, even if it wasn’t exactly what I wanted. Or, at least, that's what I thought she was.” Steve leans back in his seat, fighting down tears. “And, Rob—I want kids. I–I’ve always wanted to be a dad, even before I wound up stuck with all the little rugrats I currently cart around.” The car is silent for a few charged beats and into the space he whispers, “How could anyone not love Nancy Wheeler?”
Robin lets out a long breath of her own. “Fuck, dude.”
Steve laughs, and somehow he’s surprised to hear how shaky it comes out. “Yeah.” He reaches up to pinch at the bridge of his nose again, still keeping his eyes shut, taking comfort in the dark. (Something he can only do now, in the safety of daytime, above-ground, where light is only a blink away.)
Silence falls again, and this time it settles like the first real snow of winter.
“So…did that…" Robin's voice carefully breaks through the silence. "Did that help?” 
Steve opens his eyes and turns to look at her, his best girl. Robin looks a little uncertain. A lot out of her depth. He reaches out to take her hand into his own. 
“Yeah, Robbie,” he murmurs. “You always help me.” And maybe that's too much, too soon. A little like saying I love you after the second or third date. But everything between them has been like that. He knows that going through hell with someone is the quickest way to tie people together, if you let it. But for the two of them it feels like more than that. Even with its short existence he knows that nothing ever has or ever will be as strong as what they have. And really, that's what he means. That's what helps. Knowing that for once in his life, he has someone that'll never leave him. 
“Oh.” Robin says, like she's managed to hear all of that (she probably has). She squeezes his hand and the two of them sit in silence for a bit longer.
Robin is the one to break the silence again, and her tone is still careful, but there's a lot more open curiosity to it now. “So…when did, um. When did you—”
“Bathroom.”
“Huh?”
“Th-the…when you…” Steve stops to take a deep breath. For some reason this feels bigger than the rest of it. Bigger than the whole sky. “Robs, you’re the first gay person I’ve ever known. At least that I know of? And, like...my whole life, uh 'queer' people had kind of been made out to be the boogeyman, you know? But I’ve, like, seen actual monsters and you—you’re just a person—the best person. And I just…if Robin Buckley can be gay, I thought…maybe it’s okay if Steve Harrington is too?”
“Oh, Steve.” Robin sounds choked up.
“Don’t you dare cry on me Buckley, or I will too.”
“I don’t know if I can help it,” Robin pulls her hand out of his to wipe not-so-surreptitiously at her eyes. “So. Did you figure it out?”
Steve looks down at his lap, staring into his empty palms. He grits his teeth. “Yeah, Robbie. Yeah, I’m…” he pauses, gathers himself up, and turns to look at his best friend—his soulmate—and prepares to shed away another layer of King Steve (fuck that guy, may he rest in fucking tatters). Robin meets his gaze head on. “I’m gay.” It’s thrilling to say. He feels euphoric.
It’s the scariest thing he’s ever done.
Robin throws her arms around him, and then it’s just two gay teens in Hawkins, Indiana, sitting in a driveway, crying about what it is to be two halves of a whole. What it is to be seen so entirely.
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loveroftoomanyfandoms · 9 months
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Cooking Up Love, Chapter 1
Pairing: Chef!Matt Murdock x F!Journalist!Reader
Rating: T (Not expecting the rating to go up, but this is me we're talking about, so who knows, lol.)
Story Summary: You are a journalist working for the NY Bulletin when you get assigned to interview multi- Michelin star chef Matthew Murdock, co-owner of Daredevil, the hottest new restaurant in Hell's Kitchen. Unfortunately for you, however, Chef Murdock isn't exactly trusting of journalists. As you work to peel back the layers of the closed-off culinary genius, you find yourself becoming interested in more than just his cooking.
Chef Matthew Murdock is struggling to rebuild his culinary reputation after being burned by his former flame, renowned food critic Elektra Natchios. So naturally, when a journalist from the NY Bulletin comes around for an interview he isn't exactly welcoming... Until he finds himself starting to fall for you.
Can two hearts learn to trust one another or will your budding romance go up in flames?
Warnings/Tags: Hallmark levels of fluffy, cheesy goodness (and speed that their relationship develops, lol), no use of Y/N, Matt is not a vigilante, more tags to come as the story develops
Word Count: ~900
A/N: Thank you to everyone for all the excitement over the teaser and I hope you enjoy my self-indulgent Hallmark rom-com chef AU!
And extra thanks to the ultra-talented @theradioactivespidergwen for the adorable divider she made for this! 🥰
Tag List: @yarrystyleeza @hailey-murdock
…And the secret to such a long life?
"Lots of love and laughter," Beth replied with a cheeky smile, "and just not giving a damn what other people think."
You nodded to yourself as you finished reading over your latest story for the New York Bulletin, the newspaper that you worked for. Perfect.
You sent it off to your editor, Mitchell Ellison, for final approval then looked up from your desk as you heard him call your name. "Yeah?"
"I've got a new assignment for you. Walk with me."
You scrambled up from your chair as Ellison passed by your desk, excited to hear what your next assignment was. "What is it?"
"I want you to interview the executive chef at this new restaurant that just opened. Apparently the chef is a big deal in the culinary world."
Your smile fell. You were hoping for a good investigative assignment this time, not another fluff piece. "But Kelsie covers the food and restaurant beat."
"Yeah, well, Kelsie is out sick with food poisoning -- and before you say anything, yes, I do realize the irony." Ellison sighed as the two of you entered his private office. "I really need you on this one -- apparently the chef doesn't usually do interviews but his business partner promised us an exclusive, and besides, you're the best reporter I've got. You'd really be saving my ass here."
You folded your arms and looked at Ellison pointedly. "If I'm the best reporter you've got, then you're gonna start paying me like it. I want a raise." 
Ellison narrowed his eyes at you. "What kind of raise are we talking about here?"
You did some quick mental math. "Twelve percent."
Ellison balked. "Twelve? Are you insane? We could maybe do six."
You shook your head. "Ten, plus I want to move to Lauren's old desk by the window."
After Ellison remained quiet, you shrugged. "You know, maybe I should call that person from the Times back about the position they offered me..."
You turned to leave.
Ellison groaned. "Okay, okay, wait, fine. You've got a deal."
You turned back and shook his hand. "Okay, so who am I interviewing?"
Ellison picked up a sheet of paper and handed it to you. "Guy's name is Matthew Murdock. He's the owner and executive chef of Daredevil, just opened up on 44th."
You scanned the name and address. "What's my deadline?"
"Two weeks -- we need it ready to run in the New York Restaurant week edition."
You nodded. That was pretty tight, but doable. "So when's the interview?"
Ellison coughed. "In 30 minutes."
You looked at him incredulously. "30 minutes? I have zero time to do any research or prepare any questions!"
Ellison shrugged. "If anyone can wing it, you can."
You shook your head and turned to exit his office once again. "You're lucky I'm so good, Ellison!"
You hurried back to your desk and typed "Matthew Murdock chef Daredevil NYC" into your search engine, eyebrows raising at the photograph that popped up. Chef Murdock stood in front of Daredevil, arms crossed and lips turned up into a smirk. He had dark, wavy hair and was wearing a red chef's coat with black trim and round sunglasses with red lenses. Damn, he's hot. 
You quickly made a few notes based on his (very brief) bio on the Daredevil website before dashing out of the office, praying that you would make it to the interview on time.
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"You did what?" Matt hissed as Foggy Nelson, his business partner and sous chef, stood in the doorway of his office.
"Scheduled you for an interview with the food writer from the Bulletin," Foggy replied. 
Matt shook his head. "You know I don't do interviews. Not with wannabe food bloggers, not with TV reporters, not with writers for culinary magazines, and certainly not with food critics for newspapers."
"I don't think she's actually a food critic, she just writes for the food section of the newspaper." Foggy huffed out a breath. "Come on, Matt, you know we need the publicity. The opening hasn't gone as well as we'd hoped and if we have too many more slow nights we're gonna already be in trouble."
Matt scowled. Unfortunately, Foggy was right -- business had been way slower than they had hoped in their first month of opening and a front-page interview with the Bulletin during Restaurant Week actually would be great publicity. "Then you do it."
"You're the culinary genius behind the food, I'm just your business partner and sous chef." Foggy sighed. "My point is that it's your name attached to all those Michelin stars, not mine."
"So what am I getting out of this?"
"The editor promised us the front page of the Restaurant Week kickoff edition."
Matt huffed out a breath. "I hate you so much right now, you know that, right?"
Foggy chuckled. "Thanks, Matty."
"When's the interview?" Matt wanted to do some research on the Bulletin's food writer before he sat down with her just to see if she actually understood the culinary world or if she was just a glorified 'foodie'.
"In 15 minutes."
"What?" Matt shook his head and got up to put his chef's coat on and get ready. This had better be worth it.
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sayafics · 11 months
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Just For A Moment - Part 1
Jay Halstead x OC/reader
This is my first time trying to write something angsty, so please be kind! I've seen quite a few fics where the partner always gets seen when they see their SO cheating, and its always teary denials and breakups, I wanted to put a spin on it and go down the line of "she knows, but she doesn't tell anyone" and the OC kind of just thinks of them as broken up and strangers without telling their SO that.
My plan with this storyline is that everyone kind of sides with Jay because no one really knows why she's being so cold with him, and it just carries on building until it reaches the breaking point. The question is, who'll break first?
Please let me know if you enjoyed this!
TW: cheating, (slightly?) angsty
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Masterlist
Voight had extended an offer for Aurora Gallo to join his Intelligence department a few days after Erin had left, Erin's departure left a gaping hole in the team and Voight was hopeful that Aurora would be the one to mend it.
Aurora was the daughter of an old friend of Hank's. She'd spent a few short years working her way through different organisations such as the CIA and FBI as an undercover operative.
But she needed a break. She was slowly losing herself in the multiple lives she had lived, and she needed a change.
Aurora hadn't expected the offer from Voight, but she was grateful all the same.
She moved to Chicago shortly after his offer, joining the Intelligence office and being partnered with him.
Jay Halstead.
Jay was an enigma - one she couldn't get enough of.
She had heard the rumours, of course. Of how Jay had been in love with Erin before she left.
And she had been the one to replace Erin, in both the team, and now in Jay's life.
It was hard not to draw comparisons. The whispers of the department always found their way to her, and, sometimes, when she looked into Jay's eyes, she always thought she could see him longing for more.
But she told herself not to worry, that Jay cared for her, that Jay chose her.
Not Erin, and definitely not anyone else.
That's what she continued to tell herself. Even after Hailey joined the team, even after Hailey found ways to get close to Jay when she wasn't his partner.
Soon, the small habits that Jay carried out for Aurora, he would carry out for Hailey too.
Checking up on her after a tough case, bringing her coffee in the mornings, dropping her off home after a late day at work, and picking her up bright and early in the morning. All of it, once done just for Aurora, were now moments and memories she shared with Hailey.
And just like that, those actions lost their meaning. But Aurora learnt to hide her hurt, instead choosing to ignore her heart and listen to Jay.
They were just friends.
That was what Jay had said the first time she expressed her concerns over their relationship, and she believed it. That everything Jay did for Hailey was out of the goodness of his heart because he was just so good.
So, on the night of their six month anniversary, when Aurora had dolled herself up and grabbed the cake, she had spent the whole day baking, on her way out of her apartment, she had left with a heart full of love and excitement.
The team had the day off today, and she had spent most of her morning at Jay's house before drumming up an excuse to go back to her apartment so she could finish her preparations.
Aurora held no sadness in her heart at the idea Jay might have forgotten their six month anniversary, after all such a thing wasn't significant to everyone.
But it was special to her, and she wanted to celebrate it with Jay - surprise him even.
Before leaving his place, she had asked Jay if he had plans, and he denied saying his only plan was to drink beer and watch the game. The revelation had calmed her nerves as she promised to text him later if she was free, knowing that she wouldn't because she wanted to surprise him instead.
And that was why she now stood in front of Jay's apartment, a small box with the cake she had baked and decorated that afternoon laid by her feet as she rummaged for the spare key Jay had given her for emergencies.
This seemed like the biggest emergency of all. If she stayed outside any longer, the frosting on her cake would melt off. And no one likes melted frosting.
As she quietly opened the door, she prayed silently that Jay had fallen asleep on the couch as she bent over to pick up her cake before walking through the door. As she closed the door behind her, her heart had calmed at the silence that rang through the apartment, hopeful that Jay truly had fallen asleep so she could set up the kitchen table before waking him.
She had taken two steps towards the kitchen before her eyes landed on the couch, and through the dim lights of a table lamp, she could make out that it was empty. She frowned slightly, hoping Jay wasn't asleep in bed - he rarely slept well, and the idea of waking him from a deep sleep rather than a nap would have just made her feel guilty.
If he had, she would just have to surprise him in the morning, and the thought brought a timid smile onto her face.
She continued her walk towards the kitchen, her steps quiet but hurried as the skirt of her deep blue dress billows around her thighs. She sets the cake on the kitchen counter, hands ready to lift up the lid to see the damage her journey here had done to the cake before she heard it.
Aurora felt her heart sink, pressure building in her sternum as the sound she heard repeated over and over again, not only in her head but in the apartment.
It sounded like... a woman?
She felt her breath stutter, the quiet moans she heard building in volume as she slipped her heels off and treaded cautiously towards the room she knew to be Jay's. After all, she and Jay had been in there many times.
As she got closer towards the room, her hands trembled as she stumbled, her feet catching on clothes thrown astray. The sight caused her to hesitate, frozen in a stupor as she looked at the articles of clothing which littered the floor.
Shoes, trousers, shirts. Women's clothes.
Aurora screwed up her eyes harshly, her breaths coming out in ragged pants as she tried to control herself, trying to convince herself that she was wrong. That Jay couldn't do anything wrong. He cares about her. He loves her. He said so himself. Her Jay wouldn't do something like this.
She opened her eyes, determination painted her gaze as she continued her path to Jay's room. His door was cracked open, and she held her breath as she peaked through.
Aurora's heart fell to the ground - shattered and broken. She had hoped, and she had prayed that the grunts and pleas - sounds she was so familiar with - were just a trick her paranoia was playing on her.
But looking into Jay's room, there was no denying it.
There sat her boyfriend, on the bed they had made love in, fucking another woman. Jay was leaning against the headboard, his head thrown back in pleasure as his hand gripped the waist of the blonde woman perched on his lap, his knuckles blanched as he ground her hips against his, the motion causing a moan of pleasure to wrench itself from her throat, his name on her lips as she spoke - "fuck, Jay, I'm so close."
The blood had drained from Aurora's face, she knows that voice.
"I know, baby. I'm close, too. God, Hail you feel so good."
Baby?
Tears began to well in Aurora's eyes. Jay calls her baby, and now he's called her too?
This wasn't some one night stand or some mistake. No, Jay cares about Hailey, so much so that he is willing to betray Aurora to have her.
Aurora's throat ached as she held back her sobs, her heart burning in agony as she stepped back quietly from the door. She made her way back to her things and hastily grabbed her box of cake and shoes as she scrambled away from Jay's apartment, running away from the her own nightmare.
She made it to her car, hands shaking as she shut herself in and sobs poured out from her.
Aurora had no one to go to. She didn't know the team as well as Jay, and she hadn't been around Chicago enough to make close friends. Her previous career and her lifestyle made it hard to make friends, much less keep them.
And now, when she needed someone the most, she had no one.
And she had lost the one person she thought she could always go to.
Aurora's eyes were filled with tears, and her heart filled with pain as she drove home. Her hands were shaky on the steering wheel, and she relied on muscle memory to bring her back to the place she felt the most safe in.
The place she had allowed Jay in, the place she was the most vulnerable in. And he ruined it. He ruined her.
Without warning, anger began to bubble in her chest. Anger towards herself for being so naive to believe Jay when he said they were just friends, anger towards Jay for lying to her, for betraying her, anger towards Hailey for being a friend to her only to betray her too.
The anger that built up in her on the drive home festered throughout the night. As Aurora lay in bed, struggling to quieten her mind enough to get some sleep, her eyes burning from all the tears she shed and her throat raw from her screams and cries, she felt her anger morph into dread.
Tomorrow, she would see the man that betrayed her, and the woman she called a friend.
On her nightstand, her phone continued to light up the ceiling as notifications popped up. But Halstead's texts went unanswered.
***
The next morning, Aurora had awoken from a restless sleep, and she instinctively reached for her phone, a ghost of a smile on her face as she looked for the sweet 'good morning' messages her Jay would send her every morning.
Hey baby, you okay? You didn't come back over yesterday.
Aurora felt her smile falter - the most recent text Halstead sent caused the memories of last night to flash past her eyes. The remembrance of his lies and his betrayal once more brings tears to her eyes as they fall, leaving hot trails in their tracks.
Her eyes then fall to a text from Voight - Case. Meet at 9.
It was currently 7:30am, which gave her plenty of time to pull herself together and push away the dread of having to see the two people she trusted most after their betrayal.
She pushed herself out of bed, shuffling towards the bathroom - dear God, she looked a mess. The makeup from last night still painted her face, but her mascara and eyeliner were now smudged and drawn down her cheeks in smeared streaks, and through the smudged-off makeup, the faint lines of the scars she hid could be seen.
And her eyes, they looked sad.
And that realisation made fury bite at her, she looked so pathetic.
God, it was her fault. To let him in so easily, after all she had been through and all she had learnt about men. She had still gone and trusted one with her heart.
Aurora had come across all kinds of men and stood against them undefeated - those who beat their wives and children, those who hurt and raped the innocent, those who killed without fear of consequences and those who tortured with hearts full of glee.
And yet, it was Jay Halstead who broke her. All because she let him in, let him get too close.
Determination set in her gaze once more. She wouldn't let Halstead be the end of her. No, she was stronger than that, better than that.
With that thought in mind, Aurora got ready to face the man she once called her boyfriend and the love of her life.
***
When Aurora stepped into the district, it was obvious to Sargent Platt that something was different.
She looked the same - her hair pinned up in the same sleek ponytail, dressed in the same long sleeve jumper and cargos. But her face was void of emotions, and her eyes looked like they were drowning in them.
Sargent Platt liked Aurora. She was a good kid, and despite all the years she spent around violence and horror in her years undercover, she had managed to keep a pure heart and a joyful soul.
It seemed now that both of those things had been drained out of her.
"Hey, kid. Come here a sec."
"Sorry, Sargent, got a case," Aurora nodded stiffly in Trudy's direction before walking up the steps to the intelligence office.
Sargent?
Aurora has called her boss, even Platt. When she tried to push her friendship with her, Aurora would even call her Trudy, sometimes, in a teasing manner. But she had never been so formal, so devoid of emotion.
Trudy felt worried for the girl, her mind running countless scenarios as she wondered what had made her lose her light in such a short amount of time.
***
When Aurora had made her way up the stairs, the office was already buzzing, her team talking and walking around in circles as they discussed the case on hand - a twelve year old boy had been kidnapped, this was the third case over the last ten days and the other victims had been found dead. Homicide had turned up empty in their investigation, and given how close the last case was to their district, Voight offered to take it off their hands, to which they gladly agreed.
She looked over her colleagues, scanning the room for the one person she was unsure of if she would want to see. But it seems his eyes found her first.
"Babe, there you are," Jay's voice sounded exasperated as he leapt up from his seat at his desk, and just like always, Hailey was hovering over his shoulder.
Usually, the action would cause her to feel slightly annoyed, the feeling being quelled when Jay would hold her hand or kiss her cheek or just say her name.
Now, the sight brought a burst of emotions, all of which she fought down and locked away to face at another time when she was alone and it was safe to be vulnerable.
Halstead made his way to her, his hands cupping her cheeks as he looked at her in concern, "baby, you didn't answer my texts, I was so worried."
Aurora shrugged lightly, her face still blank as she found she had no energy to even fake a smile to him, "I was tired."
No apology, no placation. Because he didn't deserve that.
It seemed that Jay had noticed her lack of reason and apology, too, the concern in his eyes growing as Aurora pushed his hands down gently - "we have a case to work."
She pushed past him and walked to her desk, ignoring the 'hey, Aurora' Hailey had thrown her way, grateful when Voight had chosen that exact moment to step out of his office and brief them.
Unbeknownst to her, Jay continued to eye her in worry. He had already been struggling to fight off the guilt he felt when he stepped out on Aurora and slept with Hailey, but to see her so drawn away and isolated only made that grow. Paranoia ate at his heart, but he knew there could be no way she caught them.
Voight had given them the basics of Aurora's past career as an undercover agent, and Jay knew that if she had caught him and Hailey, they would be working on their murder case right now instead.
What do we think? Do we want a part 2?👀
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go-to-two · 18 days
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I am trying hard to understand because I like Jay and I want to see him again, but I really don't get how Upstead fans want Hailey to just take him back after everything he did.
I don't think anyone wants her to "just take him back". We (or at least I, but I'm pretty sure it's a we) want to see them given the chance to work on it. That's what they did for five years of their relationship- they handled things together. The fandom doesn't accept that he would just stop talking to her forever and they'd be fine to let it die as is, because they wouldn't. They never have been.
A lot of work would have to come from Jay, we all know that. Forgiveness is part of adult life, and we know these characters are better together.
This isn't directed at you anon, but just a general observation. It is funny to me that most of the resistance I see about them showing Jay and Hailey together comes from people who never liked Hailey or the couple to begin with. If they never cared about her before, why would I believe they care about her more than people who have rooted for her for years do now?
Anyway, that's not on you. I just rambled a bit. That's my stance. If you're looking to understand why I want to see them together again, it's because everything that separated them goes against who they were for years. I want to see them be given the chance to heal and move on together, and have a bit of happiness after several long, ridiculously miserable years (for the characters and the fans).
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