#eleanora has thoughts

[elean0rarose]

I have bought transparent post-its (who even knew they were a thing? Such a marvellous invention!), those little tabby things you can mark pages with and write a brief note on, and a little notebook for vocabulary, so you could say I'm getting excited to begin my research on medieval life.

#eleanora has thoughts

[penmansparadise]

Tommy Shelby ~ Dust in the Wind

*I DON'T OWN THIS GIF* *CREDIT TO GIF OWNER*

*I do not give anyone permission to repost my work in any way (translations included)*

Pairing: Tommy Shelby x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 5.5k

Warnings: Discusses infant loss/stillborn, ANGST, mild language, possibly ooc Tommy

a/n: Alright, well, it has been quite some time since I've posted on this site. First, let me get a few things out. 1) This is the most self-indulgent piece I have ever written, so if you don't want to read it, please just keep on scrolling. 2) This does not mean that I am ready to start taking requests again or that I will be regularly writing again. As stated before, this is a very self-indulgent piece because I just experienced the loss of my daughter, who was born prematurely. It has completely wrecked me, and I have just finally decided to start writing again. I am trying to navigate my loss and thought maybe writing would help. It did, and although this piece is a little darker than I usually write, it was therapeutic, and I wanted to share it because I am proud of my work. I did write it as a reader insert, but if you all read it and think it would be better as an OC story, I'll change it. Anyway, this is the first time I've ever written for Tommy, so please forgive the potential out-of-character actions he has in this story. Also, it has been a bit since I watched season 3 so forgive any mistakes. I took some liberties with the story by adding different children for Tommy and Y/N and some of the things that happened in the show. Well, I hope you enjoy this story, and would really like to know what you all think.

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Y/N was no stranger to death.  It was Small Heath, for goodness’ sake.  Death practically ran in the water.  Being deeply entrenched in the Shelby family since she was a young girl only made her acquaintance with death’s steely grip all that much closer.  She had been to more than enough funerals in her 29 years of living.  She was present at the cemetery when her father finally drank himself into his grave, she was there to mourn when consumption took her mother, and she showed up to support Ada when they buried Freddie.  Y/N was always there when any of the Peaky boys were killed in the line of action, and she even showed up for her elderly childhood neighbor’s funeral.  But this time, it was different.  She wasn’t gathered in the woods on the outskirts of Small Heath to mourn for someone else.  There wasn’t a stranger tucked away in the wagon standing in front of her.  The Shelbys weren’t gathered to bid farewell to a distant relative or friend.  The Lees weren’t generously providing this funeral for a price.  No, the whole Shelby and Lee families were there for her and Tommy this time.

            The heat from the flames washed over Y/N’s face, making her sweat a little, but she didn’t move.  She wanted to be as close as she could possibly be.  If she had it her way, she would have jumped into the wagon and let the flames swallow her whole, but Tommy’s hand tightly gripping hers anchored her to the ground.  It had only been a few days.  It couldn’t have been more than four, but with how time was moving, it felt like a lifetime had passed.  The flames roared on, and Tommy squeezed her hand a little tighter, causing Y/N’s throat to tighten.  She swallowed down the sadness trying to claw its way out of her.  Y/N wasn’t going to break down in front of all these people.  She didn’t want to cry at all, for that matter.  It felt like it had been an endless stream of tears, and Y/N was done.  If only her aching heart would catch the memo.  Y/N’s eyes traveled the length of the flames until they landed on the little plaque one of the Lee boys carved for the wagon.  “Lily Eleanora Shelby,” it read, and suddenly, the sadness returned with a vengeance.  Y/N shut her eyes, and the events that led to this day played in her head.  She was supposed to be happy.  She was supposed to be full of unadulterated joy.  She was supposed to be cradling her newborn baby girl.  But she wasn’t.  Instead, she held onto her husband’s hand like a lifeline as she watched her daughter’s wagon burn.  One day.  That’s all it took to completely destroy her.

            Even as she stood there, watching the flames devour her daughter’s wagon, she still recounted everything she did four days ago, trying to figure out what could have possibly led to this result.  Four days ago, she was a cheery 29-week pregnant woman.  A stay-at-home mom who, with the help of their maid Frances, cared for her and Tommy’s three-year-old son, Benjamin.  That day had started like any other.  Tommy was already out, and she could hear Frances chasing Ben around his room.  The little boy’s giggles echoed through the house, and she remembers smiling as she slid a hand over her round tummy.  Y/N couldn’t wait for Ben to be a big brother.  She got ready like any other day and eventually made her way to her son, who welcomed her presence with a hug and a kiss.  The little boy rubbed her tummy, planted a chaste kiss to her navel, and smiled at her. 

            “I just wanted to let my little brother or sister know that I love them too, Mommy,” he had said, causing Y/N’s heart to clench.  Even at three, he was a charmer, just like his father.  She knelt to be at eye level with her son and lifted her hand to cradle his face.

            “You’re going to be a wonderful big brother; do you know that?”

            “Of course I will be, Mommy.  I’ve been practicing sharing my toys with Frances and making sure I listen real good to you and daddy.”  He said, standing up straighter to exhibit his full height.  “Frances says I need to be a good example for the new baby, or else Santa won’t bring me any presents this year for Christmas.  How outrageous is that, Mommy!?”

            Y/N stifled a laugh before brushing Ben’s hair back and looking up to see Frances smirking from her spot by Ben’s block tower. 

“I’m sure Santa won’t forget about you this year, honey.”  She told her son.  The boy gave her a toothy grin before trotting off to continue playing with his blocks. 

Y/N returned to her feet and watched Ben for another minute before retreating to the new nursery.  It was already put together, and she often found herself hiding away in that room.  She glided her hand over the bassinet and let the soft fabric tickle her palm.  The walls were already decorated with paintings of horses, some of which came from Ben, who insisted that his younger sibling have them.  She sat on the rocking chair and gently rubbed her hands over her stomach, earning a little kick from her unborn child.  A soft laugh fell from her lips as she looked down at her growing bump.

“Sorry to disturb you, love.”  She whispered, her hands still rubbing slow circles.  “Mommy just wanted to let you know she loves you very much.  And so does your big brother, who is very excited to meet you.”

Another kick came.

“You’re excited to meet him, too?  I’ll have to let him know.”

“Daddy loves you too, just in case Mommy forgot to mention that.”  Tommy’s voice came from the doorway, causing Y/N to look up.  He gave her a full smile, the one he reserved only for her and their son, and it fell over her like a warm blanket.

“Mommy was just about to get there.  Had daddy not interrupted her,” she said.  Tommy hummed in response as he floated across the room to kneel before her.  He looked up at Y/N through his lashes and said, “Sure you were,” before removing her hands and planting a soft kiss where they had just lay.

“Daddy can’t wait to meet you,” he whispered against her stomach, his warm breath radiating throughout her body.  Tommy looked up at Y/N before standing and pressing his lips to hers.  When he pulled away, a smile matching his spread across her face.  She was beaming.  She had dreamt of being in this position for many years as a teenager, and now it was real.  Thomas Shelby was hovering over her very pregnant figure in their unborn second child’s nursery.  Their lively three-year-old son’s muffled laughter ricocheted off the hallway walls.  It was everything she ever wanted, and she was so happy.

“What’s that look for?”  Tommy asked, pulling her out of her thoughts.

“Nothing,” she hummed, gaining a skeptical eyebrow raise from her husband.  “I just love you.  That’s all.”

Tommy nestled his face into the crook of her neck, peppering kisses along the exposed skin.  Then he pulled back, looked into her eye, and said, “I love you more than you know, Y/N.”

He gave her one more swift kiss before standing and sauntering out of the room with a smirk.  The rest of the day went by like any day usually went.  She sat around and read, played with Ben, ate lunch at 1100, put Ben down for a nap at 1230, and then went back to reading.  Tommy was in and out, balancing work from home and the office.  She could tell that day was extra tiring from how he sighed every time he left the house.  It was after Tommy left for the last time of the day that Y/N got the idea to wander down to the kitchen.  When she entered, the cooks were hard at work peeling and slicing vegetables.

“Good evening, Mrs. Shelby,” the head chef began, “is there anything we can do for you, ma’am?”

Y/N clasped her hands behind her back as she rocked back and forth on her heels like a guilty toddler.  “Um,” she said, “actually, yes, there is.”  She stepped into the kitchen and moved her hands to rest on her stomach.  “I was thinking that maybe tonight you and the rest of the staff could take the evening off and allow me to cook dinner.”

The head chef’s eyes widened at her statement.  Everyone else stilled for a brief moment, waiting for him to speak.  “Oh,” he stammered, “b-but, Mrs. Shelby, and please forgive me if I am overstepping, but shouldn’t you be resting instead of cooking?”  His eyes dipped down to her protruding abdomen before landing back on her face. 

“Resting?  I rest all day.  Really,” Y/N said, waving the chef’s comment off, “it would be nothing.  I actually miss being in the kitchen.  It’ll be nice.  Therapeutic.”  She couldn’t miss the wide-eyed stares from everyone in the room, but she chose to ignore them.  When they didn’t move to leave, she stepped forward, placed a gentle hand on the head chef’s back, and began leading him out of the kitchen. 

“Trust me,” she said, “I’ll be fine.  Thank you for your concern, though.”

Once she ushered the staff out, she began working on dinner.  It had been a long time since she cooked, but it came back to her like riding a bicycle.  She couldn’t escape the excitement that bubbled inside of her as she fell into a groove preparing dinner for her family again.  She boiled the potatoes the staff had peeled, sauteed the peppers and onions, and braised the beef that was in the refrigerator.  About an hour into cooking, a dull pain emanated from her lower back and into her hips.  The dull pain slowly morphed into a pressure that she just assumed was normal 29-week pregnancy symptoms.  It’s just the baby getting comfortable.  The baby is just moving around and pressing a little harder than usual on my cervix.  She ignored the feelings and finished cooking before asking the kitchen staff for help to bring the meal into the dining room.  Once the table was set, Frances went and fetched her boys, alerting them that not only had Y/N cooked dinner, but she had also served it.  She greeted the boys in the doorway of the dining room and gave each a kiss before they all sat to eat.  That pain returned in her lower back and hips, making it hard to get comfortable in her seat.  She let out a low groan of discomfort, and Tommy placed his hand over hers to gain her attention.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his eyebrows knitted together.  She swallowed another groan that threatened to come out and nodded with a strained smile.  Y/N could tell that her weak answer did nothing to reassure Tommy, but he didn’t press her. 

“How do you like the meal?”  She asked, doing her best to not sound strained against the constant pressure she felt pulsing between her legs.

Before Tommy could answer, Ben nodded with enthusiasm and stuffed a heaping scoop of mashed potatoes into his mouth.  “I love it, Mommy!  This is the best dinner I’ve ever had,” he said through his mouthful of food. 

Y/N smiled, but it must have looked more like a grimace because this time, Tommy stood up and moved to her side.  “Y/N,” he said, placing his hands on her shoulders, “are you sure you’re okay?  Should I have Frances phone the doctor?” 

Y/N grabbed his hand and squeezed it as she looked up to her husband.  “I’m fine, darling.  I promise.  Let’s just finish dinner.”  She pulled his hand to her mouth and pressed a kiss to his knuckles.  Then, using her head, she motioned for Tommy to sit again.  He stared at her for another moment, the line on his forehead deepening, before sighing and retaking his seat.  She kept her discomfort under wraps for the remainder of dinner because Tommy didn’t mention anything until after they had put Ben down for the night and were about to crawl into bed.  The pressure and pain had only grown in that short time, and she was beginning to get nervous.  She was sitting on the edge of their bed, eyes shut, and taking some deep breaths when Tommy’s hands landed on her thighs.  She could feel him kneeling between her legs, but she didn’t open her eyes.  She didn’t want to admit that her anxiety was consuming her or that the pain and pressure had turned into abdominal cramps.  It wasn’t until she suddenly felt the bed beneath her sopping wet that she looked at Tommy.  He looked down and saw the fluid dripping from her nightgown and their duvet before his gaze landed on her.  She could see his mouth moving, but his voice was drowned out by her rapidly beating heart.  Something is wrong.  She thought.  This shouldn’t be happening.  I’m too early.  Tommy pushed away the hair that had begun sticking to her sweaty forehead, and then ran out of the room.  His voice was distant, but she could have sworn he said something about calling Polly and Ada.  She wasn’t sure because all she could focus on was the sharp pain that was puncturing her abdomen and the immense pressure building between her legs.  Before she could comprehend what was happening, Tommy scooped her up and lay her on their bed.  What about the sheets?  I’m going to ruin the bed. 

She must have said those thoughts aloud because Tommy quickly said, “Don’t worry about the bed, love.  We’ll get another one if we have to.”  The pain was only getting worse, and she had to shut her eyes and bite her tongue to prevent a groan from escaping.  She didn’t know how much time had passed before Polly and Ada came rushing into the room, shoving Tommy into the hallway.  When it was just the three of them, Y/N finally let out a guttural moan.  She didn’t remember this much pain when she gave birth to Ben.  Something is wrong.  Something is not right.  Those words chanted in her head like a mantra.  Polly set her up on her bed while Ada used a wet towel to wipe away the sweat beading on her face.

“Just breathe, Y/N,” Polly chirped soothingly in her ear. “Ada and I are here.  We’re going to take care of you.”

Anxiety coursed through her veins and unfurled in her gut when the pressure between her legs began to increase.  She tried to cross her legs and prevent the inevitable from happening, but Polly and Ada wouldn’t let her.  Tears of pain and fear streamed down her cheeks.  She wanted to scream at them to stop and let her try to stop this urge to push.  But the pain and pressure were too much, and the only sound that came out of her mouth was a low groan. 

She could feel Polly’s hand between her legs, and the words “crowning” and “push” floated to her ears.  Ada took her hand, and Y/N tried with every fiber in her body to not push, but her body had other plans.  She held her breath and begged her body to stop forcing her baby out of her, but it was too late.  The pressure was building.  Climbing to a peak that felt like it would rip her in half until suddenly, she felt relief.  Her heavy breathing filled the room, and she waited impatiently for the tell-tale cries of her baby, but they never came.  She opened her eyes and looked at Polly and then at Ada.  They both just stared back at her, and Y/N knew something wasn’t right. 

“Y/N,” was all Polly whispered, and she knew.  The silence was deafening.  She lay there, completely exposed, bleeding, and sweaty, and waited, but her baby gave her nothing.  Her eyes shut and then, without any strength to stop it, let out a crushing wail.  The tears overflowed, and when she opened her eyes again, she watched the door burst open and Tommy storm in.  He moved over to where Polly held their baby and looked down at their motionless child.

“Why isn’t she crying?”  He asked. 

It was a girl.  I had a baby girl.  Even through her tears and sobs, she could see Tommy’s chest rising and falling at a rapid pace.

“Why isn’t she fucking crying, Pol!?”  Tommy’s voice boomed through the room and mixed with her loud cries to create the saddest song.  She could see the distress in the slant of his shoulders and how he ran a hurried hand through his cropped hair.  He didn’t wait for anyone to answer his question before bounding across the room and landing on the floor next to her.  His hands found hers, and she could feel them shaking.  His lips pressed to Y/N’s forehead and cheeks, absorbing only some of the tears that continued to cascade down her face. 

“It’s okay,” he whispered, but the way his voice cracked in her ear told her he didn’t even believe those words.  “I love you, Y/N.”  She could hear that his words dripped with the same despair she felt.  “You know that, ey?  I love you, and it’s going to be okay.”

Tommy’s words echoed in her head as she watched the fire blaze around her daughter’s wagon.  She wanted to be convinced that his words were true, but she couldn’t bring herself to believe them.  When the funeral finished, they all returned to Arrow House, where the wake was being held.  Even being in a crowded room surrounded by family, Y/N felt alone.  Her whole body was like radio static – unfeeling.  Tommy’s hand was on her lower back the entire time, but she still felt like she was floating away.  Nothing could tether her to this reality anymore.

Several people approached her and Tommy, and with every person, a new empty comment emerged. 

“I’m so sorry for your loss,” which loosely translates to, “Boy, that sucks to be you.”

“I can’t even imagine what you’re going through,” which means, “I’m really glad I’m not dealing with that!”

And, “At least you still have Ben,” equates to, “You shouldn’t be upset when you still have one kid alive.”

With every consolation tossed at her feet like the change she used to find on the ground when she was a child, this unknown sensation began to build in her chest.  It was heavy and wild, like an untamed animal.  It was red and bared its teeth, ready to bite.  It was something Y/N had never felt before.  She was usually understanding, calm, and collected.  She wasn’t hot-headed or easily provoked.  But now, she was quickly discovering that what she was feeling was rage.  Hot and stormy, it ravaged her insides, and instead of beating it back into its cage, Y/N leaned into it, letting it hold her battered and broken soul up.

After the wake, Y/N let her sadness swallow her.  She hid in one of the guest rooms daily and even went as far as to avoid Tommy.  She couldn’t bring herself to look at him because every time their eyes met, two things happened.  1) she could see the grief he was carrying like cinder blocks chained to his neck, and 2) she could see the way he looked at her like she was a broken piece of artwork now.  She knew she was a shell of the woman she once was, but it hurt her even more to know that Tommy saw it so plainly in her, too.  He didn’t see her as the strong, independent woman he fell in love with.  No, now she was a ghost of her former self, and she couldn’t take his pity for having lost their daughter and herself. 

Although clearly grieving, Tommy didn’t seem nearly as phased by their loss as Y/N.  He was able to jump back into work, and now, nearly a week since the wake, he was back to being fully invested.  If Y/N were being honest, she envied Tommy for being able to distract himself.  She couldn’t do anything but hide from the memories that haunted their home and do her best to still be a good mother to Ben.  When a week finally passed since laying her daughter to rest, Y/N knew she had to do something.  She would talk to Polly and beg for some sort of work.  She didn’t care that Polly insisted that Y/N take some “time to heal.”  She needed a distraction.  Being in Arrow House felt more like a prison than a home.

Y/N got dressed and began to head for the door after handing Ben over to Frances.  But, as she approached Tommy’s office, she could hear him talking.  She peeked through the tiny crack to discover John and Arthur sitting at Tommy’s desk. 

“Ada’s handling the Communists.  She’s got someone on the inside who’s giving us information,” Tommy stated.  “And,” he shuffled papers around on his desk, “I’m…dealing with Father Hughes.”

“And what about the horny princess?” John asked, leaning forward and adjusting his jacket.  “You gonna figure out where her family keeps the jewels?”

Tommy waved him off.  “I already know.”  That single statement had both his brothers and Y/N leaning forward just slightly.  Tommy lay a large blueprint on his desk, causing the brothers to stand.

“They keep their entire collection in this strong room.  There’s no way to get in from above without a key,” Tommy stated, flattening the paper and looking up at his brothers. 

“So, what’s your plan, brother?”  Arthur asked like a good soldier.  Tommy straightened slightly, and Y/N could tell he was a little uncomfortable.  He pulled a cigarette from his case and slid it across his bottom lip before lighting it and taking a drag. 

“We’ve gotta tunnel in,” Tommy said without hesitation.  Those four words landed on the Shelby men like a grenade, and Y/N could almost feel the atmosphere shift at the statement.  None of them moved.  It was evident that the idea of tunneling hadn’t been a thought in any of their minds since the war.  Tommy cleared his throat. 

“I know,” he began, “but there’s no other way.  I’ve already got Johnny Dogs ready to help.  He’ll set up camp where we’ll start the tunnel.”

The air was thick, and again, neither of the brothers spoke.  She knew they didn’t like the plan, but they would comply because Tommy was giving the orders.  Y/N watched as John and Arthur fiddled with their suit jackets, their anxious energy hitting her like a baseball bat to the face.  It wasn’t until Arthur blew out a puff of air and ran his hand through his messy hair, exposing his apprehension, that Y/N knew what she would do.  Without even a second thought, Y/N opened the door to Tommy’s office, and all three men turned to face her.  She was only adding insult to injury as the silence in the room became even heavier.  Neither of her brothers-in-law had seen her since the wake, and the uneasy energy was almost palpable.  Tommy stepped toward her but didn’t get too close, which Y/N could see his brothers noticed.

“Y/N, is everything alright, love?”

Her eyes flitted between all three of the Shelby men for a moment before finally landing back on Tommy.  She knew she probably looked like a deer in headlights.  Her stare was frazzled, and she knew she looked a bit harried.  But she still squared her shoulders and stated with the most conviction she could muster, “Let me help.”

All three men’s eyes widened to the size of saucers, but only one spoke. 

“Excuse me?”  Tommy asked, incredulity lacing each word.  There was no going back now.  Y/N had to double down on her commitment.  So, she waved her hand toward the blueprints on Tommy’s desk. 

“With the tunnel.”

Tommy’s eyes turned a shade darker, and Y/N could see his jaw tick.  She only glanced at John and Arthur for a second, and they both looked like they might choke on the thickness of the air.  She felt like she might, too, but she held her ground.  She was not a fragile porcelain doll and could help her husband like she used to.  Tommy coughed, then turned to his brothers and, in a calm voice, asked, “Would you mind giving me a moment with my wife, boys?”

Neither of the brothers wasted a second before hustling out into the hallway.  Once the door shut behind them, Tommy’s steely gaze landed back on Y/N.  Before, she would have felt a little nervous under Tommy’s intense glare.  She had never inserted herself into his shoddy business in the past.  But now, she didn’t care.  She needed a distraction and a way to prove that she was still a force to be reckoned with even after her loss.  Y/N could see Tommy trying to contain his anger as his nostrils flared and his fists clenched and unclenched at his sides.  His eyes shut for a brief moment as he took a deep inhale.

“Are you fucking insane, Y/N?”  He finally asked, his voice level.  Y/N’s mouth fell open, and she reared back just slightly.  But before she could say anything, Tommy continued.

“You’ve been avoiding me, your husband, for a week in our own home, and when you decide to finally speak to me, that is what you say?”

Y/N rolled her eyes.  “Tommy.”

“No, Y/N!”  He shouted, causing her to startle.  “You can’t just move past this!”

That statement made Y/N see red.  In the week since Lily’s passing, Tommy did precisely that.  Y/N’s spine straightened, and her whole body became rigid.

“Why not!?” she shouted back, stomping toward Tommy.  “Is that not what you did?  Pretend like we didn’t lose our daughter?  You threw yourself into your work.  Why can’t I do the same thing?”  Her chest was heaving, and as badly as she didn’t want them to, she could feel tears pricking at her eyes.  She hated that she was a frustrated crier.  Her fists were in tight balls at her sides, and every muscle in her body was flexed.  She was ready for a fight.  She was prepared for Tommy to yell back at her.  In fact, she wanted him to yell at her.  She wanted Tommy to tell her how stupid her idea was and that she was out of her mind.  She mentally begged Tommy to scream at her for barging in on his meeting with his brothers and even thinking about tunneling.  Y/N wanted to feel the passion he usually had toward her before they lost their baby.  She needed him to reassure her that she was not a lost cause he was housing but his fierce wife.  But he didn’t yell.  The fire in his eyes dimmed, and his features softened.  The pity eyes were back, and she was struck by the sadness she was trying to escape.  She shut her eyes in a lame attempt to avoid looking at her husband and keep her tears at bay, but it was futile.  The tiny droplets fell down her cheeks, and when she opened her eyes again, Tommy was right in front of her.  He lifted his hands to cradle her face, and she hated how she melted into his touch.  It had been a week since she even looked at Tommy, let alone touched him.  She couldn’t lie, she missed him.  But it was easier to hide from the pain and suffering they both shared than deal with it head-on. 

Y/N let out a shaky breath and looked into her husband’s eyes. 

“Why can’t I, Tommy?” She asked, barely above a whisper.  “Let me help you.  Please.”

Tommy’s thumb stroked her cheeks, wiping away a stray tear.  He cataloged her features, and for the first time in a very long time, she wished she could see into Tommy’s thoughts.  She stared at him and hoped that everything she wanted to say was conveyed in her eyes.  I’m no longer the same woman I was a week ago.  I’m a failure as a woman and a mother.  I’m alone, letting my thoughts eat me alive.  I’m scared you won’t love this broken woman I have become.  Her eyes pleaded for Tommy to let her prove that she could still be the same person as before.  She needed to prove to him and herself that she wasn’t hopeless.  But when Tommy shut his eyes and let out a sigh, she knew his answer before he even said it. 

He looked at Y/N and said sotto voce, “You know I can’t, love.”

Y/N’s body went rigid, and that new familiar sensation began to bubble in her gut.  She could feel it rumbling and swirling, mixing with her fear and sadness, creating an uncontrollable fury.  It burned like venom, but she found herself welcoming the sting.  Her once soft features hardened, and Tommy noticed the change immediately.  Her stare was blank, and the joy that used to fill it had vanished.  Before losing her daughter, she never understood why the war had changed Tommy.  She supported him while his experiences ravaged him, but she never knew why he returned with a harder exterior than when he left.  But now, after suffering such a devastating loss, she understood.  There is no coming back from witnessing a tragedy. 

Tommy’s rough thumbs brushed against Y/N’s tear-stained cheeks and bent until his forehead rested on hers.  “Where did the woman I married three years ago disappear to?”  He said, his breath fanning over her face.  He pulled back, his distressed stare locking Y/N in place, and whispered, “I know she’s in there.”

The words stung like a slap to her already bruised ego.  She could feel the weight of that question in every bone of her body.  All her fears began raging a war inside her head, and she could feel her armor cracking.  She could feel the tears clogging her throat, burning as she swallowed them down.  Her lungs felt like they weren’t getting nearly enough oxygen, and she was only seconds away from either crying or breaking something.  With a swift step backward, Y/N separated herself from her husband.  She hated to admit that her body yearned for Tommy’s hands back on her, but she batted that thought away as quickly as it appeared.  Tommy slowly lowered his hands back to his sides, and she leveled him with a callous stare.

“That woman is gone, Tommy,” she spat.  “She burned to ash with her daughter a week ago.”  She could see the way her words landed on Tommy like bullets striking his chest.  Some of her felt bad, but the angry beast slowly becoming her new persona convinced her she did nothing wrong. 

Y/N waited for Tommy to say something, anything, back to her, and when he didn’t, she turned and reached for the door.  Confidence that felt different from what she was used to coursed through her body like electricity.  She was a little scared of who she was becoming, but those wild and fiery feelings of rage were the only things that brought her peace.  Before pulling the door open, she turned back toward Tommy and said, “If you won’t let me help you, Tommy, I’ll find someone else who will.  You forget, my roots run deep in this business, too.”

Tommy let out a dry laugh.  “You’re really threatening me, now, ey?”

Y/N’s grip tightened around the cold door handle, and, through gritted teeth, she growled, “It’s not a threat, Thomas.  It’s a promise.”  Without a second look, she flung the door open and stepped out. 

John and Arthur straightened at her abrupt appearance, and she just brushed past them, letting her feet carry her toward the front of their home.  She knew they heard her and Tommy’s conversation, but she didn’t care anymore.  This newfound boldness that her bereavement had granted her washed away any and all anxiety.   

“Hope you enjoyed the show, boys,” Y/N tossed over her shoulder toward John and Arthur.  “Next time, I’ll sell tickets and make talking to my husband more worthwhile rather than a waste of my time.”

She didn’t turn back around to see their reaction to her words.  Instead, she showed herself out and hopped into one of Tommy’s many vehicles.  She would find another way if he wouldn’t allow her to help.  The image of a tall Jewish man whom she briefly met a while back when Tommy first started expanding into London entered her mind.  She knew exactly who would be more than willing to give her a hand in her effort to help the Shelby family – Alfie Solomons.

#peaky blinders #peaky blinder fanfic #peaky blinder imagine #peaky blinders fanfiction #peaky blinders fanfic #tommy shelby #tommy shelby fanfiction #peaky blinders imagines #peaky blinders imagine #tommy shelby imagine #tommy shelby imagines #tommy shelby fanfic #tommy shelby x reader #peaky blinder x reader #tommy shelby x you #tommy shelby x y/n #thomas shelby imagine #thomas shelby imagines #thomas shelby fanfic #thomas shelby fanfiction #thomas shelby x reader #thomas shelby x y/n #thomas shelby x you #thomas shelby

[avionvadion]

I may have went a little too hard with the effects but darn it they were pretty. God's design is by @folieradis. I've been seeing it EVERYWHERE and it's utterly delightful so I wanted to draw him, too, lol.

Anyways! Major fic spoilers for Dancing With The Devil, but it's been in my brain for a while and I really wanted to draw it out. I thought it'd be a fun little visual. It's basically Iliana's "punishment" from God, where her soul was left shattered in what is essentially purgatory/limbo until ten thousand years pass and her soul has pieced itself back together as the human Eleanora.

...Okay, listen, I really just liked the morbid imagery of God holding a dead Iliana and the strands of her golden blood turning into the red strings of fate that would tie Eleanora and Lucifer together. T_T

Edit: I fixed Luci's left arm. Man, this art style messes with my sense of anatomy, alskjflkjdlfdj. It's cute, though.

#hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel oc #hazbin hotel god #hazbin hotel lucifer #lucifer magne #lucifer morningstar #hazbin lucifer x oc #dancing with the devil

[queenie-official]

Chapter Five: ‘A royal wedding’ Bridgerton Au!Anakin

part 1, 2, 3, 4

a/n: sorry this took a while to get out guys😅 i was hanging out with my bestie since she was visiting home from college😋😋 anyways i ended up cutting most dialogue from this chapter just to focus on the emotional aspect- i hope you guys still enjoy 💅✨

a royal wedding was never a small affair for any kingdom. regardless of wether it was public or made private to the people, they would celebrate the conjunction of a happy couple. which seemed ironic considering most royal marriages where strictly out of politics rather than love. you of all people where very aware of the fact considering your situation. so here you are precisely three hours before the wedding pacing in your undergarments as poor Eleanora tries to help get you dressed.

Padme sat on a stool watching you work yourself into a frenzy, she’d already tried to get you to stop but it was futile. in the end you had managed to tune her out entirely to consumed in your own thoughts and worries to process the world around you.

“y/n if you don’t stop moving you’re going to have to show up to your wedding in your underwear” Padme tried once more to garner your attention. slowing to a stop you turn to look at her and then to Eleanora who had quickly seized action the moment you stopped and began putting on your pannier, fearing if she missed the opportunity you’d be a pacing mess again.

“sorry it’s just hard to sit still knowing that i’m going to be a married women in a few hours…” you sigh out still fidgeting slightly as you stood in place but at the very least Eleanora could work with that. Traditionally there would be five to ten bridesmaids with you right now but as much as you got along with your other ladies-in-waiting you didn’t exactly trust them, so it was just the two you knew you could count on most.

“it’s okay to be nervous i was nervous when i got married to my husband” Padme said in a attempt to make you feel less alone. “yes but you did not have the weight of two kingdoms relying on your marriage” you feel the weight of the day pull you down along with what felt like the thousands of layers you where now wearing. yet still Eleanora was not done as she continued to dress you, a wave of fear that you may pass out from how heavy the dress was rushed through you but you pushed it away feeling as if that would be one of the better outcomes of the day rather then some of the other scenarios your brain had come up with.

“i’ve been thinking about it all, what today is going to be like- what the rest of my life is going to be like…” you add running a hand through your hair that still has to be done. you honestly just wished for the day to be over, then you could rest and breath properly once more. free of stress even for just a moment.

“perfectly normal thing to do your majesty” Eleanora said as she finished the final touches of basting on your engageantes. “i just can’t help but feel like something is going to go wrong” you sigh looking down to your hand and staring at the ring that now weighed down your finger, it was a pleasant weight in your opinion. something about it brought a comfort to you, even if the only reason Anakin had given it to you was out of his mothers request. clearly he had thought it worth something to choose a diamond so personal to the place he was from- or maybe you where reading into it too much.

“there’s no sense in worrying about something that has yet to happen.” Padme counters as she and Eleanora both begin to work on your hair once you take a seat in front of your vanity, you were sat at a horrible angle. unable to sit properly with how tight the corset was, you quite literally could not bend. “i feel like i’ll be better prepared if i do” you say with a small pout to your lips that makes padme laugh. “it’s yet to help you thus far” she points out as you nervously twist the ring on your finger, the only thing you could really use to occupy yourself without moving too much. “maybe i just find comfort in worrying, that’s strange isn’t it?”

“i wouldn’t say strange but i also wouldn’t say it’s normal” well you certainly could always count on Padme for being honest. your whole body ached from the position you where in as pin after pin is inserted into your hair, ensuring that everything stay in place. “by the end of today i’m going to be a wife. that doesn’t even sound real”

“the sooner you are a wife the council will schedule the coronation and Alderaan will have a queen and king again” Padme says happily probably thinking that would make you feel better since you’d finally have the control over the council you needed but all it really did was make you cringe inwardly. “No pressure” you mumble as they finish and you can stand again, feeling just a smidge of relief not having the corset dig into you as much. looking over yourself in the mirror you did have to admit for as much as it was a pain the outcome was beautiful. the dress itself was a work of art, each layer having intricate lace detailing as well as pearls and ribbons sewn in- it reminded you of the porcelain dolls you played with as a child.

“you’ll do great y/n, and we’ll be by your side through it all” Padme said with a smile and you felt yourself relax. she was right you could do this, and if something did happen you knew you had people to fall back on.

less then any minute now and you would be walking down the isle of the church. You weren’t to be seen by anybody until then, that did little to help settle your nerves. Padme and Eleanora where now waiting with the rest of the ton inside the walls of the church, you had no one to voice your thoughts to. no one to help ease you, and you found yourself growing increasingly more nauseous. the heat of the day mixed with the weight of your gown did not make it any easier for you, the earlier fear of passing out coming back in a brief wave before you pushed it down.

there you stood in one of the private rooms awaiting for the Chancellor who’d be the one to walk you down the aisle. you hated it, that he’d be the one to walk you. it felt like a cruel joke in a way, he’d been the one to convince the rest of the royal council along with Barclay of the rash decision for Anakin to be the one you marry. and now here he was being the one to hand you off to him, as much as it irked you the thing that bothered you the most was solely the fact it wasn’t your father. honestly you’d finally accepted the fact this was truly happening but now there was a grief that surrounded it. mourning the fact your parents would not be there to see you.

twisting the ring on your finger, round and round. over and over- you had to admit this was much better than pacing. less effort for sure, less dizzying since you weren’t the one going in circles. circles that matched your thoughts, round and round. you take a deep breath the door to the room opening, turning round to face the Chancellor. you felt your throat dry as you nod to him.

now walking along the corridors of the church heading to the Nave. you could hear your heartbeat in your ears, and for a moment you thought you may actually pass out. thankfully the sound of trumpets and a piano rang throughout the building pulling you back down to reality. the doors in front of you now opening, you could only hope you didn’t look as sickly as you felt. “your majesty” Chancellor Valorum called your attention to him, glancing him over slightly confused only to notice his extended arm. right, it was time- you take hold and force a smile hoping you looked happy enough for everyone to believe you.

you look ahead of you as you both begin walking down the aisle, finally meeting the eyes of your soon to be husband. he stood tall, and was probably dressed the best you’d ever seen him so far- though it’s not like you saw him much to begin with. you decided it best to focus solely on him, the smile on your face becoming a bit more genuine. you may not know him personally yet but you could still admire his looks- it felt a bit wrong initially like you weren’t supposed to like how he looked. as if it would diminish the fact you didn’t see him as a lover, though you guessed you should probably change that line of thinking anyway.

he was truly handsome, nice jawline. pretty eyes, curls that you felt added a boyish charm to him. and then there was his smile, you hadn’t even realized you focused in on it as you now stood before him. his hand extended for you to take so the ceremony could begin. his smile was warm and soft, it calmed you. gently taking his hand as you stand side by side now, facing one another head on. you move your gaze up meeting his eyes, soft blues that where already staring down at you. selfishly you allow yourself to get lost in them, tuning out the world around you not even listening to what the Archbishop spoke.

the only thing that reminded you of where you were and what you where doing was the sound of Anakins voice. “to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.” he recited the vows the archbishop had just told him which meant it was now your turn. half listening to what the archbishop said before he gave you the very same vows to repeat, nodding to let you know to go. “to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.” you say with a surprising confidence, you turn your face away from Anakin’s for the first time since the ceremony began.

now looking towards the archbishop as he closed the ceremony. a new ring added to both of your fingers, a wedding band.

Warmth and music, that’s all you felt as you danced a waltz with Anakin. you were actually having fun, he made it easy in all honesty. conversation between you both was flowing naturally and he made you laugh- you where pretty sure he enjoyed making you laugh. there was of course the voice in the back of your head that reminded you it was all for show. that you where both only acting like two people in love for the hundreds of eyes on you. part of you could only hope that at the very least a little bit of it was real, something small and budding that might have a chance of flourishing.

you refocus on the man in front of you, not wanting to sour a good moment with your concerns. allowing him to dance you both into a stupor, song after song. paying no one else a mind, regardless of the situation this day was about you two. a joyous occasion, and for once you did not need to think about anyone else but yourself and each other- for once you did not feel the weight of a kingdom on your shoulders. instead you felt like a normal girl from the ton dancing with a man who had simply asked for a dance, a dance that lasted for hours. of course all good things have to come to an end, and eventually your endless dance came to a halt.

you both walk hand in hand outside along the carpet preparing to speak to each guest at the ball and bid them their farewells. it was a little chilly but as it happened Anakin ran warm, and with him alongside you the chill of the night bothered you no longer.

part 6

Tag list: @luvvfromme @gatekeepingirlboss

@bimbo-baggins86 @bby-imasociopath

okay loves🤭 i hope you enjoyed this one, i know the ball scene was a bit short but don’t worry this will not be the only Ball, and the next time there is one it will include a lot more 😋 i just wanted to focus mostly on the wedding portion and didn’t want to draw to far away from that 💋💋 anyways have a great day huns Xx

#hayden christensen #anakin skywalker #anakin skywalker x reader #anakin x reader #anakin imagine #rots anakin #atoc anakin #star wars anakin #anakin x you #anakin skywalker fanfiction #anakin fanfiction #anakin skywalker x reader fluff #anakin x reader fluff #bridgerton au!anakin #bridgerton au!anakin x reader #bridgerton au #bridgerton #queenie’s thoughts xx<3 #Spotify

[ystrike1]

The Silent Daughter of a Duke and the Cold Emperor ~ The Child I Found in My Past Life Became the Emperor ~ - By Bekio (8/10)

I love it when a reincarnation story makes sense. It also takes place in an established universe and NONE of the characters are inserts from the modern world. It's cute, quirky, and very dark. I didn't peg the love interest as a yandere until his full backstory was revealed.

Lady Eleanora, an unwanted child of a nobleman, used to be a hideous monster named Pie. She likes her new life, but her snotty family thinks she's miserable because they... frankly look down on her. Pie was a homeless vagabond, so living in a smaller house with unfashionable dresses is no problem for her.

Eleanora is dense, but it's in a fun way. She doesn't feel all that attached to her family naturally, because she used to live alone in the woods. She thinks life as a noble lady is rather silly and boring, but she's not a jerk about it. She still does her duties as a daughter. The mistreatment she goes through doesn't affect her much at all. Some of the humor in this is above average.

Ok, so to be clear Pie has moved on with her life. She's fine with her life as Eleanora. She only had one friend in her former life. A lost boy who kept his identity a secret. His name was Ham. It was a nickname of course, and he gave her the name Pie for an equally random reason. Their relationship was super sweet, but Eleanora thinks he is not her concern. It's been many years. The boy has either grown up or died.

Eleanora still has her hick accent. Hahahaha. It's not a bad joke and it's helpful. Her voice is easy to recognize, even though she doesn't look like a monster anymore. She's pretty but unpopular because of her family. They spread bad rumors about their own daughter. Sofia, her younger sister, is favored over her because her father remarried.

Ham grew up and became the Emperor, Alexei. He is known for his coldness. He took as much power as he could, because he wants to execute everyone who caused Pie's death. I think he maybe did it already. There was a pretty big time skip.

Here's what happened. Young prince Alexei was murdered, but his mother gave him resurrection powers. He can only be killed under very specific circumstances. So, Alexei dies in the woods multiple times before Pie finds him. Here's the saddest part. Pie was never a monster. She was just a deformed human girl, who left her village because "her appearance was causing trouble for her parents"

....sad...

Ham is very happy with Pie, but he cannot let go of his hate. Pie just says that she enjoys his company. If he does have a bad side that's ok. As long as he respects her and treats her well. Most people run screaming at the sight of her, so she appreciates him.

After Pie is killed by his Knights, who invaded the forest to find him, he feels guilty. He really loved Pie, and he also doesn't trust anyone. The Knights who came for him had ulterior motives as well. Nobody really cares for him. They just need him. Big difference. Anyway he's a really tough guy now. He's nearly impossible to kill. Only death by aging can get him, basically.

Alexei is devoted to Pie, even though she is dead. He has no thoughts of love. Only revenge and his power. His servants fear him. He's unpopular with fussy nobles because he's impossible to corrupt. He has a goal he will not let go of. I'm sure that he's managed to kill a bunch of the Knights already, but that's not going to be super relevant...

Pie is back. He...might let go of his darkness and be happy with her. Eleanora doesn't recognize him. He recognizes her first, and he's very happy. Also, Pie/Eleanora can communicate with magical beasts. She is a powerful and beautiful potential Empress. I like this kind of reincarnation plot. It's like a classic fairy tale. True love over beauty. Griffons everywhere. The atmosphere is nice!

#yandere #male yandere #yandere male #yandere boy #recommendations #recs #rec #recommended #manga #otome isekai #isekai #The Silent Daughter of a Duke and the Cold Emperor ~ The Child I Found in My Past Life Became the Emperor ~

[curiouscreationss]

ASOUE characters: How popular are they on Ao3?✨📚😎😮🫢

No.of fics with each character in them

Baudelaires:

Beatrice: 417

Bertrand: 257

🔧Violet: 977 🏆

📚Klaus: 822

🍳 Sunny: 662

👶 Beatrice II: 192

Quagmires:

Mrs Quagmire: 34

Mr Quagmire: 28

🖋️Isadora: 369 🏆

🗞️ Duncan: 367

🗺️ Quigley: 332 (Surprising tbh, I thought he’d win out of the triplets at least)

Widdershins:

⚓️Captain Widdershins: 40

🍄 Fiona: 114

🪝 Fernald: 166 🏆

Olaf+his troupe:

🎭 Count Olaf: 722 🏆

🍸 Esmé Squalor: 379

Woman with hair but no beard: 30

Man with beard but no hair: 25

👓 Georgina Orwell: 143

Henchperson of indeterminate gender: 84

Bald man: 57

White-faced women: 56 (just mildly less popular than the bald man yet there’s TWO of them- that’s gotta blow 😔-)

🎪[The Freaks] 🎪

Kevin: 14 🏅

Hugo: 13

Collette: 12

Denouements:

Frank: 76

Ernest: 92

🦄: 102 🏆

Snickets: (Take this with a grain of salt bc they have a whole other series -ATWQ- going for them)

Jaques: 347

Kit: 410

Lemony: 536 🏆

Guardians+the likes:

🏦 Mr Poe: 104

🗞️ Eleanora Poe: 14

📰 Polly Poe: 1

🐑 Edgar Poe: 10

💰 Albert Poe: 6 (Why is Edgar more popular??)

🐍Uncle Monty: 114

🐍 Ink/The Incredibly Deadly Viper: 8

🪟 Aunt Josephine: 72

Ike Anwhistle: 26

[🚬 Sir: 30

Charles: 54

👓 Georgina Orwell: 143 🏅

😃 Phil: 10 ]

[🎻Vice Principal Nero: 37 (That’s less than the bald man who has maybe 3 lines total, take that!)

Mrs Bass: 4 (Damn.)

Ms. Tench: 2 (Double damn)

Mr Remora: 3

📚 Olivia Caliban: 237 🏅]

🍸 Jerome Squalor: 104

(✨Esmé Squalor: 379 but I put her in the Olaf’s troupe section. This is just for quick comparison to Jerome. Poor guy. Ish. I don’t actually feel that bad for him tbh.)

🦅 The Council of Elders: 4

🎈 Hector: 48

Hal: 8

Babs: 9

Phil: 10

[🍎 Ishmael: 17

🐟 Miranda Caliban: 8

🕶️ Friday Caliban: 26 🏅

🚢 Thursday: 5 ]

Miscellaneous VFD members:

😎 Jacquelyn Scieszka: 172 🏆

🎥 Gustav Sebald: 78

🐟 Larry Your-Waiter: 85

👑 Duchess R of Winnipeg: 61 or 64 (3 are under ‘Duchess R’

Uncategorised:

Ben: 4

🚲 The Paperboy: 3

💃 Carmelita Spats: 149

Top 3:

1~ Violet Baudelaire! 🔧💜 (977 fics on Ao3 are tagged ‘Violet Baudelaire’! 🎉)

2~Klaus Baudelaire!!📚💙(822 fics!)

3~ Count Olaf! 👁️ 😈 (722 fics!)

Loser:

Polly Poe (with a disappointing 1 fic!😱)

#asoue #asoue fic #a series of unfortunate events #soue #ao3 #asoue fanfic #klaus baudelaire #Violet Baudelaire #Sunny Baudelaire #beatrice baudelaire #bertrand baudelaire #lemony snicket #kit Snicket #Jaques Snicket #quagmire triplets #Baudelaire children #Baudelaire orphans #fiona widdershins #fernald widdershins #count Olaf #esmé squalor #jerome squalor #Charles #sir #jacquelyn scieszka #olivia caliban #the denouements #dewey denouement #ernest denouement #gustav sebald

[katyspersonal]

Roderika and Nepheli are really cute as a ship imo. I love how Nepheli mentions her in one of her dialogues, meaning that they at least interacted at some point. I know it's a small detail to base a ship around, but I do think they might be very neat together. What are your thoughts?

It IS a cute ship! I have not seen it very often, actually but it is probably because all two of my ER mutuals reblog either Finlenia or Yura x Eleanora sdfhfd I am sure it exists somewhere, because Nepheli acknowledging Roderika is very good at perceiving spirits "unlike her" not only implies having interacted, but also points out how they are different. I really love ships in which characters are 'opposites' in a way that complete one another, whereas being similar at their core, big fan. And? They are fitting the description! Nepheli is a strong, tough warrior that points out she can't even feel the spirits, let alone see them, whereas Roderika is naturally drawn to them and good at spirit tuning whereas having "never held a sword in her life"; but at the same time they are both sensitive and vulnerable emotionally while trying to be strong! Roderika says she is 'just a coward' for being scared of the idea of her limbs being cut off, Nepheli says she is 'pathetic' for being heartbroken about her father betraying her... There is just something similar to this, the whole vibe of having enough emotions but not being "weak" for that I keep trying to grasp (because I LOVE it).

🦅 Nepheli though rolls into blaming herself for Gideon being the worst father ever, as if she "failed" him and it served her right, while also hesitantly seeing through his injustice, and I feel like Roderika would be the one to recognize this pain and detrimental effect Gideon can have on psyche of even very strong and level-headed people and try to approach her about it? They DID interact, right. Roderika IS anxious and hesitant, but also has very good intuition for good and evil it seems, so Nepheli's strong appear as this... barbaric, no-bullshit warrior would not intimidate her. She'd see Nepheli's kind and good heart beneath it even before once talking to her! Basically, I feel like their talk happened from Roderika having been concerned, in the 'Sorry if that's not my business but do you need to vent' manner!

🎐 In fact, the contrast between Nepheli's "he betrayed me and killed and oppressed the weak but it is probably my fault... right" vs Roderika's "I sense very bad vibes from a person all the opposite way in the Rountable who is not even physically here" feels like a nearly-comedic potential for me! x) Roderika is good at identifying the bad guy, when Nephelis is good at taking the bad guy down! I just imagine Roderika being like "Get 'em, baby!" in the duo, sending Nepheli to obliterate the bastard with her axes fsdhdf They could've done so much combining their strenghts and compensating for each other's weaker points hahaha. Dangerous duo (in a good sense)

🦅 They are THE "She asked for NO pickles!" meme and you KNOW it, lol

🎐 Lowkey sad though that this ship doesn't have enough 'breathing room' within canon: Nepheli gets her spirits lifted up because of a bird spirit ash and not Roderika (sure she'd credit her for help and not only Tarnished otherwise) and is always off to travel, whereas Roderika is pretty much glued to the Roundtable... It is all videogame mechanics restrictions. SO yeah, we need an Elden Ring anime where useful NPCs do not have to be area-restricted and after Roderika feels more qualified, she and Nepheli can become wandering girlfriends that get a lot of adventures and appear to help Tarnished when it is plot-convenient x) (for some reason, all my suggestions for more interaction boil down to 'if ER/BB was an anime, ...')

🦅 Roderika is rather eloquent, when Nepheli is a woman of a few words, so I am sure they fall for the dynamics of 'wall of text vs just listens and smiles' too! Nepheli would not understand all that many of Roderika's interests personally and she is not the type of an ethusiatic listener that asks many questions or always has something to add, but, she would remember every single think Roderika shared and care about it (some times, even more than Roderika herself). Nepheli is a type of a partner to remember a thing Roderika said 'casually' like months ago, or get her something she mentioned liking as a gift.. Roderika would not really know how anyone is able to navigate in how many things she's sharing so easily :')

🎐 Nepheli might be really stoic person, actually, capable of swallowing so much grief and loss and get up after everything that happens to her, but Roderika would sorta get through this attitude. Like, Nepheli would absolutely LOSE it if someone hurt Roderika. I feel like Nepheli might even worry a little upon realizing that with all the friends lost in battle or slain by enemies she had to grieve in a lifetime, losing Roderika would actually destroy her. She'd wonder if her identity as a warrior gave a crack for that one, at first! It is just scary to get so 'open', when a warrior must be self-sufficient and prepared to lose friends and comrades by default! And love is a bit... different. But I think the girls would be capable of communicating about it, and Nepheli would accept that she found someone to hold as dear as to have her life (mentally) depend on them... Not without insisting that Roderika gets at least SOME training in battle, so she can stand for herself IF Nepheli can't be near. Be an archer or a wizard if she can't hold meelee weapon at least!

🦅 Going back to Nepheli having her perception blurred when the enemy is not apparent, with Roderika having intuition for bad vibes. I imagine if Nepheli mentioned Gideon's friend, Seluvis, Roderika would be instantly able to reveal to her that "hey, that actually was a creep behavior"... They have a base for accidentally uncovering bad experiences (if not traumas) Nepheli never even realized consciously yet still took psychological damage from, and getting through them together. There would be certainly a bunch of cans of worms upon how Gideon was raising her, but not just that. "It was emotional abuse / creep behaviour" are the WORST realizations, but also with a right person it could help to heal some things that were bugging you for years but you just.. could not point out. I also imagine Roderika would be the one and only person that ever saw Nepheli cry - from one of such talks..

🎐 I think Nepheli actually holds Roderika in higher regard over the fact that Roderika is anxious, and can even be very cowardly and undecisive by her own admission, yet finds resource within herself to forgive her weaknesses and "atone" for indecisiveness by being useful otherwise. Nepheli would normally condemn the trait of giving into fear and hesitating when something important should be done (which I imagine is Roderika's consistent flaw and not just 'I am scared of being literally chopped to pieces because it is a normal thing for Soulsborne NPC to say' sdfhfhdfsdh). But Nepheli could see the internal struggle and wish to still persist, flaws or not. THAT mattered. She was quick to respect this attitude; in fact, she DID find it comparable with someone realizing they are not physically fit for melee fight and opting out to help in other ways, as healer or archer or something.

🦅 I am kinda diving into Psychology TM a lot here, I just think ER characters are written with particularly a lot to work with (Martin was that your effect? xd). But as for RELATIONSHIP-relationship, they both can't be less interested in sex. Undecided whether they're asexual or just 'too into spirituality / battle to care', probably both of these, but yes, overall it is just hugs and kisses. I just can't help but imagine their mutual attraction being mostly 'god I would LOOK the hell out of you' xd I think Nepheli would really like to hug Roderika, not only to share affection but sometimes because it is her emotional support spirit-tuner x) But Roderika is more 'kisses' person. She especially likes giving cheek or forehead kisses.

🎐 Overall, I think they are doing QUITE healthy and good for people that did not have real relationship experience prior? Nepheli was just not the type to take it further than blushing when she'd see a pretty girl and.. that was it. Well, maybe a couple of times, when she was little, she'd try to "flirt" by slaying a scary monster and bringing it's claw/tooth/etc to the girl she'd try to court, which they really did not get xD I picture Dolores being around and that little Nepheli would ask her what she was doing wrong... Dolores would say that it was a "perfect" way to flirt but the girls were just too young to get it yet, and Nepheli was too ahead xddd Roderika would attempt relationship as a teen a couple of times, and quit both of them upon hesitating and estimating she was not good enough for that person. Low self-esteem was hitting her harder in younger age. What I am saying is that sometimes when the first 'real' relationship only happens in adulthood, there are plenty of conflicts to wade through as people don't know what to do... but these two I imagine clicked naturally, and things went rather swell?

_______________

Thank you for an ask! Sorry it took some while, I tend to be sorta slow at the answers ъ_ъ"

#ask replies #elden ring #nepheli loux #roderika spirit tuner #nephelika #(sorry if that's a wrong ship name feel free to correct me if I am wrong!) #doodles

[fireinmywoods]

I’ve been reading Kirk/McCoy on and off for like 10 years now, and you - through your fic and this here blog - are like single handedly responsible for dragging me back into it this time around. I wondered about any head canons you had around Leonard’s childhood and teenage years. We at least get a glimpse of young Kirk and young Spock in the movies, but nothing for McCoy, and I’m very curious about your take.

Oh, I have plenty of thoughts around Leonard's youth, though I'm afraid it's hard to recall what's already made it into posted works and what's still buried in WIP drafts, so forgive me if I get a little slip-slidey. Some of this is semi-canonical, some I've just made up for Reasons, but I think it's all plausible enough!

1. Leonard grew up as the only son of a prominent family in the (fictional) small town of Marysville, GA.

Extended universe canon has it that his paternal grandfather was Chief of Medicine at Emory in Atlanta, which I think we can reasonably assume is still the top hospital in Georgia as of the 23rd century. And of course his father was a doctor as well. So he comes from a solid line of highly educated and successful professionals.

Leonard is semi-canonically from Atlanta himself, but I've gone ahead and rejected that, because no fucking way was that folksy-ass motherfucker (who is after all "just an old country doctor") born and raised in Atlanta proper. (Though it is also extremely funny to me to imagine him as some city asshole cosplaying as a hayseed for some mysterious reason, knowing damn well that no one else on the Enterprise knows enough about Georgia to catch him out.)

To reconcile this, I've decided that his mother's family was originally from [vague hand wave] some ways outside Savannah and that Eleanora didn't much care for city living, so after getting married, she and David moved to Marysville, where they were initially viewed with some suspicion as outsiders (and high-and-mighty city slickers, at that) but in time came to be accepted and respected as pillars of the community.

2. He was the only grandchild on his maternal side and spoiled rotten by his granny and granddaddy.

The family alternated holidays between David's parents in Atlanta and Eleanora's parents near Savannah, and while Leonard loved both sets of grandparents, he preferred being at his granddaddy and granny's place and often accompanied his mama on extended summer visits. The McCoys were kind but a bit more serious and reserved, with a beautiful home filled with lots of things little boys weren't allowed to touch. Much more fun to run around orchards sticking worms in his pockets and getting into mild mischief. It didn't hurt that Granny was a superb baker (and also known for her eggnog, as noted in pentimento).

Fun fact: it's his granny and granddaddy's home outside Savannah (which tends to get a lot of there-and-gone afternoon thunderstorms in the summer) where his childhood memories take place in sforzando.

3. He was a mama's boy.

He looked a lot more like his father and of course went on to follow in David's footsteps as a doctor, but personality-wise, he's much more like his mother, who shared a similar blend of fussing over her brood and low tolerance for bullshit.

4. He was raised up right. Theoretically.

Look, an attempt was made, okay? Someone - many someones - for sure gave that boy all the right home training. He's from two long lines of born and bred Georgians, and there is absolutely no way he wasn't rigorously trained in appropriate manners, decorum, and housekeeping. He even did cotillion classes, remember! (Jim definitely remembers. Jim will never, ever forget, nor let slip an opportunity to bring it up.)

So his elders tried. And as noted in pentimento, his parents did their best to work with him on his temper when he hit his teen years and started blossoming into the mouthy hothead we know and love. It's not his their fault he grew up into such an irascible old cuss who's apparently determined that the genteel passive aggression he grew up steeped in must sometimes be supplemented with full-on aggressive aggression.

I guess what I'm saying is, you can't blame his raising for why he's so Like That. That's sheer force of personality, baby. (I mean, aside from the part where he enjoys swanning in to inquire about his frenemy's troubles and drop a "helpful" and vaguely insulting pearl of wisdom before swanning back off to gossip about it with his bestie. That there's a Southern specialty.)

5. He was fairly popular growing up.

I recognize I may encounter some skepticism on this point, given the, uh, everything about the grown-up Leonard we know and love, but let's look at the facts.

He was from a good family, which goes pretty far in a town like Marysville.

He's exceptionally smart and hard-working as an adult, and given where he ended up career-wise, one can imagine he must have done well in school. I've even gone so far as to decide he skipped a couple grades at some point, though admittedly that was partly an effort to make sense of his timeline so that he could be a fully trained doctor by the time we meet him on the shuttle at 28.

So anyway, he was smart and a good student - but as Jim intuited in pas de deux, it wasn't the sort of disquieting freaky-smart that made baby Jimmy something of an outcast in his own small town. Leonard's was a more...palatable intelligence, let's say. And it helped that he was also a jock.

Yeah, you heard me. The extended universe indicates that baby Leonard dreamed of being a pro basketball player, and as an adult he is in suspiciously good shape for a man of science, so I went ahead and had him play basketball in middle and high school until a knee injury took him off the court for good.

So in summary: smart, good family, an athlete, well-mannered, and looks like young Karl Urban? Yeah, I'm pretty sure my guy did just fine among his peers, introversion/short fuse/social awkwardness be damned.

In fact, I'm looking forward to introducing you to some of those peers in the high school reunion fic! Assuming I can manage to finish it before the heat death of the universe!

That's all I've got off the top of my head. I'd love to hear anyone else's ideas too!!

#also ANON you are so sweet!!! i can't tell you what an amazingly rewarding thing that is to hear 💙💛 #ask #anon #fic related #mccoy #star trek #aos

[asouefanworkevent]

woevember is coming!

what is it?

woevember is an asoue fanwork event week, that will take place from november 13th through november 19th, 2022. each day of that week is dedicated to a different group of characters from a series of unfortunate events and all the wrong questions.

what do i do?

the character groups will be revealed now, so everyone has time to make something. between now and the week of november 13th, you’ll create fanworks about the characters, and then post it on the corresponding day during november 13th - 19th!

don’t forget to tag this tumblr (asouefanworkevent) in the post so i can find it and reblog it, and tag the post with #woevember !

what do you mean by fanwork?

everything! fanfic and fanart are of course allowed, but also edits, gifs, analysis posts, even just headcanons!! super short fics!! your sketchiest drawings!! i want people to be encouraged to and be able to create even something small that didn’t exist before for the snicketverse, and share it with other people!

are there any rules?

to keep the event open and comfortable for everyone, no explicit content. also, this should go without saying, but in case it doesn’t, sibling romance and age gaps are not allowed and will not be tolerated.

do i have to make something for every day?

only if you want to! feel free to just make something for one day if you want :) the point of having a different character group for each day is so everyone’s favorite character (or a character you like or find interesting) will hopefully come up at some point, so everyone’s covered, and you can at least make something for one of the days.

what are the prompts?

i tried to get a good mix of characters we already love a lot, and characters who you might not have thought about before!

november 13th – sugar bowl gen siblings

the best siblings. the worst siblings. they’re going through a lot, at all times. "the schism has turned many brothers into enemies."

character options include: snickets, denouements, anwhistles, calibans, sebalds

november 14th – firestarters

what makes a “firestarter”? (besides needing to find seven broad categories in which to fit many, many characters.)

character options include: olaf, esme, the bald man, fernald, the henchperson, the white-faced women, the man with a beard but no hair, the woman with hair but no beard (also related characters, like ernest, georgina, olivia)

november 15th – the city

there is so much in The City! and so much with a deep vfd history, that every aspect of the city must’ve crossed paths with vfd or the baudelaire’s story at some point, in some way.

character options include: jerome, eleanora, geraldine, esme squalor’s fanclub, honestly anyone you would like to stick in a specifically City location

location options include: the punctilio, the banking district, the herpetological society, the hemlock tearoom and stationery shop, the taxi, the opera, the fountain of victorious finance, 667 dark avenue, veblen hall, orion observatory

november 16th – unseen characters

there’s plenty of characters we hear about in the series, but never actually really see. give us your takes on them!

character options include: lemony's editor, the snicket parents, olaf's parents, haruki, the baudelaire's uncle elwyn, madame dilustro, gina sue, whoever beatrice and bertrand invited to their dinner parties besides mr. poe, moxie's mother, ellington's mother, violet's friend ben, lemony's friend playing the sonata on the pipe organ in the cathedral of the alleged virgin

november 17th – stain’d-by-the-sea

what becomes of stain’d-by-the-sea and all the people still living there, after lemony leaves? what happens to wade academy? what happens to ellington?

character options include: moxie, pip, squeak, jake, cleo, kellar, ornette, lizzie, ellington, prosper lost, stew, the mitchums, the talkie brothers, any character from 13SI (theodora can also be included here)

november 18th – the unfortunate generation

what are they up to, post-canon? or what were they up to, pre-canon?

character options include: violet, klaus, sunny, duncan, isadora, quigley, fiona, carmelita, friday, the second beatrice

november 19th – free space!

is there a character you want to make something for that didn’t necessarily fit in these categories? (and my deepest apologies for who didn’t. the duchess? miranda? ishmael? the islanders? widdershins? hector? the village of fowl devotees? jacquelyn? larry? phil? beatrice and bertrand, technically????) is there a character you wanted to do but you didn’t like the group they were in? (you’d rather talk about esme outside of her relation to the firestarters?) do you want to do something centered on a ship? (lemony/beatrice/bertrand? dewey/bertrand? kit/beatrice? violet/isadora? jacques/jerome? olivia/jacques? beatrice/bertrand? monty/gustav? sally/r?) put it here!

can i do ships for other days?

you absolutely can! i’m just giving options in the free space.

can i include other characters that aren’t a part of the group set for each day?

yes, as long as the major focus of the work is still on the designated group! for example, for sugar bowl gen siblings, you could definitely make something about, say, beatrice interacting with the snicket siblings, as long as the focus of the work is still on the snicket siblings. or, for stain’d-by-the-sea, you could definitely write about those characters interacting with vfd characters, or the unfortunate gen, or even mr. poe, as long as the focus of the work is still on the stain’d-by-the-sea characters.

if you have any questions about anything, feel free to drop me an ask or a message!

happy creating and i hope to see lots of you november 13th - 19th!!

#asoue #a series of unfortunate events #atwq #all the wrong questions #lemony snicket #woevember

[officiallymyself]

I was finally able to show this to my D&D party at our session last night, so I'm sharing it here now, but this was made by @helenawa-art and it's so incredible and blew everybody away. More on the party below the cut:

Quick intro, going left to right, we have:

-Amalda Thistleseeker, my NPC party member who is a halfling Divination wizard

-Elion Xilenis-Ravagen, my wife's character who is an elf druid from a family of revolutionaries plotting to overthrow the elven kingdom for stealing their land

-Eleanora Quitaine, an elf monk who just met her birth mother 2 sessions ago for the first time and was raised in a monastery that she ended up wiping out after being deceived by someone she thought she could trust. She also has a pet hawk

-Lucius Metus, a tiefling cleric who is from hell and whose father and siblings are currently trying to make bids for control of hell. He occasionally tries to get people they meet to sell him their soul

-Snikrit of Clan Skyre, a ratfolk artificer whose weapon of choice is a rocket launcher that shoots rats that explode. He comes from a city of technologically advanced ratfolk and is always looking for the next invention

-Peter Ickle, a human barbarian who, it was finally revealed last session, is actually a psychic pickle piloting a meat suit. He is a prince of Jarr Island from the land of Gherkin looking for his father and whose nemesis is Cole Cumber. It was the longest bit that finally came to fruition after almost 2 years of playing this campaign and I'm so glad I don't need to keep this secret anymore

-The party name they came up with for themselves is "The Sparrows" because they performed "The Pirates of the Caribbean" while on an air ship once so that they could make jokes and references about it to the crew that could be canon and that would make sense for the rest of the journey

-In this picture, the party is wearing what they wore to a royal ball where a fight broke out and they all successfully kicked ass and saved the royal family while also almost all getting knocked unconscious at least once. It was the end of a very fun story arc and they are now onto the Feywild, which none of their characters did any research on before leaving. I'm having so much fun.

#dnd #art commission #dungeons and dragons #my party #party art #ocs

[elean0rarose]

I really, really want to carry on writing my yearning/‘unrequited’ love story today but I still have no actual plot for it beyond

gay???

being written on a post-it note on my brain

#writing romance does not come naturally to me #i’m much too accustomed to dark and miserable with a hint of sardonic humour #but i want to write something that gives people the gooey warm feels for a change! #eleanora has thoughts

[maypearlss]

𝐨𝐜 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 : 𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐚 𝐝𝐚𝐫���𝐞𝐥𝐥

call me may costa, because i'm madly in love with nona darnell. nona is kinda... everything? the plot would literally be broken without her in it, so i think she's pretty cool <3 i actually managed to crank this post out sooner than i thought i'd be able to, so i'm patting myself on the back right about now. next up is duke... yippee? anyways, onto the post! hope you like nona!

being somebody's muse gets awfully dull for a woman like nona.

there's always been something magnetic about nona, whether it be her natural, charming way with people or the adventurous and imaginative streak she's held since she was a child looking for excitement in the corners of vermillion spring. she's been enchanted by the world of photography and film since she was young and cherishes aspirations of becoming a filmmaker, but the role she finds herself in instead ends up being much different: the "rockstar girlfriend" to duke strickland, a job with little room for... well, herself. but she can't complain too much—duke is handsome, talented, and rich. every girl's dream, right? she's happy. she's so happy.

why the hell isn't she happy?

𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 ⋆｡°✩

full name: eleanora kathleen darnell

age: 20 (1985)–tbd

birthday: april 7th

pronouns: she/her

sexuality: lesbian

ethnicity: african-american

occupation: photographer, videographer

love interest(s): may costa

likes: may, comic books, playing the nintendo, ghostbusters, movies, arcade visits, mötley crüe, candid photos, strawberries, star wars

dislikes: assumptions, wearing a facade, coffee, wind, being put into boxes, tight schedules, feeling lonely

height: 5'4

build: hourglass

hair: thick, curly, dark brown

skin: brown

eyes: wide, dark brown, nearly black

noticeable features: two gold nose rings (one on each side)

𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 ⋆｡°✩

⋆ nona - mötley crüe

⋆ magic touch - kiss

⋆ hide your heart - kiss

⋆ sweet child o' mine - guns n' roses

⋆ thrills in the night - kiss

⋆ girls, girls, girls - mötley crüe

⋆ looks that kill - mötley crüe

⋆ patience - guns n' roses

⋆ too young to fall in love - mötley crüe

⋆ cherry pie - warrant

⋆ don't go away mad (just go away) - mötley crüe

⋆ helter skelter - mötley crüe

⋆ think about you - guns n' roses

⋆ sticky sweet - mötley crüe

𝐟𝐮𝐧 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬 ⋆｡°✩

her family has always called her el and her friends have always called her nona

leia from star wars was the first girl that ever made her consciously realize that she might be attracted to women

she met duke in the audience of a show at the whisky a go go that she and may had snuck into together with fake ids may had managed to get ahold of for nona's 15th birthday

she's allergic to beestings

she's ambidextrous, but usually defaults to using her left hand, because her right wrist tends to click when she uses it and it bothers her

she essentially kickstarts the plot of the nona incident!

so, that's nona! next post will be about duke, my dearly beloathed! except, it might be a little bit longer before you see his post, because i wanna take a break from working on posts to actually work on plotting the story out and developing it a bit more :) also, i might start working on a directory post for this wip, so all the oc intros and related content are eventually in one place! okay, that's it, for real this time—

#oc : nona darnell #wip : the nona incident! #my wips #my ocs #writeblr #creative writing #oc intro #oc introduction #meet the oc #meet my ocs #wipsbymor

[avionvadion]

Part Two of "I have no self control, so here ya go."

Lucifer x Fem!Human!OC

Warning: I don’t know how to write songs, so please don’t judge the Lucifer song too hard. T_T El isn’t affected by the song magic in Hell/Heaven so she ends up singing whatever songs she knows from her time on earth. In this chapter, it's "Here Comes A Thought".

I've decided this takes place just before the Pilot episode. So Angel has not been recruited yet, and the hotel is still the "Happy Hotel".

Lucifer was incredibly anxious as he shifted in his seat, one arm crossed over his chest while he bit the tips of his gloved fingers on his other, watching as Eleanora read the letter. What if it was horrible? What if he wrote too much? What if he was too honest and that ruined the letter? He can’t send that to Charlie. Maybe this was a bad idea after all. 

They should stop now while they’re ahead, before things go too far and he can’t take it all back. 

But what if doing that is what ruins everything? 

Lucifer’s mind felt like a trainwreck; he didn’t know which direction to take, which way to go. All the conductors were screaming at each other, but no one was willing to pull the lever to set him on the right track. 

No one except… 

Ellie? 

His sharp fangs had just started tearing through the fabric of the gloves and into his fingers when the Blue Human suddenly reached out, startling him by grabbing his hand and lowering it from his lips. 

She hadn’t even looked away from the writing. 

He blinked. 

Lucifer looked down at the hand she had grabbed. Eleanora’s grip was loose, her fingers just barely resting over his, but she didn’t pull away, simply holding it in place so he didn’t start biting again. 

It was… warm. 

Does she truly want to help me? 

Lucifer, ever since falling from Heaven and seeing the horrors that were inside Hell, had always believed giving humanity free will was one of his biggest mistakes. But he had scared this human, threatened her, kidnapped her, and coerced her into giving him advice, and yet… despite all that… she’s been trying to genuinely help him. 

And then she sang that song… 

Sure, they had a deal now, but they didn’t when they had first started writing this letter. Nothing in her actions or behavior has changed- save for the fact that she was acting more comfortable around him now, but it was the same for him so that didn’t really mean anything, did it? This human must truly be a good person like his daughter believed. 

“Has… Earth changed at all?” 

Eleanora paused, finally prying her eyes away from the letter to look down at him, confused. “Hah?” 

“Earth.” Lucifer repeated, his yellow-and-red snake eyes boring into her brown ones expectantly, hopefully. “Has it… changed? Or are you just one of the few who are most likely to get into Heaven?” 

The woman stared at him, only to turn away with a snort. “I wouldn’t necessarily say I’m “one of the few”. But… the people I used to hang out with in my school days always said I’d probably be the only one at our lunch table who wouldn’t end up in Hell. Pfft!” She laughed, flashing him a grin once she realized the irony of her situation. “Funny how that worked out, am I right? They were all wrong! Technically. Which… actually makes it funnier? But, uh, nah. Probably not.” 

Eleanora set the letter down on the desk and made to move her left hand from his- only to freeze, fingers twitching, as her eyes went wide. Lucifer realized then that she had no idea she had stopped him from nibbling his hand to bits, and that she’s been holding said hand for the better half of ten minutes. 

“Uh…” Slowly, stiffly, she pulled her hand away, her face burning a bright red, and Lucifer stared intently at her as she turned to lean her back against the desk, folding her arms over her chest as she smiled awkwardly, not looking at him. “I mean, I’m from America and it’s gotten really shitty over the past few years. There was the pandemic, we’re practically about to start World War III, and to top it all off- we’re regressing back into the nineteen twenties! Where women are property and cattle and nothing else!”

She laughed, the sound fake and stressed and very much bitter. 

The human waved a hand in the air. “Pisses me off! I mean, seriously, women can’t even breastfeed in public without getting yelled at because we might “excite” some random weirdos! Like, hello~? No! If a baby needs to be fed, it should be fucking fed. But no- let’s let it starve because some asshole might not be able to keep his hands or eyes to himself! Ugh!” 

She crossed her arms again, glaring into nothing, and Lucifer leaned sideways against his desk, elbow propped up and hand on his cheek. He was practically staring into her skull, his gaze so intense, and after a minute of seething in her thoughts Eleanora jolted, sensing his stare. 

Turning slowly to look at him, she blinked, unable to decipher what exactly he was thinking- if he was even thinking anything at all-  and quickly flashed him an apologetic smile, waving a hand at him- the same hand she had held his with. 

“S-Sorry! I… I got mad. And… rambled. Um. But, yeah, Charlie definitely thinks I would’ve gotten into Heaven- I disagreed, because, like, I never really believed in God until coming down here? I mean, my parents are religious, but even though they tried to force that on us, me and my siblings were all pretty… indifferent about the matter? That said, I wasn’t about to argue when Charlie asked me question after question and kept… getting more and more excited.” 

“What questions did she ask you?”

Eleanora froze. Realizing he was actually interested in what she had to say and wasn’t going to tell her to stop talking, she brightened. “O-Oh! Um, just- y’know, the usual, “Have you ever done drugs or smoked, do you drink- if so, how much and how often, have you ever had intercourse before marriage"? That kinda of thing. Oh! "Have you ever maimed or killed someone? Have you ever thought about maiming or killing someone"?”

“And?” 

She startled at that, looking at the devil king with wide eyes. “What?” 

Lucifer’s gaze was curious. “What did you tell her?” 

The human was stunned. “Well, I…” 

Clearing her throat, she looked away and began to count with her fingers as she answered, surprised he even wanted to know. Lucifer himself was a little surprised he wanted to know, especially since he probably won’t even remember half of it, but… he was curious. 

Who was this human? Why was it her that was summoned into Hell? Who was she to genuinely want to help him, even though he had abducted and threatened her for her assistance? 

Why was she so good, when the rest of humanity was so wretched and awful? 

“Um, well, I’ve never done drugs.” Eleanora began to list, thinking back on her answers. “Or smoke. My health was bad enough already, and I really didn’t want to make my asthma worse. Also, I don’t drink. Sure, my older sister would have me take an occasional sip of her wine just so I can say I tried it, but that’s only, like, once or twice a year since she doesn’t drink as much as she used to. Apparently I’m a dessert wine kinda gal?”

Lucifer sat up, squinting an eye. “Asthma? You don’t act like an asthmatic.”

“Charlie!” She beamed, snapping her fingers and pointing at him. “Part of the pact! My meds aren’t available down here, so she’s literally using some kind of magic to keep me from keeling over! I haven’t been able to breathe this well or talk so much since I was small! Heck, I can do zoomies and not collapse three seconds in! She’s such a sweetie.” 

She is. One hundred percent. His daughter was the best. 

“Anyways, she went on to explain the Happy Hotel to me and convinced me to make a pact with her, so not only have my lung issues been taken care of, I’ve got her protection and a job at the hotel. Even though… said job is to literally just exist. So I don’t really feel like I’m doing anything? But it makes her happy, so. Yeah.” 

Lucifer lowered his head, processing this. “My little girl’s… really all grown up now, isn’t she…?” 

Eleanora went silent. 

After a moment, she moved to tap her fingers against the desk, not daring to touch him after how she had unknowingly done so earlier. 

“I think…” She began slowly. “Even if she’s grown, she still has plenty of room in her life for her dad. It’s not like you were on bad terms; you just… never got to know each other. So you still have a shot. Especially since she misses you, too.”

The devil king snapped his head up, his eyes growing wide. “You… You really think so?” 

Eleanora grinned, giving him a thumbs up. “Heck yeah, I do!” 

“How are you so sure?” He asked, worrying his bottom lip. Lucifer could feel his eyes start to sting as he glanced at one of the portraits he has hanging up that were of his daughter, before turning back to look at the human standing beside him. “Were you a mother before coming here? Did you have kids?” 

She balked. Lucifer blinked. He watched as she jumped forward, stumbling as she spun to face him, and shook her head, waving her hands at him.  “No! No, no, no! Dude, I never even dated before coming here! Are you kidding!? E-Even if I did have… kids somehow, I’m only twenty-five! They’d be nowhere near Charlie’s age!” 

Lucifer curled a hand around his chin, furrowing his brows and tilting his head at her. “You’re twenty-five?”

“…Yeah?” 

“And you never dated?" That's surprising.

She shrugged. "All the guys that were in my school were morons and playboys, and literally every person I knew who was in a relationship was being abused or cheated on. I've dealt with my fair share of creeps, but, nah. I don't trust people."

Ah. That explains it. “So, then, Little Blue-“ 

“For the third time, Your Majesty, please don’t call me that.” 

He ignored her comment, instead tossing one leg over the other and lacing his hands together on his lap. Lucifer narrowed his eyes at her. “What makes you so sure this’ll work?”

At that, she hesitated. 

Lucifer watched as her facial features shifted, twisting into something darker and grim. His brows raised, finding this reaction most curious, and observed silently as she thought about how to answer. He couldn’t help but wonder what kind of answer she would give, especially since she was twenty-five years old and not a parent herself. 

After a long, suffocating moment, her hands curling into fists, she moved to fiddle with her blue-painted nails, picking away at the paint. “So, I… don’t have kids. But… I do have older siblings, and… when I was small, I never really got to know them.” 

Oh? 

A sad smile spread across her lips, and Lucifer leaned forward, even more intrigued now. 

“They were… going through some things- depression, anxiety; a lot of their friends… killed themselves and, at the time, our parents were just recently divorced.” He winced a little there. “The divorce never really affected me because of how small I was, but it definitely messed with them. To make matters worse, our mother’s house was absolutely crowded with extended family who were… well, completely and utterly toxic, abusive assholes who only ever cared about themselves, never paid their bills, and decided to take all their anger out on me because I was tiny and couldn’t do anything about it.” 

She said that last part rather quickly, her smile growing sickeningly sweet in her rage, and he blinked with a dumbfounded look on his face as she pressed the tips of her fingers together. 

“Their daughter, my cousin, who would beat the absolute shit out of me and torment her siblings and even gutted a live snake, was the absolute angel in their eyes, and I was the devil because I had medical issues and was spoiled by my mom. I was four. Four. And this continued for years, and during this time all my siblings moved out, and I didn’t get to hear or see hide or hair of them for years. Also, note, none of them knew this bullshit was going on.” 

“Seriously?” Once again, he finds himself regretting giving humanity free will. The abuse aside, that snake thing was especially disturbing for... personal reason.

Eleanora shrugged. “They were always out of the house and I was convinced no one would believe me. Her parents didn’t believe me whenever I tried to defend myself, so why would anyone else believe me? People were already convinced I had an "active imagination".”

Lucifer clicked his tongue, leaning back in his seat. “Fuck that.” 

If the other six sins had met and abused his adorable Charlie, and she tried to tell him such, he would’ve believed her on the spot. But, then again, Lucifer himself was cast out of Heaven. He was young and excitable, with great plans for humanity and Earth and all that would inhabit it, but his ideas were deemed too dangerous, too much, for the likes of his angelic family, and they handled the matter by naming him the devil and tossing him down here with his beloved… who… also eventually left him, taking their daughter with her. Leaving him alone. 

Ah, damn it. 

Is he so lonely that he’s seriously empathizing with this human? 

“But, hey!” Eleanora’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts and he looked up, face shifting into one of bafflement when she grinned and playfully waved fingerguns at him. “A laugh a day keeps the trauma away! Therapy’s expensive, but telling yourself it just be like that sometimes? Doesn’t cost a cent.” 

Lucifer nodded to that, sticking out his bottom lip. “That is true…” 

“Anyways!” She cleared her throat. “After… everything that part of our family did and how it… messed with my brain, I… ended up more isolated than ever. But then they moved out! And… I was able to find out who I was outside of the trauma.” 

“And then?” 

She smiled at him, her eyes sad. “I tried to reconnect with my siblings.”

“…Did it work?” 

Eleanora beamed. “It did. I was fifteen back then. All you have to do is talk with your daughter, Lucifer. Trust me.” 

He just turned his head away, gazing at the floor and the remains of many failed letters. “I… I don’t know. What if… What if she doesn’t want to talk with me?” 

The room became filled with a heavy atmosphere, suffocating and thick with anxiety. 

Eleanora brought a hand up to her face, fingers over her lips, as she went deep into thought. Just as Lucifer’s fears began to grow darker, his heart sinking into the pit of his stomach, she tentatively reached out and set a hand on his shoulder. 

He tensed, glancing down at the hand, before looking up at her, seeing her hesitating again before she let go and knelt down so he was looking down at her instead. She reached out to grasp his hands, and he startled, realizing he had been unknowingly digging his claws into his palms. 

“I’m really not good at this, but…” Eleanora took a deep breath, beginning to sing softly, her eyes gentle as she tried to comfort him in the way that would work best for him. “Take a moment to think of just… flexibility, love, and trust. Take a moment to think of just… flexibility, love and trust...” 

“...I love Charlie.” He murmured. “But that… doesn’t mean she loves me.” 

Lucifer adores his daughter more than anything; he’d give her the world if that’s what she wanted. Anything that was in his power was hers for the taking. She’s his sole reason for living. She’s so beautiful and bright and lovely, in this world so wretched and dark and filthy. But… he knows he hasn’t been a good father to her. 

He barely spent any time with her in her childhood, and after the divorce he never got to see her at all. It may be in part his fault, since he was always too scared to try, but how can he trust she won’t toss him aside like his wife did? 

“Lucifer.” Eleanora’s voice called out to him, and he flinched, looking down at her with pained eyes. She gave his hands a gentle squeeze, a sad smile on her lips. “It’s going to be okay.’

“But how do you know that?” 

“Just listen, will you?” He pouted at her words, but she stubbornly shook her head and gave him a look before softening her gaze. “Here comes a thought~ that might alarm you; what someone said… and how it harmed you.” 

Lucifer’s eyes drifted down to their joined hands, his lips pulling into a small frown. 

“Something you did~ that failed to be charming. Things that you said~ are suddenly swarming, and oh… you’re losing sight, you’re losing touch~! And all these little things seem to matter so much… that they confuse you- that she might lose you.” 

The blond king snapped his head up, eyes growing wide, but Eleanora offered him a smile. She moved to hold his hands up close to her chest. 

“Take a moment, remind yourself- to take a moment and find yourself.” The human suggested. “Take a moment and ask yourself, if this is how it’ll fall apart…” 

She held his hands out towards him, uncurling his fingers with her thumbs and unfolding them so his palms were exposed, the bits of his gloves that had been torn through there for him to see. Eleanora’s eyes were full of emotion, staring into his with an intensity she wasn’t able to handle before. 

“But it’s not, but it’s not, but it’s not, but it’s not, but it’s not.” She told him firmly, her voice sweet yet ever so strong. Lucifer felt his lips curl back, his eyes starting to sting again. He could feel his heart aching, always so terrified of the worst possible scenario yet desperately hoping for the best without putting forth any effort, his cowardice getting the better of him. “It’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay…” 

Slowly, Eleanora stood, legs shaking after sitting in such an uncomfortable position for so long. She tugged him onto his feet, the King of Hell finding himself going along with it, watching breathlessly as she smiled at him before releasing one of his hands to brush her fingers over the letter that was still resting on the desk, waiting to be signed. 

“You’ve got nothing, got nothing, got nothing to fear.” Head lowered, her confidence seemed to waver, before she lifted her free hand to rest against her chest, trying to stand tall before him so he wouldn’t doubt her words. Brown eyes gazed into crimson, and she gave his fingers one more good squeeze. “I’m here, I’m here, I’m here.” 

Lucifer was silent, staring at her for a long minute. 

It was so long she started to look uncomfortable, the woman growing worried that she might have sang the wrong thing, but then he turned to look at the letter. 

Taking a deep breath, Lucifer tried to compose himself, snapping his fingers to repair his gloves before moving to pick up the pen he had set down. In that moment of quiet, repeating in his mind the words she had sung ever so sweetly to him, he asked, “How… should I sign it?” 

“Hmm?” She blinked, having not expected that question. “Uh… however you want? She’s your daughter.” 

Sitting straight, he tapped the letter with the pen. “But what would Charlie like best? Should I be formal? How formal? King of Hell formal,” He spoke with a silly faux intimidating voice, waggling his shoulders and almost earning a laugh from the human woman, “or a Sincerely, Your Father kinda thing? Does she even like formalities? I know she’s grown now, but when she was little-“ 

“How about, Love Dad?” Eleanora suggested, a small smile on her lips, her eyes shimmering with a hint of baffled exasperation and growing fondness. She rested a hand on the back of his chair, leaning down just slightly so they were on eye level. “I think she’d like that.” 

Lucifer froze, pen dropping from his hand. His eyes nearly bugged out of his head as he looked up at her, his true personality showing through now that they’ve had not one, but two emotional music numbers. “L-Love… Dad? That’s not- That’s not too cheesy? Too cringe? She won’t- She won’t find it too much?” 

She stared at him, understanding slowly dawning on her that he was less a king and more just a depressed and lonely man who wanted so badly to be a good father, yet didn’t know how. She knew he was immortal, but appearance wise he looked more like he was in his early to mid thirties. This man was an absolutely mess. “Your Majesty… Lucifer, sir… uh…” 

Eleanora looked at the letter and then at him. His eyes were pleading. 

“I don’t know how to tell you this… but Charlie loves cheesy. Formalities freak her out.” 

“…Oh.” 

“Yeeeah.” 

Heart pounding, Lucifer shakily signed the letter, finding himself- against his better judgment- drawing some hearts around the Love, Dad that he wrote, before folding the letter and waving his hand, an envelope appearing in the air. He caught it between his fingers as it fluttered, and the king carefully tucked the letter inside before stamping it shut with a wax seal. 

Eleanora almost flinched when he held it out to her. “There. It’s done. You’re certain Charlie will like it?” 

“Y-Yeah! Of course!” She awkwardly reached out to take the letter from him. “Um, do you wanna send her a gift too? Just to be safe?” 

Lucifer blinked. “A… gift? Like what?” 

“I-I dunno, how about…” The Blue Human looked around the room, taking note of the hundreds of rubber ducks. There were so many, he even had some stuffed under a table. She didn’t even notice the paper ducks hanging over the doorway until now. Deciding not to think too hard about, she gestured to a pile. “Why not one of these? They’re cute. Charlie loves animals!” 

At that, the king jumped out of his seat, laughing awkwardly and wagging a finger at the woman. “Oho! Ha! Haha! No! No, no, no!” He crossed his arms in an X over his chest, shaking his head as his heeled boots clacked against the floor. “Absolutely not! Ex-nay on the duck-nay! None of these are… are…”

Lucifer scrunched up his face and bent over, waving his arms dramatically.

“Are good enough for my Charlie! They’re failures, all of them!” 

“Wait, seriously?” Eleanora walked over to pick one up from off the top of one of the bigger piles. The one she grabbed was wearing a red-and-white striped sweater. “But they’re adorable!” 

She squeezed it. 

It squeaked.

A big goofy grin spread across her face. 

The human cooed, holding it up with both hands, and Lucifer froze- on his tiptoes, half bent over in his overdramatic panic, his arms held out and hands extended in front of him. The devil king stared at her, watching as she squeezed it again. “She’d love this! Ohhh~ or maybe this one? Awww, it has a little hat! So precious!” 

She reached out to pick it up. 

It took Lucifer’s stunned brain a bit too long to recognize what the specific hat he had put on that particular rubber duck meant, but once he did he tossed a hand out, pointing a claw at it with a panicked shriek. 

“No!” 

A beam of light blasted out of his hand, and Eleanora screamed, stumbling and falling back as the duck was simultaneously sent flying out of her hands and incinerated. She looked up at him with wide, terrified eyes, but he just turned to her, breathing heavily. 

“Don’t… Don’t squeak that one.” He told her. “It’ll kill you.” 

Well, not anymore, anyways, given he just blasted that thing into oblivion. But it could’ve. Would’ve, had he not acted. Then Charlie would be sad, and he wouldn’t have anyone to give him advice anymore.  

Oddly enough, he’s actually growing rather fond of this human. She was a good one. Even better, she understood his relationship with Charlie, or lack thereof, and was actively trying to help. In an even odder way, she felt a bit like a kindred spirit. 

But that could just be his loneliness and desperation for connection talking. 

“That fucking beam you shot out would’ve killed me!” Eleanora cried from her spot on the floor, swearing as loud as could be. “You could have just grabbed it from me!” 

Lucifer paused. “Oh. Huh. Yeah, guess I could’ve.” 

Seeing him give a small, half-hearted shrug, the human forgot all fear of him being the devil king and picked up the sweater-wearing duck she had dropped, tossing it at him in a fit of anger. Lucifer blinked and looked down, watching as it hit his chest with a squeak. 

He turned to her, deeply unimpressed. “Really? That’s what you choose to do? Even though I just saved you? You’re in my house, and you’re throwing my rubber ducks… at me?”  

Eleanora opened her mouth like she was about to yell at him, but thought better of it and huffed, pushing herself up onto her feet and moving to set the letter safely on the table. She marched over to another pile of rubber ducks. Picking one up, she turned and faced him, and he just stared, eyes half-lidded, as she threw another one at him. 

It bounced off his shoulder. 

With a squeak, it began to glow with a brilliant yellow light. The light faded after three seconds. 

When she threw a third duck at him, Lucifer took it upon himself to dodge. He barked a laugh, pointing at her. “Ha! Missed!” 

Unfortunately, as soon as the duck landed on the floor, squeaking, a bolt of lightning shot out from its beak and scorched a wall. 

Eleanora jumped and screeched, practically throwing herself onto the desk in the same way someone might’ve done had they seen a spider. “What the frick, dude!? Lightning!? Don’t- Don’t you have one that squeaks rainbows or something!? Or glitter!? Something not deadly!?�� 

Lucifer held up a finger, about to respond, only to think about it, tapping a claw to his chin. “Actually… I don’t think I have one with rainbows? Glitter, definitely. Dunno where it’s at, though. It’s in one of these piles.” He raised an arm, gesturing widely to the rubber ducks around them. 

The human gaped at him. 

Lifting a hand, she brushed her bangs back out of her face, baffled, letting out a huff, and Lucifer hummed, summoning his staff so he could lean forward against it, rocking on his heels as he rested his chin on his hands. He watched as her chest heaved as she scoffed, her shapely legs shifting as she slumped over, dropping her arms to rest in her lap as she shook her head. 

“You’re ridiculous.” Oh, that’s something. Rather than annoyance, there was a hint of amusement in her tone, like she found his ridiculousness entertaining or, dare say, charming.

Lucifer found his eyebrows raising. “Am I? I wouldn’t have guessed.” 

“Pfft!” She didn’t even try to hide her laugh. “Right!? It’s not obvious at all.” 

Even stranger than her tone of voice, Lucifer found himself smiling, lips spreading wide across his face and showcasing his sharp teeth for all the world to see. 

It felt nice- having someone to talk to, someone who wasn’t a wretched Sinner and who didn’t have ulterior motives. Someone he didn’t have to worry about, whether it be their intentions or… otherwise. It was a welcome distraction. 

One that… actually felt good, instead of being a pathetic endeavor to keep his mind off of other things. It felt so good, he could feel a song bubbling its way up his chest. 

“Well, I may be ridiculous, but what does that make you?” Lucifer found himself saying, standing up straight and tapping his cane against the floor before waltzing his way over to the desk where she was still sitting. Eleanora blinked. Alarm flashed across her face when he leaned against the side of his chair, arms folding over his chest, fixing her with a look. “You just threw rubber ducks at the King of Hell. Honesty, it was quite bold of you.”

“Th-That was… I, um…” Her expression was complete and utter panic. 

Lucifer’s smile broadened into a grin, absolutely delighted at this opportunity to tease her. “A human like you? Why, Little Blue- I can hardly believe you!” 

Her panic instantly switched to confusion, the woman catching the beat he was speaking with, before squeaking when he suddenly jumped up onto the desk and slid to sit beside her, one leg crossed over the other. 

As Lucifer started to sing, he bounced his shoulders, grinning wide as could be as he looked at her. “What a brave human you are~ facing Hell and coming this far! Picking a fight with the king, I mean really, just who do you think you are?” 

“I-“ Eleanora did not have any idea where this was going. As such, she didn’t know if he was actually upset or not. “I just- I’m sorry? I didn’t mean to- well, I did mean to, but it wasn’t-“ 

“A human like you, sweet Little Blue, I just can’t understand you. Come on, let’s walk!” He jumped off the desk, snatching her hand and dragging her with him, and she yelped when he yanked her forward and spun her around so they were facing each other. “Let’s talk, let’s have a dance!” 

“Lucifer-“

“Hey, what’s wrong?” He asked, not at all sincere, laughing as he grabbed both her hands and began to move around. The woman’s feet stumbled as she tried to keep in time with him. “You wanted to dance with the devil, so here I am! Why not revel and enjoy the song?” 

She made a noise of surprise when the room around them began to change, magical silver music notes drifting through the air, circling them. The sky above was a brilliant glittering gold. 

“Lah~ dah, a lati dah!” Lucifer sang, his dull red eyes a brilliant crimson as they spun atop a crystal clear lake, each step causing the surface to ripple. “Lah dah lah dah, lah lati dah!” 

He couldn’t help but watch as wonder began to shine in her eyes, something warm that had once been long dead inside him seeming to rise and glimmer as the world around them sparkled gold and blue. Lifting an arm, Eleanora actually giggled as she spun on her toes, the devil king letting her circle around him before being pulled back into his grasp. 

Before, she had been terrified, and she sang only to comfort him, but now? 

She was truly enjoying the music. 

“A dance with the devil’s what you wanted, so take the leap, take a glance~ enjoy your unique, magical circumstance! Not many get a chance like this!” 

Whether he was referring to her situation as a human who was summoned into Hell itself while still being very much alive, or simply because she was dancing with the King of Hell, he wasn’t really sure. Lucifer was simply letting the words flow, and enjoying himself as he watched the various emotions paint across her face. 

“Lah dah lah dah, la lati dah~!” He sang, before flashing her a big grin. “Say, Little Blue, is that a smile?” 

The human gasped, looking at him with big brown eyes, concern flashing across her features just briefly until she saw his crinkled eyes, realizing there wasn’t a hint of animosity in his words. 

Spinning and releasing her, she fell back with a yelp, but didn’t fall as he caught her by the waist. “I knew you’d find this song to be worthwhile!” 

“Lucif-“ Eleanora inhaled sharply, the devil king leaning towards her just a bit too close, but in a way that was much different from how he did in the first song he sang to her. 

His grin was wider, but not forced, and his crimson irises were sparkling. “Little Blue, Ellie, you~! You made a deal to work at my side, to help me with my daughter so I won’t have to say goodbye, but you~!” 

Lucifer pulled her back up onto her feet, but did not remove his hand from her waist. 

“You don’t know how to pick your battles! Trying to pick a fight with the one who gave Eve the apple, ha! You really are reckless, y’know that?”

“Unfortunately?”

 Lucifer grinned. 

“You wanted to dance with the devil~! So here I am! Take the leap, take the chance, enjoy your unique magical circumstance!” Grasping her hand, tugging her close, they began to dance together again, Lucifer taking the lead as she stumbled along, her face red as could be as he beamed. “Lah dah lah dah, la lati dah~ tell me, Little Blue; you’re a gutsy gal! Just why are you helping me?” 

She blinked. “Why? Because…” 

Eleanora thought about it. For once, her feet were actually matching his steps.

“You love your daughter? And… because I want to? I don’t… think you’re a bad guy. Scary, yeah, since you… could definitely kill me, but- I dunno, you’re kinda nice?” 

Lucifer’s pearly white grin softened then, his eyes burning at the sincerity of her answer. Something in his heart throbbed, and he smiled gently as he sent her spinning to his right, releasing her hand, red flower petals appearing and fluttering around her as she slowed to a halt, turning to look at him once she was several feet away. Lucifer’s eyes widened a little at the sight, and he pursed his lips, wondering if this was truly alright. 

She shouldn’t even be here in Hell. 

Can he… really allow himself to rely on her? He should hate her, honestly, given she’s one of the beings who was given free will and with that free will has made a pact of all things with his daughter, and yet… he can’t. She’s so honest and nice, and… warm. 

And pretty. 

Nope, no, not the time, brain! 

Attraction does not equal affection, and he’s not even sure if he can try that right now- or if he’s even capable of it, considering how badly his heart was broken when his wife left him. Even his brain’s become a scrambled mess over the years of isolation and crippling loneliness. 

Friends are good, though! 

He can handle making a friend. Right? Right. 

I can have a human friend. 

Lucifer watched as a few butterflies flew towards Eleanora, who squeaked in slight terror and ducked down, freezing in place when one landed on her head. He bit his lip so he wouldn’t laugh. Walking over, he scared the magic critters away with his staff and held out his hand, the brunette woman pausing to look up at him with gratitude before hesitantly taking hold of his hand. 

“Thank you.” He told her, voice soft, and she recoiled, eyes wide. 

“Huh? O-Oh, you don’t- haha, nah, it’s okay!” She smiled awkwardly at him. “I’m just… glad I can help. Like I said- I don’t really do anything in the hotel except exist, mostly because we don’t have any residents yet, but, hey! If I can help you bond with Charlie, who’s been super nice to me, then I wanna help!” 

Lucifer chuckled, and this time when he tugged her towards him Eleanora didn’t yelp. She just gazed at him with wide eyes, her face burning red, as their chests and faces nearly touched. 

One hand in hers, the other on her waist, the corners of his eyes crinkled warmly. “And I’m not supposed to thank you for that? Don’t be ridiculous, Ellie. Being fallen doesn't mean I've forgotten how to be grateful. I may be the devil, but I was once an archangel."

She was definitely befuddled by his change in attitude, as well as the sudden nickname, but decided not to comment on it. 

Apparently “Ellie” was more acceptable than “Little Blue”. 

Although, if you ask him, “Little Blue” was much cuter. It suited her. A human in Hell, weak and without magic, lacking any and all ways to defend herself should she be attacked without relying on the pact, dressed in all blue, and… well, short? It was adorable. The best nickname. 

He absolutely enjoyed how tall his ex wife was, as it made for some fun antics where he could bring out his wings and fly about, but having someone a little closer to his eye level wasn’t bad either. 

Wait, what is his brain trying to imply? 

Stop it! Focus! 

He leaned in closer, and Ellie leaned back, intimidated and very much flustered. When he started singing again, his voice was lower, gentler, but still filled with gratitude and glee. “I’ve been wanting~ for so long, to see my daughter~ and hear her song. But in the end, I ran away… like a coward…” 

Lucifer lowered his head, looking away. 

“But,” Looking back up, his red eyes met Eleanora’s, and he flashed her a grateful, painfully hopeful grin, “with you at my side, helping me stay upright, to face the fight, I might just be able~ for once not be a fable~ in my daughter’s life!” 

The world around them shimmered, the music notes fluttering down towards the lake like feathers. The lighting grew softer, but Eleanora was so entranced by Lucifer’s voice and his scarlet eyes she barely noticed. 

Even as they began to dance again, and he spun her around and tugged her back, grasping both of her hands, her gaze did not leave his form. “Lah dah lah lati da~! To be a light and set things right, so what remains is not devoured~! I thank you, Ellie.”

He lifted her hands up to his forehead as he bowed his head, his lips curling back. 

“Thank you. For dancing with this… pathetic excuse of a man and devil.” 

“…You’re not pathetic.”

“No, no. I am.” He said, shaking his head and lifting his gaze to meet hers. Eleanora was frowning. “If not for you, that letter… would never have been finished. It wouldn’t have even seen an envelope. I’m… the worst. Truly. I call myself Charlie’s father, but I can never do anything on my own. I just… wait. Hoping she calls me. That she reaches out. I’m pathetic, and… I know it.” 

“You’re not pathetic.” The brunette stated firmly. Lucifer blinked. “You’re just scared. It’s okay to be scared.” 

“But I-“ 

“You want to fix things, right?” She asked, and he hesitantly nodded. “You finished the letter, didn’t you?” Another nod. “You’re taking the first step. What would be pathetic is if you gave up midway through. But you didn’t. You finished writing it.” 

“...If it weren’t for you, I-”

Lucifer was cut-off rather rudely by a phone’s call ringtone going off. The song was distinctly in Japanese, but it was definitely the iconic, I Want to Change the World from a classic anime that Eleanora enjoys. Her eyes as wide as dinner plates, the magic around them popping out of existence, she yanked her hands away from Lucifer and fumbled for her phone. 

He made a face. “Who is that?” 

“Charlie!” 

Immediately, the man was stricken with panic, jumping back and flailing his hands, cane clattering to the ground. “Charlie!? Char- Charlie is calling you!? Char-Char!? My daughter!? Wh-What do we do!? What do I do!?” 

“Uh, ubduh- ahhhhh, I dunno!” Eleanora was panicking herself, frantically waving a hand at him before taking several deep breaths. “Calm! Stay calm! Don’t say anything! I got this. Phew. Okay.” 

Clearing her throat, she slid a thumb across the screen to accept the call and put the phone on speaker, holding it out with a nervous grin. She rested a free hand on her waist. 

“Heeeey, Charlie! What’s up?”

“Where are you!?”

“Huh?” 

The princess sounded terrified. “Where are you!? Are you okay!? Vaggie went to go find you, but you weren’t in your room, so we’ve been searching for you, but you’re just gone and we don’t know what to do and- are you okay!? You weren’t kidnapped by some mean demons, were you!?” 

At that, Eleanora and Lucifer looked at each other, and the King of Hell awkwardly placed a gloved hand over his face, cringing, because yes- she was kidnapped, and it was by him. Eleanora had to suppress a laugh.

“Are you hurt anywhere!?” 

“I-I’m not-“ Eleanora stammered for a moment, brain trying to come up with some sort of explanation, Lucifer waving a hand in front of his face and shaking his head, teeth bared in his panic. Her eyes lit up. “A-Actually, I… have a surprise for you!” 

Lucifer gaped, jaw ajar in his disbelief.

“Which is… why I’m not at the hotel! Haha, sorry, I know I should have told you I was gonna be gone for a while, but, like- I really didn’t wanna give it away, y’know?” As if. Lucifer kidnapped her without a warning. Eleanora had absolutely no idea she was going to be gone from the hotel.

Charlie’s worry quickly vanished. “A surprise?” 

Her excited gasp could be heard over the speaker.

“I love surprises!” 

“Right!? Thought you might.” Eleanora flashed Lucifer a playful wink and fingergun, silently letting him know they had this. His eyes were wide, the man unable to believe this was happening. “Also, question. How do… you feel about ducks?” 

“Awww, I love ducks! They’re so cute! Wait, does the surprise include ducks?” She gasped again. “Is it a live one!? Are you getting me a live duck!?” 

“…It does involve ducks, but not a live one. I don’t think.” The human made a face, and Lucifer began to lower his hands from his face, the man actually listening to the conversation now and realizing Eleanora truly did know what his daughter would like. “Where would I even get one in Hell? Do they have ducks in Hell?”

“Good point…” Charlie let out a weak chuckle, embarrassed. “And we do! They’re just… not normal?”

“Also! How do you feel about rainbows and glitter?” 

“Yeeeeessssss~!” 

“Aww, yeah!” Eleanora snapped her fingers, striking a pose as she held a hand dramatically up in the air above her head. “Knew it! Alrighty! Well, to answer your questions; I’m okay, I am not hurt, and… let’s not focus on the kidnapping bit, okay, bestie?” 

“Wait, what? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Don’t worry about it. Part of the surprise. Anyways~ I shall see you soon! Tell Vaggie I said hi! Hopefully you like the surprise!” 

“Aww, you really don’t have to, you know.”

“It’s all good.” She beamed, and turning her head she sent Lucifer a warm smile. “I want to.” 

The king was stunned. 

“El~! Awwww! Okay, well, since you absolutely insist on surprising me, I guess I have no choice but to wait! Hehehe. Ooh, Vaggie, Vaggie, guess what?” 

There was the sound of footsteps and then a calm yet very amused voice going, “What is it?” 

“El said she has a surprise for me! That’s why she’s gone! She’s getting it ready!”

“A surprise? Wait, really?” Vaggie sounded very confused. “But… she doesn’t know anyone in Hell! Where did she go? How did she leave without getting hurt?” 

“Maybe she influenced the Sinners with her goodness!? They won’t wanna hurt someone who’s super duper nice to them, right?” 

“Oh, gosh…” Eleanora was starting to look incredibly embarrassed now, the woman rubbing her exposed neck. “I really ain’t that nice. But, I’m glad you think so! You’ll… learn what’s going on once I get back, okay? With… the surprise.” 

Vaggie was skeptical, but Charlie was delighted. “Okay! Hehe. See you soon! Oooh, I can’t wait!” 

“Just be careful. It really isn’t safe down here.”

“Trust me,” Eleanora said, expression contorting with a grimace, “I know.” 

With that, she hung up. An exhausted breath escaped her lips, and she turned to look at Lucifer. Tucking her phone in her pocket, she brushed her bangs out of her face with a weary smile. 

“See? What’d I say? She loves cute and cheesy stuff!” 

Lucifer just took in a deep breath, brought his hands up to squish his cheeks, and let out a screech before running circles around the room. Eleanora squawked, turning to watch the devil king lose his mind. “Why, why, why, whyyyyy!? Why did you tell her you had a surprise for her!?” 

“...So you couldn’t duck out?” 

He skidded to a halt, the floor squeaking against his heels, and he looked to see her grinning goofily at him, pointing at one of the many piles of rubber ducks that were in his room. “Uh-huh. I see what you did there. You think you’re hilarious, don’t’cha?” 

“I do, yes.” She snickered. “And, hey! Got you to stop freaking out.” 

Lucifer balked, realizing she was right. 

Not giving him time to start panicking again, the human walked over and patted his shoulder. “So, I’m gonna go out on a limb here and guess you made all these rubber duckies, right?” Seeing him nod slowly, she continued. “Okay. Well… can you make one that squeaks rainbows and glitter? Or will that… take a day or two?” 

“A day or- pfft, tch, pch’a!” Lucifer made a bunch of scoffing noises and waved her off, puffing out his chest as he rested a hand on his hip. With his free hand, he lifted his chin and rubbed his fingers together, acting haughty. “I could make, like, a hundred of those before the day’s over.” 

Eleanora placed her hands on both of his shoulders then, making a bit of a face as she kept her smile on. “We only need one.” 

“...I’ll make two.” 

Eleanora had to stifle a laugh at his determined pout. 

Previous Chapter: https://www.tumblr.com/avionvadion/741473939450216448/i-have-no-self-control-so-here-ya-go?source=share

#lucifer morningstar #hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel lucifer #charlie morningstar #hazbin hotel oc #hazbin oc #hazbin lucifer x oc #hazbin hotel lucifer x oc #dancing with the devil #hazbin hotel fanfic #hazbin hotel fanfiction #lucifer magne

[440mxs-wife]

The “Plus One”

Pairing: Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy x F!Reader. Other Characters: Jim Kirk, Nyota Uhura, Eleanora McCoy and Jocelyn McCoy (mentioned).

Word Count: 9760 (It’s a long one, I know.)

Warnings: Mutual pining, best friends to lovers, fake dating, one-bed, a smidgen of angst but topped off with fluff.

Summary: Dr. McCoy has been roped into being a groomsman at his cousin’s wedding. When his mother RSVP’d for him, she mentioned a “plus one”, but forgot to tell her son that he has a girlfriend. So, the good doctor turns to the Reader, his best friend of many years and asks her to pretend to be his girlfriend. While it seems like a dream coming true for her, how long will she be able to pretend before real feelings are compromised?

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

On a late Friday afternoon, Dr. Leonard McCoy was finishing up some paperwork before leaving his office for the weekend. One of those last-minute tasks had to do with the piece of paper in his hand. He had been invited to a cousin's wedding back home, an event to take place three weeks from now.

He was asked to be one of the groomsmen, so he needed to be there the week before to take part in the pre-wedding festivities. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem, and when his mother told him she had RSVP'd for him, he didn't think much of it at the time. That is, he didn't until later, when he checked in with his mother. That's when he found out that she had told the wedding planner that he would be bringing his girlfriend. Except....He didn't remember ever telling his mother he had a girlfriend.

Naturally, the family all wanted to know the name of his "plus one", and he had yet to name anyone. It didn't matter, though, because the only name he had in mind to give them was yours. The problem was, the two of you were not a couple, regardless of how much he may want to be one. And he wasn't sure he could bring himself to ask you to pretend to be his girlfriend.

You and Leonard had been friends ever since you met at The Java Café and Book Nook. You were an aspiring author, working on your first manuscript at a corner table with your laptop. Leonard had been working the night shift at the clinic for the last two weeks, while his partner was on vacation. He was nearly drowning himself in coffee, trying to stay awake for his patients.

Somehow, your coffee orders got mixed up, where you got his and he got yours. It was all because the cardboard sleeves had been put on the wrong coffee cups. The two of you laughed about it, traded a few quips, then phone numbers. After that it was daily phone calls and text messages, then getting together every Friday after work.

There was no way that Leonard wanted to jeopardize the years-long friendship he had with you. Sure, there were times that he wondered if there may be a little more to it than friends. Like when he could swear he saw that look in your eye, the one that said, "kiss me, you fool". Or how you seemed to find any reason to touch him in passing or lean against him while watching a movie.

But Leonard kept telling himself that you were best friends, that you weren't interested in him that way, so he continued to push his feelings down. He figured it was better to do that than make the ultimate leap, only to find that you weren't in love with him the same as he was with you. To convince oneself of it is one thing, to receive confirmation of it would be almost more than he could bear.

Leonard decided he needed some advice from one of his other best friends. Someone who had more experience with relationships than anyone else he knew. He has to know what to do, Leonard thought. If he can't help me, I'm afraid I'm screwed, and not in a good way, he internally grumbled. He picked up his phone, scrolled through his contacts to the one he wanted and pressed the button to start the call.

"Yello?" the voice on the other end answered.

"Hey, Jim? I've got a problem and I need your help," Leonard admitted.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"What about this one?" you held up a sparkly black dress from your closet.

"Nah, you need something with color," your best friend and roommate, Nyota Uhura, remarked. She was helping you get ready for your evening out with Leonard.

"This one?" you returned the black dress and brought out an electric blue one.

"Too bright. Hey, why are you asking my opinion anyway? You've never asked me before what you should wear on these Friday nights with Leonard. I thought it was just two friends getting together once a week to catch up. What gives?" she asked.

"I simply want to look perfect. And it is just two friends getting together once a week to catch up. Until it isn't," you muttered. You took a seat next to her on the edge of your bed.

"What does that mean?" Uhura queried.

"It means....I wish it was more than that. But I'm fairly certain Len's content with us being best friends and nothing more," you replied. "I'd never want to risk that by telling him that I love him, only to find out he doesn't love me," you explained.

"But what if he does care about you like that?" she suggested.

"Trust me, he doesn't. And after my big reveal, he tells me he doesn't, then it will get awkward between us. We won't do our Friday night thing as often, or at all, because he'll tell me he's 'busy', then he'll stop calling and texting altogether. I'll lose him forever as my best friend and why haven't you stopped me yet, I'm spiraling out of control for cryin' out loud!" you exclaimed.

Uhura lightly chuckled in sympathy then threw her arm around your shoulders, giving them a gentle squeeze. "Breathe, honey. Breathe with me, you're okay," she soothed. "Do you feel better, now that you've gotten all that out of your system?" she asked after a few minutes and you nodded. "Good. Okay. Let's focus on finding you something to wear."

She stood up from the bed and started going through the clothes in your closet. "Ooh! What about this?" she held up a pale yellow, A-line dress with a hem that hit just below your knee. It had cut-outs at the shoulders with small, navy blue polka dots throughout the fabric.

"I forgot I even had this dress," you remarked softly then looked at your watch. "Okay, time for me to get this show on the road. I'm going to take a quick shower, so will you please watch the door, in case he's early?" you asked. She agreed, and you headed for the bathroom to shower.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The water for the shower had been turned off for several minutes when Uhura heard her phone ring. "Hello?....yes, I'm with her. He wants to ask her to do what?....No, that's actually perfect, given the conversation I've been having with her today....Oh, you too, but with Leonard?....These two, I swear....Hang on, I gotta go, but we need to come up with a plan about what to do next. 'Kay, bye," Uhura ended her call just as you walked out.

"Well? What do you think?" you wondered as you swayed from side to side, making your dress flare out a bit. You had kept your jewelry choices simple, your makeup minimal as well.

"Very nice. What time is Leonard picking you up?" Two knocks answered Uhura's question, and with a smile, she got up from the couch and answered the door. "Good evening, Dr. McCoy," she greeted him.

"Good evening, Nyota," he returned the greeting. Uhura opened the door so that Leonard could enter your living room. As your eyes locked onto those of your evening companion, your breath was nearly stolen from your chest.

He was was wearing a white button-down shirt, sleeves rolled up to the elbows, and untucked from his medium-wash blue jeans. Loosely around his neck was a dark blue tie, the top collar button of his shirt undone. A light stubble on his cheeks gave way to a lazy smile on his lips, his warm hazel eyes sparkling with mischief. "Good evening," he greeted you in that rich baritone of his, handing you a small bouquet of pink tulips.

"Good evening, Leonard," you responded. He took your hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it, giving you a wink and a smile.

"You ready, darlin'? I heard they're playing Singin' in the Rain in the park tonight, and thought you might like to do that," he suggested.

"Ohhh, that's one of my favorite movies, but of course, you already know that," you giggled. "That sounds like a wonderful idea. I'll go grab my purse and my phone, then be right back," you promised.

As soon as you left the room, Uhura turned her attention to Dr. McCoy. "You're sure pulling out all the stops tonight. Dressing up, flowers, one of her favorite movies playing in the park. Don't you think you should tell her?" she asked him as she searched your cupboards for a vase.

"Tell her what, exactly? Although, you're right. I almost forgot to tell her how beautiful she looks tonight," he answered, missing how Uhura rolled her eyes. When you returned to the living room and he saw you this time, he decided that "beautiful" wasn't going to cut it. Enchanting, stunning, radiant and gorgeous were all words he would choose to describe the way you looked. Somehow even those words didn't do you justice.

"Leonard? Len, honey, are you all right?" you wondered, a note of concern in your voice as you placed a hand on his wrist.

He shook his head, then covered your hand with his own. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth until it stretched to show his pearly whites. "Everything's fine, sweetheart. Shall we?" he suggested, guiding your hand to his elbow and tucking it into his side. You nodded and headed for the door. You vaguely heard Uhura bid you goodbye, but you were too wrapped up in the scent of Leonard's cologne to notice.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Dinner and a movie in the park could not be a more perfect idea, you thought. You and Leonard stopped and bought sandwiches and beverages. Then you picked up some candy to have with the popcorn being sold in the park. After dinner, Leonard wandered over to get ice cream from a nearby vendor's cart.

As he waited in line, he thought back on his earlier conversation with Jim about the wedding back home. Jim was in full support of the idea of Leonard asking you to be his "plus one" to the festive event. He tried his best to convince Leonard of the possibility of you having feelings for him that extended beyond being his best friend.

Leonard knew he was luckier than most, because he had someone like you in his life. His ex, Jocelyn didn't agree when he made the decision to transfer from the big city hospital to open his own clinic. She couldn't stand small-town life, with everyone being up in everyone else's business.

Eventually, Jocelyn divorced Leonard and married a hotshot lawyer with political aspirations. It took Leonard a long time to get over the divorce, which took a bite out of his self-confidence. Ultimately, he decided he was better off without her. Especially since the small town he lived in is where he'd met you, and he'd never regretted a moment since then.

If I ask, will she say yes, turn me down flat, or worse--laugh in my face? he wondered. Nah, you wouldn't laugh in his face, because you were too kind for that. It was whether or not you'd agree to pretend you were in love with him. The two of you would be keeping up appearances for family he rarely interacted with, except his mother. Besides, once he'd had a taste of what it would be like to be with you for real, he wasn't sure he'd ever want to go back.

A hand on his arm broke him out of his trance and he searched for the source of the gentle touch. His eyes traced a path from the hand, up the arm and eventually landed on your concerned face. "Len, are you sure is everything okay? You seem kind of quiet tonight," you asked.

He handed over your ice cream cone and brought his hand up to caress your cheek. "Everything is fine, darlin', I promise. Got a few things on my mind, but nothing to worry about," he assured you. "Let's head back to our blanket. We wouldn't want to lose our prime real estate," he winked and you smiled in agreement.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

On your way home from the park, you nearly couldn't erase the smile from your face. But something Leonard had said earlier was still causing you to be concerned. You didn't want to ruin what had been the perfect evening by bringing it up again. You wanted to trust when he said everything was fine. Knowing Leonard as you do, though, you decided to give him one more chance to reveal anything bothering him.

Taking a deep breath, you turned in your seat to face Leonard. "I really had the best time with you tonight Len," you remarked shyly. "The picnic, ice cream, the movie, dancing...." you trailed off.

"I agree, darlin', it was one of the best Fridays I've spent with you. Definitely top ten material," he chuckled.

"Len, earlier you said you had a few things on your mind, but there was nothing for me to worry about," you started.

"Sweetheart," he groaned.

"Leonard Horatio McCoy," you gently chided. "I have been your best friend long enough to know that there's something bothering you," you reminded him. You softened your tone further and placed your hand on top of his. "Please, Len. I want to help, will you please let me?" you implored.

Oh my sweet sunshine girl, he thought. For you, I will. "Okay. About three weeks from now, I have a wedding to go to back home. They've got me down as being one of the groomsmen," he grimaced. "Anyway, my mother RSVP'd for me, and said I'd be bringing my girlfriend. Now the family all wants to know the name of my 'plus one'," he explained.

At the mention of a girlfriend, your heart plummeted to your stomach. "Oh. I see. I didn't know you were seeing anyone," you remarked quietly.

His eyes quickly cut to your face. "I'm not seeing anyone," he assured you. "So, I don't have a name to give them yet," he disclosed. Here goes nothing. "I mean, the only person's name I could think of giving them would be yours, and....would you go with me? Pretend to be my girlfriend, even if only for this one event?" he pleaded.

At first, you were too stunned to offer an answer. Here he was, offering you the perfect dream scenario to spend some real time with him. To be with Leonard the way you wish it could always be, as something more than best friends.

After it was all done, though, you were afraid that once you've had a glimpse of that life, you wouldn't want to go back to being without him. But, this wasn't about you, it was about Leonard. And right now, he needed you to do this for him.

He sensed what he thought was your hesitation and started to backtrack. "You know what, maybe this wasn't such a good idea, sweetheart. You don't have to say--" he started.

"Okay. Okay, Leonard. I'll do it, I'll be your girlfriend for the wedding," you agreed.

"Y-you will?" he asked.

"Of course, Len. Why wouldn't I?" you added shyly.

Leonard brought the car to a stop in front of your house, then turned in his seat to get a better look at you. "I guess I just thought....that it'd be asking too much," he answered. His hand reached over to gently caress your cheek and noticed when you closed your eyes and leaned into his touch. "Thank you, sweetheart," he replied softly.

"No need to thank me Len, I'm happy to do this for you. Besides, it means I get to go shopping for a dress," you giggled. He chuckled in return, then pressed a lingering kiss to your forehead. He got out and jogged around to the passenger side to open your door and held out his hand to assist you in exiting the car.

Leonard kept your hand in his as you walked up the pathway to your front door. He waited until you dug out your keys from your purse. "Well, I gotta tell you darlin', I sure had a wonderful time with you tonight," he remarked as he brushed your cheek with the back of his hand.

"So did I, Len. You outdid yourself this time," you added with a smile. You unlocked the door and pushed it open a little. You reached up and gave him a leisurely peck on the cheek. "Goodnight, Leonard," you whispered, then backed your way across the threshold and closed the door.

McCoy touched his cheek where your lips had been, still feeling a little tingle from the kiss. It made him want to knock on your door and beg for more. Not yet, he affirmed. But soon, he promised himself. Huh. This may work out after all, he thought as he started his car and headed for home.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

You stood with your back against the door, a faraway look in your eye and a dreamy smile on your face. The evening was a great success, what with dinner, your favorite movie and, especially, dancing with Leonard.

Dancing with Leonard. When it reached the part where Gene Kelly's character is singing the signature song, you noticed a few couples rising from their places on the grass. They began to dance, then Leonard tilted your head up and smiled as he gazed into your eyes. He placed a sweet kiss on the end of your nose and asked, "May I have this dance?"

You nodded and allowed Leonard to help you to your feet. He took you by the hand to join the other dancing couples on the makeshift dance floor. He guided your left hand to his shoulder, while he rested his right hand on your upper back. He gently clasped your free hands together and whispered, "Ready?" When you indicated your agreement, he took the lead and gently moved you around the dance floor.

"Someone had a good night," a voice from the couch observed, which startled you out of your memory of the evening.

"Not nice to sneak up on someone, Nyota," you muttered but with a wry grin on your face. "And yes, I did have a good time tonight. I'll tell you all about it once I get changed into something more comfy," you promised as you walked to your room.

Ten minutes later and clad in your pajamas, you joined your best friend on the couch with a glass of wine in your hand. You told her all about the wonderful outing you and Leonard had, how it was so nearly perfect that you wish it was a real date. "He did invite me to go with him to a wedding back home in Georgia, though," you remarked.

Uhura sputtered as she nearly choked on her drink of wine. "He-he what?!?" she gasped.

"Relax, Uhura," you chuckled as you waited for her to regain her composure. "It's because his mother told everyone he would be bringing his girlfriend home. His family's been bugging him for a name, and now he has one to give them. He asked me to go, and I said yes," you explained, rising from your spot on the couch.

"You're going to go to Georgia and pretend to be his girlfriend?" she asked. "Are you sure you want to do that? I know how you feel about him," she responded gently. "I mean, what about afterwards? Do you go back to being friends, what?"

You rinsed out your wine glass in the sink, then turned to lean against the counter, facing your friend. "I don't know what happens afterwards. It's all I can do to focus on the here and now. And right now, one of my best friends needs me to do this for him, and by heavens, I'm going to. This isn't about me, anyway, it's about Len," you clarified. "If it leads to more...." I would be the happiest woman ever. "....then so be it," you shrugged.

Uhura walked over to where you were standing and mimicked your position. "So, when are we going shopping for your dress?" she smirked.

You burst into laughter at her question and threw your arms around her. "Tell me I'm doing the right thing," you pleaded, your voice thick with emotion.

Uhura squeezed you a little tighter as she held you in her embrace. "You'll be just fine, honey. Len's a good man, someone you've been friends with for years. And hey, anything could happen," she winked.

"That's not what I asked you to tell me, but I suppose it'll have to do," you chuckled. "Is tomorrow too soon to go shopping?" you asked.

"Not at all, I know of a couple of places we can go," she assured you. After you gave each other another hug, you went to your separate rooms to sleep.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Three weeks later when you stepped off the plane in Georgia, the air was pleasant. There was a comfortable breeze weaving its way through the trees. The abundance of sunshine created a warm environment, but not enough to be uncomfortable.

During the plane ride, you and Leonard worked out your "backstory", deciding it was easiest to stick with what was mostly the truth. If anyone asked, you would say that the two of you have been friends for years, and only recently started dating. As a couple, you were taking things slowly, especially since you both had been burned before.

As Leonard drove the rental car to his family's homestead, you started to have your doubts. What if his family doesn't like me? What if they think I'm not good enough for Leonard? What do I do if they figure out we're not really together? Would they ask me to leave?? All of these questions and more were swirling around in your mind.

Leonard took a quick sideways glance at you as he drove. He could see the play of emotions on your face, and wanted nothing more than to take you into his arms to comfort and reassure you. "I can see the gears turning in your head, and can probably guess what you're thinking right now. You've got nothing to worry about, because they're going to love you," he affirmed. Almost as much as I do, he silently added.

"I know, Len. I'm worried about messing this up for you, and I want to make a good impression, especially on your mother," you explained.

Leonard chuckled. "Sweetheart, you keep being your usual kind and smart self, and it'll be fine. Although, now that I think about it, you can be a bit sassy at times, but I s'pose we can work around that," he grinned.

"Oh, you--you meanie," you retorted weakly before changing the subject. "Um, I don't exactly know what your stance is on PDA, but I think we should, you know, keep it natural. Like if I want to hold your hand, or something, I'll just do it. I-if you're comfortable with that, I mean," you hastily added.

Leonard reached over and took your hand in his, intertwining your fingers. "Sounds like a good plan to me, honey," he replied, pressing a kiss to the back of your hand for emphasis.

You let out a shaky breath. "Well, as long as we have all that figured out," you remarked softly. If this keeps up, I may not survive this weekend, you thought.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Before you knew it, you had reached the McCoy family homestead. Leonard put the rental car in park and turned off the engine. He came around to the passenger side, opened your door, and held out his hand to assist you. Once you were out of the car, you leaned against the vehicle, choosing to hang back for a few moments.

A woman of medium height with short, graying hair wearing an apron stepped out onto the porch. Once she caught sight of her son, she rushed towards Leonard, her arms outstretched to greet him.

"As I live and breathe. Oh, Leonard, my son, it's so good to see you," she beamed.

"Hiya, Ma. It's good to be home to see you," he replied as he closed the distance and brought his mother into his embrace.

They  clung to each other for a couple of minutes, then Mrs. McCoy stepped   back to peer around Leonard. "Is that her? She's pretty," she whispered excitedly, a  gleeful smile across her face.

He chuckled and held out his hand for you to take and draw you closer to his side. "Yes. Momma, this is my girlfriend," he affirmed, giving her your name. "Sweetheart, I'd like you to meet my ma, Eleanora McCoy,"  he remarked.

You held out your hand, which was shaking a little  from nervousness. "It's a great pleasure to meet you, Mrs. McCoy. I've  heard a lot about you," you replied.

"Oh, you dear child, come  here so I can give you a proper greeting," Eleanora gently chided,  holding her arms out. "And please, call me 'Eleanora', 'Momma' or just  'Ma'," she added.

You looked at Leonard, who grinned and nudged you towards his mother. Eleanora wrapped her arms around you and  gave you a little squeeze. You could feel the warmth and welcome in  the gesture and a few tears leaked from your tightly closed eyes.

The  tears did not escape Eleonora's notice when she pulled back. "Honey, is everything all right?" she asked with  concern.

"Darlin', are you okay?" McCoy inquired, rubbing circles on your back.

You wiped the few tears that had leaked out before answering. "I'm fine, really. I'm a little tired after our flight, and your hug was so warm--thank you for making me feel so welcome," you explained.

"You sweet girl, of course you're welcome here, we're happy to have you with us on such an important occasion. Now, follow me, and we'll introduce you to the rest of the family. Don't worry, dear, Leonard will get the bags," she grinned.

"Already on it, Ma," he called as he hoisted the bags from the trunk to carry them upstairs to his old room.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Dinner with the McCoy family was a raucous affair, with everyone telling you stories about Leonard. As much as you were enjoying the inside scoop, you felt a tiny twinge of guilt for having fun at Leonard's expense. Leonard put you at ease, though, when he left the table to take some dishes to the kitchen. When he passed by your chair, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of your head.

After dinner, most everyone retired to the front porch to enjoy a soothing glass of bourbon or some other favorite drink. You and Leonard were snuggled up on the porch swing, your back against his chest with his arms around you. In the distance, you could see the glow of the fireflies, flickering off and on in their dance in the night air.

When Leonard noticed your third yawn in the span of fifteen minutes, he gave your hand a gentle squeeze. He chuckled when you turned to him with eyes at half-mast and a lazy smile on your face. "C'mon, sweetheart, let's get you upstairs and back to dreamland," he remarked softly.

You nodded and rose slowly to an upright position on the swing. Leonard curled you into his side with an arm around your shoulder, while you wrapped yours around his waist. You both murmured your goodnight wishes to everyone, then headed upstairs.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

For you, Leonard's room provided even more insight into the man who constantly invaded your thoughts. Along one wall were built-in bookshelves, filled with books on a variety of topics. There were the usual classics, but the majority of the subject matter was medical, with encyclopedias and what had to be his old textbooks.

At the window was a small desk, with a pencil cup at one corner and a task lamp with a flexible neck in the other corner. On the left side, there were a set of three drawers, and a stack of medical reference books were arranged on top of the desk. A notebook sat in the middle of the desk, waiting for notes to be added.

Your gaze drifted around the room and landed on the double bed in the middle of the room. Uh-oh, you thought. The one factor you hadn't considered was sleeping arrangements. Sure, you and Leonard tended to get cozy when watching a movie on those Friday nights together. However, that was on the couch, so you had yet to share a bed with him.

Part of you thought it was no big deal, Leonard was your best friend, no expectations. The other part was tied up in knots of being even closer than before and ever so much more vulnerable in sleep. You were fairly certain nothing inappropriate would happen, especially not in his momma's house. At the same time, you'd be lying if you said you'd never had those thoughts about your best friend.

As if he could read your thoughts, Leonard decided to address the elephant in the room. "Well, as I see it, we can do this one of two ways. We can approach this like adults and share the bed, or I can sleep on the floor," he suggested.

"Len, you're not going to sleep on the floor because I don't want you to be uncomfortable. There's no way you'd get any kind of restful sleep, which everyone needs to function properly. Isn't that true, Dr. McCoy?" you pointed out, arms crossed over your chest.

He couldn't help but chuckle at your defiant stance in response to such a sensitive subject. It only made him love you all the more. He held up his hands in a mock surrender. "Okay, okay, sweetheart, you win. We'll share," he grinned.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

With that settled, the two of you focused your attention on digging out suitable sleeping attire from your suitcases. Leonard offered you the option to change in the en suite bathroom, while he shed his clothes in the bedroom. You agreed, and as you passed him on the way to the bathroom, you laid a hand on his arm and gave it a slight squeeze.

Leonard removed his shoes and socks, then unbuckled his belt to slide out of his jeans, which he folded neatly and returned to his suitcase. His thoughts drifted to you as he unbuttoned his shirt to remove it. This was his chance, the opportunity to fall sleep next to you at night and see your beautiful face when he awoke in the morning. Probably as close to heaven as I'll ever get, he thought.

It was as if merely thinking of you was enough to compel your appearance, because you emerged from the bathroom at that exact moment. You were wearing a navy blue T-shirt that hung off of one shoulder, and for which the bottom hem fell just past your backside. The shirt almost completely covered the pale blue sleep shorts you were wearing, with only a sliver of color peeking out from under the shirt.

You switched off the bathroom light and carried your folded clothes with you to stow in your suitcase. After taking out your toiletry kit and setting it aside, you zipped up your suitcase and stood it up to rest at the foot of the bed. You reached down and ready to pull back the covers, but before doing so, you made the happy mistake of glancing at Leonard.

If you'd never had impure thoughts about your best friend before, you were certainly plagued by them now. He was standing on his side of the bed wearing nothing but his boxers. Your mouth went dry at seeing the smattering of dark hair across his solid and muscular chest. It took everything in you to stop your gaze from drifting any further downward. You knew that if you didn't, you'd never get a moment's rest.

Leonard noticed the way your breathing hitched while you were trying not to appear as though you were checking him out. He took the opportunity to return the favor, and almost wished he hadn't. Almost. He was drawn in by the rose-scented lotion you must have applied after changing into your pajamas. You had removed your makeup, though he was long of the opinion that you didn't need it to enhance your appearance.

In his eyes, you were already the most beautiful woman he'd ever met, and not just on the outside. Your beauty radiated from within through your kindness, your compassion for others and your sweet sense of humor. You standing in his childhood bedroom and preparing to sleep next to him were two things he never thought would happen.

Leonard noticed your hand still hovering above the bed, ready to pull back the covers. "Ladies first," he grinned.

You rolled your eyes but a smile managed to tug at the corners of your mouth. Sliding under the blankets, you settled at first by laying on your side. You felt the mattress dip under Leonard's weight as he climbed in and positioned himself next to you. From being so close to Leonard, you wondered if he could detect your sudden rapid heartbeat. If somehow he could, you hoped he would ignore it.

Leonard lay on his back, one arm bent behind his head. He chanced a look over to your side of the bed and noticed that your T-shirt had slipped off your shoulder again. He had to seriously rein himself in before he inched closer and placed a kiss on your bare skin. Taking deep breaths, he tried to get his thoughts back under control, lest they bubble past "thought" and into "reality".

For some reason, you couldn't get comfortable enough to drift off to sleep again. Could possibly be that you're in unfamiliar surroundings, although Leonard's family did their best to put you at ease. Maybe it was that you were being fed a little more of your dream scenario of being held closely to Leonard's body. Problem was, you knew it couldn't last forever and were waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Carefully you shifted so you were laying on your back, hands clasped over your chest. You turned your head to see Leonard's eyes on you, a soft smile on his face. "Penny for your thoughts," you whispered.

He chuckled lightly and took a deep breath before answering. "I was thinking about....how glad I am that you're here with me. Really means a lot to me," he replied.

"Len, I'm happy to be here with you. Your family is a wonderful group of people, and I especially adore your momma," you giggled. "She did a good job of raising you," you added softly.

Silence hung between you once more as you both thought about what to say. "Do you....do you ever think about....um....getting married again?" you asked.

"Hmm. Well, I'd be lying if I said that the thought hadn't crossed my mind once or twice in the past few weeks," he remarked. "Why? What are your thoughts?"

"I think there's someone out there for everyone. Sometimes we get it right the first time, sometimes not. Fortunately, I believe in second chances. Another opportunity to find that 'forever' kind of love that I'm convinced everyone deserves," you answered. "Kinda sappy, I know, but I can't help but feel that way."

"Nah, it's not sappy at all, darlin'. Gotta have the eternal optimists like you in the world to balance out the cynical pessimists like me," he muttered.

"Oh come on, Len, you're not a pessimist," you muttered, rolling over on your side. "Time for sleep, Len. From what your momma says, there's lots to do in the next few days. Goodnight," you responded, then yawned.

"Goodnight, sweetheart," Leonard whispered. He draped an arm around your midsection to pull you closer to him and, in a bold move, he pressed a soft kiss to your exposed shoulder.

He couldn't tell, but your eyes went wide at the unexpected but not unwelcome show of affection. Suffice to say, though, it was a long time before your eyes finally closed for the night.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

As predicted, the next few days were jam-packed for the McCoy family, with preparations for the wedding in full swing. You tried to step in wherever it looked like help was needed, wedding-related or not. There were table decorations and wedding favors to be made, and you were sure to keep the coffee flowing. Momma McCoy even allowed you into her kitchen to help with a meal or to bake a batch of cookies. More than once, you found yourself on the receiving end of a weary "thank you" or a grateful hug.

On the day before the wedding, the afternoon was spent decorating the reception hall. Leonard assisted you by covering the tables with white linen tablecloths. In turn, you assembled the table decorations and wedding favors you'd helped make the previous day. As you moved from table to table, your hand frequently slipped into Leonard's hand, which felt more comfortable as the day went on.

Something you could never quite fully escape were Leonard's aunts. It seemed like each of them took their opportunity to drop hints that you and Leonard should be the next to get married. No matter how often you insisted that you were taking it slow, it did little to deter them.

When you told Leonard about it, he threw his head back in laughter. "It's not funny, Leonard," you huffed.

Leonard tried to remain supportive. "I know, sweetheart. They mean well, honest they do. My marriage to Jocelyn was such a train-wreck, but they definitely approve of you. They want to make sure I don't let you get away," he replied. Leonard wrapped his arms around you and assured you that it's just a case of everyone getting caught up in "wedding fever". He was confident that it would likely pass after the wedding was over. But the more agitated you got, the harder it was becoming to contain his amusement.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The day of the wedding had arrived, with the whole house caught up in a flurry of activity. As you were getting ready for the ceremony, you kept hearing grunts of frustration coming from the bedroom. "Len? Honey, is everything okay? You sound rather upset out there," you observed.

"It's this stupid tie, I can't get it to lay right," he grumbled.

"Hold on, I'll be right out, and I can help you with it," you promised. You stepped out of the en suite bathroom, still trying to secure your earring in place. You were wearing an ivory-white, floor-length maxi dress with a pale pink floral print. It had a sweetheart neckline, spaghetti straps that crossed in the back, and on your feet were a pair of white ballet flats.

When you emerged from the bathroom, Leonard was sitting on the edge of the bed on your side, which was facing the bathroom. He was wearing a charcoal gray pinstripe suit, with a white button-down shirt underneath. His matching silk tie was hanging loosely around his neck, waiting for your assistance.

Leonard lifted his head when he heard your feet softly padding across the room, over to where he was seated. His eyes grew wide at seeing you, and his lips slightly parted, then grew into a broad smile. "You look like an angel," he remarked with reverence.

A warmth grew on your cheeks as your gaze dropped to the floor, but not before Leonard saw the bashful smile on your face. "Thank you, Len," you replied softly. "You're looking very handsome and debonair yourself," you added.

Leonard held out his arms and you stepped in between his legs. His hands came to rest on your hips, while yours cradled his face and tilted his head up to meet his gaze. "Could ya please help me with my tie, darlin'? Just can't seem to get it right," he asked.

With a nod, you reached up and began adjusting the ends of his tie. As you concentrated on the task at hand, Leonard kept his eyes on you. When you finished the tying part, your eyes caught his and you let out a nervous chuckle. Satisfied with your efforts, you took a half step back, only to have Leonard tug you close to him again.

Leonard brings your hands up to his face and presses a kiss to each hand. "Ya know, I'm used to seeing these fingers fly across a keyboard, spittin' out word after word, sentence after sentence. Nice to find out that they're skilled in other areas, too," he remarked, eyes still glued to yours.

"Is that so?" you responded, your eyes darting a quick glance at his velvety, plump lips. When Leonard nodded, you added, "Maybe one day you'll even find out." You leaned forward as he also moved to close the gap. Just before your lips connected, Eleanora's voice rang out in the hall, asking if the two of you were almost ready.

The sudden noise caused the two of you to jump back from each other with a sheepish grin. When your hearts had mostly calmed down, Leonard offered his arm and you curled your hand around the crook of his elbow. He tucked your hand close to his side and the two of you headed down the stairs.

Halfway down the stairs, you stopped, causing Leonard to pause on the step below yours. "Everything okay? Did you forget something?" he asked.

Feeling bold, you gently laid your hand alongside his face. "No, but I didn't want to forget anything, especially this," you responded by leaning down and pressing your lips to his.

When you broke apart, you could tell Leonard wanted to kiss you again by the grin on his face. He would have gone back for more, had his Aunt Bonnie not interrupted, saying it was time to get to the church. "To be continued," he whispered as his index finger gently caressed your cheek.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

At the church, Leonard held out his hand to help you out of the car. The two of you walked in together, hand in hand, and hovered near the door to wait as the others arrived. Soon enough, it was nearing the time to start the ceremony. Leonard escorted you to your seat, which had you sitting with a few of Leonard's aunts and Eleanora directly on your left.

As you waited for the groomsmen and bridesmaids to file in, you were caught up in the music floating through the church. You wondered about the types of flowers used in the decorations when the procession started. Each groomsman was paired with a bridesmaid, and once they reached the altar, each went their separate ways.

Try as you might, you couldn't tear your eyes away from Leonard for very long as he waited with his cousin and the other groomsmen. For his part, his eyes didn't stray from yours for more than a minute or two, then clapped right back on them. Every once in a while, he would smile or wink at you, causing you to smile back or shyly drop your gaze to your hands in your lap.

"He loves you, you know," Eleanora remarked.

You turned to look at Leonard's mother, and you suddenly couldn't keep up the ruse any longer. "There's something you should know about Leonard and me. We're just best friends, we're not really together as a couple," you confessed.

"I'm not so sure about that, honey. I've seen the way Leonard looks at you, and it's the same way you look at him, like you're the center of each other's universe. And I think you two are good for each other," Eleanora affirmed.

You shook your head, pushing down the feeling and not daring to hope that she was right. "He told me that he was expected to bring a 'plus one', and asked if I would pretend to be his girlfriend. We're already such good friends, that I figured it would be easy. I've realized that I can't keep up the charade anymore," you acknowledged.

Eleanora gave you a knowing smile. "Mhmm. That's because you love him too, don't you?" she asked.

Nodding, you returned your attention to Leonard. "More than anything," you whispered. "But I haven't told him, he doesn't know," you hastily explained.

Before Eleanora could ask why you haven't told Leonard of your feelings, the music changed and everyone stood up from their seats. You watched as the bride was escorted down the aisle by her father to meet her future husband. It was easy to see the love in the eyes of the bride and her groom as he took her hands then turned to the officiant to signal the start of the ceremony.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Throughout the ceremony, your thoughts wandered to those of your own wedding. Who might it be, standing at the altar waiting for you? What kind of flowers would you have? Who would you ask to give you away? With so many questions running around in your head, you almost didn't hear those fated words, "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride".

You watched and cheered as the couple immersed themselves in their first kiss as a married couple. After they broke apart, the wedding party retreated up the aisle, two by two, followed by the wedding guests, starting from the front of the church. You partially listened as Eleanora talked with her sisters, trying to arrange transportation to where the reception was being held.

Just as you were about to offer to drive Leonard's mother and anyone else over to the reception, you felt a hand touch the small of your back. You turned to see Leonard's handsome face, a smile gracing his features. "Pardon me, ladies, I'm only here to steal my gorgeous girlfriend away so we can head over to the reception together," he explained. "Shall we, sweetheart?"

You nodded and draped your arm around Leonard's midsection as he curled his arm around your waist. On the way over to the reception hall, your thoughts from earlier were still racing around in your head. From thinking about what your wedding would look like to what Eleanora said to you about Leonard's feelings for you, it kept you quiet.

The lack of conversation in the car definitely did not escape Leonard's notice. While he was standing at the altar, his gaze would drift over to you, never failing to bring a smile to his face. Sometimes, you were having a conversation with his mother, which he was happy to see the two of you enjoying each other's company. During the ceremony, though, you looked a little lost in thought, and it made Leonard wonder what you were thinking about.

"Is everything all right, sugar? You're kinda quiet," Leonard noted as he pulled into a parking space.

"I'm fine, Len. Just been so much going on the past few days, I guess it's caught up with me," you remarked.

Leonard turned in his seat to face you. "You know, you can talk to me about anything," he reminded you.

You laid a hand on his arm and gave him a smile, but he could tell it didn't quite reach your eyes. Almost anything, you thought. "I know, Len, and I appreciate that. I'll be all right, as long as you save a dance or two for me," you teased.

Leonard held his right hand over his heart. "I solemnly promise that I will save all my dances for you," he declared. He exited the car, then jogged around to the passenger side and opened the door for you. "My lady," he remarked dramatically as he held out his hand.

You giggled softly and took his offered assistance. "Kind sir," you replied, stepping out of the car. Leonard slowly brought your hand to his lips and gently kissed the back of it, then winked at you. While you walked into the reception hall, he kept your hand safely in his, intertwining your fingers.

Every so often, Leonard would glance over at you, his brow furrowed as he tried to determine what happened to change your mood. He thought about asking his mother, since the two of you sat together and had a conversation before the ceremony. He decided to let it go for now, that you would reach out to him when you were ready to talk.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

After dinner had been served and the plates were cleared, the reception hall staff members removed the tables to open up the dance floor. There were the traditional dances, such as first dance as a married couple, then the father/daughter and mother/son dances. The wedding party then got out on the floor, with the groomsmen and their bridesmaids.

Leonard was dancing with the bridesmaid he escorted down the aisle, who happened to be the groom's sister, while you watched from the sidelines. Somewhere in your chest you felt an ache that could only be described as jealousy at the woman currently in Leonard's arms. You shook your head as if to dismiss the feeling, but it persisted.

You couldn't understand where this feeling was coming from. He wasn't yours, you had no claim on him. You were only pretending to be a couple for the sake of his family, regardless of what Eleanora thinks she saw when Leonard looked at you. There was no reason to be jealous of him dancing with another woman.

And yet....what about the tender touches, the "sweetheart", "honey", "darlin'" and other terms of endearment? Or how he held you as you slept, like you were his to protect from any harm that may seek you out in the night? And the way his lips felt against your skin was nearly indescribable. But it was all part of the deal, part of the act, right? Best friends masquerading as a real couple, only it was your real feelings that were involved.

Uhura's words came rushing back to you, about what happens after you and Leonard return home, and you didn't know. Suddenly, the room felt much too warm and all you could think of was to step outside for some fresh air. Just a few minutes to clear your head, tamp down these feelings, do whatever it took to keep your composure. Then you would return to the reception as if everything was normal.

You slowly stood up from your chair, not wanting to arouse any suspicion or cause anyone to worry if you all of a sudden bolted from the room. With one last glance towards the dance floor, you saw Leonard still dancing. Good, you thought with a wistful smile. Wouldn't want to interrupt anything, and I should be back before he notices I'm gone, you reasoned.

What you didn't know was that Leonard had kept his eyes more on you than on his dance partner, and had seen you leave. He'd felt that something was different with you after the ceremony, but he couldn't quite figure it out. He'd been hesitant to press the issue, because you were likely to continue insisting that everything was fine. However, Leonard could tell you were not fine, and it was time he found out why.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The reception hall was situated next to a medium-sized pond, with a stone walkway leading out to a bridge at the water's edge. When Leonard exited the hall, he scanned the property for any sign of where you'd gone. He needed to find you soon, and hoped you hadn't somehow found transportation back to his mother's house.

Finally, Leonard spotted you on the bridge, looking out over the water, your hair fluttering in the soft breeze. Every so often, he noticed how you discreetly dabbed at your eyes with a tissue and his heart nearly broke.

Up until now, he thought that the day had gone well for the two of you. There was some flirting going on, first that bit with his tie, then you kissed him on the stairs at his momma's house. All of which was entirely welcomed and he wanted to encourage it. What changed? he wondered.

You heard the sound of men's dress shoes on the stone walkway and immediately knew that Leonard had found you. Not quite trusting your voice yet, you remained silent and tried to pull yourself together. Soon he was at your side, his back against the bridge railing while you stared straight ahead. His index finger ran up and down your bicep, causing goosebumps to form in its wake. He wasn't sure if they were caused by the cold air or if it was from his touch.

"Now, I know you said you're 'fine', but we've been best friends long enough that I can tell something has upset you. I wish you would let me help you," he pleaded softly.

"I wish there was some way you could help me," you replied. "I....I um....I can't do this anymore, Len. I can't keep pretending. I don't want to lie to anyone about us anymore, especially to your momma," you remarked.

"It's only until we leave tomorrow. Then when we get home and after some time passes, I'll call and tell her we broke up," Leonard assured you.

Fresh tears rolled down your cheeks at hearing Leonard talk so casually about "breaking up" with you. The two of you were only pretending to be together as a couple. Why did it hurt so much to hear him talk about ending the relationship? You definitely felt something, was any of it real between you?

"Sweetheart please," Leonard begged. "Let me expl--"

"Uhura warned me this would happen. Well, not 'warned' exactly, but she asked me what happens afterwards, as in where do you and I stand. I didn't know at the time, and I kinda still don't now," you responded with a sniffle.

Leonard placed his hands on your arms and pivoted so you were looking at each other. "You're still my best friend. Nothing and no one will change that," he stated firmly, his hands settling on your waist, while yours rested on his shoulders.

"And I appreciate that. Some might accuse me of being greedy, ungrateful for what we already have, or even selfish, but I want more with you. I can't go back to being like we were before this trip, just best friends and nothing else. I've had a glimpse, a taste of what it's like to be with you in the way I've dreamed of being for so long," you affirmed.

The meaning of your words started to sink in, but Leonard needed confirmation before he spilled the contents of his heart for you to see. "What exactly are you saying?" he whispered.

Your hand reached up to tenderly cradle his cheek. "I love you, Leonard McCoy. I have for a long time now. It was one of the reasons I agreed to do this for you, regardless of the consequences to my heart," you confessed. "I understand if you don't know how you feel right at this moment after what I've said. I just couldn't go another day without you knowing the truth," you added.

Leonard was struck speechless. The last thing he expected from you was a love confession, but there it was. He finally knew that his feelings for you were returned, that he wasn't imagining it all those Friday nights spent together. You gave him the perfect opportunity to tell you how he felt, and he was not going to waste it.

However, the more time that passed without a response from Leonard, the more uncomfortable you became. You withdrew from his embrace and took a few steps backwards, preparing to return to the reception. A hand quickly caught yours, which caused you to turn your tear-stained face to meet Leonard's gaze.

"Wait. Please don't go," he pleaded as he closed the gap between you. His thumb gently wiped away the tears silently streaming down your cheek. "Oh, sweetheart," he whispered. "I've been in love with you for so long, but I never thought you'd feel the same. So, I kept making excuses, refused to see the signs. I convinced myself that it was all in my imagination, that someone as wonderful as you wouldn't fall in love with someone like me," Leonard confessed.

"My dear, sweet Leonard," you replied softly. "How could I not have fallen in love with you? Love is where you least expect to find it. You're one of the best men I know, and you've captured my heart," you remarked. Your hands slid inside his jacket and up his chest until they settled on his shoulders. His hands migrated to your hips and pulled you flush against his body, leaving very little space between you.

Leonard dipped his head towards you and captured your lips in a searing kiss. It was tender at first, as if trying to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Once he was convinced it was real, he took advantage of your parted lips to deepen the kiss and tease your tongue with his own. Your mouths moved together and growing more needy by the second, pushing and pulling, tasting one another.

His hands roamed up and down your back, with one hand cradling the back of your neck and winding his fingers through your hair. The kiss broke when Leonard's lips started dropping open-mouthed kisses to your cheek, along your jawline and finally sucked a small love bite on your neck. You gasped at the sensation, to which he responded with a low growl, "So people know who you belong with."

"Always you, Len. No one else holds my heart, only you," you whispered.

"I love you, sweetheart. How's about we go back in there, and I make good on my promise to dance all of the slow dances with you?" he suggested.

"And I love you, Len. That sounds like a wonderful idea," you replied. You raised up on your toes to give him one last kiss before joining hands and beginning the walk back to the reception hall.

When you returned to the reception, a slow song had just started. Leonard guided you to the dance floor and held you close as he swayed you in his arms to the music. After one turn, he caught his mother's eye and grinned.

With one hand, Eleanora raised her champagne flute, and placed her other hand over her heart. She smiled in contentment that her son was in love, most likely for the last time in his life. Hold fast to this one, Leonard. She's a keeper, his mother thought.

As the last notes of the song drifted away, Leonard dipped you, gazing lovingly into your eyes. The two of you stood grinning wildly at each other until he brought you back to an upright position. Leonard tucked some wayward strands of hair behind your ear and pressed a kiss to your temple. "Shall we call it a night, sweetheart?" he asked.

"Mmm, sounds like a good idea to me," you replied. "I'm looking forward to continuing what I started earlier on the stairs before we left for the wedding," you remarked in a sultry voice.

"And we've got some catching up to do after pining after each other for so long," Leonard added. You slipped your hand into his and interlaced your fingers as the two of you left the reception for some celebrating in private.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Tags: @marvelouslytrekking​ @spacedancer1701​ @anna-phora​ @hailbop1701​ @writercole​ @lassie-bird​ @huffle-pissed​

#leonard mccoy x reader #leonard bones mccoy x reader #bones mccoy x reader #bones x reader #star trek aos

[thefleetsfinest]

✧˖° → Verse Timeline

♡ ✧˖° → You’ll be my sunny day & I’ll be your shade tree ♡ ✧˖° → Single Ship Verse with @oceansfirst

★ → June 7, 2223: Leonard Horatio McCoy was born to Dr. David McCoy and Mrs. Eleanora McCoy

★ → August 2230: Seven year old Leonard falls out of a tree and breaks his arm, which was splintered and later repaired by his father.

★ → August 2237: Started High School at the age of fourteen.

★ → May 9, 2240: Met Jocelyn Darnell when she pulled him into a dance at a high school party.

★ → September 2241: Started undergrad at University of Mississippi, while still keeping his relationship with Jocelyn.

★ → May 2245: Graduated Undergrad.

★ → September: 2245: Started Medical School at University of Mississippi

★ → April 2249: Jocelyn became pregnant.

★ → May 2249: Graduated from Medical School.

★ → March 25, 2250: Joanna McCoy was born.

★ → June 15, 2250: Leonard and Jocelyn got married in a small ceremony.

★ → October 10, 2252: Leonard’s father, David McCoy passes away.

★ → November 2253: Jocelyn filed for divorce.

★ → February 2255: The divorce finalized giving Jocelyn their Georgian home, and primary custody of Joanna. Though Leonard was awarded visitation rights.

★ → May 2255: Leonard enrolls in Starfleet and meets Jim Kirk on the shuttle at the shipyard. ★ → Leonard meets Clint, Nyota, Carol, & Peter during his years in the academy and becomes quick and close friends with all of them. ★ → Carol and Clint in particular become like siblings to him and he is very protective of them. ★ → By his third year in the academy after many wild and sometimes stupidly reckless nights, and a certain incident that will not be talked about, Clint and Leonard agree to go sober together. ★ → It's one hell of a struggle at first, but eventually the two manage to make it stick. Leonard with his once daily drink allowed in order to help cope with his phobia, and Clint who can't even have a drop.

★ → Year 2258: Leonard became Chief Medical Officer on the Enterprise when his superior died during Nero’s Attack. ★ → Following the death of Nero, Jim was made Captain. ★ → In needing to make sure they have a fully staffed ship, Dr. Linda Carter was transferred to the enterprise, and they hit it off right away.

★ → Year 2259: The Enterprise is sent to apprehend the fugitive Khan. ★ → Leonard relapses after Kirk’s almost death and Linda is the one to find him, and she helps him get back on his feet. ★ → It is during this that he realizes just how much he has fallen for Linda over the last year. ★ → Before they leave for their five year mission Leonard takes some time off and invites Clint, Linda, and Peter to the farm for a couple of weeks so he can get some Jojo time in and and to introduce his family to Linda.

★ → Year 2260: The Enterprise begins their five year mission into unknown parts of space.

★ → Year 2261: Linda gets critically injured while on a mission, and it's after she is on the mend he realizes just how much he loves her and finally confesses his feelings, and the two start officially dating.

★ → Year 2263: He talks Donna into bringing Jojo out to Yorktown so he can spend more time with her. (He had plans to talk to her about a few important things like her thoughts on Linda and a possible proposal.) ★ → Once arriving at Yorktown he barely gets an hour of family time in before the ship and it's crew is ordered out on a mission in which the ship ends up crashing after being attacked, though despite all odds What was left of the crew managed to get off the planet and stop the attack on Yorktown. ★ → Leonard puts engagement thoughts on howls giving it a few months after the hell that is loosing their ship, and going home to talk and make amends with Jocelyn. ★ → While Leonard is visiting home Jojo managed to convince her mom and dad to let her go up into space on the enterprise so she can be with her dad when it’s done being built. ( She attends school with any other kids whose parents are also crew members abroad the enterprise.) ★ → Leonard proposes a month before they got back up on the new ship. Somewhere important to them because he is sappy.

★ → Year 2264: They get married, with all their friends and family there to witness it. (Jim is the officiant because he is Jim.) ★ → At an Undetermined time after Linda and Leonard have a baby boy together.

#oceansfirst #♡ ✧˖° → You’ll be my sunny day & I’ll be your shade tree [ Linda || Oceansfirst ] #✧˖° → I told you people I don't need a doctor dammit - I AM a doctor![ Headcanon ]

[freefromthecocoon]

1120 Spoilers

I have put together a few thoughts about this amazing episode! 

Does anyone else find it hilarious that Zeke was quickly yeeted out the bakery with no noise or commotion and then Carol used baking implements to thwart her would be kidnappers? Just me...okay.

Carol saved Daryl and Daryl saved her back. A metaphor for their whole relationship. 

I sensed a couple of parallels: one was Lance being observant that Daryl is Carol’s person.  Negan observed this as well in season 10 when he called Carol, Daryl’s Girlfriend!   The other parallel is that Daryl and Carol both pulled guns on the people who mentioned the other’s name. Daryl did this with Richard and Carol did this with Lance. 

The fact that Caryl’s bond is plain as day to any one with a mild sense of observational skills always makes me smile. Norman and Melissa have such a great chemistry onscreen that they do not need words to convey that bond. (But trust me, I really feel like we will get those words before the end of these episodes). 

Carol being the one to end Lance was poetic. I loved the fact that Daryl and Carol meandered back to the jeep and of course Carol is the one to drive. 

Also, loved Yumiko’s arc in this episode and that scene with Connie and Yumiko was just a chef’s kiss. The intensity of them being hidden and the ASL absolutely conveyed all the emotion they were portraying.  Yumiko ultimately making the right decision about her path forward was just a great piece of acting by Eleanora. 

Aisha Tyler knocked this out of the park and she is a TWD fan from the beginning and she has directed in a good chunk of TWDU. Her knowledge of the characters and their histories translates well to screen. 

#Caryl #caryl positivity #carol #daryl #yumiko #lance hornsby #twd #twd spoilers