#especially when emma and pancakes make a great pair too

[lowkeyfalleninlove]

I just think Killian would personally love french toast if he had some.

#or maybe he’d think it’s too sweet and eat an apple instead for breakfast #but captain hook and french toast is such a sweet combo #especially when emma and pancakes make a great pair too #anyways im clearly hungry #nom nom nom #captain swan #emma swan #killian jones #ouat

[earnestly-endlessly]

Hey! I hope I'm not bothering you, I just found your blog and I love it sm, and I saw you sometimes do cherik fic recs. Do you have any Canon divergence aus/fix it, preferably after Cuba, that are 30k or longer and have a happy ending? If not thats okay! You don't have to answer this. Have a wonderful day!

Hi anon, thank you so much. I’m happy you both like my blog and my recs. You are certainly not bothering me, and feel free to send me an ask any time. I have plenty of recommendations for you. Some of them diverge a bit from your request because I couldn’t help but recommend them as well. I will put a note on those who diverge from your request. As always, I only recommend fics I have personally read and enjoyed and I sincerely you love them too.

-Canon divergence aus/fix it, post Cuba, 30k or longer, with a happy ending cherik fic recs-

Not Half As Blinding- keire_ke

Summary: Cuban beach AU. Charles discovers that death does, in fact, solve everything.

Lay down beside me (so still and so soft) – C-Gracewood

Summary: A different take on the events of the film.

Rumor Has It – blueink3

Summary: "Did I hear the doorbell earlier?"

"Yeah, but I'd steer clear if I were you. It seemed a little tense. I don't know what's going on, but there's a kid out there who looks freakily like the prof."

Nearly six months after Cuba, Charles' life is turned upside down for the second time. Though he's slowly learning to adapt to the first, he's not sure he can handle the second. Luckily for him, there are a few people out there more than willing to help.

Forward Momentum – AsYouWish

Summary: Six months after Cuba, Charles and Erik find themselves thrown fifty years into the future, where they meet their older selves, the Avengers, and a world that's very different from their own. Faced with the pieces of their broken relationship, an unparalleled adversary, and dealing with Tony Stark on a daily basis, Charles and Erik do their best to adapt while trying to find a way back home -- and to each other.

When an Unstoppable Force Meets an Immovable Optimist – ToriTC198

Summary: "You are always trying to save me, Charles." Erik mused aloud. "Ever since you dove into the ocean and dragged me out. Did it ever occur to you that I might not be worth saving?"

A genuine smile broke out on Charles' face as he brightly answered, "No, my friend, not once. I have every confidence you are well worth saving. But, I never truly believed I could save you. You are not the sort of man who someone saves. The choice to be a better man has always been yours to make and I hold no illusions that I can make that decision for you. I simply have faith that one day you will save yourself. I only hope I am still at your side to witness it."

What if Erik and Charles had been able to find a middle ground in the end?

Take the First Option – ShowMeAHero

Summary: When Erik becomes unbalanced, Emma presents him with three options: go back to Charles for three months and learn to deal with whatever he has going have going on, lose his Brotherhood, or let Emma control his mind.

He really only has one choice.

Virtue to Which We Aspire – varlovian

Summary: Nine months after Cuba, Charles is found by Erik's Brotherhood in the smoldering ruins of an abandoned CIA base, exhausted but alive. As the only known survivor of the CIA's vendetta against mutants, recovering Charles' memory of the incident—which he admits to having forgotten—just became paramount.

But the harder they push, the closer Charles gets to breaking point. When he finally cracks, the X-Men and the Brotherhood will learn the truth, but it comes with a price...

Some doors, once opened, cannot be closed.

Some minds, once broken, will never be the same again.

The Waking of the Red King – rustingroses

Summary: When Charles' heavy injuries on the Cuban beach conspire to leave him in a coma and living in fantasy of his own making, Erik, the man who once threatened to divide the mutant cause, finds himself desperately trying to hold everything together. First of the Red King trilogy.

Wake Up and Smell the Pancakes –  Ayra Sei Ethari

Summary: In one universe, Erik left Charles. In another, he stayed. So what happens when the two Eriks get switched? "At first, Erik thinks he's dreaming. Then he realizes that this is Charles. Who is not paralyzed. And kissing him.

Rage and Serenity – MagickMaker, TheFangedGoblin

Summary: After Charles is shot on the beach, he is rushed to the hospital and paralysis is prevented. Ridden with guilt, Erik finds that he cannot leave him. He helps him heal, and eventually, Charles learns to trust him again. But when they set out to rescue Emma from the CIA and accept her onto their team, tensions rise. Will love keep Erik and Charles together despite their differences?

No Yesterdays on the Road – pocky_slash

Summary: It's been two months since Cuba and things are settling down for Charles, Erik, and the beginnings of their mutant school. Right up until Charles disappears, that is. Faced with the possibility that a bitter Emma Frost has kidnapped Charles, Erik is forced to team up with Moira to hunt down the remainder of the Hellfire Club. From there, they hope to locate Frost and retrieve Charles, without killing each other along the way.

(Or: Erik and Moira Drive Across the Country and Talk About Their Feelings.)

What Can We Do Without You? – SwoopSwoop

Summary: Charles and the boys were holding onto a secret more dear to them than their own lives when Charles disappears into the night; Erik is betrayed and finds himself returning to Westchester in the hopes that the government was just trying to trick him. All the while the boys are stuck in the middle, left guarding the secret from the man they are most afraid of finding out who is weaselling his way back into their lives alarmingly easily.

Note: Includes Mpreg, but don’t let that discourage you from reading it because it’s a really great fix-it.

Survival Instinct – Lindstorm

Summary: It’s been months since Charles pulled Erik out of the ocean, and Erik is beginning to wonder how many more times he can choose Charles, and still keep his vow to kill Shaw. Cooperating with the CIA is straining Erik’s patience. When a fact-gathering mission goes wrong and Charles is kidnapped, Erik is left trying to hold their mutant band together while Raven and the rest of them fall apart. No one can foresee how the mutant Charles meets in captivity will challenge all his assumptions about his own power, and twist Charles’ telepathy out of his control. In the race to stop Shaw's nuclear ambitions from coming to fruition, Charles makes a crucial misstep. Erik’s decision between Shaw and Charles takes on unexpected ramifications when [spoiler deleted].

Needles (Series) – Skull_Bearer

Summary: AU where everyone's born Dominant or Submissive

Once a Dominant and Submissive pair is born, they are linked to each other, no matter how far apart they are. This link doesn't actually tell the Dom or the Sub each other's thoughts, but it does allow them to know how the other's doing and serves as a reassurance that there's someone meant for them out there.

Another one of the reasons that Erik hates Shaw so badly is because Shaw managed to break Erik's link to his Sub. Now Erik doesn't even know if his Sub's alive because breaking a link like that can kill a Submissive.

Meanwhile, Charles hates himself for not yet having telepathy strong enough to contact and help his Dom, especially after feeling the pain his Dom was forced to go through. He truly believes that his Dominant is dead. Hopes it, some nights when he remembers how his Dom was forced to suffer. It's better than to think of his Dom still being forced to bear that pain.

And then Charles pulls Erik from the water

Time to Grow – zarah5

Summary: In which you'll find chess dates which aren't dates (or maybe Charles is wrong about that). -- Based on First Class, this turns (slightly) AU during the beach scene.

Note: This fic is less than 30k words but it’s such a fandom classic and just a great read if you love your fix-its.

Faults for Fixing – beren

Summary: Charles sees the events of the missile crisis and subsequent weeks when he uses Cerebro to touch the mind of a mutant with the power to see the near future. When he wakes up he is determined that he will not allow them to happen and he will not lose the people he loves.

Note: A bit less than 30k words long but another great read.

It’s like one of us woke up – kaydeefalls

Summary: "You came here for me," Charles said, meeting Shaw's gaze levelly. "So let's not waste any more time."

Canon!AU in which Charles and Erik do find Shaw in Russia.

Note: XMFC fix it, but the events in Cuba don’t happen. 

Afterlife – Anna (arctic_grey)

Summary: A year after Washington, Erik wakes up in excruciating pain as sudden awareness washes over him: Charles is dead. Erik has to adjust to yet another future: no extinction, just a world without Charles. But the death of his former friend leaves Erik weak and his powers drained. His quest for answers leads him back to Westchester, where Erik has to face his past with Charles and put together the puzzle pieces of what happened to the man he once cared for.

The Burdens We Long to Carry – arcapelago (arcanewinter)

Summary: When mutant-supporter and ally President Kennedy is assassinated and all pro-mutant progress is dismantled, Charles is no longer so confident that he's on the right side, and extends his hand to Erik after a year of animosity. They settle tentatively into their old partnership, but not everything is the same as it was--and not everything can be. When Hank develops a metal frame to move the lower half of Charles' body for him if he wants it, Erik offers the use of his mind and his ability in order to make it work. Both find out what they're willing to do for each other, and neither knows if it'll be enough to keep them together.

Other Futures Than These – midrashic

Summary: In which Cuba doesn't break them apart, but that doesn't mean that their futures are tied together. (Except that it does.)

A Days of Future Past AU where only one person can defeat the Sentinels and save the future: the man whose imprisonment and torture created them, and Charles Xavier's ex.

The Winter of Banked Fires – Yahtzee

Summary: Charles Xavier has returned from the dead -- but is lost within his own mind. Rogue has cast aside her own power and doesn't know where she fits in the world any longer. The production of synthetic Cure means mutantkind itself is newly at risk. And Magneto, turned human against his will, is in despair until the day he feels a familiar consciousness tugging at his own --

Set after X-3 (with much desperate fix-it applied), during XMFC, and every time in between.

#cherik #cherik fic recs #asks #earnestly answers #for some reason Tumblr refuses to post my entire answer #feel free to ask me whenever you want anon #I really love making these lists

[justthehiddleswrites]

Accidently Married | Tom Hiddleston x OFC | Chapter 4 | You should worry about the people you care about. I mean, I worry about you all the time.

A/N:  Tom makes certain comments about an ex (who is unnamed).  It is a fictional girlfriend, take from it what you will.  Keep your hate to yourself.  

SERIES MASTERLIST HERE

Pairing: Tom Hiddleston x OFC (Molly Bishop)

Summary: Tom is stuck in a news cycle from hell; Molly is stuck in the dead end job of bartending with a pile of student and credit debt.  Tom has an idea to solve all their problems.  Get married, get the paparazzi off his back, divorce after a year and Tom pays off Molly’s debts.  Tom has everything figured out, that is until he sees Molly as more than a just a friend and so does someone else.  In this vying for affections who will win, the handsome Brit or the boy from Boston?

This Chapter: Molly is making friends and life is settling into a routine until Molly gets sick and Tom takes care of her.  

Warnings: fake marriage, smut (vaginal sex), mentions of:  child abuse/neglect, foster care, substance abuse, cheating.

TAGLIST IS OPEN! PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT TO BE TAGGED!  THANK YOU FOR READING!

–

Molly left that afternoon with two new numbers in her phone and a lunch date for next week.

“Can’t believe you are having lunch with my mother and sister without me.” Tom pouted on the way back.

“Once they heard I wasn’t working and didn’t know anyone, they insisted. Was I supposed to say no?” 

“You could have scheduled it when I could come.” 

“But you are so busy. And talented.” She poked his side. 

“I’m driving here, darling.”

“Sorry, but just one question…” They pulled up to a red light.”

“What?”

“Are you ticklish?” she attacked his side and Tom squirmed and giggled.

“You will be the death of me.” He panted as Molly stopped when the light was green.

“Note to self. Tom is very ticklish.” 

“No, no notes to self. That is something you can promptly forget.”

Molly batted her eyelashes. “But real husbands and wives would know these things about each other. We have to pull this off for an entire year, right?”

“Fine, but expect revenge.” Tom wagged a finger at Molly. 

“I’ll sleep with one eye open.” 

-

Over the next several weeks, Tom and Molly fell in a routine. The marriage certificate came in the mail and they applied for a family visa for Molly to stay there.

“I didn’t think you would want to become a citizen.”

Molly smirked. “No, not right now.”

A new debit card came in for Molly. 

“With great power…” Tom handed it over.

“Yeah, yeah, Loki.” she tucked into her wallet. “I am burdened with glorious purpose. To keep you well fed.” 

Molly had a standing date with Emma every two weeks, much to Tom’s consternation. They continued running together in the mornings. Tom, more often than not, ended it with a kiss. 

“This is becoming quite the nasty habit, Mr. Hiddleston.” she commented one morning.

“Then stop me, Mrs. Hiddleston.” He pecked her lips again. 

Molly blushed. “You just love what they are saying about us in the papers.” She pushed Tom away and towards the door. 

“I will admit the good news is definitely a perk. Plus, you are such lovely company.” He went to hug her, but she pushed him away.

“You are all sweaty, Tom. Take a shower and I will make breakfast.”

“French toast?” he asked hopefully.

“You ate the last of the bread yesterday.” 

“Pancakes?”

“I think I can swing pancakes, if…” She held up a finger. “You also eat a side of fruit.”

“Deal.” Tom headed towards his room wearing a huge grin. 

Molly shook her head as she grabbed a mixing bowl out. “Lunatic.”

-

One morning, Molly wasn’t awake when Tom got up to run. She almost always beat Tom up, sipping a cup of tea in the living room, reading a magazine or one of the books from his shelf. There was a small stack building on a side table of the ones she finished reading. But that morning, no half-drunk cup of tea perched precariously on the coffee table. No crossword puzzle half done in pen. 

Tom peaked into Molly’s bedroom. The covers, in colors of navy and grey, just like his, pulled up tight around her. There were a few prints of classic travel posters on the wall. 

“Molly, darling.” He called out. Usually that was all it took to roust Molly from her sleep and get her going for the day. Today, nothing. Tom stepped into the room. He felt like an intruder in his own home. 

“It’s time for our run, love.” He said a bit louder this time. 

Molly rolled over, groaning and coughing. Tom’s brow furrowed. He didn’t like the sound of that cough. Tom sat down on the edge of the bed and rocked Molly gently by the shoulder.

“Are you feeling okay, darling?” He hoped it was just allergies or waking up in the morning. But then she woke up.

“Uggh, Tom?” Molly croaked out before rolling onto her back. She was pale. So much more pale than usual. She coughed again, covering her mouth. 

“It’s me, Molly. Are you feeling alright?” He repeated. “That’s some cough.”

“I’m fine, fine. It’s just,” She waved him off and pushed up to sitting, only to fall back onto the pillows. “oh, that’s not good.” 

Tom placed the back of his hand to her forehead and replaced it with his lips, checking her temperature. She was running hot. 

“You have a fever. I’m making you an appointment to see the doctor.” He stood, but Molly caught his wrist. Her palm clammy against Tom’s skin.

“No! It’s just a cold. Go on your run. I’ll be fine. I just need some sleep.” She insisted.

“Are you sure? It’s no trouble.” 

“Go. I’ll be fine.”

Tom leaned down and kissed her very warm forehead. “I’ll keep it short. Go back to sleep.”

Molly nodded and rolled over. Tom tucked the covers around her and headed out. He barely made it to the end of the street before he returned home. It confirmed his fears when he stepped back inside and heard Molly coughing. Tom grabbed the phone and searched for a number and called it.

“Yes, Urgent Care? Do you have any appointments today? Name? Molly Hiddleston. Thank you.”

-

Tom helped Molly get dressed, averting his eyes when appropriate. Her entire body burned under his fingertips, but Tom noticed her shivering. She stumbled to the car where she slept the entire ride over to urgent care. Tom did his best to fill out the paperwork.

“What do you put for family history?”

“Nothing. Unless there is a place for mental illness, then check that. That’s all I know about. Mom didn’t chat much.” Molly muttered, leaning heavily against Tom. “Meth does that…” Her brow furrowed and she coughed again. 

“Shh, darling.” Tom soothed her. “Only happy thoughts.”

Molly hummed and smiled. “Happy thoughts.” More coughing. 

It took twenty minutes before they called Molly back. They didn’t let Tom back with her. He alternated between sitting with a bouncing knee, pretending to read on his phone and pacing the waiting room, making the other people nervous. After forty-five minutes, before Molly returned with several papers in her hand. She coughed again.

“Upper respiratory infection,” cough. “Along with a sinus infection and a viral infection.”

Tom smiled. “Triple threat. Let’s get you home.”

Molly’s hand, holding the papers, flopped up. “I have prescriptions and they want to see me again in two weeks. To make sure I don’t get pneumonia.”

Tom’s eyes widened. “That’s a possibility?”

Molly nodded. “It’s all in here.”

Tom took all the papers, skimming them, including a script for antibiotics as well as a cough suppressant. It all sounded grim. “Let’s get you to bed and I will take care of getting these filled.”

Molly coughed and nodded. “Thank you.” 

She fell back asleep in the car. Tom carried into the house, not having the heart to wake her up again, and settled her into his bed, which was bigger, more comfortable and the bathroom was right there. Once she was settled and asleep, he headed off to the pharmacy. While waiting in line, Tom dialed Luke. 

“Luke, is there anything absolutely pressing in the schedule for the next three days?” he asked after Luke picked up. 

“Nothing I can’t reschedule, why?”

“Molly’s ill.” He bit his lips and sighed. “The doctors are afraid it might turn into pneumonia. And I…”

“Consider your schedule cleared until Monday. And tell her I hope she feels better soon.”

“Thanks, Luke. I’m worried about her.”

“That’s because you love her, Tom. You should worry about the people you care about. I mean, I worry about you all the time.” Luke chuckled.

Tom paused at Luke’s words but pushed it away. Of course he cared for Molly. That has the tendency to happen when you live with a person for nearly three months. Especially someone as congenial as Molly. Congenial wasn’t the word. Lovely. Molly was lovely. He laughed it off. “I worry about you too, Luke. I got to go.”

“Take care of her. Bye, Tom.” 

After picking you the medicine, Tom popped into the grocery store and picked up some soup, drinks, and Molly’s favorite cookies. When he got back, she was still asleep. And still coughing. He put away the groceries and then checked on her.

“Darling, I’m back with the medicine. Time to take it.” He helped her sit up, Molly groaning the entire time. She swallowed the pill with a sip of water, gagging.

“That’s awful!” she coughed. 

“Now the cough medicine.” Tom poured out the cough syrup and handed it over to Molly. She hesitated, sniffing it first. “Take the medicine and get a biscuit.” He held up a package of cookies.

“They’re cookies. I thought I ate the last of them.” she moaned, downing the cough syrup. Her face contorted. Tom smiled and handed her two cookies. “Good girl. Now rest. I’ll check on you in a few hours.”

“Don’t you have work?” Molly muttered as she laid back down. Tom pulled the covers over her, putting the cookies on the nightstand. “You had… interviews… or something…”

“My schedule is clear through the weekend. I am at your disposal.” Tom rubbed Molly’s back, and she purred. 

“You don’t need to do that.” She half-heartedly complained, dozing off.

“And leave you to fend for yourself? What kind of husband would I be? It was no trouble. Now sleep, darling.”

“Mmm… kay.” 

-

Tom busied himself with absolutely nothing. He flitted from reading a book to watching a TV show to peeking into the bedroom. At one point, when Molly was particularly quiet, he seriously contemplated putting a mirror under her nose to just make sure he was still breathing. He managed to get her to eat half a bowl of soup. 

“You need to eat, love.” he scolded.

Molly coughed and croaked. “Says the man who considers chocolate a food group.” 

“Look at that, some humour.” Tom smiled. “Eat please.”

“Yes, sir.” She slurped the soup off the spoon before falling back asleep. 

Tom, worried, did the unthinkable. He called his mum for advice.

“She’s coughing. A lot. And all she does is sleep.” Tom ran his hands through his hair. 

“Is she eating, love?” Diana asked. Tom could feel the smile across the phone.

“A bit, but not as much as usual. I brought her soup.”

“Soup is good. And she is taking her medicine?”

Tom nodded. “I set a timer.”

“Of course you did. And the fever?”

Tom blinked. “What about her fever?”

“Has it broken?”

“I don’t—”

“Tom!” Molly’s bedraggled voice called out.

“I gotta go. She needs me.” Tom hung up the phone and sprinted to the room. 

“Molly! What is it?” He noted she was shivering.

“I’m cold.” she chattered. Tom grabbed the blanket at the foot of his bed. 

“Is that better?” He tucked it under Molly’s chin. Tom touched her forehead. Hot.

“Much.” 

“I’ll let you rest.” He patted her shoulder and stood. Molly reached out for him.

“Stay.” She coughed. “At least until I fall asleep. Please lie down. Just five minutes.”

Tom’s heart broke in that moment for Molly. That confident woman he grew so fond of seemed so small in that moment.

“Of course, I’ll stay. Anything for you.” Tom crawled on top of the covers next to Molly. He laced his fingers in hers. He heard her exhaled, and he exhaled too. 

“Sleep well, darling.” But Molly had already fallen asleep. Tom soon followed.

-

Molly woke the next morning in sweat soaked pajamas and on top of drenched sheets. She still coughed, but her fever was gone. As she blinked her eyes open, Molly realized she wasn’t in her bed, but Tom’s. And Tom was there too. Asleep next to her, fully dressed, holding her hand. She had vague memories of Tom bringing her soup and her asking him to stay. And some very not safe for work dreams. 

“Fever dreams.” she muttered. “Tom…” Molly rocked his shoulder.

“Huh?” Tom sat up. “I guess I was more tired than I thought.”

“It’s hard to be a nurse. I think your sheets may need washing.” she smiled.

Tom pressed his lips to her forehead. “No fever.” His spirits lifted. 

“It must have broken last night.”

“Feeling better?” he asked.

“Yes.” 

Tom noticed their hands still laced together. He let go and stood up. He made a poor attempt at smoothing out his sleep wrinkled clothes. “Up to move to the couch? And maybe some movies?”

“I would like that.” She slowly sat up and got out of bed. “But first a shower.”

Tom frowned. “First medicine, then shower.”

“Nurse Ratched.” Tom didn’t smile or budge. Molly sighed. “Fine, medicine, the shower.”

Tom grabbed the bottles and dispensed the medicine, which she took still gagging. “And a biscuit.” He handed her a cookie. 

“Cookie.” She popped it into her mouth and headed off to her room and Tom went to his own bathroom. 

-

Once they were both showered and dressed, Tom popped his sheets into the laundry and made a makeshift bed on the couch for Molly.

“You pick the movie.” she offered. “That way if I fall asleep, you won’t be bored.” 

Tom picked The Jungle Book. “One of my favorites as a child. I still watch it when I feel under the weather.”

“I don’t think I have seen it.”

Tom’s mouth fell open. “That is a travesty.”

Molly shrugged her shoulders. “You know, group homes, foster care…”

Tom stopped. “Well, we are going to watch this right now and you can listen to the vocal genius that is George Sanders as Shere Khan.”

“More of a vocal genius than you?” Molly raised an eyebrow while she settled onto the couch. 

Tom blushed. “A man-cub, how delightful.” He purred deep in his chest, sending shivers through Molly.

By the end of the movie, Molly’s head was in Tom’s lap and his hand in hers. They watched Disney movies for the rest of day, alternating picking the title. Tom made sure she took her meds on time and ate more than just cookies.

“I will eat a meal if you do.” Molly chided.

They both ate soup and Tom also ate a sandwich. It was late when they finished up Robin Hood. Molly stretched and sat up.

“I should go to bed.”

“I can put the sheets back on the bed.” Tom moved, but she stopped him, squeezing his hand.

“My bed. But I will keep the door open so you can spy on me.” She smirked. “I can’t take your bed again.”

“It’s fine if you did. I don’t mind sharing.”

“I know but…” She glanced away. “We should keep our own space. To keep things from getting complicated.”

Tom nodded. “Right. No complications here.” he lied to her and to himself.

Molly hugged Tom tight. “Thank you for everything, Tom.”

“My pleasure.”

She coughed a bit as she headed off to her room. Tom turned off the TV and cleaned the dishes before going to bed himself. He spent most of the night tossing and turning.

#tom hiddleston #tom hiddleston fanfiction #tom hiddleston fanfic #tom hiddleston imagine #tom hiddleston fluff #tom hiddleston x ofc #accidently married

[captain-josslett]

Broken Melody - Part Eight

Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven, Part Eight, Part Nine, Part Ten, Part Eleven,

Summary: Grammy Award winning Emma Danvers is the first to say she has a pretty good life. But what happens when it implodes around her and it looks like things will never be the same again?

Words: 7k+

Warnings: Fluff, Smut, 18+

Pairings: Emma Danvers x Lena Luthor

This Part: Emma spends the day with her sisters and Lena before heading back to the tour the next day.

I obviously needed to write more before the angst started. But... This is officially and I mean OFFICIALLY the last part before the angst hit. 

So enjoy and get ready.

As always B!D is named.

Thank you for reading and let me know if you wanna be tagged or any general feedback will be greatly appreciated.

Taglist: @thewitchandtheassassin, @finleyfray, @life-is-hella-unfair, @natasha-danvers, @supergirl-writingz​

“What do you think she’d like?” Emma hears Alex’s voice whisper behind her.

“Why don’t we just order everything?” Kara whispers in front of her.

“Cause unlike Emma we don’t have hundreds of thousands of dollars.” Alex chuckles quietly making Kara grumble.

But Emma frowns slightly, realising this was not the position she fell asleep when she sang to Kara during the storm.

“Em?” Kara whispers causing Emma to slowly open her eyes.

“M’ning.” Emma smiles sleepily at her blonde sister.

Kara grins back at her. “Morning sleepy head.” She leans over and kisses her baby sister’s forehead making Emma hum happily.

“Peanut? Do you want American style pancakes or crepes?” Alex rests her head on Emma’s shoulder while looking at her phone as she orders their food.

“Crêpe.” Emma yawns.

“Ha! See! I told you Emma would want a crepe!” Kara laughs loudly and Alex pokes her tongue out at her.

“Hmmm, they taste so yummy.” Emma stretches  and kisses Alex’s cheek. “Morning.”

The redhead smiles and kisses Emma’s cheek back. “Good morning.”

“Urgh, I don’t wanna get up.” Emma leans back into Alex and pouts. Emma is always more groggy the morning after a gig. Especially when she crosses a few time zones and stays up with her sisters until the early hours of the morning.

“Then don’t.” Kara shrugs and carefully flops into Emma’s arms.

“We can eat here.” Alex finishes the order and wraps her arms around her baby sister.

“How much do I owe?” Emma asks as she plays with Alex’s red hair.

“You owe nothing.” Alex says determined to not allow Emma to pay for the meal. But knowing Emma, she will find a way to slip money into Alex and Kara’s clothes at some point. Or leave it around their apartments.

“It’s our treat.” Kara boops Emma’s nose causing the blonde to scrunch her nose up. “Especially with the triumph of the tour!”

“Thank you.” Emma smiles at her sister.

“Been meaning to ask you.” Alex draws Emma’s attention to her, leaning her head back so she can partly see the redhead. “I saw a few camera’s yesterday, what’s that about?”

“Ah yea, they are recording each show and hopefully at the end we can put it all together.” Emma explains and her sister’s nod. “And do a behind the scenes thing. Kind of like our final farewell to the fans.” Emma finishes sadly. She was excited about her solo career but for years all she has known is life with the band. Maybe it won't be that different or it will be completely different. One thing Emma does know is that she doesn't work well with change.

“Hey.” Alex says softly, feeling the waves of unease roll off the blonde. “It will all be okay. We’re in this with you.”

Kara reaches around and holds Emma’s hand. “El Mayarah.”

“El Mayarah.” Alex repeats and smiles.

“El Mayarah.” Emma says softly as her eyes glisten. “I don’t know what I’d do without you two.” She smiles down at Kara and rests her head against Alex’s cheek.

A knock on Kara’s door has the Superhero quickly look round but she didn’t want to interrupt the moment.

“Go Kar, it’s fine.” Emma chuckles, releasing her sister and wiping the tears from her eyes. Sighing happily in Alex’s arms.

Kara zooms to the door and zooms back with the bags of food. Alex places a kiss on Emma’s head before letting her go and sitting up. Emma whines and pouts slightly.

“Come on Peanut, you can’t eat like that!”

“I know…” Emma grumbles and sits up against Kara’s headboard. She watches bemused as Kara dishes out the food. “I forgot what a Danver’s brunch looked like!”

“The best kind!” Kara smiles brightly at her and hands the heavy plate over.

“Preach.” Alex laughs and reaches for her plate.

The sister’s dig in, laughing and chatting.

“Hmm, speaking of which.” Alex starts before shoving some more food in her mouth. Emma rolls her eyes at Kara and waits patiently for Alex to finish her mouthful. “What are your plans with Lena later?”

“Oo yea! What do you have planned?” Kara asks excitedly.

“Nothing really.” Emma looks out one of Kara’s windows. “As it’s nice I may suggest a walk in the park, maybe get some ice cream.” Emma shrugs. “Honestly I’d be happy to do anything with Lena as long as we’re together.”

“Awww!” Kara says warmly.

“Sickening.” Alex shakes her head and Kara throws a cuddly toy at her. Emma and Kara both laugh when it hits her right in the face. Alex retaliates and throws it right back.

“Hey! Hey! Hey!” Emma holds her plate and fork up. “Precious food in the vicinity!”

Both Alex and Kara stick their tongues out at each other before settling back down.

Emma chuckles and shakes her head at her sisters. “So, what have you two planned for later?”

“Nothing really, eat, work, eat, relax, eat, sleep, get up, eat, work, then see you tomorrow for lunch.” Kara lists off.

“Sounds like a great day planned.” Emma grins at Kara and looks at Alex.

“Much of the same thing.” Alex shrugs.

“Are you seeing Kelly?” Emma tilts her head slightly as she takes a bite of her crêpe.

“No, she’s got important meetings today.” Alex says sadly and Kara gives her looks of support.

Emma narrows her eyes, sensing something off with the red head. “Are things okay between you?”

“Yea.” Alex says too quickly.

“Alex.” Emma sits up straighter.

“We’re fine. Just-” Alex huffs. “Things have just been a bit rough lately.”

Emma immediately lowers her plate and fork. Her stomach drops at the guilt of not noticing Alex’s turmoil. “Alex…”

“No, I’m okay. You’ve been busy and stressed and it’s not a big deal.” Alex rattles off but her shoulder sag and tears fill her eyes. Which she unsuccessfully tries to hide.

Emma places her plate on Kara’s bedside table and grabs Alex’s which Kara takes. Emma lifts Alex onto her lap and holds her sister close, which causes Alex to sob.

Emma looks over at Kara who watches them sadly. She closes her eyes as the guilt floods through her. Even though she keeps in regular contact with her sisters, the fact she hadn’t known Alex was struggling is tearing her apart.  “It’s okay, let it out.” Emma whispers into Alex’s ear as she rocks her gently. Kara places the plates somewhere safe and shuffles over to her sisters. She wraps her arms around the both of them and sighs sadly.

Eventually Alex’s sobs die down and she lifts her head from Emma’s shoulder. Kara moves beside Emma so they are sat in a triangle.

“Sorry, I got you all wet.” She says while rubbing the tears from her face.

“Yea, well I needed a shower.” Emma jokes while rubbing Alex’s back. Kara and Alex laugh and Kara reaches out to wipe a few tears Alex had missed. Emma takes a deep breath as she watches them. “I’m sorry I haven’t been here for you.”

Alex’s head snaps to Emma so quickly that Emma is worried the redhead got whiplash. “What you talking about?!”

“I haven’t been here to support you.” Emma looks deep into her sister’s eyes to press her point. “But I’m never, ever, EVER, too busy or stressed for you. Okay?”

Alex nods slightly and Emma hates how vulnerable she looks.

“Please Alex, if you need to talk to me just text me and I’ll contact you as soon as I can. I mean it.”

Alex gives her a watery smile “I know.”

“El Mayarah.” Emma says firmly. “We are stronger together.” She looks over at Kara and holds her hand. “All three of us.”

The sisters spend time talking more about what Alex can do to save her relationship. But Alex quietly admits that the relationship probably can’t be saved. Emma hates seeing how defeated Alex looks, knowing how long it took the eldest Danvers to get over Maggie. Emma has a sneaky suspicion that Alex still hasn’t gotten over the detective.

As Alex goes to use the shower the sister’s move into the living area. Emma takes the plates over to the kitchen and looks over at Kara sitting on the sofa. Emma slowly approaches, chewing her lip. “Kara?”

Kara looks up with a smile as bright as the sun. “Yea little one?”

Emma tilts her head and flops down on the sofa. “I thought we got rid of that nickname?”

“You’ll always be little one to me Em.”

Emma smiles weakly and places a pillow in her lap. She plays with a loose thread until looking up at the other blonde. “How are you? Really?”

“I’m fi-”

Emma interrupts her with a raised eyebrow which makes Kara look down at her hands.

“I’ve been better. Been on a few dates but with work and, other things-” Kara trails off and shrugs.

Emma watches Kara closely. ‘And the worst sister award goes too!’ Emma thinks sarcastically. She’s already planning things she can do with her sister’s once the tour is over in a few months time.

Emma reaches out and holds her sister’s hand. “And what I said to Alex, the same goes for you. Contact me whenever you need me okay?” Kara looks up, her blue eyes glisten and Emma cups her face. “Kara I mean it. Heck fly out to me if you have too. You both mean the world to me.” Kara smiles and wraps her arms around Emma, holding her close.

“Shower’s free.” Alex says a few minutes later as she goes into Kara’s room to change. Looking over at her hugging sisters and a small smile spreads across her lips.

“You wanna go in next?” Emma asks softly. Not really wanting Kara or her to move.

“No you go.” Kara lets go of Emma and sits back on the sofa. Picking up her phone and starts scrolling.

It doesn’t take long for Emma to shower and change into the clothes Kara brought over from her apartment. Blue skinny jeans, a grey t-shirt, black converses and Emma puts on her trusty red leather jacket. She hears music coming from the living area and when she exits Kara’s bedroom she smiles at Alex and Kara dancing. Grabbing her phone she starts a video and points it at her laughing sisters.

Kara looks over at her. “Emma! Come on!” She beckons her sister over. Emma smiles and places her phone on top of the tv to capture her dancing with her sister’s. Their laughter and happiness shining through.

-- -- -- 

The sister’s walk over to L-Corp. Enjoying the clear blue sky and each other’s company as they chat about the rest of the tour. Kara and Alex quietly figure out when they can next come to a gig. At one point Emma links arms with both her sisters, Kara smiles and Alex squeezes Emma’s arm. They walk insync along the pavement. When they are half way on the walk Alex’s phone rings causing the sisters to halt.

“Danvers.” Alex answers the call. Her face becomes hard and Emma recognises Alex morphing into the Director of the DEO. “Okay, we’ll head in now.” Ending the call Alex takes a breath and nods her head towards an alleyway. The sisters quickly walk towards it. “There’s been a disturbance at an old Cadmus facility.” Alex looks at Kara. “Can you fly me over to the DEO so I can get suited up? We are going to meet the others there.”

“Sure.” Kara nods and turns to her baby sister. “It was so good spending time with you!” She hugs Emma close and squeezes enough that she won’t hurt her sister.

“Yea we should do it again sometime.” Emma says sarcastically causing Kara to laugh loudly. Emma holds Kara a bit longer than normal. Hating the fact her sister’s are heading into danger. Again. “Love you.”

“Love you too little one.” Kara says gently.

Finally she breaks away and turns to Alex. Pulling her into a tight hug. “Please stay safe.”

“Of course we will peanut.” Alex says softly. Knowing she shouldn’t promise something that she can’t control. Knowing that on missions, anything can happen. Especially when Cadmus is involved.

“Love you. Let me know when it’s over.” Emma repeats and squeezes her sister.

“We will and I love you too.” Alex smiles and squeezes back.

Emma steps away from the redhead and sees Supergirl has taken Kara’s place. Emma gives her sisters a smile before Supergirl picks Alex up and shoots off into the air.

When Emma can no longer see her sisters she takes a deep breath and heads out of the alleyway. Emma continues her walk towards L-Corp, putting her ear buds in and listening to music. A few people gawk at her or wave and she smiles and waves back. No one stops her this time, not that Emma minds being stopped by fans.

When she approaches the L-Corp building she is immediately ushered through by the heavy security. She smiles and nods her head at L-Corp employees while entering the elevator. She presses the button for the top floor while taking out her ear buds.

Butterflies start fluttering around Emma’s stomach as the elevator ascends, knowing she’ll be seeing the woman she loves soon. Her mind is still in a state of shock at how Lena Luthor, the badass CEO who Emma is in awe of, who Emma felt lucky calling her best friend, could have the same feelings of love for her. Emma Danvers, who barely passed high school as her talents didn’t lie in academic work but in music. Who didn’t go to college, much to the displeasure of her Mom, but immediately joined the band which changed her life.

Her phone pings and she looks down at it. Opening the message quickly when she sees it’s from Alex.

Alex: Was a false alarm. Back at work and Kara heading to Catco.

Emma breathes a sigh of relief and sends a message back. The elevator doors slide open on the top floor and Emma tries not to sprint out of them.

“Good afternoon Ms Danvers.” Jess smiles at her as she approaches.

“Hey Jess!” Emma returns the assistant's smile and pauses in front of the desk. “So, how long have we known each other?”

Taken aback Jess blinks at the blonde.

“A while yeah?” Emma tilts her head, still smiling and Jess nods. “Okay, so please call me Emma. Ms Danvers just doesn’t sound right and makes me feel old.”

“Right… Sorry Ms- I mean, Emma.” Jess smiles again.

“Lena free?” Emma asks, knowing she can’t just waltz in.

“Yes she’s finished her meetings for today, you can go through.”

“Awesome!” Emma turns and walks towards Lena’s office door. She pauses for a split second and then lifts her hand up to knock.

“Come in.” Lena’s muffled voice calls out.

Emma enters and her heart leaps at the sight of her girlfriend. She closes the door behind her and leans against it. Just watching as Lena continues to work. A smile spreads across Emma’s face.

Lena lifts her head and as their eyes connect, they feel like their breath has been taken away.

“Hi.” Emma says shyly.

“Hi.” A smile like Emma’s spreads across Lena’s face. She watches as Emma struts over to her and sits on the desk. Emma leans down and kisses Lena’s lips in a passionate kiss. When they break away Lena blinks and looks down at her work. “Sorry-” Lena looks back up at her girlfriend. “I’ll be done in a moment, I just need to write these last few notes.”

“No worries.” Emma removes her backpack and leather jacket. Placeing it behind a chair facing Lena’s desk. She sits and scrolls through her phone while partly watching her girlfriend work. Soon a memory filters through her mind.

“Tell me what you want love.” Emma says seductively as she watches Lena squirm through her computer. She’s tempted to crank up the remote to full power but she also wants to prolong Lena’s release.

“I-I want you to, urgh, get on your knees and, and, eat me out, fuck! Under my desk.” Lena gasps out her fantasy as her hips buck as she rubs her clit.

Emma moans at the thought and files the request away for when she’s next in Lena’s office.

Emma licks her lips and is immediately turned on. She squeezes her legs and decides to wait until Lena is finished with her work. The wait gets Emma more and more excited.

When Lena closes her tablet and starts gathering up the papers around her she doesn’t notice Emma standing. Or how the blonde sways her hips while making her way around the desk.

Emma smirks when she notices how Lena is still in work mode and hasn’t lifted her head. Emma leans down and kisses an area of Lena’s neck, behind her ear, that she knows drives the raven haired beauty crazy. Lena gasps out and moves her neck so Emma has better access.

“Remember that fantasy you told me recently?” Emma whispers seductively before continuing her kisses.

“Yes.” Lena moans as she closes her eyes and tightly grabs the handles of her office chair.

Emma pulls away. “Well, how bout we make that a reality?” Lena opens her eyes and watches as Emma kneels under the desk. She shifts in her chair as Emma runs her hands up and down her thighs. Lena reaches down and presses a button that locks her office door. Not wanting any interruptions.

Emma slowly pushes Lena’s pencil skirt up and pulls Lena towards her so she’s on the edge of the chair. Causing Lena’s breath to hitch, arousal surging through her. Which intensifies as Emma plants kisses up and down her thighs. Emma smirks when she feels her girlfriend tremble.

“Em?” Lena asks hesitantly, stopping Emma’s movements.

“Yea?” Emma responds, worried she’d overstepped.

“I want to see you.” Lena rolls her chair back slightly and Emma shuffles forward but is still partly hidden by the desk. Lena opens her legs wider, pulling her pencil skirt above her ass. And Emma is greeted with the sight of a pantless Lena.

Emma grins and raises an eyebrow at the CEO and who bites the corner of her lip. Watching her intently. Keeping the eye contact Emma leans forward and slowly licks her tongue up Lena’s folds. Causing Lena’s mouth to drop open and gasps in a light moan. Emma grins slightly and stops just before she gets to the clit and repeats from the bottom of the labia again.

“Em… Please.” Lena breathes out as she tries to widen her legs further. Lifting her right leg onto the desk, papers be damned and her left legs over Emma’s shoulder. The shift causes Lena’s chair to roll slightly but Emma stops it as she holds on.

Emma presses her face more into Lena and licks the clit. Causing the CEO to slam her head back against her chair and a deep moan reverberates around the office. Lena reaches out, running her fingers through Emma’s hair and keeping a hold of her head.

Emma continues to kiss and lick Lena’s pussy and clit. Savouring the wetness building as Lena’s hips start moving with Emma’s tongue.

“Fuck, Emma. Don’t stop.” Lena moans out. This spurs Emma on even more. She applies more pressure and quickens her pace. This causes Lena to moan even more and she pushes Emma’s head further into her. Soon Emma feels Lena’s body tensing and her hips grinding even harder against Emma’s mouth.

“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” Lena yells, closing her eyes as Emma keeps licking at her release. Lena spasms a few times before collapsing back into her chair. Her chest heaves as she catches her breath and gently caresses Emma’s head.

Emma laps up Lena’s cum and lifts her head. Resting it on hand as she leans against the office chair. She watches her girlfriend come down from her high. Taking every detail of Lena’s coloured cheeks on her pale skin. Green, dilated eyes open and connect with Emma’s.

“Hi.” Emma smirks, knowing she isn’t done with her girlfriend.

“Hi.” Lena breathes out and goes to lean forward to kiss Emma. But she freezes when Emma dips her head again and kisses Lena’s dripping pussy. Humming at the taste and the build up of cum there.

Emma licks her way up to Lena’s clit again and the CEO’s hips jolt as she’s still sensitive from her recent orgasm. Lena’s moans fill the air and her hands go back to Emma’s head, caressing and holding it in place.

Emma sucks and kisses the clit as she gently rubs a finger through Lena’s folds. Covering it with the slick wetness there. She looks up at Lena in permission and her girlfriend nods while biting her lip. But Lena is soon calling out Emma’s name when the blonde pushes two fingers into Lena’s pussy. Pulling out slightly before slipping in further.

“Fuck! So good! Emma!” Lena repeatedly chants as Emma continues thrusting into her, finding her g-spot and licking her clit.

Soon Emma feels Lena’s pussy muscles tighten on her fingers and Lena’s whole body tenses. Her hips jolt forward and her back arches, lifting her off the chair.

“FUCK!” Lena screams totally lost in the ecstasy of her orgasm.

When Emma can remove her fingers she lowers her head, sucking and licking the sweet, sticky cum from Lena’s pussy.

Totally spent, Lena collapses against her office chair. “Em.” Lena gasps trying to catch her breath by breathing deeply. Emma looks up and smiles. She pulls away, running a finger on her chin covered in Lena’s juices.

The raven haired beauty watches as Emma licks her fingers and she groans at the sight. A fire ignites inside her. Shakily she pushes the, now very wet, office chair back and removes her legs from the desk and Emma.

“Lee?” Emma asks while grinning.

But her girlfriend doesn’t answer. Instead she stands and pulls Emma up with her. She quickly slams her lips onto Emma’s and moans at the taste of herself. Lena tugs Emma further into herself and quickly turns them around. Pushing Emma against the window and deepening the kiss.

Emma moans and her need heightens even further. Lena seems to sense this and wedges her thigh in between Emma’s leg. The blonde moans even louder into the kiss and starts grinding against her girlfriend.

“Lee!” Emma yells as she holds tighter onto Lena’s shoulders. Her head hits the window behind her and she chants Lena’s name over and over.

“That’s it Em-ma.” Lena’s husky voice whispers in Emma’s ear causing her pace to become frantic with need. Her underwear was already soaked and ruined. The friction causing Emma to get to her release quickly.

“I’m coming!” Emma yells as her hips buck wildly as she grinds even harder into Lena’s thigh. Emma gasps and quivers as the orgasm rocks through her.

Lena observes Emma with a smirk, making sure Emma doesn’t fall. When the blonde starts to slow her pace the raven haired beauty leans by Emma’s ear. “Do you know another fantasy I have?”

Emma shakes her head as she still grinds against Lena, hoping for another sweet release..

“What was that? I need to hear you Em.” Lena orders.

“No. What, oh Rao, what is your, fuck! Other fantasy?” Emma gasps out.

“To fuck you on my desk.”

Emma’s brain short circuits and her grinding halts. Lena smirks and lifts Emma’s face to hers. “Would you like that?”

Emma nods.

“I need to hear you say it.” Lena kisses around Emma’s face and reaches out. Moving Emma’s hips against her thigh.

“Please.” Emma groans.

“Please what?”

“Please fuck me on your desk!” Emma cries out.

Lena kisses Emma and immediately the blonde deepens the kiss. Lena spins them around and moves towards the desk. Papers fall to the floor as Emma falls against it. Lena hitches her up further onto it and rests between her legs. She breaks the kiss and her hand hovers over Emma’s jean button. “May I?”

“Yes.” Emma gasps out in anticipation.

Lena quickly unbuttons Emma’s jeans and pulls the tight jeans down so she has the access she needs.

“Do you know what else I fantasise about?” Lena gently rubs her fingers over Emma’s drench underwear.

“Hmmm, what?”

“People being able to see us but not being able to say anything due to the NDA they were made to sign.” Lena quickens her pace and bites her lips. “God Emma you're so wet.” Not waiting another moment she pulls the underwear down, Emma lifting her ass to help. Lena then leans down and buries her head between her girlfriends legs. Humming at the taste of Emma's juices.

Emma is already over sensitive and jumps when she feels Lena’s tongue lick her folds.

“Lee!” Emma yells as she slams her head back on the desk.

Lena gently moves Emma’s outer labia and licks at the juices already seeping from Emma’s pusy. Causing Emma’s hips to buck and her back to arch.

“Lee! So good!” Emma moans, placing a hand on top of Lena’s hand and head.

Lena moves up to Emma’s clit, sucking and kissing it gently before applying more and more pressure. Emma’s deep moans filling the office like Lena’s did earlier. It was truly music to Lena’s ears.

Emma’s hips buck more and more until finally her thighs clamp around Lena’s head. Deafening the CEO briefly as Emma rides the waves of her orgasm. When Emma is able to loosen them Lena looks up at Emma and grins. Slowly she stands and leans over her girlfriend. She kisses Emma’s neck, whispering loving words and her hands roam Emma’s thighs. Getting closer and closer to Emma’s pussy. She finally trails her fingers along Emma’s folds, gathering up the juices there.

“Lee.” Emma’s voice sounds strained.

Lena stops kissing her neck and looks at the blonde. “Yea?”

“Fuck me! Please?” Emma whines, making Lena chuckle.

“Well, as you asked so nicely.”

Any resort coming from Emma dies when Lena inserts two fingers into her pussy. Emma groans and holds on tight to Lena’s shoulders.

“You like that love?” Lena asks seductively as she watches Emma’s writhe under her.

“Yes! Fuck! Lena! So good!” Emma moans as her pussy responds to Lena’s fingers. Tightening and relaxing with each movement. Lena adds another finger, using her hips to thrust deeper into Emma. Causing the desk to sway and creak. She kisses and sucks Emma’s neck again, making the blonde’s moans escalate further.

“Lee! Don’t stop!” Emma yells, her hips matching with Lena’s. Her girlfriend reaches down and starts rubbing Emma’s clit.

“Fuck! Lee! Fuck!”  

Soon Emma’s hips jerks as her walls tighten around Lena’s fingers and the build up of pressure finally releases.

“Lee! I’m coming!” Emma groans loudly and Lena watches her girlfriend come undone. Emma’s back arches off the desk and she tenses as all her nerve endings light up. She almost forgets to breathe.

Collapsing back to the desk Emma lays in a blissful daze. The raven haired beauty smirks and removes her fingers, licking Emma’s sweet, sticky release from them.

Lena kisses Emma’s lips before moving away into her office bathroom. She runs a washcloth under warm water and rings it out. After cleaning herself up she grabs another two washcloths, wets one and heads to her girlfriend. Lena pulls the rest of Emma’s skinny jeans off, not wanting to get them anymore wet. She starts cleaning and drying the blonde’s thighs and pussy.

Once Emma is more with it she leans on her elbows and her heart melts as she watches Lena take care of her. When Lena finishes Emma grabs her wrist, stopping her from heading back into the bathroom.

“Hi.” Emma grins, sitting up fully and pulling her girlfriend towards her.

“Hi.” Lena smiles back and wraps her arms around Emma’s neck.

They kiss which slowly gets more and more heated until Lena stops them.

“As much as I’d love for this to continue.” Lena quickly kisses Emma’s lips. “I think we should move this somewhere else?”

“Hmm okay.” Emma kisses Lena again. “Mine or yours?”

“Let’s go to yours.” Lena rests her forehead against Emma’s.

“But your apartment is closer.” Emma looks deeply into Lena’s green eyes.

“True, but, as much as I love having sex with you. I also want to spend time with you.” Lena kisses Emma lightly before pulling back. “Why don’t we get some ice cream.” Lena kisses Emma again. “Enjoy the day and-” Another kiss. “See what happens?”

Emma chuckles and bites her lips at Lena’s sultry tone. “Sounds like a plan.” Lena smiles at her before heading back towards the bathroom. Emma gets off the desk and picks up her clothes. Looking at the state of her underwear. “Oh er… Lee?” Lena pokes her head around the door. “Do you have any underwear I can borrow?”

-- -- --

The girlfriends soon get themselves in order, Emma in a pair of Lena’s dry underwear and they leave Lena’s office.

“Have a good day Ms. Luthor, Emma.” Jess smiles at them brightly and Emma’s face becomes beet red when she realises Jess will have heard them.

“You too Jess, don’t work too hard!” Lena jokes as she walks to the elevator and presses the button. Her smile fades when she sees the horror on Emma’s face. “Em?”

“She… Jess, would have heard us?” The doors slide open and Emma rushes in. Holding her head in her hands.

“Oh love.” Lena chuckles pressing the buttons for the lobby and turns to her motifided girlfriend. She slowly leans into Emma’s ear. “My office is sound proof.” She pulls away and smirks at Emma’s relieved face. Taking Emma’s hand Lena holds it tight. The doors open and then walk in sync out of L-Corp and towards Emma’s penthouse apartment. They grab ice cream cones along the way, Emma’s cone being a lot bigger than Lena’s, and wander through the park. Taking their time and enjoying the spring sunshine.

“Hmm Lee! You gotta try this!” Emma holds out her cone and points at the mint choc chip. They stop and Lena slowly licks at the ice cream and moans, causing Emma to bite her lip. “Of course you would do that.” Emma narrows her eyes. An idea enters her head and she quickly presses her ice cream to Lena’s nose.

“Emma?!” Lena yelps and her eyes go wide. Emma laughs and takes a step back while still holding Lena’s hand. “Oh you’ve done it now!”

“Lee! Now think about this.” Emma implores her girlfriend but ends up with a load of ice cream shoved in her face.

The two squeal and laugh as they end up smearing more ice cream on their faces. They laugh so much they fall into each other and soon tears stream down their faces. Emma wheezes and collapses onto a bench with Lena. Taking her back pack off and placing it between her legs. She rubs her eyes and smiles at her girlfriend beside her. Lena smiles lovingly back before wiping the ice cream off her and Emma’s face with a napkin.

“You know I was saving that for later.” Emma says sarcastically.

“I do apologise.” Lena chuckles before resting her head on Emma’s shoulder. 

They continue to eat their ice creams and watch the world go by. Emma is fascinated as the wind gently blows through a tree, causing the blossoms to slowly fall to the floor.

“So, what did you do at sister night?” Lena asks while finishing her cone.

Emma sighs. “We got food and mainly talked.”

Lena frowns and lifts her head up to see Emma properly. “What’s the sigh for?”

“Promise you won’t tell anyone?” Emma asks and Lena nods. “Alex and Kelly aren’t doing well and I’m worried about Kara.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Lena says sincerely, this news about Alex did surprise her. She thought Alex and Kelly were a great couple, but, like with anything, the outside can show a different story to what's going on inside. “And what are you worried about.”

“I just… With both of them they’ve both not told me how they are really feeling. I mean I message them and we facetime-” Emma sighs deeply. “But they didn’t want to stress me out while I’m on tour. Which is such a kick to the gut. I thought they knew I’d drop anything for them, you know?”

“Yea, but I can see where they are coming from. A lot of people depend on you Emma.” Lena thinks about the many other people that work on the tour. The sound and lighting technicians, the stage hands that get the stage set up and the truck and coach drivers.

Emma scoffs. “A lot more depend on them. They’re real life heroes. Saving people's lives daily and I-I just sing and play my guitar or piano.” Emma says while rubbing her forehead. Lena reaches out and turns Emma’s face towards her, looking deep into Emma’s hazel green eyes.

“Now, I know you have received tons of fan mail stating you saved someone's life. That they didn’t end it because of your songs.” Lena swallows, knowing herself how Emma’s music has been there for her. “You’ve given them hope, a light in their darkness. To me, that’s pretty heroic.” Lena says passionately and Emma’s eyes glisten as she takes in her girlfriend’s words.

“Thank you.” Emma says gratefully and kisses Lena.

“You’re welcome.” Lena holds Emma’s hand and squeezes. “Ready to continue?”

“Yep!” Emma wipes under her eyes and stands putting her backpack on while pulling Lena up to her feet. They hold hands and walk to Emma’s apartment, stopping at a store on the way to pick up essentials. With Emma going back on tour tomorrow night they are making a healthy meal. Lena even insisted they buy chicken for Emma to eat. Knowing the blonde needs her protein and not taking Emma’s no for an answer.

-- -- --

When Emma opens her apartment door she smiles at being home. Remembering how her sister’s helped her find an apartment and how all three of them fell in love with it as soon as they walked in.

The pair place the shopping bags on the kitchen island and change into comfortable clothes. They head back into the kitchen and get to work. They move around the space effortlessly and Emma twirls Lena a few times with the music that's playing. Making Lena burst out laughing and smiling as she kisses Emma.

They eat at the table and talk about Lena’s up and coming projects. As always Emma is blown away by Lena’s ideas and passion.

“How’s the project going where you, like, heal people quickly?” Emma blushes at not remembering the details fully.

“It’s going.” Lena rolls her eyes slightly. “I mean something so ground breaking you’d think there’d be a lot more interest.” Lena takes a sip of her wine. “Unfortunately there isn’t.”

Emma shakes her head. “But you are continuing with it?”

“Of course.” Lena says quickly. “It may even help with my plans to help cure cancer.”

“Like Edison.” Emma takes a bite of her meal, watching as Lena tilts her head at her. Emma swallows her food and continues. “I mean in the way it took him over three thousand tries until he successfully developed the lightbulb. For you it may take loads of tries, but, I know you’ll get there.” The smile Lena gives melts Emma and she smiles back.

“Thank you.” Lena reaches out and holds Emma’s hand.

“You’re welcome. I can be your personal cheerleader! Along with many others!”

“Not that many.” Lena rolls her eyes and takes another sip of her wine.

“Hey! Lena, look at me.” Emma waits until green eyes connect with hers. “You have many who love you.” Emma squeezes Lena’s hand. “Remember, it’s not the quantity but the quality. The Superfriends and I have your back.”

Lena gives her a small smile and they continue eating. Intertwining their fingers and sitting in comfortable silence. When they finish Emma picks up the plates and takes them over to the dishwasher to load them. But she doesn't, instead figuring she can do it tomorrow.

Turning round she sees that Lena is watching her intently. Sending a spike of excitement through her.

“So, I wanted to show you something.” Emma asks shyly. “If that’s okay? You don’t have to. I mean we can do something else-”

Lena gets up and cuts off Emma’s rambling with a gentle finger on her lip. “I’m fine with whatever we do love. What is it you want to show me?”

“Go make yourself comfortable on the sofa.” Emma nods to them across the apartment. Lena raises an eyebrow and grabs her wine, Emma’s drink and the bottle. Lena sits and Emma goes to grab her backpack she dumped by the door. Walking back she unzips it and pulls her MacBook Pro out.

“So… Erm… As you know the record company wants me to release an alarm soon after the tour…” Emma sits next to Lena and opens her Mac. A picture of the Superfriends at Christmas appears and they both smile at it. Emma unlocks the computer with her touch ID and opens her album folder. She syncs her speakers with her mac so the sound quality is better. “Well… I’ve been recording while on tour and somehow got over forty songs.” Emma laughs as Lena’s high brows shoot up. “But we’ve narrowed it down to these twenty five. Which is still too many!” Emma takes a nervous breath. “Are you okay to listen to them and give me your opinion? You can say no!” Emma says too quickly.

Lena blinks at her but then smiles. “Of course I want to listen! I’m touched you want to share this with me.”

“Well, you are the most important thing in my life.” Emma says softly. Her finger hovers over the play button, but she sits back grabbing a cushion and hugging it close. “I can’t do it! You have too!”

Lena chuckles and presses play. She sits back and listens. When the song ends Emma reaches out to stop the next song from playing.

“That song was so good!” Lena says excitedly, beaming at her girlfriend. “Will that be the opening song in the album?”

“I honestly don’t know. I mean it’s always good to open with an upbeat song. But there’s still twenty four songs to go.”

Emma starts the next song and settles back into the sofa. She watches her girlfriend nervously. Reading the slight changes in her facial expressions, the tapping of her foot or sway of her head and what they could mean. After each song they discuss the song further, Lena giving a detailed analysis of what she liked or didn’t like.

But before Emma plays the last song she closes the Mac. Causing Lena to look at her confused.

“I want to sing the last song to you.” Emma says softly. Lena nods and Emma pulls her to her feet. Emma leads the raven-haired beauty to her wooden upright piano. She grabs a chair for Lena to sit on. Lifting the lid Emma settles on the piano bench. Taking a deep breath she starts the first chord.

That summer sky burnin' in your eyes You look at me and, babe, I wanna catch on fire It's buried in my soul like California gold You found the light in me that I couldn't find

Emma thinks back to the summer and the time of the beach with the Superfriends. How beautiful Lena looked. How Lena, her best friend, became the love of her life. How she has changed Emma for the better, even in the early days of their friendship and was always there to support her.

Emma’s emotions start to get to her and the next few lines come out in more of a croak.

So when I'm all choked up But I can't find the words Every time we say goodbye Baby, it hurts

Rao yes it hurts so much whenever Emma has to say goodbye to Lena. The last kisses and longing looks as they walk away from each other feels like Emma’s heart is ripped in two every time.

When the sun goes down And the band won't play I'll always remember us this way

Lena watches Emma with tears in her eyes. The passion the blonde is given each note takes her breath away. The fact she’s singing about her sets her heart ablaze.

Emma continues the song. Giving it her all and getting lost in the music and the words.

After the last chorus she looks over at her girlfriend. Emma smiles softly at the emotion on Lena’s face. The few tears that have slipped from her green eyes.

When you look at me And the whole world fades I'll always remember us this way

As the last chords fade away they sit in silence. Emma bites her lip in worry and straddles the piano bench.

“Lee? You o-” Emma can’t continue as Lena’s lips are against her own.

Lena kisses Emma deeply and climbs onto the blonde’s lap. She starts grinding into Emma who hums happily. Lena gasps in surprise when Emma lifts her up as she stands. Lena quickly wraps her legs around Emma’s middle as the blonde carries her to the bedroom.

Emma carefully lays Lena on the bed and hovers over her, breaking the kiss.

“So you liked the song then?” Emma asks cheekily.

Lena scoffs, pulling her girlfriend on top of her and kissing her passionately. When they need air they break the kiss and Lena cups Emma’s face. “I love it and I love you.”

“I love you too.” Emma says as she looks deep into Lena’s green eyes. “Lee, you have no idea how much I love you.”

The rest of the night is filled with their moans of pleasure until the early hours of the morning.

(Part Nine)

#supergirl #supergirl tv #supergirl imagine #supergirl fanfic #supergirl baby danvers #supergirl fanfiction #lena luthor x baby danvers #alex danvers x baby danvers #kara danvers x baby danvers #lena luthor imagine #alex danvers imagine #kara danvers imagine #b!d #baby danvers

[gothpanda]

A Little Bit of Attitude Ch. 33: Nikki

WORD COUNT: 6.8k

A/N: Happy Holidays!!!

TAGS: @madamsixx​ @emariehorror​

WARNINGS: Drug mention

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December 31st, 1985

Los Angeles, California

Nikki grasped Sammi's hand, pulling her into his side, and wrapped his muscular arm around her shoulders. Sammi broke out into a smile from the surprise, almost tripping over her heels as the two walked across the front of a Bel Air mansion, feeling a pair of lips on her cheek. She cocked an eyebrow at Nikki, matching the smile on his lips.

"You seem happy to be going to a party for once," said Sammi.

"What do you mean for once? I like parties,"

"For about an hour then you're begging to go home. You're never the first to suggest a party. What's up with you?" asked Sammi, snaking her arms around Nikki's waist. The couple stood by the front door, ignoring the passing guest who entered. Nikki huffed out and shrugged his shoulders, remaining a comforting hold on his girlfriend.

"I just want to have a great New Year's Eve with you and Tommy. I'm still on cloud nine after Christmas," said Nikki with a genuine smile. Sammi couldn't help herself, standing on the tips of her toes to kiss Nikki lovingly.

"I know exactly what you mean. Come on let's try to find Tommy in this circus," said Sammi, pulling Nikki by the hand, entering the white marble mansion. The party was filled with many familiar faces to anyone, mingling with actors or musicians as they drank expensive champagne served by waiters. Nikki tried his best to feel comfortable with the number of people, reminding himself to keep holding Sammi's hand. The couple's attention lit up from the sight of a tall, teased up hair man coming straight towards them.

"Sammi! Nikki! You're back!" yelled out Tommy, hands in the air, ready to hug them. He wrapped the two in a group hug, resting his chin told of Sammi's head, smiling gleefully. "I've missed you so much!"

"Are you drunk already?" asked Sammi, pulling away from her brother.

"I thought you and Heather got here an hour ago," said Nikki, resting an arm around Sammi.

"Yeah but this party is fucking boring. I have to entertain myself somehow. I didn't think you two were going to make it!" yelled out Tommy, a smile still glued on.

Sammi shook her head playfully. "Where's your future wife anyway?"

"Oh she ran into some actress friends that I don't even know, but I'm so happy to see you. Christmas was boring with Heather,"

"Tommy!" chuckled Sammi, smacking Tommy in the chest lightly. "You can't say that about your future in-laws,"

"It's true! Sixx, you gotta come to our house for our Bass Christmas! Our mom promised to make kebabs!" said Tommy.

"Oh completely and maybe I'll finally get Athena to like me after all the dirty stares," joked Nikki sarcastically.

"It's not a bad idea. You'll get some nice greek food in you," smirked Sammi, gingerly patting Nikki's stomach. "Think about it. We're having our Christmas on the 3rd,"

"Yeah! And to convince you some more, let me get you a drink," said Tommy. He walked behind the couple, guiding them through the sea of people to the classy bar.

Once there, the three quickly found Heather rambling on with a guest she knew, almost oblivious to Tommy touching her arm. Sammi gave a polite kiss on the cheek to Heather, learning to be nice to her soon to be sister-in-law. Nikki only said a short hello, paying more attention to ordering drinks for him and Sammi. Heather glanced over to Nikki, becoming self-aware to not make a crude or sour face. She wanted to be cordial even if she didn't care for the man. Nikki didn't need to read too much into Heather to know he wasn't liked by the actress. Instead of carrying on a fake conversation to please the siblings, Nikki guided Sammi to another area. With their classic drinks in hand, the couple found a more secluded part of the mansion, laying down on a loveseat. Sammi laid against Nikki's chest, a content smile as she watched the party go around her. She held onto Nikki's hand, kissing it unexpectedly.

Nikki scrunched his brows together. "What was that for?"

"I don't know. I'm just really happy right now. I'm glad we went out tonight,"

Nikki hooked his chin on Sammi's shoulder. "Even if it's just us alone here?"

"Yeah," said Sammi, sipping on her drink.

"Are you excited for '86 to roll around? Another year of putting up with me,"

"I really am. Tommy's wedding coming up. You and I are still going strong together. Maybe this new year something new will change for the better,"

"I like hearing the optimism, Princess," muttered Nikki, kissing Sammi's neck.

"What about you? Do you have resolution up in that big head of yours?"

"Am I going to have to expect more big head jokes from you?" Sammi giggled, shrugging her shoulders. Nikki sighed out. "I have three main plans. First, get a number one album. Second, finally going on a vacation to wherever you want in the world. And finally getting you a new car,"

Sammi pushed herself up off Nikki, looking at him with a cock brow. "Getting me a new car?"

"Yep," said Nikki, popping the last sound out with a smirk.

"I don't need a new car or have my boyfriend buy me one," objected Sammi,

"Say no all you want Princess. I have a whole year to convince you. Or just drop it off on your doorstep. I'm thinking a nice blue corvette or camaro would look good on you," thought Nikki, pursing his lips out.

"Good luck with that!" chuckled Sammi.

"Hey everybody, it's almost midnight!" someone yelled out. The guest quickly gathered to the foyer of the house, the countdown radio on full volume. Sammi jumped on her feet, pulling Nikki up by the hand and tugging him to the party. The two made their way to the outskirts of the sea, finding Tommy and Heather. Tommy's tipsy demeanor changed to a more giddy appearance, smiling wide when seeing his sister and best friend. He couldn't help but admit how happy the two looked together, seeing a change in Nikki. "Okay ready? 10! 9! 8!" the crowd began to chant. Nikki grasped Sammi's waist with a feather-like touch, turning her to face him as they got close. "7! 6! 5! 4!" Sammi swung her arms around Nikki's neck, staring deep into his eyes. "3! 2! 1!" The two fell into a romantic kiss, right on time with the loud happy screams and confetti that filled the foyer. "Happy New Year!"

June 14th, 1987

A gasp. A loud constant beeping echoed throughout Emma's bedroom, the radio alarm reading 11:30. Sammi's eyes shot open awake, gasping from the startling feeling to be woken up. Her dream from a past memory stayed in Sammi's mind, almost feeling like she was there again. Sammi rolled onto her back, wiping away the sleep from her eyes. When she turned to Emma's side of the bed, Sammi was surprised to see nothing but a half-made bed. Sammi reached over to shut the annoying alarm clock off, frowning as she looked around. The smell of cooked food soon waft into the bedroom, sounds of cabinets and pans carefully clashing in the kitchen. While Sammi didn't want to get out of bed, she knew that she needed to acknowledge the day as a guest in her friend's home. She tossed her legs out from the duvet, shuffling across the hall to Emma's bathroom. The splash of cold water helped Sammi feel more awake, the small hangover losing. Sammi stared into the round bathroom mirror, scuffing at her almost neglected appearance as she wiped her face with a wet wipe. Remnants of last nights were soon gone, but Sammi knew they would return for another round. Another round of questioning and confronting, something the twenty-three-year-old didn't want to encounter.

In the front of the apartment, Emma kept her head peeking into the hallway as she 'helped' make brunch with Sabrina. Sabrina switched her glance from the stove to Emma, carefully listening to Sammi's footsteps.

"Em, just wait for her to come," whispered Sabrina, flipping one side of a cooking pancake.

Emma sighed. "I am. I just thought she was going to come out already," said Emma, walking over to the refrigerator. She crossed her arms as she leaned against the counter, still looking over to the hallway. "She slept through the first alarm. You don't think that's worrying?" whispered Emma.

"No I don't. I'm sure if you weren't a workout freak, you would've slept in after last night," hissed Sabrina, plating the pancakes with a side of eggs. Right as Emma was close to objecting, Sammi appeared out of the hallway, mustering up a small smile to the girls. She sat up on the high barstool, looking over the breakfast bar to see what Sabrina was making.

"Sam! You're up!" gleefully said, Emma.

Sabrina presented the plate of food in front of Sammi, not showing any visible emotion. "Thank you. How early did you guys wake up? Your alarm just went off, Em," asked Sammi, taking a bite of scrambled eggs.

"That wasn't our alarm. We've been awake since 7," said Sabrina, her back to Sammi.

"Since you didn't get up, I just put in a different time. I didn't want you to sleep the day away," said Emma.

"Which is why we're also not eating," uttered Sabrina, folding her arms as she coldly looked at Sammi.

"Oh. You know it wouldn't be the end of the world if I did sleep in," answered Sammi. "Besides that was my plan anyway," joked Sammi, smiling, disappearing when Emma or Sabrina didn't budge.

"Sammi, it's Saturday. It's pointless to be lazy, especially when you're visiting all of us," said Emma.

"More like especially when you have a mess to clean up," said Sabrina. "We need to talk about what happened at Tommy's, Sammi," Sammi bit the inside of her cheek and continued to eat her food. She pushed away fallen pieces of hair away from her face, glancing at Sabrina's cold front.

Emma sighed. "Sabrina's right, Sammi. I don't think you can hide from this,"

"Why not? I'm great at hiding and running away from my problems as of late. One more day couldn't hurt," said Sammi with a shrug.

Sabrina rolled her eyes. "But hurting Nikki as the days go is the better option? What happened to you wanting to talk to him, huh?" asked Sabrina, cocking a brow.

Sammi frowned deeply. "I changed my mind. I'm fine not talking to him anymore,"

"Bullshit! We all know you had a list of things to talk about, and for you to drop him again is pretty shit!" argued Sabrina.

"Sabrina," muttered Emma, a calming voice between the two.

"No, Em, she needs to hear this! What you did to Nikki from the moment you left was shitty. You continuing to ignore him after last night is shitty. But I know what's right and that's talking to him," said Sabrina, her voice carrying out. Sammi looked away from Sabrina, resting her chin in the palm of her hands. "Don't you want to make things civil with him? It's Nikki!"

"I do," mumbled Sammi, inhaling a deep breath of air. "And I know you're right. I have been shitty to him, but I don't know if I can speak to him,"

"Why not, Sammi? Out of everyone, I'm sure you missed Nikki the most. So what if he has a girlfriend?" said Emma.

"It has nothing to do with Veronica. I'm scared to even look at him let alone talk about our bullshit. Nikki's never been angry at me like this, and I don't know how to fix it," said Sammi, rubbing her temple.

"By admitting you fucked up to him. Start off there and then listen to him," said Sabrina. "But you have to go today. He's going to leave again pissed off at you and Vince, for months before coming home,"

"We can give you as much advice as you need, but you also have to swallow the hard pill of going to Nikki's," said Emma.

Sammi nodded with Emma, her eyes looking at the two people she knew she couldn't avoid. Sabrina walked over to Sammi, putting a supportive hand on top of hers just as Emma did. "Once you get it over with, you'll feel so much better,"

"How are you so sure about that?" asked Sammi.

"Because it's Nikki. He cares about you more than anyone else in all of L.A. Don't forget that," said Emma.

*

It was a beautiful sunny day in the California Valley, Sammi feeling nothing but anxiety and dread as she drove. She was somewhat grateful for Nikki living far away, giving her enough time to think of what to fully say. Sammi thought of every possible way Nikki would react to her but remembering she couldn't hide any longer. Unfortunately, the moment Sammi turned into the mansion gate, all confidence left her body. With a trembling finger, Sammi pressed the gate intercom, heart beginning to race from waiting. Sammi almost pushed it for a second time.

"Who is it?" asked Nikki. He sounded surprisingly well to Sammi.

Sammi bit the inside of her cheek. "It's-It's me. Can I come in, Nik?" asked Sammi. Nikki didn't bother with a worded response, only opening the automatic gate. "Thanks," muttered Sammi, driving through to park right next to one of Nikki's cars. She inhaled deeply before stepping out of the impala, swallowing away nerves as the double wooden doors appeared right in front of her. Sammi didn't need to ring or knock, Nikki, swinging the door wide open and almost making Sammi jump out of her skin.

The look in Nikki's eyes was hard for Sammi to read. He didn't seem mad, but it wasn't the same warmth he would give to only Sammi. Nikki blinked a few times as if to check he wasn't hallucinating Sammi in his front steps, looking up and down at her. He cleared his throat, wiping the clammy feeling from his palms on the back of his jeans. "Hi," uttered Nikki.

"Hi," mumbled Sammi, shifting her weight between the balls of her feet.

Nikki looked anywhere that wasn't the short girl in front of him. His feet. The outside. Anywhere. He didn't want to look into her eyes. "What do you want?"

"Can we please talk, Nikki?" begged Sammi, wrinkling the gap between her brows, frowning.

"Sure," said Nikki, stepping aside to 'welcome' Sammi in, closing the door behind her. Sammi was quick to see the growing changes within the gothic castle, impressed by Nikki's ability to find his taste. She followed behind the man throughout the front of the house, heading straight for the kitchen. Everything around the house looked clean. Only three dirty dishes in the sink. "I like what you've done with the place," said Sammi, sitting down on the round breakfast table.

"Thanks. I had all the time in the world," said Nikki, placing two bottles of water between them, sitting across from Sammi. The tension was thick in the atmosphere, silence with only faint sounds from the outside could be heard. Nikki bounced his leg underneath the table, glancing up every so often at Sammi. Sammi would only take a sip of water and look around the kitchen. She then began to bite the nail of her ring finger, still looking anywhere but Nikki.

"Stop biting your nails," said Nikki

"Sorry. You know it's a bad habit when I'm nervous," muttered Sammi, dropping her hands onto the table.

"Yeah which is why I'm telling you to freaking stop. Then you complain about your nails looking like shit," frowned Nikki.

"Wow, nice to know you remember the little details," smiled Sammi

Nikki scoffed, folding his arms against his chest. "That's because I remember details of the people I care about and don't pretend they don't exist anymore,"

Sammi's smile soon dropped, pressing her lips firmly together. "Ouch. I guess I deserved that,"

"What? Expected me to be all smiles just because you're here at my house?" asked Nikki, cocking a brow.

Sammi glared at Nikki. "No, I didn't. I thought you'd be as cold as you possibly could be,"

"Do you blame me?" asked Nikki, a sarcastic smile on his lips. "I hear nothing from you. No calls. No Letters. Only to find out from Tommy you ran away. Oh and of course from Vince. Then to see you pop out of thin air as if nothing,"

"And whose fault is that? And I didn't run away," asked Sammi, raising her voice.

"Then what did I do for you to ditch everything and run all the way upstate?"

"I didn't ditch! I didn't run away! I left for school!"

"Bullshit,"

"It's true!"

"Then please further explain, Samantha," asked Nikki.

Sammi clenched her jaw. "Samantha? Really?" Nikki shrugged his shoulders in an almost taunting way. "I went to San Francisco for school. I decided to go back to get an actual career because some of us need school. Alright?"

"Still could've told me anything about school and that you were leaving," said Nikki.

"You made me not say goodbye to you, Nikki. If you remember at all, the last time I saw you you were gripping onto me high on heroin at my brother's wedding. Hurting me," spit out Sammi.

Nikki's face turned frozen, any angry winkle disappearing. He shifted in his seat, wiping his hand over his lips. "I didn't hurt you,"

"Are you sure about that?" asked Sammi, cocking an eyebrow.

Nikki's eyes rested heavily on the table, only remembering fragments of last year. "I'm sorry I did that to you, Sammi. I am," Nikki sighed out. "If it makes up for it in the slightest bit, I haven't touched junk in almost two months,"

Sammi rolled her eyes, scuffing. "Now it's my turn to say bullshit,"

"Fuck you," spit Nikki, regaining his frown.

"You expect me to believe that just by word of mouth? As if you haven't said it before when we were together?" said Sammi with an icy stare.

"Look through the entire fucking house if you want! I threw everything out. I didn't need you to figure out how fucked up heroin was making me. Clearly, since I had a whole fucking year without you," Nikki jumped out of his chair, walking further away from Sammi. Sammi kept her eyes on Nikki, the feeling of anger overcasting everything.

"I shouldn't have come here," uttered Sammi.

"Why because you're finally facing a mistake you made? How we both fucked up?" asked Nikki, his voice echoing out throughout the kitchen.

"What mistake?!"

"That you hurt me! Just admit you hurt me! Admit it!" yelled out Nikki. It was Sammi's turn to hear out an ounce of her mistake. Sammi softened her expression, lowering the walls around her. It was only fair if Nikki was about to drop them. "I've hurt you before! I can admit how shitty of a person I was to you! But accept the fact I have feelings too under all this shit," Nikki walked closer to Sammi, a safe distance but close. "I had to beg Tommy to give me your number so I can tell you about Nona, and I get nothing in return. When Nona passed I didn't tell anyone but you. I didn't care if you were mad at me. I still wanted to tell you because I knew how much you cared about her. Then come to find out you were with Vince, fucking and him rubbing it in my face," chuckled Nikki dryly, biting his lip as he looked down at Sammi.

"You had Veronica all that time," uttered Sammi, looking away from Nikki.

"Veronica doesn't mean shit to me! All she is is nothing but a problem!"

"Really? Then why are you two all over magazine covers? Vince told me about how fast you moved on? I had to find out about you two in a music store!" asked Sammi.

"To get you out of my head! Everything I've done after you left was to get you out of my head! The one reason I was with other girls was to try to get you out of my fucking head. High and sober you were all I thought about. The only time I'm even around Veronica is to get high,"

"And you're not getting high anymore? No more heroin?" asked Sammi, eyes beginning to become reflected like glass.

Nikki nodded, exhaling shakingly. "You know I've tried to quit before, but this time I needed to stop. It was getting scary even for me,"

Sammi bit her lip, swallowing away the lump in her throat. "Nikki, I am sorry,"

"For?"

"For everything. For just getting up and leaving. I know I'm not perfect. I know I fucked up when you needed me after Nona,"

"It's fine. You were busy with your new life, and letting Vince in it," mumbled Nikki, looking down at his feet.

"Vince and I are nothing. It meant nothing," reassured Sammi.

Nikki chuckled. "That's not how he put it,"

"It's Vince. You really think he's going to tell you the truth?" Nikki shook his head. "I was drinking, and he kept putting things into my head about you. I asked him to not tell you. I pushed him into a pool last night because I was so mad at him,"

Nikki's eyes widened with an amused smile. "Did you really?"

"Yeah, I did. It was either that or punch him and the pool just so happen to be close by,"

"Damn I wish I stayed for that," said Nikki, sitting down right next to Sammi. Sammi smiled at him, the two softening their daggers at each other. "I'm sorry too for being a shitty boyfriend. You didn't deserve any of that,"

"Apology accepted. And I did want to say goodbye, Nikki. I really did,"

"But you thought I was high that day so you left?"

"Not necessarily. I was a mess trying not to crack in front of everyone. When I was about to head over here, I burst and just couldn't do it. I wished I had you with me to help say goodbye. Holding my hand," sighed Sammi.

"That wouldn't have happened,"

"Why not?" Sammi scrunched her brows together.

"Because I wouldn't have let you leave,"

"But it was my choice,"

"You think I believe that, Princess? You left because of me and found an excuse,"

"Nik, I didn't-"

Nikki inched himself closer to Sammi, narrowing his eyes towards her. Sammi only stayed still, confused. "I know you better than anyone to know you love your family with everything in your tiny body. Yes or no?" Sammi nodded. "So you're really going to tell me you wanted to move by yourself away from everyone just for school?"

"No…" said Sammi, slouching her shoulders.

"Exactly. If you had told me about going back to school, I'd be by your side helping out in any way my dumbass could. But I would've never told you to leave because you would miss everyone way too much," said Nikki, reclining back against the wooden seat.

"Goddammit. I hate that you actually listen," groaned Sammi, resting her chin in the palm of her hands with a pout.

"I think it has more to do with the fact I'm right for once," smirked Nikki.

"Wipe that smirk off your face,"

"I am right. Damn that feels good to say," said Nikki, almost in a singing tone with the smirk growing into a smile.

Sammi rolled her eyes. "God I forgot how annoying you can be,"

"But isn't that why you like me so much?" asked Nikki, still smiling. Sammi couldn't help but crack, hiding her smile behind her hands, looking away from Nikki in a fun manner. Nikki chuckled at Sammi, noticing the light tint of red on her cheeks. He couldn't help but mess with his fingers, a little habit when he felt nervous around Sammi initially. Since Nikki was so used to just touching girls, he needed a way to restrain himself in the beginning days of knowing the girl. He glanced up at the clock on the kitchen wall, seeing how it was almost time for the sun to set. "Hey, do you want to get out of here?"

"And go where?" asked Sammi, raising an eyebrow.

Nikki shrugged his shoulders. "Haven't gone to Little Tuscany yet?"

Sammi's eyes lit up, a short smile appearing on her lips. "No, I haven't. I would love to go out for dinner,"

"Perfect. We can go on my new bike," said Nikki, nipping Sammi's chin, matching her smile. A small ounce of old routine running back into them.

"Your new bike? Why can we just go in your or my car?" asked Sammi.

"Because that would be the boring option, and we know I don't like to be boring," said Nikki, standing up to walk over to the coat closet that divided the kitchen from the rest of the house. He reached inside the small coat closet, pulling out two jean jackets, one being too small for the man. Nikki held it up to Sammi, pleased to see her eyes light up. "I think you might need this to wear,"

"I knew I left some stuff over here," said Sammi, grabbing the jacket from Nikki to slip it on. "Let's head out,"

*

The Italian restaurant was a comforting place, which was what Sammi loved about it, dimly lit by candles and lamps for the evening shift. A family-owned business with an old man always sitting in the entrance to welcome every customer. Nikki opened the door, gesturing Sammi to enter like a proper gentleman. They were regulars to the point a young hostess smiled at Sammi, reaching over for menus to guide them through the restaurant. Wooden tables with blue tablecloths in the middle and dark emerald booths on the sides. The hostess showed them to their booth in the restaurant's corner that felt secluded for Nikki and Sammi. It was busy for a typical Saturday, families, and couples enjoying themselves. As Sammi read through the menu, Nikki kept his eyes on her, not paying attention to anything else. Not even the pop music that was playing in the background softly could interrupt Nikki. He played with a sugar packet between his hands, reading every little detail of Sammi. Nikki didn't think Sammi appeared any different, but he didn't want to miss anything. Nikki didn't want to miss the way Sammi played with a lock of hair that framed her face or the way she pursed her lips as she read. That is until a waiter approached the table to cut Nikki out of his concentration.

"Good evening! What can I get you two to drink?" asked the waiter with a polite smile on his face.

"Can I have a raspberry soda," asked Sammi, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Make that two sodas, please," added Nikki, Sammi raising an eyebrow.

"Okay I'll be right back with your drinks," said the waiter, dashing to the back near the kitchen.

"No drinking tonight?" asked Sammi.

Nikki shook his head. "I have to drive the bike, remember?"

"That, unfortunately, hasn't stopped you before in the past. You can have one drink if you want, Nik," said Sammi.

"No can do. I'm being serious, Sammi. I really don't want to drink and have a sober night for once. Just the two of us" smiled Nikki shortly. The waiter placed two old-fashioned glass soda bottles right on queue, tossing two straws between Nikki and Sammi.

"Are you two ready to order some food or need a minute more?" asked the waiter, pulling out his notepad from his apron.

"Do you want to split a Margherita?" Nikki asked Sammi, gaining a nod from her.

"Alright, one full Margherita pizza coming up!" said the waiter, giving his best polite smile and heading to another table he was assigned.

When it was only the two of them again, Nikki and Sammi began the staring game except without any anger. Sammi didn't know what to make of this evening, unsure if Nikki was trying to win her over by being nice. She knew Nikki wasn't like Vince, who did things to gain something, but it was something to keep in the back of her mind. So Sammi acted as if this was an expected date with Nikki, extending her legs out from under the table to rest on Nikki's lap. Nikki paid attention to this, squeezing Sammi's ankle, and gained a giggle from her.

"So how's San Francisco been? And be honest this time, please. You haven't mentioned what exactly you're doing over there," asked Nikki, hands resting on Sammi.

Sammi sighed out, crossing her arms against her chest as she tried to summarize in a few words. "People, horrible. Food, great. School, difficult because I'm studying to be a pharmacist. Stupidly expensive for no reason. I was quick to remember why you hate it there a month after moving,"  

"Oh so you did think of me?" teased Nikki, earning a specific finger from Sammi. "But school is going great right? Passing everything and being a little miss A student?"

"More like a B student, but it's way better than not passing," said Sammi with a shrug. "Hey, and how has Tom been since Nona? Is he still living in the house or?"

It was Nikki's turn to shrug. "Tom's been doing okay, and he is still living there. He came down to visit not that long ago, he mentioned selling to get a smaller piece of land,"

"Was it the first time seeing him after the funeral?"

Nikki stiffened his shoulders, looking down at the table. "I didn't go to the funeral," Nikki muttered.

Sammi couldn't help but make a face of shock, eyes changing in a second. "What?"

"I couldn't go because I was too high. It wouldn't have been fair to the both of them if I showed up like that," Nikki sighed, biting his cheek as he recalled last year. Sammi only gave a sympathetic smile. "Tom's asked about you… a lot,"

"And?" asked Sammi with worry.

"I sugarcoated as best as I could so he wouldn't worry. To him, we broke up because our jobs were getting in the way and you needed time to focus. Which isn't the worst lie I've told,"

"No it's not, but it's nice to hear Tom still cares to ask,"

"It's Tom, of course, he cares. Tom and Nona really did love you after a few days, Sammi," Nikki nodded to himself, the memories of Nona playing in his head, letting out a sad sigh.

"Can I ask you a question?" Sammi firmly pressed her lips together.

"Shoot," muttered Nikki, looking down at his hands.

"Do you still care about me?" Nikki cocked his head and curled his lip, not expecting to hear this kind of question. It was stupid for Sammi to ask this question, Nikki thought, knowing how different he is with Sammi only.

"That's a dumb question. Of course, I still care about you. Why would you think I didn't?" asked Nikki, trying to regain some amount of stolidness.

"Because maybe I just need a little reassurance. You can't blame me for still thinking the worst," said Sammi, taking a sip of her soda. "And I don't expect you to be nice after an hour of being angry,"

The man nodded at Sammi's words, beginning to think before he said anything. Nikki leaned closer onto the table, reaching over to Sammi as he laced his finger through hers. Sammi didn't object, letting Nikki hold her hands in the middle of the table. "We both fucked up in our own ways, right? And we're both sorry, right?" Sammi nodded. "Alright then. I wouldn't see why we'd have to throw away a good thing just because we weren't nice to each other," said Nikki, shooting a smile at Sammi, his classic crooked one that made Sammi melt.

"You make it sound so nice and easy to fall back into it," joked Sammi.

"It could be. We could work on it after I get back from being on the road," said Nikki squeezing Sammi's hands. "Speaking of which, there's a show the day before your birthday in Oakland. Would you want to come,"

"It would definitely beat spending it alone in my apartment! Of course, I'll go. I haven't seen you guys play in a while anyway," said Sammi.

"Excellent point," smirked Nikki. Before Sammi could get another word in, their waiter walked up with the perfect Margherita pizza right between them, Nikki letting go of Sammi's hands. The two said their thank you's and didn't hesitate to dive into their meal, eating in blissful silence—a delightful dinner after the days of chaos in their lives.

"Oh and we're getting the cheesecake after this," said Sammi in all seriousness.

Nikki chuckled, wiping the corner of his mouth. "You read my mind, princess," winked Nikki.

*

The ride back home was a calm one, Sammi with her arms wrapped around Nikki and resting against his shoulder. A Saturday night in Los Angeles remained busy as always, riding through the party bar streets. It made Sammi miss her hometown even more than she thought. When Nikki slowed down into his neighborhood, he was surprised to find his security gate wide open. For a moment, Nikki was trying to rack his brain if he ever closed the gate after taking off for dinner. He didn't think to see an uninvited guest sitting on his steps, smoking a cigarette. Nikki parked the bike right by Sammi's car, a safe distance for Sammi to not be near Veronica. Sammi took off Nikki's spare helmet, smooth the back of her hair, unaware of Veronica's presence. Veronica held a glare right onto Nikki and Sammi, finishing her cigarette with disgust to see the pair.

"Sammi," Nikki stood right in front of Sammi, blocking Veronica from her line of sight, lightly holding onto her. "I think you should be heading home. It's getting kind of late don't you think?"

Sammi scrunched her brows together, looking down at the watch on her wrist. "I mean it's 10:30, but I don't think it's late in our world. I wanted to see if I left any other stuff around the house," Sammi told Nikki, stepping aside from Nikki only to get blocked again.

"I'll drop off anything I find tomorrow at Emma and Sabrina's. You can just call and give the address," said Nikki, biting his lip.

"Nik, what's going on? Why are you acting-"

"Nikki! You motherfucker!" yelled Veronica, marching right on her heels over to the pair. Nikki cursed under his breath, finally acknowledging Veronica as she stood right in front of him. Sammi stood frozen behind Nikki, stepping back away from the two. "Now I know why you've been ignoring me all day!" yelled out Veronica again, smacking Nikki in the chest.

"V, I've been ignoring you before today. What do you even want?" asked Nikki, pushing Veronica away from him. Veronica almost tripped over her feet, stumbling to regain her balance. Nikki narrowed his eyes at her, reading her body language. He scuffed. "Of course you're fucking high,"

"Oh, and you're so great just 'cause you're off it for a while. Don't fool yourself, sweetheart, you're going to come back," said Veronica, inching closer to Nikki. She peeked behind him, curling her lip at Sammi. "Do you know you're a fucking slut?"

"What?" asked Sammi, scrunching her brows together.

"You're a slut. Because you're out doing god knows what with an engaged man, you bitch," Veronica spit out, pushing Nikki out of the way to get closer to Sammi. "But I'm guessing Nikki never told you,"

Sammi's face fell, lips parted as Veronica flashed a diamond ring on her finger. She frowned at Nikki. "Well, then congratulations on the engagement. Your ring looks beautiful," said Sammi, pressing her lips firmly together.

"Thank you. Hey!" shouted Veronica. Nikki didn't need to say anything to Veronica, grabbing her by the shoulders, almost dragging her away. He tried to not let her fall onto the pavement, finally letting go once they crossed to the outside of Nikki's property. "Fuck you!"

"Here! Have twenty bucks, get yourself a cab, and get the fuck away from me!" shouted Nikki, throwing the money at Veronica. "We're not together, you psycho bitch," Nikki said, walking back into his property and shutting the automatic gate behind him.

"You'll be back! You'll be back after everything!" shouted Veronica before walking away, aimlessly. Before Nikki could have a moment to catch his breath, he now had to run after Sammi, seeing her already heading to her car.

"Sammi! Sammi," Nikki laid a hand on Sammi's shoulder only to be shoved off. "Sammi please listen, I am not engaged to Veronica," said Nikki, standing between Sammi and the car door. Sammi only glared right at him, trying her best to open the door. "She asked me when we both high out of our minds. That isn't an engagement,"

"Bullshit! You asked me the same way in Vegas, except this time you got a ring for it," said Sammi with a frown.

"That was different! And I didn't even give Veronica that ring! She stole my credit card and bought it herself," Sammi glared at Nikki once more, finally getting enough strength to push him off her car. Nikki could be heard through the window as she got into the old impala, but Sammi paid no attention. She was ready to leave, but the impala had a different plan. Sammi tried to turn on the ignition only to get the rough sound of the engine failing. She did this three more times until finally giving up, dropping her head against the steering wheel. Nikki knocked on the window once Sammi gave up, seeing the stubborn girl roll down the window. "I think it's dead,"

Sammi clenched her jaw, continuing her glare. "You don't say,"

Nikki shook his head. "I told you needed a new car. See what happens when you don't listen,"

"The impala's fine! It's just being a pain in the ass out of all days to be one!" shouted Sammi, groaning as she stepped out of the car, slamming the door. She folded her arms against her chest, trying to not look at Nikki.

"I knew I should have just given you a car on your birthday randomly," said Nikki.

"Well you didn't give me shit for my birthday so shut it," Sammi said. Silence ascended between them again, Nikki sitting on the hood as he watched Sammi sulk with an intense frown. "Are you just going to stand there or are you gonna say anything?"

"What do you want me to say, Sammi? If it's about your car, there's nothing I can do because I'm not a mechanic and everything is closed,"

"I'm talking about your stupid fiance,"

Nikki blinked. "Oh. Well, she's not my fiance, simple as that. I was high when she asked and said yes. But that is completely different from when I asked you in Vegas,"

"How so?" scowled Sammi.

Nikki rolled his eyes, pushing himself off the car. "Because when have I kicked you out of my house? Or been embarrassed by everything you do when we're out? When I asked you, it was because I felt like we could be married. That isn't how I feel about Veronica. After I stopped shooting up, I stopped calling every single person that could bring that crap around me. Veronica included. She is nothing but a pain in my ass," This didn't lessen Sammi's scowl at Nikki, but she began making her way to the front door. Nikki scrunched his brows together. "What are you doing?"

"Going inside to go to bed," said Sammi, turning on her heels. "Or do you want to take me back to Emma and Sabrina's apartment that's 30 minutes away?" Nikki opened his mouth to say something but then closed it as he tried to think of words, following Sammi to the door.

"Are we gonna sleep in my bed? Together?" asked Nikki, unlocking the door.  

"Is your bed clean from anything gross?" Sammi asked, heading straight for the stairs.

"Actually yeah, I just changed the sheets three days ago," smirked Nikki.

"Okay then we'll share the bed," Sammi stood at the top of the stairs, arms still crossed, looking up at Nikki. Nikki couldn't help himself any longer from touching Sammi. With hesitation, Nikki softly cupped Sammi's cheeks in his hands, leaning down to kiss her lips but without any hungry force. He pulled away, cheeks flushed as if he was back to being a teenager, clearing his throat. Sammi had the same tint of blush on her cheeks, almost stunned with surprise.

"Sorry," muttered Nikki.

"It's okay," smiled Sammi. Before continuing to Nikki's room, Sammi stood on her toes' tips, kissing Nikki in what felt short to the man. "That is all you're getting tonight," said Sammi.

Nikki chuckled to himself, wrapping an arm around Sammi's shoulders. "I am not complaining one bit,"

#mötley crüe #motley crue #the dirt netflix #the dirt #the dirt fanfiction #the dirt fandom #motley crue stories #motley crue fandom #motley crue fanfic #nikki sixx fanfiction #nikki sixx #tommy lee #vince neil #mick mars #douglas booth #douglas booth!nikki sixx #colson baker #mgk #machine gun kelly #machine gun kelly fanfic #daniel webber #iwan rheon #a03 fanfic #read on ao3 #ao3 #pll #lucy hale #a little bit of attitude #netflix #80s

[nothingeverlost]

Fic: Thunderstorms and Pancakes (Baby Steps Verse)

We had a pretty big storm last week that gave me this plot bunny.  Takes place about a week after Bae comes home to visit.

II

“I should be going.”  He’d been to dinner every night since Bae had come home, at Belle’s insistence.  Since it was Saturday he’d been at the house since lunch, sharing a picnic in the back yard with his son and Emma, Belle and Ruby.  Trevelyn worried that it was too much, but when he’d tried to beg off dinner the night before Belle had reminded him that Emma was only around for another day, and Bae would have to go to New York in a week.  

“It’s still raining pretty hard, are you sure that’s a good idea?”  Belle never mentioned his cane or the limp that was evident, and he never offered any information.  He could see her glance at his leg, though, before frowning at the window.  It had been raining for more than an hour, the summer shower a surprise.

“I’m sure it will let up soon.”  At that moment the windows lit up and a roll of thunder made the house shake.

“I don’t think so, dad.  Remember what happened when I was ten and old man Hubbard drove in a storm like this?  He was lucky to get out of the car before it ended up in the river.”

“Fortunately I don’t pass any rivers on the way home.”  After another flash of lightning the lights flickered.  The rain, rather than receding, seemed to pound harder against the glass.

“I think you should stay in the guest room tonight, Trev.  We’ll all sleep better knowing that you’re not out in this.”  Belle collected the dessert dishes.  Ruby was already sleeping, the baby monitor on the table where Belle could watch her.  Bae and Emma nodded in agreement.

“I don’t want to be an imposition.”  Bae mentioned Hubbard, but Trev remembered another night drive fifteen years ago that had ended in weeks of hospitalization, months of therapy and surgeries, and a cane he still hated with a passion.  He hated how much his knee ached in the rain too.  Staying inside had more than one advantage, but he didn’t want to make Belle do any more work.  It would be strange to sleep in his house again as well.

“You couldn’t be more of an imposition than Bae, and she puts up with him.”  Emma leaned over, hitting Bae’s shoulder with her own.  Their chairs were only inches apart; they liked to touch.  Bae rolled his eyes but leaned into the touch as well.

“I insist.”  Belle briefly squeezed Trev’s shoulder as she returned to the table.  “I think you might still have some things in the back of the closet.  If not Bae probably has something you can borrow to sleep in.”

He did end up needing to borrow a pair of sweatpants, though Belle found him a long forgotten t-shirt that had clearly been a present from Bae.  It declared him to be the ‘world’s okayest dad.’  Trev shook his head when he saw it, but Belle had been amused.  

“Are you certain you wouldn’t prefer the master bedroom?  The bed is bigger.”  Belle made the same offer she’d made already.  

“The guess room is fine.”  A full sized bed was plenty for him.  He tried not to think about any reasons why he might need a larger bed.  None of his thoughts involved being alone, so they were best not considered at all.  Especially when the only person he’d fantasized about recently was standing in front of him.  The fact that the master room had been a space he’d shared with Milah for so long didn’t even occur to him.  “Besides Ruby would be confused if she came looking for you.”

“Ruby would be delighted if she found her ‘Good’ when she came looking for me.  She’s going to be so excited tomorrow when she realizes you’re here for breakfast.”

Gold nodded, holding the t-shirt to his chest.  He couldn’t shake the image of lying in bed with Belle, an arm draped casually over her waist.  Not doing anything, just lying with her and sharing space when Ruby came in for breakfast.  It was a daydream that left him rattled; he never had moments like that in Bae’s childhood.  It wasn’t his brain replicating a memory, but a completely separate dream.  “I should go to bed.”

“Sweet dreams, Trev.  You know where almost everything is, but if you have any questions you know where to find me.”

Unfortunately he knew all too well where to find her, not that he would breach the doorway that had been his own for so many years.  “Thank you.”

“Hey dad, these should work.  They have a drawstring, which I thought might help since you’re skinny.”  Bae came out of his bedroom with the promised sweatpants.  Behind him Emma leaned in the doorway of the bedroom that had been Bae’s since he was three weeks old and Milah had declared she couldn’t sleep with a baby in the master bedroom.  While he knew that Bae and Emma were sharing a room it was still a little startling to see it with his own eyes.  It didn’t bother him, but it was another reminder that his son was grown up.  He was so proud of his boy, but some part of him would always miss the child he had been.

“Your dad has a little restraint around desserts, unlike some people I know,” Emma teased.

“Hey, I inherited my love of cake from him.  He had a piece too.  But I bet he’s still in the habit of skipping meals.  Tea does not count as breakfast.”  Behind Gold he heard a snort, and turned to find Belle covering her mouth.  She shrugged, but he could tell she was amused to find that she wasn’t the only one to scold him for having tea alone in the morning.

“Yeah, like no one saw you sneak that second piece in the kitchen.”  Emma rolled her eyes before vanishing into the bedroom.  Gold was pretty certain he heard Bae mutter something about working off the calories.  He didn’t want to ask for clarification.  Fortunately the guest bedroom didn’t share a room with his son’s bedroom.

“I’ll just take this and-” he gestured at the door to the room that was just past Belle’s own.

“Sleep well, Trev.”  Belle’s smile seemed to ensure he’d have either sweet dreams or troubled sleep.

“Goodnight Belle.”  He was used to speaking to her over the phone and wishing her a good night, or speaking to her from the end of the hall at the bed and breakfast.  Somehow the hallway of his home - her home now - seemed more intimate.

“Goodnight!” A duel shout came from behind the closed door of Bae’s room as he headed for the guest room door.

II

He couldn’t sleep. Perhaps it was being back in the house that held so many memories, or perhaps it was knowing that only a wall separated him from the bedroom where Belle was sleeping.  Either way he spent an hour staring wide eyed at the ceiling before giving up and getting out of bed.  If he remembered correctly there was still a bottle of whiskey in the library.  Unless Belle had a taste for it, which he doubted, it should still be there.  A wee dram might help him fall asleep.  Carefully he walked down the hall, avoiding the squeaky floorboard near Bae’s room.  Since he didn’t carry his cane he had to use the handrail on the stairs.  To his surprise there was a light on in the library.

“Belle?”  She sat at the desk, the only light coming from the lamp in the upper corner of the desk and the glow of the laptop monitor.  The clock on the wall told him it was a little after midnight.

“End of the month reports have to be finished tomorrow.  I’m almost done.”  She leaned back in the chair, taking off a pair of glasses he rarely saw her wearing.  “Employees need paychecks and the quarterly taxes are due.”

“You don’t have a payroll person for that?”

“Granny always did it herself.  I remember sitting next to her at the kitchen table, working on homework while she was working on it.  There were always cookies.  I guess it makes me feel closer to her.”  Belle stretched, leaning back farther in the chail.  The bottom of her pajama top rose just enough to see a narrow strip of skin.  “I should probably look into a service, but I only think of it at midnight when I’m struggling to get it done.”

“I can ask my bookkeeper if she can take on someone new.  I believe she does payroll.”  Belle had enough to do, managing two businesses and raising a two year old.  She didn’t need to stay up late with paperwork.  He would make sure Ariel could take her, even if he had to pay to make it happen.

“You don’t need to-” Belle stopped mid sentence, shaking her head.  “No, that’s silly.  I know I need help and as usual you have just the answer I need.  Thank you, Trev.  I would appreciate the recommendation.”

“I’ll make a call tomorrow.”

“Thank you.  Now what can I do for you?  You didn’t come down here to talk about payroll and taxes.”

“I was planning on having a drink, actually.”  The scotch was exactly there he left it.  A few years additional aging would only improve the flavor.

“May I join you?”

“Really?”  He’d seen her drink wine, and could imagine her with a daiquiri in hand.

“Sure.  I’m almost done with my work and it would help me unwind.  I even have my own glass.”  Grinning she picked up a plastic tumbler with a cartoon on it, one of Ruby’s.  “If you don’t mind sharing, of course.”

“I don’t mind.”  She sat at his desk in his library, though he’d cleared enough bookshelves off to allow her some space for her collection.  The bed she slept in was his.  There was a great deal they shared already, a drink hardly seemed like anything in comparison.  Yet as he placed the glass he’d brought from the kitchen next to the plastic cup and added the liquor to each it felt strangely intimate.  Perhaps it was the late hour.

“Should we toast something?”  Belle took hold of her glass, but a moment later almost dropped it when a lightning strike lit up the room.

“Belle?”

“I don’t like lightning very much.”  She took a sip of her drink, making a face that told him she didn’t appreciate the taste.  It didn’t stop her from taking a second sip.

“My father told a story when I was a lad about a selkie looking for his lost love in a thunderstorm.  She was human and they had fallen in love when he had rescued her from a shipwreck, but her people had come for her and taken her back to their land.  Whenever lightning fills the sky you know he’s still looking for her.”  His father hadn’t been worth much, but he had been able to spin a story.  As a child it had entertained him.  As he’d gotten older ‘story’ had just been another word for a lie.

“My mother told me that angels were bowling.  It didn’t scare me when I was a kid.” He couldn’t see into the plastic cup but guessed it was mostly gone after she took another sip.  When he held up the bottle she nodded and he refilled her glass.  She started into the depths of the glass as if it was something more than plastic with unicorns on it.  Knowing what it was like to get lost in thoughts he didn’t say anything.  It was a few minutes before she spoke.  “There was a thunderstorm the night my mother died.  She would always come into my room when there was a storm to check on me and ask me who was winning the bowling game.  I waited but…”

“I’m sorry, Belle.”  Her voice wavered and she didn’t seem able to continue.  He remembered her mentioning moving to America after her mother’s death.  She’d been too young to lose a mother, as well as a father not long after.  

“Ruby doesn’t mind a storm, and I don’t want her to think they’re scary.  I suppose I should have a story for her.”  Belle looked over her shoulder, as if waiting to catch the next clap of thunder.

“You could tell her about the angels bowling.”  He could almost picture her as a girl of Ruby’s age, asking for a story.  She probably wasn’t quite as demanding as Ruby could be, but just as hard to deny.

“I think I like your story better.  Maybe you could tell me the whole thing sometime?”  Perhaps it was the fact that the thunder hadn’t rumbled again, or the fact that she was almost done with her second pour of whiskey, but she seemed more relaxed.  

“If you like.”  For a moment he could almost hear an echo of his father’s voice.  And his own, as he tucked in a little boy that was now a grown man.

“Not tonight, though.  I think I need to go to sleep.”  She drained the last of her glass and closed up her laptop.  “You know how early Ruby likes to get up.”

“I’ll walk with you.”  She wasn’t wearing those ridiculous high heels she wore often when she was out, but he still worried about her balance, especially since she’d fallen only a few days earlier.  Not that his balance was much better, and he hadn’t even finished his drink.

“I’m glad you stayed tonight, Trev.  I would have worried about you driving in this.”  They made it up the stairs, though there were one or two false starts.  His leg was unsteady without his cane and Belle’s focus was less than perfect.

“I wouldn’t want to make you worry.”  He understood her worry even better now then he had a few hours ago.  “Sleep well, Belle.  I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Bae said something about pancakes.”  Belle smiled sleepy at him as she stood in the doorway of the bedroom.  The walls that had been white when it was his room were a pale blue now.  It was a color that suited her.

“Unless he learned something in Italy I assume that means he’s volunteered me for breakfast duty.”  Saturday morning breakfasts had been a tradition of theirs for most of Bae’s childhood.  Milah had liked to sleep in, so it had usually been the two of them.  It would be nice to cook for his boy again.  And to cook breakfast for Belle for the first time.

“We’ll make him wash the dishes,” Belle said with a grin and a wink before she closed the door behind her.  Gold walked on to his room, closing the door behind him.  He was no less awake then he had been, but his mind felt more focused.  He took out the notepad he always carried with him and a pen, and started to write the story of a selkie in love.  It wasn’t the type of story he usually wrote, but it was a familiar tale and flowed quickly.  Perhaps he’d talk to Bae about doing up a few illustrations.  It would make a nice gift for Belle. And Ruby, of course.

II

The sound of howling woke him.  Looking at his clock he realized that it was a little before eight.  It took him a moment later to realize that the noise was a little girl declaring that she was awake.  Since he didn’t hear any other noises he hurried from his bed to the room across the hall.  Perhaps he would be able to let Belle sleep a little longer, she could do with a lie in.

“I’m looking for a little girl to help me make some pancakes, but all I hear is a wolf.”  He stood in the doorway to Ruby’s room, where she stood up on her bed.  It was a tiny thing no full sized person could possibly lay down on.  Gold knew that the mattress had been part of Ruby’s bed before the move.

“Good, my good, my good.”  Ruby’s cries of delight were slightly quieter than her howls, but not by much.  Gold looked across the hall at Belle’s still closed door.

“You’ll have to be quiet if you want to make pancakes,” he cautioned.

“Ruby be quiet.  Shhh shhh shh.”  She held one chubby finger up to her mouth to demonstrate.  Gold couldn’t help but smile.  

“That’s what I like to see in a sous chef.”  He held out a hand and she was quick to respond, jumping off her bed with a level of disregard of safety that would worry him if her bed was more than a foot from the floor.  In moments her small hand was in his.  Her other hand touched his sweatpants.

“Good go night night?” she asked.

“Yes, I slept here.”  He was glad she didn’t ask any more questions as they walked down the hall past Belle and Bae’s rooms.  When they got downstairs she was quickly distracted by cracking eggs and mixing with spoons, and didn’t ask any questions about why he’d spent the night.

“So Bae wasn’t lying about the pancakes.”  Emma was the first person to come downstairs, heading straight for the coffee pot.  It seemed that she liked her morning caffeine as much as Belle and his son.  Ruby hadn’t been patient enough for him to make his usual tea.

“It’s been a while since I’ve done this.  Hopefully they’re edible,” he said with a shrug.  He hadn’t spent more than a few minutes alone with Emma.  She seemed nice enough, and certainly being around her made Bae happy, but it always took him time to get used to people.  To call his social circle limited would be generous.

“I remember the first time my dad tried making pancakes for me.  They were black on one side and raw in the middle but I ate them.”  Emma took a mug from the cabinet and poured herself a cup of coffee, adding some of the flavored creamer Belle always had in the fridge.

“Was your mom usually the one that made the pancakes?” He asked, only half paying attention.  Ruby was sitting on the edge of the counter and half of his focus was on making sure she didn’t decide at any moment to try jumping.

“Nah, she’s a teacher so mornings were not a leisure time for her.  She’d already left for work that day, I think.  I’d only been with them for a couple of weeks and David was kind of going overboard on trying to fit in as many ‘normal’ kid things as he could.  He still can’t make a decent pancake but he was a great softball coach.”  Emma settled at one of the stools on the side of the counter, both hands wrapped around her mug.

“You’re adopted.”  For a moment all of his focus was on her, and he could see a look in her eyes that he recognized from his own years in foster care.  He hadn’t seen it before.  

“My mom likes to say that we were always a family, it just took us time to find each other.  She’s big on fairy tales.  Sometimes I think she forgets that I lived anywhere before them.”  Emma took a sip of her coffee.  “I hope you don’t mind, but Bae mentioned that you were in the system too.”

“Yeah.”  He didn’t remember his mother.  Malcolm had been interested in him as long as he was young and cute and a good distraction while he worked his cons, but once he’d gotten too older he’d become less useful and asked too many questions.  He’d spent most of his time in group homes until Penny and Flo had taken him in just before his sixteenth birthday.  They had taken their role as foster parents very seriously; the home he now rented to Belle had been theirs, left to him in their will.

“Belle reminds me of my mom a little.  Ruby’s a lucky kid.”

“She is.”  He remembered how nervous Belle had been in the beginning.  She had worried about Ruby’s happiness and what was best for the baby, but had never said a word about her own plans changing so completely.  

“Ruby lucky,” the little girl agreed, waving around a spoon and flinging pancake batter everywhere.  “Ruby want pancake.”

“Soon,”  Gold promised, glad of the distraction.  “We have to cook them first.”

“Ruby want m’Belle.”

“Belle is sleeping.”  He knew how rare it was for Belle to be able to sleep in.

“Bae’s sleeping too, but he doesn’t need to be.  How about we go get him up, Rubes?  Want to help me?”  Emma downed the rest of her coffee and reached for the girl who eagerly jumped at her.  Emma settled her on her hip.  “Figured this breakfast thing might go smoother without the pancake batter flying everywhere and Bae will sleep ‘til noon if we leave him alone.”

“Thank you.”  He would be less worried about the griddle without Ruby being so close, and he might even be able to make himself that cup of tea.  For a moment when she turned to walk away Gold’s heart skipped a beat.  Someday, whether it was with Emma or someone else, Bae would have a child of his own.  A family that, he hoped, would visit him.  He hadn’t thought much of grandchildren before.  For so long his family had simply been himself and Bae.  It seemed to be growing.

“Do I smell pancakes?”  He expected Bae and Emma to come into the kitchen, but a few minutes later it was Belle that appeared, wrapped in a robe but wearing the same sea green pajamas underneath that she had worn the night before.  “And coffee too?  Bless you.”

“Emma made the coffee.”  He looked down at his pancakes more intently then necessary, checking to see if they needed to be turned.  He’d lived down the hall from her for almost a year and a half and had seen her early in the morning and late at night.  Somehow, though, seeing her barefoot in the kitchen with her hair clearly tousled from sleep felt almost too intimate.  It was too easy to think about the fact that she had been in a warm bed only minutes ago.  His bed, though he hadn’t slept in it for years.  “Everyone else should be down soon and we can eat.”

“Have I mentioned yet how glad I am you stayed?”  She padded through the kitchen towards the coffee maker, her bare feet not making a sound.  After she poured herself a mug she came to stand next to him, close enough to touch if he leaned to the side just a little.  He didn’t.  

“I…”

“Anyone looking for a tickle monster?  Because I caught one.”  Bae came into the kitchen with a laugh, holding an upside down Ruby insisting that she wasn’t a monster.  Emma followed immediately behind declaring that Bae had earned whatever he’d gotten and that a tickling from a two year old was way better than a pitcher of ice water. The sudden chaos only settled down when everyone sat at the table and whatever he had been about the say to Belle was long forgotten.

#verse: baby steps #rumbelle fic #my fic #hints of #swanfire

[hopesilverheart]

Constellations of Faerie Lights

(read on ao3)

Pairing: Helen/Lydia Rated: Gen Summary: Helen laughed. “Have you ever heard of Faerie Lights? They're actually carefully crafted by various seelies and unseelies during the year, using what little natural magic and talent we have to create garlands made up of strands of moonlight and rays of sunshine. It’s actually one of the only things I can do as a half-faerie.”

“Must be because of how bright you are,” Lydia blurted out before she could think over her words. “I mean, it just- If you’d asked me what piece of nature you held within your heart, I would have guessed Light without a second thought. Oh my god, I’m just going to shut up and let you continue your story now.”

Or: Lydia has never seen anything quite as beautiful as faerie lights (or as the faerie who made them).

For the @malecdiscordserver Advent Calendar

For as long as she could remember, Lydia had loved learning about the world.

As a child, she’d dreamed of being an explorer who got to travel wherever she wanted to, visiting the most beautiful and forgotten of places. When her parents had tried to get her to learn how to fight, she’d snuck out of the manor’s library to wander around Idris – which had earned her more punishments than she could count.

Being a shadowhunter had never been her plan. It had been her duty, and it had been what was expected of her, but it had never been her dream. She still remembered hearing the other children talking about how great fighting was and thinking ‘why on earth would you want to hunt demons when you could discover the mysteries of the world?’

Becoming a Clave representative had been her way of trying to get away from the field and maybe get sent on missions all over the world.

Of course, no one had bothered to tell her that representatives spent most of their lives stuck in Idris, dealing with paperwork and following every order they were given without batting an eyelash. So much for travelling.

Needless to say, she’d been disappointed. She’d spent the first few years of her career wondering if she would have been better off marrying into another family and gaining leadership of an Institute. At least that way she would get to move freely and decide what she wanted to do with her life.

(As much as a shadowhunter could, at least.)

In the end, it took her two years to get sent on a visit to the Madrid Institute, and another year after that to get thrown into the madness of the New York Institute. The first trip had been educational and entertaining. The second? Not so much. In fact, it had almost been enough to get Lydia demoted – or to get her to quit, if she was being honest with herself.

Fortunately for her, things took a turn for the better once she hit her fifth year as a representative. She wasn’t sure what she’d done to deserve the sudden burst of confidence coming from the higher-ups, but she certainly wasn’t about to complain. In the span of three months, she’d been sent to deal with Downworld relation issues in Melbourne, to evaluate a couple for headship of the Saint-Petersburg Institute, and to resolve internal difficulties in Alexandria.

Finally, finally, her choices had paid off. After years of dealing with bureaucratic bullshit and being treated like she didn’t matter, she was being sent around the world to places she’d hoped to see for over a decade.

This new development in her career was how she found herself in Los Angeles just as November turned into December. The Institute had been going through some trouble as the Blackthorn family and the Lightwood patriarch fought for dominance, causing more problems with the Downworld than was usual for the very progressive city.

Lydia had been a little worried about her arrival, since her history with the Lightwood parents wasn’t exactly positive, but the Blackthorns had completely obscured Robert’s presence and had honestly turned Lydia’s trip to LA into the best one of her life.

There was just something about the set of siblings that made her heart melt and her mind feel lighter than it had in months.

“Lydia, you’re already up!”

Alright, so perhaps there was one sibling in particular who had caught Lydia’s eye, she thought as she turned around and came face to face with Helen Blackthorn, by far the prettiest woman Lydia had ever met.

“Good morning, Helen,” she said softly, hoping she didn’t sound half as flustered as she thought she did. “I thought I would get breakfast started for everyone, since you always seem to be the one left to shoulder that burden.”

“Oh, it’s hardly a burden,” Helen chuckled, sidling up to Lydia and stealing her breath away with another one of her blinding smiles. “It makes my siblings happy and keeping them happy is the only way I can make it through the day without going insane. Although I’ll never complain about someone doing my job for me. So, what are we having?”

“Nothing special,” Lydia shrugged. “Just some pancakes. Dru mentioned you all had family plans for the day, so I figured it would be good for the kids to have something that would fill them up with energy.”

“She told you about that?” Helen asked, sounding both surprised and slightly hesitant.

“I’m sorry,” Lydia winced. “Was she not supposed to? I didn’t think it was a secret since Livia also added her own two cents on the matter, but I can always pretend I didn’t hear anything if that would make you feel more comfortable.”

“It’s just not- It’s not exactly something I’d want getting back to the Clave,” Helen admitted quietly, glancing at Lydia as though she was about to run straight to the Clave and tell them the Blackthorns were hiding nefarious secrets. “We’re not doing anything illegal, I promise, but as tolerant as the Clave has prove to be in the last year or so, I don’t exactly…”

“Trust it?” Lydia completed for her, laughing lightly as Helen’s eyes filled with guilt. “Please don’t feel the need to lie about your feelings for the Clave just because I’m here. I may be a representative, but my only obligations to the institution as a whole is to follow my mission orders. I’m here to deal with the Blackthorn-Lightwood conflict, that’s all. Nothing else will get back to the Inquisitor.”

For a second, Helen didn’t say anything, only tilting her head to the side curiously, her fair hair falling to the side and revealing her pointy ears. Lydia tried her best not to stare at them, but they truly made Helen seem magical.

One thing the past two years had taught Lydia was that shadowhunters, for all their talks of righteousness and duty, weren’t half as amazing as they made themselves out to be. Faeries, on the other hand, never pretended to be something they weren’t. They were truthful and sometimes too cunning for their own good, but at least they didn’t lie about who they were.

It was a trait Helen had clearly gotten from her Seelie ancestors. She’d been honest with Lydia from the get-go, refusing to avoid the point of Lydia’s visit the same way Robert had and bluntly stating all the problems they’d had to handle ever since the Lightwood patriarch had arrived. It was something Lydia appreciated in a person, especially in one as stunning, bright, and kind as Helen.

So maybe she was a little smitten with the other woman; it wasn’t like anyone was going to notice.

“I believe you,” Helen finally answered. “I’m not sure why, but you don’t seem like the kind of person who would lie to expose a respectable family’s secrets. Although if you dig anything up on Lightwood, please don’t hesitate to send him packing. As much as I respect Alec and Isabelle, something about their father rubs me the wrong way.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Lydia snorted, biting at her bottom lip as her curiosity battled with her manners. At the end of the day, though, Lydia was far more curious than she was polite. “What is your family tradition, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Ah, it’s just something I got from my family in Seelie,” Helen shrugged sheepishly. “My parents never had the time to teach us about Blackthorn traditions, so I figured it wouldn’t hurt to give my siblings something to look forward to in place of an Advent Calendar or a Christmas tree. Something a little more… magical?”

Before Lydia could ask what the other woman meant by that, the tell-tale sound of running footsteps caught her attention and had her twisting around towards the kitchen door.

Less than three seconds later, the entire gaggle of Blackthorn children barrelled into the room, eager smiles on their faces and far too much energy in their bodies for kids who couldn’t have been up for longer than fifteen minutes.

“It’s Today!” Tavvy exclaimed happily, throwing his little hands in the air from his place in Julian’s arms.

“Yes, Tavvy, it’s today,” Helen chuckled, fluffing the young boy’s hair lightly as Julian set him down into his chair. “I see you’re all very excited. I don’t think I’ve seen you up this early since the same day last year, Liv!”

“Very funny,” Livia rolled her eyes, her eyes lighting up at the sight of Lydia’s pancakes. “Oh god, can we keep you? Helen never makes pancakes. And we’re far more fun than the Clave, as I’m sure you’ve noticed by now.”

“You do realise she has a job in Idris, right?” Emma – the only non-Blackthorn of the bunch – said sarcastically, flicking the back of Livia’s head playfully and agilely dodging the younger girl’s elbow as it flew back to nudge her in the ribs. “But I agree that I could get used to pancakes for breakfast. Perhaps Miss Branwell could teach Helen how to cook properly.”

“Lydia, please.”

“I’m sure Lydia has enough on her plate already,” Helen shook her head amusedly, chuckling as she caught sight of the plate in Lydia’s hands. “No pun intended.”

“Oh god, have the puns already started?” Ty – Livia’s twin – groaned, burying his head in his hands.

“The puns never end, brother dear,” Helen grinned widely, pulling out a seat for Lydia before sitting right next to her. Lydia tried her very best not to blush but, if the look on Emma and Julian’s faces was anything to go by, she wasn’t quite as subtle as she wanted to be. “Now please devour your pancakes like the uncivilised shadowhunters you are so we can get outside before the sun comes up.”

Lydia was about to ask why they needed to be out before sunrise, but the sudden inhalation of food by the younger Blackthorns stopped her in her tracks. She wasn’t sure whether she was impressed or horrified by their speed; perhaps a little bit of both.

“Is Miss Branwell going to put the lights up with us?” Dru asked once the pancakes had been consumed and the other children had rushed away – presumably to get their shoes and jackets or whatever else they might need for this mysterious tradition.

“If she wants to,” Helen answered quietly, sending Lydia a look that was far too hopeful for her to ignore. “You don’t have t-”

“I would love to join you,” Lydia smiled. “I have to speak to Robert this afternoon, but as long as this only takes up our morning, I should be fine.”

“Oh, you can leave whenever you want to,” Helen assured her. “The main event will be over in less than a minute, but I like to let the kids have their fun for as long as they want to be there. It keeps them busy and gives me less to worry about, so I usually just sit back and enjoy the show.”

“You’ve got me more intrigued by the second,” Lydia admitted, standing up to follow Helen as the woman gestured for her to come along. “What was Dru saying about lights?”

“Right, we got interrupted before I could explain,” Helen laughed. “Have you ever heard of Faerie Lights? Stupid question, of course you have. Anyways, the common agreement in mundane society seems to be that once upon a time, the lights were made of actual fairies. Little do they know, the lights are actually carefully crafted by various seelies and unseelies during the year, using what little natural magic and talent we have to create garlands made up of strands of moonlight and rays of sunshine. I know it sounds very theoretical and a little silly but… I promise it works. It’s actually one of the only things I can do as a half-faerie.”

“Must be because of how bright you are,” Lydia blurted out before she could think over her words. “I mean, it just- If you’d asked me what piece of nature you held within your heart, I would have guessed Light without a second thought. Oh my god, I’m just going to shut up and let you continue your story now.”

“You’re fine,” Helen smiled, rendering Lydia speechless as she gently laced their fingers together and squeezed Lydia’s hand reassuringly. By some stroke of luck, she didn’t pull away even as the rest of the siblings joined them in the Institute’s front hall. “Alright everyone, time to get the show started!”

As one, their little group stepped out of the Institute only to be greeted by the harsh cold air of an early winter morning. LA might not have been as cold as Idris, but mornings had proved to be cruel in terms of temperature. Lydia had been fooled on her first day there, and she couldn’t help but regret not bringing anything other than lighter clothes on her trip.

Not that she thought about the cold for too long; not with Helen’s hand in hers and the rest of the Blackthorns bounding forward a few steps before coming to a halt and turning towards the Institute with wide eyes.

Lydia was about to ask what was going on but before the question could leave her lips, Helen was turning her around and giggling wildly as Lydia’s jaw dropped.

The lights weren’t on yet – she wasn’t sure how that worked exactly, since Helen had made it seem like she’d put pure moonlight into the garlands, but she was far too stunned to wonder about technicalities – however, the Institute was already the prettiest thing Lydia had ever seen.

The garlands seemed to be made of both gold and silver strands, the colours visible even from afar thanks to the first few rays of sunshine peeking through the horizon. The strands themselves were covered in tiny buds of a flower Lydia couldn’t identify but could definitely appreciate. And the lights, or at least their containers, were made of what seemed to be delicate, glittery glass.

Honestly, Lydia wasn’t sure what was going on, but she wasn’t complaining in the slightest.

She was only startled out of her daze by Helen letting go of her hand with an apologetic smile. Lydia’s fingers suddenly felt more cold than they had in days, and she wondered if there was even a chance that she could get Helen back where she’d been seconds earlier once she was done doing… whatever she was doing with the lights.

“Are you ready?” Helen called over once she’d reached the Institute’s front door again – a door from which appeared to hang the very first garland.

As soon as the Blackthorn children answered with a chorus of ‘yes’s, Helen brought her hand up to the garland, closed her eyes tightly, pressed her fingers against one of the glass containers, and-

Lydia’s mind went blank.

She had no idea how long she stood there, staring at the faerie lights as they turned on one by one, but she figured it was far longer than most people would. She didn’t care, though, because she wasn’t sure she had ever seen anything as entrancing as the lights show happening in front of her.

By the time she came back to herself, all the lights were on and the children were gone, leaving Lydia alone with Helen. Helen, who had laced their fingers back together again.

Between the lights and Helen’s warm hand in hers, Lydia wasn’t sure she was going to make it through that morning in one piece. Her heart felt fuller than it ever had, and she could feel tears of awe stinging at her eyes.

She honestly wasn’t even sure how to describe what she was feeling at that moment. She wanted to tell Helen that the little bit of magic she had was the most beautiful thing Lydia had ever seen. She wanted to tell her that she’d never felt more content than she did right then, staring at an Institute she barely knew and holding hands with a woman she probably shouldn’t have liked so much. She wanted to burst into tears and grin like a loon and just sit there all day, staring at the constellation of bright stars adorning the Institute’s façade.

“Those are- Those are the most stunning Christmas lights I’ve ever laid eyes upon,” Lydia finally breathed out, frowning at how insufficient her words sounded. “No, that’s not right. That’s the most stunning thing I’ve seen ever, full stop. I just- How did you do that?”

“Not sure,” Helen shrugged, her cheeks redder than Lydia had ever seen them. “It’s really nothing much; just something to make my siblings smile.”

“Well you’ve achieved that and more,” Lydia nudged her gently. “There aren’t many things in this world that can make me speechless. Speaking of the kids though, where are they?”

“I leave coloured faerie lights hidden all around the Institute for them to find,” Helen smiled fondly. “Whoever can find the most gets exempted from shadowhunter duties for the entire month.”

“Oh wow, pretty high stakes,” Lydia whistled, impressed. “How many are there?”

“About a hundred,” Helen admitted with a smirk. “But they never find all of them, and most of them will be back within the next hour or so. They already know who’s going to win.”

“They do?” Lydia asked, more than happy to sit there and listen to Helen talk about her siblings lovingly while Lydia admired the lights.

“Emma wins ever year,” Helen explained. “That girl is far too competitive for her own good, and Tavvy always gives her the ones he finds since he’s too little to have duties.”

“Devious,” Lydia laughed loudly. “And what do you usually do?”

“Paperwork, patrolling, whatever needs to get done, really,” Helen answered with a sigh. “There’s always too little time to do everything, and not having my siblings around means I’m far more productive. However, I suppose- Well, I could be convinced to do something else, for once, even if it’s just staring at these lights for a few hours with a pretty girl next to me.”

“I- Really?” Lydia whispered, looking between the lights and Helen disbelievingly. She wasn’t sure what she’d done to deserve the attention of the most beautiful girl in the world, but she wasn’t about to complain. “I would love that.”

“Good,” Helen murmured, squeezing her fingers again. “Because there’s nothing I’d rather be doing right now.”

If Lydia had thought the lights had stolen her breath away, it was nothing compared to what she felt at the sound of those words. Her heart skipped a beat, her stomach fluttered, and she knew her cheeks were probably brighter than ever.

Lydia hadn’t thought she would ever understand wanting to stay in one place for the rest of her life but, staring at Helen and feeling the other woman’s warmth as they sat on the grass and glanced up at the myriads of faerie lights, she thought she might finally get where everyone was coming from.

There was nothing she wanted more than for the world to stop right then, with Helen’s hand in hers and a sea of stars gleaming before her very eyes.

#Helen/Lydia #Branthorn? #Blackwell? #Helydia? #Writing new pairings is hard #Fluff #Malec Discord Server #Christmas #Alec Lightwood #Fairy lights #girls in love #really throwing pairings out into the world at this point #but god do i love my women #helen blackthorn #Lydia Branwell

[banashee]

Clint and Phil have been a family for a long time, but now that they have adopted their baby girl, everything changed.

a.k.a That fic that caused the author to google "How the fuck do babies work"

*+~

Of Families and Rough Days

It's hard to believe that this is their life now. This is so different from everything they have ever done before and while it is kind of scary because it's so easy to mess up it's also the best thing ever and just... They're a family now. Always have been, but now there is an actual human child involved and it's just – amazing.

Little Emma is only 6 months old and she moved into their home and their life only a short while ago.

Clint and Phil have adopted her from an orphanage, and they plan to adopt more in the future – older and troubled kids and teenagers, too, because they're statistically less likely to find a forever family. Clint could rant about that for hours once he get's going because he has opinions about it. Very strong opinions.

But they decided to adopt this little girl first, because everything just fit and they figure it'll be useful to learn being a parent early on. And usually, Emma is a relaxed, calm baby. But today, she's particularly fussy, Phil got called into the office way too early in the morning (night, really) and Clint... Doesn't know how to help her.

He walks all over the apartment, gently cradling Emma in his arms, rocking her and talking and humming quietly. Their night came to an end at around 3am since the phone rang and Director Fury ordered Phil to come in, and Emma hasn't been able to fall back sleep since.

Clint is starting to feel like a total fuck up. This small human being that he is responsible for is clearly agitated and tired, but he can't calm her down, no matter what. She's fed and changed, not ill or otherwise hurting, as far as he can tell. Maybe she'll start getting teeth soon, but who knows.

It's been a long day.

"Hey Honey, please stop crying. I might just join in at this point."

Emma, unimpressed by her Daddy's plead, is still hiccuping on sobs and clenches his shirt in her little fists. Clint keeps walking, humming, and gently caressing her dark brown hair in an attempt to soothe her. He really wishes Phil was here. He's got experience with babies, having several nieces and nephews, an seemingly infinite amount of patience and maybe a better idea of how to calm little humans who are overwhelmed and upset. Because Clint clearly can't sort it out right now.

Seeing Emma in this state upsets him, especially since he doesn't know how to help her and it makes him feel inadequate and useless. He shoves those feelings as far back as he can though, focusing on Emma, but the old, familiar "useless" mantra creeps back into his mind every now and again. Maybe that's why his adopted daughter can't calm down, because he's getting overwhelmed, too.

Great, just great.

The faint sounds of the front door opening and the familiar call of,

"Hey, I'm home!" is the best thing he's heared all day.

"Look at this Honey, Dad is home." Clint tries to inform the little one in his arms but she just looks up at him with her large, wet eyes and it just about breaks his heart.

"Hi, Phil!" he exclaims, smiling at his husband but he's well aware that they probably look a sorry pair, tired and dishevelled as they are.

Phil comes up to them, greeting both of them with a gentle kiss and then asks,

"Rough day?" to which Clint just nods, and tries to explain.

"Yeah, she's been awake since you got called out and I can't get her calm enough to sleep. She's been crying for most of today."

"Aw, I'm sorry to hear that. Want me to try? You look like you despeartely need a shower and 5 minutes to yourself."

Clint hands their little girl over, and slumps against Phil for a moment.

"Thanks. Love you."

"I love you, too."

Clint tries his best to shower quickly, but also working the knots out of his back and shoulders. When he gets back out and into the bedroom, Phil sits in the rocking chair with Emma, who is fast asleept in his arms. He looks up when the bathroom door opens and smiles at Clint as if he's the best thing he's seen all day long. He can't help but to smile back before he starts dressing himself.

"You worked your magic." he says, but Phil just shakes his head slightly. Slowly, he gets up and tucks the Emma in her bed. She doesn't stir. Then he pulls Clint down to the bed, snaking his arms around him.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here. I know you're anxious about this."

"Not your fault. I'm just scared of fucking this up." Clint answers quietly, and pulls Phil closer. Now, that they're both here and Emma can finally, finally sleep, a heavy weight falls off his chest but the thoughts are still there, permanently in the back of his head.

"You won't, I promise. You care too much for that to happen. It's normal to be unsure at first, but we'll figure this out together. We'll make it work."

All he gets to that is a uncertain hum, but Clint tightens his hold around him, and Phil presses a kiss into his slightly damp hair. They're known each other for so long, have been together for so long that this is more than enough of an answer.

"I know it's early, but I honestly don't think I can stay awake for much longer." Clint admits after a while.

"How about you let me up to shower and change, then we can sleep? Last night ended way too early."

"Well, get a move on, then." Clint replies, shoving Phil to the edge of their bed, but there is a grin in his voice and Phil just laughs quietly.

"Hold your horses, old men can't run." he replies drily, and Clint stifles his laughter in the pillow so he doesn't wake up their daughter but he totally peaks up from his spot in the bed to check out Phil's ass while he walks into the bathroom.

They wrap around each other and trade lazy kisses while they fall asleep. This night is a quiet one, surprisingly, and even Emma sleeps like a rock.

In the morning, they wake up late and while they get Emma and themselves ready for the day, everything seems so, so much lighter and easier than the day before.

Their little girl babbles and gurgles while they take turns in setting the table one-handed while holding her and flipping pancakes on the stove, and things look good. They're a family, they love each other and they'll figure out everything else as they go.

No big deal. Not at all.

*+~

Prompt No. 46 – (to an infant) "Hey Honey, please stop crying. I might just join in at this point"

#banashee writes #marvel fanfiction #phlint #ao3

[searchingwardrobes]

Natural Opposite: 14/16

The dance in this chapter was inspired by THIS dance by Magda and Robert on So You Think You Can Dance. I have to thank everyone in the CSBB again for the Discord chat as I struggled to decide on a song for Emma and Killian’s final routine. @distant-rose is the one who suggested “Secret Love,” and if you watch that Youtube video above muted with that song playing, it’s perfect. @wellhellotragic suggested the song “Stole the Show,” which I also ended up using. Thanks to both of you!

Ro’s song suggestions are only one example of what a fantastic beta she was, truly going above and beyond. @optomisticgirl made that banner you’ve seen every week as well as chapter art, including the one for this week that captures Emma and Killian’s samba so well. Please go give her some love!

Summary: Dance is more than Emma Swan’s career; it’s practically saved her life on more than one occasion. But when it comes to reality TV shows, she’s always danced in the shadows of her twin brother David and her sister Elsa. Her first season as a pro on Dancing With the Stars was a disaster, and she enters her second season determined to prove herself. All she needs is a good partner. Hollywood bad boy and ladies’ man Killian Jones isn’t what she had in mind.

Rating: M for mature themes, steamy dance routines, and sexy times (But NOT smut)

Trigger warnings: discussions of online solicitation of a minor, bullying, statutory rape, and emotionally abusive/controlling relationships; stalking; anti-Rumbelle, anti-Neal

Chapter Art by @optomisticgirl girl: Four| Five| Six| Seven| Nine| Eleven| Twelve| Thirteen|

Can also be read on Ao3

Tagging: (let me know if you want to be added to my tag list) @snowbellewells @kmomof4 @kday426 @jennjenn615 @whimsicallyenchantedrose @teamhook @thislassishooked @bethacaciakay @snidgetsafan @delirious-latenight-laughs @winterbaby89 @followbatb @onceuponaprincessworld @hollyethecurious @ohmakemeahercules @let-it-raines

Chapter Fourteen: Secret Love

The next day, Emma saw Killian’s gray hoodie and baseball cap again when he picked her up before rehearsals. They had to enter the studio together anyway so the cameras could record their reaction. One of the judges would be their mentor, choreographing their routine and giving them pointers. They wouldn’t find out who it was until they arrived at the studio. Killian pointed out that if they didn’t ride together, one of them would just have to stand around in the lobby or the hallway waiting for the other one. It made practical sense, so she agreed. After all, friends could give each other rides to work. Right?

Inviting Killian to get their early, however, was all Henry. He had been pestering her to have Killian over again for weeks, and she did promise Henry breakfast every morning until New Year’s, and Killian did need to eat a healthy, protein-filled breakfast in order to dance, and . . . At that point, Emma had cut him off, joking that he really ought to be a lawyer when he grew up.

Killian and Henry got along that morning just as well as they had over pizza and video games all those weeks ago. Killian even helped him with an especially tricky math problem from his homework assignment, one that had baffled Emma the night before. When it was time for the bus to come, Henry fist-bumped Killian before dashing for the door, only remembering at the last moment that he forgot to kiss his mother goodbye.

“Why am I even here?” Emma had joked.

“For the pancakes, of course,” Killian had answered her with a wink.

“And here I thought it was the turkey bacon,” she had quipped back.

Their easy banter continued on the car ride to the studio, and Emma felt lighter than she had since that ridiculous kiss. Maybe this “just friends” thing could work after all.

Now they stood in front of the door to their rehearsal studio, Emma’s hand gripping the doorknob. “You ready to see who our mentor is?” she asked Killian.

His gaze lifted to the ceiling as he crossed himself. “Please let it be Tiana, please, please . . .”

Emma laughed, mostly because she shared the sentiment. Then she took a deep breath and pushed the door open. There, standing in the center of the room, with a huge grin on her face, arms already stretched out for a hug, was Tiana. Emma and Killian didn’t have to fake their enthusiasm for the cameras as they accepted her embrace.

“Okay, you two,” Tiana told them, clasping her manicured hands together under her chin, “I have been a huge fan since that first week. I knew you would make it here. Are you ready to get to work?”

Tiana’s open expression and genuine smile made it easy to share in her enthusiasm. Emma couldn’t help feeling a little sorry for Belle and Aurora right now.

“You,” Tiana said, pointing at Killian, “have an advantage over the competition because of your acting ability. You embody the choreography and the story that it’s telling every single time. So the dance I’ve created for the two of you has that story-telling element.”

“What advice do you have, though?” Killian asked, his brow furrowed. “I mean, I definitely want to play up my strengths, but to win, I need to work on my weaknesses too.”

“I agree,” Tiana said, nodding her head with such vigor that a dark curl fell across her forehead, “Belle is probably the most improved of the competition, while you’ve been more consistent. As for Aurora, being a figure skater, she’s always had you beat when it comes to technique. You need to show us that your extensions are better.” She paused and nudged Killian’s hip. “And we’ve got to show that this Brit can shake his booty.”

Emma laughed as Tiana shimmied around him. Killian turned red to the tips of his ears. Tiana high-fived Emma, then turned to the camera.

“I’ve been wanting to do that since week one,” she said, then winked. She turned back to Emma and Killian. “Okay, so let’s get to work. You two have great chemistry, but you’re still holding back. So . . . I’ve choreographed a very steamy rumba.”

Emma gulped as her own face turned red. A rumba? A very steamy rumba?’ Oh shit . . .

*******************************************************

Tiana definitely wasn’t holding anything back with her choreography. The rumba was always sensual, but there was hardly a moment in the dance that Emma and Killian weren’t pressed up against one another. There was a lift where Emma was straddling Killian while facing him and the dismount called for Emma to basically fall across his shoulder. Tiana was constantly asking both of them to bury their fingers in each other’s hair. But the last straw for Emma was the end. The two of them were literally rolling on the ground with one another with Emma at one point straddling Killian. The tangle of their arms and legs was enough to set every nerve ending on fire, but when she had to look down into Killian’s always expressive face as he lay flat on his back beneath her, it all became too much.

“I’m not sure this is appropriate,” she muttered as she scrambled to her feet, “I mean, this is an eight o’clock show. On ABC, not HBO.”

Tiana’s eyes opened wide, and the look she gave Emma as she crossed her arms had Emma squirming. “Excuse me? I thought you were a pro.”

Emma swallowed hard. As nice as Tiana was, Emma couldn’t forget that she was both a judge and a co-producer of the show. Not to mention the clout she had in the dance industry as a choreographer.

“Of course,” she said, pressing her lips together as a blush crept up her face.

Tiana’s expression softened, “Look, Emma, I know what I’m doing. This will be tasteful, I promise.”

Killian, who was still sitting on the floor, was looking nervously between the two women. He cleared his throat awkwardly as he scrambled to his feet. “I don’t want Emma to feel uncomfortable.”

Tiana propped her fist beneath her chin as she narrowed her eyes at the pair of them. “I’ve seen Emma dance plenty of sensual routines. And you, Jones? I’ve seen you do plenty of steamy scenes as an actor. Is there anything I need to know between the two of you? Anything that’s causing . . . tension?”

Emma was intensely aware of the camera crew as she exchanged a glance with Killian. They both spoke at once.

“No, nothing at all.”

“Seriously? No way.”

For half a second, a tiny smile hitched up one corner of Tiana’s lips, but then she schooled her features. “Okay. However, something’s still missing. Let’s keep working.”

Emma pushed aside her discomfort as she took Killian’s hand. They continued working. Tiana was a relentless coach, repeating the word “again” after every run through. She stopped occasionally to correct something with Killian’s technique, but for the most part, she kept shaking her head and saying “again.” Soon, Emma and Killian were soaked with sweat. You would think it would make the intimate lifts and the rolling on the floor disgusting. Instead, the sweatier they both got, the more uncomfortable Emma became. She felt emotionally raw; exposed.

“Stop,” Tiana commanded. Emma and Killian both doubled over, breathless. Tiana just shook her head as she looked at them. “I don’t know what it is, but I just don’t believe this routine. You’re not connecting with one another. Are you even listening to the lyrics?”

The song was “Secret Love” by Little Mix, and it said things like, “Why can’t I kiss you on the dance floor?” and “every second, every thought, I’m in so deep, but I’ll never show it on my face.” Of course she was listening to the lyrics; that was part of the problem! Without a word, Emma turned and walked out of the studio, slamming the door behind her. She ignored Tiana’s indignant protests. She was being unprofessional, but right now she couldn’t care less. She fled down the hallway and burst into an empty studio. She took deep breaths as spots danced before her eyes. She lifted trembling hands to run them through her sweat-drenched hair. When Killian’s hands rested gently on her shoulders, she jumped at his touch.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly, “I was just worried about you.”

Emma pressed a hand to her chest as she turned to face him. “I just don’t know what she wants from you. We’re killing ourselves in there, and it’s still not enough.”

Killian rubbed her upper arms gently before pulling her close. “I apologize for how awful I smell,” he murmured against her hair.

She managed a small laugh. “Ugh, I reek too,” she mumbled against his chest.

They stayed that way in silence for a long moment, and when Killian finally spoke again, his voice sounded tentative. “You never let me hold you like this on the dance floor. Have you ever considered . . . that the one not connecting when we dance . . . is you?”

His words were like a punch to the gut. Emma reeled back, shoving him lightly with her palms “What do you mean? I’m the pro! And . . . and . . . I’ve never,” she let out a shaky breath before confessing, “I’ve never connected with anyone when I dance the way I do with you.”

Killian’s eyes were tender as he traced her jaw with his fingertips. “And maybe that’s the problem. What are you holding back? What are you afraid to feel, Emma?”

A tumult of emotions assaulted her as she shoved his hand away. The easiest one to identify was anger. “Don’t pretend you understand me, Jones.”

As she stalked out, Killian whispered a reply. “Perhaps I’d like to.”

**********************************************************

Emma didn’t sleep well at all the night after their first disastrous rehearsal with Tiana, and Henry had actually been the one to wake her up with a bowl of cereal and some fruit (and she tried to not feel guilty – and failed – when he dashed out the door with a couple of pop tarts in his hand). What had she done to deserve such a great kid?

Now she was dashing in late for rehearsals, and her sleepless night had given her no solutions whatsoever. She was still overwhelmed by the emotions Tiana’s choreography evoked, and she had no idea what to do about it. The only thing she did know, and hated to admit, was that Killian was right. The problem was with her.

Emma was so lost in thought as she ran through the door, that she didn’t see Belle at all. The brunette also had her head down, texting on her phone, so the pair of them went stumbling backwards, and Belle went crashing on her rear, her phone flying out of her hand.

“Oh God,” Emma gasped, reaching out a hand to help her up, “I’m so sorry! Are you hurt?”

“Just my pride,” Belle laughed, “that’s what I get for texting while walking.”

As Belle dusted off her designer skirt, Emma picked up her cell phone. She didn’t mean to invade Belle’s privacy, but she noticed Robert Gold’s name.

“Too bad I’m not in my grubby rehearsal clothes,” Belle continued, frowning at a smudge of dirt on the hem of her skirt. “I was just here to pick up Teach’s music. He wants us to rehearse on the beach, can you believe it? That man is so bizarre. He still uses CDs, too . . . “ she trailed off when she noticed Emma’s expression. Her eyes toggled from Emma’s face to the cell phone clutched in her hand.

“Is Gold bothering you again?” Emma asked her.

Belle blushed as she shoved the phone into her cross-body purse. “I just think we should try to see the best in people, you know? I think there’s a good man in Mr. Gold, deep down.”

Emma frowned at the woman as she crossed her arms. “You’re not developing feelings for him, are you?”

Belle shook her head adamantly. “Oh no, of course not!” a softer expression filled her face as she sighed and said, “I mean, Liam had to go home, but we’re still in touch. We want to keep pursuing what we started.”

Emma’s brow furrowed in concern. “So what’s with Gold and the texting?”

Belle shuffled nervously back and forth, “Like I said, I see a good man in him. And I just thought that if I were kind to him, maybe he wouldn’t have to make threats or . . . I don’t know . . . “

“Let me see the messages,” Emma said, putting out her palm in the way she would with Henry.

Belle’s eyes sparked for a moment in protest, but then she sighed and turned over the phone. “I guess you have a right to know. Since he was banned from the lot.”

Emma shook her head and gave Belle a soft smile. “It isn’t that, really. It’s just . . . I know how these creeps work. You give them a little attention, and they think they own you.”

Belle quirked a brow. “How do you know that?”

Emma ignored her question and began scrolling through the messages.

I saw you talking on the phone as you left rehearsal the other day. Was it that hot head who attacked me? What was his name again?

His name is Liam, and yes we’re still seeing each other.

Long distance? Is it serious?

I don’t know. He makes me smile.

I could make you smile. And I’m right here.

I told you, I only see you as a friend.

But I need you Belle.

Belle?

Don’t ignore me!

Emma stopped reading, her frown deepening. “This sounds creepy, Belle. He’s been watching you!”

“Not necessarily,” Belle argued, “I mean, he may have just been driving by. He lives here, after all, and his offices are in downtown LA.”

Emma stepped closer and laid a hand on Belle’s shoulder. “The restraining order says he’s not supposed to be within two blocks of here, but that’s not the point. These texts sound a lot like some I used to get when . . . well, a long time ago from a guy. Please, Belle, cut this man off. Don’t try to be nice.”

Belle closed out the texts on her phone and gave Emma a tight nod. “Okay. I’ll think about what you said.”

Emma gave her arm a squeeze before she turned to exit the building. Emma hugged her arms to her chest, feeling as if a chill had blown past. The texts brought up memories that she really didn’t need right now. She felt defeated already as she made her way up the stairs.

Emma was afraid that she would get a mouthful from Tiana when she came in late, but the judge was laughing with Killian, tossing her thick dark curls over one shoulder. The pair of them turned, eyes lit up with pleasure to see her.

“Emma!” Tiana greeted, giving her a small hug. When she pulled back, her eyes were narrowed with concern as she scrutinized her face. “I was really worried I had pushed too hard yesterday. Is everything okay?”

“Aye Swan,” Killian added as he came close, putting an arm around her shoulder, “you look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Emma couldn’t hold back the shudder that passed through her even as she shook her head. “I’m fine, really, just didn’t sleep well last night, that’s all.”

Emma could tell Killian wasn’t buying it by the slight arch of his brow, but then his trademark smile filled his face. “Well, love, I’ve been talking to Tiana, and I think our problem is that we don’t know the characters we’re playing.”

“Characters?” Emma asked as she stepped away from the pair to deposit her dance bag against the wall.

“Yes,” Tiana said, “Killian was explaining how both of you usually create a character to slip into. He thinks that’s why the Neverland dance didn’t have the right connection because you felt it was Rose’s character, not yours.”

“And I remembered that Tiana said she had created a story with our rumba,” Killian continued.

Tiana laughed, “And I didn’t even realize that I never told you what the story was.”

“Okay,” Emma said, liking where this was going. She caught Killian’s eye, and he gave her a nod and a wink. He was trying to make this easier for her, and though she wanted to be irritated over it, she was honestly relieved. “So what’s the story?”

Tiana rubbed her hands together, eager. “You’re a dancer, Emma, and Killian is a pop star. Or, the other way around, it doesn’t really matter. The point is, you have to keep your relationship professional, yet there’s all this sexual tension, and you just wish you could admit what’s there.”

Emma rubbed at her throat, catching Killian’s eye again, this time he tilted his head ever so slightly. The man was as just too damn expressive. It was scary how well they could communicate with looks, and this silent communication said that the storyline was a little too close to the truth for comfort. But . . . Tiana didn’t have to know that.

“I like it,” was all Emma said.

“Great!” Tiana cheered. “Let’s get started!”

Killian stood behind Emma, one hand at her waist for the beginning of the dance. He leaned forward to whisper in her ear. “I can tell something’s bothering you.”

She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. She was so tired of always keeping it together. “You’re right,” she admitted, “but can we just focus on the dance for now?”

She tilted her face up to meet his just as the first notes of music began to play. He squeezed her waist and gave her a soft smile.

“You told me dance is your therapy, remember?”

Then he spun her out, and she let the music sweep her away.

*******************************************************

Monday came faster than Emma could have imagined. Instead of a routine by the pros, the show opened with a group routine of the top three couples to Parson James’ “Stole the Show.” Actually, it was more like a series of three short solos. As each couple danced a brief contemporary routine, the jumbotron behind them flashed a montage of clips from throughout the season. Emma was surprised how emotional it made her, especially in light of the lyrics: “Our debut was a masterpiece, but in the end for you and me, oh the show, it can’t go on.” It was beginning to sink in how soon she would have to tell Killian goodbye. London. It was so far away. She thought she would be prepared for this moment, but . . . London?

As soon as the lights came up and the studio audience began to cheer, the three pro dancers and their celebrities dashed backstage to get into their costumes. Ashley and Marco’s introduction followed by the commercial break would buy them a little time, but not much. Especially for Jefferson and Belle who would dance first. Emma broke away from Killian as she made a beeline for the women’s dressing room, but he stopped her with a gentle hand to her shoulder.

“Are you okay, Swan?” he asked, his brow furrowing with concern.

“Sure,” she said, shrugging off his touch, “it’s just . . . the show must go on. Right?”

“Right . . . “

She refused to meet his gaze as she hurried along with the other female performers. The costume department was a flurry of activity as usual, and in the hustle and bustle, Emma pushed Killian’s forlorn expression from her face. She winced as she reached for her “costume”: a light blue men’s button-down shirt which only fell to the top of her thigh. Underneath she would wear a pair of black lycra dance shorts that were just long enough to let the eight o’clock viewers know she was, in fact, clothed. A part of her wanted to throw a fit when she saw it at dress rehearsals that morning, but she had bit her tongue. Tiana had already questioned her professionalism. She wasn’t about to push things further. After putting on her costume, Emma rushed to hair and makeup. They kept her hair down and artfully tousled, and her makeup was of a rosy hue. The entire look screamed, “I just had sex.” Emma blew out a long breath, and her locks, stiff with hairspray, rose and fell from across her eyes. She tossed her head back and glared at her reflection.

You can do this Emma! She lectured herself. Just play a character. Connect with his. It’s nothing.

Of course, that was a little hard to remember when she joined Killian in the hallway to find him wearing a pair of jeans. And nothing else.

Emma narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. “I thought they had you in a white t-shirt?”

Killian shrugged, quirking one brow in that playful way of his. “I think they’ve got you wearing my shirt, love.”

Emma couldn’t help but chuckle, even as she rolled her eyes. The lights flashed and a voice called out that they were back from commercial in three. Emma grabbed Killian by the arm. “Come on, they want us all up in the balcony to watch each other’s routines.”

The package for Jefferson and Belle’s routine confirmed what Belle had told her: Edward Teach was one eccentric choreographer. Not only did he have them rehearse on the beach, but he had them doing lifts in the surf.

“I think he’s watched Dirty Dancing one too many times,” Killian quipped in Emma’s ear. She giggled.

Nonetheless, Jefferson and Belle did a beautiful samba to – no surprise – “The Time of Our Lives.” Emma was impressed that Teach managed to make the choreography fresh and unique, not copying anything from the movie. The lifts were impressive, though nothing like that famous one between Baby and Johnny. In the end, they got two nines and a ten (from Teach, of course).

Emma wasn’t surprised that Aurora Briar took Blue’s rigid teaching style in stride. She was probably used to that type of coaching as an Olympic figure skater. She was, however, surprised at Blue’s choice of music and the style. Aurora and Sean danced a tango to “Roxanne,” the version from the movie Moulin Rouge.

“Did we miss the memo about it being movie theme night?” Killian whispered nervously.

Emma shrugged. “Maybe she was thinking about those Canadian ice dancers that skated to that song. I don’t know.” She patted Killian’s arm. “Our routine is more original. Tiana did a great job.”

He laced his fingers with hers. “You’re right, Swan. It’s just that we’re so close to winning . . .”

She let out a long, shaky breath. “I know.” Then she squeezed his hand before releasing it so they could clap as Aurora and Sean faced the judges. They got two nines and an eight, their own mentor giving them the toughest critiques.

“How long has that stick been up Blue’s arse?” Killian muttered.

Emma smiled and playfully nudged his shoulder. “Come on, it’s better for us, right?”

He scowled and crossed his arms. Emma tried not to admire how his biceps bulged. “I still think it was a low blow. She was their mentor!”

But Aurora’s low scores weren’t the most shocking part of the figure skater’s night. During her interview with Ashley, her pairs figure skating partner, Phillip, came up to congratulate her. After embracing her, the young man got down on one knee, pulling a tiny black velvet box from his coat pocket. Everyone went crazy when he proposed to Aurora on national television. Sobbing, she managed to choke out a, “yes.” The two embraced amidst loud cheers as Ashley segued to a commercial.

All Emma had time to do was give Aurora a brief side hug before she and Killian were ushered quickly down to the dance floor to hit their marks. As she rushed down the stairs, her hand in Killian’s, Emma glanced back at Aurora who only had eyes for Phillip as he pulled her to him again for a long, deep kiss. The sight made a deep longing slowly unfurl in Emma’s chest.

Their bare feet made no sound as they crossed the dance floor. A murmur of anticipation rippled through the audience, and a few whistles rang out. It caused a blush to tint the tips of Killian’s ears as she met his gaze. His eyes were bright under the stage lights, and Emma reached out to grasp his other hand. She wanted to say something, here in this moment that was so close to the end of their journey together, but words failed her. The corners of his eyes crinkled in a smile as he lifted both of her hands to his lips.

“I know, Swan,” he whispered, his breath sending tingles along her knuckles and down her arm. As the lights dimmed around them, she found she could scarcely breathe at the look in his eyes. Their rehearsal footage played, and for the first time that season, they turned to watch it together. Killian put his arm around her, and she let herself lean back against him. She was relieved to see that any emotional meltdowns involving her had been edited out. Instead, her frustrations came across as a deep desire to make the routine perfect for Killian’s sake; so they could win, which was completely true. In every way it was true; she wanted to win now not to prove herself but because Killian deserved it. She wanted to give this to him.

The video came to a close, and Emma stood erect, hitting her opening pose. Killian did the same, pulling her flush against him, lowering his face to hover over her neck, both hands grasping her waist. The opening of the song had been shortened by the live band, and their first movements didn’t begin until the female vocalist belted out the first lines of the song. They both swayed in unison as she sang, When you hold me in the street. Killian spun her out – And you kiss me on the dance floor – then yanked her back to him again – Why can’t it be like that?

Emma had always felt a new kind of freedom dancing with Killian, had always felt that she could lose herself in his arms. But she realized suddenly that Tiana was right, all this time she had been holding back. Because in that moment, there was nothing but the two of them. Emma completely forgot about the judges, the competition, the audience, the cameras. The meaning of the song washed over her, the perfection of each lyric for their relationship cracking her heart wide.

Cause I’m yours kept behind closed doors. Every time I see you, I die a little more. Stolen moments that we steal as the curtain falls. Emma contracted her body forward like a rag doll, and Killian’s arm circled her waist as he lifted her and carried her across the floor, her arms stretching out for something she couldn’t have. Then he flipped her and caught her bridal-style. Her fingers threaded through his hair, and it had nothing to do with Tiana’s choreography.

The male vocalist sang as Killian lifted her high into the air. Would you leave if I was ready to settle down? Or would you play it safe and stay? The look on his face as she collapsed into his arms from the lift, their foreheads pressed together, was so intense, she knew he wasn’t acting. Neither was she.

When they came to the part where they rolled together on the floor, Emma didn’t have a single thought of embarrassment. At this point, she’d forgotten everything but Killian. Why can’t I kiss you on the dance floor? The lines of the final chorus wrapped around them as Emma straddled Killian, her hands cradling his head. She leaned forward as he rose up towards her, which wasn’t in the choreography. They were supposed to end the dance lying on their backs, hands clasped, then rolling away from each other. Tiana had explained that the end was supposed to show the tragedy of a love that could never be. Instead, Killian’s eyes locked with Emma’s, and she couldn’t have pulled away from him if she’d tried. She pressed her lips to his, her eyes falling closed. He kissed her back as the music faded away.

It was the sound of deafening applause that snapped them both out of it. Killian’s expression was wrecked as he pressed his forehead to hers, tenderly thumbing her cheek. Emma wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face there for a moment to collect herself. He rose to a standing position smoothly, carrying her with him.

“We did it, Emma,” he whispered in her ear, his voice slightly choked, “we did it.”

She nodded, still unable to speak, and a tear slipped down her cheek as she pulled away from him. He brushed it away with his thumb and gave her a small smile. She smiled tremulously back at him. They turned towards the judges, and Emma gasped when she saw all three judges on their feet giving them a standing ovation. Killian grabbed her in a side hug, lifting her off her feet as they found that the entire studio audience was also on their feet. Tiana had tears streaming down her face which she didn’t bother to wipe away. The cheers in the studio only seemed to increase, and Marco stepped towards them. He told them that they were running short on time, though his words were practically swallowed up by the roaring crowd. He directed them towards the stairs, and they made their way to the balcony. When they reached the top of the steps, they were surrounded by their competitors who hugged them and congratulated them with enthusiasm. It took a few more minutes even as they reached Ashley’s side for the pandemonium to die down.

“Well,” Ashley said, “we have never in the history of the show had a dance bring the house down like that one. Let’s get your scores.”

Emma and Killian embraced one another as they listened to the scores. Tiana gave them a ten, and they both laughed with joy. Teach also gave them a ten, and Emma squealed while Killian kissed her cheek. Blue gave them a ten, and pandemonium broke out in the studio once again. Killian shouted, then lifted Emma off her feet and spun her around.

“A perfect score!” Ashley announced into the microphone. Then she turned to them with a slightly mischievous smile. “And I’ve got to ask you. This season has been filled with romance, Emma. First with your sister and her partner Graham, then tonight with a proposal. So everyone wants to know: that kiss just now? Was that real?”

Emma’s mouth fell open as her face burned. Killian, bless him, saved the day.

“Well, the song did say kiss you on the dance floor,” he joked with his usual charm.

Laughter rippled throughout the studio, but Ashley wasn’t deterred. “Come on now, Emma. First your twin brother finds true love last season with his partner, now your sister Elsa has found it. We’ve all noticed the chemistry you have with Killian. Is there anything between you two? Has there been a date? Other kisses? Come on, everyone’s dying to know.”

This was the reason no one took the “no romantic entanglements” clause in the contracts seriously. The producers officially claimed to be against hookups on the show, yet they always played up rumors whenever it helped the ratings. Emma swallowed back her frustration as Ashley shoved the microphone in her face. Once again, Killian stepped in, leaning over her shoulder to answer the question instead. Emma figured he was used to fielding invasions of privacy like this anyway.

“Emma is a very dear friend, so of course I care deeply for her. But no, there have been no dates.”

Emma was impressed. He had smoothly answered the question vaguely without lying. She blushed when he winked at her as Ashley announced the next commercial break. As everyone’s attention shifted away from them, Killian pulled her to a far corner of the balcony. The adrenaline of their performance had finally worn off, and she found herself trembling, worrying what he was about to say. His eyes roamed her face, soft and vulnerable.

“You know I wasn’t acting out there, right?” he asked her softly.

Emma bit her lip and nodded. “I know,” she breathed out. She hesitated for a moment before adding, “Neither was I, but –“

“It’s okay,” he cut her off, thumbing the dimple in her chin. “I meant what I said before. I’ll only take what you’re ready to give.”

Emma blinked as she felt tears gather behind her eyes. Her gaze darted over his shoulder. She couldn’t lose it right now, not when they were about to film the close of the show. She took a deep, shuddering breath. Then Killian’s hands were cupping her face, gently turning her gaze to his again.

“I’ll always be your friend, Emma, no matter what.”

His words made all the tension drain from her body. His hands fell away, and Emma felt her tears dissipate. He smiled, and she returned it.

“I’ll hold you to that, Jones,” she said.

Killian may have felt no need to pressure her for more than friendship, but that didn’t mean their fans shared the sentiment. Their dance went viral within hours of the live broadcast, and social media exploded with reactions to their steamy routine.

“Did you see that kiss?! I’m dead!” @trueloveandpixiedust

“You haven’t been on a date with her, Killian? Okay . . . .” @thecaptainsfairy

“They were awfully good at kissing. I don’t think that was their first one.” @neverlandforever

“Did you notice how he answered those questions? They’re a couple, and you can’t convince me otherwise.” @hooker4life

Emma wouldn’t lie, she was a little embarrassed. Killian, of course, helped diffuse everything with his typical jokes when he called later that night to check on her.

“Look on the bright side, Swan, it probably means we got lots of votes. You should have kissed me sooner on national television.”

Since she couldn’t punch him over the phone, she just rolled her eyes.

#csbb #csbb fic #cs ff #modern au #dancing with the stars au #enemies to friends to lovers

[angstbotfic]

Fic: Paper Hearts and Punchbowls - Now Complete

Read at AO3

Regina awoke the next morning feeling warm and utterly content. It wasn’t until she attempted to roll over and stretch that she registered that the warmth wrapped around her was Emma. She froze for a moment, then reminded herself that they’d agreed that this wasn’t a one-night stand and that their relationship was going somewhere. She took a deep breath, willing herself to relax.

“G’mornin’,” Emma said, voice low and rough with sleep, and oh, that was a sound she could get used to in the morning.

“Good morning,” she answered through her smile.

Emma started nuzzling her shoulder and neck and jaw, and she felt a little spark of desire starting low in her belly. She could get used to that first thing in the morning, too, but today they should probably put some clothes on and talk. When she started to turn over, Emma went along readily enough, settling onto her back so that she could curl up on top.

“Hi,” Emma said, sounding about as giddy as Regina felt.

“Hello.”

Emma was quiet for a moment, but she could feel tension in her body. Then she burst out, “So can I call you my girlfriend?”

It was so Emma that she chuckled.

“Or, I mean- it doesn’t have to- um-”

Regina pushed up onto her elbow to look at her. “Emma- Emma!” Once she stopped her anxious babbling, she went on, “I wasn’t laughing at being your girlfriend. I liked the eagerness. It’s cute.”

“Oh, okay.” Emma paused. “So, can I?”

“I’d like that.”

“Great.” She could feel Emma working up to a question again. “Can we make breakfast?”

She kept a straight face with some difficulty. “Am I allowed to laugh this time?”

“Yes.”

They both lost it, holding each other tightly as they laughed for a long, long moment. They had just calmed down when Emma’s stomach growled audibly and set them off again.

When they finally got it together again, Regina poked Emma gently in the belly. “We’d better feed this beast.”

She rolled away to get up and felt a little twinge of loss, but she reminded herself that they would get to touch each other much more often now. She stood and stretched luxuriously, and when she turned to go to the dresser for some clothes she saw Emma smiling at her like she was everything. That made her have to take a detour and kiss her soundly. She was just on the verge of letting Emma pull her back onto the bed when she remembered that they had a task to complete and pulled away. But she knew Emma’s eyes were on her ass as she went back to the dresser and definitely leaned over more than was necessary when she got there.

When she’d located what she wanted, she turned and saw Emma on the verge of falling out of the bed from leaning over to stare at her.

“You’re ridiculous,” she said.

“And not even a little sorry,” Emma agreed.

Regina laughed—and tossed her lone pair of only-for-housecleaning sweatpants and a t-shirt Emma had left here once straight at her face.

Emma caught them easily, then got up. By the time Regina had her own silky pajamas on, she was dressed too. They made it downstairs with only a few more kisses and giggles, and when Emma immediately went to start a pot of coffee Regina’s breath caught in her throat at how easy and right this was. Of course Emma knew where the coffee was from many an after-dinner pot, and it felt utterly right to reach around her to get flour for pancakes and drop a kiss on the back of her neck. When Emma turned around to face her, pinning her against the counter to kiss her soundly and letting her thigh press between hers felt pretty damn right, too.

Regina had just decided that she might like to drop to her knees and peel Emma out of these too-short pants and devour her when she heard the sound of keys in the door that could only mean Henry.

“Shit,” Emma hissed.

“Act naturally,” she hissed back, moving quickly away and straightening her pajamas.

“Anybody home?”

“In here,” Regina called out, hoping her voice sounded less strained to anyone else than it did to her own ears.

“Hey Mom, Ma,” Henry greeted as he came in, totally unfazed to see Emma.

“Your mother came over early,” she blurted out.

Smooth, Emma mouthed at her while Henry’s back was turned in the refrigerator getting orange juice.

Shut up, she mouthed back, then smoothed her face out into a pleasant smile as Henry turned back to face her.

“She came over early in her pajamas and no shoes?” Henry snorted incredulously. “I’m thirteen, not five.”

“Well- we- I- When two people-”

“Whoa! Whoa- no!” Henry held out his hands, waving her off. “I don’t need any details! Definitely not the ‘when two people consent very much’ speech.”

Regina just stared at him for a moment, unable to figure out how to respond.

Emma stepped in to try to salvage the situation. “Okay, so, your mom and I are- um- girlfriends. Is that okay with you?”

“Finally,” he said with a dramatic sigh.

“What do you mean, ‘finally’?” Regina demanded, finding her voice again.

“We didn’t think you guys would ever figure it out.”

“What do you mean, ‘we’?” she asked again.

His eyes went wide. “Uh- you know- Grandma and Grandpa and me,” he answered, trying to sound casual.

“You discussed this with my parents?!” Emma exclaimed.

But Regina was focused on the fact that Henry was holding something back. “And?”

He looked down and shuffled his feet. “Archie.”

“And?” Her voice was even lower and more dangerous now.

“Ruby.” He was mumbling now.

“And?” She was fully down in the Evil Queen register.

“Devin. And you should totally not kill him, by the way. He only flirted with you because Mulan completely refused to do something so dishonorable and we knew Zelena would get carried away hitting on Ma.”

Regina lost her cool. “Was the entire town in on some kind of conspiracy?!”

“Kind of?”

“Did we just get parent trapped?” Emma asked.

“Kind of?” Henry said again. Then he pulled his phone out of his pocket and his expression filled with horror. “Oh no.”

Regina’s “What?” was so severe that he flinched.

“Grandma’s coming. I tried to get her to hold off, but you know how she is about this kind of stuff.”

Regina heard the front door open. Moments later, Snow came in, weeping with joy and lugging the biggest binder she had ever seen. When she put it down on the counter and seized Emma in a hug, Regina could see that it was labeled, “Regina and Emma Wedding.”

**

“I can’t believe you had to threaten to curse my mom to the Land Without Birds to get her to stop planning our wedding.” Emma laughed. “Where is that, anyway?”

Regina raised an eyebrow. “I have no idea.”

“You made it up?”

“Desperate times call for desperate measures. She’s kind of incorrigible. But can we not mention your mother right now?” Regina was resigned to Snow being part of her life, but she drew the line at discussing her in bed.

“Yeah, sorry, that’s fair.”

“Especially when there are much better uses for your mouth,” she pointed out, reminding her of what they had been doing.

“Oh yeah?”

Regina gripped her hair and guided her to what she had in mind.

#swan queen #sq ff #swanqueen fanfic #swan queen fan fiction #work: paper hearts

[nelvana]

In which they do rescue another team

First: In which the human is transformed Next: In which accusations are made Previous: In which an old legend is retold

    “So, Gardevoir said that they are the one from the legend, but you’re not?” Keahi recapped, making sure zie was understanding what Nelvana was telling zim while they made breakfast.

    “Mhmm!” Nelvana hummed cheerfully.

    “That’s good! Well, not for Gardevoir… but certainly for you, not being connected to the world’s balance in that way!” Keahi replied, sliding a plate of pancakes decorated with berries over to the cubone. “I wonder if there is a way to lift the curse from her. She sounds nice, and doesn’t deserve to be trapped there,” zie added before pulling off a piece of zir own pancakes and eating it.

    “I hope we can help her too. Maybe I can ask her later. She’s probably going to try to contact me again, so once she manages to deliver her message that she’s been trying to tell me, maybe we can figure this curse out,” Nelvana agreed, grabbing a fork to eat her own breakfast. “Hey, doesn’t your dad know Ninetales? Could we ask him about it?” she suggested.

    “Oh yeah, that would be a good idea… We’ll have to check in over there once we get the chance.” Keahi nodded, swallowing another chunk of food, “okay. So, if you don’t mind me changing the topic, I was thinking that for today we could spend the morning training at the Makuhita Dojo, and then have a quick lunch before doing missions in the afternoon.”

    “Sounds good to me, but out of curiosity, why not just do missions all day?” Nelvana asked.

    “Well… I feel like we overloaded ourselves yesterday. I like helping people out, but we need to take care of ourselves too. So just for today, we can warm up by training first,” Keahi explained.

    “Alright,” Nelvana agreed, “so what is the dojo like, anyway?”

    Keahi shrugged, “dunno, I’ve never been there. It’s fairly new to the town. I guess we’ll find out!”

    The pair finished up their tasty pancake breakfast and then proceeded to head off to complete their usual business around the town. However, like they planned, instead of going to the post office they headed south over to the Makuhita Dojo, where Makuhita himself was standing patiently outside the entrance. The dojo itself was one of the smaller buildings in Pokemon Square, and the least decorated.

    “Hello there you two! What brings you down here?” Makuhita greeted, peeling an orange for a morning snack.

    “To train of course,” Keahi giggled in reply.

    “You two don’t need to train, you beat a legendary!” Makuhita chuckled, “but, by all means, feel free to train in here for a bit anyway. Don’t get too many visitors, especially not from heroes.”

    “Well… we, uh…” For once, Keahi seemed at a loss of words. “Thanks, Makuhita,” zie finally said and they walked inside.

    “Alright, so this place, uh, isn’t in it’s prime yet. But I do have some equipment you guys can use, and I guess if you need some answers, you can come see me! I was just about to drop by the Kecleon Shop and pick up a new wattle bottle for myself,” Makuhita explained, and once seeing that the duo was fine on their own, he waved them off and headed back outside.

    After a bit of a learning curve to figure out how things worked, Keahi and Nelvana were able to begin training. There was some general equipment, like punching bags and treadmills, but there were also dungeon simulations in the basement to train more accurately for dungeons. They finished most of the mazes, but got stumped on the psychic-type one, because of all the pokemon that only threw around status conditions. After around an hour, Makuhita returned to check up on things, but they told him it was going fine and he disappeared again upstairs.

    “This is some interesting training,” Nelvana commented while they took a break for a drink of water.

    “Yeah! It’s the first real training I’ve had,” Keahi replied.

    “I… guess for me too,” Nelvana murmured, staring at her wattle bottle like it held all the answers.

    “Well, I guess we should get back to it then,” Keahi chirped, standing back up. “I figure only another hour or so and we can take a lunch break and then actually get to work!”

    “Is… is it healthy around here to do so much training at once?” Nelvana asked, standing back up as well.

    “I bet Makuhita would’ve stopped us if that were the case!” Keahi answered cheerily, but a bit confused by the way zir partner had worded the question.

    Nelvana shrugged, ending their conversation. So, they went to continue their training. Despite being there for most of the morning, no one aside from Makuhita, came in during their time in the dojo. Keahi suggested advertising would help with business, but Nelvana reminded zim that most pokemon in this small town wouldn’t need to train much anyway, and advertising probably wouldn’t make much of a difference in the end. They finally finished and headed out, waving Makuhita goodbye. However, they barely got a few steps away from the dojo when Peaky flew over to them hurriedly with a piece of paper in their beak.

    Peaky handed Nelvana the paper before speaking. “Guys! I’m so glad I found you two! I was super worried you had left for a mission or something!” they blurted out.

    “What’s going on?” Keahi replied, glancing over at the paper. “An S.O.S. mission?” zie gasped.

    “What’s that mean?” Nelvana asked, reading over the paper for herself.

    “An S.O.S. mission is a mission where you rescue another team. If a team faints in a dungeon and their badge malfunctions so they can’t teleport out, it will send a message to the nearest post office or just team in general,” Keahi explained, “in Team Shiftry’s case… neither of those fail saves occurred, which is why no one knew what had happened for awhile…” zie added quietly.

    “Oh…” Nelvana mumbled, “Team Stars?” she read out loud.

    “Yes! Team Stars, Amy the eevee and Emma the cyndaquil, decided to go visit Xatu, but they got stuck at the fourth floor of the Great Canyon!” Peaky exclaimed, “we just got the message a few minutes ago! I think every other team has headed out for the day, please take this mission!” they pleaded.

    “I…” Keahi looked at the paper again and then nodded. “We’ll do it!” zie confirmed.

    “Thank you so much! S.O.S. missions work a bit differently than normal ones, so be careful,” Peaky sighed, and was about to fly off when they stopped themselves. “Oh right! In better news, we also got a message from the guild saying you guys are silver ranks now! That’s pretty good!” they added, “okay, I should go now. Good luck!” The spearow took off in the sky, presumably back to the Pelipper Post Office.

    “Silver ranks? That’s amazing!” Keahi chirped, “that’s two ranks behind platinum rank, which is what Team A.C.T. is!” zie cheered, “of course, it will take a long time to get there, but it’s progress!”

    Nelvana smiled at Keahi’s enthusiasm, but both grew solemn as the weight of this new mission fell upon them.

    “They seemed pretty nervous about this… we should hurry,” Keahi told Nelvana, leading her off to the north.

    “Should we stop at the board to see if there are other missions we can do at the same time?” Nelvana asked, hurrying along behind her friend.

    Keahi shook zir head, “no point. With this kind of mission, we want to get in and out as quickly as possible,” zie told her.

    Nelvana nodded, and they continued off to the path they had taken only a couple days ago. With much disappointment, they were forced to remember how long travelling to the Great Canyon took.

    “Geez, they need to add a teleporting function to these badges so you can go to dungeons you’ve already been to before,” Nelvana huffed, rubbing her badge as she spoke.

    Keahi chuckled nervously, “yeah,” zie agreed, “I think it’s too complicated though. Besides, these things are glitchy enough as they are.”

    “Are they just glitchy or do you think they’re connected to the disasters too?” Nelvana asked.

    “They were glitchy before the disasters,” Keahi answered, “but I wouldn’t be surprised if this was making them worse…”

    Team Galaxy continued as quickly as they could without tiring themselves out terribly much, and finally they could see the already familiar cliffs of their destination. Nelvana half-expected to see the badges of Team Stars at the entrance but was relived to find that it looked the same as the last time they were there. Keahi didn’t hesitate to go in, and Nelvana swiftly followed along.

    “Okay, so fourth floor? This should be easy,” Nelvana commented, bringing back out the paper from where she had place it in the bag to reread the mission requirements.

    “Yup! Especially if we get lucky and have two sets of stairs on the same floor,” Keahi agreed, but paused for a moment. “Wait… how would they have gotten stuck on the fourth floor? That’s pretty early. Did they not prepare properly or something?”

    Nelvana shrugged, “perhaps. Maybe they just weren’t strong enough? It says that they’re bronze rank, which could mean anything from being rookies to being like us yesterday. They could’ve gotten too excited to see Xatu and forgot to prepare or train or somethin’.”

    “I guess so…” Keahi sighed.

    As they suspected, it didn’t take long to arrive to the third floor, and once the stairs to the fourth floor were in reach, Keahi bolted up to try and find Team Stars. Nelvana followed at a more leisurely pace, knowing that her partner would be fine to search the first room of the fourth floor on zir own. She smiled as she heard zim start talking to the two missing pokemon.

    “Oh! There you are! You’re Team Stars, right?” Keahi greeted, crouching down to them and scanning for wounds.

    “Yes! We are! I’m Amy, and that’s Emma!” Amy replied, trying to stand up but giving up and laying back down beside her partner.

    “Who are you?” Emma asked cautiously, fiddling with her paws.

    “I’m Keahi! And that’s… uh, Nel?” Keahi quieted down in the middle of zir introduction, looking around for zir partner before finally spotting her still climbing the stairs. “What are you still doing down there?” zie called.

    “Just… a bit nervous, giving the place a better check,” Nelvana replied, “…ʍou ʇɥɓıɹ ǝɹǝɥ ɟɟo slǝǝɟ ɓuıɥʇǝɯos” she added under her breath without thinking.

    Keahi didn’t hear the last comment, and simply turned back to Amy and Emma, “that’s my partner Nelvana! We’re Team Galaxy, and we’re here to get you guys out of here!” zie hummed.

    “Good! We’ve been stuck here for hours!” Amy complained, flicking her tail dramatically.

    “We were unconscious for most of that time though…” Emma mumbled.

    “Still! It was a long time where we could’ve been killed by the bloodthirsty jaws of dungeon spawn!” Amy hissed jokingly, swatting at her partner playfully with one paw.

    Keahi laughed but Emma sighed, “we shouldn’t really joke-“ She stopped as Nelvana stepped up into the room with them and the stairs disappeared from behind her.

    Nelvana spun around to where she came from, which was now just a wall, in horror, “monster house! Everyone look out!” she yelled.

    “What?” Emma shrieked, shrinking behind the others.

    “A monster house?” Keahi repeated in shock.

    There was no time for the cubone to respond as at least a dozen brelooms and doduos appeared in the room, surrounding the quartet instantly. Nelvana scrambled over closer to the others, who luckily weren’t too far away, and gripped her bone club with both hands. Keahi’s feathers bristled as zie scanned the opponents in panic.

    “T-There aren’t supposed to be monster houses here! I always check when we go visit a new dungeon!” Keahi yelled.

    “Well, there’s one now!” Nelvana growled, “can we teleport out of here or do we have to fight?”

    “The badges always malfunction in a monster house! We’re stuck here until they’re all gone,” Keahi answered, scratching the ground nervously as the dungeon pokemon approached.

    “Great…” Nelvana huffed, “okay, I don’t have the type advantage on any of these guys…” she added to herself quietly.

    Nelvana shifted the bone club to her left hand, and with her right she reached into the bag and pulled out one of the seeds they had picked up earlier. She threw at a doduo a few feet in front of her and it exploded on impact.

    “It does more damage if you eat it!” Emma informed the cubone.

    “I know!” Nelvana responded, pulling out another blast seed and throwing it at the same doduo, which even after that was still up and going. “Darn it!” she hissed under her breath.

    Keahi blasted some fire at the doduo in front of zim, scorching their brown feathers. The two-headed pokemon tried peaking at zim, but zie dodged out of the way. However, a breloom took advantage on the teams’ limited space and punched Keahi when zie was dodging from the doduo, sending zim tumbling to the ground.

    “You okay?” Amy asked.

    “I’m fine!” Keahi replied, scrambling back up to zir feet and spitting another ember at the breloom in revenge, which took it down with the super effective damage.

    Nelvana gave up on the seeds and decided to just try using her weapon after all. She whacked a breloom right in front of her, and much to her surprise, it went down with that single hit.

    “Hey, I might actually be able to handle these guys with the bone club!” Nelvana called.

    “That’s good!” Keahi replied, scratching at the doduo in front of zim.

    Nelvana continued hitting her opponents with her bone club, finding herself getting into a bit of a rhythm with dealing with this horde. Such a crowd of enemies were challenging to have to deal with, but she got back into the swing of things again quickly. She wanted to keep checking on Keahi but didn’t want to leave herself vulnerable to a punch or peak. She knocked out another breloom, and a doduo took its place, swiftly attacking the cubone with their piercing beaks. One drill peak was dodged, but the next struck the side of her upper right arm. Nelvana let out a sharp hiss of pain and grabbed the wound instinctively, feeling the warm blood begin to trickle out. She let go of it temporarily to attack the doduo in return, hitting one head so that it would get knocked into the other. The doduo collapsed to the ground and disappeared, and another one took its place. Nelvana reached into her bag and pulled out an oran berry and the last of their blast seeds. She ate the seed first, knocking out the doduo with the fire breath she was temporarily gifted, and then she ate the oran berry to help heal her injury.

    Keahi kept at zir attacking, keeping embers for the brelooms and scratches for the doduos. Zie could feel zir speed boost kicking in, but there wasn’t enough space in the crowded room to use its full potential. Seeing Nelvana eat one of the oran berries out of the corner of zir eye reminded Keahi that zie should have one too. Luckily, Emma seemed to notice and carefully brought out her own mushy oran berry so that the cubone wouldn’t be disrupted in her fighting.

    Finally, they were beginning to see the number of dungeon pokemon begin to dwindle. All the brelooms had been defeated except for one, and there were three doduos left. Both Nelvana and Keahi had a few more scratches and bruises, either from not having enough room to dodge or from trying to shield Team Stars from stray attacks.

    “Okay, there’s only a few more left,” Nelvana commented, “I say either gravlerock them or ember them. We don’t want to do much more melee.”

    Keahi nodded, launched an ember at the breloom, knocking it out on the spot. Nelvana threw a gravlerock at one of the doduos, ironically the same one at the beginning of the fight that she had thrown two blast seeds at, knocking it out too. The last two doduos seemed to gain a conscience and bolted out of the room to avoid fainting like the rest of their friends. Keahi let out a sigh of relief, and Nelvana relaxed slightly.

    “At first I was worried we wouldn’t be able to handle that,” Nelvana confessed with a dry chuckle, “but we did! Anyone need oran berries before we head back?”

    “I feel like we should have those after we get back… but I could use one,” Keahi replied, accepting the fruit handed to zim by zir partner.

    “That was amazing! You guys took out all of those guys!” Amy exclaimed, weakly standing up.

    Emma nodded and smiled, “you guys make a really great team! No wonder you could beat Zapdos,” she added.

    “Thanks! Now let’s get out of here,” Keahi replied, holding up zir badge.

    Nelvana did the same, and so did Amy before she realized her’s was still glitched. Emma rolled her eyes and the four of them disappeared from the dungeon. To everyone’s surprise, instead of appearing in front of the base, they appeared at the Pelipper Post Office.

    “I guess this is what Peaky meant by S.O.S. missions are different...?” Keahi murmured.

    Nelvana shrugged and they all headed inside. Peaky was hopping impatiently on the front counter while Pelipper organized some mail while humming a catchy tune to himself. The two of them were the only ones around at that moment, everyone else presumably out delivering various letters and packages. Peaky turned over to them the moment the door opened.

    “You’re back! I was getting worried because that took so long!” Peaky exclaimed, fluttering over to the quartet. “Is everyone okay?” they added, noticing the blood.

    “Yeah… we just ran into a monster house,” Nelvana told them, “got a bit messed up, but we’ll be fine.”

    “A monster house? Weren’t you just at the Great Canyon?” Pelipper asked, having overheard the conversation.

    “We were! But there was a monster house anyway!” Keahi replied, waving zir wings around.

    “Are you sure…?” Pelipper raised a brow in suspicion, and all four pokemon nodded. “This is bad… if monster houses are appearing in dungeons they shouldn’t, a lot of pokemon could turn up in danger… I’ll send a message to the guild right away. If you’re telling the truth, this is something that needs to be dealt with,” he said, turning away to write something down.

    “I’m just glad everyone is safe and sound!” Peaky chirped.

    “I think all of us are,” Emma agreed, “okay… I guess now we should give you two a reward for all of your troubles.”

    “Yeah! And don’t try turning it down, you had to fight through a monster house to save our butts!” Amy added.

    Keahi giggled and Nelvana smiled, but both of their expressions turned to one of surprise when Emma pulled out a disc with TM04 written on it.

    “We found this a few days ago. The only way either of us would be able to learn it is if Amy becomes an espeon or sylveon, so we don’t have much use for it. I know neither of you two can learn it either, but you’ll have better luck at finding someone who can,” Emma told them and handed over the disc to Nelvana, who hesitantly put in the bag.

    “Wow, thanks! I’m sure we’ll recruit someone who’ll find use for this! Thanks!” Keahi chirped.

    “We can also stop by Persian Bank and ask her to put from money from our account to your’s!” Amy suggested, and Emma nodded in agreement.

    “That’s… a lot! Thanks!” Nelvana exclaimed, rubbing the cracks and indents in her club.

    “Don’t worry about it! You guys deserve bigger rewards!” Amy hummed, swishing her tail around.

    “That’s really nice! I think at least Team Stars should go rest now though…” Peaky commented.

    “Of course, let’s get going Amy,” Emma said, “it was nice meeting you, Team Galaxy, hopefully we’ll see each other again, under better circumstances.”

    “Yeah! See ya!” Amy said.

    Team Galaxy exited the building and stopped in front of the mission board.

    “We still have some time if we want to do some Tiny Woods or Thunderwave Cave,” Keahi suggested.

    “Sounds good to me,” Nelvana agreed and began taking down some Tiny Woods missions.

    “So, Team Stars was pretty cool!” Keahi commented, “it’s good to see some other nice teams.”

    Nelvana nodded, “yeah! So that monster house… have you ever been in one before?”

    “No… I’ve never been to a dungeon that has those before,” Keahi admitted, “this was pretty scary, to be honest. Having so many pokemon attacking you at once is an entirely different experience than just fighting one really strong pokemon. Do you think you’ve been one before? You knew the signs of one after all.”

    “Mhmm,” Nelvana hummed solemnly.

    “Huh, that’s interesting…” Keahi murmured.

    The pair walked away from the board, having all the missions they wanted for the afternoon. As they were about to walk through the center of Pokemon Square to Tiny Woods, they saw a huge crowd gathered there. Even more pokemon than when Jumpluff had requested for Team Shiftry to rescue their friend and Team A.C.T. arrived. There were some pokemon that Keahi nor Nelvana had seen around town before gathered around, but neither of them could see what was at the core of this gathering.

    “I wonder what’s going on?” Keahi asked.

Cameo: Team Stars (Amy/eevee & Emma/cyndaquil) belongs to @cloudeq

#bet you weren't expecting this #bam filler #bam sos mission #bam plot delay #lol sorry #pokemon #pokemon mystery dungeon #pokemon mystery dungeon red rescue team #pokemon mystery dungeon au #pokemon mystery dungeon time/sky/darkness #pokemon mystery dungeon red/blue rescue team #pmd #pmd au #pmd au series #drawing #my art #art #digital art #writing #my writing #fanfic #fanfiction #galaxies above #ga #team galaxy #nelvana #cubone #keahi #torchic #team stars

[thestarsaroundyourscars]

I met you in the dark, you lit me up, ch 6

Chapter 6: The day of Bev’s party (part one)

Summary: In which it’s finally Beverly’s birthday. Featuring the birthday girl, Richie, Stan, Mike, Ben and a very nervous Eddie. And as per usual, some Reddie adorableness as well.

Pairing: Richie Tozier x Eddie Kaspbrak, Beverly Marsh x Ben Hanscom (minor)

Words: 4,559

AO3 link

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5

Tag list: @daddyphantomtbh @yes-dillman-yes @richietoaster @beepbeeprichiellc @thetheatregal  @its-stranger-than-you-think @lemonaayyee @pennys-pet-kitty 

A/N: This took a bit longer than usual since I’m back at college, so I don’t have as much time now. I hope the wait was worth it though. Enjoy ♥

When Richie woke up on Friday to the sound of his alarm, he was confused for a second. He didn’t have classes on Fridays, so there wasn’t any reason for him to wake up at a specific time. He was trying to snooze his alarm, when he caught a glimpse of the date and realized why he had set it in the first place. Today was Beverly’s birthday and as his best friend, he had things to do.

Unlike Richie, Beverly did have classes on Fridays, but last night she had told him that she was skipping, since it was her special day and she wasn’t going to waste three hours of it listening to her boring professor. Richie hadn’t even tried to dissuade her, he had done the exact same thing many times before. Since she didn’t have get ready, it didn’t come as a surprise to him to find her door was still closed. In fact, he was glad, it gave him time to do what he had to do.

He made his way to the kitchen and as silently as he could, he started to grab all the things he would need to make what he liked to call chocolate chip pancakes à la Tozier. He had been making them on Beverly’s birthday for three years now, ever since they moved in together. The first year, he hadn’t planned on making them, he had just woken up way too early for his classes and figured he could make something different for breakfast. Then Bev had woken up and when she asked if he had made the pancakes especially for her, he didn’t have the heart to tell her the truth. Eventually he came clean and they both laughed. The next year, Richie had surprised Beverly with the same pancakes, this time on purpose, and it had been a tradition since.

Once he was done, it was still too early to wake Bev up, so he decided to take a shower. He was putting on his clothes, when he heard some shuffling coming from her bedroom. He hurried to get ready, grabbed his present from under his bed and stepped outside of his room just as Beverly was leaving hers.

He tackled her with a hug and an enthusiastic, “Happy motherfucking birthday, Marsh!”

She yelped in surprise. Then she wrapped her arms around Richie’s shoulders and he spun her around a few times before putting her down and placing kisses all over her face.

Beverly was laughing when she said, “Take it easy on me, bud, I just woke up.”

“Well, I’ve been awake for hours, so deal with it.”

She chuckled, “You are awfully enthusiastic today.”

“Well, it’s my best friend’s birthday, I’m allowed to be excited. Here!” he said as he handed her the gift bag he had been holding.

She squealed in excitement, before grabbing the bag and sitting down on the floor to start pulling out its contents. The first thing she pulled out was a pair of rose gold earrings and a bunch of leather bracelets in several different colors. She smiled, delighted as she put them on right away. Then, she pulled out it was a pair of earphones, Richie had bought those the day before, after Beverly told him she had lost hers on the way home. The last item was a white t-shirt, with the words “I’m a fucking lady” written in black, cursive letters. Richie had seen it and immediately thought of Bev and if the way she was smiling as she looked at it meant anything, he had been right to do so.

“Did you like it?” Richie asked, nervously.

“Do you even have to ask?” Bev replied as she put the t-shirt and the earphones inside the bag again, “I love it, just as I’ve loved every single present that you’ve given me for the past ten years” She stood up then and hugged Richie, who laughed in relief.

“I’m glad to hear that” He said, as he wrapped his arms around Bev’s waist for the second time that day.

She kissed his cheek and said, “Thank you, Rich.”

“You’re very welcome, Bev. Now, there’s something waiting for you in the kitchen.”

“Fuck yes, chocolate chip pancakes!” She exclaimed and ran to the kitchen.

While Richie heat up the pancakes, Beverly poured coffee for her and orange juice for him. They ate their breakfast together in comfortable silence with Beverly’s phone ringing every once in a while from all the birthday texts.

“Was I the first person to wish you a happy birthday?” Richie asked, without looking up at her.

When she didn’t answer right away, he looked up. She was staring at him apologetically, “Sorry, Rich.”

“Damn it! Was it Stan? It was Stan, wasn’t it? That fucker.” Richie muttered.

“Uh no, actually it was Ben” Beverly said, “We were on the phone last night until after midnight.”

“He gave you his present then? Some phone sex to start your birthday right?” Richie said with a leer.

“You” Beverly said, pointing her fork at him “are gross.” Richie merely shrugged his shoulders at the accusation.

“But seriously, how dare he wish my best friend a happy birthday before me?” Richie said with mock offense, “I will fight him.”

Beverly snorted, “You really don’t want to do that. He was part of his high school wrestling team, he would have you pinned down on the ground faster than you could say ‘fight me’.”

“Wow, your faith in me is astounding” Richie said, sarcastically.

“Richie, one time you knocked yourself out trying to punch a guy.”

“I-” He started, before changing what he was going to say, “Yeah, you’re right, please tell Ben not to fight me.”

Bev let out a chuckle, “He most likely wouldn’t, he’s too nice for that.”

“You’re seeing him today? Before the party, I mean?”

“Yeah, we’re meeting for coffee later today, after lunch with you guys.”

“You could’ve brought him to lunch.”

“You are already meeting him at the party, so. Besides, he wanted to give me my present while it was just the two of us.” Richie wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. Rolling her eyes, she added, “While surrounded by people in a café, so stop doing… that.” She said, waving her hand as if to encompass Richie’s expression.

He shrugged, “That doesn’t mean it’s not a sexy present. That’s what bathrooms are for.”

Beverly scrunched up her face, “That is most definitely not what bathrooms are for” she said with a laugh.

After they finished eating, Beverly left Richie alone so she could go get ready, they had a couple of hours before they had to meet Stan and Mike for lunch but it always took her forever to get ready, so it was better if she got started right away. And with good reason because ten minutes before they had to go, she was still getting ready.

When she finally left her room Richie saw that she had put on the t-shirt he had given her and thrown a red-and-black plaid shirt on top of it. She paired it up with a denim skirt and white sneakers. One of the things Richie admired about Beverly, and there was a lot to admire, was her amazing fashion sense. That’s why he hadn’t been the least bit surprised when she had told him she wanted to major in Fashion Design.

They managed to arrive to the restaurant on time but still Stan and Mike had already been waiting for them. They greeted Bev with hugs and kisses and ’happy birthdays’ and then handed her the presents they had brought. Then the four of them sat down on the table and ordered their food. They always went to this same restaurant, an Italian place they had discovered on their first year, to celebrate special occasions, so they already knew what to order.

While they waited for their food arrive, Beverly opened her presents. She opened Stan’s first, he had gotten her a new sketchbook and a 100 colored pencil set for her designs.

“Stan, oh my God, I love it. So many colors!” Bev said, staring at the pencils in awe, she looked up at her friend, smiling, “And I needed a new sketchbook too! Thank you so much!”

Stan smiled back at her, “I’m glad you like it, Bev, I was worried it was too… I don’t know, simple I guess.”

“Honey, you could give me one single colored pencil and I would love it” Beverly chuckled, but she was looking at Stan seriously.

“Thanks for the tip, Bev. Next year, you’re getting three colored pencils, one from each of us” Richie joked.

Then, it was Mike’s present turn. He had gotten her a new Jane Austen book, ’Emma’. Last semester, Richie and Bev had taken a course called “Influential women in history” and as part of the class they had had to read one of her novels, ’Persuasion’ it was called. Ever since, Bev had been completely obsessed with her.  

“You stole that from work, Mikey?” Richie asked when he saw the book. Mike had a job at the public library and he absolutely loved it there.

Mike turned to look at him, outraged by Richie’s accusation, “Stealing books from libraries is a serious offense, Richie” he said, with so much seriousness his three friends laughed.

Apart from the book, Mike had also given Beverly a beige wool sweater.

“I hope it fits” He told her while she was looking it over, “I made Stan try it on before buying it, since he is lean like you.”

Richie snorted, “How did you manage to convince him to do that?”

“I can be very persuasive” Mike said with a wink, which earned him a high five and a laugh from Richie and an elbow to the side from Stan.

“How do I look?” Bev asked. They hadn’t noticed her taking off her plaid shirt and putting on the new sweater instead. Now, she was standing next to the table, posing, to show it off.

“You look great, Bev.” Stan said.

Mike nodded, “It fits perfectly.”

Richie smirked, “Tell us Mike, who wore it better? Stan or Bev?”

Both Bev and Mike erupted in laughter, Stan on the other hand, glared at him. Richie was glad there was a table between the two of them, he didn’t think Bev would appreciate one of her best friends murdering the other on her birthday, it would definitely ruin her plans.

Shortly after Bev thanked Mike for the present, blowing a kiss at him from across the table, their food arrived and they began eating. The rest of the lunch was rather uneventful and after they were done, Stan and Mike said their goodbyes, Stan had to get to class and Mike had football practice, so they said they would see the other two later at the party.

As for Beverly and Richie they parted ways as well, since Bev had to go meet Ben. Richie didn’t have anything to do for the next few hours until he had to go pick Eddie up for the party, so he went back to the apartment to get some sleep, knowing he would need the energy later.

He woke up around five to the sound of the front door closing loudly and then two people talking and laughing. He recognized one of the two as Beverly and even though he had only heard Ben’s voice once before, and he had been mildly inebriated at the time, he was sure that’s who the second voice belonged to. He got up and walked out of his room, interrupting Bev and Ben, who had been making out against the front door. They both turned to look at him, Beverly in annoyance and Ben in surprise.

“Sorry to interrupt, but I had to make my presence known before the two of you started to take off your clothes in the middle of the hallway” Richie said with a smirk, he turned to Ben, saluted him and said, “It’s good to see you again, Ben, my dude.”

He waved awkwardly with one hand, the other still holding Beverly’s waist, “Hello Richie, uh, it’s good to see you too.”

“I thought you had to pick Eddie up” Bev said with a raised eyebrow.

“Yes, but I was taking a nap first, you know, gathering up energies for tonight. Besides, Eds’ shift at the book store ended like twenty minutes ago, I’m giving him time to get prettied up… Not that he needs to, of course.” Richie said.

“I thought you’d be dying to get some time alone with your boy before the party.”

“I think that was you, Bev.” Richie replied with a smirk. Bev glared at him, confirming what Richie had just said, which only made Richie’s smirk grow wider.

Ben wouldn’t make eye contact with Richie, his eyes intently examining the doormat he was standing on. Still, Richie could see he was blushing.

Beverly opened her mouth to say something, probably to tell Richie to fuck off so she could have her alone time with Ben, when the first notes for Dexy’s Midnight Runners’ “Come on Eileen” coming from his phone interrupted her, letting Richie know that Eddie was calling him.

Richie had chosen that song for Eddie’s ringtone on Wednesday, when he saw how, after the song started playing at the pizza place they were at, Eddie had had to consciously stop himself from jumping out of his seat and start dancing along to the music. He had told Eddie as much and when he had tried to argue, Richie had replied with a ‘Come on Eddie’ to the beat of the song and the other boy had started giggling, completely forgetting what he had been arguing about.

Richie answered the call with a “Hiya, Eds”, Bev’s eyes still on him.

“Hi, Rich.”

“To what do I owe the pleasure? You’re not calling to cancel on me, are you?”

“Uh, no. Actually I was wondering if maybe you could come get me a bit earlier than we agreed on.”

“How early?” Richie asked, he could see Beverly and Ben exchanging whispers.

“Like, right now?” Eddie said uncertainly. Richie’s eyebrows rose in surprise, but before he could ask him why, the other boy continued. “It’s just, I got ready faster than I intended and now I’m sitting here, doing nothing and the longer I do that, the more anxious I get, so I thought if you came earlier then… I know it’s silly and it’s okay if you can’t, don’t worry, I’ll just-”

Richie could practically feel Eddie’s nervousness through the phone, so before he gave himself a panic attack, he stopped his rambling and said, “I can be there in fifteen minutes.”

That stopped Eddie on his tracks, “Oh. Really? You don’t mind? If it’s too much trouble, you really don’t have to.” Eddie said, but he sounded hopeful.

“Trust me, seeing your adorable face earlier that I intended is no trouble at all” Richie told Eddie, and he heard him let out a sigh of relief. “I’m leaving right now” he added.

That seemed to get Beverly’s attention. She turned to look at him as if expecting Richie to already be gone. Richie’s smirk returned to his face.

Before Eddie could end the phone call, he said “We might need to hang around your apartment for a while though.”

“Why?’

“Because Ben is here and he and Beverly are just waiting for me to leave before they start taking their clothes off” Richie laughed.

“Richie!” Eddie said, disapprovingly, but Richie could tell he was trying not to laugh. “Ben is there? He must be blushing so much right now.”

“He’s almost as red as Bev’s hair.”

Eddie giggled, “You’re the worst.”

Richie shrugged his shoulders even though Eddie couldn’t see him and said, “It’s been said, yeah.”

“Just… get here, okay? And leave those two alone.”

“I never make promises I can’t keep, Eddie my love” Richie said, and before he ended the phone call, he added, “I’ll see you soon.”

Once Eddie was gone, he directed his attention to the other two people in the room. By then, Ben seemed to be getting his blushing under control, but Bev was still looking at Richie with a murderous expression.

Richie grinned, “Smile, Marsh, I’m leaving right now, you can-“

She interrupted him, “You’re on thin fucking ice right now, Richard, so choose your next words carefully.”

Richie raised his hands in defense, “I was just going to say, that you can text me what we are missing for the party and I’ll get it on my way back.”

Ben snorted, “Nice save.” Richie winked at him.

“You’re fooling no one, but fine, I’ll let you know.”

Richie nodded, and grabbed the keys from the table next to where Bev was standing, then he kissed her cheek as a goodbye. To Ben he said, “I’m sorry about all that” even though he didn’t sound apologetic at all.

“It’s okay.”

“You’ll have to get used to it, though, if you plan to stick around, or else there will be a permanent blush on your face.”

Ben chuckled, “I’ll try my best.”

Richie smiled and patted him on the back. He opened the door and turned towards them. He waved and said, “Hasta la vista, suckers!” before walking out.

And before the door closed completely he was able to see Ben laughing and Beverly fondly shaking her head at him.  

-♥-

After parking in front of Eddie’s building, Richie took out his phone and called him.

“Hello?”

“O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?” Richie said dramatically when the other boy answered his phone.

Eddie let out a chuckle. “I was never a big fan of Shakespeare but uh, what light through your window breaks? It is the east and Juliet is the sun… or something like that.” He replied, humoring him.

Richie let out a laugh and as he got off the car and started walking towards the building, he said, “Aw Eds, you think I’m Juliet? Am I as pretty as her?”

“No.” Eddie said automatically, but then after a pause, he added softly, “You’re prettier.”

Richie choked on whatever snarky comment he was about to make. When he didn’t respond, Eddie asked him if he was okay.

Richie cleared his throat before he said, “Give me a minute Eds, you just called me pretty, I need to get myself together.”

“Oh shut up, you say I’m pretty all the freaking time” Eddie replied, and Richie could tell he was embarrassed.

“Yes and that is the honest-to-God truth, but I don’t think you’ve ever complimented my looks before, or me for that matter. I’m just savoring the moment.”

Eddie frowned, “Really? Never?”

“Uh no, I think I would remember.”

“Oh.” Eddie felt a little bad, as annoying as some of Richie’s compliments could be, they never failed to put a smile on his face or to make Eddie feel good. “Well… I do think you’re attractive, like a lot. And you’re pretty great too and I really like you, so, yeah.”

Richie gasped, “Eds, you better stop that unless you want me to drop dead right here in front of your building.” He joked, but if Eddie had been able to see him, he would have seen just how big Richie’s smile was.  

“Don’t be an idiot” Eddie said.

“Easier said than done, Eds.” Richie replied as he reached the building. Once there, he rung the intercom of Eddie’s apartment, a second later, he could hear it ring through the phone.

“Did you just… we are literally on the phone, Richie!” Eddie exclaimed.

“Yeah, but I’m still waiting for you to let me in.”

Eddie sighed, “I’m hanging up now. Get up here, you dork.” Richie heard a buzzing that indicated he could go inside.

“See you in a minute, Spaghetti man.”

“Oh hell no-”

Richie ended the phone call before Eddie could finish the sentence, which was most likely going to state his hatred for yet another one of Richie’s nicknames.

When he arrived at Eddie’s floor, his apartment door was open and he was outside, waiting for him.

“Couldn’t wait to see my pretty face, huh Eds?” Richie smirked as he sauntered to the door.

Eddie rolled his eyes, “Remind me never to give you a compliment again.” He moved aside so that Richie could enter the apartment.

Once they were both inside and Eddie had closed the door, he turned to face Richie and immediately wrapped his arms around the taller boy’s neck and kissed him. As soon as their lips met, one of Richie’s hands went to Eddie’s neck and the other one to his waist, pulling him closer.

Before then, they had only shared short, mostly chaste kisses, so Richie was a bit surprised when Eddie parted his lips and pressed them harder on his, deepening the kiss. Not that he was going to complain or fail to reciprocate, of course. Eventually they had to stop to catch their breath, so they pulled apart. They didn’t go far though, instead Richie rested his forehead against Eddie’s.

“Wow” He said, with a dazed smile, his eyes fixed on Eddie’s lips, red and glistening from the kiss, “That’s what I call a warm welcome.”

Eddie laughed, which made his nose scrunch up in the cutest way possible. “Shut up” he said, taking a step back, so that he could look at Richie without his eyes crossing. “Thank you for coming sooner.”

“Anything for you, Eds” Richie replied with a wink, “I did mean what I said, though, it’s best to stay here for a while, we don’t want to walk in on our best friend. Been there, done that” Richie said, shuddering at the memory.

Eddie frowned, “Yeah, I definitely don’t want that.”

A perfectly wrapped present that was sitting on the kitchen counter caught Richie’s attention. He pointed at it and said, “You got that for Bev?”

Eddie looked at it and nodded.

“What did you get her in the end?”

“Uh… I couldn’t decide, so I got her everything that you said. The M&M’s, the vanilla scented perfume and some nail polish” Eddie said.

Richie snorted, “She’ll think you’re trying to win her over with presents” but when Eddie’s eyes widened in worry, he added “She’ll love it. She’ll love you, babe, don’t worry.”

“What about your other friends? Mike and Stan?”

“Stan might need a while to warm up to you, but that’s just the way he is. Mike is the sweetest, friendliest and nicest person ever. So nice, that I sometimes wonder why he is friends with us” Richie said. He had a smile on his face that Eddie had noticed he reserved for when he talked about his friends, “You’ll have no trouble hitting it up with him, I’m telling you.”

Eddie nodded, but he didn’t look entirely convinced.  

“You’re still worrying about it, aren’t you, Eds?”

Eddie shrugged, “It’s kind of what I do, yeah.”

Richie’s expression was thoughtful when he said, “How about… we cuddle on the couch, watch some TV and forget about the party for a while? It’s still early after all.”

Eddie smiled gratefully at him and nodded.

Richie sat on the couch, while Eddie searched for the remote control. When he found it, he sat down as close to Richie as he could without actually sitting on his lap. Richie wrapped an arm around him, and after a few minutes of going over the different channels, they settled on a Grey’s Anatomy episode.

Richie wasn’t a big fan of the show, but Eddie had told him once that medical shows were his guilty pleasure and that he loved watching them, if not for the drama just so he could tear it apart for all the medical inaccuracies. He figured since the goal was to distract Eddie, he could endure watching an episode or two.

In the end he didn’t pay much attention to it, instead he listened to Eddie go on and on about everything that was wrong with the show.

“You think that the surgeons are the ones who do everything? Bullshit, I mean, in a real hospital you’ll see nurses and other hospital staff much more than you’ll ever see an actual surgeon. Yet they are the ones who take the scans, do the bloodwork, the physical therapy. The only time we see the nurses is when they are involved in the drama, like in season 1, when a nurse slept with George and gave him syphilis. After that was done, we barely see her again, not until she gets fired. And don’t get me started on the way they perform CPR, I mean-”

Richie would just stare at him in amusement, and nod and hum whenever he considered it necessary. They ended up watching two more episodes, and by the time they left the apartment Eddie was in a good mood and most of his anxiety over meeting Richie’s friends seemed to have disappeared.

On their way back to Richie’s apartment, they stopped to get the ice Bev had texted him to get. By the time they were on the elevator of Richie’s apartment complex, he noticed some of Eddie’s nervousness was back.

Richie stopped the elevator by pressing the emergency button, knowing he wouldn’t get in trouble for it since it had stopped working before he had even moved in. Eddie turned to look at him in confusion and he said, “Last chance, Eds. If you want, we can ditch the party and go somewhere else.”

Eddie stared at him, he seemed to be considering Richie’s offer. In the end, he shook his head and said, “I would never ask you to bail on your best friend’s party. And I already bought her a present and we are already here” he looked at Richie with a determined look on his face, “Let’s do this.”

Richie eyed him for a second, then nodded, “Okay then”. He pushed the button again and the elevator started working.  

As they walked towards the apartment door, Richie carrying the bag of ice and Eddie carrying Bev’s present, they could hear music and voices coming from inside the apartment.

Once they arrived at the door, Richie put the ice bag on the floor and turned to face Eddie. He cupped the other boy’s face with his hands, making Eddie shiver with how cold they were and then he kissed him. It was a soft reassuring kiss that made Eddie smile. Richie pulled apart shortly after but kept his hands where they were, thumbs rubbing the other boy’s cheekbones.

Then he said, “They’ll go crazy for you, Eds, just like I did when I first met you.”

Eddie blushed. Then he smiled softly at Richie and said, “Let’s go meet your friends.”

Richie nodded. He opened the door, picked up the bag of ice and stepped inside.

“Alright, losers!” He yelled into the room, “The life and soul of the party is here, let’s get this show on the road!”

Most of the people inside cheered and whistled, but Eddie also heard a particularly heartfelt groan.

Shaking his head fondly, Eddie took a deep breath and followed Richie inside.

Next chapter is when 6/7 losers finally meet!!! And don’t think I’ve forgotten about Bill, he will get his chance as well.

#reddie #reddie fic #eddie kaspbrak x richie tozier #richie tozier x eddie kaspbrak #richie tozier #eddie kaspbrak #beverly marsh #ben hanscom #stan uris #mike hanlon #minor benverly #the losers club #my work #my writing #i met you in the dark you lit me up #chapter 6

[maddermyth]

RCIJ 2020

Prompt: Not looking for love.

A/N: Hi @joylee56, thank you for your prompt, it has been fun writing to you each week. I’m sorry for the delay, I grossly underestimated the extent of the story and overestimated my time management skills. I must admit this is my first time writing fanfiction and there was no beta (so right now I’m crossing my fingers to even get this posted correctly), but regardless of this I hope you like and enjoy it. Thanks for your patience and for the inspiration amidst these weird times.

Rating: T there’s some imagery some would consider violent but nothing really significant.

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Unholy Requests

Night

There was a dead body on the floor. 

A man, his body in an obviously uncomfortable position, laid on a carpet that had seen better days. By all accounts tall and big, in a bodybuilding kind of way. Belle would bet that to most he must have looked attractive: blue eyes, dark hair, expensive if questionable taste in clothes. 

And she had killed him.

If asked how a woman of 5”5 (including heels, and they were quite high) had killed such a man, she wouldn’t know how to answer. To be honest, Belle couldn't remember how it had happened, she just knew it had been her. Guilt more than shock had frozen her at the sight the first time, but after a month of seeing variations of the same tableau everytime she closed her eyes, she was frustrated at the lack imagination of her dreams, or was it her brain’s stubbornness? Luckily it appears there’s no blood in the scene this time. She didn’t recognise the cabin where this always took place, and had never the opportunity to explore it since that first dream, but she was grateful this particular dream didn’t involved cleaning it as well. It had happen once.

“What now, dearie?”

Since the dreams started there were three people in them: herself, the dead body and for a reason she hadn’t figured out, the town’s landlord. Admittedly she had recently moved to Storybrooke and apart from the introductory batch of gossip that welcomed her, and taught her who was who in the small town, there were an alarming number of warnings against the infamous man. That he was a loan shark (not unfeasible since apparently many owed him money), soulless (had a no extension policy on rent, and was to anyone’s opinion a yerk for following it, the rumour about trying to evict the convent was always the main piece of evidence), possibly in the mob (inspired by his choice of clothes and frankly that sounded ridiculous, she quite admired his sense of fashion). However, the man himself seem to feed the rumour mill. From the way he dressed, to turning his pawnshop into his lair, dark and full of treasures people exchanged when desperately needing money. Owning more than half of the town, residential and commercial units,  he still make rounds on foot, and on complicated situations he even had a man for muscle Mr Dove. 

Belle thought it was some kind of apprehension born out of so many whispers that had made the man feature in the murder scene that repeatedly appeared in her dreams. But it didn’t fit, for all the town talked she couldn’t summon fear or nervousness the times she had cross words with the man. Admittedly, most of them were at the library with in either with family or doing some favour or other for them, it was hard to see the soulless aspect of his being then. As if her brain wanted to challenged her statement on dullness, as the dreams continued the same, the man himself started to transform. The only trace of imagination in her dreams had turned the man into a reptilian humanoid, even his clothes had changed, dressed now in leather and high boots. His eyes darker and larger than any human, scales in his skin sometimes reflection in greenish or golden hues depending on the light, and talons. It could be a shocking image and certainly she could imagine his renters running from him in that look, but the changes had happen so gradually that Belle could only wonder were the inspiration for it had come from.

With a weary sigh, because it was always the same: he would ask a mere formality and to encourage her to move, she wouldn’t wake up until the body was disposed, and the cabin would supply whatever they needed to get the job done, in some manner or other, it didn’t have to be neat and the golden skinned landlord always helped, but all the same, it wasn’t restful. She would wake up the following day tired, with aching arms and back… eyeing the pair of shovels laid behind the door she said, “We could try bury him in the garden this time.”

Morning

It was a mistake. He had been making many of those recently, but this one was a simple one to avoid and yet here he was. For weeks now Neal and Emma had had a rough time balancing work and a small child, so he had offered to take his grandson for a weekend and given them the keys to the cabin in the woods. The boy had a sweet tooth and it was Sunday, a trip to Granny’s had seemed like the perfect idea.

Since his son and now wife moved to town, the image of the impassive Mr.Gold, owner of most property in town, nemesis of the town mayor, loan shark and heartless landlord had taken a mortal wound, especially since four months after that his grandson Henry had been born. But years of people fearing him were working in his favour, even when he had his grandson by his side people still gave him a wide breadth. Today though, Miss Lucas had greeted him with a smirk on her face and a knowing look that had hunted him since he crossed the door. “Unusually early for a Sunday, Gold.” 

“If you don’t want customers this early you should reconsider opening hours.” He said with as much indifference as he could, strangely it took him some effort. “And miss my favourite customer? No.” There was that look again. “She is one of the few that rises with the sun regardless of the day, but of course you know that.” Oh. That's what this is about. Since Regina had the magnificent idea that the library was to reopen, he had opposed her. It took no more than the right thing said here and there before any council meeting. She knew of the intricate maze of mines that ran under the town, and knew that it was the safest place to keep his, and even some of hers, more unusual experiments. It’s secrecy and its contents one way or another benefited someone in town. That’s why they had agree to sealed the mines in the first place, with only one access point located in the town clock building, inside the library. However, a Belle French had arrived four months ago in the ship of Mrs. Finn. He didn’t pay attention to her, apparently she was a tourist, as rare the sight was in Storybrooke. But Regina had. And at some point Miss French decided to stay and become the librarian. He had try to put a stop on that but it was to late. He had made the mistake of making everyone aware of how much he loaded the idea. And then, he had meet the young woman, chatted with her whenever his found a solid excuse to into the library. The fight to close the building had since then remained restricted to paperwork. And that was unusual for him. And apparently, someone like the wolf-girl had decided to mock him for it. He must have let his face react because her smile only grew. “The usual? And extra blueberry pancakes for little Henry, after all he’s such an excellent wingman.” 

Either it was the implication that he was using his grandson somehow or that even though he enjoyed his time with Henry like nothing else, his reason to be there in the heart of town instead of his home spoiling his grandson was so easy to see, the comment rattled him more than he was ready to admit. And even though he was at the edge of leaving, he reminded himself everytime the over entitled waitress looked at him with the same smirk in her face, that he couldn’t let her win. It was still too early, they could avoid her (yes, it was now a team effort with Henry) and the wolf-girl would be set to right, or she still could come into the dinner and make the mortifying comment worthy.

Five minutes after their order arrived, and with his attention on trying to keep Henry from turning his breakfast into a Pollock piece, his cell phone rang. “Gold.”

“Hi pops!” a little too cheerful voice greeted. “Neal? Is everything alright?”

“Well... a couple of your friends had no idea of our ‘weekend far from the world’ plan and broke into the cabin.” Neal answered with a patient tone. “Something about needing a place to do an experiment?” In the background the distinct noises of Jefferson moving around the kitchenette could be heard. “Emma is trying to keep Jeff from settling in as he now thinks we need breakfast.” 

“Just send them to the store. I’ll be there in twenty minutes.” Meddling fools. After hearing a door close in the other side of the call, his son said “They wanted me to call you, you know?” A sight left him, after noticing the call had distracted him from paying attention to Henry’s anctics.“Their great talent is to pretend to be idiots, I bet they wanted to get through to me in the most effective way. Sorry son.”

“It’s ok, dad. Just keep them busy and happy until tomorrow? Probably give them their own lab, one of those storage units at the edge of the docks, huh? Where they can play and have fun.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Too close to the surface and to drunk sailors, that particular idea was discarded some time ago.  “I’ll keep them away. You just send them out and enjoy your day”.

After hanging up and turning his full attention back to the toddler, Gold was glad of his foresight of having a change of clothes for both himself and the boy in the back of the store. “You’re going to help me with those two, right?”

---

“Bluebell!” 

Hurrying down main street Belle stopped at the unusual nickname, there was only one person that called her that. Looking at her watch, still not too late Ruby was still on her shift, she headed to the two figures currently shadowing the front of the pawnshop.

“Jefferson, Dr. Whale.” Bear hug from one, and hand shake from the other. “Glad to see you again. How was the trip?”

“Successful if hours exploring are counted.” Answered the young man with a smirk and a wide movement of his hands. “Alas, not so much if the treasure had to be found.” 

“It was a waste of time.” While Jefferson had a flare for the dramatics, Whale drifted towards a general disposition of antiphaty. The later did a great job at not rolling his eyes constantly at whatever the first said. It was in itself an entertaining performance.

“That only means we’ll have to go away again and we took plenty of photos.” Said Jefferson with a boyish smile and already taking his phone out. “Want to see?” 

“I would love to, but I’ve got to get to the dinner.” She had taken to drop on early Sundays at Granny’s to have breakfast with Ruby. She’ll get worried soon.

“Has my favourite librarian replaced me already?”

“Madder, she is the only one in about a decade.” Belle still could not believe the library had been left abandoned for so long, not that it had been in as good as state considering once she started preparing it for opening.

Jeff did roll his eyes at that, “Still my favourite.” 

“Bet you already made friends in town.” the unusual small talk comment from Whale came with a look she couldn’t quite place.

“Since Ariel and you guys abandoned me as soon as we touched shore, I’ve had to look for alternatives.” Deep in her pocket her cell phone beeped. “Speaking of, if I don’t get to the dinner soon Ruby is going to think I’ve dropped dead or something. See you later. I’ll hold you on to it Jeff, to tell me all about this trip of yours.” “You have my word.” He swore with a hand over his heart and a seriousness to his expression, as she started to walk away. “Come for tea soon and I’ll tell you all about the places we visited.” He shouted after her.

Looking back with a smile at the comment, she fail to notice someone was exiting the dinner in time to stop, until a gentle hand held her at the upper arm. Startled, she turned her head back to come face to face with… well, literally the man in her dreams, and until the day before she hadn’t confide in anyone about that. His eyes though beautiful, were not the same, and was it weird that she missed in that moment those he sported at night?

“Oh, I'm so sorry Mr.gold.” Belle had to take a step back, noticing she had been staring. Avoiding the man’s eyes she noticed that he was carrying a very content and covered in food toddler. “Hello Henry, seems like you enjoyed breakfast today. Was Ruby in a good mood?”

“It seemed so.” The gruff tone of the answer had her looking back at the man’s face. No matter that the question was meant for the little boy, it seemed Ruby had been up to something. He seemed to realise then that it wasn’t a real question. “I- I mean like everyone else she looks tired but definitely entertained.” Was he blushing?

“It’s been nice to see you. I really have to leave you I’m already quite late but.. see you around.” She hadn’t meant for that to sound like a question. He nods, though. “Have a nice day Mr.Gold, Henry.”

“Good day, Miss French.”

 The tiny bell on the door, signaled her arrival. Quickly catching Ruby’s eye, she came to sit at one of the booths at the back. The dinner had quickly become a welcome sight in her short time in town. By now she could identified all those early visitors, a town routine that was more comforting than dull, perfect for people watching, until Ruby took her break.

At the bar, Leroy seem to still be drunk and happy telling a story animatedly to his brothers, who in turn seem more worried than anything else. A glass unceremoniously put on the table got her attention back to her friend. “Where have you been?” And she looked a little anxious, but it had been right, she look dead on her feet. “I was getting worried something had happened?”

“Good morning to you to Rubes. Got distracted.” Ignoring her friend’s look she explain. “After yesterday’s fiasco I went back to the library, do a little work, clean the back... and guess what?”

“Come on, just spill.” Ruby sat forward in the table, crossing her arms. A determined glint in her eye. “What happened? Did Pongo came to apologise to you in place of its owner?”

Her appointment with Dr. Hopper the day before had been a disaster. She had come to town, both as a break from her home but also because of the reputation of the man. He was known to be an expert at unlocking the human mind. She had been unfair with him, he had been doing his best and she too for months now but nothing had changed. She had decided to stay longer in town, and took on the job of temporarily put the library up and running. Yet,frustration had reached a high point the previous day. After a car accident with her mother, that left her motherless and with no memory of the entire week before, she had gone to more doctors and try even more therapies to remember that tragic day, that was recommended. And though the week had come, that day and the accident had yet to. Dr. Hopper was her last option, and he was failing.

“That’s not- It was my fault too. Archie was just doing his job, but it definitely wasn’t a good day for either of us.” If she was being honest, the man had also been at edge for whatever reason. It had motivated her to confrontation, a desire to fight still burning inside even now. “There was no need for apology delivering dogs. However, I was restless so I got to tamper with the old elevator in the library, and it works! I mean, I only got it to open last night so I went this morning and found a control panel.”

“Isn’t it like too old and dangerous? The library has been abandoned for years now, you remember all the work it took to make it presentable” Oh, she remembered and felt it for days afterwards.

“I know. But that’s why I went back today, inside there are just basic controls to go up and down, everything else is on the outside. And the panel seems functional but it needs a key to work.”

“A job for more than one.” she said nodding, a small frown forming. “And the mayor didn’t gave it to you along the ones for the library?”

“No, it wasn’t either with the ones for the apartment or the library clock. You should come with me when your shift is over, you are great at finding stuff.” Noting the way Ruby was sitting she added, “After you’ve taken a nap. You look like hell.”

“Gee, thanks. Yes, as much as I’d like to wake up Monday morning after trespassing into dangerous basements-”

“It isn’t that dangerous…”

“..I’d think you’ll have other plans for tonight. And in the meantime I get a proper rest.”

“What do you mean?

“There is an older gentleman waiting for you at the lounge, arrived late last night and lucky for him it was me and not granny’s turn on the B&B reception.” Slamming her hands to the table she started to get up. “Alright, take your iced tea and I’ll bring you your breakfast when it’s ready.” Since she was already waving her on, Belle got up from the booth and allowed herself to be guided to the hall between the dinner and the B&B. “Just move along, the man has been waiting long enough.”

The lounge was a small room with two sofas against the wall, facing towards an old looking TV on a small table. There was fruits and biscuits on the centre table. It was mostly empty but for a tall, large man sitting down in the corner of a sofa. He look small, hunched over his knees, but Belle would recognise him anywhere.

“Papa, what- how are you here?”

“Hello princess, not so happy to see your old man?” Looking up to her, she could see he had been having a hard time. He seemed paler, and older. His smile was honest but it didn’t reach far.

“Of course I’m happy, papa.” She said, coming into the lounge and hugging him, hard. After so long, and the nature of her parting, she hadn’t been aware of how much she missed him. Especially after the last couple of days, this was the best of visits. “Just surprised. I wasn’t expecting you here, least of all without notice. I almost imagined you coming back with Ariel in her sailing trip.”

“Oh, that would be dreadful.” Maurice French lost any trace of colour on his face at that.   “I’m not a man for the sea.” Guiding him to sit down, he took one of her hands in his. “I should have told you before but the flight messed with my notion of time and then it seemed better to just see you.”

“Are you ok? You look beyond jet-lagged, tell me you had a break before driving up here.”

With a sigh he let go of her hand, taking a sip of his coffee. “I did, petal.” Her father was acting weird, she knew he was stalling whatever he wanted to say. His hands kept turning the cup. “Things have changed.”

“I know…” Losing her mother had affected both, to a scale none of them were prepared to deal with. He retired from the company handing it to Gaston, and went to live in the countryside. That had felt as he had abandoned her, but she admitted she did the same, even before accepting Ariel’s invitation to come to Maine. She had spend weeks, chasing doctors, therapist, new methods, whatever clue to settle her amnesia. She could wait for it to happen naturally, even though many a person told her to have patience. Dr. Hopper was the last name in that list of options, and while her father had changed county, she had changed continent. And she knew there were no bad feelings, both agreed they were trying hard, in their own way to cope.

“Not just that. I was called into the office a couple weeks ago.” Softly he continued. “And I was just so ready to retire.”

“I thought you left Gaston in charge”.

“I did. But my girl, the fate is against us!” The booming voice of her father, startled her. A voice that was either happy in family occasions, or annoyed at work now had the taste of defeat. He looked so tired. “I missed you so much but by now I’m just happy you left. Not that I helped to make the decision a nice one.” It hadn't in any case an easy conversation.

“Don’t worry, papa. I understand why you said what you said. It wasn’t nice but I knew where they were coming from.” I wanted to tell you the same when you moved again, first.

“I hurt you. I forced you into marriage twice and one of those was just to keep you by my side. The thought of you going away, to America nonetheless so soon after your mother left us… As always, you made the right choice.”

“What happened?”

“Another bloody accident. Gaston crashed, apparently fell asleep while driving. Went into a coma but right before I came here he died. As soon as the crash happened I got called into the office again, there’s no one else prepared enough to handle the company at the moment, it was meant for him.” He looked up into her eyes at that. “You first, and since you refused it, him. It took me a while to get a break and come to tell you about it in person. I know you didn’t have the best relationship especially at the end but…”

“No, we didn’t. Still, that’s awful. And it doesn’t make sense, he was a freak with rules. He wouldn’t drive in that condition. Is someone with him?”

“His personal assistant, the man was half in love with him. And of course the company is going to cover the ceremony and burial. I’ll be in charge of that.”

“Good.” That’s all she could say, she knew she had to ask but she really didn’t want to listen to the answer. It had become easier to say no to her father, but not only had she missed him a lot, but she knew how much like a son he had loved Gaston. “Do you want me to go?”

“I’ve learned my lesson, princess. It’s your choice.”

---

“Our new librarian almost crashes into the dark lord of Storybrooke. Are you alright Gold?” At least he waited until he nearer the store to speak. Jefferson was his most talented hunter, he could find almost anything that he requested and bring objects he hadn’t considered. It was his talent what kept him in the job, but there were times Gold wondered if he was too patient with him.

“I’m perfectly fine.” Gold answered, moving his cane to the hand holding Henry. And unlocking the store’s door with the other. “But since you seem to be in a good mood I take it you found what I requested.”

“No such luck.” Answered Viktor. For the last past year it was the same answer. It was annoying but he couldn’t find it in himself to be truly bothered by now. Gold had resign himself to look for alternatives, yet they will require some time. If they could just locate this text, it all could be over by next month. “There was a trace, someone else that’s been looking for it but we hit a dead end soon enough.” 

“Almost literally.” Jefferson said, the little bell at the door marking the comment.

“So you failed and then claimed my attention by using my son, instead of just notifying me.” There was a small cot in the back room where he put Henry while going to find a change of clothes for the boy. “Don’t make me waste my time.”

“Actually, we want to try something different?” offered Viktor.

“We?” He knew what was coming, Dr. Whale and himself disagreed in method most of the time, moments like this led to a bet of sorts in which he currently hold the lead. Magic after all failed less than science.

“I want to try something different.” Oh, did he enjoyed the challenged in the eyes of the blond man.

“Do enlighten me.” 

“It’s possible we’ve been looking not in the wrong place but for the wrong thing.”

“Our deal is very specific.” He said with enough ice in his voice to remind the doctor that that wasn’t an option, his back to the man and back to the task of changing his grandson. In the background he could hear Jefferson looking for the scotch. He had the good manner of host, that one.

“Yes, I’ll help Jefferson locate this method Morpheus’ child used to become mortal. And in compensation I can run some tests on you.” Another mistake for the list, thought Gold. “And so far we have assumed is in a text, you said it had to be read aloud to be enacted.” He paused, giving him time to interfere. He has been learning Jefferson’s dramatics, that could be useful sometime. Turning his attention from Henry to the man Gold raised an eyebrow in questioning. “What if it is coded in another way?” the man continued. “Information hidden somewhere not in a physical object. After all, for everything we have learned we still have no clue of what Morpheus’ child was capable of.”

“You have an idea of where to look.” His grandson had grown since he bought the clothes, giving up on the jacket, he tried the sweater.

“More like a first place to tackle. The brain.” Done with Henry he turned his attention to the men, in time for Jefferson to handle him a glass, giving the doctor another. Gold nodded his thanks. “Your type is notoriously antagonistic of science, if the child wanted to hid the formula to turn divinity into humans it probably is where you don’t want to look or only reached by something you’d never use.”

“Dr. Whale are you telling me our next option is to go around opening skulls in search of some brains that do the trick.” Catching Jefferson’s eye he continued. “I never thought I’d lived to meet a zombie.”

“Brain activity while sleeping, not an outlandish idea let me assure you. However, since in the 24 hours I’ve been back, I’ve had people lining up in the street coming at me to help them deal with their insomnia...”

“Welcome to my existence.” 

“...I gather my best option, despite the atypical ancestry, are you.”

“As you have pointed out, I don’t particularly follow the same rules as you mortals. If there’s any information hidden in you, it most likely won’t be in me.”

“Do you dream?”

Usually, no. If he was honest with himself, he required less rest than most and when he decided to sleep it was a game of chance to dream something. However, the question gave him pause, because as of the last month he had been sleeping everyday and dreaming every time. It became an appointment, it felt now as its own small ritual. “Yes.”

“Then, what’s the harm in trying? It will be only one night. Although if you know of someone else that unlike the rest of the town can sleep for at least six hours undisturbed, we could try with them.” That’s not something he wanted the doctor to know.

“It’s hardly a request you can make out of thin air to anyone without having to explain something or other though, and those who would understand are affected by magic which by the same logic would affect the result.”

“Why do you think this would work?” Asked Jefferson, taking a seat on the main desk.

“The guy who was chasing after it, he got close and for unfortunate circumstances this type of monitoring took place. I just got lucky to take a peek at the results, unusual definitely not supporting of the diagnosis he was given.”

Give it to the man to be sneaky, any test was payment for his service, but he had promised it to Baelfire. Everything in order to fulfil his son’s only request. He had refused once upon a time, and resulted in decades of no contact. It was Emma and Henry existence that made his son sought him out. It was for them that Neal, as now he insisted to be called, had come back to ask for his help in ridding himself of his longevity, and subsequently the reason he was trying to give him another chance at being involved in his life as his father. And Gold could be honest, he didn’t want to do it, anymore than all those years ago. But Bae’s reasons made more sense now, and he had missed his son terribly. He promised, and if it meant giving into this man’s small victories he would play dumb. “When?”

“As soon as we get access to my lab.” There we go again. Their main lab, or at least the one where common projects was inaccessible at the moment. Since Regina had an unsuspected guard at the door. That left few options, either they involved the mayor and had access to the crypt, or they risked her knowing by going to the hospital, then there was Whale’s… “Your garage?” 

“Oh, that place is dreadful.” complained Jefferson. He had to agree.

“Not that one!” 

Whatever the doctor had going on in his home lab was a sore topic, everytime the man spoke about it there was emotion on his voice. Gold had made the point of finding out what it was, if only to know if any precautions were needed, or if he had to hide his link to Whale in case whatever he was doing attracted too much attention to all of them. The look Jefferson gave him, told him he wasn’t the only one wary of Whale’s displays of emotion. “The access through the mines hasn’t been possible, Dove estimates at least a month more of work.” Before he could be interrupted he added, “If we don't want to call attention of anything being done there.”

“We can’t wait that long.” 

At that Jefferson jumped from the desk, turning his head to look at each in turned he did his best attempt at controlling the mischief when he said, “So… are we sneaking into the library?”

“If I may” said a voice from the courting that divided the back room from the customer area. Archie Hooper, only psychiatrist in to, seem to startle at the intensity with which the three men were looking at him. Clearing his throat he offered, “Your best chance of that, would be tonight.” 

“Dr.Hopper.” greeted Whale.

“Jiminy!” said the other man with a little hop.

“Please, Jefferson. Don’t call me that.”

“What happens tonight?”

“Nothing special, I just heard in the dinner that a visitor has arrived and Miss French will be occupied as tourist guide. A better moment than most for you to get to the basement.” At one point Hopper was the man in charge of finding the objects he needed for his collection, a future deal, so satisfy Gold’s need of been the one to have them. He had been good even when his methods tended to be old school. After saving enough, he got into university and came to the town to set his own practice. Since then, cordial and ever offering his new abilities he rejected at every opportunity the possibility of coming back to this particular job. Like no one else in town he was aware of Jefferson’s real job, and Gold’s true nature. For whatever reason he never interfered. 

“Huh? I didn't know you still worked with us.” said the young man.

“You worked for Gold?” there was mild surprise in Whale’s voice. If Jefferson was thrifty and technologically and magically savvy, what Archie had going for him was the readiness with which people underestimated him. He felt himself smile at that.

“I did and I’m not.” and unusually cold tone in  the psychiatrist voice. “There’s something I’d like to talk to you about, Mr Gold. If you have the time.”

“I guess I owe it to you in exchange of the dinner gossip.” The man was obviously taken with Miss Lucas. Had he been there this morning? “You two, meet me here again at eight tonight.” 

Understanding the dismissal both men said their goodbyes, Jefferson’s accompanied by a wide arc of his arm and a bow, “Lock the door on your way out.”

Gold offered Hopper a seat and sat down on the cot, keeping a hand close to Henry. The boy seemed sleepy but it was better to be close. At least with the psychiatrist he could lower his stance a bit more than with his employees.“Be brief.”

“Do you realise he won’t work for you for much longer?” said the man with a nod to the door were the others had gone out. “His daughter will be born soon enough.”

“I know.” They had already talked about it, it wasn’t retirement, not completely but Jefferson had made it clear he wouldn’t accept any job that required he'd be away for long. One of the reasons he kept sending them, so they could find this spell either as a ‘text’ sooner rather than later. It had already taking a lot of effort and money to convince him to take the last two trips. “ Are you asking for the job? Is therapy not as profitable as you hoped?”

“No, just curious. Dr. Whale is not the type for the job.”

“Agreed. He is useful though. And a sore loser, and that’s always fun. Not of your concern, but Jones is willing enough. I know you have tried to talk to him about his many issues, but I warn you, don’t talk him out of the job.”

“On the contrary, opposite to Jefferson, he’ll be a better father for his daughter if he finally has a stable job. Which is the reason I’m here.”

“The Jones?” Well, that would be unusual.

“No, the issue of becoming a better father.” Ah, that. “Wait, hear me out.” The man seemed to collect himself, sitting straighter he continued, “Is this library heist and overall insomnia pandemic in town something to do with what we talked about Baelfire? Did you do something? Did you finally make a choice?”

“Do I have one?” There was no use in hiding the bite in the question. “I thought the whole point of what you said last time was that I didn’t have one but give him what he wants.”

“That’s not quite it. Is not about giving him what he wants, is about respecting his choices. And listening to him.”

“Even thought that means condemning him to mortality?” Rising his voice was a bad idea, specially with Henry this close. So he took a deep breath pinching the bridge of his nose.

“I thought he was mortal.”

“Shortening his lifespan then, if you want specifics.”

“You understand why he asked.”

“Yes, and that doesn’t make it easier.” He had just fed and changed the main reason. “As much as he doesn’t want to see the love of his life or his child die, he is asking me to do just that. I am immortal, I don’t have a choice.”

“He does.” said the doctor, not unkindly.

“Did you come here to repeat this conversation?”

“I wanted to know if all this mess is related to that conversation, and if the fact that it has lasted this long is because it is a hard task or you are purposely delaying it.” The man kept his posture rigid, drawing any bravery from it as he effectively berated him. It was … well, new. “If it is the second, I’m in the mind of arguing for the common well-being with you and ask you please to either stop it or finish it. And I know how suicidal it may seem to come and ask you this.”

At that, in any other company he would be right. “I’ll give it to you, therapy has given you the backbone that you so much lacked.” It was that comment that had the man hunching down over his legs “Why would you risk it?”

“I met someone more intimidating than you.”  

There was a story behind that statement but the day had already proven itself to be a busy one; on any other day, one of the many in his boring existence he would have give it chase. If only to know this ‘someone’. “And if I told you is neither?”

“Strange phenomenon that affects a whole town? If it is not your doing, you must know what is causing it and how to fix it.”

“It’s not me.” It was the truth, but he could bet his entire fortune that nobody would believe him. The sceptical look that Hopper gave him told him not even the psychiatrist could, but that at least he would try to play along.

“Do you know how to fix it?”

“No idea. It doesn’t seem the work of a curse but it escapes my understanding why would this happen. All of it, including your newest patient.”

“I was hoping it was your fault, specially because of her. If you were messing with her to free the library and give you access again to the famous lab, I could do something. I could help her talking to you.They are not normal dreams, are they?”

“No.”

“And you are actually in them?”

“Yes.”

“Does she know you are real in there?”

“What does she tell you?” Without the fight in him, Hopper had gone back to be a therapist and the look on his face made him feel younger than the centuries on his back could permit. “No, she doesn’t. She says it out loud repeatedly.” “It bothers you.” “She also spends a lot of time complaining about you.”

“You have to tell her, please.” The man was concerned about her. Gold knew from her and her ramblings about Hopper and his methods on her dreams, that she was getting increasingly frustrated. Yet, she still hadn’t shared what she wanted Hopper to help her with. And the psychiatrist wasn’t going to share that, too lawful and professional. He was willing, though, to come all the way to him, berate him, question him, demand of him and now plead to him. It must be draining him too, beyond the sleeplessness. “Make her believe. That way whatever is happening can be fixed. Either the source of the problem it’s she or you, if she has anything to do with it, she won’t be able to do anything about it, if she things it isn’t real.”

“I remind you that I was your employer not the other way around. You can’t come in here and make demands.”

“I can. This is unbearable! Not only I have a permanent headache, every single one of my patients complain of the same over and over again. And it hurts them in different ways. I’ve tried but nothing I do helps. Do you know how frustrating that is? Full moon is coming and… The only ones who sleep are you and Belle, if this dreams are real-”

“They are. It’s another realm, in fact.”

“Another realm then, if you can get there. Please just finish this.” He didn’t care about the town at large, or humans in general. He found himself more often than not, in a situation similar to this, blamed for whatever weird event happened in town. Only on some occasion it was actually his doing. However, Whale had said Neal and Emma looked tired, he had thought it was for the little tyke they had to deal with in a new town, with new jobs, but if this affected them too, it at least had to be checked. He needed to know what was happening if nothing else. And perhaps, the painful direct route of asking the god itself for what he had been looking could end this search he found himself for months now. His son could leave when he got what he came for, but it was Gold who acted like that. His son was better and he deserved a normal life. Hopper was right, he just needed to finish it.

“ Are you certain the library will be empty tonight?”

“You will be able to get to the basement without interruptions, the three of you. I can make sure someone distracts the French for long enough.”

“Go home Hopper, it’ll help.”

-

Night

This time around had been faster, the soil in the garden was soft and there was no need to remove the grass, the shovels were comfortable in weight and Belle had secretly changed her shoes to trekking boots that made it easier to help her companion. He was unusually quiet tonight, not to say he was always chatty. Only once had he talked until she started to get annoyed, mostly because he profusely disagree with anything she said, just for the fun of arguing. But even though he tended to be mercurial, he could also be funny in a darker acid way, that had her laughing freely at jokes she know would draw looks in the real world. So far the theory was that he reflected her deeper feelings, and today just seemed to prove it. With the news her father had brought and the pending decision to go back to Australia, if just temporary, had put a weight on her shoulders. Sadly, what she needed was a distraction from all that, and her imp was in no mood to help.

“That’s becoming easier” she said, trying to get his attention. “Practice makes perfect.”

“I don’t think it is meant for murder, or body disposal. Gardening though...” The rectangle on the garden was obvious, but it wasn’t meant to be perfect just functional. At least the dream required only practicality to end.

Flattening the raising soil, she realised it was the first time she ever did that. “This is unusual.”

“What is?” Everything in this dream. Today. The way you are behaving!

“Everytime the body is out of sight the dream ends.” 

“That’s when it ends for you?” His voice sounded deeper, more his real version than hers.

“Isn’t it the end for both of us? After all I’m dreaming you.”

“Right.” He said leaning heavily into his shovel, and he kept reminding her of the real man. It was a pose familiar to her, she was sure he only allowed himself to look that tired when he thought nobody was looking. Softly he added, “Wonder why me.”

It didn’t sound like a question, he didn’t ask for an answer to that. But she had the same question and hadn’t come to a satisfactory answer while pondering it awake, perhaps here she could answer it through him.“No idea.”

“Really? No theories of why it’s me here every night. Nothing to do with the tales of the beast of Storybrooke.”

“My job are tales among others, it would be impossible to believe wholeheartedly in all of them.”

“Ah, so why do you keep casting me as a murderer?”

“I do not.” If it was about casting, she had cast herself in the lead role. “You are here to help.” 

“Oh, so I’m a henchman.” He said with a light in his eyes. “Right… that’s new. Have you met Dove?” The smile in his face was teasing. “He is my henchman and looks like it to.” He turned to look to the freshly made burial, and with a self deprecating tone he continued, “Don’t know how an old, crippled man can be much muscle power”.

“Your limp is not always present here. And, you do realise that for this pit you did most of the work? “

“After a month of this merciless fitness program something had to give. My grandson certainly thanks you.”

“As if, it’d be great if Henry benefited from this, regardless how dubious that makes his grandfather. But, nothing here changes what happens out there?” She knew if was not common to be as conscious as she was within her dreams, and she had taken proper advantage of it. Being able to summon objects and change clothes, and wishing quite adamantly that no animal she was afraid of appeared while in the nightly task, she had thought she could bring her mother here, talk to her one last time. But it never happened. She knew this was its own bubble, never to influence reality not even by giving her hope.

“What if he could?”

“I don’t think writing these dreams for or telling them to a toddler is appropriate. Murder and all included.” she joked only to see the intent look in the eyes of her accomplice.  “Ok, let’s go along with it. Let’s say somehow you are Mr Gold, regardless of scaly shining skin, flickering limp, and reptilian eyes.” at that said eyes widen a bit, as if he hadn’t been aware of their appearance. “Oh yes, I’ve noticed. If whatever happens here affects day life. How did you get here?”

“I could always fall asleep in the sofa at my house but unless I want my ankle to kill me the following morning, I just go to bed.”

“Smartass.” He laughed at that. “It’s good to know you didn’t decided to infiltrate my dreams, I’d have to inquire after method and intention in that case.” The mere idea seemed like an invasion of privacy, but then, if this wasn’t her dream. Where were they? She hadn’t recognise the cabin they always appeared at, not the forest that surrounded it, or the lake half a mile out to the north. Looking around her she notice for the first time the beauty of it. Even in the dark of a crescent moon, the vibrant green colour of the leaves and bushes could be seen. “ When does your dream end?”

“At dawn, right at the point you expect the sun to appear in the horizon but not after. When the sky is changing colours some cold some warm all at war.”

“That’s… good.” Why did that sounded good? “It’s always night when I’m here. No light.” A chill ran up her back, noticing that the wind was picking up and they had stood long enough to lose the warm gained while digging. “Should we go back to the cabin? I don’t like to be so close it.” She said glancing towards the fresh grave. “I’ve never had to look at it for too long.”

He nodded, walking just a couple steps ahead enough to get the door first. “Do you believe in dreams?” he said, his hand still on the nob.

“What do you mean by believe?”

She could tell it took him a moment to decide what to say, but the moment he did it was clear, with a faint show of irritation he answered, “Anything other than explaining them as a chemical reaction produced by your brain.”

“Is Mr Gold not a pragmatic man?

“One more than the other.” He opened the door, moving to the side and with a tiny bow of his head. “Ladies first.”

“Before this month I used not to dream. Always wondered after what I read and heard about them, people tend to give them high significance. So, can't say I believe or not yet”

Belle stepped inside the cabin frowning at the darkness and heading to turn the lights on, even though she was certain neither of them turn them off when they headed out earlier. Since this was the first time she had the opportunity to explore she headed towards the farthest door opposite to the entrance. Her companion seemed unsure of what to do pacing slowly around the small living area. Letting him to his exploration she cross the door.

“Belle?" His voice sounded far away. "Miss French!" It was screamed and coming closer. Why was he so far away? There had been a scream, a loud one. Turning around taking in her surroundings Belle can only see forest, and it didn't make sense. nothing did. Feeling tears falling across her face, the image comes back to her. The room had been empty, no more than a couple of meters squared. In it laid another man, injured, dead and pretty familiar to her. And then she was here.

How? 

--

There had been a sense of trepidation since he found himself in that room with Miss French. A simple potion was needed to help him relax enough to sleep once they got in the lab with both Viktor, Jefferson and Henry. The lab and the dungeons well fitted to contain most kinds of experiments, from magic, to science and the mix of both. Due to the nature of it, there were compartments fitted to rest in between trials or in the occasional long process. And even though he could had left Henry with the Nolans, he felt wrong being to far away from the boy. He asked Jefferson to come and the man was as always over enthusiastic, perhaps seeing as a trial run of what it will be his life in a couple of months.

Despite knowing that for once there was a whole crowd keeping an eye on his well being (or at least the state of his body), or perhaps because of it, a restlessness had settled inside of him. Once the woman had claimed today’s dream was not going to plan, he knew to keep his guard up, however he hadn’t expected what happened after. He had noticed earlier the few changes in wardrobe that she sported while digging but this realm had different rules, and she was adamant that this was her dream, she could shape it to her will and he had been too distracted to call it for what it was. After she open that door, her scream send shivers down his back looking in her direction he only caught her silhouette disappearing. He recognised, after all he used it once upon a time before coming to the world ‘without magic’. Looking into the room he found the same man they’ve been dealing with for a month, admittedly in worst shape than most days but nothing that could motivate that reaction. Not now.

If she had the ability to jump between place in this realm, it was likely that she didn’t know to control it. After all, he had been here all this time by her side and she had never done such a thing. Morpheus would be able to easily locate them after her move, e needed to find her. Regardless if the confrontation with the king of dreams was something he’d likely avoid until he held the spell in his hands. Going to their tools, the last object she had been in contact for a considerable amount of time, he cast a spell to figure the general direction she headed. After all, she couldn't have gone too far.

It took him a while trekking in the forest surrounding the cabin to find a small earth path in between the trees, where the roots of the same were easier to see. It lead to a small clearing where she was. “Belle?” He called her name softly to not startled her. Walking to stand next to her he tentatively put a hand over her arm, he felt the strange impulse to comfort her but there wasn’t much he could do at the moment. He could use a little bit of magic now, after all they wouldn’t be alone for long now, so he magicked a jacket and gave it to her. She nodded her thanks. “What happened?”

“Didn’t you see?”

He did, it still didn’t explain her need to get away from it. A need so big she had done something she’d never done before. “It’s nothing you haven’t seen before.” he knew the tone was wrong, and not entirely the one he wanted to use but apart from accepting his presence she kept going inside herself. It was better now that she kept aware of where they were. “At least twice the man has been in a similar state to that before.” He was being honest, at least.

Slowly she raised her eyes to him with confusion, “That’s completely different.”

“How so?”

“Is a different person!” 

There it is, she was seeing someone else. “Who was he?”

“Stop this please, you know him because I know him.” She said heading towards the place he came from.

“I don’t, in all honesty. All I saw was the same man we buried all these days. It seems this is not true for you.” Her attention was in exploring the edge of the clearing. “So, help me understand, who is the man back there?” he asked trying to get her attention, it would be difficult to find her again if she transported herself.

“Gaston.”

“Boyfriend?” he ventured, the man didn’t look like a brother or other close family plus she had moved recently. It could be him Hopper had been talking about.

“Ex-fiancé.”

“Right.” She looked back at him, and he noticed he spoke aloud. “That’s- That’d be a shock, to see him like that.” It wasn’t only that, whether she believe it or no, the man was real. Had been for as long as both of them kept on coming here. Why were the three of them in this? “I’m sorry.” he added as an afterthought. If their visit to this realm had no end in sight, and there was already a visitor dead, whatever had kill him was likely to come to them eventually, after a month of playing the game was coming to an end. They needed to move to a better place, it wouldn’t do to be hunted and be standing in a small clearing in an unknown forest. “Miss French, we have to move.”

“Is it wrong that I don't want to go back there?” she said.“I don’t want to see him like that.” she added softly, looking into the forest were he had come from. She had found the slight earth path leading into the trees.

“It’s alright. You don’t have to.”

“We can’t leave him like that. I don’t want to but we should.”

“I’m not digging another hole tonight, and he is dangerous.”

“He is dead.” she said flatly.

“Exactly, he is dead and he is here.” And he was still too close for his liking. “That simply does not happen. Many a thing with appetite for human flesh hides in the corners of this place, within minutes we could be surrounded, specially since death reeks in this realm.” Nothing died here, everything just changed shape.

“Realm? It is my dream, no monster will come out that I don’t wish for it.” She moved into the path carefully avoiding the roots jutting out.

“And if t is a nightmare.” Going back was possibly the worst thing they could do, but he needed her to see it. Stopping right inside the line of trees the sound of the wind lowered and other sounds made the forest seem full of live, like never before.

“We are doing right by him, again”. It was said more to encourage herself to move further into the path, but a loud growl froze her. 

“No, we won’t. Listen to that, they have smell him.” and they were many, for the first growl kept being answered by smaller ones of different tone, and if the sound could be trusted, from multiple directions. “Humans don’t walk in this land, is dangerous for them.” He grabbed her hand and started to go back to the clearing.

“Then what am I if not human?”

Circling the clearing much like she had done just moments before he looked for a new path. “You are special. Unusual.” Keeping his use of magic low, in case they could follow them like that, was really frustrating.

“If humans can’t be here how do people dream?”

Before he could find any way out, Belle walked ahead of him, pulling him on still holding his hand, leading him towards one of the biggest trees in sight. 

“They are… when they are here you could call them ghost-like.” she kept walking straight to the tree with a determination that stilled his tongue on the possible crashing, instead he focussed on explaining further on, “if attacked they can wake up and nothing has changed, they are neither harmed nor do they benefit from the dream.” At the last moment she sidestepped the tree, continuing sideways as if in a narrow passage. He does the same, turning just so to keep in touch with her, if this was a passage it was best to make sure they both went out of it together. “You’ve been digging with me, deny that you woke up tired. Not just tired from restless sleep, tired as in all you’ve been doing here your body is going through it too.”

The uneven ground that so far had characterised the forest was gone. Just after noticing the change, they emerged from the trees still walking sideways into a field walled in rocks. In the horizon started a series of hills. “Whatever these creatures are… when I wake up I’ll see what they’ve done?” 

“If you survive them and that’s hard even with my powers, then yes.”

Keeping with the direction they had being walking, they entered the field. “What are you?

“What am I?” he said, making his voice higher giving her a clue of that which wasn’t human about him. “That’s unexpectedly rude from you.”

“Are you human?”

“Partly.” 

“Is the other part why you shine?” she asked, it could have been in jest but her eyes held true curiosity, still...“Shine?”

“Your skin…” she said vaguely gesturing with her hand towards his general direction.

“That… is part of a rather old curse.” A story only his son knew, for everyone else he had blamed the imagination on mortals and their inability to report objectively, specially about non-human creatures. Who said fairies looked like in those animated pictures? The doing of a young girl back in the turn of the century had cemented that image in modern imagination. At least before they had been more creative! “True enough the colour has to do with that part, usually scales are darker, and sometimes duller in a cursed human.”

“Can your powers help Gaston?”

“There’s nothing to be done. Nothing you or I can change, the dead do not rise.” The latest attempt he had witness was by Viktor, the man was as obsessed with it as all those that attempted it before him. None had a good ending, and Gold had been there to see each spectacular failure. It was better for everyone if such a feat remain unachievable. “Did you love him?”

“No. I think my father did, the idea of him as his son, and somewhere along the line but before it was too late I realised that that wasn’t reason enough for marrying him.” there was sadness in her voice, she was mourning but what? It didn’t seem she was fond of the engagement, “What other things can you do?” she asked obviously changing the topic.

“I only have to follow three rules, everything else is free land. Depending of course, on the land I find myself in. In this place I can only influence my own being, like getting rid of the limp to dig better, instead of magicking a pit.”

She smiled at that, “That would have saved a lot of time.” It seemed she was ready to drop the conversation, her mind probably going back to the cabin. The growls had muted once they got out of the forest, but Gold couldn’t help the need to turn back and check nothing had found them. After a moment though, her face light up with interest “Ok, listen to this. If all of this is real, how come you limp in the real world?”

Apparently this was turning into an extended inquiry, if he had the heart to shut her out he would have done it. As it was, he clamped down the voice in his head warning him of anyone so curios, and managed a smile that only to the keen eye seemed strained, “I don't like to draw attention, especially of other magical beings. I only use enough magic for the glamour.” sending her way a pointed look he waved over himself,  “The skin, the eyes.” 

“Is that how you looked before the curse? Did you have magic?”

She was sharp, not that it surprised him. It was one of the aspects he could admire about her, and that he had noticed while she dealt with the townsfolk. It could become a problem if they ever found themselves at odds. Knowing himself, he thought that would eventually happen. “Close enough. Of course I have to keep in mind what is appropriate clothing now. As for the second one, if I did I wasn’t aware of it.” He hadn’t been aware of a great many things back then. The weight of war, man’s capacity for cruelty and for standing pain. He got to know all of that eventually before his own magic and ancestry, but even in the dark he had had a good life, he and his son, a flimsy roof and less than enough food considered.

“Were you already near Maine, back then?” 

The ludicrous though surprised a laugh out of him, which he quickly tried to keep quiet. “As far as one possibly can be.” He knew for a fact, it was likely that back then the area was nothing but forest. At edge by the questioning into his past, he took the opportunity to turn the tables, after all, it was evident by now that she was the cause for all this upheaval. Did she know it? “Storybrooke is a good town for new beginnings, and renewing identities. Don’t you agree?”

“It’s welcoming.” the way her hands clench by her side told him his intention had been too clear, but she had avoided an answer to his real question. Belle liked subtlety in her worlds of fiction and frankness in words, another difference between her and the town she had come to live in. 

“Why did you come to Storybrooke? Surely, you could have enjoyed and thrived in the city, a small town can become dull after a short time.”

“A relentless friend who lives in town? A break from the city and its problems? All of the above… It was always meant to be temporal.”

“What’s changed?”

“I’m not sure. There’s another reason I moved here and it’s been a failure, and yet today I was… confronted with the idea of going back home.” they had finally reached the hill at the edge of the field and the sounds that filled the forest had yet to appear here. Belle headed towards the top, to look what was beyond. He hoped they still had time before something bad happened. “It felt wrong, the whole idea of going away.”

“It’s not time yet, then.” the pain in his ankle was coming back, as a numbness that made stepping a weird experience. It didn't bode well, to lose his magic so soon. Was it soon? It seemed as if they  were being hunted before, now he thought, they might still be, but the hunter was waiting for them to tire.

“Look!” Belle said from the summit looking forward. It sounded like good news. “We should go inside. They might not find us there.” stepping beside her, he noticed she was pointing at a small cottage around fifty meters downhill, there was light coming from its windows. He nodded, and both descended. It was clear it was small but apart from two tiny windows visible from the side they were approaching, nothing more could be said about it, the night still in full bloom made it hard to see much detail. 

“Oh, It’s very pretty.” there was a feeling in the back of his head that kept distracting him. Something was familiar about this place and while he took his time going around it, he could here Belle inside talking to him. “It is larger than it looks from outside. There’s two cots, do you think it is possible to sleep within a dream?” for a moment while he stood under the door frame looking at her exploring inside the land left his feet. There was enough light coming from the hearth and a candle in the only table. It was exactly as it had been all those years ago, except for the company. But the warmth that grew inside of him at the sight of the place only grew as the woman carefully and enthusiastically got to the only surviving object of that past. “And there’s even a spinning wheel.” she was looking at him with a small but real smile and his feet seemed to follow it on their own accord, until he was inside the building. “We could wait here, while those things roam outside.” something in his expression or his silence had called her attention, she probably assumed he didn’t agree with her. “There’s plenty of space. Are you alright?”

“This place… How is it here?” So far everything that they had seen was either new or familiar to her. Never to him, suddenly he felt threatened and an uneasy feeling started to crawl up his back, the same that had bother him in the field. They were being hunted.

“Where are we?”

“My home.” He looked her in the eyes, not wanting to put anything in words but he knew he failed at making her understand his fear at the situation.

“I know people love to exaggerate, but I’ve been told you life in a castle-like mansion…” she had been trying to hard to put a positive spin to almost everything they had experienced during this night, but he could hear the strain in her tone.

“I do. A three-storey building can inspire that description. This was before all that.” He allowed himself to come further into the small cottage. “Before the scales. Be careful of gossip though, a small town can become the underworld itse-” loud footfalls could be heard from outside and a young man ran in, closing the door quickly behind him. “Neal?”

---

With his hands still on the closed door and trying to catch his breath, Neal look up to them with a hint of surprise in them, “I’ve been looking for you.” 

“How are you here?” asked Gold, who was now in between both of them. Belle tried to listen for whatever it was that had Neal running like that, but there was only silence around them.

“A potion, like the one you used on her.” said the young man looking at her. “After a couple of days of neither of you waking up, I had to come and find out what happened.”

“Excuse me, what potion?” she asked. Did he said days?

“It was for him, but Emma collected it and apparently she shared it with you in one of Miss Lucas outings.” Gold answered walking nearer with a contrite look in his face. “It was a mistake, she’s still not very familiar with that side of my business.”

Apparently there were more than just curses and magical powers in this world of him. “So, you brought me here.”

“Technically yes, but it should have worked only once and never meant to completely bring you here.” A dreaming potion, then.

“It didn’t work out like that.” The first time in her life she dreamed and it was because of an accident with a potion, and she had gotten trapped in it for days on end.

“No.” He echoed softly. He never seemed to enjoy the dreams, admittedly he spend them doing hard work. Which at the beginning had been amusing if only for the contrast with the real man. But if he had been that man, it wouldn’t make sense for him to do any of that on purpose. It had been a mistake, that affected both and he was as sorry for herself as for himself.

“Were you intending on being there in Emma dreams?” The implication annoyed her, it didn’t seem right to accuse the man of that.

“No. Believe me son, I had no intention of visiting this place.” She had wanted to answer to Neal, he was crossing a line and this was his father. He could imagine the relationship was complicated but still. She was expecting something different, the sorrow and pleading tone of the reply shut her up. This man, that in both of his versions looked unreachable most of the time, looked tired, the sadness in his expression difficult to pass as something else.

“You have been lying to me then.” there was no surprise in Neal’s voice when he continued. “You were never going to help me”

“That’s not what I meant. The potion effects shouldn’t have involved me in any way.”

“You always do this, don’t you? You trick people into thinking you are working for them and then you are only working for you. All that business with Morpheus’ child and the spell you promised me, it is all a lie. You never intended to do it. Why are you really here?” Belle knew this wasn’t a conversation in which she should be present. The circumstances though, forced her to remain there and she couldn’t help pay attention to both men, the more loud and angry one became the other one became more pleading and defensive. 

“I never planned to come here, this is the last place where the spell would be. There’s no reason for me to be here.”

“And yet you are here with her, thanks to the potion you made. I bet the spell doesn’t do what you said, knowing you it will grant you power in this land, one of the few that is problematic for you.” The intensity in Neal’s eyes was off, a speck of cruelty. He looked young.

“You don’t believe that, please son. You know I’ve listen to you. I’ve been trying to do the right thing, even when it pains me.” If his skin was normal, she’d bet his knuckles would be white from the strength he was closing his fist, as if holding himself long enough to argue a defence. “And that includes giving you a normal lifetime with your family.”

“You want me to be there for you, regardless of the pain it would cause me to see my family die.” That’s when she noticed it, the anger and cruelty mixed at once. Neal was happy with his family, she saw them at the dinner, the way he looked at Emma and little Henry. That Neal had no reasons for this emotion, and he definitely looked older than this man. “You want me to become you and what? By then when I’m all darkness inside, you’ll give me your grand kingdom?”

“Son…” She was sure the man didn’t want to look weak in front of her, it was obvious he was that proud. But it was just as obvious the words had hurt him considerably, perhaps he had thought about it at some point. He closed his eyes, as if seeking focus. It was enough, she didn’t want to be there for more of that.

“Who are you?”

“What do you mean?” It could have been meant for either of them, and it was the young man’s reply that told her she had been right. He wasn’t Neal even though he looked like him.

“You are not Neal.” Gold’s head spun towards her at that, but thankfully he remained silent. 

“Why would you say that? Do you believe him?” he said gesturing widely with his arm towards Gold. “He’s not trustworthy, he will stab you in the back before you know it.” His eyes locked on her, and perhaps their cruel light was sharper at that. “After all, legends have been told for generations about him, deals with the devil and prices too high to pay.” Adapting a mocking and higher voice, much alike the first days of her dream version of Gold, he continued. “Let me introduce you to Rumplestiltskin.” A smirk appeared on his face. A face that was starting to look like another’s, similar but by now evidently not Neal’s. “If I were you I’d go far away from him.” Remembering the part he should have been playing he composed himself before adding, “My mistake was coming back.”

“I’ve made mistakes, it’s been a long life. I’d love to life it with you by my side, but not at the price of your soul.” He still couldn’t see it. It seemed a feature of this place, it had taken her according to him a whole month to see Gaston.

“Unbelievable!” The laugh of the young man was too loud for the small space.

“Neal wouldn’t say any of that. You look younger than him too. Who are you?”

“Oh, you are stubborn.” He seemed to consider something and asked, “If I’d ask you to leave, would you do it?” Belle just shook her head. “No? If you insist then the name is Morpheus.” Within a blink the young man, Morpheus, changed clothes, going for a long night dark coat. “And you are both trespassing. I’ll admit it, I’m impressed. For a human like you to summon a whole building from someone else’s memories is quite an achievement.” He was smiling towards her, sharp and friendless. “You even recognised me. But you’ve proved what I wanted to know. As amusing as you two have been. Imp, take it from me, you’ll regret keeping that deal with Baelfire.” With the simple sentence he dismissed the man he had been insulting, and his focus was on her. While he was having fun with Gold, Rumplestiltskin, or whatever his name was, he wasn’t planning on that for her. She raised her head and promised to herself not be intimidated by him. “And you, child. I’ve given you enough time.” The threat startled her companion into action, it took Morpheus a wave of his hand to freeze him in place. “Don’t even think it, spiky ears. Your magic is already too strained.” He looked back at her, “Answer me one thing, child. Was it all you ever hoped?”

“I don’t understand… What was-”

“You don’t understand… right. She said you were clever, brilliant even. I meant your inheritance, your claim for my kingdom.”

“I gave up my inheritance, my father gave it to Gaston.”

“Not that one. Listen! My kingdom’s share. The fool though he was looking for immortality, I admit you did a good job with him. You convinced him to do the dirty work and think it was his idea, it took me a considerable amount of persuasion to finally be convinced he was telling the truth in that regard.” Pointing at the still frozen man he added. “Once he proved useless you got him.”

Apparently Gaston had come face to face with this being’s anger, she couldn’t explain how such a simple man had drawn the attention of a god. But it was definitely the wrong kind of attention to attract. “Gaston was not a good man but whatever you did to him, he didn’t deserve it.”

“Of course you’d say that, that’s why I had you help me. He was awake, didn’t you know? Everytime you buried him or set him in the lake, he became a little more willing to talk.” She felt her face becoming red, of shame or anger she wasn’t sure. This being had her torture a man day after day. The pressure in her ears made it hard for her to listen to the rest. “He was here just like you two. But I think you humans called that a coma, there in your world. It was never a coma, never quite a pause but a long dragging ending.”

She was trying hard not to give into the impulse to lower her head with everything that was running in her head. In the chaos of her thoughts she noticed something and that kept her going. “He never felt asleep driving.”

“It shines through, that cleverness of yours. No. Not by himself anyway.”

“Why did you do it? Why are you doing this?” It was all too much, too much time and effort. Why had them doing that to the man? Why make him suffer so?

“Why? Because even though she left me, she was my child. My only child! And you killed her. The worst thing is that she gave her immortality away for you. You took her away from me twice. That first time, she said she loved you too much to see you die. She could never see that you were too much like them not to be driven by ambition. Did you get curious why she didn’t let you come here? What was she hiding? Did you then find out about this world and decided you wanted it? The ability to shape realities?”

“I’ve never killed anyone. Who are you talking about?”

“Colette was the name she chose. You don’t deserve to know her true name. She wanted you to have a choice, be human and mortal or be part of this realm as my grandchild, and third in line to the throne. But there’s a hunger in your kind, insidious and ravenous. Even though my daughter was a mortal, it was a long wait, wasn’t it? So you thought you could sneak here, and make yourself ruler?”

“How dare you?” Her voice was breaking and she could feel tears falling. Somehow her body had understood the situation before her mind; there was a slowness to the words he just said as she repeat them in her head trying to make sense of them. He was there looking at her, all the anger and cruelty she had seen, directed at her with great sadness mixed in between. He was breathing hard, just like her. It was the sharp emptiness in her chest that awoke her. “How can you suggest, even think, that I had anything to do with my mother’s death. I loved her and I’ve missed her every second since then. I’ve wondered why she couldn’t make it, I was in the car too, she could have survived too. Every moment I’ve asked why her!”

“Liar! You’ll die today. No more humans in my kingdom, they all can thank you for that. You are all wretched creatures. You’ll be the last meal of my pets for a long time.”

“Wait!” Rumplestiltskin said, trying to move in between but whatever glitch in Morpheus’s spell that allowed him to talk hadn’t been enough to allow him to move. “We can prove she’s innocent.”

“I won’t allow you to trick me.”

“That won’t be a problem. You are actually the only one that can acquire this proof, you can’t doubt its validity since it’s your job’s result. If you are convinced by it as I believe you’ll be, let us go back. I know you don’t trust humans, and I understand but as bland, idiotic or cruel they can be not all are the same. Belle is your grandchild and your daughter loved her, if just for that give her a chance to prove her innocence.”

“No tricks Rumplestiltskin, or I make this longer than either your sanity or darkness can stand.”

He turned as much as he could his head towards her a question in his eyes he didn’t make. “You were able to access my memory to bring this place.” With a cold tone he address the god. “I take it then you can do that too.”

“Undoubtedly.”

That’s it! “Can you access memories the owner can not? Like amnesia.” She asked.

“That’s different. This is a copy of Rumplestiltskin's first home and it is based on his memories not on the reality that inspired it. Most of it is similar enough, but the hearth there is from later on in his life, around the time Baelfire was born. You need the other person to remember to access their memories. If they can’t you can’t.”

“And if it wasn’t natural amnesia?” Rumplestiltskin asked, pointedly not looking at her direction. “Can you lock someone else’s memories?”

“It’s unusual but possible. I haven’t done such with her. What does this questioning have to do with anything?” Morpheus replied impatient.

“It was a car crash. It was natural.” She added.

Still not looking at her he explain “Your mother came to talk with him after she gave up her mortality. Never in your life you had access to this realm, not even in the capacity common to humans. It is possible she could do this too.”

“Why?” It made no sense.

“You are her child. If she did this, could you get to the memories of the crash?”

“I would see them but not unlock them.” The young man looked at her, all the feelings still visible in his look, but locked away brewing and not longer in the surface. “If what I see is convincing enough and you live, you still won’t remember until you learn how to undo her work, if she did it. What it’d be? Remember that if you did kill her I could see that too.”

“Are you sure about this?” Belle asked her companion.

“It is our best option. You can do this.”

It didn’t make sense, she wasn’t the one doing anything. And yet turning to face Morpheus, she took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. “Do it.”

The headache started at the back and advanced to the ears feeling akin to high pressure, every sound muted at the same time the pain increased and expanded inside her skull. She wanted to not react, she didn’t want this being to see her flinch. So she focussed in his eyes, which obviously looking in her direction were nevertheless lost, not entirely seeing her. The eerie feeling of such a look help her to stand the pain as it finally hit her forehead and lowered to the back of her eyes. She knew she wouldn’t keep awake for much longer, the corners of her sight going dark. And she couldn’t be sure if he had indeed given her a chance to proof her innocence or if this was him killing her. But she was sure she wouldn’t forget the moment he saw her again, and the sadness in those eyes didn’t belong in a face so young.

---

“Gold!” 

“Finally!”

The place he awoke in was entirely too familiar, dark and with a faint smell of chemicals, the lab in the dungeons was just the same as the moment we went to sleep. His company was apparently just the same, and he had to admit even just to himself that it was nice to see the pair of eccentrics again.

“Why does it feel like I’m made of stone? What did your machines do Viktor?”

“What did they do? What were you doing?” asked Jefferson with a mix of worry and indignation so balanced in his voice that made Gold certain he had been practicing for the future child of his.

“It’s been… almost 60 hours since you went to sleep.” answered the doctor going back to the machines now that he was awake.

“Henry?”

“He enjoyed the tea party I prepared.” said proudly the jumper. “But his father came the following morning to collect him.”

“Neal has been worried. Specially since you passed the two days mark.” the sound of typing accompanied the comment.

“If it weren’t because Mr French was starting to lose it at the dinner…” said Jefferson with a role of his eyes. “Emma and Neal had been taking turns checking on him, you and Henry.”

“Is she alright?” there was no use in giving details, if he had been asleep for so long so had she, and probably with her father staying in the dinner everyone in town would now who he meant.

“She probably woke up at the same time as you, I’ll call.” offered Viktor.

“Or you can go and wake the town’s own sleepy beauty.” he had to roll his eyes at that, which only made the young man laugh.

---

After almost three days spent sleeping, three days in which her father had drove the Lucasses into a frenzy and almost given himself a heart attack, it had taken weeks for them to find some sense of normalcy. The women had been lovely, taking care of and distracting her father but the three of them had taken to be too protective of her and that had started to drain her. Neal and Emma had been great with her father as well and they had taken to drive him around showing him all the nooks and crannies of town, a knowing look from Emma that told her to take that time for herself. 

And she needed it, all that had happened had shattered her vision of what was normal, she had spend more time that was probably good revisiting her childhood and her memories of her mother, to see if anything unusual was there. It took her awhile too, to understand the part of Gaston in all of it, if Morpheus had been right the man had known about her mother and had killed her. Thankfully it didn’t took much effort to convince her father to stay longer, of only for him to miss the burial. He didn’t need to know the man he loved as a son had killed his wife, but she wouldn’t let him go to the ceremony as petty as it made her. Maurice had taken the extension as an opportunity to convince her to come back, even if he claimed he had understood her decision in the past he argued he couldn’t do much from afar if something happened again. The question about leaving was small but had ingrained itself in her mind, she needed something to kill that small doubt. After all she had said to her father to not hope much in that regard.

And yet, amidst all of that she hadn’t seen her friend since the incident. The store had been closed for a week and then she hadn’t had the time to go in. Neal said he was fine when she asked but that was all she knew. The experience hadn’t been good for him either, even if it wasn’t Neal who confronted him, she had seen how much the accusations had hurt him, and how much he believed them.

That day her father was chatting animatedly with Mrs Lucas and with both completely distracted she took the chance to go to the pawnshop. 

The bell at the door announced her entrance. The man appeared a couple of minutes later from the backroom. “Hey, Good morning.”

He smiled as soon as he recognised her, “Good morning, Miss French.”

“Are we going back to that?” she raised an eyebrow for emphasis, in her mind the dream had erased the need for that kind of formality. “You can call me Belle if you like.”

“Alright Belle.” he said stepping in front of the counter hands over the head of his cane. “What brings you here today?” 

“You haven’t visited the dinner or library in a while, and considering that the dreams are over… I though we might have a chat pending.” she hadn’t been sure what she wanted to talk about but seeing him standing in front of her looking down at his hands, she knew.

“I though it better to give you some time, to process everything that happened. And there was your father…”

“I understand. I needed that time. But I wanted to make a deal with you, Rumplestiltskin, if interested of course.” Better to make sure they were in the same page to treat everything that happen as real, the use of his true name would do it.

“You wanted to talk business.” His smile became smaller, but he looked up to her again. It was easier for him to do so when he close off a little. Did he expect her to agree with Morpheus on his opinion of him?  “What deal do you have in mind?”

“I still don’t remember and you are still looking for my mother’s spell.”

“But, you see, a deal is possible when one party has something the other one wants, and we know I can’t give you your memories nor do you know where is the spell.”

“True. Yet, we are each other's best chance at finding what we look for, you can teach me how to control my powers, and I offer you my help in your search. She was my mother, I might have a better chance than your rock band members.” She hoped he understood what she was saying, with a smile she asked, “What do you say Rumple?

A brief war passed through his eyes, and how did he became so infamous when he was so easy to read? “They do look the part, don’t they?” The smile returned to his face, “I’d be glad to continue being your henchman.” 

There were too many reasons to stay.

#RCIJ 2020 #Joylee56