#i call her queenie or miss girl

[toruland]

I had to reread your post like 4 times before it hit me who Queenie was

LMAOOOO

i don’t like calling her what she is, it feels so vulgar 😓💔

(the pussy talk part was a reference to the song cause that’s what i immediately thought of before i said smth)

#i call her queenie or miss girl #depends on whatever comes out first #bee mootie #૮꒰˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶꒱ა ° ᡣ𐭩 . ° . — chatting!

[tateslilb]

˚ ₊ ‧ ༉ ✧TAKEN BY THE WIND ✧ ༉ ‧ ₊ ˚

Post death-Kyle spencer x fem!reader

(Kyle takes a liking to the sweet witch who moves in to the academy)

(Warnings: unedited, fluff, sad emotions idk)

(Words: 1444)

* ・゚☆ 。・ * ・゚★ 。・ * ・゚☆

“Why do I have to go.” I ask my sister, my eyes stinging from the nerves.

“You need help controlling your power. You can’t keep risking your life for others at every inconvenience.” Misty says as we walk through the gates of the academy.

“That’s literally what I do. I’m a people pleaser. I can’t do anything for myself, greed has no power over me.” I smile softly. It’s a blessing and a curse, having so much power and yet so little control over how I use it. I can’t do anything out of a selfish act. But I still end up hurt at the end of the day.

“Which is why miss Cordelia is going to help you. Ok?” She smiles adjusting my shawl and knocking on the door. I nod in response and the door opens.

“Hello, you must be y/n, I’m Cordelia, misty has told us lots about you.” The blonde haired woman smiles as she reaches her hand out to shake.

“It’s very nice to meet you miss.” I say shyly.

“Now, now no need to be shy, why don’t you come inside, the other girls are so excited to meet you. It’s been a little chaotic around here these past few days and your sure to bring some happiness to the lot of them.” She says and escorts me into the huge White House they call a school.

“Girls I want you to meet y/n the newest addition to the academy.” Miss Cordelia says as we walk up on a group of 4 girls at a long table.

“Hi, I’m Zoe.” One of the girls with light brown hair says with a slight smile in her eyes and I return the favor as the others get out of there seats to say hello.

“Maddison Montgomery.” A slim girl with blonde hair says intimidatingly sticking out her hand for me to shake.

“H- hello.” I say quietly return the gesture.

Nan and Queenie introduce them selfs next causing me to smile. I can sense the vibrant energy off of the two of them and I smile feeling the same from Zoe as she gets closer, finally leaving her seat at the table.

“Girls why don’t you show her to her room and help with her bags as I talk with misty.” Cordelia insists and I’m taken up the stairs by the girls.

“So here is the room you’ll be staying in, we’ve been putting Kyle in there but he can sleep on are floor or something.” Says Madison to Zoe and I, causing my brows to furrow.

“I don’t want to remove anyone from there rooms, I’m fine with bunking, me and misty shared a room at her home for years.” I smile confused at the girls nervous looks towards the thought of me bunking with the Kyle the brought up.

“Are you sure it’s not like Kyle has any choice in the matter, he can’t even say no.” Madison laughs and Zoe lightly smacks her hand in annoyance.

“I’ll be fine.” I say trying to lighten the mood and they open the door. As I get a view of the room I see a blonde boy on seated on the bed with headphones covering his ears and he hums quietly along.

Madison marches up to the boy and forcefully pulls the headphones of his head causing him to flinch a bit.

“Kyle this is Y/n Day she’s going to be sleeping in the bed over there.” She says pointing to the other bed in the room.

“You have a roommate Kyle isn’t that fun.” Zoe says with much more kindness in her voice but I can still sense the panic in the boys dark eyes.

Zoe waves me over to them and a slowly make my way over to them and Zoe delicately has me sit next to him on the bed to introduce myself, but instead of using words first I softly place my hand over one of his and help him calm down with a tap of my finger to his palm. He looks up at me surprised and I smile.

“Hello Kyle, I’m y/n.” I say and his eyes light up.

“Y/n?” He says raising a hand to my hair with a bright smile and I lightly laugh at the gesture.

“Kyle can speak, but it’s hard for him after what he’s been through.” Zoe explains and I look up at her not being able to shake the familiarity I get from the boy. Madison walks up to Zoe after being gone from the room for a moment and tells her something.

“Kyle we’ll be right back ok, miss Delia wants y/n down stairs.” Zoe says and Kyle nods. I get up and wave good bye seeing the sweet smile he has as he watches me leave.

“He seems familiar to me, is that weird?” I ask as we enter the main hall downstairs.

“Not at all actually, I see you’ve met Kyle again.” Cordelia says and I look to my sister confused.

“Again?” I ask.

“He was the boy with the scars from a month or two ago. Remember. That’s how I knew to bring you here. When Zoe explained where she was staying, when she brought Kyle, l told her about you.” She explains and I think back to that day I came home to find a random boy covered in mud on my bed.

“Wow no wonder I didn’t recognize him sooner, he’s made so much progress.” I said my eyes lighting up and misty looks pleased knowing she had done good work on healing the boy.

“Well now that we have all that explain why don’t we eat before misty has to go.” Cordelia says and I feel that pit of nerves in my stomach again. I haven’t been away from my sister in a while. Being 19 years old and unstable with my emotions, I was not gonna do so well with her away from me I feared.

When she left later that night I couldn’t control my outburst of emotion so I quietly walked up to my shared room and sat on the bed codling my shawl she made me. Silent tears dripping on it in a rapid stream. Kyle was to distracted by his music and headphones for him to even notice my distraught state.

Or so I thought.

I feel a dip in the bed next to me and look over to see Kyle reaching a hand up to my cheek.

“Why cry?” He asks quietly.

“My sister has just left me here, I miss her very much Kyle.” I say smiling through the tears as he attempts to wipe them away. He takes my hand and places a finger to my palm and I notice him trying to replicate my calming spell from earlier. I smile at the boys gentleness and hold his hand in mine stopping his failed attempt to calm me down. He looks up at me and takes my finger placing it on my own palm. His eyes looking desperate.

“I’m sorry Kyle I can’t do it to myself. I can only help others.” I smile and he frowns.

“It’s ok. I’m ok.” I reassure him but he still looks sad. His eyes suddenly brighten and he gets up heading to his own bed only to rush back with his headphones and tablet in hand. I look at him confused till he places the headphones softly over my ears and points to the tablet. I think I have an idea of what he means so I look up my sister and I’s favorite song. Rihannon by Fleetwood Mac. I smile at the thought of us spinning around the room listening to the entrancing voice of the white witch. I look to Kyle who now has a big smile on his face noticing my tears have stopped.

I remove the headphones from my ears and he looks confused till I remove them from the tablet as well letting the soft music play through the speaker. I grab his hand and I lay down looking up at the ceiling closing my eyes content with the sound.

I feel an arm slightly resting on mine and peek over to see Kyle laying beside me mimicking my closed eyes and calm demeanor. I smile to myself and hum along to the music as I drift away to sleep as the boy with the beautiful soul lays next to me feeing the same calmness he hasn’t felt in a while.

#kyle spencer #Kyle spencer x reader #American horror story #American horror story coven #coven #ahs coven #ahs #misty day #franken kyle #evan peters #x reader #fluff #Kyle spencer fluff #Stevie nicks #fleetwood mac #Spotify

[mxlti-fand0m-imaginess]

Not So Secret Crush // Madison Montgomery

request: “hi could you do a madison montgomery x (fem) reader. madison is obviously very dominant but maybe every time the reader comes in madison is just very submissive and just like 🥰🥰”

“ok what about a fluff for madison montgomery (x fem reader) where madison is always going into the readers personal space and the reader retaliates by kissing her??”

prompts: none

summary: you’re new at miss robichaux’s. madison is not looking forward to another person moving in, but the second she sees you she completely changes her mind. she’s absolutely smitten with you, and thinks she’s doing a good job at hiding her feelings. she’s not. you know exactly how she feels about you, and what you’re going to do about it.

warnings: language, slight arguing, invasion of personal space, kissing, not proofread

word count: 1k

a/n: fem reader, very ooc madison. these requests were both from 2021 and i am so so sorry to the people who requested that i never go to these! i just realized i have a lot of old requests so i’m gonna try my best to get through them!

You walked into Miss Robichaux's Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies clutching your small duffle bag containing everything you owned. You had just recently discovered you were a witch, and when your parents found out they freaked. Before you knew it, you were kicked out with practically nothing to your name.

Somehow, almost like magic, a flier for the school flew straight into your face while you were sleeping on a park bench. It startled you awake, and something in you said you should call. One thing led to another, and just a few days later you were enrolled and moving in. The headmistress, Cordelia Goode, gave you a date and time and told you to simply come on in. She was far too busy to show you around, and said one of the other girls there would be able to show you around instead.

Which brings you to here, walking down the long entryway, and heading towards the group of voices you heard. You could tell they were bickering, but you couldn’t make out the words until you got closer.

“I’m just saying, it’s starting to get way too crowded in here. I mean seriously, soon we’re going to start having to share rooms. And I need my space.”

“Girl, shut up. You complain way too much.”

“How dare you? Am I seriously the only one upset that another ugly hag is moving in here? I mean r-,” the blonde girl whole was speaking trailed off as you entered the room.

“Hi, I’m y/n. I’m new here. Miss Cordelia said one of you would be able to show me around?”

“Uhhh, uhm,” the blonde girl stuttered, staring directly at you.

“Madison, did you forget how to speak or something? Don’t mind her, I’m Queenie. The bitchy one is Madison, that’s Zoe, and that’s Nan.”

Nan smiled and waved at you, and you smiled back.

“I’d be happy to show you around,” Zoe said, starting to stand up.

“I got it!” Madison said, practically jumping out of her seat to walk over towards you.

“Ok then,” Zoe mumbled, sitting back down.

Queenie, Zoe, and Nan all started at Madison, bewildered at how different she was acting. You, however, didn’t seem to notice since you were unfamiliar with Madison’s usual attitude. Madison placed her arm around your shoulders and began showing you around the house.

“And here’s our last stop. This is your new room. Mine’s right over there,” Madison said, pointing to the room next door. “If you need anything feel free to come ask me!”

“Thanks! And thanks for showing me around. I don’t know what Queenie was talking about, you’re not bitchy at all,” you said, laughing slightly.

“Oh, you know Queenie. Always joking like that! Well, I’ll leave you to get settled in. See you around!” Madison said before she started walking away.

You went into your new room to start unpacking, and Madison went back downstairs to the living room where everyone else was still sitting.

“What was that Madison? Since when are you nice to the new girl?” Zoe asked.

“Just a few seconds earlier you were complaining about someone new moving in and then you just volunteer to show her around? What is up with you?” Queenie added.

“There’s nothing up with me. I was simply being nice. Is there something wrong with that?” Madison said, rolling her eyes.

“For a normal person, no. But you’re the resident bitch, so yes there’s something wrong with that,” Queenie said.

“Oh my god!” Zoe gasped. “You like her, don’t you? That has to be it! You’ve got a crush on y/n!”

“What are you talking about? No I don’t. I treated her like I do everyone else. What is your guys' problem?” Madison replied.

“Yeah sure, we’ll see,” Queenie said.

The days went by, and Madison became exceptionally clingy towards you. She was overly nice, and offered to do things for you. She always tried to sit next to you whenever she could, and would get pissed off whenever she didn’t get the chance. You were a little confused with how everyone else would talk about Madison, because she seemed so kind to you. But eventually you began to put the pieces together.

She had a crush on you. It wasn’t very hard for you to figure out either. She was always close to you, and she was constantly invading your personal space. She would hug you practically every time she saw you, and she would sit as close to you as physically possible. All of that, plus the fact she was a bitch to everyone except you, made her feelings for you extremely obvious.

You and the other girls were having a movie night, and decided to have a sleepover in the living room. Nan sat on the floor, and Queenie and Zoe sat next to each other on the couch. You were curled up in a chair when Madison sat down beside you, squishing the two of you together. You tried to keep your attention on The Craft, but you could practically feel Madison’s eyes burning into you.

“Madison,” you whispered.

“Yeah?”

“You’re staring.”

“Huh? Oh, sorry,” she mumbled, turning to look at the movie.

“You know, you’ve been staring at me for a while now, and you’re always in my space. And I think I finally figured out why.”

She turned to look at you again, meeting your eyes. She looked slightly nervous, which definitely wasn’t normal for her, meanwhile you had a smile on your face.

“Oh yeah? Why’s that?”

Instead of responding, you leaned over and kissed her. You felt Madison tense up, before relaxing into the kiss, and placing her hand against your cheek. You smiled into the kiss, and when you pulled away for air, she tried to follow your lips.

“So, was I right?” you asked.

“Well that depends. Do you feel the same?”

“Yeah, I thought I kinda just made it obvious.”

“Then yes, you were right.”

You smiled and kissed her again. A few seconds later the two of you were hit with a pillow. You broke apart to see Queenie looking over at you.

“Gross, get a room.”

tags: @jamespotterslover @rottenstyx @hallecarey1 @evilcr0ne @milly-louise

#imagine #imagines #x reader #oneshot #fanfic #fanfiction #american horror story #ahs #ahs coven #american horror story coven #madison montgomery #madison montgomery imagine #madison montgomery oneshot #madison montgomery x reader #ahs imagine #ahs x reader #ahs oneshot #madison montgomery fanfic #madison montgomery fanfiction #ahs fanfic #ahs fanfiction #american horror story x reader #american horror story oneshot #american horror story imagine #american horror story fanfic #american horror story fanfiction #ahs coven imagine #ahs coven x reader #ahs coven oneshot #ahs coven fanfic

[neonlight2]

Jaehaera Targaryen (OC) x Daemon x Rhaenyra

(And someone else… who will be a surprise.)

Trigger warnings: mentions of SA and abuse, Smut, wlw smut (if you don’t like bisexuals or lesbians— wtf are you even doing here. Get out.), implied p in v, oral (fem receiving), fingering, voyeurism/exhibition, praise and degradation

Lemme know if I missed anything… enjoy. Don’t worry, there will be some more later on, so don’t be disappointed if your ship wasn’t necessarily fulfilled.

Sneaking away with Rhaenyra and Daemon. (Masterlist)

It was a regular occurrence. Sneaking out with Rhaenyra and Daemon after a strenuously prim event became second nature. Surprisingly enough, it was Rhaenyra’s idea in the beginning…

“Are you daydreaming without me Queenie? Or are you searching for the right question to ask?”

“Would you ever— never mind.”

“Hey, cut that shit out. I always want to know what’s going on in your mind.”

The Princess let out a light laugh at Jaehaera’s shameless cursing. A habit picked up from Daemon no doubt.

“Would you ever like to go back in town, deep into town?”

Grinning knowingly at the ivory strands framing Rhaenyra’s face, she brushes them aside to avert the girl’s gaze. “I’d love too.”

An obvious joy flashed across the older girls face before concern swiftly took over. “Are you sure? You don’t have to do it for me, or Daemon, we understand—,”

“Nyra,” Jaehaera cooed in a sing song voice. “I want to go. There’s no need to fear my past.”

Not to mention she had already prepared herself a few days before because Daemon asked her the same thing.

The first time they went was utter chaos and filled with debauchery. Drinking, watching vulgar plays, and Daemon did quite a lot of whoring. All while Rhaenyra and Jaehaera talked, watching colors fly after taking a heavenly drug.

However, the last time they went, Rhaenyra was inevitably banned, Daemon was exiled, and Jaehaera… well you’ll see.

***

“Where would you like to go today my princess?” Daemon asked in his regular flirtatious tone, holding Rhaenyra’s hand in his while desperately trying to get ahold of the raven haired girl walking in front of them.

He’d started to call her “quick-feet” from time to time, due to how fast she managed to wander from them.

“We always pick—,” Rhaenyra replied, glancing between her two companions. “Where do you want to go Issa qēlos?” My star

Jaehaera stopped in her tracks, causing both Daemon and Rhaenyra to crash into her back. A small grunt left them after.

“What’s the matter Jae?” Rhaenyra asked, letting go of Daemon to peer around the girl— who had surpassed her height, closing towards Daemon’s every day.

And while Jaehaera moved far to quickly for either of them to follow her line of sight, it was enough time for Daemon and Rhaenyra to recognize the shift in her demeanor.

“The brothel.” Jaehaera answered before leaving totally, letting her body weave through the crowd like thread to the eye of a needle.

Within seconds both Targaryens we’re equally confused, curious, and oddly cautious as they tried their best to follow suit. Glancing at each other amidst the chaos, there was a collective understanding: whatever caught her eye was dangerous.

Perhaps to her, to them, or hopefully— to itself. All they knew was it was enough to drag her attention away from them. And while individually, she would feel more inclined to entertain herself, Jaehaera had never voluntarily left them whilst together.

They didn’t even have to enter the pleasure house to hear it’s contents. Lewd moans and vulgar slurs echoed outside the building, along with the clinking of coin, which hung in bags off the furniture and bodies spread out about the place. Daemon was used to the debauchery, so the crude behavior did nothing to sway his attentions, but Rhaenyra couldn’t help wrinkle her nose as the musk seeped through the walls. She may have grown accustomed, and less embarrassed when faced with such activities— she would have to when in town with Daemon of course— yet she was still a princess. And she didn’t think good hygiene was too much to ask for.

Instinctively, Daemon’s hand had wrapped around his niece’s waist as to scare off any unwanted advances. Sure, she was wearing a cloak, so no one could see her face, nor was she dressed as on of the working girls in the estate. But that had never stopped the audacity of a bastard before.

“I’ve lost her.” He whispered directly into her ear, positioning himself behind her to look as if he were about to have his way. It was all a play— or at least that’s what both of them would say, but that’s didn’t stop Rhaenyra’s cheeks to set aflame.

“So much for being one of the best trackers in the realm,” she replied with rolling eyes and a snip attitude.

Snaking his hands around her front, the prince cupped her neck softly. “Now is not the time to tease my princess. Our dragon has gone on a war path, and her eyes were foreboding.”

Almost crooning into his touch, she nodded. “Fine, then what would you have us do.”

Tilting his head slightly, he shifts hers by the chin. “I suppose we could ask the woman in charge.”

“I suppose you know her very well.”

“Don’t be jealous Nyra, she’s an old friend.”

“One that you once claimed to be your pregnant fiancé, and our dragon is totally taken with.”

Clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth, Daemon could only say, “Litse.” Fair

***

“Jaehaera is perfectly well.”

Huffing to himself Daemon slouched on the chair closest in reach. “I can always count on you for vague answers White Worm.”

“I merely telling you what you need to know.” She said while stacking the coins to count her revenue.

“And that is?” Rhaenyra asked, her thinning patience pricking at her tone.

Mysaria let out a steady breath, eyes sealed shut in order to calm the anger boiling closer to her throat with every passing second. “Jaehaera is safe. She is attending to business of her own,” the stern woman’s face showed little sympathy for the two royals in her presence. “As am I.”

There was a brief silence between all three. A mutual agreement to trust the person whom they all stood here for.

“What could she possibly wish to keep from us?” Rhaenyra asked, voice gone soft and depleted.

This time the White Worm showed an ounce of mercy.

“We all have our secrets, most are best left in the dark to those we love.” She stared intently on the gold within her hand, listening to the tick somewhere near her desk. “She’ll be back in an hour or so.”

***

It reeked of filth. Of musk, rot, and above all else iron.

The air was thick in the smell and had become humid. Sweat soaked every inch of skin within the room, almost as much as the red staining the walls and floor. And while the activities past the door were evident and loud, the individuals here only found a vicious pitch or the wheezing breath of the other.

“Please,” one of the men, top of the pile, cried out the best he could muster. He was practically blind due to the swell of his face, yet his one spared eye still couldn’t find the monster amongst the darkness.

“I’ll ask you one last time.”

The man lunches forward, choking on the blood running up his throat from added pressure to his ribs— every single one cracked. “Please just let me go! I’ll do anything! I didn’t know I swear!”

A sharp sting attacked his scalp, forcing his head up as soft lips grew close to his ear. “Believe me, I didn’t either. But then again,” a melodic tune filled his ears as her awaited her judgement. She was mocking him.

“I’m not the one who raped and beat innocent girls.”

His eyes went wide, bulging from his skull, and if she wished.. she could have plucked them out.

Wrapping a hand, wet and sticky with blood, around his neck, she asked for the last time. “Where is she?”

A pathetic whimper left his lips, sputtering as bile and metallic filled his mouth. “I-I told you I don’t—,”

“Wrong answer.” She chimes tightening her grip, ready to jut back.

“NO! She-she’s dead.”

Her grip loosened.

“How?”

Finally, learning from his mistakes he answered quickly. “Infection. We had to throw her into a fire pit.”

It must have been a minute before she spoke again. “Do you regret it?”

She felt the bob of his Adam’s apple before he replied a hushed, “Yes.”

“Good.”

A crack was followed by a stout thud, and the top of his head colliding with the cold floor.

Now the living thing in the room was her. The walking shadow, who’s steps never made a sound, nor did she seem to bleed. No, she was dressed in the last breath of her victims. Yet she could help but hold them all in.

Her throat soured in bitter acid, plaguing her tongue with guilt. The girls lungs seemed to seize as she treaded toward the door. Slowly her eyes grew hazy and spotted within the dark. It was only until she swung the door open that she found air.

In a frenzy her eyes searched.

Searched for some reassurance, some safety, something to cover the sticky red dripping off her figure as she stood. She had barely stepped out of the room when felt a warm weight atop her shoulders. If she weren’t so tired she would have probably snapped the arms that held the cloak in place, but her mind was murky as swamp water and her legs were twitching with tension.

With a turn of her head she saw an unexpected sight.

“Come with me please,” she said— a voice so sweet the girl wished to drown in it— while her hands lightly coaxed her forward. She looked so much like her. “White Worm has sent me to care for you if need be, your highness.”

The whisper made the princess’ skin prickle and her head nod in agreement. She tried to speak, but a croak was released instead of her voice. It was only then that she noticed how tight her throat had become.

Letting the girl steer her along, they kept close to the walls, which didn’t hold to kindly to her stomach. Even though she had barely been touched, the bloodied girl couldn’t help when it began to churn. Visions of her past forced their way into her mind, plaguing whatever sanity she had left.

“Right in here, ma’am.”

Another room— almost pitch black. Her stomach eased.

The only light in the room was from a dim candle, sat on a desk not too far from the bed and a wooden dresser. It must have been one of the working girls chambers, she thought before glancing over at her rescuer. Her brown hair turning a golden color in the light, and her differing eyes shining gold and a rich green.

“Stay here and rest your highness, I shall go fetch White Worm—,”

“No—” her hand launched forward, catching the girls hand with great fervor.

There was a second of worry that flashed over the girls face, which had been mistaken for fear. She left the girl’s hand go before asking again.

“Please stay. Send someone else if you have to report to her, but please stay.”

“If you wish, your highness.”

“No, no please. Call me Jaehaera.”

A hint of a smile quivered at the girl’s face. Perhaps she were amused by the princess’s behavior, or maybe she thought her pathetic— begging like a pitiful child.

“Would you like to take your cloak off, Jaehaera?”

Gulping back the emotion surging through her body, Jaehaera shrugged the cloak off herself, much to the other girl’s disappointment.

“It’s yours, not mine,” she said, handing it over.

The smile was full now. It stretched her face beautifully, cause her cheeks the enclave with precious dimples in her darker skin. Her hand stretched out to take the large clump of fabric, daringly grazing the Princess’s skin.

“You’re a Princess of the realm. Everything here belongs to you.”

Biting the inside of her cheek, Jaehaera shook her head and back up to sit at the edge of the bed. “You cannot own people. No matter how hard men try.”

The brunette’s gaze left the cloak, returning to the royal before her— enriched in curiousity. Something Jaehaera could remember anywhere.

“I suppose you’re right, but you can own loyalty.”

Placing the cloak aside, the girl pulled a string close to the door— a chime erupting from the action. Her delicate hands reached for something resting on the dresser not too far from where Jaehaera sat. It was only until she heard a familiar snap and saw the shot of light come to life that she noticed the box of matches.

She was losing her senses too easy. Jaehaera knew her mind would be a relentless torture for the rest of the night, perhaps longer if it deemed necessary to punish her further— and no matter how hard she’d try to find a distraction in her family, her ploys, her training, nothing would do well.

Nothing ever did when it came to her… her beautiful flower.

“Jaehaera?” So close

When had she gotten so close? The girl was face to face with her now. Their noses would touch if one of them nudged barely an inch forward. From the look of her expression the girl was worried, eyebrow furrowed more than Jaehaera preferred. All it took for her reason and logic to fall from her grasp was the drop of a single hair in her face; the strand practically begged to be pushed back.

Somehow her actions were lost in time. Within an instant her skin was snug against Jaehaera’s and oh how soft it was. So soft. The way it molded to her fingertips was so heavenly, one might think it blasphemous. She could practically feel the warmth radiating off of her, and if she had dared to— the princess may have argued that the girl sitting on top of her mimicked the heat she only found from other dragons.

Maybe it was her? Or had their heat mingled? She couldn’t tell. For the third time in her life, Jaehaera was completely defenseless in mind and soul.

There’s no doubt if she wished, the trained girl could topple the other in seconds. But against every criticism floating through her mind, the Targaryen let her impulses take control.

Their breathing was heavy, hot, and the suspense could have driven any sane person mad. Both were intertwined; the girls legs on either side of Jaehaera’s, her hands hovering over the royal’s bare skin which peeked through her loose blouse— threatening to slip off her shoulder. Ghosting her fingers dangerously near the girls waist, Jaehaera swallowed before asking permission, her intense gaze never leaving those unique eyes she now craved on her always.

“Do I have your loyalty?”

Finally, the girl allowed her hands to caress Jaehaera’s skin, brushing the clothes still dirty of blood off her otherwise perfect skin under. Drawing close she let her hands wander as well as her words.

“You have the very breath I breathe,” she whispered with confidence. “If you wished me to stop, I’d heed your word. If you wished for me to tend to you, I would mend whatever harm you may face. If you told me to stay with you all night long—,” she exhaled shakily as the princess pressed a firm hand to her hip and another close to her neck— “I would not sleep until you bid me rest.”

The declaration made Jaehaera burn, thighs clinching from the euphoria flowing down her spine, while her head slowly dropped back. Her neck inviting whatever worship the girl wished to give. And that she did.

Lips and hands quickly made work, tugging on skin and clothes— holding to grow as close as possible. In a blink of time their clothes were thrown to the side, truly to never be seen again, and instead red and pink marks covered each of their skin. Soon Jaehaera held the girl she met not even an hour ago beneath her, ravaging her neck and every inch of her soft breast.

When she finally pulled away enough to admire her work, she took hold of the girls wrist and pushed them into the plush mattress. She wished to see all of her, and the girl would not deny Jaehaera.

“Tell me your name.” She ordered in a tone that would have made the girl’s knees weak and fall straight to the floor if she were standing.

A small whine left her lips, stopping her answer before it began, from the new pressure against her naked cunt. The anticipation forced her hips to move against Jaehaera’s hand, hoping to relieve tension building in the swell of her stomach. Losing herself in the circles she caressed into Jaehaera’s palm, leaving slick to pool against her fingers— threatening to slip inside her at any moment—

A swift slap to her desperate clit made her legs quiver and a cry leap from her mouth. “I asked you a question darling.”

Her whimpering became music to the dragon’s ears, urging her to torture the bud even more with the pad of her thumb and a scrape of her nail. She knew she shouldn’t have enjoyed it so much. The way the girl squirmed against her touch, trying to run only to be forced open by her lover’s thighs. She shouldn’t adore the purple spots appearing wherever she sunk her teeth into the girls plush flesh. It shouldn’t have made her feel this way. Euphoric, pleasured, and ravenous above all else.

But it did.

And she could help but wonder if this was how Daemon felt when he took a woman. If he felt desperate to fuck them until they were dumb to his very words let alone touch. If he were as rough, perhaps rougher with them. Did he leave evidence behind, or rather— did he feel the need to.

“Edeline!”

Her movements eased, turning gentle as a hum tickled Edeline’s neck from Jaehaera’s numerous, sweet kisses along her jaw.

The girl’s back was already arched so that her chest pressed tightly against the other, who’s hands, mouth, and very presence gave her ecstasy. Yet still, her lungs begged for more air to counter the fog breaching her head. Any longer and she might have lost herself completely.

But there was still time for that, Jaehaera thought.

Crooning lightly into the crook of her shoulder the princess pressed plush lips against the tattered skin— which was her doing. “Pledge to me,” she said in a melodic tone as she let her lover feverishly caress and tug at her limps. Pulling away the Targaryen looked directly at the quivering girl beneath her, eyes now aflame and golden in color. They stole yet another gasp of awe and fluttering touch of the flushed cheeks resting below.

“Pledge to me, and I’ll make sure you never need anything. That you will be cared for, and you’ll never need to work here ever again if you wished.”

Without hesitation Edeline replied, “I cannot pledge to you a second time, but you may take me wherever you see fit.”

Those were the binding words… a pact that would ruin them both in a many of ways. But for now, in this moment, it was only fuel for the fire erupting within the raven haired dragon. As she parted the girl once more, ready to devour every bit she was able.

*** meanwhile…

Pressed against the wall tight and unable to escape— if she wanted to at all— Rhaenyra’s breathing hallowed as her skirt raised and allowed Daemon to touch her as they pleased. One hand rested along hers against a the cold, stone wall which differed greatly from the heat between the two chaotic dragons. Both hungry for one another.

His other hand had made its way under her linen, tearing whatever underlining she had in frustration. He needed to feel her. To touch her. To have her begging him to stop because the pleasure was far too great, only to then whimper when he complied to her verbal wishes. He wanted her. In every aspect she was willing to give.

Rhaenyra choked on a sudden moan as her eyes rolled to the back of her skull from Daemon’s attention to detail. If she’s let her mind wander she may have grown jealous of the reason for his expertise of how to pleasure a woman, but his hands were working far too deliciously for her to think farther than the coil building in her core.

“Please please please Daemon,” she pleaded deliriously.

Scoffing to himself, bemused at her already desperate state, he leaned against her more— trapping her body further. “So greedy Nyra,” he tsked mockingly, “Only a few seconds of me touching you, and a proper whore you’ve become.”

“Daemon!”

“Alright, alright—,” he laughed before groaning from the slight release of her ass pressed tight against his growing problem. His hands made their way to his own waistline, ready to relieve them both from the impending wait. Such a long wait it has been.

He was almost there too, a moment away from mounting Rhaenyra against the wall, making her his finally— indefinitely. Even with hundred of other behind a single wall, doing the very same. Anyone could easily see them, but they were both too crazed to care and deep inside they like it. The rush of being caught exhilarated them.

But then he saw him. And her.

A guard from the palace, reminding him of the king. His brother.

And Jaehaera walking out of a doorway in only a large shirt to cover her brilliance, and not even the one she arrived in.

It took everything in Daemon to leave Rhaenyra there, but he did.

And he later grew to regret it.

***

“Princess..?”

“Sir Criston.”

“What are you doing in such a—,”

And chaos begun.

#lgbt representation #daemon x oc #rhaenyra x reader #rhaenyra x reader x daemon #targaryen x reader #daemon x reader #rhaenyra x oc #targaryen reader #aemond x reader x aegon #hotd imagine #targaryen oc #helaena targaryen #daemon x rhaenyra #aemond x reader #alicent hightower #alicent x rhaenyra #alicent x reader #sir criston cole #rhaenyra x criston #rhaenyra x harwin #wlw smut #daemon smut #young rhaenyra #rhaenyra smut #mysaria #lgbtq #hotd fanfic #hotd #hotd rhaenyra #house of the dragon

[dreamypqulson]

— young and beautiful

requested by @favoriteredhead: I would love if you could write something about billie or delia? Maybe them being jealous or insecure. Just some angst/comfort with happy ending. But you don't have to write that. I would just love something fluff with delia or billie if that's possible. <3

pairing: cordelia goode x reader

word count: 1400

Cordelia Goode was not the type of woman that you would perceive to be jealous. She was protective, sure, perhaps even overprotective. But someone could not look at her and call her a jealous woman. Nevertheless, she proved them all wrong. Or, particularly you.

It was a night out. A date. A dinner date.

Cordelia had been locked in her office the entire week, bombarded with calls from the warlocks, applications from girls and women who believe they have special abilities. She was stressed. Is stressed.

She needed you; her stress relief.

She needed to see your smile, and the crinkle of your nose when you do so. She wanted to hear all about your day over her favorite dish and forget about the pains from her head to her legs due to slouching and stressing over her desk all week.

"I missed this Delia. I haven't seen that smile all week, my love. You need to start giving yourself a break," You said, eventually concluding the dinner but not yet the evening you would have with her.

"I know, I know. I missed you too, honey. But it's just been—"

"And here's your check," The waiter, who had been staring at you the entire dinner, interrupted Cordelia. It made you extremely furious; the way he winked at you and spoke as if your girlfriend wasn't even in front of you. But there was no need or use to go off of him.

"My phone numbers on the check. Don't be shy, baby," he said, sensually. And then he walked off. He was lucky; he would've seen your dinner come back up if he said another word.

You turned to Cordelia, expecting to laugh it off with her. It was always hilarious to the both of you. When men would flirt; because it was quite obvious that neither of you were interested. Yet they never seemed to catch on.

But Cordelia didn't laugh, didn't grin, or even smirk. She didn't look too pleased, to say the least. Wouldn't even look at you. "Delia, what's wrong?" You reached your hand across the table, but she pulled hers away before flesh could touch.

"Delia?," you asked once more, however, your voice only came out as a mere whisper.

"Just— Let's go." She placed some cash onto the table. You always argued who was paying, but this time, you were honestly too afraid to even speak.

She got up and left without even waiting for you. Eventually you caught up right as she got into the drivers seat of the car. She slammed her door to convey her anger.

You gave her time to cool off in the silence as she drove, and then you finally spoke once she parked in the driveway, "Cordelia, can you talk to me please? What's wrong?"

You held her arm from a moment, but she was so caught up with frustration that she didn't even relax under your touch. "Can we just go in? Please," she said, not conveying an ounce of her usual softness.

Cordelia didn't give you any time to catch up. By the time you got out of the car, she had already walked through the front door. Walking as fast as she always did when she was angry, with her arms crossed to her chest.

You stood there, for a moment, before you went in. Puzzled. Trying to figure out what went wrong. You weren't angry with her behavior; You were concerned that there was something going on that you were unaware about. Something that clearly flew right over your head.

You walked inside the academy. Some of the girls sat in the living room; Zoe, Madison, Queenie. Their faces told you that Cordelia might've been sharp with them as well. "What's her problem," Madison asks. She looks offended at Cordelia's existence alone.

"I don't know. Did she say something to you's?"

"No. The bitch just stormed right in without even saying hi. And then slammed her bedroom door shut."

You glared at Madison. Cordelia didn't deserve to be called a bitch, but that was just how Madison expressed herself. You headed towards the stairs, "I'll go check on her. Sorry, guys."

You could feel Madison's eyes roll but you continued up the staircase. Eventually, when you were at the bedroom door that you shared with your girlfriend, you knocked three times to get her attention. To give her some time to get herself together, opposed to just letting yourself in.

She didn't answer. Another knock too and the hallways still echoed with silence. And so, you took a deep breath and entered. There was nothing out of the ordinary besides Cordelia face down on the bed. Her back heavily risen and fell, harshly.

"Delia?" You asked, to your own dismay, it was yet again, a scream of silence. Nevertheless, her sobs filled the room, attacking your own heart with pain. You walked towards the bed, sat on the edge of it. "Honey, what's wrong?"

It wasn't the first time tonight that you've asked that, but most certainly the first that she hadn't gotten crossed with you over it.

Her sobs still echoed the obnoxiously huge bedroom. Eyes puffy red, cheeks soaked along with dents from the outlines of her pillow, she looked at you from the corner of her eye. "It's foolish," she says, "just forget it."

"It's not foolish if it's upsetting you. Clearly something is wrong, my love." You push away some blonde hair, however, her face is still buried in the pillow, hiding from whatever shame she's feeling. "Please talk to me." You speak in a mere whisper, hoping to pull on her heart strings.

It works. Her body slowly flips over so she's faced towards the ceiling. She won't look you in the eye. She's angry with you, there's no other explanation. "If it's that guy from the restaurant, I very much do not want to get with him. You know that."

"I know that! But it— It's just—" Cordelia stopped herself, scoffing. She covered her face with her hands. You removed them, gently squeezed them. She finally met your gaze. "I'm just so old. I'm holding you back."

"Cordelia," You said, stern, however, ever so gentle. You moved closer, still holding her hands in your lap. "Cordelia Goode, don't you talk like that. You are not old. You are not holding me back. I love you. I want you. Even if you were old, if you were one hundred years old, that wouldn't matter to me, Cordelia, I love you."

"I am. You should be able to go out with these young, beautiful women. I— I—" Her lower lip trembled, tears bouncing off. She tugged her hand back to her sides and turned her back to you.

"I do go out with a young, beautiful woman." You laid down behind her, resting an arm around her slim waist. "You are gorgeous, Delia. And it's so crazy that you think you're old. You're not."

You kissed right behind her ear, slow and sensual. Her cries died down as her heartbeat sped up. Her breath hitched. "I don't want anyone else. You are mine, honey. I'm yours forever."

She turned around again. Slow; to keep you waiting and aching to see her face that you desired for. She cuddled close into you, face buried on your chest. You threaded your hands into her soft blonde hair, gently messaging her scalp. "I love you," you say, lips pressed against her forehead.

"Prove it," she says, demeanor completely different from just a moment ago. Her breath was heavier. She caught you off guard, you completely ceased your actions.

She was challenging you.

"Mm I can do that," you whisper, lips so close to her ear that they brush against her. You sneak your hand under her blouse and lightly messaged the soft skin on her rib cage. She gasped at the sudden, cold contact. "Only if you say you love me, pretty girl"

"I love you so much," she said strongly through a breath. It wasn't the first time she'd said it, but each time felt as warm as a summer sun at golden hour. She lit a spark inside of you each time. You leaned back down, missed her lips but kissed her jaw instead, and it was the last time she would doubt your love for her.

taglist: @loverofallthingssarah @goodeday2u @lanawinters-ily @talulahmae @sapphicforsarahh @ahsfan05 @stayevildarling @isle-of-earle @cordithatgurl @mistysswampmud @billiedeansbitch @billiedeanspearls @cigaretteology @favoriteredhead @lovingsarah @cordeliass @citizenoftheworld-stuff-blog

message me or send an ask to be added to my taglist!

#sarah paulson #cordelia goode #american horror story #wlw #ahs #ahs coven #cordelia foxx #cordelia goode x reader #ahs apocalypse #cordelia foxx x reader #sarah paulson x reader #billie dean howard #lana winters #sally mckenna #audrey tindall #shelby miller #ally mayfair richards #wilhemina venable #tb karen #ratched #oceans 8 #mildred ratched #tammy oceans 8 #diane sherman

[b-afterhours]

Avenue of Sins: Epilogue

SUMMARY: a story of two misfit kids from mid-west america making it big in the big apple. and in the true sense of the american dream they find themselves in a life of sex, money, drugs, and a little rock n roll too.

WARNINGS: adult content, mature readers only.

if you’re seeing this for the first time you can read part one here and if you need to catch up on previous chapters go here.

series playlist

Authors Note: Buckle in this one is a long one, 14k words. Thank you if you ever made it this far ♡

Three Years Later…

September 1992

It felt like it was happening all over again. Except Bill was on a plane ready to land in Seattle, Washington. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes as the plane descended, his least favorite part about flying. He hadn’t traveled in what seemed like years from New York City. He was too busy with managing Trigger Finger to travel and too paranoid to leave it. He felt like if he ever did the place would burn down or even worse, raided by the DEA. That was until recently after a year's worth of paperwork and back door deals he was able to relax some. 

He needed a partner who cared about Trigger Finger XXX as much as he did but some who also cared about Myrna. Someone who knew her. He proposed half of the ownership to his confidant and oldest friend at the club, Cooch the Coach who he now called Bianca, his business partner. A lot of things shifted at the club. Once Bianca became a partner she passed down her title of house mother to Kansas. She took it only if she never had to perform again and just took care of the girls. Bill was fine with that even though he would miss her earnings. Most notable was when Queenie became head bartender, replacing Alma when she decided to leave. 

Alma left. It wasn’t a surprise. He could feel her slowly pulling away ever since that night. That night. He didn’t want her to go. He didn’t get to make up all the times he meant to say ‘I love you’ yet. He still had all the ones he thought. 

When she decided to go she told him only that she wanted to take a trip back home to the middle of nowhere, Strathburg, Missouri. She missed her mom, she said. It was time she saw her again just for a week she told him. In his heart, he knew. She wasn’t coming back. She was letting him down easy. To get used to the feeling of her not being there. A week turned into two. And on the third week, she called. Her mom was sick. She will be staying until she gets better. Bill didn’t question her even though he wondered if she was being truthful. 

Two months later Alma’s mother passed away. Her leaving must have been divine timing Bill thought to make Alma’s defection less about him. He couldn't imagine what kind of heartbreak she would have gone through knowing she never got to say goodbye after years of not seeing her mother. One of Bill’s older brothers went to Mrs. Lucio’s funeral. To pay his respects to a matriarch of their community on behalf of his extended family. Bill wired his brother money to help Alma with funeral costs, even though she probably didn't need it but he wanted his brother to get close enough to her so that he could report back all about her. How she looked. If she asked about him. 

“Arrived. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The time is 9:45 AM and it’ll be a brisk 70 degrees out with a light drizzle.” The pilot announced as soon as they began to taxi to the gate. 

Bill finally exhaled the breath he had held in, anxiously awaiting to stretch his long legs that had been cramped during the four-hour one-way flight despite booking first class. He had traveled out of Kansas City. Making a quick stop to visit his two older brothers. The oldest of whom he had expected to ask him for money but not until he had settled in. He asked him an hour into being back home in Strathburg. The other second oldest who loved him but disapproved of his life, he was most happy to see. Because at least he lived honestly and told Bill what he needed to hear from time to time. It felt bleak being back home but at least he felt justified for leaving it behind seeing the state of the town in shambles. He knew he’d hang himself from the white oak tree he’d liked to climb in his childhood he had not. 

He joined his second oldest brother to the grocery store for barbecue meats to celebrate his last night in town when he unexpectedly ran into Alma’s father, Mr. Lucio. He almost hadn’t recognized the old man. Alma’s parents were much older when they had her and the man now walked with a hunch and a cane. He wore a trucker cap and a clean mechanics work shirt. 

“Billy Skarsgard?” Mr. Lucio said after having stared at Bill nearly unable to recall him. 

“Yes, sir. How have you been?” 

The old man grumbled disapprovingly. “Okay…” he said looking behind him and towards another woman near his age getting into the passenger seat of his Chevy pickup. “I’ve gotten remarried a few years ago… long before Mrs. Lucio passed, mind you.” 

“Yes, I’m sorry to hear that.” Bill slid his hands into his pockets feeling uncomfortable. 

“Alma… she wasn’t so happy hearing that we separated while she was gone. But she hardly ever called, you see.” Mr. Lucio gave him a pointed look. “Well, I wish I could say it was good to see you…” 

“I understand, Mr. Lucio.” Bill frowned a bit. 

He rolled his eyes and exhaled harshly out his flared nostrils once he was able to leave the old man's presence and join his brother inside the run-down store. Mr. Lucio never liked him but for some reason, a part of him hoped he’d regard him as the grown man he was now rather than the teenage boy he knew before. 

…

Bill had rented a Honda Civic from the airport and took the short drive to his hotel. His nerves were beginning to get to him even worse than they had been before he started his journey. Alma had some knowledge of his arrival. During a phone call last week, he had told her he’d be traveling to visit her within the month. He was scared to give her an exact date of his arrival, irrationally worried that she may suddenly skip town and evade him. On their occasional phone calls, he would always have a notepad by his side. Taking note of the places she visited, or the friends she had, but one in particular was the note he made that she worked at a record shop. She probably would have told him the name of the place had he asked but he was oddly too scared to. Instead, he made things more difficult and acquired a Seattle/Tacoma phonebook and had Queenie call every record shop in the area asking for her. 

“Sheisty Sound Records, how can I help you?” 

“Hello, uh, yes I was wanting to speak to Alma. Does she happen to be in today? I have a question about a uh, return?” Queenie said her mind was tired of repeating the same script over and over by this point. 

“Alma is busy with a customer right now but I can-” 

Queenie slammed down the phone on the receiver and screamed in elation and relief. She ran up the stairs to the loft office and barged in without knocking. Startling Bill and his bodyguard Theo as they were speaking. 

“Sheisty Sound Records! I found her, Bill!” 

“No way!” He said perking up in his seat and taking the piece of paper Queenie had written down the much-needed information he was seeking. “Shit! Thank you so much.”

Queenie stood there proudly before asking, “I really hope you go see her now. I miss her. Bring her back Bill. Last time she visited she didn’t stay very long and we hardly saw her.” 

Bill smiled sheepishly but thanked her again for her trouble and promised her a personal tip that night. 

In his hotel room, Bill immediately entered the hot shower after he made a phone call to the record store asking for Alma and hung up before an employee could pass the line over to her. The steam from the shower felt glorious to him. He didn’t like how the recycled plane air stuck to his skin and made his face and lips dry. As he stood there letting the water cascade over his body he reminisced about the last time he had seen Alma almost two years ago. For some reason, it didn’t feel as nerve-racking to see her then as it did now. He thought that maybe after dealing with her mother's affairs after her death was done her trip back to New York City was her coming back home to him. Unfortunately, she had only come all that way to gather some of her main belongings and give away a few other things to whichever girl at the club wanted them. 

He was rather sad that she wasn’t staying but he decided that he wouldn’t hold her back. He felt that he had done so long enough. He remembered one night they were together they spoke only once and briefly about Craig before mutually changing the subject. It still felt too raw, too real then. Alma admitted to him that she still had night terrors about it. He admitted the same but didn’t tell her that Craig succeeded in killing her in his dreams instead. Bill watched her speak and noticed how her skin looked so plump and less sunken. Her eyes had a spark to them again and it made his heart flutter. She had stopped doing drugs cold turkey just by being in Strathburgh for the last year. She looked healthy and it seemed like she had a slightly better disposition on life despite her mother’s passing. He knew her mother was the only thing tying her to their home town and in some way, her passing freed her from that place.  

Bill ran a bar of Ivory soap across his body remembering how Alma touched him the last time they made love. Real love. The type of lovemaking that still could shudder his breath thinking about. When she was back he told her loved her constantly but that night he couldn’t keep the words out of his mouth. They kissed every inch of each other. Their bodies had connected thousands of times before but that night they were never more aware of how perfect they fit until that moment. Like it was meant to be. 

Bill quickly rinsed off, trying to keep himself from being too distracted by those thoughts. Drying off, he lit a cigarette before using the hotel hair dryer. He wanted to get ready quickly and hoped that maybe he could catch Alma on a lunch break or if not he could scope the place out and try again tomorrow. Once the steam from the mirror in front of him dissipated he looked at his face in the mirror and contemplated trimming his facial hair or shaving it all off. He swiped his hand across his upper lip stubble one last time and decided he wouldn’t mind a clean shave. 

After a quick stop at a flower shop, where he ordered a fresh bouquet of white and light pink peonies. It felt weird to show up to Sheisty Sound Records empty-handed. He sat in the car for a moment observing the Seattleites walking around with hot cups of coffee, wearing what seemed to be tattered hand-me-downs and, a lot of flannel. His gaze fell back on the shop when a logging truck revved by. The youths skating in front of the place and loitering by the shop didn’t help with his uneasiness. He could see his old self in them but they seemed more ruthless than he had ever been. He figured maybe it was because he was getting old and losing his edge. 

He stepped out of the small Civic, placing the bouquet on the roof so that he could bend down to retie his Doc Marten bootlace and pat down his crease-ironed trousers clean from lint along with his black Louis Vuitton polo shirt. He lightly jogged across the street with the bouquet in hand and as he got closer to the record shop he tightened his long black pea coat to his body as he passed the teenagers cracking jokes and making a slight ruckus after a young boy fell off his skateboard trying to do a simple kickflip. Just as quickly as he spotted them, they spotted his tall imposing figure in all black approaching them. The three teen girls who were looking up at him jaws dropped and their hands came up to their mouths as they tried to stifle their blushing giggles. The teen boys just stared at him unsure of how to react to him but they quickly rolled their eyes when noticing the girl's reaction. 

“Holy fuck he’s tall as hell!” 

He heard one of the boys say as he walked inside the establishment. He stood there a moment until a woman with a baby on her hip and a diaper bag in hand passed him and politely asked if he’d help her open the door. He nodded and did so taking a look at the bundled baby in a white puffer onesie and a matching beanie as the child waved at him. He caught himself smiling. 

Bill took a gaze at the record shop, the same as many others only that it was much bigger inside than he anticipated. From the outside, it looked more like a small hole-in-the-wall establishment but inside it spanned much longer. Something he hadn’t seen in most record shops was that they had a back area with a stage reminding him of when he used to manage local NYC punk bands. This looked like the type of venue he would have booked back then. It was a nice place he had to admit and it was just the kind of place he would find Alma.

There was a folksy rock song playing on the store's stereo system as he approached the cash wrap which sat in the middle of the place similar to a circulation desk you would see in a public library. He cleared his throat to gain the attention of a girl with a bleached buzz cut and a septum piercing she fashioned with a diary lock. She was rifling through a stack of tapes with chipped red painted fingernails and idly conversing with another employee, a guy with long hair in a low ponytail who was wearing a thrifted brown tweed suit jacket over a white band tee riddled with cigarette-burned holes. 

“Excuse me, I’m a friend of Alma? I was hoping she’d be here?” He said, lifting a brow nervous that he may not even be at the right record shop after all. 

“Alma? Umm…” the girl looked around the store for a moment. “I think she’s still on her lunch break?” 

“No.” The guy said with a bored sigh, never looking up from his task of pricing records. “She took an early lunch break today. She might be in the back.” He shrugged. 

Another employee stopped near them in passing, overhearing them. She was tall, with afro twists adorned with gold string embellishments on the two front twists. 

“I last saw her by the bathrooms,” she said leaning on the cashier counter handing the girl with the buzzcut a few more tapes. “Here you go, Ulyssa.” 

“Those kids outside I swear they misplaced the tapes on purpose,” the girl with the buzzcut, Ulyssa grumbled.  

Bill stood there impatiently, they spoke almost as if he weren’t even there. They hardly ever looked at him beyond their tasks at hand. Unconsciously, he rubbed his temple. Was Alma there or were they fucking with him, he thought. 

“Okay… but she's here, right?” He asked. 

“Yes, I’m here.” A familiar voice announced before laughing. 

He looked a little behind him to his right and saw Alma there leaning against the threshold of a small office room. She looked different but in a good way. He noticed she had adapted her style to where she was now. Wearing high-waisted mom jeans, a plain white shirt tucked in under an oversized brown cardigan, and black Converse. The biggest difference was her long teased hair was cropped to her shoulders in a long bob and she was wearing her glasses again. A pair without a chip in it. 

“You gonna just stand there or do you wanna come into my office?” She smiled at him. 

Bill smiled too as he finally approached. She took his hand and closed the door behind him before she hugged him tightly. She couldn’t help herself and snuggled her face into his chest taking in the scent of him. She missed him that was for sure. He felt her hands snake around to his back feeling around to the front of his chest again. She bent all the way down sliding her hands on the outer side of his legs. Bill looked at her curiously, his mind going in a direction he didn’t expect their first encounter to go, at least, not yet. Until, on her way back up she swiped her hands on the inner side of his legs stopping just before she touched his crotch. There was a devious grin on her face. 

“Really? You’re seriously checking me for a fucking wire?” Bill said with a smirk of disbelief on his face. 

Alma laughed. “You never know.” 

“You never, what? Do you not know me anymore?” While it was a rhetorical question in nature he couldn’t help but wonder.

“Oh my god, Bill.” Alma groaned, rolling her eyes. She took a seat, not in her office chair, but instead one of the two that sat in front of it. “I’m just fucking with you.”

“I had pictured this going so differently.” He said taking a seat next to her. 

“Disappointed? 

“No, I was just so nervous and here we are again back to how we’ve always kinda been.” He shrugged. “I got these for you,” he said, passing her the bouquet of peonies. 

She smiled nearly burying her face in to smell them. “Aww, thank you. You’re so sweet when you let yourself be, you know?” She said, hugging his hand briefly. “I’ll put these in a vase after lunch.” 

“Your coworkers out there said you took an early lunch?” He lifted a brow. 

“But you’re here now, aren’t you hungry? Wait, how long have you been in town?” 

Bill looked at his silver Rolex watch. “Hmm, since mid-morning. Almost 4 hours?” 

“Okay, so let's get something to eat. I have a weird shift today. It’s a half day and then I’ve gotta come back later this evening because we have a show tonight.” 

“A show?”

“Let’s go! I’ll explain once we’re out of here.” She said standing up and grabbing both of his hands so that he would also. 

They walked hand in hand to a little family-owned pizzeria a few blocks away. Bill couldn’t help but notice how he looked like her tall looming shadow with the outfit he chose to wear. 

“You’re very sneaky but not really.” 

He heard her say suddenly wondering what she meant until she explained. 

“So which girl in the club did you have play as your private investigator?” 

Bill stopped in his tracks. “What?”

Alma turned around to look at him. “Oh, don’t play coy. You know you just could have asked me where I work. I wasn’t keeping it a secret.”

“You knew I was coming?” 

“In a way…” she said, retaking his hand so they could continue walking just a little bit further to enter the pizzeria. “Let's just get our pizza slices to go. We can talk in the plaza. Away from people.” 

They sat on a bench affixed with a large metal rain awning as they ate. Bill again watched the people in the strange cloudy city he was in. Miles away from New York eating subpar pizza. Though he wasn’t a born and raised New Yorker living there for over 10 years had made him a bit of a snob, though he rather not admit that. 

“New York pizza is better, huh?” Alma noticed Bill’s expression as she threw her pizza crust to a squirrel nearby. “It’s just what's close by,” Alma shrugged. 

“It’s fine enough, I guess. So… how’d you know I was coming? Do you have one of my girls working as a mole in my club for you?” 

Alma lightly laughed. “No. Well… not really. Cooch tells me stuff here and there but she’s not telling me the details of your day or anything like that.”

“Hmm,” he said to himself. Of course, it would be his business partner, of all people. Bianca liked them both and in the same way, Myrna did, she encouraged him to be with Alma. She was the reason he finally flew to town.

“Don’t be mad at her. If I want to know something I always call you first. It’s just sometimes a little verification doesn’t hurt. I really do want to know if you’re okay beyond what you share with me. Besides, it wasn’t her that blew your cover, it was you.”

“How? I didn’t say when I was coming.” 

“It was almost like a month ago? Someone called the store and Ulyssa told me a girl had called asking for me but they hung up on her face. Usually, when people ask for me they stay on the line to bitch about something. But I shrugged it off, until you told me almost a week after that, that you were going to dirty ol’ Strathburg but not when and you didn’t give me a date of when you were coming here either. But I knew Strathburg was a pit stop, at the very least.”

“Okay, okay so you knew.” 

“Well yes and no. I figured out you were coming but not until today. When you called asking for me and hung up in Ulyssa’s face again! And she said it was some guy this time. But yeah, I figured it was you.” She lightly laughed. 

“So are you happy that I’m here or do you feel put out that I came?” He leaned forward and clasped his hands turning his head towards her. 

“What? Never. Of course, I’m happy that you’re here.” She scooted closer to him, hooking her arm under his, and hugging it. “You can stay as long as you want. You can stay forever even.” 

He turned his head again towards her and kissed her. Doing so seemed to settle his worrisome mind. “I missed you. I love you.” 

“I know…” 

“I know we talk as much as we can but there’s so much stuff we can’t say,” Bill said and Alma nodded in agreement. 

While apart they would speak regularly but Bill could be paranoid and they both agreed that they would speak moderately vague. Afraid that in an unfortunate series of events, his phone lines have been taped or maybe someone could overhear something they weren’t supposed to. It’s the reason why he never asked Alma where she worked and the same reason Alma would call Cooch to verify things. 

“How long are you in town for?"

"I have a flight back on Sunday so 4 days? Three and a half now. But I mean I can really go back whenever I want. I don’t work as much when it comes to pushing cocaine. I’m nearly out. I just do some middleman sales with Alvin’s creepy ass.” 

“At least you finally admit he’s a creep! He’s an asshole too.” 

“I mean… I knew but he’s nobody.” He shrugged a bit but laughed. “I don’t touch the stuff anymore it became a bit tired. Boring even. It’s not as fun without you.” 

Alma rolled her eyes but smiled. “Oh please. But you do look really good, Bill.” She said, squeezing his bicep. He flexed a little to amuse her. “You look like some of those daddies that come to your club now.” 

“Oh yeah?” He smiled, kissing her on the cheek. Alma liked the feeling, she was so used to his stubbly kisses that his bare-faced ones felt so much sweeter. 

“Let’s not start…” she said suggestively.

“Okay, so as I was saying. I don’t sell grams to the patrons. But, there’s two guys – two dealers – who know Alvin that sell in the club. Same shit that we sold but they do the grunt work and all I do is take a fee from their sales inside my club. So I’m not making as much money as I was but… I don’t really need to.” 

“Smart. When people get greedy that’s when they lose it all.” 

Bill nodded. “True. Plus I just don’t want to deal with it anymore, honestly. Things are getting really ugly in NYC because everyone is cooking it down to rock. It’s just everywhere.”

“I heard.” Alma shook her head. “Here, people are mostly fucked off of dope. Gives me the heebie-jeebies. It’s not very glamorous either.” 

“Not at all. And you? How’s work and all that?” He leaned back on the bench placing a long arm over her shoulders.

“It’s busy like I said before on the phone. But it’s nice, the employees are great. If they ask, you’re a businessman, by the way, that's what I’ve told them,” she winked at Bill’s amused face. “But the music scene is so different here but I like it. The people here are a little bit nicer than people in the city for sure. I applied to night school. I start next spring semester, so that’s something new at least.” She shrugged. 

“Really? So you’re really going back?” Bill had recalled a late-night phone call after having phone sex with her that they spoke a bit about it but she was still indecisive about the prospect then. 

“Yes. I’m going to try at least.” She shrugged. “I- um it’s just the time management of it all, you know.” She sighed. She looked more stressed about the thought than she was letting on. Though, Bill figured it was just nerves because she hadn’t been in an academic setting in so long.

“Well I’m glad,” he said, rubbing her shoulder. “I’m sure you can do it. It’s just that means…” 

“I’ll be staying here.” She nodded with a slight frown on her lips. “I… want to go back. I do but there are just some – things – here that I have to take care of first.” Her gaze fell away from him as she explained which he found odd. It was avoidant and that unsettled him. As he was just about to ask what those things were, she stood up. “Um, we should go back to the shop the band roadies are supposed to be there around now. I need to be a boss and oversee that shit. You know how it goes,” she winked. 

…

Bill found himself moseying the record aisle while Alma helped direct the roadies where the music equipment needed to be on stage. He leafed through a table of records, seeing how many albums he could recognize when a copy of Dark Entries by Bauhaus jumped out at him. He smiled to himself, remembering the copy he used to personally own. He plucked it off the table and turned his head towards Alma. She was still preoccupied, letting in another group of bulky bearded men holding cases of beer, a cooler, and several bags of ice from the back door. At the counter sat the tall girl with long twists checking a customer out and placing their items in a brown bag, hand stamped in blue ink with the store's name on it. 

“Hey, um, I’m sorry. I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Bill, Alma’s uh friend, yeah.” He said awkwardly because all things considered saying he was just a friend just didn’t feel right. Though, it was useless to get into the complicated specifics with a stranger. 

“Right. I’m Ash.” She said playfully pulling the skirt of her long maxi dress and giving him a curtsy. “You thinking of buying that?” She asked, pointing at the record in his hand. 

“Uh, actually I was hoping you could play it on the sound system?” He said handing it to her. 

“Oh, sure, no problem.” She looked at the cover and smiled. “Bauhaus, old school nice!” 

Bill smirked but he thanked her. Instead of standing around, he decided to duck off into Alma’s office leaving the door open to listen to the track he requested. He took off his coat draping it across the back of her office chair and looked around at the decor. It was mostly band posters and stickers stuck everywhere on the walls. Even on the windows, he could see out of which wrapped around the top half of the office. On the desk were only some payroll paperwork along with a few checked-out library books. Mostly a few nonfiction music bios, but there were two about feminism and two Dr. Seuss books. 

He was trying to get a sense of where Alma was at mentally but a part of him wanted to be naive. Not everything had to have a deeper meaning, he thought to himself but it didn’t satisfy him like he wished it would. He didn’t like the thought that she’d be living in Seattle longer than he anticipated. It had already been three years, wasn't that enough? Wasn’t he enough to go back by now? Something about how she deliberately avoided his gaze earlier bothered him too and he loathed that he felt that way. There was something she wasn’t telling him. 

…

Bill was buying beer from the impromptu bar those three bearded men were running, collecting bills in meaty clenched fists. He knew they were operating without licenses but he thought it was funny that even if Alma was working in a legit business she still found a way to be shady by outsourcing bikers for bartenders. The band, Fringe Fangs, was on stage shortly after Ulyssa and the guy with the ponytail from earlier who he learned was named Gregory did a jumbled and long-winded slam poetry duet as an opening act. 

“I just let them express themselves,” Alma said in a hushed whisper during their set when she noticed Bill side-eying her. “They’re very passionate, I guess.” She clamped her hand on her mouth to keep from laughing. 

Bill finally had two Rainier beers in hand, trying to circumnavigate the crowd who were moshing in the middle pushing the people near the edges where he was at. Like a sixth sense, he was able to spot someone barreling towards him and he quickly stepped back and turned his body to the side before being taken down with the unlucky few in front of him. He couldn’t remember the last time he was in a mosh pit but the way his joints ached these days he couldn’t even if he wanted to.

Alma had noticed the commotion that had happened in front of him and laughed but was glad he had made it back unscathed and two beer cans still full. They enjoyed the show by the sound mixing table at a safe distance from the chaos of thrashing bodies. He enjoyed the music and while the band wasn’t as great as some of the grunge tracks he’d listened to in his free time back home, they weren’t as bad for what it was worth. He noticed Ulyssa tap Alma on the shoulder from behind and she leaned her ear toward her mouth as she spoke. Alma’s brows furrowed before nodding her head in understanding. She turned around and downed the last bit of her beer and set it down on the floor. 

She put her hand up half-fisted with her thumb and pinky out to the side of her face and mouthed, “I have a call.” And then she put her pointer finger up letting him know she’ll only be a minute. 

He positioned his body in a way so that he could see a bit behind him to watch Alma followed by Ulyssa to the circulation cash wrap counter. He saw Alma put the phone to one ear and the other she covered with her hand to be able to hear whoever was on the other line. Her face looked somewhat apologetic as she spoke and then a strained frown appeared as she looked at Ulyssa who stood by also seeming to want to know the details of the call. Alma leaned her elbows on the desk, rubbing her forehead before hanging up. Ulyssa placed a hand on her shoulder as Alma seemed to have told her the particulars of the mysterious call she received. He noticed that she pointed at him and then Ulyssa walked around the cashier wrap, grabbing her tote bag and retrieving car keys out of them before slinging it over her shoulder. 

He turned back towards the stage again, took a sip of his beer, and swallowed hard. But not before catching a glimpse of Ulyssa holding Alma’s face in her hands as to reassure her before hugging her tightly. 

…

They were able to leave the record shop show at a decent time for them. While it was late, it wasn’t as late as when they would leave Trigger Finger. A few other employees who came in for the evening shift stayed behind to clean in understanding that their boss was hosting a friend from out of town as it seemed to him. However, she wasn’t hosting him at her apartment and instead, she asked if they could stay at his hotel. Especially, after having learned that he was staying in a king suite at the Fairmont Olympic. It was a fancy institution in Seattle close to Elliot Bay. 

“You set all this up?” She said taking her black Converse off as she entered the suite. She shrugged her tote bag off her shoulder glad that she always had an extra outfit in her office, something she learned to do while working at the club. 

“Well, there’s a patron at the club who’s a travel agent. I just told him what accommodations I wanted and he did all the work.” He said scratching the back of his ear before taking her tote bag and setting it on the couch.

He watched her walk towards the bedroom, swiping her hand across the neatly laid down comforter before going towards the window and opening the canvas blinds. Light rain was running down the glass as she gazed at the lit city below. He felt pulled towards her and as he approached and wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck. She leaned back, relaxing into his embrace and reaching a hand up to thread it into the hair on the back of his neck. 

“I love you,” he said between kisses. 

“I love you too,” she said, turning around to meet her lips with his. When she could feel him slowly inching them towards the bed she reluctantly pulled away and lightly laughed. “Could I, maybe, take a shower first? I had a long day and the show made me sweaty.” She said as she took her glasses off, shrugged her cardigan off, and tossed them on the single upholstered chair in the room.

“Oh yeah sure,” Bill said, catching his breath. 

“You can come too,” she winked, walking past him towards the bathroom as he followed with a smile on his face. 

He took off his shirt on the way in and fiddled with the shower taps to find a comfortable temperature for Alma. When he turned around she was already standing bare before him. His heart skipped. When she saw his eyes widen for a brief moment, she giggled. He took her hand, leading her into the shower, and made quick work of removing his pants and underwear in one fell swoop to join her under the warm shower of water. The sexual tension between them was palpable but he let her have a moment to wash her hair in which he helped scrub her scalp and while she conditioned it he wet his hair to make do with his. When he finished Alma was facing him for a moment, handing him a soapy washcloth and turning around again prompting him to run it along her body. He ran it along her back gingerly but as he ran it against her hips he couldn’t help but become enamored by how womanly her body had become. Soft in all the right places. He couldn’t take it anymore and pressed his body against her back. She gasped when she felt how hard he was pushing on her ass cheek. He continued running the washcloth delicately multiple times across her breasts which caused her eyes to flutter closed appreciating the sensations. She felt his lips on her neck again kissing tenderly as he dragged the washcloth towards her belly and squeezed the soap from it. The way the suds trickled down to her core tickled her for only a moment when they were replaced with his bare hand touching her there. His other hand was around a tit pinching her nipple. She opened her eyes to look down at the familiar but dearly missed sight, making her moan which echoed in the acoustics of the bathroom. Her hips bucked back as he made purposeful circles around her sensitive nub so that she could feel more of him hard-pressed against her. 

Bill stopped when she was near climaxing putting his hands on her hips to turn her around and got down on one knee. She leaned as comfortably as she could against the white tiled shower wall while hooking her leg around his shoulder before he delved in with his mouth. He wanted to taste her first climax of the night on his eager tongue. 

Cutting the shower off, Alma wrung her hair out quickly and took Bill’s hand as he led their way to bed. She wanted him so bad and he did as well but the shower wasn’t the best place when you need to be agile. He spun her to the front himself so that she could settle into the bed before himself but she sat at the edge for a moment. Taking him into her hands to stroke him considerately, missing the feeling and appreciating the heft of his erection. He watched her kiss his dripping tip before fully taking him in her mouth relishing the feeling of the warm pressure. Her hands assisted her by lightly massaging his balls. He looked at her affectionately while he gathered her wet hair in one hand and the other caressing her hollowed cheek prompting her to gaze up at him. He took the hand lightly tugging his balls and held it before he pulled his hips back to slightly thrust into her mouth. It was a courtesy thrust to alert her that he was going to do it again but less gently. She looked up again and nodded once, ready for him. She took him all the way to the back of her throat and she heard Bill deeply groan while her eyes were shut tight as they watered. 

“You’re always such a good girl for me,” he said. 

While he was enjoying himself he wanted to be inside her for real. So he gently pulled away and let her catch her breath. He crawled into bed following her as she scooted backward and finally reached her lips. He took the back of her head again to hold her there as he swiped his tongue along her bottom lip begging to be let in. As they made out, he positioned himself and perfectly aligned with her, muscle memory taking over. She followed the hand cradling her head down to the pillow, ready for him. He pushed inside her ever so gently which she loved because she liked to feel all of him slowly filling her wanting to feel every ridge and vein. Once he could push in no longer they both moaned from the feeling. The connection, the fullness, the tightness. He gave her several long strokes, all the way out and all the in, before pumping in and out of her in an even rhythm. 

They were filling the room with moans and obscene noises as they kissed and nipped at each other's skin. Like him being inside her wasn’t enough, they wished to be closer than humanly possible. Alma looked down between them to see him thrusting inside her and the erotic sight made her body hot. Her stomach muscles began to tighten and Bill closed the gap between them when felt that tension around him. He was ready but he kept up his pace so that she could come with him and he could tell she was so close. He ran his right hand down her leg and hooked it around her knee to prop it up creating more room for him to push deeper. Alma’s breath hitched at the feeling, she took his face into her hands so that he would look at her. The eye contact and the friction of their bodies linked together sent them over the edge. They came hard together. Barely able to catch a breath between their thumping hearts and residual moans. Their bodies felt amazing from what they could do to each other. 

….

It was early dawn when Bill awoke to Alma ending a hushed phone call and walking about the suite. He rubbed his tired eyes and stretched his long naked body still under the sheets. He reached towards the nightstand next to him to take a cigarette out of his pack. When he snapped his gold zippo lighter shut Alma appeared at the bedroom threshold half-dressed only wearing a cropped black Sonic Youth tee over red strappy bikini panties and long white socks. 

“You’re awake?” Alma said, surprised. 

Bill lifted a brow as he puffed on his cigarette. Before they went to bed after another bout of a more tender kind of lovemaking he imagined that when he woke up she’d still be next to him naked for a slow-to-rise kind of morning sex. 

“Yeah? I heard you hang up the phone.” When he said that he noticed her eyes gazed away from him. “You wanna smoke?” He said, trying to pull her eyes towards him again so that he could read them. There was something there when she did but he still didn’t know what exactly and he felt himself beginning to become frustrated. 

“I’m okay. I quit, it’s been a while now,” she said sitting at the edge of bed next to him. 

Somehow that annoyed him even more. So he took one last puff and stubbed it out on the hotel ashtray. He sat up, leaning against the headboard and placing his hand idly by his crotch. 

“Alma-” He bit his lip, stopping himself before his tone could take on too much of an edge. “Who were you talking to on the phone? And yesterday-” 

“I was talking to the owner of the record store just now,” she said quickly. Yet still, she couldn’t look at him. There was something wrong. “You know I have work in a little bit but I can just go and then take the rest of the day off after? I have to make sure things are okay first.” 

Things, he thought to himself again. He knew with the money they made at Trigger Finger she technically didn’t have to work, she was choosing to. If she hadn’t taken up night school in Seattle she could come back to New York and never had to work again. He knew she had more than a few reasons for not wanting to come back to New York but the city was so big she could find an area that felt like somewhere else easily. Alma peered at him through her hair and noticed he was watching the way she picked at her cuticles nervously. 

He took a deep breath. “I’m sorry Alma… I just don’t think that’s true?” 

“What?” She looked at him shocked, nearly offended he would even voice his distrust. Though maybe he had reason to, she thought to herself. 

“Something’s been off since I got here, frankly. The phone call during the show? You woke me up because you were on the phone at 5 a.m.? You even checked me for a fucking wire as soon as I was alone with you!” 

Alma sneered, shaking her head. “Oh for fucks sake!” She said getting up and leaving the room. 

“Alma!” He shouted, swiftly jumping up out of bed, frantically digging in his suitcase for a pair of boxer briefs and a black shirt. “Don’t you leave!” He said stepping into his underwear and quickly walking out of the bedroom as he pulled the shirt on. He nearly bumped into her when he met her in the living area. 

“Who were you on the phone with, Alma?” He said grabbing her arm so that she would look at him but instead, she pushed him off. 

“You’re fucking crazy!” 

“Is it the police? The feds? The fucking DEA?” He shouted, his eyes still trying to meet hers as she looked everywhere but him.

“I can’t fucking believe you right now!? After everything we’ve been through you think I’ve turned into a narc! You’re paranoid!” She said tapping her head with her pointer finger.

“Then what are you not telling me, hmm? You’ve been acting pretty damn shifty, what the hell am I supposed to think?!” 

Alma recoiled a bit but she brushed it off by running her hands tensely through her hair. Bill watched her take a seat on the couch, blinking several times as if to keep tears at bay. Suddenly he felt awful for being selfish and accusing her of being an informer. 

“Shit,” Alma said through a deep shaky sigh. Her whole demeanor had changed, she looked on edge and petrified. “Fuck it. Could I have a cigarette?” 

Bill returned from the bedroom with his pack of smokes. He lit her cigarette and sat on the coffee table in front of her. They were silent for a moment while she took a couple of puffs and rubbed her tired eyes. 

“I don’t know how to say this?” Alma said gazing at the ember at the end of her cig. “I um,” she sighed trying to find the right words. “So the last time I saw you, right?” She said finally looking at him which was a mistake because meeting his green eyes made her eyes water again. 

“Just tell me, Alma? Whatever it is. I won’t be mad.” He said putting a reassuring hand on her bare knee. 

Her anxiety-riddled heart was beating so hard against her chest. “See, I think you will?”

“What?” Bill said, pulling back confused. 

“B-but you have to understand I did this for a good reason, okay? I couldn’t bring… And you’re still into stuff in New York City i-it’s just not safe.” She said jumbled and stubbed out her cigarette. “You know what we did, Bill. It’s just not safe!” 

“I understand why you wouldn’t want to come back, especially after something like that. Okay, but that was on me. Joey Russo and I have been on good terms since he’s taken over. Everyone’s turned over a leaf and we’ve forgotten about Cr- him. Nothing will happen to you there.”

Alma shook her head. “I’m not worried about myself…” she said, putting a hand to the middle of her chest. “Bill…” her voice cracked. Before he could wipe the tears that had rolled down her cheeks she put her hands up stopping him. “Wait. The last time I was with you I-” she closed her eyes. “I got pregnant.” 

Suddenly Bill couldn’t breathe and the walls felt like they were closing in. There was a loud ringing in his ears and he was certain his heart went into arrest. Alma grabbed his hand when she noticed he looked a bit faint. Her touch brought him back but his heart was beating erratically. 

He took his hand away from hers. “Are you saying?” He stood up and paced in front of her trying to collect the thoughts of his racing mind with his hands clasped behind his head. “That you? What the fuck?!” 

“Bill, I'm so sorry. I should have told you. I was just so scared… and my head was still so fucked up then. I just did what I knew how and ran. I understand if you’re angry with me but don’t be mad at the baby.” She said wiping tears that wouldn’t stop running down her cheeks. 

“The baby!?” He said still unable to believe what he was hearing. “Alma why? Why would you keep this from me?!” He cried sitting defeatedly on the other end of the couch and buried his face into his hands. 

“Bill… I know you probably hate me now. And you don’t have to say anything and you don’t have to see me ever again after this but could you just let me explain? So even if you don’t want to see the baby you at least know? Could I at least give you that?” 

~~~

May 1991 

Ulyssa came over to Alma’s apartment bringing her soup after she had called in sick believing she had a stomach bug. She had felt awful these past few weeks but this day and the night before she had been throwing up anything she ate. Even on an empty stomach, she would heave, making her stomach muscles sore and her throat burn from the stomach acid. Ulyssa had become a good friend during her time in Seattle. She could seem quite serious because of the way she dressed and had a buzzcut and a bullring in her nose but she had a sweet pure soul. She was artistic and she always saw the good in people which Alma had seen people take advantage of but even when she realized she would still wish those people well. 

Alma opened the door wrapped in a duvet hardly having the strength to greet her. Ulyssa pushed her along back to the couch so that she could continue to relax and fight whatever ailed her. 

“I brought wedding soup and plain chicken and rice from the pizzeria,” she announced from the kitchen as she set the takeout on the counter. “Ash gave me some of her custom tea blends and insisted I make you some.” She walked back to the living room pulling two VHS tapes from her tote bag and holding them out in front of Alma who looked like a miserable lump on the couch. “I stopped at the video store on the way. Mermaids or Uncle Buck?” 

“You pick,” Alma said groggily.

“Okay… Mermaids it is. Maybe Cher will cheer you up,” she said, taking the VHS and putting it into the VCR player. “I’m going back to the kitchen to fix you up!” 

Ulyssa doted on her while she lay there hardly following the movie. She finally sat up to drink the tea Ash had sent with her. It tasted like peppermint and camomile and that helped settle her empty stomach and warmed her up. The reprieve was short-lived when Ulyssa set a bowl of soup and a plate of shredded chicken breast atop white rice. She ate a few bites of the chicken and rice and a few spoons of soup when suddenly something smelled off and it made her stomach churn. Ulyssa watched Alma pick up the bowl of soup to sniff it and set it down and then the plate and noticed that she recoiled and suddenly looked green. She nearly tossed the plate down on the coffee table as she got up and ran to her bathroom to throw up the only food she had eaten all day. Ulyssa quickly followed her and held her long dark hair back until she finished. She helped her back up and closed the toilet lid so that Alma could sit down and collect herself and gargle some mouthwash.

“Sorry,” Alma apologized. “I appreciate you coming here to help me. Just something didn’t smell right.” 

“You don't have to apologize. You’re only human. But the food was fresh? I saw Von make the chicken to order?” She then placed the back of her hand against Alma’s forehead checking her temperature. “Hmm. You’re not warm? And you don’t exactly look clammy?” 

“I just can’t keep anything down,” Alma shrugged. 

“And the smell of the perfectly fresh food made you sick? When was the last time you had a period?” 

“Ulyssa, what are you getting at?” 

“Well, didn’t you go see your boy… friend in NYC like two, three-ish months ago?” 

“Stop… it’s not that I’m on birth control.” 

“Right. But when you had that wicked cold before you went on your trip you went to the doctor? Did he give you antibiotics?” 

“Yeah, I was really sick that time. I had the whole fever and runny nose and everything then but this feels worse.”

“Alma,” Ulyssa gasped. “You’re not supposed to do that!”

“What do you mean?!” 

“You can’t take the pill and antibiotics! They like cancel each other out or whatever! You’re supposed to tell your doctor what other stuff you’re taking so they can prescribe you appropriately.”

“What the hell!? I didn’t know. But I can’t be… pregnant,” she exclaimed with disgust. “Like that literally just can NOT happen!” 

“Well… I don’t know Alma. You might be? Unless you have some other medical issue-”

“No. Nothing like that! Like this just can’t happen… ethically!” Alma said, exasperated at the whole situation. 

“There’s only one way to know,” Ulyssa took her hand and together they rushed to the drug store and back. 

Alma felt like she was going to be sick again as she waited in the living room as Ulyssa stayed in the bathroom monitoring the results of the test. She heard the bathroom door open and she anxiously turned around. Her stomach dropped immediately when she saw Ulyssa smiling, wiping away tears of joy for her friend's new blessing. 

It was Ulyssa who supported her every step of her pregnancy. She would have respected any decision she had made in regard to keeping the baby but she was so happy to learn that she’d be able to take her to appointments and remind her to take her prenatals. She didn’t judge her when Alma explained that she didn’t want Bill involved. Her simple explanation that things were just complicated between them sufficed. It was nice to have her but sometimes her sunny disposition annoyed her. She wanted someone to tell her she was a dumbass. So one night after working on her feet and feeling miserable she called Cooch. Bianca always had a weird sixth sense about things and when she answered, it was as if she already knew before Alma could even explain. 

“Well, I knew it! I had a dream about you! It was a good one and I was gonna tell Bill thinking he’d get a kick out of it but you know I looked at him that day and… the pieces of the dream fell together and I just had this feeling. Oh my god, Alma! You have to tell him! It’s his baby too, honey.” 

“Bianca, I can’t. Please, please don’t tell him! Like on my whole life, please! You understand why I can’t.” 

“Okay,” Bianca sighed. “I get the jist of why. But honey, you’re just gonna do it alone? That’s not very fair to the baby, now is it? Bill would probably shit bricks knowing you’re pregnant but he would love that child.” 

Alma began to cry hysterically on the phone while Bianca tried to settle her down. She was right but she was so afraid to go back to New York City and she knew Bill would want her there if he knew about her condition. Sure, she had visited just fine but the baby would add to her permanence there. 

“Alma, I won’t tell. Okay? Sadness isn’t good on the baby so take care of yourself, you know best.” Bianca assured. “But Alma, I’m going to push him to visit you. I don’t know when we’ll finish all this ownership paperwork but for him and you, that’s what I’ll do. I love you both. I want this to all work out for the both of you.” 

Alma had wished that their conversation went differently but it’s what she needed to hear, she supposed. She continued on, growing bigger and bigger. One night she was on a phone call laughing along with Bill when she first felt the baby kick. She gasped, bringing a hand to her belly in awe. She hung up on him, feeling tears welling up in her eyes as she held onto her belly and it all hit her that she was really carrying a child within her. During the first half of her pregnancy, she just felt like a walking science experiment even if she had seen the amorphous being in her first black and white ultrasound feeling the baby move finally made it real. 

Her employees created a small baby shower at the record shop for her. They all chipped in for cake and ice cream for her which Alma felt bad about because she was more well-off than they were but they didn’t know that. They gifted her diapers and various essentials meanwhile Ulyssa had made her hand raw and sore by all the baby beanies she crocheted. They were all gender-neutral tones, Alma had decided that she didn’t want to know the sex. In some ways, she still felt detached. Later she would know it was because she didn’t want to enjoy certain milestones too much if Bill wasn’t there to experience it with her. A way of punishing herself because no one seemed to want to berate a pregnant woman for her decisions. Nevertheless, she was grateful to her work family and tried to stay happy enough for the baby. 

The feelings of detachment she felt washed away when she delivered her child. A long, hard 26-hour labor. Her nurses pleaded with her to at least take the pain medication in place of the epidural she denied, as they watched her arduously breathe and sweat through contractions. She denied those too. She thought she deserved the pain for the things she had done. For the greatest sin, a person could commit. She almost succumbed to a violent near death herself but that was merciful compared to how it felt pushing her baby out of herself. Ulyssa was by her side even though Alma told her that she wanted to be alone at first. Her mom was gone and Bill didn’t know he was about to be father, they were the only two people she would have wanted in the room. She gave in around 13 hours just to have someone hold her hand. 

Having the child in her arms pushed some of those loathsome and lonesome feelings aside. She couldn’t believe she could love something so much in a matter of seconds, it was overwhelming. She didn’t feel like she deserved to have such a precious innocent life in her arms but she knew she would keep them safe and love them. She couldn’t help but notice all the features the baby inherited from Bill. The light brown hair, the perfect plump lips, and the little but big ears he has. 

While raising a newborn was hard, some things were just instinctually easy. She took time off work for 5 months but she would sometimes visit the shop when she would go out so that the baby could get some fresh air. It was also because she was starting to feel cooped up in the apartment most days. Ulyssa or Ash would visit when they could to give her a break for a shower or take her and the baby's clothes to get laundered. A few weeks after she gave birth Bianca called about the child. She had told her, her due date during an earlier phone call and knew she should have had the baby by now. They spoke a bit and Alma had asked for some baby advice from her, she knew she was a good mom to grown respectful boys. 

“And don’t worry Alma,” Bianca said before the call concluded. “He doesn’t know, I haven’t said a word. But remember what I told you?” 

“I know… and I do want him to visit me eventually. I don’t know how long I can keep this to myself? I talk to him on the phone but when the baby cries I have to hang up on him and yeah…” she frowned. 

It was exhausting taking care of a baby while also keeping up a lie. A very big lie from someone she loved. From someone she shared a child with. Although, if he did come to Seattle she couldn’t just bombard him with the news by handing him a child he’s never seen before in his life. Expecting him to immediately step into the role of a father of a child he may ultimately not want anything to do with. It didn’t matter how much he loved her, that he even killed for her. She couldn’t even share this part of her, this part of them with him. 

And then the day finally came. Bill had flown into Seattle to finally visit. Bianca had called her job now that she was back to working in the record shop. The baby was crawling around in a playpen situated next to her behind the office desk. The babysitter was Ulyssa’s more studious and nerdy twin sister Yolani, She picked up the child until around 10 AM most days so the baby would come to work with her for an hour as she opened the store. But because she had a half day she arranged to keep her until the evening because of the show that night. That was until Bianca informed her that Bill wasn’t far away. Alma’s heart jumped in a panic; she suspected that she would have more of a heads up but Bill hadn’t told her when he left Missouri, instead, he called her from the airport payphone when he arrived. 

Immediately, Alma made a phone call to Yolani apologizing for asking her to make changes to their agreed schedule today. Yolani informed her that since she was on a later schedule she had taken herself to a cafe for breakfast to study for an exam but that she could be there in close to 30 minutes. It would do, she had no idea where Bill was at the moment so she hoped that it was more than enough time. 

In the meantime, she checked the baby's diaper bag even though it was always packed with what was needed but her nerves were starting to get the better of her. 

“Ulyssa?” Alma called out of her office when she saw her pass by the office door. She reversed her tracks and walked in. “Your sister is coming to get the baby early today. Um, my boy- um Bill,” she took off her glasses and tensely rubbed the bridge of her nose and put them back on. “He’s here.”

“What?! On his way or…” 

“No, here in Seattle.” 

“You know what? Someone called and hung up in my face again. It was a man’s voice asking for you like about 40 minutes ago…” 

“Oh my god,” Alma sighed. “Your sister said she could be here in like 30 minutes,” she reached into the playpen picking up her child and kissing them on the cheek. 

“Don’t worry, I’ll call her and tell her it’s urgent. I’ll explain enough to her. But tonight? She’ll have to keep the baby overnight then, right?”

“I’ll pay her extra. Or whatever she wants. Thank you Ulyssa. I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me,” her vision blurred as tears prickled her eyes. 

“Of course, lovely! I’ll have Gregory put the playpen in the stage storage. And if he comes while baby is still here we’ll slow him down.” 

Alma waited with the baby in her arms by the front of the record shop. Watching cars pull up by the curb and checking for familiar faces but the teens bullshitting outside blocked half her view. By luck, Yolani arrived quickly thanks to her sister's call. Alma apologized and thanked her in the same breath. She watched Yolani and the baby leave her office after she had grabbed the baby bag. Staying behind she took baby pictures off her desk and put them into a lockable desk drawer then her breath hitched when she saw the familiar tall man walk in as they left. She couldn’t breathe for what felt like forever when she had seen him acknowledge the baby as they reached out and waved their little hand. As if they both knew. 

~~~

September 1992

Bill sat silently, shell-shocked with what he had heard. His feelings were all over the place despondent and angry and just confused over everything Alma revealed to him. She sat on the opposite side of the couch sunken into herself wiping away tears. She wondered if he would speak now after he had sat mute the whole time she spoke but he just sighed and put his face into his hands again. The air felt thick and the cold blasting AC was deafening in the room. 

“I’ll leave,” she said silently. “I know… this is a lot. I was very wrong, I know.” 

Bill muttered something into the palms of his hands that was unintelligible. 

“I couldn’t hear you,” Alma said, leaning towards him. 

“And where is the baby now?” 

“With the babysitter, well the call I had during the show was from Yolani. Something came up and so Ulyssa, her twin, left and took over for her. This morning I called my apartment where Ulyssa stayed overnight.” 

Bill scratched his jaw, “What did we have?” 

“A girl,” Alma bit her lip to keep it from quivering. “A little girl. She’s healthy, perfect.” Alma could have gone on and on about how she was a sweet, friendly, and happy baby but she didn’t want to pile on so much because she had restricted him from ever knowing that. “Do you want to know her name,” she asked cautiously. 

Bill swallowed the lump in his throat. “No. I-I don’t think I’m there yet.” 

“Okay,” Alma nodded understandingly. She took a notepad and pen from the coffee table and scribbled her address on it. “I have to go home. You don’t have to come if you don’t want to or if you’re not ready but, um,” she paused to keep her voice from breaking. “If you leave, could you at least call and tell me? So that I can know that this is done?” She wiped the stray tears that fell away. 

She got up and quickly put on her pants and Converse sniffling as she did it. Bill just sat there on the couch staring a hole into the wooden coffee table and unmoving. Alma along with her tote bag was just about to walk out of the hotel room and paused when he called her name. 

“Alma,” he said, still staring at the coffee table. “I love you.” He announced to the living room as if he were only saying it to remind himself that he really did. 

She smiled sadly and before she left she said, “I know…” 

…

Bill sat silently for an hour, his mind was vacant for at least half that until he started to review everything Alma had explained over and over again in his head. He just couldn’t believe she would have kept something so major, something so important, something so life-changing from him. All the mixed feelings of betrayal and sadness and anger and disgust made him sick but something else was there he didn’t expect. It was happiness, he felt a new brand of pride knowing that he was a father. He never imagined being one, he hadn’t ever put much thought into it before. The thoughts he did have weren’t fond takes of fatherhood either. He was afraid he wouldn’t make a very good one. Plus, it didn’t help that he didn’t really like his own very much. His father used to beat him and his brothers especially him because he dressed like a freak as his father would say. That or a sissy boy which he was called since he was a little himself. He ran a hand through his hair trying to wish those awful memories away. 

Soon he found himself in the scalding hot shower standing with his back towards the stream with his head down sulking. He had no idea what to do with himself, he stood there for almost an hour just thinking and remembering things he’d rather not. In a way, he understood Alma’s motivations. She was deeply depressed and guarded when the incident with Craig happened. He could imagine it was difficult that the only person she could even talk to about it was him but their distance made it impossible. Even when she had last visited him in New York City she hardly wanted to unpack it. He could tell it was still bothering her deeply. He didn’t like what he had done either but knowing that Craig had almost killed her he didn’t really care as much as she did. When she did open up a little, she said the part that mostly bothered her was that in a small way, she was ready to die. And he blamed that on himself for what he had put her through. Giving her the runaround and not properly loving her like he should have. He wanted to but was too much of a coward wanting all the benefits of her company without commitment. They still hardly ever called each other boyfriend or girlfriend. He was selfish. But so was Alma. She kept a piece of him he couldn’t take away from her.

He found himself at the hotel restaurant dressed simply in a white shirt and dark jeans and keeping to himself. When the waitress asked if he’d like the mimosa drink special he shook his head and asked for a glass of William Larue Weller whiskey neat instead. He ordered a veggie omelet that he only took 2 bites of and asked for the rest to be sent to his room. He didn’t have an appetite. Instead, he went to the large bar in the main hall which was barely opening for service so early in the morning. On his third whiskey, he began making a mental con list in his head of why he couldn’t be a father to a little girl. He owned a strip club for starters, he was a former drug dealer, he was a womanizer to some degree, oh and he’s killed someone and was indirectly involved in another. He shouldn’t be a father, he should be in prison, he had thought to himself. 

Bill stretched his back against the high chair he was sitting in and ordered another whiskey. He stood up with the glass in hand to take back to his room waving off the protests of the bartender for doing so. He set the glass aside on the nightstand while sitting on the edge of the bed that housekeeping had fixed for him while he was gone. Putting a cigarette to his lips, he leaned against the headboard and lit it. He sighed out a plume of smoke in thought. Thinking how Alma had mentioned that she did what she did to keep the baby safe. Though he knew what she meant he couldn’t help but think that she meant safe from him. He shook his head, the liquor was muddling his thoughts and misconstruing things for him. 

He took his thoughts off himself then. He leaned his head back and stared at the ceiling and pictured Alma as a mother. Such an odd image because much like him she never expressed feelings of wanting children either. Although he had to admit to himself that the image warmed his heart. A quick thought of her pregnant body came to mind but he pushed that away because they became filthy and he wasn’t in the mood to think of her that way. Though she never expressed wanting kids he never heard her say anything bad about them either. Had she stayed in New York, would she have kept the baby, he wondered. If they were the traditional type maybe things wouldn't have been so convoluted as it was right now. 

The only certain thing was that Alma was pregnant and never told him and now he had a daughter. One that didn’t know he existed her whole short life. One that he didn’t know existed until about three hours ago. He stubbed his cigarette out and downed the rest of his whiskey before settling into the bed. He was tired of thinking and the whisky was making him tired. Luckily, before his eyes grew heavy he came to a conclusion. 

…

Alma was in the bath with her daughter laying on her bent knees above the water washing her hair. She had no clue if Bill would come or if she’d ever see him again but in case she thought they ought to look presentable. Especially if they would meet for the first time. However, time passed and it was near evening around 4 p.m. It was drizzling outside, the overcast making it much darker than it should have been. Alma’s heart started to break a little, not for herself but for their daughter. 

But she couldn’t blame him either. She was tired of crying though, she had done what she had done and said what she needed to say. He knew now and she could stop lying. The lying was the worst part for her. That part was done whether Bill and her were done she still didn’t know but she hoped he would call like she asked. While the baby was sitting in her chair swing she left a moment to the hallway closet to grab the box of baby mementos just in case. 

…

Bill awoke suddenly from his slumber. He hadn’t intended to fall asleep but he was kind of glad he did because he woke up with a clearer mind than before that was for sure. He checked the time on his watch, noticing how long he had slept. He stood up quickly, he knew Alma must be sitting in her home waiting for his call, more likely considering he slept half the day. After brushing his teeth and fixing his hair he walked to the living room and tore the piece of paper which Alma had written her address from the notepad. 

He pulled up to the small apartment complex which looked more like a large house divided into 4 apartments, two on the top and two on the bottom. He checked the paper with her address once more and saw that she lived in apartment 1B. His heart started racing, he knew once he stepped through that door his life was going to change and he wasn’t sure if he was ready for that. But he couldn’t live with not knowing either. 

He pulled his black unzipped hoodie closer to his body and knocked on the door quite hard at first by accident and quickly corrected himself remembering there was a baby inside. Alma opened the door alone standing there in a white Adidas sweatshirt commemorating the 1984 Winter Olympics and black leggings. Her glasses weren't on and her hair was half up. Alma looked a bit shocked to see him standing there but quickly let him in. 

“Thanks for coming by,” she said sheepishly, fiddling with the sleeves of her sweater. “Um, the baby is taking a nap right now, that's why she’s not out crawling around or trying to walk,” she lightly smiled. 

“Mhm,” Bill nodded. “I thought about it some and I think I do want to meet her. I mean when she wakes up.” 

“Yeah, sure,” Alma nodded. 

She pointed at the couch inviting him to sit with her. It was a bit awkward between them but not anything they couldn’t work out of. Before she could sit down, she thought to maybe give him something to drink so she grabbed two bottles of water from her fridge. He sat there looking around her apartment, there was obvious evidence that there was a baby living in the home with the chair swing and little toys inside a chest. He also noticed that while everything was nice and neat she didn’t seem to live beyond the means she certainly had. It was a humble dwelling. A place to lay your head at night comfortably. 

She came back to join him, handing him a water. She could feel the tension in the room and it unsettled her having that feeling in her own home but she pushed those nerves aside. 

“So I can imagine you might have a lot of questions,” she began. “But I want to make sure how much I can say because I don't want to make you uncomfortable. I don’t expect you to jump into this full speed and I’ve accepted that you might not want to at all.” 

“Alma, I want to be around,” he swallowed the lump in his throat. “I don’t know how often that may be because of the distance but I-I want to know her.” When he said it out loud he truly felt it. Though he had doubts about himself being a father, he wanted to at least try. “I’ll figure everything else out later but right now this is what I want to do.” 

A wash of relief and happiness fell over Alma. She felt like she could finally breathe. Though things between them would probably be prickly for a while she was glad they could put it aside for their daughter.

“I have this box full of baby things,” she said, reaching for it on the coffee table in front of them and lifting the lid off. “Would you like to go through this while she sleeps?” 

She pulled a few things out which looked like photo albums and newborn clothing and then grabbed a manilla folder and opened it, inside were her ultrasound pictures. She handed one to him and he carefully took it in his hands. He wasn’t sure what he was looking at. Until Alma pointed at a white speck near the center of the photo. 

“That’s what she looked like in the beginning,” she lightly laughed. “And then she eventually grew into her looks,” she said, passing him another ultrasound photo with a clear profile of the baby that grew inside her. 

He traced his finger along it now wondering what she looked like now. She told him that she was a fairly big baby at birth and really long which made him smile but kind of made him feel for Alma giving birth naturally. She handed him the newborn clothes that the baby wore in the hospital and he could help but notice how big his own hands were compared to the small garments. 

“Alma, can I ask you something,” he said, laying the little onesie on his thigh. 

“Of course.”

“Yesterday, when I first showed up to the record shop. I saw her, didn't I?” 

“Yeah, that was her with her babysitter Yolani walking past you.” 

Bill rubbed his hand across his mouth blinking back tears. He remembered the baby’s outstretched hand in his direction and some part of him felt something but he hadn’t paid attention to it then. 

“We can take a break if you want,” she asked. 

“No, it’s fine,” he cleared his throat. “I’m fine. What did you name her?”

And that’s when Alma started blinking back tears of her own. She took a deep breath to collect herself. “Her name is Echo.” 

“Oh,” Bill choked up. 

“Yeah, um it’s Echo Myrna. I figured I should give her a middle name for someone that you’ve loved in your life, too. And well, you kinda named me Echo too.”

Bill put his arm around her and hugged her tightly. He knew better than to think that while she never told him about their daughter she always still had him in mind. They were in an embrace for a long while when he told her that he loved her and she said it back. Because they did even if they were both fucked up, they were all they had. 

They could hear cheery baby babble from the next room. Echo was finally awake. 

“Do you want to meet her?” 

“Yeah, should I follow you or?” He said beginning to feel nervous.

“Yeah come on. She is a good sleeper, a lot better than us for sure. And she never wakes up grumpy, only sometimes when she’s hungry,” Alma lightly laughed. 

Baby Echo was standing in her crib, smiling happily when she saw her mother walk in. Alma felt Bill let go of her hand a few paces behind her but she didn’t think anything wrong by it. She could feel his hand trembling in hers going to the bedroom so she knew it was because of nerves. She reached into the crib and lifted Echo out, smoothing her bed hair down. Echo reached for him the same way she had done at the record shop and smiled brightly at him this time. 

“Would you want to hold her?” 

“Hmm, I’m not sure,” he said, wringing his sweaty hands together and putting them into the pockets of his hoodie. 

Alma nodded understandingly. She knew she had to be mindful and go at his own pace but she wished he had said yes. “Let's go back to the living room. I need to make her a bottle.” 

Bill sat on the couch and watched Alma hold their daughter in one arm while the other scooped powdered formula and put it into a water-filled baby bottle. He noticed how Echo rested her head in the crook of her mother's neck, content while sucking her little thumb. His heart strained noticing how much she really did look like him especially now that he finally decided to look through a small photo album. Her newborn pictures showed lighter brown hair than she did now but even if her roots had darkened some he could see the golden wavey locks on the ends when they had joined him on the couch again. He saw the pictures of the baby's first Christmas, she was still so tiny and fresh sitting on Alma's crossed legs under a Christmas tree as she opened a present. 

“How old is she?” He said looking at the little girl who was kicking her little feet towards him. She was gnawing on the tip of the bottle smiling at him with a curious expression on her face. 

“Nine months almost ten,” Alma smiled. “She was born on November 30th.

“She looks so small in these pictures,” he said, flipping to the next page of his daughter enjoying a day in the park. 

“I have a few rolls of film I still need to develop from this summer. She’s a very photogenic kid, kinda like you that way.” 

Echo giggled a bit as if she were actually following their conversation. Without even thinking about it, his hand reached for her little wriggling foot. He smiled at her when she giggled again because his touch seemed to have tickled her little foot. 

“Hi.” He said to her and then looked at Alma, “What should she call me?”

“Whatever you’re comfortable with. We don’t have to decide that today?” 

Bill nodded. “Could I try? Could I hold her, I mean.” 

Alma took the baby bottle from Echo before she gladly handed her to Bill who was quite obviously nervous, it was all over his face. But when she was in his arms and she placed her little hand on his chin his nervousness seemed to lessen. Echo looked up at him with big round green hazel eyes with so much familiarity it nearly frightened him. As if she knew exactly who he was. His heart warmed in a way he had never felt before, it was scary. He could only imagine how Alma felt when she had first met her. The feeling was overwhelming. 

Suddenly, Echo’s quick hand took a grasp of his nose and squeezed it making him wince. 

Alma reached over and pulled her hand away. “Echo, be nice. Sorry, she can be a little feisty but she’s friendly at least.” 

Bill laughed. “It’s okay,” he said, touching her cheek until her little hand took hold of his pointer finger. “I like her. Kinda reminds me of her mom.” 

That evening he just held her in her arms as they spoke about their daughter. When she needed tending too he stood back but watched trying to take mental notes on how she liked to be cared for. She seemed like a fairly easy baby and a very happy one. Bill decided to stay the night at her place and in the morning offered his hotel for them all to stay at and spend some time together as a family. So that he could acclimate to the reality and be with his daughter. 

When they entered the hotel, Bill brought in the bags Alma had packed along with the playpen as she walked through the place to show the baby around. She sat Echo in the center of the large king-sized bed and took the camera from inside her jacket to take a picture.

“Look at you, big fancy girl!” She said as the little girl clapped happily. 

They enjoyed the weekend and it was as if they had done this all before. A second nature came out of Bill and took over. Alma watched him place their sleeping daughter into the playpen next to their bed on the last night he was in town. When he joined Alma in bed, he kissed her deeply and pulled her on top of himself. Eventually, they lay in bed naked, discussing how to make it all work. Making solid plans to travel to each other until they could all settle somewhere. He wanted to be a better father than his dad was and while it scared him like hell he would do his best for Echo. And while he was still upset to some degree with Alma he tried to be understanding. She was just trying to protect their daughter. 

“She kinda saved me, you know. I know I shouldn’t put that on a kid but yeah she changed me.” She snuggled to the side of him. Though he only knew his daughter in only a few days he could sense what she meant by that. 

“I love you, Alma,” Bill said sleepily. “I think I’m okay with her calling me Papa. That feels right. Right?” 

The baby suddenly cried out in the middle of the night just as her parents were going to drift to sleep. Though promptly Alma got up, on her way to her daughter she picked up one of Bill’s shirts and threw it on before picking her up from the playpen. With Echo in her arms, she walked towards his side of the bed and picked up the premade bottle that sat on his nightstand. 

“It’s your turn papa,” she said, passing the baby along to him as they both laughed. 

Bill happily obliged, he had a lot of catching up to do. 

FIN

#my bill writings #avenue of sins #bill skarsgard

[sweetestofchaos]

Stray Kids Masterlist

Story Key

Fluff 🎀 Angst 💔 Slice of Life 😊

NonHuman 🦄 Smut 🔞Dark 🚬 Hiatus 🛑

Writing ✍🏽 Complete 👍🏽 Mini Series 🤏🏽

You give them a forehead kiss...again  😊

You give them a forehead kiss  😊

They are protective of you 😊

You get stood up 💔😊

You sing ‘Need to Know’ by Doja cat 🔞

Most Likely To Like Cock Warming 🔞

Tea Prompts

None

Moodboard 1 2

A Little Help: Y/N is having a rough night, thankfully Hyunjin is her friendly and thoughtful neighbor. 😊

None

Hard Hours: Different 🔞 requests

Queenie: If you were queen for a day, what would you do?

Moodboard

Superpower: You try your best to explain you love of photography to Felix.🎀😊

Sweetest Kiss: Felix has more to offer than what’s at his bake stand 🎀😊

None

Request: you tend to get a little dumb when Felix speaks with his deeper tone of voice and he knows it.🔞

You Can Stay - Felix surprises you with a late night visit

Hard Hours: Different 🔞 requests

Moodboard 1 2

Missed Call Ft. Changkyun: Changkyun’s wife storms out after a fight 💔😊

Closure: You finally had that big talk with your mother and it was bad…real  bad. Chan is there to comfort you.😊

None

Hard Hours: Different 🔞 requests - Thicc girl,

Talk To Me: Prompt Request - “Do you have my sad hoody? I need my sad hoody.“ 💔🎀

Dance With Me 😊🎀

Moodboard

None

None

Hard Hours: Different 🔞 requests

Moodboard

Kissing Smoke: Just a lazy day with your boyfriend Han 🔞

None

Hard Hours: Different 🔞 requests

Late Shift: Prompt Challenge - “I don’t care if it’s 2am. I’m lonely, come watch a movie.” 😊

Moodboard

Babysitter: Changbin can’t say no to you and now he has to watch your 4 year old brother.  🎀😊

None

Hard Hours: Different 🔞 requests

11:37 pm 😊💔

Moodboard

None

None

Hard Hours: Different 🔞 requests

Moodboard

None

None

Hard Hours: Different 🔞 requests

#stray kids masterlist #skz bang chan #skz seungmin #skz hyunjin #skz i.n #skz han #skz minho #skz changbin #skz felix

[su8arandspite]

5, 11 and 22 for my queenie pop beth PLES

i… may have gotten a bit carried away (no regrets)

ft. the most beth-coded images I could find… not pictured: her gorgeous, iconic 80s perm

5: guilty pleasures

as part of their unlikely friendship, eddie gets her into weed. she doesn’t really smoke, but she will make the best pot brownies any of them have ever had. he’s not a good influence on her, and she loves it

flavored chapstick. i say this is a problem only because what started with steve gifting her an innocent dr pepper lip smackers (bc it’s her favorite soda) snowballed into expanding beyond her simple strawberry and cherry to tootsie roll and more—up to 10+ and counting. does this obsession make sense when she always has to top it off with a separate gloss for the perfect shine? no. will that stop her? of course not. she makes more trips to claire’s than she’ll ever admit to

secretly has a thing for bill murray. can’t/won’t explain why but she’s kinda into it

still sleeps with her childhood teddy bear

also loves to reread books from her childhood. peter pan is the favorite

11: bad/petty habits

accidentally/on purpose made an enemy of jim hopper during her sister’s disappearance because she wrongly assumed that everyone just forgot about katy and beth wouldn’t let him. it was a surprising day indeed when the 5’2 head cheerleader looked him dead in the eyes and called him a “lazy fucking asshole.” it sure made for some awkward apologies when katy did return

people pleasing people pleasing people p— she has this deep need to be loved & as a result she’s always giving more than she gets.

but there’s only so much of yourself that you can safely give away before you lose sight of who you are

she can be the most passive aggressive bitch in town if she wants to be—never unprompted, though. except for when it comes to carol perkins. not for any particular reason per-say, but she has hated carol since the 1st grade and she’s a heinous bitch so she must’ve done something to deserve it, ok?

will not hesitate to correct anyone who incorrectly states a fact or quotes

22: people who’ve influenced them greatly

in terms of fashion/general vibes, it’s a delicate and carefully curated mixture of lady di, brooke shields, & molly ringwald. she’s put-together, trendy, fashionable, and girly in a way that is enviable to her peers but still creative and uniquely beth (think: designer outfits paired with one-of-a-kind accessory finds she picked up at antique shops)

especially in her younger years/as a teen, her mother has been a big influence on beth. she means well, but it’s more for her own sake than beth’s. mrs. debbie sullivan is all about keeping up with the other pta moms in loch nora for most of beth’s life. she’s the one who taught her her love for fashion and never missed a chance to brag about beth for getting elected cheer captain or winning prom queen. but her mother seemed a lot less interested in anything than wine and her pills after the events of fall 1983

beth’s best friends, amy and tiffany, mean more to her than all of her other fleeting “friends” combined. they’ve been inseparable from the get-go, known by their peers as the trifecta— the redhead, the brunette, the blonde. && it’s amy who teaches her that she should never settle for less than what she wants and deserves. tiffany showed her that it’s okay to be a bitch sometimes, because she doesn’t owe anyone anything. together, they are unstoppable. i like to think of them as a teenaged cheerleader version of the powerpuff girls tbfh

her little sister katy, in more ways than i could possibly name here. her disappearance (and reappearance) alone deserve their own essay, but she admires so much about her nerdy, headstrong little sister. it’s her drive to be the best big sister she can that makes beth such a natural leader and really highlights her warmth and maternal nature. but don’t get me wrong, katy can still be a pain in the ass, as all little sisters are.

dustin henderson!!! sure, he’s the annoying lil brother she didn’t ask for, but he’s also been such a positive force in her life. especially since katy’s disappearance. she adores him and their relationship is parallel to her and katy’s. he helps her to embrace her nerdier side and not feel ashamed that she likes history. she also kind of owes him and his mischievous scheming for pushing her together with the love of her life, too

as cliche as it is, i would be remiss if i didn’t add steve harrington to this list. steve is so much more than just a boy who she likes; he is the first person to every truly understand her. steve was patient and kind and he taught her that she is so much stronger than she gives herself credit for, but she doesn’t always have to be. he makes her a better person, makes her want to be one, and vice versa

there are more ofc (did not include her historic heroes or feminist icons but just so you know, she does in fact love betty friedan. which would probably surprise her classmates but that's another story)

a bonus lil blurb/headcanon based on 5, set in 1980:

she and carol had always been frenemies at best

but when they’re among the only cliques of eighth graders invited to a high school party, none of that matters

at least not until a tipsy sophomore rounds up a game of spin the bottle

beth looks around the room, makes eye contact with steve, and agrees

then it was steve’s turn. as the bottle began to slow and neared beth, carol “accidentally” nudged the glass, causing it to fall just short of beth and land right on nicole, two seats down

it was no secret that, although they were currently ‘off,’ carol had every intention of getting back with tommy eventually

that was about all beth knew about him; it was more than enough

if carol wanted to play dirty, beth wouldn’t hesitate to beat her at her own game (er, at least in the minds of two slightly intoxicated 14-year-old girls)

it wasn’t long after that when beth’s spin landed somewhere between steve and tommy.

despite every part of her telling her that carol was certainly not worth all this, she simply agrees when tommy insists that it was closer to him (even if it really wasn’t)

and so, with a single glance at carol, she made out with him in front of the entire party

the whole thing felt wrong and awkward, because he was too slobbery and his tongue was down her throat in an unpleasant mess

but as he finally pulled away (more due to being pried apart than anything), the look on carol’s face was more than enough consolation

she missed the disgruntled, sour glare steve was giving tommy

carol pretty much avoided beth after that; apparently tommy “hadn’t kissed her like that in ages”

beth considered carol lucky for that

#beth my beloved #character asks #original characters #powderblueblood #kayley speaks #headcanons

[lukielu56]

heya! I'd like to make a request if that alright.

I'd like an Empireverse One-shot. I had this scenario in my head for almost 2 years now but I never got to write it out for myself, so please, hear me out.

Empireverse Nightmare once had a queen, he loved this queen sooo much, but after some time, he found her boring so he chose some other whore to be his queen. The queen left his castle but unbeknownst to her, she was pregnant with his child. 10 years after her departure, he's gone ape-shit crazy in finding her, he actually missed her. So when he saw her with a child well....

I wanted to put Dream here too but....i don't know. Maybe queeny fled to the Empire of the Sun and asked for help. Now she got 2 highly violent Emperor's who would kill the other to have her.

I hope you make a drabble of this, but If you can't then it's okay! I wasn't able to write it after 2 years though.

Thanks for understanding my rambling, thank you!

I loved this request

I love you so~

Yandere empireverse nightmare x female reader

Type-fluff

Warnings- very obsessive behaviors, blood, murder, and light mentions to smut.

A/N - this is probably graphic and also I hope this is good.

———

Why? The king of nightmares thought.

Why did he miss her?

The king of nightmares was broken out of his thoughts when he heard his current queen calling him back to bed for some “fun”

She had been on his mind for awhile, the queen before this one. Appearing in his most vivid of dreams.

Eventually he lost his mind killing the current queen and beginning a search of his long lost love.

As time passed and blood spilled, his own crew members feared him so, scared for their lives they ran over to the empire of the sun only to see their lord’s obsession sitting at the table with a child that resembled him a bit.

The child had tendrils and a bit of goop on them.

The ex-crew explained to king of positivity that nightmare had gone insane looking for the human girl sitting not too far away from them.

The king of the sun looked stunned but he knew that this was going to happen at some point, she was the first person he truly cherished for a long time.

Meanwhile nightmare delved deeper and deeper into madness looking for his love.

——

You were just playing with your kid when cross walked up to you with a smile before sitting down next to you.

He explained the situation to you making you worried that he’d find you here but he reassured you he wouldn’t and if he did, dream would stop him.

Although the current predicament it was nice to see the rest of his crew was still doing ok. But every night you would get nightmares that seemed to get worse and worse. And when you woke up dream always appeared to be near to comfort you.

The peace that was there though came to an abrupt end.

you were walking around the castle you heard some screaming coming from the bottom floor as you saw guards and the skeletons running down the stairs to confront the perpetrator. You followed down out of curiosity and regretted in instantly.

To everyones horror and surprise, it was the king of nightmares and he was covered in dry and fresh blood. His eyes held anger and bloodlust as the guards quickly got murdered before his eyes traveled to you.

His eyes soften as he started towards you only to be stopped by dream.

“Dream, I’m only going to ask once. Get out of my way.”

Dream didn’t move an inch even though he feared for his life, he had to do whatever it took to protect you.

The two kings started to battle and just as dream was about fall, your child yelled for him making nightmare drop dream and walked over to them stopping and starring at them before falling to his hands and knees and began to cry.

He was broken… it was his fault. He didn’t know that you were bearing his child.

He sat there crying and apologizing to you profusely. He kept on apologizing as he helped dream back up before coming back to you and immediately hugging you tightly, as if he thought you were going to disappear.

He was truly sorry.

———

Sorry for the corny ending-

#yandere #yandere sans #empireverse #nightmare sans #dream sans

[adrcnalinerush]

below the cut you’ll find a bunch of memes(?) of mine & queenie’s lost boys as weird shit i found on pinterest. so, enjoy that. (a second part that’s all wyoming being a third wheel)

fairy godmother: “how tf did you pull this off??” / rowan: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

the problem w/ sharing a room w/ someone older than modern english.

she is getting crushed. someone save her.

i’ve always wondered how the folks on neverland eat since we never see any food source. not even one.

three afab individuals walk into a bathroom...

the horsemen of the apocalypse.

fairies can be so rude. smh.

what to do when you have no skills related to the topic at hand.

stacked like goombas.

you can take the girl out of florida…

wyoming did some stupid shit again.

ah yes, parenting even though you yourself are a child.

studying is getting harder & harder.

what made him do it?

dorm shenanigans. fairy godmother regrets letting them into her school.

gunslinging waits for no man.

(i don’t have a funny caption idea for this one… think of one yourself.)

she’s in the mini-mart’s fridge & has been for hours.

they show up to the theater like this every damn time.

when you discover you’ve missed out on nearly four decades of gaming

haunted house time.

a second haunted house meme.

(idk, this just gave me vibes).

“why is the flag waving? why are the shadows going different directions if there’s only one light source? the gov’t lies all the time & yet they expect me to believe that they’re telling the truth on this one??”

(i know i just used this, but let me have this.)

sending this to the group chat for the 345th time this evening.

it be like that sometimes.

brits gonna brit.

a second potato meme for consideration.

do your fucking homework. you’re going to get expelled.

well well well, if it isn’t the consequences of her actions…

when you have homework.

he’s bs-ing his way through helping w/ the previous meme.

idk how they’re gettin’ down, but they got up.

dramatic bitches.

what did he do before joining the lost boys?

when in doubt, wield a sword against your worldly troubles.

when fg finds out you’ve been staying in the dorms & calls you into her office.

i feel like this is a good one to end on.

#*memes #*rowan #*wyoming #*ryker (gamecn) #tw: large images #// #i made all of this bs in ms paint so if it's shitty blame that #also i was finding these images & csme up w/ this post @ 0100 #so you could blame that too #you can reblog ig but idk why you'd want to #on rowan being a conspiracy theorist: it's bc he has no education so it's easy to convince him of anything #as long as you speak w/ authority & throw in some fun words he'll believe you

[anotherwvba]

Challenge Accepted pt. 12

This is my ring, my domain. She's just a debutante, nobody, Reina thought, her eyes locked onto Skye's as they waited for the bell to ring. She doesn’t deserve to share my ring with me. I’ll make this quick and painful. They’ll all know their place after this.

Okay, Skye, you've trained for this. Stick to the plan and you’ll be fine. This is just another dance and another stage. Only this time, you punch your dance partner in the face, Skye thought, her eyes meeting Reina's icy gaze. Hard… really, really hard… and a lot.

The bell rang and the referee called “Box!” The crowd came to life and quickly settled to an anticipatory buzz. Both fighters circled in the center of the ring. Reina moved with a menacing fluidity, her step calculated and powerful. Skye’s feet danced lightly across the canvas, quick and graceful, a dancer on her stage.

"You sure you're ready for this, niña?" Reina’s voice dripped with arrogance as she threw a couple of jabs, testing Skye’s defenses.

“Born ready, queenie.” Skye replied with casual defiance, slapping away Reina’s jabs. “Ain’t wearin’ these gloves to keep my hands warm.”

Reina lunged forward, jabbing at Skye's head. Skye dodged easily, her body swaying with her dancer’s grace. Too slow, Reina, she thought.

Frustration flickered in Reina’s eyes. She’s quicker than I thought, she admitted.

A left hook came hard at Skye's head, but she ducked under the punch and countered with a quick straight right square to Reina's midsection. "Missed me," Skye quipped.

Damn it, Reina thought, momentarily stunned, the breath knocked out of her. 

Seizing the opportunity, Skye unleashed a flurry of unanswered blows—two jabs, a hook, and another straight right, all finding their marks on Reina's face and body. Skye then danced away, putting distance between them as Reina got her bearings.

That's right, keep underestimating me, Skye thought, her confidence growing.

I can't let her get the upper hand, Reina thought, her frustration evident, now even through her mask.

Flicking out jabs and moving aggressively, Reina tried to pin Skye against the ropes. But Skye was too quick, slipping away and landing a couple of quick jabs to Reina's face. "You'll have to do better than that," Skye taunted as she felt an energy pulsing through her gloves.

Red six-pointed stars, Chicago stars, started to glow and sparkle around Skye’s gloves. This feels amazing! Now's my chance.

Just as Skye was about to capitalize, Reina clinched, turning them so the ref couldn't see. “Dance now, chica,” Reina spat as she shot a quick elbow into Skye's ribs. The sparkles around Skye's gloves dissipated instantly.

“Ughn! You dirty—” Skye bit hard on her mouthpiece and shoved Reina out of the clinch, then hammered home a right hook, landing squarely on Reina's jaw.

Reina smiled, wiping blood away from her now split lip with the back of her glove. "So, la pequeña bailarina has some fire in her. Bueno. It’ll make my victory even sweeter."

“Ref!” Vanessa shouted from her corner, incensed, “You wanna watch from those elbows or should I?!”

Daisy glanced over and just gestured to her eyes as if saying what Vanessa already knew. The ref can’t call what the ref can’t see.

She thinks I’m rattled, Skye thought, her eyes narrowing as they met Reina’s. I’ll show you rattled, queenie.

She's impulsive. Good, Reina thought, her eyes never leaving Skye's. Makes you sloppy, niña.

Skye began to use her jabs and footwork to keep Reina at bay. Her jabs were quick, snapping Reina's head back a couple of times. "Come on, queenie. Dance with me," Skye said, her footwork keeping her just out of Reina's reach.

She's trying to keep me at a distance. Clever girl, Reina thought. She started cutting off the ring, limiting where Skye could move. "Like this, chica?" Reina sneered, landing a pair of hard hooks to Skye's ribs followed by a quick uppercut to her midsection, each landing with a resounding thud.

Let's see how well you dance when you can't breathe, Reina eyes twinkled with satisfaction.

Skye felt every punch land, but kept moving. She's targeting my body, trying to slow me down. Alright then. She started to set up a rhythm, footwork falling into place, jabbing when Reina strayed too close.

Ah, I see your game now, Reina thought, a smirk forming on her lips. “Predictable,” she muttered as she darted in, right hand cocked.

A quick stutter step and a feinted left jab later and Skye exploded a quick right hook on Reina’s chin. “Predict this!”

What the—? Reina barely had time to think before Skye’s left uppercut snapped her head back and another right hook clipped her chin.

“You’re full of surprises, chica.” Reina faded back from another uppercut, then rocked Skye’s head to the side with a hard left hook that caught her flush. “But you’re running out of them.”

That hurt! Skye’s vision blurred and she tried to shake the cobwebs, but Reina was right on top of her.

Reina smiled cruelly, “Out of your league, chica.” Skye barely heard her over the sound of Reina’s gloves slamming into her skull. A one-two to the mouth, a pair of hooks to the body, then a hook and an uppercut to the chin. Every punch clean and each more devastating than the last.

Skye’s senses were practically swimming as she caught a glimpse of Reina’s gloves, now glowing fierce crimson in the shape of a crown. Not good, not good, not—

“Bow to your queen!" she taunted loudly, her eyes locked onto Skye's as she drew back her right hand. Suddenly, Reina unleashed a Blaster Blow, her fist rocketing up into Skye’s stomach with incredible power, lifting Skye off her feet. The glow of Reina’s right hand flashed bright upon impact, lighting up the ring for a split second, then faded away as she pulled her fist back to guard.

Oh my God! Skye landed on her feet, gasping for air, cradling her stomach in pain. Not like this. Not going down. She held her ground, knees weak, but with fire in her eyes as she met Reina’s gaze.

“Tougher than I gave you credit, niña,” Reina smiled with predatory glee as she moved in, gloves ready to finish the job, “but your fairy tale ends now.”

"Move, Skye! You've got to move! Don't let her corner you!" Vanessa shouted from Skye's corner, her eyes filled with concern.

But, Reina’s gloves were already flying. "You're not dancing your way out of this one, chica," She unleashed a barrage of fierce punches to Skye's body. Jab, hook, jab, and two more hooks, all in quick succession. Skye’s breath was being stolen with every blow. Then came a pair of devastating uppercuts.

Skye was trying to suck air back into her lungs, but then her eyes went wide as she saw Reina’s gloves glowing once again. Ah hell. Dance, girl. Can’t take another one of those.

A pair of jabs landed right between Skye’s eyes, Reina trying to disorient her as confidently moved into position. “Ready to kiss the canvas, cariña?” Reina pulled back her glowing right hand then let loose another Blaster Blow.

It missed.

Skye pivoted aside in the nick of time and drove her right hand hard against Reina’s ear. “You first!” 

The glow around Reina’s gloves faded away and Reina’s eyes widened. ¿Qué? ¿Cómo?

Seeing Reina stunned, Skye seized the offensive and her feet found their rhythm. Soon she boots were moving lightly on canvas and her gloves were finding openings from all angles. A jab snapped Reina’s head, followed by a hook to her ribs. Another jab, then a pair of hooks to the body. Every punch a little bit of payback and a small victory to Skye.

Reina’s eyes regained focus and filled with anger. “You’ll pay, pendeja,” she growled, swinging a right hook at Skye’s head.

“I don’t think so!” Skye was ready, ducking Reina’s hook and landing her own left hook hard to the luchadora’s cheek. Reina’s eyes glazed and Chicago stars sparkled around Skye’s gloves again.

Skye smiled with mischief in her eyes, “How about a Second City Cyclone, your highness?” She coiled her whole body back and locked her right hand into place, then unleashed a Tornado Hook across Reina’s jaw, the stars around her gloves flashing bright, then blinking out.

The impact spun Reina in place like a top. When she finally stopped, she was staggering, completely disoriented, and Skye didn’t waste a second!

“8-7-2, represent!” Skye shouted as she started throwing leather, each punch pushing Reina toward the ropes. A jab to the face, then a hook to the body. Another jab. Another hook. Reina’s back hit the strands as Skye uncorked a straight right and the bell rang.

Skye stopped her punch short as Reina’s eyes came back into focus. “Close, queenie. Real close.”

Reina glared back. "This isn't over, you little bailarina."

The fans erupted as the women headed to their corners, appreciating the all-out slugfest they were witnessing

As Reina approached her corner, her assistant Maria was waiting. "You let her get to you, Señora. You need to focus."

Reina took her stool and her corner got to work. "That girl embarrassed me. I should have knocked her out already."

“Señora… Reina,” Maria spoke softly, “she’s green, but she’s good.”

With a warm look to her confidant and a deep breath, Reina replied, "I know, Maria. I won't underestimate her again." She then locked her icy gaze on Skye. “She meets the canvas next round.”

Meanwhile, Vanessa was tending to Skye in the opposite corner. "Deep breaths. You did good, kid. How you feelin’?"

"Rough, but I can't let her think she's got me," Skye said, catching her breath, but her eyes filled with determination.

“Now the real fight starts. We showed her what we wanted her to see in the gym,” Vanessa gave her fighter some water, then held the enswell to her cheek. “But now, she’s seen you for real and we’ve seen her. Keep your eyes peeled.”

Skye swished the water in mouth and spit it, still breathing deep. “That elbow. I know. I’m ready.”

Skye’s cheering section, Glass Joe, Niki, Cutie, and Mika, all had their eyes glued to the ring, watching the fighters in their corners.

"That Tornado Hook was dope! Almost as good as yours," Niki said.

"It was sweet, but Skye can’t slug with Reina. Her body work, that Blaster Blow. Lucha girl’s too strong," Cutie replied.

"Oui. Reina wants a brawl." Glass Joe chimed in. “But, Skye is an incroyable dancer. She needs to use her feet as well as her fists.”

Mika leaned forward, her eyes narrowing as she watched Skye and Reina in their respective corners. "You know, it's not just about the punches. It's about desire. My roomie wants it more. I can see it."

The referee called out, "Seconds out!"

Both fighters took deep breaths, their eyes locking for a moment before they would clash again. Standing in their corners and bouncing on their toes, waiting for the bell to resume hostilities.

This little upstart thinks she can embarrass me? I’m the queen here, Reina thought, her eyes narrowing as she stared across the ring at Skye. Time to put this novata in her place and end this farce. She’s gonna come at me hard. Eyes open, be ready, and show ‘em, Skye thought, her heart pounding in her chest as she locked eyes with Reina. Show her and everyone watching that you belong here.

#punch out #punch out wii #super punch out #wvba #punch out oc #punch out fanfic #super punch-out!! #punch-out!! #skye ivy #reina adora #vanessa kof #king of fighters #niki binary #cutie hondo #star mika #glass joe

[thefoxvampire]

(that's day 16 theis is my new frankenfox oc , thank you )

Name: Sunnie the Scarecrow --------------------------------------------------------

Nickname(s): Sun (by Zoe Zee)  the smartest (by kyah and vanna), queen or queenie ( by frankenfox and metallifox), nicest sweetheart thing (by foxtrot and girlfriend "ribbon", mr or miss scarecrow (by fox fox) the girly guy (by moxy) 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- age: 31 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Occupation: being smarty never forgot his brain and being making a fabulous disign including to clothes in his own things from the fashion show -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Birthday: October 16th ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

relationship: kirk (the grunchy living voodoo raccoon doll "Frankenfox and vanna's own assistant"  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sexuality: Gay/pansexual  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gender: male ----------------------------------------------------

Biography (with back story): Sunnie is the smartest and harmless scarecrow from farm from other side of the toonsville in the country,  before someone different for content princess vanna's marriage and me he a new memeber to be my new  ally  to frankenfox including aother moxy fox fox but because he frank's manservant work with dusty and sweep(but from sop'a frankenfox own fursona i made :v) beecause vanna is one been stalked by a villain whole time same is me at least , and he good friend of mind to being a bodyguard to vanna ben saved with Zoe and crush on frankenfox's assistant  "kirk" and want to be a knowledgeable genius like frank, vanna and stitchly at this point but not to mention it he make a new clothes with fancy fashion statement after he only got a brain this week ago but he became a fighter like vanna did of because of it.

begining in 2022: it happens sadly from the past last october from in road to country the farmer build the scarecrow for get the crows when his wife was irritating to ask him for do it but to arguing not use girl clothes so the birds laughing at infront in the named Sunnie "sunnie the scarecrow" to begining the crows making fun of except one baby crow likes him.  and so everyone before today sunnie is had it enough with this violent place when he alive and the farmer and his wife run away, and he was sick and tired of this and so he finally from the ranch and he called the taxi cab to move on out of here and there is was his head hurts when he freak out very harsh  and he lost a brain literally only straw ,Sad , poor sunnie for lost his own marbles and yet he need a therapy when help for need a brain. in this october 16 2023: (thank goodness inspired all the scene from wizard of OZ) me (my foxsona only the werefox) frankly Kyah was not in toonsville anymore and but Kyah lost frankenfox again when vanna still been stalked , and so againist a villain and the doom squad , and yet she following the orange brick road with onyx and golden slippers to rescue frankenfox and vanna's marriage , soon sunnie appeared reply kyah and like "try that way" then he meet kyah he just remember last year he didn't got a brain just only straw becaue he didn't even scare a crow, and yet he singing then he can dancing  if only have brain and so to us they to recuse and they off the see the spooktacular Wizard of Mash. at ending: after her brother frankenfox , the princess of  Foxsylvania"  vanna and those guys moxy and fox fox been rescued once again by the others, sunnie is finally have a brain re-gowned for knowledging anything very good, the next including the claim anything to do with vanna's one relationship , overall to future his own thing as frankenfox, moxy and fox fox's manservant  and the dresses and clothes maker and hair dreser to vanna and stitchly because he new memeber work with dusty and sweep but he crush the raccoon is a voodoo doll "kirk" who doesn't understand, so later on cabaret in been build for halloween is coming  , he meet his bird friends cassie and cathy as soon he in charge in his own thing in the fashion show.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- favoirite bands: rebel pebbles (same) , janet jackson, paula abdul and madonna -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

favorite movies: wizard of oz 1939 (just one)  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LIKES: making dresses and hairstyle,training his brain doing something brave and naturally, his former boyfriend "kirk" , vanna who being nice to him ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DISLIKES: fire ,villains , being forgetful about the brain, yelling and fighting failing scare crows woman, animal and child abuse ,  hypocrites and drama

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

FUN FACTS:

if he use be to be having only got brain when lost his trust and his mind sadly.

he was in love with kirk when become frank's  manservant to protenting kyah's new home of toonsville.

not to mentioned he in frankenfox and vanna's fox kids network bumpers to be a genius like  them because a smartass scarecrow with own knowledge.

he loves to make hairstyle and dresses to stitchly and princess vanna to his own future.

he like take care of the animals and protent and being a fighter like vanna because he bravest.

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

Personality: Smartyest  knowledgeable, Lovable, friendly chilling and healthy and careless,helpful and fabulous,unselfish  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fighting Style: 

jump scare attack crows attack a giant pitch fork

shotgun scythe constructive criticism

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

Quote:

"Darlin, if i only having brain, soon or maybe NOT" 

"Sunnie my boy are a smartest scarecrow i ever hear of ,your genius~ ^^" 

" thank you zoe" 

"now now let's not hissying about it" 

"um princess vantonia darling?, if you and mr. frankenfox don't mind , i take it from here" 

"outstanding and extraordinary sir ,very wonderful *he reply frankenfox" 

" how about you need to leave vanna the hell alone you hypocrite tramp!" 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Voice Claim:  Parvesh Cheena- zulius from centaurworld: Zulius Being A Trans Bicon For 6 Minutes Not Straight -- READ DESC -- - YouTube

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

Theme Songs:  Hymn for a scarecrow- Tally Hall: Hymn for a Scarecrow - YouTube

Examples: don't be disrespectful sunnie, he have his chilling and innocent person, try to be nice to him if you put the bad comments don't being a  hypocrite just chill if you want to me the damn rp don't being inpolite you too young or old for this trying something do nice and chill things  don't being a simp to him, he have boyfriend goes to kirk almost , he gay :v  if you hate it don't being violent for break the rules and thank you

#frankenfox #halloween #the toon bumpers trio #foxkids #90's cartoons

[southernpansy666]

Growing Up

Part 1

Eden was three now and she had outgrown her highchair. 

"Sweetheart, you don't need to sit there anymore." Aziraphale said as he watched Eden crawl to the high chair and pat it with a chubby hand.

"Daddy should be back in a bit with a brand new baby seat for you, because you're a big girl now." Aziraphale felt his heart ache, their baby was growing so quickly. 

"Oi, Angel, Queenie,  I'm back." Crowley called as he opened the front door.  Eden shot to her feet and darted to greet her father as quickly as her chubby little legs would allow. 

Crowley set down the shopping bags he returned with and knelt down, already ready for the red haired toddler who rounded the corner. 

"Hello ya beauty! Told ya I wouldn't be gone long!" When the demon had grabbed his keys, Eden immediately began to cry, knowing those objects meant that Daddy would be leaving. And it was always difficult for Crowley to calm little Eden down when he had to run an errand, resorting to eventually sneaking away when Aziraphale was able to distract her with baking. And it was already hard enough leaving her and Aziraphale for long periods of time.

But now he was back and he was going to spend the rest of the day making it up to her.

"Dada! Dada! Dada!" Eden exclaimed as she slammed into Crowley's chest, nearly knocking him over. 

"Hahaha, I missed you too shooting star. Did you take good care of Papa while I was gone?" Crowley hugged her tightly and buried his face in her soft dark red curls. 

"Of course she did, dear boy." Aziraphale replied as he joined them. "She takes good care of me while you're away." Aziraphale glanced at the shopping bags. "Love, I thought I sent you out for a booster seat for the dinner table…?"

Crowley stood up, Eden still in his arms. "I did Angel. And while I was out I went ahead and got Eden some snacks, some takeout for us and I saw the cutest unicorn toy set that Eden would love…"

Aziraphale chuckled. "You're hopeless Crowley." 

Part 2

"But I don't want to get rid of her highchair." Crowley said tightly as he secured the booster seat to a spare chair, which Eden would sit in old day when she was big enough. 

"But Crowley,  she doesn't need it anymore, and we don't need it for anything." 

"Yes we do." Crowley replied. "For the memories." Crowley glanced fondly at the brightly colored star stickers that decorated the highchair's legs. He and Eden had a wonderful time sticking them first on there, then on each other.

"You got me there." Aziraphale laughed as he too remembered that day fondly.

Crowley scooped up Eden,  who dropped her plastic unicorns in surprise.

"Alright, let's see how you like your new seat Queenie…" As soon as Eden saw the pink booster seat, she turned away sharply and buried her face in Crowley's chest. 

"No!" Eden squealed.

"Now darling, why don't you try it?"

Eden shook her head. "Want Dada." 

Crowley grinned from ear to ear. "A grand idea. A guaranteed built-in booster seat, that's me!"

"But what about this  booster seat?" Aziraphale asked.  "If we're not going to use it there's no need to keep it."

Crowley thought for a moment.  "Oi, the Pulsifers are looking for a seat for their little Bella Donna, she's growing like a weed. They can use this."

"And the highchair?" Aziraphale inquired. 

Crowley shrugged,  "Pfft, easy, we'll put it in the basement with the rest of the stuff that Eden has outgrown." The basement was pretty much an indoor gallery of Eden's baby belongings.

"That's settled then." Aziraphale concurred when Eden began to reach towards the Chinese food boxes waiting on the table. She was hungry and tired of waiting.

From that day forward, Crowley took his role as booster seat very seriously, and he and Eden would help each other eat. Aziraphale would nearly discorporate at the adorable scene.

The End 

#Good Omens #Goodomensprime #Goodomensseason2 #Bad Omens #Aziraphale #Crowley #David Tennant #Michael Sheen #Neil Gaiman #Terry Pratchett #Ineffablehusbands #Ineffablefamily #South Downs cottage

[hazbinextgeneration]

Hazbin Worlds Collide Ch17

(Iridescence and Tristan-palettepainter101)

She continued to stare up at the crazy woman as she stared unmoving at her.....Besides her hair that continued to move by itself and her eyes that continued to spiral black and yellow. She couldn't let this insane woman know her name even if she wanted too. This person reeked of danger......Maybe a change of subject? "Why do you look so much like Aunt Charlie?" "........" She blinked. "Pardon?"

"Miss Charlie? Princess of H*ll? You kinda look like her." Queeny gave a bark of laughter making the small spider flinch. Oh, what a silly question. But not one she's wasn't used to hearing. A few had mistaken Charlie for her mother. Both had pale skin and pink cheeks. And blonde-ish hair. Plus the similar way they dressed.......She shared no blood with the H*ll royal family, but the way others always assumed made her laugh. "I'm afraid you have me mistaken. I share no blood with the princess. Merely a coincidence we look alike.....YOU on the other hand." She suddenly leaned down until their noses were inches apart. "You have about the same scent as Angel-Cake......the only difference is that Angel-Cake has the faint scent of moths flowing through her veins. No doubt from Vaggie. You must have the same parents where you're from." She giggled making Iridescence step back. "You can.....SMELL that?" "I can do LOTS of things, Morsal. Though most don't live to see all of it." She gave her a look."........Hmm. I might just visit your dimension next." She stared at her. Morsal? Oh sweet f**k. Was this lunatic gonna EAT her? Judging by her smile.......She had no idea. Maybe if she- "Iridescence. What are you........doing?" She froze.......and inwardly groaned at the stupid bad timing. Queeny however slowly turned her head towards the door. The winged figure stared back. ".......And speaking of smelling moth blood." Her legs once again twisted until it was merely a ghost....tail...thing again and floated towards the boy. "Iridescence.....Such a lovely name for a little girl," she said to no one really, "And such a handsome looking young boy-" She stopped.....and slowly looked down. A pair of grey hands was tugging at her coat shirt and another was waving a bomb thing threatenly at her face. "LEAVE MY BROTHER ALONE YA F**KIN' LOONY!! I WON'T LET YOU SHOVE HIM DOWN YOUR THROAT!!" There was a pause. "........HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" She threw her head back making the smaller demon sway. "And....hmhm....What makes you think I'd eat anyone?" "Uh.....You called me morsal?" She laughed again before reaching down and grabbing one of her arms and lifting her up eye level. "I only 'eat' when someone irritates me or if I feel like it. And neither have happened. The only thing going down my throat is this" A red tipped red hand latched onto the bomb. "Hey!" She was shut up by what happened next. With a hiss, her eyes spun counter clockwise as her head slowly turned up to face the ceiling. Her mouth widened to what was considered impossible otherwise to normal people. One eye suddenly darted down to Iridescence making her flinch in terror. A voice chuckled from nowhere. "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" The eye snapped back and with a toss, the bomb went into the air. The siblings watched as it went up into the air and sailed down into the open mouth. As soon as it went it, her jaws snapped shut with a mousetrap like sound. Her face went back to normal in an instant. "You never know when I might use that." In one swift movement, she was thrown across the room. She hit her brother hard enough to send them both to the floor. She groaned and hissed at the pain in the arm Queeny had gripped. "........Oh. So Sorry. I sometimes forget others don't use magic the same way my family does." They were both suddenly lifted off the ground and her brother was placed on his feet with her in his arms. "There. Much better." "..........Lady. You're nuts. I think I'd rather have a staring contest with your sister." "Yes. People naturally gravitate towards my half siblings.......And speaking of half siblings." She looked them over. "You two have similar but different scents.......The same woman birthed you, yes?" When they didn't answer,she flipped onto her stomach and eyed them. "Not much for conversation, huh? Though your brother...." He tensed under her gaze and the grip on his sister got tighter. "You remind me of someone very special to me-" "Queeny." A red tipped hand suddenly gripped his shoulder. "Father's been looking for you. I should hope you didn't forget." "........" She blinked. "Oh, of course. I wouldn't want to keep him waiting." "Of course not." She floated over them and though the doorway. "Don't expect me to not introduce myself to the other newcomers though." "Wouldn't dream of it." Red eyes watched her go before looking back at them. "Sorry about my sister. She comes from two crazy parents. You are Tristan, yes?" Tristan glared at the deer boy before pulling away from his grip. He didn't forget THIS was the demon that scared Brinda half to death with his sister and flirted with her........That last part made him narrow his eyes. "Your sister is nuts! N-U-T-S. NUTS!!" He chuckled and looked at his sister. "I prefer the term eccentric or exotic, but you can't blame her considering who our father is. Maizy acts similar, yes?" "She never called me morsal or ate my bomb!" "Yes. Well our mother isn't Kaycee, and Maizy loves children.~" He turned to Tristan. "I doubt she would've done anything harmful. She doesn't eat very often and you look an awful lot like Hannibal." "Who?" "Hannibal Motha. He'll be joining us soon" He held up both hands and slapped them together. Slowly, raising his left hand, something round appeared in his other hand. Smiling, he held it out to her. "I believe this belongs to you.'' "Hey! My bomb!" She quickly snatched it from him. "How the heck did ya-?" "While I don't have the same amount of magic my sisters posses, I still have some abilities." She examined the small bomb while Tristan looked Chesire over. He must've known he was looking because his red spiraled eyes flashed at him. "No need to thank me. Just don't get too skittsh around us. We plan on staying until you all are sent home." He waltzed around them to the doorway before stopping and turning his head sideways. He was suddenly reminded of his Uncle Alastor. If Chesire's skin was peach instead of grey and if he was just a foot taller.....He would've been a perfect copy of a younger Alastor. "After all....It's not everyday I meet another version of us." He turned back and disappeared into the shadows. ".......I still like Maizy better. She more fun and less creepy."

#Hazbin

[bunnygirlheart]

chrono trigger ...liveblog? i guess kinda? it was when i was doin the first part in alice’s message box at least cx

Major spoilers under here, play the game before you read this (and . please Do play it if you can, this game is great i do recommend it)

So I just kicked dalton’s ass, and he ran away, and then i saved at the thingy and it says ‘lavos beckons’ and i am Concerned.

ah, hm. mm. queenie’s makin a mistake, methinks.

This place is weird. Neat statues though?

Also Ayla can just pick dudes up and chuck em into the air to deal massive damage when they land?? hot girl shit

hm. this looks fine. nothing going wrong here folks

lmao the scouters keep trying to make my team sleep and it keeps missing but finally they targeted robo and somehow it worked. sleeby robot

dalton stop being extra and just look me in the face when you talk to me pls,, Ah. Well, you did turn around at least, but only to be More dramatic. Also, hiding behind your toys, cmon man,

lmao cheese strats. I equipped the mail and vest for lightning and im only using lightning moves. Copycat is very exploitable,, Poor frog though, got toasted :((

...well. Hello to you too, Lavos. And guest. Ah, magus, of course of course.

oh nooo it didnt work :((

h. holy shit. Crono just got dusted. alright.

oh man, the whole place is falling outta the sky..

...I gotta load a save so I can see everyone’s response to all this. Especially Lucca,, Holy wow.

ah,,

‘’please don’t hate mother, or our kingdom’‘ wow big ask much? Mm.. I can excuse invoking calamity but I draw the line at mistreating your children

oh ouch. luccaaaaa 💔

what an ass haha. oh hell yes lucca just deflected his fireball that was sick!!! ... ah. well it was still sick.

Ooh~ the blackbird. Fools didn’t secure the vents hehehe

This was a neat area. Uh. Golem Boss was kinda sad. Poor dude couldnt even focus up here on the wing. I sorta feel bad

Hm,, Aero-dalton.. this guy is Terrible at naming things huh?

Oh damn they literally just jumped onto. alright. cool cool cool. no fear of heights in this party. Welp, Dalton was once again not a challenge. Rip birdie lmao good job everyone, nice buttons

oh!! this is the . heck nah i wont fight you lets goooo

oh i like that its frog that gets to make this call though lucca was at the front of my party but it put him in front for this scene, ‘cause he has personal reasons to fight magus?

aaaa precious, reunited,,

...

yknow, this thing looming over everything in every time period is mighty unsettling

lmao i see i see thats why this part’s called The Time Egg. time egg time egg time egg

oooh death peak!! was wondering when that would come up again. Makes sense it’d be now,,,,

heck. Magus wrecks everything huh? I mean, appropriate. The dude certainly kicked My ass back when I fought him haha

... gdi. robo got confused or w/e and attacked the wrong thing randomly, which triggered lavos spawn needle and wiped everyone out. thats kinda unfair. Ah well. A minor setback I guess.

egg time

okay that was a sick rescue actually. cant believe that creepy clone doll from the fair actually came in handy lmao

this is a nice shot ^

...sorry im just laughing at magus standing there all awkwardly at this heartwarming reunion

Anywayyyy now that that’s done I went to check out the . desert cave?? and wow is it irritating. Not that the enemies are that tough -- magus’ ice destroys em well enough, but uh. the ground, really hate that.

Took a few tries ouch, but I managed to down retinite. Cool boss. first couple attempts i didnt realize taking out the core first was a Mistake oopsie

yessss robo tending to the forest!! thats so sweet. This is great!

lovely celebratory camp. Cozy. fascinating discussion. ah, hm. a time lucca would go back to, huh? ...

wow she changed huh? ... what’s with the sound effects,, loud gate.

holy Shit that was stressful i totally didnt reload a few times to manage it

worth the trouble 💜 good job lucca youre amazing! aww robo’s gift for her, that’s so sweet as well

im ... almost done i think?? like, isnt this just a ‘‘wrap up sidequests prepare and go fight the big bad’‘ moment? Seems like. guess i know what im doin tomorrow. referring back to that list of sidequests time grandpa gave me and then ... big fire. I really should get some rest now, though. So the rest of that will wait.

#bee plays chrono trigger #only gonna be one or two more posts but i wanna be able to find these maybe #wowie i really did stay up too late #whoops >.< oh well i was having fun

[christies-fleur]

Burn My Skin - Part I

Pairing : Cordelia Foxx/Goode x Fem!Reader

Words count : 2144

A/n: This was previously published in an old blog of mine, however I’m editing all of my stuff from the zero. Sorry for any grammar errors, English ain’t my first language :)

Part II

You've been at the academy for a year now, you arrived at the same time Zoe did, she was your first real friend and currently the best one, you trusted her with your life, she was one of the best parts of that place. You're used to getting along with everybody, except for Maddison, she was a spoiled bitch, always awakening the impatient and rude side of yours. You got to the academy after accidentally settling fire on some things in your old house, starting with a dish cloth. In the beginning your mother said it was normal since you couldn't control it yet, she even tried to help with your new powers, claiming that they were a gift you had inherited from your grandmother, unfortunately an eventual panic attack lead you to entirely lose control which ended with a whole kitchen on fire. Your mother felt for you, sadly informing that you couldn't stay there till you fully learned how to control your abilities, but that she knew a perfectly safe place for you.

After explaining everything you needed to know, finally giving you the privilege of learning about your family and acknowledging the existence of witchcraft, your mother made the phone call that would change your whole future in a matter of hours. Myrtle Snow knocked on your door, sweetly greeting you as she informed you'd have to go with her. You were grateful for the conversation with your mother, you've heard of things you didn't even know  that existed, but after a bit you got excited to the idea of being a witch. During the way to the Academy, Myrtle gently explained you'd have the opportunity to control and develop or even discover new powers. Occasionally solving a few doubts here and there, making you entertained all the way to the beautiful, huge house. Just when you came in, a few girls dressed up with long capes and black masks tried to scare you off, however you just laughed at their little show.

" Why didn't you get scared? Zoe almost shit herself last week" A short girl with long brown hair asked, giggling to the other girl's mention

" You guys will have to do much more than that to scare me off. Where I used to live I was the one playing pranks. I liked the show tho. I'm Y/n, what're your names? " You asked with a smirk while they attentively stared at you. They introduced themselves as Queenie, Madison, Nan and Zoe, recognizing her name as the girl Nan talked about scaring her off. You guys kept talking, it didn't take too long to get comfortable around them which was unusual since you frequently judged people, stepping back before even knowing them. For some reason you sensed they weren't that bad. Maybe it's a new power?! The Maddison girl spoke shit sometimes, she was the least friendly, but there's always someone like that. You didn't really care at first. You got so carried away with the nice talking that you didn't realize a blonde woman walking next to you. " I can see the girls have already introduced themselves to you. Sorry I couldn't get you when you arrived, I was finishing some tasks. Welcome home, my name's Cordelia Foxx, I'm your headmistress and teacher, it's a pleasure to finally meet you, honey "

Your brain could barely translated her words as you wondered if you had just encountered an angel, she was too heavenly to be real. You didn't know for how long you stared at her, too lost on your thoughts to formulate words until Queenie poked your shoulder, asking if you were still alive. Great, already making a fool of myself, you think.

" I-I'm sorry. Uhm, you don't have to worry about that Miss Foxx, the girls are great! " You stutters a little, forcing a smile " Oh, I'm Y/n by the way."

" I know, sweetheart. Please call me Cordelia, will you? We're friends now. I hope you'll enjoy your staying here and feel free to talk to me if you need something "

" Uhm yes, thank you! Good to know you, Miss Fo... Cordelia "

" Alright girls, go to your rooms and get ready for the next class. I'll take Y/n to her room and we will find you later  " She ordered and the girls went away, waving at you on their way out, leaving you alone with the breathtaking blonde. Before directing you to your room she gave you a quick tour around the place whose you learned was even bigger than it seemed, you were fascinated. Cordelia also explained a few rules and a little bit of the Academy's story. Her voice was so calming you could listen it all day long. You kept on nodding and smiling, thinking you didn't make it so obvious you barely payed attention to all the informations she gave you, all you were focused on was how sweet she was. After a while she left you in your shared room with Zoe, excusing herself on her way back to her office.

And that's how you had met her, one year had passed, so many things happened but still you caught yourself in pure awe whenever she'd make her way towards you. The year was filled with surprises and improvements, especially regarding your abilities. You had managed to control fire, which was with no doubt your greatest gift, and also discovered new powers like Myrtle insinuated back when you met. Nan helped you develop your sixth sense about people and some situations which added much more confidence to yourself and the situations around you. You could teleport almost perfectly with Zoe's help and your newest goal was to dominate Concilium, which consisted on imposing one's will onto another, also known as mind control. It could be useful if used in the due situations, unlike Maddison who used it all the time for people to serve her. The other great part was that you became real friends to Cordelia, you would always hang out in the greenhouse together as she loved showing you the plants and potions she had, teaching you about each one of them, when around her things were just easygoing. The headmistress was a lovely, caring and delicate figure, which unfortunately made some consider her weak, thinking they had the right to degrade and disrespect her as an authority and person inside the house. Her mother Fiona was one of them, but you knew she was just a drunk old rag with no limits. Her issues were so bad she was probably just seeking for a punch-bag to relieve her shit on. However that didn't give her any right to be that way to her own daughter. She was too harsh on Cordelia, always downplaying her efforts and making her feel like she's not worthy or enough.

One day she slapped Cordelia's face, leading her to fall off the chair as she silently cried, one of her hands covering the wounded flash of her cheek. Your heart shattered and infuriated when witnessing such atrocity. That day you faced the Supreme, walking into the kitchen as you begged the heavens to give you enough control not to burn Fiona alive right there. You help Cordelia's soft body up, pulling her closer to your front in attempt to protect and comfort her from the shame and humiliation that bitch she called mother provided her whenever she could. You argued with Fiona, if she didn't hate you before, she definitely did from that moment on. The following hours you stood by the blonde's side, all night long, sweetly whispering reassuring reminders and hugging her trembling body in your arms as she cried herself to sleep. You didn't leave her until you were sure she was safe again. You couldn't sleep that night, thinking back at the devious figures the woman unfortunately had in her life. Her mom and also her husband, he was the most disgraceful one. You couldn't lie saying their closeness didn't affect you, a part of you cringing at how stupid that man was, not believing he was worthy of such a goddess as you sensed all the atrocities he'd do whenever he was out of her sight, and the other part of yourself hurting for the simple fact he was married to her. He'd get to kiss her beatiful lips, he could admire her with no hesitation, guilt or fear of what she would think, he'd touch and love her in their privacy. He had everything you dreamed of, even knowing he didn't deserve it. Hank made her cry several times, making the poor thing run to your arms in the first opportunity she had. It drove you mad, your head screaming for you to just end him up, you couldn't tho as he was still her husband. Nevertheless you would never abandon her, promising you'd be there at her worst and best.

The first time you severely had your heart broken by their relationship was during one of your sleepless anxious nights. You left your room after hours of tossing and turning, thinking that maybe a tea would help. Heading to the kitchen tho had never been so dreadful as you accidentally heard moans and slamming sounds coming from Cordelia's room, belonging to no other than both of her husband and hers. Your vision got blurry and your stomach immediately turning upside down, bile coming up your throat as a new wave of anxiety rippled through your skin. You ran back to your room the second your legs obeyed your commands and cried yourself until exhaustion took over your mind. You wouldn't get why it hurt so bad but that event changed something on you. You knew that sex was just normal in a relationship but picturing Cordelia like that with him made you sick. Jealousy drowning you from inside out.

The morning after you decided you would walk away from her, for the sake of your mental health. It was childish and weak, you knew, but you couldn't be around her without imagining all the things they'd done and it killed you. Also, you knew she'd hate you for developing such feelings towards her. She'd think you're a freak for taking advantage of her friendship, using her image for such disgusting things. Afterwards, that's what you've been taught your whole life by people around you. During your youth you've heard countless times of how wrong lesbianism was. Anyhow, you wouldn't give ears to any of them as you found it a complete nonsense, but back nowadays, at that specific time you could listen their voices again. What if Cordelia thinks the same? You had to get rid of such feelings and being around her would never be the solution.

Zoe realized your sudden indifference towards your teacher, weirded out at such actions as she knew how much of a puppy you were for her. She confronted you about it in attempt to lighten her mind about what was going on. Your best friend cooed you all the way through your heartbreak, supporting you the best way she could. No words were enough to thank Zoe enough for her care and attention towards you, she was some sort of angel in your life. You made sure to be cautious enough not to bump into Cordelia within the Academy's walls, changing your lunch schedules so you wouldn't have to sit with her, teleporting when hearing her voice, keeping yourself quiet during classes and only exchanging the basic words with her a few times she'd try initiating a conversation.

However avoiding her didn't go unnoticed by the witch, your sudden coldness sending creepy chills up and down her spine. Cordelia would constantly find herself digging her own memories as she tried understanding what she had done to scare you away, hurting when failing her research. You could sense her curious eyes all over you you every step you take even if you couldn't directly see her. You just knew she was there. Zoe would tell you she was constantly asking about you, worried if you were going through some bad crisis and wondering what she could do to help. The younger witch only letting her know you were going through a delicate moment but that you had required to be alone for a while, reassuring Cordelia that you were safe tho. Just like that a long time had passed, you barely even seeing the woman anymore, hearing she was too occupied with her mother and the Council. Whatever. You were almost getting over her. Maybe

#cordelia goode x reader #american horror story #ahs #ahs coven #cordelia foxx #ahs cordelia #cordelia goode #sarah paulson #sarah paulson x reader #lgbtqia #wlw #a bit angst