#i like the thought that what makes the texas family eye color special is that their eyes are just kind of ordinary

[voidedjuice]

Something I like a lot in arknights character design is how the Siracusan lupo tend to have these cool, spooky, very brightly colored eyes:

(more visible in her e2 art for Lunacub)

Red, Provence and Horn sooort of have similar looking ones if you look at them right

Texas' family lost them when they moved to Columbia though, i guess. Sad

It's a fun little shared design detail, I like to think that most lupo's eyes like, reflect light in a spooky way. Fun to think about.

#arknights #i sort of wish it was fully universal between all the lupo operators in the game but its cool how many characters share it regardless #a cool little treat for me #i like the thought that what makes the texas family eye color special is that their eyes are just kind of ordinary #compared to what everybody else in siracusa has going on #also i feel like they definitely reflect light the way animals eyes do in like car headlights

[straykidzwifey]

Unexpected Encounters

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Pairing: Bang Chan X OC

Warnings: none

Summary: An unexpected encounter happens when Zena Allen runs into Felix a member of Stray Kids, her all time favorite Kpop group. He invites her to their concert later that night where she meet Bang Chan. Will there encounter spark a relationship or will she forever be just a fan.

Masterlist

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Chapter 6: Roller Coaster Of Emotions

Zena's POV ------------------------------

The towering entrance sign loomed over us, splashed with vibrant colors, each letter glowing with neon lights. It was impossible to miss, standing tall and proud, a shining beacon of excitement and adventure.

Piercing screams filled the air, blending with the mechanical roars of the roller coasters. My senses were overwhelmed by the tantalizing scent of freshly made funnel cakes wafting through the bustling theme park. Looking over at my friends, I couldn't help but smirk at their awestruck reactions. Jisung, in particular, was like a child on Christmas day, jumping up and down in excitement. A grin spread across my face as I watched his infectious joy.

"Welcome to Fiesta Texas, amigos!" I exclaimed with a thick Spanish accent, spinning around with my arms out to emphasize our surroundings. The vibrant colors and bustling energy of the amusement park had me buzzing with excitement for the day ahead. I could hardly contain my eagerness to dive into the adventures that awaited us.

Eagerly, the group of boys followed Zara and I through the long line of buzzing people, all waiting with anticipation to have their tickets checked. Weaving between them, I felt a surge of excitement bubble up within me. Turning to the person behind me, I was met with Chan's familiar face. With a spring in my step, I couldn't contain myself as I jumped up and down, "I haven't been here in years, I'm so thrilled to be back!”

Next to me, I heard Zara let out a frustrated sigh and saw her delicate features twist into a grimace. "The last time I came here was with my ex and his family two years ago," she grumbled irritably. I couldn't help but snort at her comment, "And that's why I'm glad I've never dated anyone," I stated with a pointed look at her. She responded with a playful roll of her eyes and mimicked my words with a sour expression on her face. The memories of her past relationship clearly still haunted her, but for me, this place held nothing but fond memories and excitement for the present moment.

“You haven’t dated anyone?” Chan's eyes sparkled with curiosity and what looked like a hint of hopefulness as he asked me about my dating history. I could see his lips twitch into a playful smile. I let out a small pop from my lips before shaking my head firmly. "Nope!" I exclaimed, determined to stick to my answer. Chan raised an eyebrow skeptically. "And you're 21? Surely, you've had your first kiss," he prodded. Once again, I shook my head, feeling a sense of pride in my choice. My space buns threatened to come undone as I moved, adding to the chaos of our conversation. "Nope! And I plan on keeping it that way until I find the right person." My words were met with a mixture of surprise and admiration from Chan, and I couldn't help but feel a twinge of excitement at the thought of eventually sharing these experiences with someone special.

Changbin releases a low whistle beside Chan, his eyes widening in impressed disbelief at my bold statement. "I've never met someone with such unwavering commitment," he remarks, admiration coloring his tone.

Han joins us, casually draping himself over the shoulders of Chan and Changbin. His confident stance and smug grin convey that he has something to contribute to our conversation. "I can make that happen," he declares with a knowing glint in his eye.

I raise a skeptical eyebrow and cross my arms, unimpressed by Han's feeble attempt at flirtation. "Are you seriously asking to be my boyfriend, Han?" I ask, struggling to contain my disbelief.

He leans in closer to me, his lips curving up into a flirtatious smirk. His tone dripping with confidence as he continues, "Would you say yes if I was?"

For a split second, I'm caught off guard by the boldness of his words. But then a mischievous smile spreads across my face as I decide to play along.

I toy with him for a moment, batting my eyelashes and smiling coyly before delivering the final blow. "No. Nice try though."

Changbin, Chan, and Zara erupted into fits of laughter at my flat rejection. Their joyous laughs echoed through the line, filling it with an infectious energy that was hard to resist. Jisung’s mouth hung open in utter shock, his eyes wide in disbelief. His hand was dramatically placed over his heart as he pouted in mock hurt, his expression comically exaggerated.

"Zena," he declared, playfully drawing out my name. "You wound me." His tone was playful and teased, but there was a hint of genuine disappointment hidden beneath the humor.

"What's wrong with dating me?" he continued, eyebrow raised mischievously. "There are so many stays that would’ve jumped at that opportunity.”

Rolling my eyes in amusement, I replied, "It's not because I don’t find you attractive." My gaze swept over his handsome features before settling back on his sparkling eyes. "Let's be real, everyone in Stray Kids is drop dead gorgeous." A smile tugged at the corners of my lips. "I just feel like our personalities are too similar." I paused for a moment, thinking carefully before adding, "I have a feeling we would clash heads later down the line." As I spoke, I moved up in the line and pulled out our tickets.

Changbin's intense, dark eyes flickered towards Chan, then back to me. His expression was curious, but I could sense a hint of mischief lurking beneath the surface. As he spoke, his voice dripped with sly amusement. "Well then," he said coolly, "who do you believe would be your ideal type among us?" My heart raced at the question, and I couldn't help but feel flustered. I glanced anxiously at Chan, wondering what he would think if I admitted my true feelings in front of him. My eyes darted around the room, avoiding direct eye contact. After a moment of hesitation, I finally mumbled out my answer. "I-I think Chan would be my ideal type," I reluctantly confessed, my voice barely above a whisper as I hoped he didn't hear me. Gathering up my courage, I turned to face Chan and gauged his reaction. To my surprise, his eyes went wide and his lips parted in shock. Panicked at his expression, I rushed to explain my reasoning behind choosing him. "Be-because of his assertiveness and natural leadership skills," I stumbled over my words, trying to justify my choice. "Those are qualities that I lack and struggle with. I feel like he could complement me well and keep me grounded when things get too chaotic." A small smile tugged at the corners of my mouth as I spoke about him, unable to hide my admiration for him. "But he's not just serious all the time either," I added with a nervous laugh. "He knows how to have fun and make me laugh. And...I should probably stop talking now."

Chan's almond-shaped eyes widened in surprise and I could see a hint of something else, perhaps curiosity or interest, glinting in their depths. As my hurried explanation spilled out, a slow smile spread across his face, revealing deep dimples that only added to his charm. "Well, Zena," he began in a warm, gentle voice, "I must say I'm flattered by your choice." His gaze shifted to Changbin and the others standing nearby before returning to me with a playful glint in his eye. "And you're not too bad yourself," he teased, causing Jisung to let out a low wolf whistle beside me. My cheeks grew hot with a mix of embarrassment and delight at his words. Just as I was about to respond, the ticket person called out "Next!" and I hastily made my way over, grateful for the distraction from our flirtatious banter.

As we approached the entrance gate, the vibrant colors and music of Fiesta Texas enveloped us. A park attendant greeted us with a beaming smile, "Welcome to Fiesta Texas! Enjoy your day!" they exclaimed, handing each of us a map adorned with whimsical illustrations.

I eagerly unfolded the map, my eyes scanning all the attractions scattered across the park. "Okay, so what would y’all like to do first, guys?" I asked.

Felix's finger glided across the map, tracing out a route for us to follow. "How about we start with the roller coasters, then move on to some games? And of course, we can't forget about snacks in between," he proposed.

Zara nodded her head in agreement. "Definitely have to try the Iron Rattler first. It's got that insane drop everyone talks about," she added with a mischievous grin.

Han chimed in, "And after that, we can cool off with some games."

My heart raced with excitement at our well-planned day ahead. "Perfect plan! Let's make it happen!”

Following Felix's plan, our group moved with determination through the teeming park. The joyful chatter and infectious laughter of other park-goers echoed all around us as we strode purposefully towards the first roller coaster. My heart fluttered with excitement and my feet couldn't stop bouncing in anticipation of the thrilling ride ahead. A wide grin spread across my face, mirroring the exhilaration coursing through my body. As we neared the ride, a chorus of screams and cheers erupted from those already on board, heightening our anticipation and adding to the electric atmosphere.

The queue for the Iron Rattler stretched out in front of us, snaking through the bustling amusement park with twists and turns. Our group entertained ourselves with jokes and stories, our laughter ringing out and intertwining with the screams and cheers of other thrill-seekers. Jisung, ever the flirt, continued to try and win me over with his playful antics, but Minho was quick to give him a smack on the head. Meanwhile, Zara and I engaged in a spirited battle of patty-cake, our hands moving at lightning speed as we tried to outlast each other. With a triumphant grin, Zara emerged victorious as I stumbled and laughed along.

Finally reaching the front of the line, I turned to the group with a mischievous glint in my eye as we boarded our cars. Chan eagerly took the seat next to me, his face lit up with excitement. He turned to give me a wide grin, and I couldn't help but respond with a cheesy smile of my own as I asked, "You ready?". He nodded fervently, his energy infectious. "Bring it on!" he exclaimed, anticipation bubbling within both of us.

As our cart began its ascent, a powerful gust of wind whipped through my hair and caused uncontrollable laughter to burst from my lips. The twisting and turning of the roller coaster elicited a mixture of fear and exhilaration, which only amplified our joyous cries. But as we approached a particularly sharp drop, I couldn't help but notice Chan's discomfort as his face contorted.

Amused, I took his hand in mine and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Another drop came and he instinctively squeezed back, seeking comfort in our connection.

Finally, with screeching brakes, the ride came to an end and Chan quickly extended his arm in front of me to prevent me from jerking forward. My heart skipped a beat at this small gesture, but I brushed it off with a grin spread across my face. Turning to Chan, my cheeks flushed and my eyes sparkling, I couldn't contain my excitement as I exclaimed, "That was incredible!”

He nodded in agreement, still feeling the rush of adrenaline coursing through our veins. "Most definitely one for the books," he replied with dimples poking out as he smiled.

As we emerged from the ride, our group was a whirlwind of exhilaration and joy. The wind screamed through our hair and our cheeks were flushed with the rush of adrenaline. My legs felt wobbly as I stumbled out of the cart, heart still pounding in my chest. Amidst the chaos, I heard bursts of laughter from our group. I glanced over at Chan to see him looking at me bewildered. A lock of his hair stood straight up, defying gravity. Suppressing a giggle, I realized I should probably help him fix it before anyone else sees it.

I gestured for him to come over to me, and with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension, he made his way towards me. Like a hesitant deer, he moved cautiously but eagerly towards me. I stood on my tiptoes, feeling the warm sun on my face as I reached up to playfully ruffle his hair. My heart skipped a beat at the closeness, my cheeks flushing at the thought of his proximity.

I could feel his steady breaths on my skin, and I couldn't help but wonder if he could hear the rapid thumping of my heart. But instead of looking into his eyes, which I knew would only make me more flustered, I focused on the soft strands of his hair between my fingers. After a few playful tugs, I stepped back to my regular height, trying to calm down from the adrenaline rush.

"All better!" I declared with an enthusiastic smile, causing the rest of the group to burst into another round of laughter at Chan's dazed expression. His eyes were wide with surprise before they crinkled into a happy grin, joining in on the laughter himself.

As our laughter subsided, Hyunjin posed the question, "Which ride next?" Han and Minho eagerly pointed to the one across from us, reading 'The Joker', their voices rising in unison as they chanted, "That one! That one!" I couldn't help but smile at their unwavering excitement. But when I turned my head to see the ride they were pointing at, my heart sank. The towering metal structure loomed over us, its neon lights flashing in a dizzying pattern.

As we got closer to the ride and everyone started to get in line, I hesitated by the entrance. My mind flooded with memories of the last time I had ridden it - the stomach-churning drops and spins that left me feeling sick for hours.

"Come on, don't tell me you're backing out now, what happened to being tired of fearing everything?" Chan teased with a playful grin. I rolled my eyes and retorted, "No way. This isn't about fear, it's about not feeling sick to my stomach for hours after. Y’all have fun. I’m going to sit this one out." I leaned against a nearby fence, trying to ignore the excited screams coming from the riders above.

“Are you sure?” Felix asked as he stopped walking for a second. His concerned gaze met mine. “Yeah, I’ll be fine. You guys go ahead and have fun,” I reassured him with a smile. Secretly relieved to have an excuse to avoid the ride once again.

Chan let out a hearty chuckle and strolled over to where I was standing, his footsteps echoing through the small distance between us. "Well then, looks like I'll be keeping you company down here. Wouldn't want you to be all alone," he said with a grin, his brown eyes sparkling mischievously. My eyebrows shot up in surprise before I couldn't help but laugh and lightly nudge him with my elbow. “You don't have to do that. Go ahead and enjoy the ride with everyone else," I urged, a tinge of disbelief in my voice. But he just shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. "I don't mind. We can keep each other company while they're gone," he replied nonchalantly.

A wave of warmth flooded through me, and I couldn't help but smile gratefully at him. "Thanks, Chris. That really means a lot to me," I said softly. He simply nodded, a small gesture that spoke volumes more than words ever could.

As our friends eagerly joined the line for 'The Joker', Chan and I retreated to a quiet spot away from the bustling crowds. We found a quaint picnic table and settled there, the sounds of excited screams and laughter fading into a distant hum.

We sat in peaceful silence, taking in the sights and sounds around us. My normally bubbly energy had shifted into a more contemplative state as I gazed at the people passing by. Suddenly, I felt compelled to share a random fact with Chan.

"Want to hear something interesting?" I asked, breaking the stillness between us.

I heard him hum in response as I continued, "The Iron Rattler roller coaster we just rode used to be made entirely out of wood. So when you rode it, the whole structure shook! Pretty scary, huh?”

He nodded in agreement, his eyes wide with disbelief.

We lapsed back into comfortable silence for a few more minutes before he tentatively spoke again.

"Hey, Zena," he said softly, breaking the calmness once more. I turned to face him, meeting his gaze with curiosity.

"What's on your mind, Chris?" I asked calmly.

He took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. His eyes shone with sincerity as he spoke, "I just wanted to tell you that I’ve really enjoyed spending time with you today and yesterday." A genuine grin spread across his face, lighting up his features. My gaze softened under his gaze, and I could feel the faint warmth of a blush creeping onto my cheeks.

"Really?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper as I leaned closer to him, drawn in by his words.

My heart pounded in my chest as I waited for his reply, my pulse racing with anticipation. "Yeah," he finally replied, his words sending a surge of warmth through me. "I feel like we've really connected, you know? It's been... nice." My smile widened, my eyes sparkling like stars as gratitude and nostalgia washed over me.

In that moment, under the glow of the sun, it felt like time stood still and it was just the two of us. Him, with his sincere words, and me, soaking up every bit of this rare and precious moment.

"Honestly," he continued, his voice tinged with sincerity, "you've given us a taste of something we rarely get to experience - feeling like normal people. We're constantly caught up in the whirlwind of rehearsals, concerts, and fan meetings, that sometimes it's easy to forget what it's like to just live day-to-day. So, thank you for this chance to explore and live like locals for a week."

I nodded in understanding, my expression softening as I took in the beauty of this unexpected connection. And then, without thinking, my voice cut through the tense silence, breaking the tension like a knife slicing through butter. "As much as I am an admirer of y'all," I spoke up, my eyes flickering with determination and empathy, "I also recognize that you are all human beings, with your own share of emotions, feelings, insecurities, and limits. So in situations like this, I always find myself asking 'how would I want to be treated?'." A small shrug accompanied my words as I observed the atmosphere in front of us, sensing the weight lifted off their shoulders.

A wide, genuine smile lit up his face as he gazed at the formidable roller coaster looming in front of us. The vibrant hues of green and yellow adorned its towering structure, promising an exhilarating and heart-pumping ride. "Besides," I nudged him playfully with my shoulder, "we just started our week of fun. No need to get all sentimental on me."

My mischievous eyes sparkled as I watched him, daring him to let go of any reservations and join me in embracing the moment. With a grin, he returned my nudge gently, matching my playful energy. "You're right, there's no time for sappiness when there's still so much excitement waiting for us," he replied, his voice light with laughter.

As our friends soared through the air on 'The Joker', their screams of exhilaration mingling with the mechanical whirs and clicks of the ride, I couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment settle within me. Chan and I sat side by side on the bench, enjoying each other's company in comfortable silence while taking in the joyous atmosphere around us.

Suddenly, a burst of contagious laughter drew our attention to our group as they disembarked from the ride, faces flushed with adrenaline and thrill. Han and Minho were animatedly recounting their favorite moments from the ride while Hyunjin sported a wide grin that reached his eyes. A swell of warmth filled my heart as I looked at them, grateful I was able to get to know them on a more personal level.

As our friends approached us with infectious enthusiasm, still buzzing from the roller coaster ride, I stood up from the bench with a mischievous gleam in my eye. "Ready for round 2?" I teased Chan while giving him a playful nudge. He rolled his eyes in mock exasperation but couldn't hide his own amusement as a smirk tugged at his lips.

Hyunjin's hand slapped against Chan's back, an excited laugh escaping his lips as he scanned the brightly lit amusement park for their next thrill. He spoke rapid Korean, his eyes shining with anticipation. I couldn't help but chuckle at his infectious enthusiasm.

As a group, we spent the entire day darting from one ride to the next, our energy never waning as we eagerly sought out the most exhilarating experiences. The atmosphere of the amusement park was electrifying, with screams of excitement and flashing lights filling the air. We rode roller coasters that twisted and turned through the sky, spun on teacup rides until our heads spun, and tested our skills at carnival games.

Feeling mischievous, Zara and I decided to show off some hidden talents as we played various games. Our group's reactions were priceless as I effortlessly hit bullseye after bullseye during axe throwing, while Zara impressed everyone with her skills in archery - which led to a hilarious challenge from Felix that ended in utter defeat.

As the sun began its descent below the horizon and the crowds dispersed, we finally took a much-needed break from the carnival chaos. We settled at a quaint table, adorned with an array of delectable treats that we bought at a bunch of different booths.

The once-deafening sounds of laughter and screams faded into the distance as we relished in this moment of respite. The golden light of the setting sun cast a soft glow over our faces, highlighting the contentment etched onto each one.

I let out a satisfied sigh as I indulged in another bite of my luscious caramel apple, savoring the sticky sweetness that dripped down my fingers. In my other hand, I absentmindedly fiddled with the plush wolf Chan had won and insisted I keep.

"I can't wait to see what you have planned for us tomorrow, Zena!" Seungmin exclaimed with genuine excitement.

With a lazy grin, I replied, "It may not be as thrilling as today, but I guarantee it will still be filled with enjoyment." Our group was surrounded by the comforting murmur of conversation and laughter, basking in the warmth and happiness of a perfect day spent together.

As the sky slowly transformed from a vibrant blue to a deep purple, the twinkling lights of the amusement park began to illuminate like stars in the night sky. A sense of peace settled over our group as we sat on a bench, soaking in the beauty and wonder of it all.

A mischievous glint danced in my eyes as I leaned in closer to the group, my voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper that only they could hear. "I have a surprise for all of you tomorrow," I announced, my lips curling into a mysterious smile. "But for now, it's a secret. You'll just have to wait and see.”

Excitement and curiosity rippled through our group, each of us exchanging eager glances and murmuring about what the surprise could possibly be. Some complained about their hatred for surprises, while others began speculating with animated gestures.

The night air was filled with anticipation and excitement as we snacked on funnel cakes and cotton candy, sharing stories from our day at the park. Our laughter mingled with the distant sounds of children's laughter and thrilling rides under the enchanting glow of the moonlit sky.

The warm, summer air was thick with excitement as we said our farewells to the amusement park, the exhilarating memories still fresh in our minds. As I led the way back to the parking lot, my steps were light and bouncy, my eyes dancing with mischief as I teased Hyunjin about his failed attempts at winning a giant stuffed bear at the ring toss game. The fading light of the setting sun painted the streets in vivid shades of orange and pink, creating a dreamlike atmosphere around us.

As we strolled towards our SUV's, the vibrant energy of our group was evident in every step. Hyunjin seemed to have had enough of my teasing and headed over to Felix and Jeongin, so I decided to playfully pester my sister instead. With a mischievous grin on my face, I snuck up behind her and pretended I was going to jump on her back. She let out a high-pitched scream that almost sounded fake as she stumbled forward, but then burst into laughter as she realized it was just me.

The sound of her laughter was like music to my ears, and I couldn’t help but join in, feeling the joy bubbling up inside of me. Zara turned around, her eyes sparkling with mirth as she playfully swatted my arm, “You scared me, Zena! I thought you were some crazy park mascot trying to kidnap me.” she teased, a wide grin lighting up her face. “Ha ha, very funny Zara.”, I said as I playfully rolled my eyes and linked our arms together.

Zara swayed next to me as we walked, the rest of our group had already moved ahead. "So..." she started, a mischievous smirk on her lips. "You and Chan?" I rolled my eyes and lowered my voice. "Zara, are you kidding me? One, they're all right there and two, they're celebrities that live on the other side of the world."

"God, Zena, sometimes you can be so dense," she stated exasperated. "He's been intentionally sitting next to you and talking to you all day. And don't think I didn't see what you were doing when Binnie asked you that question earlier in the ticket line." I could feel my cheeks flush at the mention of the embarrassing moment. "Since when do you call him Binnie? That's a fan thing and you don't even like Kpop." I tried to change the subject, but Zara wasn't having it. "He told me to call him that and stop changing the subject." With a sigh, I admitted, "I didn't do anything. I was hesitant to even answer his question, but then I thought 'heck, what do I have to lose?'" My words trailed off as we neared the car. "It's not like I'll ever see them again after this week anyway. I just want to go with the flow and see what happens." Zara sighed and whispered an uncertain "okay", but added, "I hope you know what you're doing." We stopped behind the rest of the group as they loaded into the SUVs.

As we climbed into the vehicles, Zara purposefully shoved me towards the back, claiming her spot in the front seat. I settled into my seat, trying to ignore the tense conversation between Zara and myself. Desperately, I searched for a distraction by turning towards the backseat, where part of the group was scattered across the car. My eyes scanned each person, avoiding lingering too long on Chan who sat beside me. I noticed that Changbin and Hyunjin had switched cars, leaving Jisung and Lee Know in their place. The soft hum of the engine filled the silence as we began our journey to our destination.

The car ride was filled with a comfortable quiet, the fatigue of the day settling on our shoulders as the excitement of the amusement park slowly faded into a pleasant memory. Through the window, I watched the world outside transform into a blur of city lights and passing buildings, each marking our progression away from the vibrant chaos of the carnival.

Chan's presence beside me was a subtle warmth, his occasional glances in my direction not going unnoticed. I caught snippets of conversation from the front seat where Zara was engaged in lively banter with Veronica, their laughter filtering through the space between us. Despite the unease lingering beneath my skin, I found solace in the gentle hum of the car and the knowledge that we were headed back to my car at the office.

As we navigated through the winding streets, the familiar sights of our surroundings grew more vivid. I thought about all the fun memories we would share in the following days to come. And maybe even something a little more than a friendship would blossom.

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Sorry it took a little longer for me to release this chapter. I felt like the last chapter was a little rushed so I wanted to carefully think about where I wanted to go with this one.

#bang chan x oc #bang chan x reader #changbin #changbin x reader #felix lee #han jisung #han jisung x reader #hyunjin #hyunjin x reader #i.n #felix x reader #i.n x reader #seugmin x reader #seugmin

[phoenixfangs]

tagged by @rizaposting HOLDING UR HAND AND PRESSING MY FOREHEAD AGAINST UR SHOULDER i never get tagged in these so this is fun huehue

are you named after anyone? not technically, ive asked my parents multiple times about How they came up with me and my siblings names, but they just. didnt think very hard about it. fjkdlsjfdlas. but in a way im named after my mom, because me and saturns given names start with the same letter as our moms; my younger siblings names start with the same letter as our dads. i guess me and saturn could also be named for one of my dads uncles?? our names mixed make that uncles name. but idk im not willing to believe my dad cares that much about Anyone in his family to honor their memory through our names lawl

when was the last time you cried? i think the other day watching atla, when zuko and iroh reunite before the final battle. zuko trying to stumble through an apology and thinking iroh must hate him, but iroh just without even saying anything grabbing zuko and pulling him into a tight and tearful hug... man ;_;

do you have kids? HELL NO!!!!! im barely halfway through my 20s i should be at the club. dont want kids, never wanted kids, will never want kids. i will tolerate being my nieces and nephews cool auncle when my siblings start having kids of their own, and No More, thanks

do you use sarcasm a lot? i guess so?? its hard to gauge. i feel like most of the time i speak sincerely, but i will also throw in the occasional sarcastic quip. shrugs

what sports do you play? i dont play any sports anymore, but up until high school i played softball. i was pretty good i think! pitcher and second base. also in middle/high school i was a baton twirler for band and i guess dance competitions (i have Never thought of it as 'dance' but i guess technically i was dancing... blegh), and im gonna count that as a sport. any activity with the possibility and probability of being hit on the head by a metal rod counts as a sport to me

what’s the first thing you notice about people? probably their height. most people are taller than me but i will make an immediate note of people who are Shorter than me

what’s your eye color? grrrreen gray? i spent a few minutes staring at my eyes trying to figure out the color but all i did was strain my eyes jfldks

scary movies or happy endings? hmmmmmm i love both. i like blood and gore and guts and evil, but i also like heartwarming fluff where everything works out. i cant decide!! it just depends on my mood hehe

any special talents? i hesitate to claim i have perfect pitch because it sounds self congratulatory, but im pretty sure i have perfect pitch lmao. i cant Identify notes by name but i can recreate pretty much any note i hear, as long as its in my range. im not a good singer though lawl i dont have the technique. in the same vein, i can recreate other noises i hear pretty well, like i taught myself how to do the perry the platypus clicking sound Thing he does just by listening to it

where were you born? texas born and raised! everyone i knew growing up was a redneck or a 'cowboy church' christian

what are your hobbies? drawing, writing fanfic oneshots or rps with friends, bideo games, rewatching the same handful of tv shows and letsplays and video essays over and over again

do you have any pets? my son, my sweet bubby, apollo :> my stupid little man, hes gonna be 3 this year i think! flame point siamese kitty, dumb as rocks, currently i think hes burrowed in the sheets on my bed taking a nappy

how tall are you? 5'2", but add a couple inches because i almost exclusively wear shoes that add height, like my Big Dyke Boots i wear every day hehe

favorite subject in school? any of my electives probably, like art and music/band. in college my favorite classes i ever took were film appreciation, screenwriting, and theatre directing (which i signed up for thinking it was film directing, but it was still so fun and interesting)

dream job? honestly?? i think anything on the set of a movie or tv show would be awesome. maybe creative consultant, so that i can interject my own ideas into other peoples projects. i tend to feel my most creative when im working Around other peoples ideas tbh. all that, or lead writer/director on my own tv show/movie/video game, if i ever feel like i can handle that pressure

GET TAGGED @applescabs @lizardyeast @cottagegay and anyone else that sees and wants to participate :>

#mine #this is such a classic type of post. u never see people do tag memes anymore i feel like #i hardly ever see them anyway!

[silentwillowwhisperer]

Day 3- Red paladin

Keith is the red paladin. The end.

Woah wait I had an idea.

Texas= Keith’s dad.

Can we just ignore the ‘paladin’ part of the prompt? Because that did not happen.

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“You’re a firecracker, kid.”

Keith has heard that so many times.

When he was younger, his father used to say it fondly. Anytime he would act out or lose control of his temper, his dad would just ruffle his hair and grin proudly.

Somewhere along the way, Texas had realized that Keith’s flaming personality was not just a child’s phase, and nicknamed his son ‘Red.’

When Keith was forced to go to his father’s stuffy funeral, he had proudly worn his favorite crimson boots and hair tie. He had gotten quite a few stares, and he heard people whispering to each other that he was a disrespectful kid, wearing such bright colors during his own father’s funeral, but it had made him feel the slightest bit better about the whole ordeal to be wearing his special colors. Who cared what those adults thought, anyway?

And when the sky had opened up to pour down on the reception, Keith had stayed put and watched the droplets fall through the veil of his soggy bangs. The grownups ran around and squawked shrilly about their clothing getting wet, and Keith finally had a reason to smile.

Serves them right.

At age 12, Keith learned that red is also the color of pain. The color of blood.

He learns that violence does in fact have consequences. That because he hit this person, they are now bleeding.

It was not his first foster home, and was most definitely not his last. And like every other ‘family’ he had entered, this one sent him right back to the agency he came from. They hadn’t even tried to hide their dislike for him. They said they would not house him because he was a curse.

Keith will see plenty more blood in the years to come.

When he is 13, Keith finds a home he is accepted in.

They are 2 women with sharp, witty personalities that compliment his own. One is tall with dark red hair crawling down her back, Thick black glasses, and cinnamon freckles. The other is shorter with large, dark features and eyes that sparkle like crushed shards of glass. They both have brilliant smiles and tell Keith that he looks good in red as soon as they meet him.

The first thing they do is take Keith to get furniture for his new room. They tell him to pick out anything he wants, because they want him to be comfy in his own spot.

They spend the next months hiking and running along every beach within 50 miles. They try all kinds of foods and they teach Keith about the wonders of the world.

It doesn’t last, though.

The woman with glass shard eyes starts looking duller. Her hair withers and her spine hunches over. She speaks softer now, and the red haired woman dotes over her worriedly at all times.

The day she starts coughing up sparkling red blood, Keith knows this was never going to work out.

There’s some long terms thrown at him when Red Hair tries to explain why they’re getting rid of him. All he understands is the word cancer.

Keith is now 19. He has gained and lost a brother, only to find him once again. He has run away from a school, trying to escape reality. He has explored the desert, and learned about the existence of aliens. He has stood in a giant robotic lion.

Lots of fun stuff.

And now, his old color has come back to haunt him.

These people casually call him Red all the time. He flies in a red lion and wears a red jacket. His weapon is red. It makes sense, but it still hurts.

He learns that red can be the flush in a person’s cheeks while being teased, or after a rigorous training session.

And it stains his own face more often now that he has these new friends, new family.

It has become part of his identity.

The color has come to swallow him whole, and he can’t say that he really minds it.

———————————-

I’m losing motivation… but WILL do (almost) every one of these.

#vld #voltron legendary defender #voltron #keith kogane #keith vld #vld keith #day 3 #2023keithtober #tawny post

[dimsilver]

tagged by @lady-merian, thank you!!

Rules: answer the questions and tag some friends at the bottom!

1. Are you named after anyone?

Sort of the biblical Elizabeth and the English Queen (both of them?), but also my parents just liked the name. We found out later it was a family name way back as well.

2. When was the last time you cried?

Two days ago - when I ended my relationship :/ (for those of you who didn’t already know, yes it was awful, but also yes, I’m doing okay). I don’t usually cry much though; it just isn’t in my soul to sit in sadness.

3. Do you have kids?

Nope! Would love to have some someday, though. I did also help a lot with my youngest siblings and still tuck them into bed and read to them at night when I’m home :)

4. Do you use sarcasm a lot?

I use it in moderate amounts - gentle sarcasm with friends and family and sarcastic happiness when things are going badly but you have to make this best of it (this is just great).

5. What’s the first thing you notice about people?

Probably eyes? I make eye contact a lot, esp when first getting to know people.

6. What’s your eye color?

Blue/green (looks more like one or the other depending on what I wear).

7. Scary movies or happy endings?

Happy endings (but not saccharine ones).

8. Any special talents?

I don’t know about that…I think I’m decent at a lot of my hobbies (see below) but not remarkable. Oh, I guess I can whistle a grass blade pretty well :)

9. Where were you born?

I’m not going to say the specific city, but Texas :)

10. What are your hobbies?

Okay I’m just going to rapid-fire these in a rough order - painting, writing, singing, dancing, photography, archery, running around in the rain, LARPing (just at Weekend Warrior), general enjoyment and pursuit of flowers and nature and sunsets.

11. Have you any pets?

No (also I love how formally this question is worded). We asked my parents and they said there’s enough animals in the house already 😉

12. What sports do you play/have you played?

Soccer (5 years; I was pretty bad), gymnastics (3 or 4 years; I was okay at it), swimming (10 summers; I was okay at it); ultimate frisbee (informally for a long time; I’m decent).

13. How tall are you?

5’11” (and 3/4 of an inch; it’s quite frustrating to be so close to 6’ but not get there)

14. Favorite subject in school?

That’s hard! I usually love most types of learning. I guess my two favorite college classes were Art History and C.S. Lewis Literature (I know!!!).

15. Dream job?

I’m not sure? I love writing and currently do journalism for a job, but while I love creative writing more I’m not sure I would want to commit to it as my full-time employment. I’d love to be a mom and homeschool my kids. I’ve also thought it would be awesome to be a museum docent or a historical interpreter or a full-time Christian summer camp staffer…

Tagging: unfortunately I have no idea which of my mutuals has and hasn’t done this and who would like to (except for those I saw tagged by called-kept), so here’s a few - but please consider yourself tagged if you want! @accidental-spice @loveliness-and-prattle @kanerallels @noblemaidenfell @catkin-morgs @cunningfate @wanderingwolpertinger @eddis-not-eeddis @swinging-stars-from-satellites @brown-little-robin

#tag games

[inconsolate]

shining like a work of art; hanging on a wall of stars; are you what i think you are?; you're my satellite; you're riding with me tonight; passenger side, lighting the sky

STATS.

fc: kat dennings.

name: dinah forrester.

age: 34.

gender: nonbinary — she/they

sexuality: demisexual

species: non-human

birthplace: babylon, texas

residence: babylon, texas

occupation: police dispatcher

ABILITIES.

gorgon — it is not as defined as what people thought of Gorgons in mythology. Some people say you're a modern Gorgon but in reality you're the standard. Though generally skipping a generation, all Gorgon who are born are female and can start to present their oddities as young as 13.

gaze — the weight of your gaze has always been heavy. it is not so simple as 'turning men to stone' as told in the myths, but instead there is a mysticism behind your blood that tugs from someone else, with direct eye contact, their very will to live. this isn't in the sense that you'll kill them, but more that they wish to settle, to become a rock and remain immobile. some histories say extended exposure to the direct gaze of a gorgon will cause a calcification in the bones of whomever they are focused on but it is thoroughly undocumented.

hair — no, they are not snakes and you have never had snakes of hair, but it is impossible to cut it too short; it grows back as if it has a mind of its own and never allows itself to be shorter than shoulder-length. to that end, in times of great distress your hair seems to have a mind of its own, as if powered by whatever ancient energies exist within your bloodline and can be used for defense or attack.

LIMITATIONS.

bad eyesight — the same ability that causes your gaze to be potentially harmful means that your eyes are weaker than others. you have always worn glasses or contacts to have a hope of seeing things clearly and even then, especially in the dark or when your power is active, you can sometimes only see a blur.

strange eyes — in that same vein, the color and make of your eyes seems odd. it's hard to hide when your eyes are such a pale grey as to almost be white and are marked by striations of gold and green that, if left uncovered in the dark, will glow slightly. you have to wear contacts with special characteristics to cover this and they are both expensive and hard to come by and you are sometimes reduced to wearing sunglasses (both to temper your gaze and hide the oddities)

weakness — there is an imperative in gorgons that they must use their gaze; it is a gift from the gods (at least as the grannies would tell it) and you are meant to be using that as you would. because of that, your body seems to get weak when you have neglected your duty. those who choose not to draw energy from others tend towards lethargy and malaise and most gorgon do minor feeding throughout their day just to get by.

PERSONALITY.

you've spent your entire life being underestimated but it has created a confidence in you that transcends; you're cautious on who you let in your life for this reason. it doesn't mean that you don't get inside your own head and have bouts of neuroticism that can make things difficult, but you use your aloof nature to avoid putting it on anyone else and handle it on your own (no matter how unhealthy and withdrawn that might make you.) people have often described you as mercurial because your moods often shift like the wind, but you like to think you're just passionate; some say this makes you difficult to be around, perhaps they think you're incapable of focusing on one thing but in the end, you're just a bit curious about everything and that makes it hard to give up on anything.

+ confident, passionate, cautious, curious

- mercurial, withdrawn, aloof, difficult

BACKGROUND.

born in 1989 in babylon, texas, you were the first of your direct family to ever be gifted with the gorgon title. everyone saw it as a great blessing for you to have this but all you saw was a yoke that would keep you from being who you truly wanted to be. your powers presented when you were 14 and with them your eyesight went bonkers and your dreams of becoming a firefighter in austin along with it.

try as you might to escape that life and create your own outside of texas, you found yourself right back in it after an incident at college left someone in the hospital for a month in a near coma because of your untamed and unmanaged abilities.

when your mother passed you went into a spiral of bad behaviors and misadventures; bad decisions led to bad relationships and now you're surrounded by people who remember you in your twenties and forget that you have, in fact, matured. you have no other living family in babylon but your grandmother lives in utah, your father (estranged) lives in florida, and your siblings are scattered about the country (with the exception of your littlest sister who is in france.)

babylon has done nothing wrong to you, and yet you never feel like you truly belong. all the friendships you made when you were in school feel so transient and long ago and the ones you have now feel as if they might fizzle at any moment. it's a lovely place to be a bit weird, but you're a lot weird.

no one knows your secret yet, and you do everything in your power to hide it. this means that you've never held a relationship lasting more than a couple of months and most of your friendships (as stated above) have become thin by neglect.

slowly you've been trying to adjust to the fact that you are who you are and set down roots in babylon, but the truth of the matter is you always feel a bit of an outsider.

currently working at the call center in the police station, handling dispatch and emergencies.

HEADCANONS.

dinah has a reputation that has chased her since she was in her mid-twenties. she was good in her teens but her rebellious phase came late and some people remember her being a hellion and refuse to let that go.

dinah has to take extra precautions when she's waiting on her contacts prescription to arrive; at these times she requests day shifts and wears sunglasses a lot so that people don't see her eyes as much.

dinah doesn't think she's better than you, but if you try to say you're better than her she'll do her very best to prove she is.

dinah is the only gorgon she's ever met and, according to the grannies, the only one born in the US in over a century. but they could just not have all the facts and information and dinah finds it hard to believe any of that.

WANTED CONNECTIONS.

siblings — this one can come whenever but she does have a few siblings around who are either a) human or b) some other breed of beast/species that you can figure out later.

that one friend — your character and dinah get on even though they knew her in the bad phases of her life and they have, perhaps, inklings about her not being exactly human but they've not broached the subject yet. the best friend she wants and the only one she's gonna get.

that guy from college — your character was the guy dinah accidentally drained into a coma. she fled as there was no real evidence it was her and no one pursued it. she stayed by your bedside for about a week then realized that when you woke up you'd have questions. you've been a dog with a bone since then and have finally tracked her down to babylon only to realize she's not the only strange thing in town. converted conspiracy theorist.

anything you want — just hit me with ideas and i am sure i'll be down.

#dinah #dinah: intro #dinah: about

[theyarebothgunshot]

[part 1/2]

Hi, I’ve fallen in the cockles dumpster years ago and I don’t know how to reach the surface anymore.

we can say I’m a newbie on your inbox and I just thought we could all tinhat a little bit about one of the things that sold me on cockles to be a real thing: honcon 2017.

Here’s the list of things I can’t find a platonic heterosexual explanation for:

(Funny but useless foreword, a few days before the con a fan tweeted a photo of a rainbow she saw when her flight land in honolulu and said she took it as a sign that was gonna be a gay weekend, and man she was right lol)

1- Misha flew to a hawaii on thursday just like all the other guests who were supposed to be at the con way before J2 did.

We know j2 stopped shooting the same day/the day after because on friday Jensen was spotted by a fan on a plane to honolulu even tho he was expected to be there on sunday.

while Jared preferred spending that bit of free time at home. (Gen posted a few instagram stories of jared and the kids in Texas.) Jensen went straight to misha instead.

Even tho at the previous con j2 talked about how the following weeks were going to be full of work commitments and between work and cons so close to one another they couldn’t see the families as much.

I’m not saying Jensen didn’t miss his wife and kid. He loves them and clearly meant it when he said he missed them so much. That’s why it was surprising seeing him join misha so early. I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say it was a planned trip to spend time together.

2- I think it’s positive to say he was there early for Misha and only misha since that night a fan took a picture with them at an hotel bar. She posted it on instagram and said it was just the two of them, then she had to put the account on private since too many people were asking questions.

It’s strange how we only got one photo of that night tho, they’re always super nice with fans when being approached and usually after the first brave soul finds the courage to ask everyone else follow through.

Again I think they clearly wanted to be alone that night. No fans no castmates.

Maybe they were celebrating something?

3- Then the panel happened.

We all remember Jensen showing us how bad his kink for misha’s weird accents have gotten, how cheerful and at ease they were on stage.

Even I could feel the love was in the air and I live on the other side of the ocean!

welcome to the dumpster, nonnie! i love all of this a lot. i *just* got your part two and i am putting it and my reaction under the cut!! 

[part 2/2]

4 - Jensen also bought matching shirts for his friends. One black shirt for him and an identical one for his bro. But misha’s was red cause he knows him well enough to notice he never wears black shirts.

I mean Jensen has a history of showing affection through gifts, (I have a few examples on my mind but no time to write it all down now)

That was a nice thing to do.

5- Least but not last

THE DINNER STORY.

I don’t care if it’s been years I’m still not over how sweet that moment was.

The question was an easy generic one, It took misha less than two minutes to answer.

But then mr. 10 years. same bar, same table. same company. grabs the microphone and procede to share with us one the sweetest memory of Misha he got.

I mean it was so unexpected. Unlike Jared and Misha he’s careful about what he think is appropriate and what’s not.

In my mind it sounded like: “Listen I know it doesn’t answer your question but I’ve just spent a good weekend with this person right here, that I clearly love and care for, and I’m feeling soft, so let me tell you about how I realized I was whipped on him since our very first date”

Again I find it curious Jensen was reminiscing about how they first got together on that particular weekend.

The same one he decided to join misha early just to be with him.

That was one of the moments I realized there’s no way this is a platonic relationship.

Ok this turned out way longer than I expected.

I clearly miss jenmish so much I can’t stop blabber about them.

I’m sorry

Polaroid anon

first of all: don’t be sorry, i truly loved this because i felt like i was seeing the panel again in my minds eye while i was reading your message. 

second of all: you are absolutely right about everything except for calling misha’s shirt red. it was orange, which is misha’s favorite color, which makes it even more special that jensen got that one for him. 

i also think that jensen went there early just for mish, which is just. a lot. it reminds me of another con, where jensen could have gone home already but he waited for misha who had to do something else there the next day, and then two days later they were spotted together i think at the airport. 

i 100% agree that the fact that jensen shared that story about one of their first dinners is very special and rare. especially because in the past, whenever somebody wanted to hear a story from them, they both never knew what to share (probably because of lot of their stories are not suitable to share tbh) and to me it almost felt like he really thought about what he could share and what he would feel comfortable with, after all those times where he just went ‘shit idk what to say’. 

and what he shared just felt so romantic? like. the look on misha’s face when jensen was talking was also so soft, he was clearly thinking back on that moment. a moment they both remembered all those years later. i mean at that point they had known each other for nearly 10 years and they still remembered that one particular night. it made an impression on both of them. it was a date. and then to top it off jensen added that he thought to himself ‘but i think i love him a little bit more too’. wow. 

see, no need to apologize for talking a lot, as i clearly do the same sjfhshf.

#anonymous #honcon was absolutely insane and we do not talk about it enough #polaroid anon

[yourloveissmydrug]

could you do a sfw readerxbubba fic where the two of you decorate a new mask for him??

Okay funny thing I want to mention first. I started typing and having a layout for what I wanted to write, and had the story down. During the whole process of writing the fic, I was getting my nails done, and grocery shopping. And when I got home I was gonna sit down and fully write it but then I CLOSED ALL THE TABS ON ACCIDENT. And now the first original story is gone but don’t worry💀 I know I know LMFAO but don’t worry I know how the story goes! It’s my first request, and I just wanted to point that out, cuz thought that it was hilarious. Sorry I took so long!!!

——————————————————————————

It was a typical Friday afternoon, you were laying on Bubba’s bed reading a seventeen magazine on the hot and humid Texas summer day. You were bored out of your mind and all you could do was stare at the wall or read some magazines Drayton brought home from time to time.

Your boredom grew and grew quicker. Bubba was always busy with his chores and victims. So you spent mostly everyday by yourself until his chores were done.

To make it even worse the heat didn’t exactly help. The fan that gave no to little cool air helped a bit but you still were sweating. You laid there in bed, sweating while reading your magazine, you thought to yourself, could this get any worse? But your saving grace came.

You heard the door knob wiggle and jiggle open, your body perked up in hopes for Bubba. Walking through the door was Bubba! Your whole face lit up like a Christmas tree. Bubba was excited to see you too. But this time it was different. He was more ecstatic than usual, and it made you curious. He held out one of his victim’s face with jazz hands. You giggled at his quirky humor, while he snorted along with you.

You were quite confused on why he had one of his victim’s faces with you, but it’s Bubba. He’s unique and not like everybody else, which is why you are very fond of him.

You take a good look at the face and realize it’s a female’s face. Being a newly member of the family, you were still getting use to Bubba’s mannerisms, sometimes it left you confused but you’d followed along with whatever he does.

“So, is this for me?” You question softly with baby doll eyes.

He shook his head no, he took the mask away from you. He grabbed your hand, and walked you towards his crafts table where he works on all of his little gadgets and fine arts he makes.

“You want me to decorate the mask for you?”

Again, Bubba shook his head no. He pointed to you and himself. You finally understood what he meant. It’s hard to understand Bubba, he doesn’t speak words exactly. He mumbles, squeals and says gibberish where nobody can understand except for his brothers.

“You want to decorate the face together?” You asked while trying to hide your blushy cheeks from him.

He nods his head in excitement as you guess right. Now that you had agreed to decorate the face with him, he squeals in pure joy.

He pulls out a chair for you like a gentleman would at his table. He hovers over your whole body to see what will you do first. He’s very eager to do this with you.

“I really love your pretty fancy mask, but it’s been used for so long, hasn’t it?” You ask him.

He nods his head while he puts his hands on your shoulders to give him support while watching you.

“Let’s make you a new one, how about that?”

Bubba couldn’t agree more! Anything you do he loves, and is down for. Bubba wears his fancy pretty masks when he is either eating dinner with the family or going on a very special hunt for a victim. He needs to look his best, and looking his best is a main priority to him.

Looking at the blank canvas of the face that could be filled with creative designs and makeup, you questioned what to start with, but it immediately popped in your mind, blush! You grab a vibrant pinky blush. You dab lightly on the cheeks to not have such a bright pink that looks cakey and awkward. Bubba is amazed at how you applied the blush so subtly that looked so soft and airbrushed.

Then next is lipstick. You grab a bright red lipstick to go with the blush. You knew exactly what color would work well. You finely apply the lipstick around the lining of the mouth of the mask. It looked like an actual woman’s lips.

But now Bubba wanted to take a bit of control. He grabbed one of the deepest dusky blue eyeshadow he has but before he started, you stopped him and insisted he used a brush instead. You dip lightly in the blue eyeshadow, and started to do slow motions to blend out the beautiful blue. Bubba was intrigued by your technique, he then proceeds to overlap your hand that’s on the brush. He wants to blend the eyeshadow together. Your eyes met and you couldn’t control the smile that was beaming off of your face. You let him take control for a bit.

“Slowly Bubba..” You softly advise him.

Bubba blends in slower and softer motions blending the dark blue eyeshadow on the upper eye. You praise him for his contribution on the eyeshadow, you thought he did beautifully. He lets out a happy squeal for making him feel proud of his work.

You both were proud of what you designed together, but both of you knew something was missing. You both wanted to add something extra! You knew exactly! You wanted to add something edgy yet feminine and feisty to the look. Bubba had a stamper collection full of different patterns and designs. Bubba’s personality is quirky, and sweet. You wanted to showcase his personality on this mask that both of you designed together.

“Let’s put this on the cheek bone of the mask, give it some more pizzazz!” You suggest.

Anything that you do, Bubba is happy and pleased with it.

But this time, you want Bubba to add the finally touch to it. It was a tiny heart stamp that would give the look some sweetness to it. Bubba dipped the stamper in black ink, and you directed towards where he should put it. He then prints the stamper on the cheek bone of the mask. You both are proud of your master piece you both designed.

Bubba twirls your hair in appreciation and talks his gibberish. You have no idea what he is saying, but you find it very charming. You give him a kiss on the cheek when he’s not noticing. This was a moment that you both will remember and cherish forever. He just couldn’t wait to show off his new mask to everybody and tell them that the both of you made it!

——————————————————————————

AHHHH, I hope you liked it. I very much enjoyed writing this! Sorry I took like 10 million yearsss, I had a busy day, and accidentally closed all tabs erasing the whole story, but for future requests gonna do them on a Google doc first 💀

#bubba sawyer #bubba leatherface #dbd bubba #texas chainsaw massacre #the texas chainsaw massacre 2 #slashers #slasher fanfiction #slasher fandom #sfw #dead by deadlight #headcanon #slasher headcanons #fluff

[cheyningdiamond]

Past Encounter

Inside of the train, Clayton was sitting back with his phone in his hand. He was texting his mother, who he was on the way of meeting at the next station in Nevada. 'R u almost here? I can't wait to see you again, my little cowboy!🤠' 'Moooom It's a 4 hour ride over there. n pls dont call me that, I'm not 7 anymore!' 'Lol I know, I'm just so happy 2 see you! I cant wait for you to tell me all the exciting stories you have from college!' Clayton felt his heart sink slightly at that text. He didn't exactly have the courage to tell her he dropped out a while ago. Sure, he got a job someplace soon after, but it still made him weary about his mother's reaction... 24 years old, college dropout, trying to figure his life together... Clayton sighed and leaned back, covering his face. "...Something the matter?" He heard a voice next to him. He moved his hands and saw a woman sitting beside him. He saw that her hair covered her eyes and her stomach showed that she was expecting. "A-Ah... No, A-Ah'm fine, ma'am..." "Your face shows the opposite..." He looked at her hair-covered eyes, then sighed, giving up rather quickly and spilling out his story to this woman he just met. "Well... My ma's expectin' me to come home 'n tell 'er 'bout my college. Well... Ah kinda gave up halfway... Ah wasn't gettin' good grades, ah kept gettin' pushed around the other students, 'n just, I-it was too much fer me..." The woman stares. "Ah... I apologize..." She looked down at her lap and put her hands neatly together, staying quiet. "...I can understand how it's like. Being pushed around... The most I can tell you is not let it get to you... Fight back, if you must." Clayton sighed. "Ah wish it was that simple, Ma'am... But, ah don't enjoy conflict... A-Ah usually run from fights rather than git into 'em." He couldn't help but chuckle. "Ah never thought a gal like you would even consider fightin'." "What's that supposed to mean?" Her voice turned cold and hard rather quick, making him flinch. "Ah, n-nothin'- N-Nevermind..." This reaction caused the woman to let out a small "hm". She only had a smile for about a second, before returning to her emotionless state. Clayton wanted to try and make things less awkward, so he switched the topics. "S-So, uh... I see yer expectin'... Is it a boy or gal?" She looked at him. "I'm not sure... I wanted to keep it a secret. Sort of surprise myself, I guess..." "And who's the lucky fella, huh? Heheh, Ah'll guess he's real happy about bein' a dad, eh?" Uh oh. That earned a very negative look from the woman. She had a look that mixed between sadness and slight anger. "...He's dead." She said, looking away from Clayton. Fuck. That was a horrible question... Clayton was in disbelief and grief as he stared at her. "O-Oh... Oh my God, A-Ah'm so sorry, madam... I-I-" "It's fine. You didn't know." Clayton gulped, feeling real shitty. He didn't know, yeah but that didn't stop him from feeling God-awful about it. She looked at Clayton and put her hand on his knee to try and reassure him. "Really, it's fine... Don't beat yourself up over it." She finally gave a teeny smile to try and cheer him up. Clayton smiled back, feeling himself slowly feel a tiny bit better. "Say, uh... What's yer name, miss?" She stared at him, then told him her name. "Ah... That's a pretty name." He smiled. "And you?" "Clayton..." "Clayton? Man, the accent and the name are rather southern." He laughed quietly. "Yeah, Ah uh, My parents 're actually from Texas. They came over 'ere to visit me so Ah'm comin' over to the station to git 'em 'n bring 'em back." "That's nice... Have any siblings?" "Mhm. Ah got my lil' sis who's visitin' too. What about you?" "I have a slightly younger brother and sister. Both massive pains in my ass." She laughed. Clayton was slightly shocked at the language, but chuckled. "Yeahh... But, siblin's are meant to be that way. 'Specially lil' ones." "Ohh yes..." The two laughed and spoke to each other for the rest of the ride, sharing stories, laughing over jokes and

just overall having a nice time. There was even an instance she moved her hair, showing him her eyes. One was brown, the other was a green color. She laughed as Clayton was just in pure shock and awe about her eyes. Saying they were so 'cool' and 'pretty' even. The emotionless state she was in washed away and became much more lighter and full of joy. She was even amazed by the golden fang-like tooth in his mouth and he smiled big, making her chuckle more at the sight. The hours passed and it had gotten to their stop and the mysterious woman looked over. "Ah, already...? Shame... I was having a good time talking..." "Yeahh..." Clayton frowned. It was sad to leave his new friend. The two got up and walked out of the station, about to go their separate ways. The soon-to-be-mother looked at Clayton and smiled. "I'm sure we'll see each other again? Who knows, maybe one day we can talk over some coffee. My treat, yeah?" "Ah'd like that alot..." She smiled and gently hugged him, before walking away. Clayton saw his parents and little sister sitting at one of the benches outside. He ended up managing to push his fear aside for now and give a big grin, going over and hugging his family.

#my fics #madness combat #my art #sheriff #I just wanted to write some stuff abt past sheriff :3

[queenladyknight]

Queen of the South

Chapter 1: Dealing With it

Naomi POV

Texas. The Lone Star State. But to you, it's always been home. You owned 150 acres of land to fill with your heart's content. You chose to follow in your grandfather's footsteps in owning a farm. You had 25 milk cows, three pigs, two Appaloosa horses, and an Australian Sheppard named, Bear.

Your farm was your life. You took pleasure in making sure it was taken care of. This farm allowed you to be free when for most of your life, you've been caged away. Hollywood Acres ( what you named it), made you almost forget your life before. Almost.

"Beep! Beep! Beep!" The alarm woke you from your peaceful slumber. You sat up n bed rubbing your eyes. You glanced at the clock while getting out of bed. It read 6:30 am. "I have plenty of time," you thought out loud.

Today was a special day. Your dear sister would be visiting for a few days. She lived all the way in New York, and you had not seen her in a few months. You wanted to make sure everything was in tip-top shape for her arrival.

You stepped out of bed and began getting ready for the day. Bear was running around your bedroom, exited. He seemed to know that today was important. You pulled on a plaid shirt and overtop you put on a pair of short jean overalls. As you got dressed, Bear sat on your bead watching intently. You loved Bear with all your heart. He had been there for you through thick and thin, unlike a lot of people.

You walked out of your bedroom, with Bear at your heels, downstairs to the kitchen. Your farmhouse was too big, but you loved it anyway. It was meant for a family, not just one person and a dog. As you make breakfast, you think about how your grandmother would remark about how this house should be filled with the laughter of little children. She wanted to have grandbabies before she passed, but that was one of the many things I failed to do.

The eggs sizzled in the pan as you poked it with your fork. You had bacon in the oven for you and Bear, his favorite treat. Bear ate and acted as a human most of the time. He barely ate his dog food and had a place at the table.

I put some scrambled eggs and bacon on two small plates. I put one plate in front of Bear and grabbed a fork for myself. "Dig in, Bear." As soon as the command left your mouth, Bear started going to town on the bacon. You laughed and started eating yourself.

Third Person POV

"This is going to be great, you know that?" Tony asked Pepper. The couple was in Tony's lab in Avengers Tower, looking over remodeling plans. Pepper lowered her head on Tony's shoulder while swirling her flute of champagne. "I know it will be amazing, honey," she replied while kissing his cheek. Tony smiled and leaned over the table of plans.

After the Battle of New York, Tony had been emersed in trying to make the Tower better and making new suits. This had not gone unnoticed by Pepper. She was seeing him less and less, and she was worried. Pepper walked to the other side of the table and began her lecture.

"You know Tony, you haven't been getting much sleep lately. And you think I haven't noticed." She paused for a second to make sure Tony was listening. He was too lost in his papers to pay attention. "Tony! This is serious you need to listen!"

With the shout of his name, Tony stood up straight and remarked, "Pepper, hun, don't shout I'm right here." He reached out his arms playfully to go hug Pepper, but she smacked his arm away. "Tony, you think this is a joke, but it's not. You really need to take a break," Pepper scolded.

She walked towards the floor-to-ceiling windows and gazed out. Tony frowned and walked towards her. He had been avoiding this talk for some time, but she was right. He had not been getting any sleep. Nightmares invaded his rest and were unbearable. Smothering himself in his work allowed him to take his mind off what troubled him.

"Pepper, you know you don't have to worry about me. I'm fine," Tony said. He wrapped his arms around Pepper and laid his head on her shoulder. Pepper sighed and replied, " If you say so, Tony, but I'm here for you if you want to talk."

Tony let go of her and walked to the bar. He poured himself some whiskey and walked back to Pepper. " I know Pep, but speaking of break. I think that's a good idea." Pepper nodded and he kept going. " We should go somewhere like Paris or Australia."

"Paris sounds fun, you set it up and I'll go, but for right now," Pepper planted a kiss on Tony's head, " I'm going to fly Stark Headquarters. I'll be gone for a few days." Tony grabbed Pepper's hand as she began to walk out.

" You know how much I love you right?" he asked. Pepper turned toward him and smiled, " You love me to the moon and back."

Naomi's POV

"In other news, the price of gas has gone up significantly in the past few weeks." The news reporter babbled on and on about the gas, while you cooked. You knew your sister was going to be really hungry, so you had to cook a feast.

Cooking one of the other things that gave you joy. It was comforting and peaceful, well usually. Bear was making a lot of racket with his squeaky toy. Bear was sitting in front of the TV, knawing on his toy.

You flipped the pork chops over in the cast iron pan. They sizzled and filled the kitchen with its delicious scent. You wanted to impress your sister with your cooking. You had not seen her in forever and wanted to prove that you were doing something with your life.

As you hovered over the food, the TV caught your attention. "It has been officially a full month since the Battle of New York. With the help of Tony Stark, New York has been slowly picking up the pieces, but it won't look the same. Let's hear more from our New York correspondent, Tina Lakes. Tina, what are you hearing from officials?"

You quickly picked up the remote and turned the channel. The Battle of New York brought up too many things that you weren't ready to deal with yet. Even though you had not been a part of it, seeing the destruction and the fight brought forth many bad memories. You stared at the TV in thought, not realizing the pork chops were getting burned.

"Ruff! Ruff!" Bear barked twice to snap me out of it. I swung around and ran towards the stove. "Shit!" The chops were burnt and inedible. I threw them out and started over. So much for proving myself.

3 hours later

You had finally finished. You had a good-looking dinner prepared. Pork chops, green beans, mashed potatoes, rice, rolls, and a coconut pie. You expected your sister to be here any minute. You walked over to the mirror hanging on the wall. You had fixed your hair in a high ponytail and had changed out of your overalls and into a forest green sundress.

You knew green was your sister's favorite color and you so happened to look good in it. You twirled in the mirror and faced Bear. "How do I look Bear, honey?" Bear barked in response, putting a smile on your face. Just then you heard a knock at the front door. "Coming!" You ran and opened the door with a blazing grin.

"Naomi! How are you!?" You opened the door wider and lept into her arms. "I'm doing good, Alex. Come on in!" You broke the hug and ushered her inside. You and Alex walked into the kitchen. " I like what you've done with the place," Alex remarked looking around the home.

"Thanks! Ready for dinner?" you asked, but you already knew the answer. " I'm super hungry, that plane ride has given me an appetite!" You both laughed and you got out the food. You finished putting the food on the table and sat opposite Alex.

" You made a feast, Naomi!" I grinned and called for Bear. "Bear, honey, it's time to eat!" Bear jumped up and landed in his chair at the table. " Let's dig in!" exclaimed Alex. We all started to devour our food.

"So tell me, Alex, how have you been?" You talked to your sister on the phone once in a while but you really didn't know much. Ever since grandma died we've drifted farther apart.

" I've been well, I recently started a new job and it's been going well. Jason wished he could be with me right now, but he has other responsibilities." You nodded as she kept going about her life. That's one thing you did not miss about your sister, she was a talker.

"Enough about me, what have you been doing?" Alex questioned. You swallowed down some mashed potatoes and responded, " Nothing much, just tending to my farm and hanging out with Bear." You nodded to yourself, pleased with your answer, but Alex was not.

"Naomi, you need to get around more. You can't stay cooped up in this house every day," Alex said. I stopped eating and responded, " Taking care of the farm is a big job, Alex. And I don't have any help. This takes up most of my time. Besides," you reached over to pet Bear, " Bear has been here with me."

Alex scoffed and looked at you straight in the eye. She had striking honey golden eyes. It was like she was piercing into my soul. " I'm going to give it to you bluntly. You haven't been the same since grandma died and you know it. Acting as though nothing happened and running away isn't going to help. You literally ran away from all of us to this place." Alex gestured to the house around her.

You looked down at your food in shame. She was right. You had run away from your problems thinking that getting away would be the answer, but in reality, it only made it worse.

" I'm sorry, Alex. After grandma's funeral, I couldn't do it anymore. I had lost too many people. I didn't realize how it might have affected everyone else." You looked up to see Alex holding back tears.

" We were so worried about you Naomi. We didn't know how to help because wouldn't tell us anything. After you left the Army, you changed a lot, like you went through something."

You looked in your food once again, not wanting to break down in front of Alex. That was a tough subject to talk about. What you went through was traumatic and changed your life drastically.

" I did go through something, Alex, and I'm sorry." Alex nodded and smiled again, " How about we change the subject a little?" You agreed and spent the rest of the evening chatting and eating.

#the avengers #mcu #marvel #the south #iron man #tony stank #steve rogers #natahsa romanoff #bruce banner #thor

[alovesthis]

All Things Must Pass -- Dean Winchester CHAPTER SIX

Dean Winchester x (female) Reader Fic

Fic Summary: Reader and Dean Winchester reunite after not seeing each other in a few years, ever since he told her to leave him and his issues behind. Reuniting wasn’t what you expected it would be like because of past feelings, memories and a life threatening situation that was placed upon Dean Winchester.

Warnings: none!

Word Count: 2k

CHAPTER SIX

1992, Texas - last holiday as a family

It was snowing heavily and nonstop in Texas that year. Although it was melting to the ground, you appreciated the white snowflakes falling against the apartment window making it feel like the holidays.

At just fifteen years old, there were so many things on your holiday list of things you wanted that were either too expensive or seemed too childish for you. It was at that age, you would just stick to asking for fairy tales and other books for the rest of your teenage years. And if you ever received something that felt too young for you, you would pass them down to Stevie. You were sitting on the faded blue couch in your family's fourth apartment of the last couple of years, watching your parents sit at the dinner table with a bunch of books spread out. They were researching for someone they knew, and since it was the holidays they wanted to get things done by tonight, in order to spend time with you and Stevie.

Since you were born, your parents were trying to balance a normal life and hunting. It wasn't easy, but they were managing. See before they had you, they met on a hunt and occasionally ran into each other a few times until they decided to team up. They met other hunters and friends along the way, creating lifelong friendships and ended up falling for each other and having you.

As you sat there, a book in your hands as the record player spins some Fleetwood Mac, your mom's favorite, you wonder if you'll end up doing what your parents do. Hunting. They didn't hide it from you, they told you last year because you were smart. They still kept it from Stevie, she was too young to understand and needed to be protected. Stevie comes running out the small bedroom you two shared, holding some thin children's book ranting at the top of her lungs. She was reading some mystery book, flailing around claiming she solved the case before the main character.

"Stevie! I know you love these books, but you have to take it easy." Your mom laughs as she stands up from the wooden cheap chair and grabs her, throwing herself down on the couch right next to you. Stevie starts giggling once mom starts tickling her.

"Alright girls," Your father stands up and walks over to stand in front of the three of you with a smile that he's trying to hide. "Got some bad news."

You sit up quickly, pushing your book off your legs and panic. "Please don't tell me you guys gotta go? I mean, it's the holiday season and..."

"Seriously, Travis?" Your mom shakes her head. "Don't scare them like that."

"Ah, sorry." He sits down next to you and pulls you into him. "The bad news is that we won't be around for New Years. But...we have a few days until we gotta go."

"Bad news first then the good news." Your mom turns to you. "That's always the best order to go in when you gotta tell someone something."

"So, what's the good news!?" Stevie jumps out of her arms and starts to dance around the room to the music.

You and your parents smile, watching Stevie "dance" along the dull creamy colored carpet under yellow toned light, to 'Everywhere'.

"The good news is that you get a few more gifts than normal." Dad smiles.

"Yeah, our friend Bobby helped us out with these." Your mom smiles as she stares at yo and Stevie. "And, you get to open them tonight."

"Only if you girls eat your damn vegetables tonight. I swear, it's like you're both allergic."

On this last holiday with your parents, something you never thought was a possibility, they made dinner together with music playing loudly in the living room. It wasn't rare to have these nights, but it didn't happen all the time either. After dinner, the four of you were sitting in the living room, which was literally five steps away from the table and kitchen. A few gifts were wrapped for you and Stevie. Your mom sits next to you as Stevie tears through gifts and plays around with them with your dad.

"I want you to know, Y/N," Your mom begins. "What you dream, what you read...everything you want, you can have it. What your father and I do, doesn't have to be your life okay? But it's okay if you want it to be. You have so many options. Although I don't necessarily want you in that life, I know once you're older you'll be capable to make these decisions on your own."

Your mom sits down on the floor with you and hands you the gift, watching your eyes glisten from the white lights that hang on the walls for holiday decoration.

Your fingers gently opened the brown thick paper covering as Stevie ripped through hers. The skinny wool string that was tied around it had come off as you pushed the gift under it, revealing dark green leather. It was The Little Mermaid, an old edition but it was beautiful. Gold lettering shinning on the cover and catching the white lights that were hung up behind you.<em>

"The Little Mermaid." You smile.

"Do you remember when I used to read this to you before bed?"

She also meant if you remembered her reading some of it before she would leave for hunts.

"Yeah, I do." You placed the book down and engulf your mom into the biggest hug. You always loved reading ever since you would listen to her voice reading you fairy tales, classic stories and books that centered on a character taking on anything that came your way.

"Thank you, mom. I really love it." You pull away a smile.

"I love you." Your mom wraps her arm around you and leans against the couch.

"I love you too, mom." You close your eyes and hold onto her arm.

"Cath, let's say we do some hot chocolate for the girls and they get ready on the couch for a movie or two." Your dad says, and Stevie jumps up and runs over to your mom.<em>

"Sure thing." She smiles and runs her fingers through your hair. "Can you handle Stevie for a bit?"

"When can I not?" You laugh as you grab your sister and start messing around with her as she continues to laugh and yell at the top of her lungs.

As your parents worked together in the kitchen and to make tonight special before they go on one of their last hunts, you sit there on the couch holding the book you were gifted up against your chest. Stevie sits close by you, her hands playing around with some toy that she unwrapped not too long ago. You watch your parents stand close by each other as they make snacks and hot coco for everyone. Your dad's arm wraps around your mom's neck and you see him leaning down to kiss her on the top of her head.

Sitting there, you smile softly to yourself as you begin to wonder if maybe one day you'll be just as lucky as them. Whether it's in the hunting life or not, you were silently wishing you you'd be as smart, strong and brave like your mom and rave and confident like your dad. What they had, you wanted.

That was the last holiday you and Stevie had with your parents. Like they said, they wouldn't be home for New Years. But a week after that, your parents came home a mess, scurrying around trying to get things packed and moving. It was that very night you realized they were in trouble. Leaving your apartment, you watched your parents get ripped away from you and Stevie by something, as another hunter who went by the name John Winchester saved your life.

2007 - inside the impala, on the road.

"You alright over there?"

You start blinking out of your trance of the one last good memory you've held on with your family. Clearing your throat, you roll down the impala window to get some air and take a few seconds before you turn your head to Dean.

"Yeah, I'm fine I guess."

"Are you sure, because you look like you're sick or something."

"I said I'm fine." You snap, before sighing and realize that it's not the best to get mad right now.

"Tis the season to be merry, am I right?" Dean scoffs as he turns on the radio, pushing the dial for the sound much higher.

"Look, I'm sorry. You know I'm not the biggest fan of the holiday season."

"You and me both." Dean scoffs. "What's on your mind?"

The silence plays throughout the car for awhile, making you want to open the car door and just jump out and avoid everything. Your parents, the antagonizing memory and Dean's deal. You start to re-think the idea of sticking around with the Winchester's, not sure if you can take it anymore.

"Dean?"

He hums in response as he keeps his eyes on the road.

"I was just thinking about my parents and the holidays." You say softly as you look back out the window. "Last time I saw them...well the last time I saw them on a normal day, we had a 7great night. It's just I see all the christmas lights, all the decorations and I get to thinking about them."

"You miss them." Dean says.

"Every day, but now a little bit more." You lean against the car door and look back at Dean, wrinkling your forehead as you stare with empathy. "Then it got me thinking about you, about you know...the deal."

"Y/N." His hands tighten around the wheel, his knuckles turning pink as his posture stiffens.

"I know you don't want to talk about it, but you do know that we're here. It's not just us that's hurting...I know deep down, Dean, that you're hurting too. And that's okay, but what's not is that you're trying to hide it and I can see it."

"I'm-I'm not hiding anything." Dean says, shifting uncomfortably in his seat as he drives. His right arm drops from the wheel and rests on his thigh. "Just drop it, alright?"

"Dean, all I'm saying is...it's okay to talk about things." You reach over and grab his hand to squeeze it, letting him know you're there. "I know it's been a while, and things got messy the last time we spoke. But I am here and like you used to say to me, no one has to go through life alone. Especially not this one. So Dean, please..."

Dean begins loosening his hand that is holding his thigh tightly, ready to flip his palm to face up. He doesn't want to talk, not now and not yet anyways. As it loosens, he slowly turns it over and lets his hand gently grasps on to yours. In surprise of his actions, you smile and keep your hand open, waiting for him to make the next move. A path to forgiveness between two friends and unresolved tension lingers between just the lack of inches between your hands. You're ready, but he's slowly hesitating.

And just as he's about to make a move to hold your hand, your cell phone goes off catching you two in an awkward space. As he drives, he looks over at you for a moment and you stare into his darkened green eyes After a few rings, you take your hand away and open your flip phone and answer the call.

Stevie's on the phone and Sam's driving your truck, telling you about yet another unusual case up in Michigan. She tells you that everyone should stop soon for a food break and to go over the case before traveling any further.

"Stevie and Sam have a case." You say after a few seconds. "She said to stop at the next exit for food and we'll go over it."

"Got it."

And that's all he says for the next hour in the impala, before you get to the rest stop and he begins to banter Sam and avoids the (one sided) conversation you two had just an hour ago. You don't want to push him, but you want him to know that he's never been alone in this. No matter what happened between the two of you, there will be a way to save him. Even if you can't get too close to the deal, or the demons or researching a way out, you'll be there.

-

not my favorite,  might go back and edit eventually! but enjoy and happy holidays. i’ll be back with two chapters this week or next week just in time for christmas + it’ll be centered around the A Very Supernatural Christmas episode in s3!! 

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TAGLIST (if you wanna be added just let me know and I’ll add you to future chapters!!!)

@akshi8278 @deanswaywardgirl @canonboobs @vikkiwalker

#dean winchester fic #dean x female!reader #dean winchester x you #anglovesthis #supernatural #spn #spn season 3 #supernatural season 3 #all things must pass #dean #dean x reader #female reader #spn family #deangirl #spn fandom #supernatural family

[melmac78]

The first chapter of the Tracy’s doing the Overnight/Live Aboard program. It’s a WIP, and and will take a bit to finish as I’ve got to rewrite a couple of scenes as I found they’re implausible. (There are some minor liberties taken on the program, but I try to have anything that can be visited IRL accurate).

These pics correlate to the opening chapter.

Notes: the berth described in story is not exact to the above: The one I stayed in is the door and by the women’s Head (bathroom, accurate as they also have showers), and the quarters displayed above are part of a tour. Also, my headcanon is Texas was allowed to become an independent republic again in the future.

Enjoy.

••••••

Scott Tracy was in love - again. She had sleek curves, a graceful nose, beautiful blue and gold colorings... and long graceful wings.

He stared at the real Navy Blue A-4 Skyhawk Blue Angel that "flew" on a tall, solid pedestal as though soaring the skies.

Scott could imagine being behind the wheel of the plane, zooming through the air to help serve his country. The swooping, diving and turning were all quite vivid in his head, and he got lost in his imagination.

In fact, Scott was so deep in his dream he didn't notice the world around him trying to get his attention - nor the fact he was grabbed and thrown into a fireman's carry.

It wasn't until he saw grey concrete and rough, seashell laden sand - and someone's shoulders hitting Scott in the gut - he realized he was even moving.

Scott finally was snapped out of his thoughts, aided by the crisp, salty air of the Gulf of Mexico. "Hey! Let me go! Put me down!" said the pilot, gently pounding on the man's left shoulder blade.

A gentle base voice laughed. "Sorry birthday boy but there's plenty more to see than your 'girlfriend'," laughed Virgil as he continued to walk the man a short distance to the front entrance of the USS Lexington in Corpus Christi, the Texas Republic.

The aircraft carrier, commissioned February 17, 1943, was the fifth one by that name. The previous one - CV-2 was sunk in the Coral Sea during World War I, and people chose to rename a newly built carrier from USS Cabot to Lexington in her predecessor's honor.

The nickname Blue Ghost, coined by Tokyo Rose, was created when the Japanese thought she had been sunk four times, but came back.

She was kept in service until formally decommissioned in 1992, and now had been a museum for almost 70 years.

When Texas was allowed to become its own independent constitutional republic again in 2047, the United States allowed the carrier to still be on display in the Gulf as part of a history sharing program.

When Grandma Tracy gave a Live Aboard trip to Scott for his birthday, he suggested they all go. He said it was all he wanted for his birthday - a trip through history of course, experiencing life on an aircraft carrier, but also spending time with his family.

They would be camping in the old crew quarters below deck as part of the program, as well as enjoy meals in the mess hall and see other sites in Corpus Christi, including the Texas State Aquarium and museums in the area.

Even John happily agreed to come down and stay on Earth for the two nights they would spend camping on board the vintage aircraft carrier, so it was for once the entire family.

Admittedly though no one knew how much excitement this trip would bring for the family.

It was already a struggle for them to keep Gordon from dashing off to the visit the marine wildlife and rehabilitation centers at the aquarium. His invite to feed the fish - inside the aquarium in his scuba gear - and the dolphins wasn't until two days later.

Now, just like Scott had done to Gordon over the aquarium, Virgil had to carry him away to get to where they were supposed to go.

"Oh come on Virg - she's not my girlfriend," said Scott, rolling his eyes as he lightly bopped his brother's head.

Virgil scoffed. "Yeah right - you also have to flirt with the TA-4 Skyhawk, T-2C Buckeye, SNJ-5 Texan, KA3B Skywarrior, N3N Yellow Peril, F/A-18 Hornet, 4A Phantom 2..." he said as he then gently set his brother down beside his others. They had their sleeping bags and backpacks bundled together for the two-night stay, packing clothing and other supplies needed.

What many didn't know there was another special "guest" on board - Thunderbird Four. She was boarded late the night before on a special elevator remaining active on the ship. The other 'Birds were ready to fly with EOS' autopilot at a moment's notice from Tracy Island.

While none of the Tracys thought any vehicle would be needed, they wanted to be ready just in case. Kayo was also on standby, staying at a nearby hotel with a helicopter landing on the rooftop to quickly board Shadow.

Scott chuckled in concession. "All right - I'm the 'Bachelor' for a bunch of aviator beauties," he said looking at the ship. "At least I'm not Gordon and want to kiss a sea turtle or otter."

"Hey - that was in my dreams," said Gordon, who then realized it only made things worse. He chuckled. "Yeah... well, I admit I'm wanting to go to the aquarium already, but I've also been looking forward to staying on the Lexington. I finally get to teach you a thing or two about ship life."

Alan chuckled. "Yeah, such as how to get stuck in the brig for hours misbehaving," he teased.

The aquanaut shook his head. "Can't do that bro - the brig is on the hard-hat tour, and Grandma couldn't get us on that one. Filled up."

"Doesn't mean they couldn't put you in the photo op brig," chuckled John, who was sitting on a large ship anchor as he finished his bottled water and snack.

They laughed at the remark as Virgil sat down by his red-headed brother. "How are you feeling bro? Do you need some more water?" he asked seriously.

John shook his head, waving off the remark. He was still suffering space sickness compounded with a rough descent in Thunderbird Five's space elevator two days prior. It had been bad enough he scared his brothers by passing out shortly after they greeted him in the living room.

They all had been worried his "space sickness" would keep him from going, but Virgil and Brains gave him the OK, as long as he ate and drank whatever he was given by the medic or brothers. They already had told him he'd be buying mozzarella sticks - a specialty - at the concession stand the moment after they got settled on board.

"I'm fine, besides - looks like we're about to start our adventure," John said, nodding toward the middle age man walking up to them.

"The Tracy brothers correct - Scott, John, Virgil, Gordon and Alan?" said the man, and the five nodded. "Just wanted to be sure. Your grandmother had already checked in with the girls from the local YMCA. Said though she was going to head to the Wardroom's mess to fix you dinner."

The five brothers gasped in horror, and the man chuckled. "Don't worry - we have people hired to cook the meals. We told her to rest and wait until Scott's birthday celebration - but only bring store bought foods."

Gordon wiped his forehead in a melodramatic fashion. "Whew! for a moment there I was afraid we'd end up getting something that closely resembles SOS."

Alan looked at his older brother, confused. "What's SOS?"

"Well it's also known as Sh..."

Virgil quickly clamped a hand over his seafaring brother's mouth. "Corned beef hash on toast," he said, glaring at Gordon. "SOS is a nickname for the food, and I'd better not hear you say it fully."

Gordon rolled his eyes but conceded.

Alan made a vow to himself to quietly ask his immediate older brother later - out of Virgil's earshot - what the acronym stood for.

The Lexington worker laughed. "Well, now that's settled, let's get started on your Live Aboard program. My name is Jacob Cobalt, and I'll be the ship leader during the next two days aboard the USS Lexington," he said. "Shortly I'll take you aboard so you can unpack in the berthing quarters. You'll be staying in the same area as the Boy Scouts, but have a berth to yourself."

The others nodded. They knew a couple of the workers were informed by the GDF about the need for the five to have their own quarters. Their berth would be slightly smaller than the larger groups, but they would be able to store their IR uniforms without the worry of prying eyes looking through lockers.

Jacob continued. "That said, you'll still have to follow the same rules of the Live Aboard, which means first, you must show proper decorum on this ship. It is a memorial to those who fought and died on it for freedom. Secondly, you have to obey whatever command I say…" he said, smirking before he then changed to a drill instructor tone. "So line up at attention! Backs straight and tuck in your shirt tails!"

The result was a slight comedy of errors when John tripped over a sleeping bag and crashed into Virgil, making both tumble to the ground. As they did they bumped into Gordon's shoulder, making him back into the anchor. Thankfully, all he did was sit on it.

"You have 10 seconds to get in line and shirt tails tucked and get in line," said the ship leader.

Everyone got in line and their tails tucked in by the count of 10 - except Scott.

Jacob clicked his tongue, disappointed. "You of all people - retired Air Force - can't get your shirt tucked in quickly?" he said, motioning Scott to come forward. "Well... I guess you get to give an example of what we do if someone's caught with their shirt untucked."

The other four Tracys laughed. "Oh boy, Flyboy got in trouble," said Gordon, teasing.

Scott gave a feral grin. "Don't think I won't be watching for my chance to get even..." said the eldest as he stood by Jacob.

"I think you'll have plenty of chances Scott…" said Jacob with a smile.

The aquanaut made a show of gulping, to everyone's amusement.

"OK...so what's the penalty?" Scott said, wincing. He hoped it wasn't clean the Head with a toothbrush.

"You have to do 15 pushups - the proper way," said the leader with a chortle.

Scott merely laughed and did as he was told - making sure the final five were single-handed to shush Gordon further.

One he did his 15 pushups, Scott returned to the line and Jacob continued. "OK, now we'll head up to the berthing area. Watch for low overhangs, your step on the ladders, and the lips of the doors so you don't trip over them."

John gave a subtle wince. "I thought I hated gravity before..." he muttered, praying he didn't go flying into a bulkhead not paying attention to the floor. He certainly didn't want to wind up ruining Scott's birthday suffering a concussion.

Virgil put a gentle hand on his brother's shoulder. "It's all right John - we'll make sure you don't fall - down or out," he said knowingly as they gathered their items and headed up the long ramp. They admired the exterior of the Blue Ghost, which included weaponry and lifeboat pods.

At the entrance, they received a blue wristband, showing they were part of the Live Aboard program and could stay past visitor hours before looking around the hangar deck. There was a machine that would simulate a flight simulation for guests while a real simulator lay on display nearby.

Other planes with mannequin workers getting it ready for takeoff, military memorabilia, and mockups for photos graced the area as well.

The Tracys however were heading toward a hatch leading to one of the Heads on the ship. “This way gentlemen,” said Jacob.

John leaned over the railing to look at the ladder of stairs and had a slight case of vertigo. "Oh brother, that's a way down," he muttered.

The youngest brother looked at his brother in sympathy. "You'll be OK John. I'll show you how to get down," said Alan as he started his climb down with his backpack. He faced away from the ladder, making his descent very slow.

When he reached the landing, he turned around, realizing he forgot his sleeping bag. "Um, guys, can you -" said Alan, only to be hit in the face with said item.

Looking up, he saw someone chortling. "Very funny Gordo," said Alan, only to be hit in the face again, this time with Gordon's pillow, then sleeping bag.

"Yeah - it is. You just took the worst way to get down these ladders," said Gordon as he turned around and faced the ladder on his descent. He would've slid down the rails as he did on occasion during his WASP stint, but the rungs were wrapped in rope to add grip safety. Gordon certainly wasn't going to let Alan tease him for rope burns.

Eventually, all five managed to make their way down without much incident. John went last just in case he slipped - and when he did three steps from the bottom, Scott and Virgil caught him. John gave a weak smile in thanks.

Jacob then descended and lead them to a doorway marked "Reserved for Live Aboard Only," and lowered the chain before opening the heavy door.

"OK, here's where you'll be staying the next couple of days. You'll use this head in the evenings after hours, and the showers are behind the wall there," he said, then gestured for them to come inside the quarters.

Inside there was a pool table, old fashioned arcade game that still worked nearly 80 years later, sofas and a ping-pong table. Military memorabilia from the wars the Lexington served in: badges, coats worn by sailors, flags, challenge coins, photos, adorned the walls along with mementos from past guests.

Seeing the youngest look over at the entertainment, the eldest sighed. "We're going to have to keep Alan from the video game, or he'll never go on tours," said Scott, knowing the youngest's fondness for antique games.

Alan rolled his eyes. "I can't play them - I don't have any coins," he said, looking at the game. "Besides - it's that old Donkey Kong game - I defeated it years ago."

The others just shook their head as they followed Jacob through a pair of doors. Turning left, they saw a kitchen area, clean but dark and clearly unused for decades.

Once they descended yet another set of ladders, they arrived at their berth. "Make yourselves at home. You can tour any of the paths until mess in the wardroom at 1800 hours," he said.

The Tracys nodded and entered the room, shivering at the abrupt coldness of the berths compared to the rest of the rooms earlier. It had pale olive green walls, tall, thin lockers for storing their items and bunk shelves complete with a thick foam mattress.

There were three levels to the bunks - beds near the ground, middle and near the top.

"Dibs on the top bunk," squeaked Alan as he quickly walked over to the nearest one.

"Hey - I get one," said Gordon.

Scott laughed. "There's enough for all of us to be on the top bunk if we want," he said, though he was going to stay on the middle bunk.

"Not me - I'm not going to fall out and get a concussion," said John, who wisely chose the lowest bunk, which lay about eight inches off the ground.

They chatted and laughed as they wandered around the quarters, choosing and making up their bunks before stuffing their lockers.

After a few minutes, Gordon and Alan walked around to look at where everyone selected to sleep.

Turning one corner, Alan sniggered at the sight in front of him while Gordon coughed to keep from laughing outright.

"Um, International Rescue, we have a situation," the aquanaut said, though his tone was not as serious as the comment would normally entail.

Still though, Scott went into smother hen mode and walked around to the bunks the youngest duo were at, while John followed, interested himself.

When they reached the others, Scott did all he could to keep a serious face himself.

He barely kept it.

"Um Virgil - what on earth possessed you to try and claim a top bunk yourself?" he asked.

The medic was stuck halfway in and out of the bunk, using his feet on the lower bunk to keep the metal edges from pressing into his gut.

In spite of Virgil's wishes and dreams to finally sleep on a top bunk, his large, muscular frame was just too broad to fit through the space between the safety bar, ladder and bed.

"Looks like Papa Bear forgot that those beds are too small for him," said Gordon, laughing.

"Very funny Squidface... can you guys give me a hand?" muttered Virgil.

The brothers laughed and helped assist Virgil down from the top bunk. The man then wisely chose to do the middleman choice and choose the middle bunk - still higher off the ground, but much more space as no bar was needed. He even double checked by effortlessly pulling himself into the bunk, silencing any further teases from Gordon.

Once they ensured everything was in place, and in the cases of the IR uniforms locked in the lockers, Scott turned and faced the others, smiling. "OK - let's take a journey through time... starting with the flight deck," said Scott.

"Of course - got to go see your girlfriends... FAB birthday boy," teased Virgil, and they headed up toward the hangar deck to go on the bridge/flight deck tour.

••••••

To Be Continued …

#thunderbirds are go #gordon tracy #john tracy #virgil tracy #scott tracy #alan tracy

[brightbeautifulthings]

MAYHEM BY ESTELLE LAURE BLOG TOUR & CHAPTER EXCERPT

The Lost Boys meets Wilder Girls in this supernatural feminist YA novel.

Available July 14th, 2020

It's 1987 and unfortunately it's not all Madonna and cherry lip balm. Mayhem Brayburn has always known there was something off about her and her mother, Roxy. Maybe it has to do with Roxy's constant physical pain, or maybe with Mayhem's own irresistible pull to water. Either way, she knows they aren't like everyone else.

But when May's stepfather finally goes too far, Roxy and Mayhem flee to Santa Maria, California, the coastal beach town that holds the answers to all of Mayhem's questions about who her mother is, her estranged family, and the mysteries of her own self. There she meets the kids who live with her aunt, and it opens the door to the magic that runs through the female lineage in her family, the very magic Mayhem is next in line to inherit and which will change her life for good.

But when she gets wrapped up in the search for the man who has been kidnapping girls from the beach, her life takes another dangerous turn and she is forced to face the price of vigilante justice and to ask herself whether revenge is worth the cost.

From the acclaimed author of This Raging Light and But Then I Came Back, Estelle Laure offers a riveting and complex story with magical elements about a family of women contending with what appears to be an irreversible destiny, taking control and saying when enough is enough.

About the Author:

Estelle Laure, the author of This Raging Light and But Then I Came Back believes in love, magic, and the power of facing hard truths. She has a BA in Theatre Arts and an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts in Writing for Children and Young Adults, and she lives in Taos, New Mexico, with her family. Her work is translated widely around the world. 

Twitter | Instagram | Get Your Copy

Read on for a special chapter excerpt of Mayhem!

three Santa Maria

“Trouble,” Roxy says. She arches a brow at the kids by the van through the bug-spattered windshield, the ghost of a half-smile rippling across her face.

“You would know,” I shoot.

“So would you,” she snaps.

Maybe we’re a little on edge. We’ve been in the car so long the pattern on the vinyl seats is tattooed on the back of my thighs.

The kids my mother is talking about, the ones sitting on the white picket fence, look like they slithered up the hill out of the ocean, covered in seaweed, like the carnival music we heard coming from the boardwalk as we were driving into town plays in the air around them at all times. Two crows are on the posts beside them like they’re standing guard, and they caw at each other loudly as we come to a stop. I love every- thing about this place immediately and I think, ridiculously, that I am no longer alone.

The older girl, white but tan, curvaceous, and lean, has her arms around the boy and is lovely with her smudged eye makeup and her ripped clothes. The younger one pops some- thing made of bright colors into her mouth and watches us come up the drive. She is in a military-style jacket with a ton of buttons, her frizzy blond hair reaching in all directions, freckles slapped across her cheeks. And the boy? Thin, brown, hungry-looking. Not hungry in his stomach. Hungry with his eyes. He has a green bandana tied across his forehead and holes in the knees of his jeans. There’s an A in a circle drawn in marker across the front of his T-shirt.

Anarchy.

“Look!” Roxy points to the gas gauge. It’s just above the E. “You owe me five bucks, Cookie. I told you to trust we would make it, and see what happened? You should listen to your mama every once in a while.”

“Yeah, well, can I borrow the five bucks to pay you for the bet? I’m fresh out of cash at the moment.”

“Very funny.”

Roxy cranes out the window and wipes the sweat off her upper lip, careful not to smudge her red lipstick. She’s been having real bad aches the last two days, even aside from her bruises, and her appetite’s been worse than ever. The only thing she ever wants is sugar. After having been in the car for so long, you’d think we’d be falling all over each other to get out, but we’re still sitting in the car. In here we’re still us.

She sighs for the thousandth time and clutches at her belly. “I don’t know about this, May.”

California can’t be that different from West Texas.

I watch TV. I know how to say gag me with a spoon and grody to the max.

I fling open the door.

Roxy gathers her cigarettes and lighter, and drops them in- side her purse with a snap.

“Goddammit, Elle,” she mutters to herself, eyes flickering toward the kids again. Roxy looks at me over the rims of her sunglasses before shoving them back on her nose. “Mayhem, I’m counting on you to keep your head together here. Those kids are not the usual—”

“I know! You told me they’re foster kids.” 

“No, not that,” she says, but doesn’t clarify. “Okay, I guess.”

“I mean it. No more of that wild-child business.”

“I will keep my head together!” I’m so tired of her saying this. I never had any friends, never a boyfriend—all I have is what Grandmother calls my nasty mouth and the hair Lyle always said was ugly and whorish. And once or twice I might’ve got drunk on the roof, but it’s not like I ever did anything. Besides, no kid my age has ever liked me even once. I’m not the wild child in the family.

“Well, all right then.” Roxy messes with her hair in the rear- view mirror, then sprays herself with a cloud of Chanel No. 5 and runs her fingers over her gold necklace. It’s of a bird, not unlike the ones making a fuss by the house. She’s had it as long as I can remember, and over time it’s been worn smooth by her worrying fingers. It’s like she uses it to calm herself when she’s upset about something, and she’s been upset the whole way here, practically. Usually, she’d be good and buzzed by this time of day, but since she’s had to drive some, she’s only nipped from the tiny bottle of wine in her purse a few times and only taken a couple pills since we left Taylor. The with- drawal has turned her into a bit of a she-demon.

I try to look through her eyes, to see what she sees. Roxy hasn’t been back here since I was three years old, and in that time, her mother has died, her father has died, and like she said when she got the card with the picture enclosed that her twin sister, Elle, sent last Christmas, Everybody got old. After that, she spent a lot of time staring in the mirror, pinching at her neck skin. When I was younger, she passed long nights telling me about Santa Maria and the Brayburn Farm, about how it was good and evil in equal measure, about how it had desires that had to be satisfied.

Brayburns, she would say. In my town, we were the legends. 

These were the mumbled stories of my childhood, and they made everything about this place loom large. Now that we’re here, I realize I expected the house to have a gaping maw filled with spitty, frothy teeth, as much as I figured there would be fairies flitting around with wands granting wishes. I don’t want to take her vision away from her, but this place looks pretty normal to me, if run-down compared to our new house in Taylor, where there’s no dust anywhere, ever, and Lyle prac- tically keeps the cans of soup in alphabetical order. Maybe what’s not so normal is that this place was built by Brayburns, and here Brayburns matter. I know because the whole road is named after us and because flowers and ribbons and baskets of fruit sat at the entrance, gifts from the people in town, Roxy said. They leave offerings. She said it like it’s normal to be treated like some kind of low-rent goddess.

Other than the van and the kids, there are trees here, rose- bushes, an old black Mercedes, and some bikes leaning against the porch that’s attached to the house. It’s splashed with fresh white paint that doesn’t quite cover up its wrinkles and scars. It’s three stories, so it cuts the sunset when I look up, and plants drape down to touch the dirt.

The front door swings open and a woman in bare feet races past the rosebushes toward us. It is those feet and the reckless way they pound against the earth that tells me this is my aunt Elle before her face does. My stomach gallops and there are bumps all over my arms, and I am more awake than I’ve been since.

I thought Roxy might do a lot of things when she saw her twin sister. Like she might get super quiet or chain-smoke, or maybe even get biting like she can when she’s feeling wrong about something. The last thing I would have ever imagined was them running toward each other and colliding in the driveway, Roxy wrapping her legs around Elle’s waist, and them twirling like that. 

This seems like something I shouldn’t be seeing, some- thing wounded and private that fills up my throat. I flip my- self around in my seat and start picking through the things we brought and chide myself yet again for the miserable packing job I did. Since I was basically out of my mind trying to get out of the house, I took a whole package of toothbrushes, an armful of books, my River Phoenix poster, plus I emptied out my underwear drawer, but totally forgot to pack any shoes, so all I have are some flip-flops I bought at the truck stop outside of Las Cruces after that man came to the window, slurring, You got nice legs. Tap, tap tap. You got such nice legs.

My flip-flops are covered in Cheeto dust from a bag that got upended. I slip them on anyway, watching Roxy take her sunglasses off and prop them on her head.

“Son of a bitch!” my aunt says, her voice tinny as she catches sight of Roxy’s eye. “Oh my God, that’s really bad, Rox. You made it sound like nothing. That’s not nothing.”

“Ellie,” Roxy says, trying to put laughter in her voice. “I’m here now. We’re here now.”

There’s a pause.

“You look the same,” Elle says. “Except the hair. You went full Marilyn Monroe.”

“What about you?” Roxy says, fussing at her platinum waves with her palm. “You go full granola warrior? When’s the last time you ate a burger?”

“You know I don’t do that. It’s no good for us. Definitely no good for the poor cows.”

“It’s fine for me.” Roxy lifts Elle’s arm and puckers her nose. “What’s going on with your armpits? May not eat meat but you got animals under there, looks like.”

“Shaving is subjugation.”

“Shaving is a mercy for all mankind.” 

They erupt into laughter and hug each other again.

“Well, where is she, my little baby niece?” Elle swings the car door open. “Oh, Mayhem.” She scoops me out with two strong arms. Right then I realize just how truly tired I am. She seems to know, squeezes extra hard for a second before letting me go. She smells like the sandalwood soap Roxy buys sometimes. “My baby girl,” Elle says, “you have no idea how long I’ve been waiting to see you. How much I’ve missed you.”

Roxy circles her ear with a finger where Elle can’t see her.

Crazy, she mouths. I almost giggle.

#mayhem #estelle laure #blog tour #chapter excerpt #free chapter #book excerpt #book promotion #booklr #supernatural ya #paranormal ya #st. martin's press #netgalley

[fanfictionaries]

Where the Green Grass Grows - Part 1. A Real Fine Place to Start

@imanuglywombat​ credit for the moodboard/art! 

Summary: After leaving town in 2001, Marianne Grace Barnes swore she’d never step foot in Texas again. She was happy with her life in San Francisco. She had great friends, a great job, and a loving boyfriend. But when her mother insists she come home after six long years away, Marianne comes face to face with someone she vowed to never lay eyes on again. Now the questions arise: Is he so different from the man who broke her heart? Is she so different from the girl she used to be?

And most importantly, is she as happy as she really thinks she is?

A story of love, heartache, and that special feeling of being home.

MASTERLIST

Pairing: AU Cowboy!Steve Rogers x OFC

Warnings: Swearing 

Author’s note: This is my entry for  @arrowsandmixtapes​ ‘s RomCom Writing Challenge! So sorry for the late entry, Covid has been a whirlwind of a time.

Prompt: Sweet Home Alabama (2002)

***

The streets of San Francisco were their normal, misty grey as Marianne Barnes rushed down the sidewalk. Scrubbing at the technicolor specks of paint that covered her arms, she wondered why that day of all days she had decided to introduce the splatter paint portion of her student’s curriculum. The current semester was focused on abstract and modern art. Slowly she’d been introducing them to all of the history and techniques behind the different styles before allowing them to try it out for themselves. While initially it seemed like a fantastic idea, she soon realized that allowing a group of middle schoolers the freedom to literally throw paint was a recipe for disaster. Luckily, she had her art smock to cover the entirety of her clothes, but that had not saved her arms and legs from the ricochet of paint as the over enthusiastic kids hurled globs of color as hard as they could at blank canvases. Continuing to rake her nails against the skin of her arms, she sighed in frustration. She really should have taken a few more minutes to wash up one more time.

It was important that she look nice tonight. Tony, her boyfriend, had invited her to dinner stating he had some “big news”. Marianne assumed that it probably had to do with the big business deal he’d been working on for his company. Tony was a visionary of sorts. Having come from family money, his future was always to be well off. However, he had taken the extra steps to truly make something of himself and slowly over the years of his career he had come to own the single leading company in clean energy technology. She was proud of him – even if his job did take up a large amount of his life. However, without his job she probably wouldn’t have met him. She thought back to the embarrassing moment in which they had met nearly a year ago.

Marianne pulled at the neckline of her dress, the Peter Pan collar currently feeling as though it was going to choke her as she shifted uncomfortably by the food and drink table. As much as she liked being there for her best friend, she really wished Natasha would stop inviting her to these kinds of events. While Nat insisted that she’d stay right by Marianne’s side, she always ended up alone at some point in the night, twiddling her thumbs in a room filled with strangers. Having met in art school, Marianne always found it incredibly interesting how drastically different her and Natasha’s careers were. While Marianne had opted for teaching the youths of America about Monet, Dali, van Gogh, and Matisse, Natasha had settled on the curation of art, a field that suited her much more appropriately. The rubbing of elbows with the hoity toity rich was a perfect fit for Nat’s easy, sophisticated, and, for lack of a better word, sexy personality. With her naturally fire-red hair, knockout curves, and perfect smile, Natasha was the type of woman that when she walked into a room, every person either wanted to be her or to fuck her. There was no in-between. Even for Marianne, who supposed in some ways, she’d like to be a bit more like Natasha.

That’s why she was so surprised to be approached as she clung to her glass of champagne and pretended to stare contemplatively at the same painting of a flat tire for the fifth time that night.

“What do you think?” asked a smooth and timbred voice from beside her.

Marianne chuckled slightly to herself continued to trace the thick brushstrokes of the painting with her eyes. “Well, considering the artist’s theme of stagnation, I think they’ve gone a bit too on the nose with this one. It’s…unimaginative,” she commented, before turning to see the handsome man beside her. If she’d actually been drinking the champagne in her hand, she might have choked on it. Luckily for her, she hadn’t.

The man continued to stare at the painting in front of them, a contemplative expression that brought his thick, dark brows together, before he turned his gaze to her, “So you don’t think it will sell tonight then?”

“Oh no, it will definitely sell. I’ve been to enough of these things to know that it’s not really about taste, so much as it is status. If the artist seems important enough, then so is their art,” smirked Marianne, this time actually taking a sip from her champagne flute to avoid focusing on the intriguing way in which the stranger was staring at her.

“Ah, yes. The snobbish elites’ inability to see past their own social status,” he commented dryly, taking a sip from his own flute.

“Hey, you said it, not me,” Marianne laughed, feeling as though she might have made a connection with a reasonable person just yet.

“And who do I have the pleasure of giving me all the inside critique?”

She extended her free hand out to the man, “Marianne Barnes—art teacher, friend of the curator, and overall critic of the snobbish elite.”

He took her hand in his own, his grasp soft, yet strong as he shook her hand and stared her directly in the eye, “Tony Stark – member of the snobbish elite.”

Marianne blanched at the words, the overwhelming feeling of embarrassment taking over her as she realized her mistake. She was just beginning to open her mouth to apologize when Tony held up a hand.

“No need to apologize—” he inhaled deeply, looking around the room and the people that inhabited it “—Truth be told, I don’t think I can stand a single person in here. You excluded of course, but who knows that may change.”

Marianne wrestled with the smile that fought to match Tony’s own wry grin. He was too charming for his own good. Taking a second to look over his expensive suit, Italian leather shoes, and $200 haircut, she reckoned he was much too handsome and successful for her own good. Still, she figured there was no harm in a little conversation.

“Say, I like your accent. Where’s that from? Georgia? Alabama?” asked Tony, stepping in to close the distance between them and making the interaction feel so much more intimate than it should.

Marianne gasped in mock offense, “Excuse you sir, but I am Texas born through and through.”

“My apologies ma’am,” Tony said, holding a hand to his heart in sincerity. “It’s never my intention to offend beautiful women. But for some reason, it just, well, happens.”

That comment made Marianne pause, “You think I’m beautiful?”

He took a moment to assess her, raking his eyes over her from head to toe. Not in a predatory way, but more like he was assessing another painting on the wall. Then he answered, voice heavy in sincerity, “Most beautiful piece of art I’ve seen tonight.”

The sharp tone of Marianne’s ringtone brought her out of her musing and back to the present as she waited at a crosswalk for the light to change. Digging into the deep contents of her purse, she cursed under her breath, pushing aside pens, pencils, scrunchies, lotions, and general clutter before her fingers closed around the buzzing device.

“Hello?”

“I just really don’t understand why Serena and Nate just don’t get together! I mean, he basically broke up with Blair for her, the least she could do is date him,” groaned Natasha from the other end, before Marianne heard the distinct crunch of popcorn being chewed.

“Hey! Spoilers, I haven’t watched last night’s episode yet! Besides, I really don’t have time to talk about Gossip Girl right now,” she huffed, glancing at the time on her watch and realizing she was even later than she thought.

“Well hurry up and watch it! I want to talk about what Chuck did. You’ll never believe it—”

“Seriously Nat, no spoilers!” Marianne exclaimed, now picking up her speed as she crossed the street, trying not to catch the heel of her stilettos on the cracks in the pavement. “And I meant it, I’m running late for my dinner with Tony. He’s taking me to my favorite restaurant to celebrate the contract with Pym Technologies.”

“Wow. I never would have expected Tony to slum it all the way to the Mission District,” Natasha snorted.

“What? No, I’m in SoMa right now. We’re going to Omakase,” Marianne said, jumping back when a bicyclist zoomed past her, nearly knocking her into a dirty puddle.

“Oh…”

“What?”

“Nothing, it’s just that I have a distinct memory of you saying you’d rather lick an L.A. sidewalk than eat raw fish, but I have seen you scarf down more burritos from Taqueria Cancun than I can count.”

Marianne bristled at the comment; she always did this. “My tastes are allowed to change Nat,” she bit back, seeing the sign for the sushi restaurant her and Tony frequented in sight.

Natasha was quiet for a moment on the other end of the line before she responded, “Yea, yea, you’re right. I’m sorry. Well, have fun at dinner and tell Tony I say congratulation.”

Sighing, Marianne immediately felt guilty for the harsh way in which she spoke, “Thanks Nat, I’ll tell him. And don’t worry, I’ve got the episode queued up first on Tony’s TiVo. I’ll watch it tonight and then I’ll call you tomorrow and we can gab all about why Serena needs to pull her head out.”

The comment earned Marianne a small laugh from Natasha, alleviating some of her guilt, “I’m holding you to that. Talk to you later hun, love you.”

“Love you too.”

Marianne closed her phone just as she was approaching the front doors to Omakase. Throwing her phone back into her purse she pushed the glass door open, knowing that Tony was probably already waiting for her at their favorite table. The first thing she noticed upon entering the restaurant was the distinct lack of the normal bustling sounds of other people, the second thing was the presence of orchestral music, and the third were roses. Hundreds and hundreds of red roses. Stacked on every available surface, the flowers littered the restaurant in large arrangements placed in beautiful crystal vases.

Silently, her heeled feet padded across the rose petal covered floor as she tentatively stepped further into the building, wondering for a just a second if she was in the right place. However, as she rounded the corner to see Tony dressed impeccably, string quartet situation behind him as he stood next to the only table in the dining room, she knew this was exactly where she was supposed to be.

“Tony…” she approached him cautiously, unable to stop from looking around the room and all its grandeur.

“There she is. For a second, I thought you found something better to do,” joked Tony, closing the distance between them and kissing her lightly on the lips.

“Sorry, I got out of class a bit late and then Nat called. What’s going on?” Marianne asked, still unsure what the big romantic gesture was for. 

“What? A man can’t treat his girlfriend to a romantic night?”

“Well yes, but I thought we were celebrating your deal.”

“Well, I mean that’s part of it, but we’ll get to that later. Here, why don’t you set your things down? I have something I want to ask you.” Tony slipped Marianne’s purse from her shoulder and placed it gently down onto her chair before turning to her and taking both of her hands in his. “So, a little precursor, I closed the deal with Pym Technologies.”

“Oh my god, Tony that’s amazing! I knew you were going to get it,” Marianne exclaimed, smiling widely at her boyfriend. She moved in to give him a congratulatory hug, but Tony stopped her, holding her away from him at arm’s length.

“Oh, hold on, let’s not celebrate too soon. At least let me finish my little speech and then we can jump up and down like teenage girls,” responded Tony. His tone, while its usual joking manner, held a tense and clipped edge to it that Marianne didn’t hear often. Nervously she shifted her weight, wondering what he could possibly have to ask her. Then slowly things started to click into place. Secluded restaurant. Red roses. String quartet. Tony’s favorite red wine on the table. Big important question. Oh.

“Well, once this deal goes through, I’m going to be spending a lot of time traveling internationally. Things are going to pick up at Stark Industries and I realized that life is about to get a lot more hectic and messier. Then of course, this brought on a whirlwind of existential questions about life and its meaning and purpose and what I really want out of it and…and I’m rambling aren’t I?”

“Yea, just a bit,” Marianne answered with a small smile.

“I had a point—”

“Did you?”

“I did—” Tony released his hold on her hands to dig into the pocket of his suit pants “—and I think it sounded a bit like this.” Marianne gasped lightly as Tony dropped to one knee. “Basically, to make a long, drawn-out story short, I realized that no matter how messy and crazy the future scenarios of my life, one thing remained a constant. You. You by my side as my wife. So…” Producing a small, black box from within his hands, he opened it slowly to reveal a large, sparkling engagement ring. “Would you do me the honor of marrying me?”

Marianne stood speechless for a moment, consumed by the surprise turn of events. For a second the musing thought that she would have definitely forgone splatter paint today if she had known she was getting proposed to, flashed through her mind before she nodded enthusiastically.

“Yes, yes I will marry you.”

That’s how one month later Marianne found herself entering Natasha’s apartment, arms completely stuffed with nothing but wedding magazines, samples, and binders. Dropping her things into a large pile on the carpet of Natasha’s living room floor, Marianne breathed in deep before turning her attention to an open portfolio on the coffee table. The bright splashes of reds and blues of oversized poppies amidst a large, open sky caught her attention, drawing her in.

“Hey Nat, are you looking to take in a new collection at the gallery?” she called towards the kitchen, unable to pull her eyes away from the beautiful and almost impressionistic take on the flowers.

“Yea, one of my boss’s associates is crazy about these giant oil paintings of poppies. He wants us to consider doing a whole show of them. We’re equally as enthusiastic, but I guess the artist is hesitant about selling their work,” answered Natasha from across the apartment.

“Don’t most artists want to sell their art?”

“You’d think, but judging from the California poppies, they’re probably some west coast artist that doesn’t want to ‘sell out’ and ruin the integrity of their work.” Marianne could almost hear Natasha rolling her eyes through the walls.

Staring even harder at the small collection of paintings as she flipped through the portfolio, Marianne asked, “Are you sure they’re California poppies?”

Just as she asked the question, Natasha came around the corner, two large glasses of prosecco in hand. “Of course. We’re in California. They’re poppies. California poppies,” Natasha shrugged, placing the glasses on the coffee table.

“Yea, I guess you’re right,” Marianne said, sharply closing the portfolio and shaking off the strange sense of melancholy that the paintings evoked.  

“Jesus, when you said you wanted to come over and talk about wedding stuff while we watched Gossip Girl, I thought you meant something like looking at a couple of magazines, not planning the whole thing in one night!” Natasha said, eyes growing wide as she took in the sheer amount of materials Marianne had arrived with.

“Yea, well that’s pretty much all the time I actually have to plan this thing. Tony wants to get married soon so that we can go on our honeymoon before he has to start traveling for work. Once things pick up, we’re not really sure when he’ll get another free moment,” sighed Marianne, sitting down on the floor and beginning to organize her mess.

“I’m surprised he’s letting you plan this and it’s not him making all the decisions,” remarked Natasha, sitting down across from her, and picking up a magazine.

“What do you mean?” asked Marianne, looking up quizzically at her best friend.

“Well…” began Natasha, hesitating for a moment before continuing, “I just mean that Tony tends to have a habit of making decisions for you.”

“What? No, he doesn’t,” Marianne scoffed.

“Uhuh…okay. Well then, who decided shortly after meeting you that your car, your first car, your baby, wasn’t good enough and that you needed a new one?” Natasha asked challengingly.

“It was old Natasha. People get new cars every day. Tony was just kind enough to buy me a new one,” Marianne reasoned with her, picking up her glass of prosecco from the coffee table.

“Okay, what about your job? You were working at that cute little public, elementary school that you always said you loved so much. Next thing I know, you’ve got this new job at a private middle school.”

“Tony had some connections and there’s nothing wrong with moving up in your career. I’m pretty sure that’s the whole point of a career, Nat.”

“Your apartment then? A week after he saw your apartment for the first time, he insisted that you move in with him.”

“That apartment was a rat-infested shit-hole and you know it. Things were going well, and he had the space. I took a leap of faith and moved in with him. I think it went alright considering the fact that I’m marrying the man. Just- what are you getting at Nat?”

“I guess I’m just worried that these major life decisions aren’t what you want, but instead what Tony wants. I mean, you’ve been together barely a year and already you’re more like him than you are you. You dress posher, you act posher, your accent’s fading…I want you to be happy Marianne, but I don’t want you to lose yourself along the way,” Natasha ended her small rant by taking a large gulp of her drink.

Marianne placed a hand on her friends arm reassuringly, “Hey. It’s alright. I’m happy, I promise. And it’s still me! I’m still the same Marianne Barnes you met in art school – just a little fancier is all.” She laid her southern accent on thick near the end of her sentence, lifting up her left hand to waggle the large engagement ring in her friend’s face. Natasha laughed, knocking her hand out of the way, and rolling her eyes at Marianne’s blatant bragging.

“Shut up, now let’s work on your guest list and invitations first while we let the drama of Manhattan’s Upper East Side consume us,” said Natasha, exchanging the magazine for a binder as she turned her TV on with the press of a button.

Taglist: 

@hidden-behind-the-fourth-wall​

@caffiend-queen​

@grincheveryday​

#RomComWC #RCWC #steve x ofc #au!steve #cowboy!steve #steve rogers #sweet home alabama #romantic comedy #fanfiction #fanfic #tony stark x ofc #enemies to lovers

[ladyideal]

State Pride

Pairing: Jim Kirk x Reader

Word Count: 1969

Warnings: 1 smartass and a lot of fluff

Summary: During shore leave on Earth, you and Jim were invited to be judges for a cooking reality show. So you and Jim enjoyed yourself.

A/N: I just realized that this is my second attempt at writing Jimmy boy, and both didn’t turn out too badly. I’ve been watching both Chopped, Masterchef, and some of Hell’s Kitchen. Y’know, maybe I’ll do this again as an AU some other time. Also, I didn’t name the chefs, so enjoy it with whomever you want. (Have to try writing Gordan Ramsay one day.)

“Jim, tell me again why we are here?” You pouted as he swung open a door for you. 

“We’re here to inspire others in more ways than one. The chefs need some inspiration, and I agreed to help them out when we came back for shore leave.” Your fiancé replied, nudging you forward so that hee too could enter the building. 

“This is shore leave, Jim,” You grumbled anyways. “Not a fly around the world to inspire others leave.”

“All in good time, doll. I’ll make it up to you,” Jim kissed your forehead. “Now come on, we don’t want to be late.”

Once the production team deemed your and Jim fit to be on camera, you frowned again at him, linking your arm through his. It was three years with him, and there was no one else you’d rather be. Sure, you had to fend yourself a couple times from his many exes, but you knew where Jim’s heart was at. There had been couple ups and downs as expected, but the famous Starfleet Captain finally settled down with you by his side. 

You were in love. 

“You ready, Y/N?” Jim turned to you, gaze sweeping over your features and straying for a moment on your lips.

“I don’t see any other choice,” You shrugged, smirking at him. Might as well make the best of the current circumstances.

“Come on, smartass,” was all you got before you were towed towards the grounds where the competition was held. 

As you stepped out, you grinned easily as the sun’s warmth radiated out, the hot breeze singing between your strands of hair, and a slight touch of clouds up in the sky. This was Earth as you knew it. It was home, and home was where you would rather be for the moment. As Jim walked by your side on the gravel, you could hear a loud voice not far from the circle of trees.

“Please help me welcome our special guests from some of Starfleet’s famous officers, Captain Kirk and Commander Y/L/N.” 

You and Jim waved as you approached from the sidelines. Three judges on one side, and two teams of home cooks on the other in front of their kitchen appliances.  

Red and blue. Never gets old. 

“Hi everybody,” You waved. Jim echoed along, beaming as some squealed at the sight of your fiancé. 

Jim was an eye catcher, you knew this. You’d never really let it get to you though. He knew better. 

“ Captain James Kirk of the Starfleet’s vessel the USS Enterprise, along with his world acclaimed engineer and fiancee, Commander Y/N Y/L/N.”

“Thank you for having us,” You politely returned, shaking each of their hands after Jim did. 

“Oh my god!” A home cook from the center left exclaimed. “Can I hug you? You’re my son’s hero.”

You blushed, but stepped off the platform with your arms open wide. 

Maggie was the name on her apron. 

“My boy Richard will freak out about this when he learns that I hugged you! I hugged Commander Y/L/N,” She spoked, briefly enveloping you in a hug.

“It’s my pleasure,” You replied, letting go of her. When you turned around to walk back to where Jim and the judges were, you noticed that your fiancee was giving you a knowing smile. 

Turning back to view the cooks, you and Jim smiled warmly at them. “We’re excited to see what each of y’all make and be able to plate for us today. As for the mystery box in front of us, this signifies the incredible relationship I’ve had over the long years with Y/N. It’s been a wild ride out in the black, and we still have many more memories to come. We’re grateful for Starfleet to let us come home for our three weeks of break.” 

“As you’ve all known about, Starfleet officers sacrifice the comforts of their home and family in order for the task of exploring what’s out there. Today, you will all be working with the ingredients under this mystery box in pairs, and be one step towards top 3.” 

Jim gently nudged you forward, and you briefly scowled at him. Trust him to make you be the one to open it. 

Placing both hands on opposite ends of the box, you gracefully lifted the wooden box upwards. An abundance of sweet potatoes were stacked neatly on one side. On the other, a colorful array of onions crowded each other in a stunning display of ingredients. A bowl of steaming hot chili sat in the center, and a plate of a beautiful pork tenderloin

“Iowa, the sweet potato and the pork. Texas, onions and chili. All iconic food and ingredients found in each state. In the back, we have prepared for you a large array of fully stocked ingredients needed for the challenge. You are tasked today to make a three course meal for our homesick guests we have here. The winning team will be safe from elimination, and the team that loses will go straight into another pressure test.”

“You have 60 minutes to complete this. Are you ready?”

“Yes chef!”

“Your time starts... Now!”

You raised an eyebrow at the amount of time given. Within one hour, you wouldn’t be able to pull off one course much less three. Out of your friends and Jim’s, probably only Bones could pull something like that off. You briefly wondered how he was doing over in Georgia with his daughter and family. 

As the chefs went down to speak with the two teams, you turned to Jim with that same eyebrow look. 

“Don’t you think that you’re around Bones a little too much there, Y/N?” Your fiancé spoke, gently nudging you towards the direction where an elegant long table was set up. Nine seats were situated around flutes of champagne for each one. “It’s uncanny.”

“This for everyone?” Your jaw dropped at how gorgeous and simplistic the table arrangements were. “For us? Jim, we’re not even married yet, and this is already so beautiful.”

Jim laughed, and pulled the chair out for you like the real gentleman he was.With a side smirk, you sat down in the offered chair. Los Angeles, California. City of Angels. Not much greenery around in such a vast metroplex, so it was quite an astonishment when you were greeted by open grounds. 

“Good ol’ California,” You mumbled, taking in the scenery as much as you could. 

“You want the wedding here?” Jim frowned. “I thought-.”

“I just want to marvel how beautiful it is here. It still isn’t enough to change our venue in Iowa though,” You rolled your eyes playfully at him as he sat across from you. 

“So how long have you two been back home?” One of the chefs sat down on your left, another to the right of Jim, and the other at the head of the table.

“About two days, we hung around San Francisco to get matters done. We’ll be heading to Iowa after this for our wedding in a few weeks,” Your fiancé spoke up. 

“Excited for all this, Commander?” 

You grinned at them. “Excited? I’m just ready for it all to end really.”

You spoke to them how you had to get the venue, the cake, the food, the DJ, the music, the wedding dress, Jim’s tuxedo, all the guests, and all the wedding planning all done on the ship while still having to keep up with work. Duty didn’t pause just because you were going to have a wedding with the famous Captain of the Fleet. 

Oh no, you didn’t have that kind of luxury. 

Thank god everything was all electronic now, but for the most part, you sent the RSVP notices by hand. Writing them all by hand certainly sent you down to the medbay with a sprained wrist and a rather unamused doctor tending to it with a wrap. It was good to have one part of your wedding a little bit old fashioned. After all, you could keep it all as memories.

“Needless to say, we never thought it was going to take almost one year for us to get everything booked and ready,” You shook your head with a quiet laugh. “Time and time again, Jim had to double check with Command that we would be even coming home in the first place for leave.”

“Sounds like a whirlwind of deposits and headaches there. Congratulations to the both of you.”

You thanked the chef with a nod, while Jim continued conversing with him. 

“Ah here we go, the servers are here,” The chef spoke up, gaining the attention of everyone seated. “The plate on your left is from the blue team. It is a pistachio crusted pork tenderloin stuffed with bacon and mushrooms, with a side of salad and asparagus from the blue team. To your right, the red team has prepared a herb crusted tenderloin stuffed with caramelized onions and spinach with a side of slaw.”

Your stomach rumbled, and everyone chortled at the sight of your embarrassment..

“Let’s dig in, shall we?” Jim spoke. 

And oh boy was the food delicious. 

Being on a ship the majority of the year, you and the rest of the crew were stuck with replicators. Sure, the presentation and the nutritional count was there, but it was bland. There was no flavor, no salt, no pepper, nothing that could even rival the flavors that you were tasting from both dishes. Shore leave was seldom and spread sparsely apart.

Even during shore leave on a planet or on Risa, the food was nothing compared to the real earthy flavors. If it weren’t for the fact that you didn’ have reliable access to ingredients, you would immediately hop onto one of them, and ask for the recipe. You would bet that Bones wasn’t able to cook to this degree either. 

It was only during the last two courses that you had some trouble with. Blue team’s second course was messy, not at all cleaned cut as it was with their first. However they were redeemed with their last course with the small bowl of chili and some potato chips to the side. Honestly, you nearly melted at the taste of the dish. Briefly looking up, you could see that Jim was feeling the same as you were. 

The red team, however, was flip flopped. The second course was splendid, plating was well. It was their third dish with the onion rings that bothered you the most. Some were unseasoned, and a few were even raw on your plate. It was still a marvelous job well done though, in your opinion, especially under the time pressure.

“I guess this evens up the playing field,” You spoke, dabbing away the mess on the corner of your lips with the napkin. “Jim?”

“It sure does, Y/N,” Jim met your gaze. 

“I think we’ve all agreed on who’s the winning team, yes?” The chef glanced around. Everyone nodded. “Let’s bring the teams over.”

“Charlotte, Maggie, Ryan, and Michael, you’ve all done a superb job in creating a wonderful 3 course meal with the given ingredients. Mistakes were had between both the red team, and the blue team. However as you all might know, there can be only one winner. The winner of this mystery box challenge is,” The chef dramatically pauses. “Will be announced tomorrow.”

Shock.

It was the only evident expression on all four of the contestants. 

“For now, let’s celebrate the job well done with a satisfying lunch, and be able to spend some time with our Starfleet officers,” The chef encouraged the teams to choose a seat, and to raise their glasses.

“To a safe and wonderful break.” 

Glasses clinked against one another. 

Star Trek tags: @mournthewicked Join the taglist!

#food brings everyone together #i'm hungry now #and it's 3am now #haha oops #james kirk #jim kirk #jim kirk x reader #star trek #star trek aos #deb writes #and maybe makes mac & cheese

[jamkoi]

Alex and Leo are Cousins

Here are my thoughts. Under the cut because this got looong and is more of a timeline than it is actual hcs my bad anon quq

- I firmly believe they’re first cousins (Esperanza and Mr. Fierro’s other parent had the Fierro surname before it was changed to Valdez, which Mr. Fierro most likely took when he was older cause I’ll admit Fierro rocks) - They met as little kids when Esperanza or Mr. Fierro decided to visit each other for whatever reasons. They go back and forth, honestly. Mr. Fierro maybe sends Esperanza money to fly over or Esperanza saves up - Leo and Alex both got along almost right way. I say YES to Alex being a big part of Leo realizing he isn’t cis, lol. She was just so carefree about how she expressed herself and every time he was uncertain about something, she encouraged him out of it. Biggest 5 year old hype gal - Alex didn’t know exactly what she felt about her gender at the time, but was very pleased when Leo respected her requests to not call her certain things and then allowed them later on, and it changed depending on how she felt. He never questioned it, and if he stumbled he’d correct himself without any theatrics. She loved that - When in Texas, Leo liked to show Alex around in the shop, showing her what tool did what. Mr. Fierro was obviously like ‘absolutely not’ but Esperanza told him that it’s fine because Leo knows how to handle himself in the workshop. And he’d never let Alex get hurt. - Alex is melting in the Texas heat but Leo’s just fine. He’s not good at knowing what cools off the quickest yet but they both raid the fridge and find the ice pops Esperanza sometimes stashes in there and watch TV. - When in Boston, Alex gave Leo a tour of the Fierro residence. Poor boy got lost more than once when Alex left to go get something. - Alex pointedly didn’t want to play around her parents and Leo didn’t really question why. He was happy to spend time with her. [Although he Sort Of understood when he nearly knocked a vase over and Mr. Fierro pinned him with a glare that Terrified him] - Meeting Grandpa Fierro is SO fun cause Alex definitely wants to show Leo the art of pottery and Grandpa Fierro is very willing to teach. Leo is ... pretty bad and whatever he makes comes out sloppy but Alex loves it and it has its own special place in her room - When Esperanza dies and Leo gets bounced around relatives houses before he gets put into the foster care system, he gets put with the Fierros after Aunt Rosa kicks him out swearing he’s the devil. I also firmly believe Aunt Rosa called up every relative and explained how Leo is a menace and shouldn’t be taken in but whatever last shred of humanity Mr. Fierro had left let him take Leo in lol - It’s fun at first. They’re very happy to see each other again. Alex is so sad to hear about Esperanza and when Leo cries in the middle of the night telling her it was his fault that his mom died, she firmly denies it. She’s the first person to tell him this and it means so much for him even if he doesn’t believe it at first - This is also around the time when she shapeshifts in front of him for the first time to help him feel better. She turns into a bird and flies around, and when she turns back she accidentally lands on him because she’s only 7 and just started to get the hang of fully turning into something. She covers Leo’s mouth when he’s about to say something about it. ‘Shh...papi doesn’t know about it, and he can’t know! This is just between us, ok?’ - “Your power is actually really cool...all mine does is hurt people :(....” ‘That’s not true! You’re really warm.’ She then hugs him very hard. - When discussing parents, Alex suspects that Leo’s dad is probably a god, but since she’s just a kid and doesn’t know much she just leaves that topic alone. - Mr. Fierro and his wife suck so much. Without going into detail, Leo then understood why Alex didn’t want to spend time with her parents at all. The Fierro home is the first in the long line of homes he runs away from. And it’s without any warning! [aside from a note he leaves next to Alex’s pillow] He feels so awfully bad about it, but Mr. Fierro keeps reminding him of how much Leo owes him and how he can still make up for basically killing Esperanza that Leo just Snaps and Leaves. - Alex is absolutely heartbroken when she wakes up and finds the bed on the other side of the room empty, but ultimately understands. She throws the note away so Mr. Fierro can’t find it, and doesn’t need to play dumb when asked about Leo’s whereabouts cause she genuinely doesn’t know. She just really really hopes it’s somewhere better - A month or two before Leo is hauled off to the wilderness school, they find each other again on the streets. [Aimless running away had Leo back in Boston without him realizing right away lel] Alex doesn’t recognize Leo. Leo had cut his hair and his clothes were baggier and dirty, his eyes were no longer bright and he hunched over as he walked. But even though Alex had also cut her hair so she no longer had the long dreads she wore in a ponytail as a child, he’d recognize that green/pink kind of style and proud confidence anywhere. - Does Leo basically tackle her in greeting? Yes. Does she almost slug him because it came out of fucking NOWHERE? Also yes. They take their time catching up ! When Leo leaves again, she’s a little sad but happy she got to catch up with him again. - During the quest of the seven when the topic of family comes up, Leo brags endlessly about HIS really cool cousin that can shapeshift. “She can turn into animals like you, Frank! But, like. She’s pink and green when she does it.” [It’s been many years since he’s last seen Alex shapeshift but he still remembers all the times she did. It’s only when she’s older that she gets the hang of it enough to be able to get the animals correct colors down, which he’s not around for] - At some point during the events of the second book of TOA, he stumbles across a newspaper covering Alex’s death and when I tell you he cries, he Cries. [In a bathroom, cause he’d first die than have Apollo try to nose into his business] He’d been planning on finding her while travelling on Festus when he was on his way back to CHB with Calypso, but he didn’t think she’d die before he could find her again. He really really wanted to bring her to CHB so she didn’t have to live in the streets anymore. - Part of Alex’s rampaging around the hotel was also because she wasn’t sure if she’d be able to see her favorite cousin again and was checking to make sure if he was here. When she hears she’s not allowed out, she’s already planning to find a way out of the hotel cause FUCK that rule lol. - Her plan on coming with Magnus and the gang was also part because Loki told her not to and part because she wanted to see if she could give the gang a temporary slip and find Leo somehow . Things got waaaay to hectic before she got a chance to. - Third book I ALSO believe that Percy and Annabeth were bound to have talked about their quest of the seven Somehow and mentioned their friends and when Alex hears the name Leo she [extreme eyes emoji] - Annabeth and Percy are NOT allowed to leave until they tell her everything, answer all of her questions, ask if he’s talked about her (he definitely has and oh my gods he probably thinks you’re dead. because you’re dead. oh my gods), and take a very long letter addressed to Leo with them with the promise that they’ll give it to him first chance they get. - She’s literally just super relieved that he’s alive after having already died (HEY. JUST LIKE ME! WOW!! Well. Sort of.) and doing just fine. - Come the end of the third book she demands a visit and that’s exactly what she sets out to do

#.txt #alex fierro #leo valdez #mcga #pjo #hoo #toa #theyre really good especially as kids :')