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#i think a lot....about how another friend was at a yard sale and saw a little xmen figure and bought it bc he thought i would like it.......
aidaronan · 1 year
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The years go by. The retail jobs that Steve thinks are temporary keep piling up, but he has no idea what else to do with his life so he just keeps on keeping on.
Until a large tree falls on the lawn of the little house he managed to buy and he gets the quote on removal and the number literally hurts his soul.
He buys a small chainsaw instead. Over the course of a few weeks, he gets most of the branches cut up. He collects some large rocks from down by the quarry and digs out a fire pit in his backyard. On his days off, his friends come over and they sit out back and have a few beers. The pile of wood dwindles. The giant trunk is another story though. His chainsaw isn't big enough for it. Burning it would take forever, and Steve's terrified he'd disappoint Smoky the Bear. He's at a loss.
Until he sees another giant trunk in someone's yard carved into a bear.
He knows what to do then. Not a bear, but something else. Through trial and error, the trunk becomes the rough shape of a woman, the remnants of the branches like a crown on her head. It's not as amazing as the bear he saw, but it's his. He finds he loves the smell of sawdust and the feeling of creating something.
Just like that, Steve realizes what he wants to do. It takes several months and a lot of yard sales, but he scrounges up the tools he needs to start woodworking. He learns to measure twice and cut once. He makes tables and chairs and carves them with art and designs that get better and better the more he learns. Shockingly, people actually buy his pieces.
Even more shocking comes the realization that he's making enough money to do it full time. He puts in his two weeks notice at Melvald's and hands in his assistant manager badge.
He's not sure he's happy, but he is content. It feels good to work hard and actually have things to show for it. It also feels good to work muscles he hasn't used since high school. He carries on for a few years like that, creating and learning and creating some more. Then Eddie Munson blows back into town. Invited back so Hawkins can have their most famous alumnus sing the national anthem at homecoming. Steve's honestly surprised he shows at all. "Can't believe you didn't tell them kiss your hairy ass," Steve says. Because of course Eddie ends up around his fire pit, sipping on Steve's cheap beer like he doesn't have three Grammy awards on his mantel. The years fall away with each drink, reminding Steve of just how much it had hurt when Eddie left. He'd wanted Eddie so bad back then, more than he'd ever wanted anyone. He can feel the echoes of that deep ache across time.
"Pfft. Don't you know all famous people wax our asses now? All the rage in LA." Eddie cuts a look at him and smirks when Steve rolls his eyes, grateful for the lighthearted moment to snap him out of his maudlin nostalgia. "Really though I thought about it, but then I thought it would be way funnier to donate a metric fuckton of money to Hawkins High with the stipulation that it go to the theater and band programs. Kind of bummed they couldn't honor my other request though."
"Which was?"
"My old Hellfire throne. I miss her, but apparently she's not around anymore. Something about water damage."
"Oh yeah. Water main busted a few years back and flooded the theater. I remember that." "Yeah. Had to settle for the promise they'd make a game lounge and stock it with all the supplies a budding young nerd needs."
"That's really nice, Eds."
Eddie shrugs. "I've been known to be nice on occasion. You'll come to homecoming, right? Moral support?"
Steve hasn't been to homecoming in years because he sees the other people who stayed in town all the time, and he has no interest in seeing the people who didn't. He can only answer the same questions so many times. Oh, I'm doing woodwork now. Yep, I still live right here. Nope, still not married, no kids.
He goes though, and he answers the uncomfortable questions. Because Eddie asked him to. Because no matter how long it's been, Steve can't deny that some part of him still...
He says goodbye after, and Eddie leaves again, and Steve tries not to think about that too much in the following days.
He's halfway into the project before he realizes what he's building. He'd seen Eddie's throne quite a few times back when. What he doesn't have memories of, he makes up. He adds his own touches too, making it a throne fit for a rock star, a nerd, a friend.
He carves ornate patterns, he creates scenes of dragons being beaten back by a man with a guitar, crowds of people that could be knights or concertgoers.
It's his favorite piece he's ever done, and his hands are shaking when he dials Eddie's number. He gets an answering machine and stumbles through a message.
"I made you something. I guess it's kind of silly, but it's here in Hawkins if you want it. Or I'm sure you can afford the shipping if you don't want to come. Just, I made you a chair. It's more of a... Well, you'll see. Unless you don't want to... It's Steve by the way." He hangs up before he can embarrass himself even more.
Eddie doesn't call him back. One day passes and then another. Steve tries not to let it get to him. He works on orders and new projects. He enjoys his little backyard oasis. He rents a few movies and thinks they're okay.
He's debarking some wood in his driveway when the rental car pulls up, Eddie stepping out in ripped jeans and an old Metallica tee. "Hi again, Stevie."
"Oh." Steve clears his throat. "The thing's in the garage. I'll..."
Eddie doesn't say anything for a long time, circling the throne, running his tattooed fingers over each little detail.
"You made this whole thing?"
"I did."
"For me?" Eddie looks at him then, one hand still touching the wood like he doesn't want to let go. Even under the harsh lights of the garage, his eyes are such a warm shade of brown that Steve forgets to breathe.
He nods. "For you."
"Why?"
There are a hundred answers Steve could give, but he spent so long not knowing who he was or who he wanted to be. Too long. "Because you'll always be the one that got away. Because some part of me will always want to make you smile no matter how long it's been."
Eddie falls into the throne like he just got the wind knocked out of him.
"You don't have to respond to that," Steve says. "You can just say thank you and take the chair."
"I can." Eddie blows out a breath. "But that would be incredibly stupid considering half my early ballads are about you."
"What?" Unfair. Steve doesn't have a chair to fall into.
"Oh sure, I changed the hes to shes for a while there because..." Eddie waves his hand. "But they're about you, Steve. God, I should've asked you out. I just thought..."
Hearing those words is a lot like seeing that carved bear all over again, something clicking into place that wasn't quite right before.
"Go out with me now then," Steve says. "Or stay in. I've got a frozen lasagna and I rented Contact."
"Steve Harrington? Asking Eddie 'the Freak' Munson on a date? Did hell freeze over?"
"Pfft." Steve takes a step closer toward what he wants most. "Hell froze over in 1986, Eddie. You were there."
Five months and a lot of long distance phone bills later, Steve opens Harrington Woodworking in Los Angeles. That same day, Eddie takes photos for Rolling Stone posing in an ornate throne in his living room. He tells the reporter exactly who made it and what he means. At concerts, he starts singing those ballads the way he always wanted to. More often than not, Steve stands in the wings singing along.
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fic title: I'm Yours
Brettsey
Lets go AU with this one!
Sylvie's always wondered who the teenage boy was that her neighbor Kelly Severide hangs out with almost every day after school. He had sandy blonde hair, a deep, throaty laugh and the nicest blue eyes she's ever seen, which was saying a lot because Kelly had really nice eyes too, not that she noticed or anything.
Kelly introduces them one day while Sylvie is helping her mother unload groceries and Kelly steps outside of his house with Andy and Matt. They were two years older than Sylvie was, already in high school. Matt smiles shyly at her, waving as Kelly and Andy make kissing noises. Sylvie shoots them a look and they stop but instead start to chant first comes love, then comes marriage then comes a baby in a baby carriage. It makes Sylvie blush. She's had crushes on boys before but there was something about Matt that felt different.
He stops coming around a few weeks later but Sylvie didn't know then that it was because his mom killed his dad. She finds out a couple of months after when Kelly mentions it as he was mowing their lawn.
Sylvie's been showered with nothing but love from her parents but all the same, she feels sad for Matt, for what he has to go through, hoping he had someone to talk to.
It's years later when Sylvie is in college that she runs across Matt again. She was on a date with this guy her friend Hope had set her up with. She wanted to bail. She had gone out with Harrison several times and he was so full of himself. Hope told Sylvie to give him one more chance so she did but after tonight, she was definitely never going out with him again. There's some loud cheering from another table and Sylvie looks over to see what the commotion is about.
Her breath hitches in her throat because she locks eyes with a guy.
But it's not just any guy. She would recognize those eyes anywhere. It was Matt and he was all grown up, his skin was more tan, his blonde hair darker, his built more muscular. She smiles at him, not sure if he remembered her before turning her attention back on her date, who was talking about being a top sales man of something she already forgot.
Matt exits the restaurant, bidding good bye to his friends. He notices her getting into a car with a dark haired guy. The last time he saw Sylvie was one summer afternoon way back when. She was reading out by their front yard, sprawled on a beach towel. He always found her pretty but over time, she seemed to have become even more beautiful. She was probably 20 now, in college or almost graduating. He wonders if she remembers him.
His phone rings. He checks to see who it is, hitting accept when he sees Kelly's name flashing on the small screen.
"Hey man," he greets just as Sylvie and her date drive away. Well, he presumes it was her date.
Kelly invites him over to his place to catch a basketball game with Andy. After college, they all enrolled in the Fire Academy and by some luck, got into the same class.
He mentions seeing Sylvie briefly to Kelly who glances at him before a knowing smirk overtakes his face. Kelly's mom still lived on the same street as the Bretts and Matt knew Kelly and Sylvie still saw each other whenever they were both home, usually on holidays, like the 4th of July or Thanksgiving.
Matt mentions casually how she was on a date and Kelly snorts.
"That dark haired dude?"
"Yeah, why?"
"She finds him arrogant. I think she's going to ditch him soon," Kelly informs Matt before grinning, "so, you want her number?"
He shakes his head. That would be a tad creepy considering how they hadn't seen each other in years but who knows, maybe one day they'll see each other again and he'd ask for it himself.
It's another three years before they manage to run into each other again. Sylvie's running late for her first shift at Firehouse 51, no thanks to her broken alarm clock and when she rounds the corner to the locker room, she slams into someone's chest.
Two hands slide up her waist to steady her and as she's about to apologize, her word get lost in her throat because standing in front of her isn't just any firefighter, it's Matt and his blue eyes staring at her in concern.
"Are you okay?" He asks.
She nods and as she's about to open her mouth, another voice pipes up.
"If you two hadn't met before, this would be a great meet cute."
Sylvie glares at Kelly, sticking out her tongue at him as he laughs loudly.
There's some awkwardness in the air as Matt tries to ask Sylvie how she's been doing all these years. He knew they were getting a new paramedic today since Dawson transferred out but he didn't expect it to be her. Sylvie tells him a bit about graduating from the Academy and Kelly telling her about an opening at 51. He chances a glance at his best friend and Kelly merely shrugs, clearly amused by the situation.
It takes Matt another month to finally muster enough courage to ask Sylvie out on a date. Andy and Kelly teased him a lot about it, mainly because they've never seen him spinning out this much over whether to ask someone out. It had always come easy to Matt.
She says yes (thankfully) and they have a great time. They take a boat cruise around the Chicago River, talking about anything and everything and it's the most comfortable Matt has been with a person in a long time. When he drops her off at her apartment, she looks at him through her lashes and he swoops in to kiss her good night. It's the first of many dates.
After they get married five years later, his grandma drops off a box of his old stuff from when he was still living with her after his mom went to jail. He rummages through it and is surprised to find an old photo. It's one of Sylvie smiling sweetly into the camera that he remembers Kelly gave him back when Kelly figured out he had a tiny crush on the latter's neighbor. He chuckles, showing it to Sylvie. She grins, telling him that Kelly gave her a photo of Matt too but she was too shy to keep it that she insisted Kelly take it back.
This isn't the stuff one could make up, Matt thinks as he pulls his wife in, kissing her. It was one heck of a story to tell their kids someday.
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becbecandherlife · 2 years
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Thoughts from a few years ago about all the stuff I had accumulated...
“Cleaning out the bonus room today. What an adventure. It's full of all my Christmas decorations, boxes and boxes of all that is green and red , actually every shade of red: merlot, cranberry, burgandy, Ruby red, fire engine red, candy apple red, cardinal red, crimson, scarlet.
And a LOT of faded red as well, stuff I need to toss, not even fit for the Goodwill box. Underneath the Christmas pile, I saw golds, oranges, rusts and green. Yep, Thanksgiving decor.
You are probably wondering why I didn't put it all away last season after epiphany which is a tradition in my household. I'm wondering why I pulled it all out to begin with when I was down to just one person in this big ‘ole house~Me. I was determined to have some normalcy in my unexpectedly topsy turvy world and that meant decorating for Christmas to get my mind off all that turned my world upside down and inside out.
All that and the artist in me loves to decorate. With a passion, so you can imagine how many boxes are strewn across my bonus room.
The main reason I didn't put it away is because of my back. It is not cooperating as it should. I almost resorted to hiring movers, not to move to another house but move all this stuff back into the attic. Undecided as I was, I now find myself 4 months before it's time to haul them all back out again, loading boxes back into the attic. Whew. And my back is NOT happy with me.
I will press on. I need to find the sewing machine!!!!!!
It's a funny thing about stuff, it takes on a life all its own. It starts with a little stuff, then more stuff comes along but the old stuff is already there, in the way of the storage closet, so you pile the new stuff on top of the old stuff because you can't get to the place where you need to store the new stuff. Then The Daughter cleans out stuff from her closet and decides to pile all of her stuff on top of all your piles of stuff. I think I have just broken down hoarding in one single paragraph.
One of my biggest hinderers of getting a job like this accomplished is distractions.
You see, I'm distracted right now...I find stuff that I haven't seen in years and I get nostalgic. I love old stuff especially vintage anything~linens, pillowcases with crocheted flowers, old tablecloths, monogrammed linen hand towels. People who know and love me know of my passion for antique and vintage linens and give me more beautiful vintage stuff. And I am well prepared to decorate your event in the loveliest of fashion if need be and I have done just that. I have a stash of stuff, vintage treasures that mean the world to me, my mother's tablecloth from the 50's, my grandmother's antique hat collection along with her threadbare aprons (those two collections I frantically rescued from a pile in the middle of Grandma James' house after she passed away almost 30 years ago... Mama, Aunt Pat and Aunt Virginia were obviously overwhelmed with grandma's piles of stuff and were purging with fervor and gusto like I've never seen. I 'spect my girls will be doing the very same thing one day with all my stuff.
Side note, I must label stuff so they will know how to separate family heirlooms from stuff that what was procured in antique shops and flea markets and yard sales, you know, stranger's stuff that noone in their family wanted, stuff that over decades I found great joy and excitement searching for in this great treasure hunt of life.
And I always make time on my travels to find quaint little antique shops and such. And usually leave with an antique handkerchief or monogrammed handtowel.
My treasures. At the bottom of a pile of linens I found a treasure. It belonged to my sister, Gail who passed it on to me when she outgrew Barbies. It's a coat that has lost its mate, a lovely shift of a dress that coordinated with the jacket. It was made by the mother of Gail's best friend Melinda McCormick-Jeffers Kitchens . I am sad that I don't have the matching purse and dress but I have this coat. And the memories that come with it. Happy memories. I am still impressed at Mrs. McCormick's sewing expertise. It must've been so hard to sew such tiny versions of the most up to date fashions for Mindy and Gail's Barbies. Oh, to have the entire collection.
See, this is what happens to us baby-boomers, we see stuff that makes us nostalgic for the stuff we had as a child so we procure more stuff to bring us back to our childhood.
I've realized another reason for avoiding the piles of stuff in the bonus room is because there amongst my treasures is stuff that I'd rather not see nor deal with. Remnants, what’s left of a 25 year marriage. This stuff must be purged. It has to go. In the same manner that he had to go, quickly and no time for a note. I think that job would be better as a task that needs girlfriends' assistance. That would help.
But in order to get to my sewing machine, I must get back to the task at hand and focus on the happy stuff today. When I get it all put away in the attic and find my beloved cranky old machine , I am going to sew some John-Johns for my sweet grandbaby. I have six grandsons . We go on expeditions called geocaching hoping to find hidden stuff, maybe a note and a few coins.
One day when my girls give me a granddaughter (and I find my sewing machine) I think I'll make them some Barbie clothes to pass on to their daughters.
And I hope that one of these will love my great-great grandmothers’ Bible or my great-great Aunt Lois Kirkland’s antique bowl that my mama bequeathed to me.
I was an old soul even as a teenager when I found myself in the first antique shop. And I adore all that is old, vintage, those treasures that cause pause to think of the person who treasured it before me.
Now that I’m older I treasure memories the most, especially those of times spent with my mother, sister and grandmother.
Now that my friend, is the good stuff.”
#memories
#CoastalGrandmother
#vintagestyle
#antiqueshop
#coastalcottage
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mjvnivsbrvtvs · 3 years
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ngl I’m still low key fucked up thinking about small gestures of love people give to each other. like, dramatic declarations and big promises have nothing on the time in art school hell when it was 6am and I was still half asleep so my friend held my hand as we crossed the street to go to a convenience store to get coffee
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motherjoel · 4 years
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in case (spencer reid x reader)
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summary: you and spencer are each others forever, and spencer vowed to make this christmas your best yet.
a/n: the yard sale scene is based off of that moment in the office between michael and holly lol, i just thought it was so cute. also i am just so excited for christmas even though its months away so im sorry in advance. let me know what yall think!
wc: 3.1k
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The LaMontagne-Jareau household was having their annual yard sale and as they do every year, they invited the team to sell anything they didn’t want anymore. You and Spencer had just moved in together a few weeks ago after dating for a year and you definitely had some things that you could get rid of, so you jumped at the opportunity to clean house. As you were packing some of your knick knacks into boxes, you noticed your boyfriend sitting in front of your shared bookshelf, closely examining its contents and placing the books into two piles. His brow furrowed when he placed another book into the smaller of the two stacks. You set down the lamp you were holding and walked over to a frustrated Spencer.
“You know Spence, you really don’t have to get rid of any of your books. I promise, I don’t need the shelf space,” you chuckled before examining the piles.
“I know, I just feel bad that you can't put any of your books up there. Besides, I’ve read everything anyway,” he said with a frustrated sigh. You patted him on the back before sorting through his “sell” pile. Picking up one of the hardcover books, you noticed it was one of your favorites. 
“‘The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allen Poe’? You were getting rid of this?” you asked in slight shock.
“Oops, wrong pile,” he remarked, softly taking the book from your hands. “You remember the first time we read this together?” he asked, flipping his fingers through the pages. 
“Um, of course. Last year, before we were an item,” you recalled. “I was at your apartment and we ordered a pizza and opened a bottle of wine, which you proceeded to spill all over me,” you laughed, Spencer blushing profusely at the memory.
“And you were wearing white…” he trailed off.
“And I was wearing white. I know you have an eidetic memory but this must be the dirty side of it because I know full well you saw my bra through that shirt,” you nudged him teasingly.
“Hey, why do you think I asked you out in the first place?” he jokingly asked. You nudged him again and laughed. 
“So I changed into your ‘I Heart Vegas’ t-shirt and your FBI sweats and made you read to me as an apology,” you smiled, recalling the memory that you held near and dear. 
“And you’ve never looked better,” he laughed, pecking your lips. 
You set the books down and left him to his sorting, returning to your own work. Once the two of you were ready to go, you hauled the few boxes into your car and made the drive to JJ’s.
-
“My favorite lovebirds are here!” Penelope shouted, standing up from her seat on the lawn next to Morgan and making her way over to you and Spence. You gave her a quick hug.
“Hey Pen! I’m surprised to see you here, I know you’re pretty sentimental when it comes to your things,” you asked as she began to help you carry your things onto the lawn.
“Yeah, I’ve had firsthand experience with that when I accidentally knocked over her llama mug. The thing shattered and she refused to call me ‘chocolate thunder’ for days” Derek chimed in, standing to help you with the boxes.
“Okay, in my defense, I like to keep my sacred things sacred. I didn’t want my poor llama to face such violence!” she yelled, and you all laughed. “But you’re right, I’m just here to count the money,” she confessed, and you nodded. 
You all chatted about your days as you unpacked your boxes, the rest of the team showing up in the meantime. As you unpacked, you came across your old neon sign that said “boss bitch,” and you couldn’t help but laugh, drawing the attention of your friends. 
“Damn Y/N, I never pegged you as someone who’d have a sign like that,” Emily said, walking over to get a closer look.
“How come I’ve never seen that?” Spencer asked, observing the cheesy light.
“Gosh, i’ve had that since college. I found it in the back of my closet today and I don’t really have much of a use for it. I do love it though,” you remarked. Emily left you and Spencer alone after being distracted by Henry.
“You know, if you really like it, you can keep it. If there's a problem with the neon, I can take a look at it,” Spencer said, taking the sign from you.
“Oh no, it's not that. I guess it's just more meant for a ‘bachelorette’ pad,” you said.
“Oh okay. You can save it if you want, just in case,” he said softly. This got your attention as you looked up to him.
“In case? I don’t have an ‘in case’. Do you have an in case?” you asked, wondering if your boyfriend had any doubts about your move in.
“No, I don’t,” he said, as if he was just realizing how real the two of you were. He leaned down and your lips met his. You pulled away from him and continued setting up your table, a smile on your face the entire time.
-
A couple months had passed since the yard sale and you were absolutely loving the little life you had with Spencer. And as the weather got colder, it was nice to have someone to snuggle next to during the winter. Christmas was coming up and you couldn’t wait for Christmas Eve at the Rossi household. Dave had decided that this year, he would start a tradition for the team, a “night of the seven fishes,” and of course his famous Rossi pasta. Everyone was able to go- this was why you loved this team. You were all “misfits,” especially with your home life- these people had become your family and you theirs, and you wouldn’t have it any other way. 
You went Christmas shopping every day leading up to the fateful Rossi dinner. One of those days, Spencer came with you and the two of you had finished up pretty late- it was already dark out. Spencer offered to drive home, which was a little out of character, but you were too tired from your day that you didn’t question it. You noticed he was taking a different route then normal, however, so you decided to interject.
“My love, you’re going like the complete opposite direction of home,” you giggled.
“I know, I just thought we’d take a detour to look at the lights,” he said nervously. You just shrugged and went with it.
 You turned up the radio when you heard your favorite Christmas song start to play. Spencer began to sing along quietly, and you looked at him surprised- he never sang in front of you. He glanced at you and laughed, before continuing his serenade. You decided to join in, belting out the lyrics to Maria Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas is You,” turning to Spencer and singing to him on the “you” parts, earning a chuckle. 
After you had been driving for a bit, he stopped the car and stepped out. You didn’t recognize your surroundings, but it looked like you were in a park. It was decorated beautifully with countless Christmas lights and ornaments hanging from trees. It truly took your breath away. Before you knew it, Spencer was opening your door and offering his hand. You took it and stepped out, still in awe of your surroundings. While you were looking around, Spencer reached inside the car and cranked the radio up, just as Frank Sinatra’s “White Christmas” began to play. He walked in front of you and bowed his head, extending his hand. 
“May I have this dance?” he asked, feigning chivalry. You couldn’t help but giggle at the sight of the man in front of you, bundled in a jacket and a scarf, nose slightly red from the cold air.
“Of course, good sir,” you said with a terrible curtsy. Taking his hand, the two of you began to slow dance in the middle of the empty parking lot, snowflakes slowly falling down. 
“You’re amazing,” you told him, pressing a kiss to his cheek. 
“You missed,” he said, before leaning back down and giving you a firm kiss on the lips. You laughed into the kiss, wondering how you scored such an incredible boyfriend. You switched positions to get closer to him, your arms wrapped around his neck and his arms around your waist. You rested your head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. The two of you continued to sway as the song changed to “Last Christmas” by Wham! You looked up at him again, missing his face. 
“Don’t get me wrong, I love this and I love you for this, but why are we doing this?” you asked, not wanting to ruin the moment. 
“I don’t know, actually. I had the thought when we were at the mall, that I just wanted to make this your best Christmas yet. And I know you love those cheesy Hallmark movies, so I figured this was the closest way to bring one of them to life for you,” he laughed and your heart melted. 
“Well, my previous statement still stands. You are amazing, Spencer Reid,” you told him, leaning in for another kiss. The two of you swayed for a few songs longer until you both decided that not even you could keep each other warm. The drive back to your shared apartment was pleasant as you closed your eyes, letting the Christmas music and the warm feeling of Spencer's hand on your thigh lull you to sleep.
-
“Babe can you zip me up?” you asked, putting in your earrings. Spencer adjusted his tie to his satisfaction and made his way over to you in front of the full body mirror to help you with your dress.
It was Christmas Eve and the two of you were getting dressed for the big night at the Rossi house. Spencer seemed a bit more nervous than usual, but you just chalked it up to his occasional social anxiety. Once he finished zipping you up he wrapped his arms around your midsection, kissing you on the cheek. The two of you stood, looking at your reflections, for a few moments. Spencer looked as handsome as ever in his nice sweater, and you were a show stopper in your dark red velvet mini dress. It was moments like these when you stopped to think about how lucky you are to have met him- he was your future and you were his. If only he would put a ring on it.
You pulled yourself from your loving daze and finished getting ready- Spencer was already finished so he was attached at your hip as you pulled on your heels and made some finishing touches to your makeup. 
“Ready to go?” he asked, seemingly antsy to get on the road. You giggled at his eagerness and nodded, grabbing your purse and heading out to the car.
On the drive there, you once again cranked up the Christmas music and serenaded him to All I Want For Christmas is You, which was quite a frequent play on the radio. You didn’t mind, however, because it was always a way to get him to blush. Mariah Carey had that effect on people. Before you knew it, you pulled up to the Rossi mansion. Most of the team must have been there already, as it was bustling with life and Christmas joy. The front of the house was completely decked out with lights and decorations- Dave spared no expense when it came to holiday decorating. The two of you made your way up to the door, presents in hand. Garcia was on the other end of the door, apparently a few eggnogs in.
“Oh my gosh, you guys are adorable!” she shouted. You and Spencer shared a knowing look. “Everyone, the lovebirds are here! And looking like the hottest couple since Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively,” she gasped, taking in your dress and feeling the velvet. The confused look on Spencer’s face told you all you needed to know about his knowledge of pop culture, which was none. 
Garcia ushered the two of you inside to the living room area, where the rest of the team was settled. Everyone stood up for hugs and assisted you with carrying all of your presents to the tree, which was one of the biggest Christmas trees you had ever seen. You greeted Jack and Henry, who were playing with some toy cars under the tree. You made you way back to the team, and you noticed Spencer talking quietly to Derek and JJ- you decided to let them be and you made your way to the kitchen island to talk to Rossi as he cooked.
“Wow, everything looks so great!” you commented, observing the wide array of food along the table. 
“It better, I’ve been busting my ass for hours just so you kids could have a nice meal,” Rossi said, stirring one of the pots on the stove. You laughed at his fatherly comments as Emiy took the seat next to you.
“Don’t mind him, he’s just worried he might be on the naughty list,” Prentiss joked, finishing off her glass of wine and grabbing another bottle. 
“Hey, just because I’ve gotten a few divorces doesn’t mean i'm not a good man,” he said, pointing a jokingly accusatory finger towards Prentiss. She lifted her hands in defense and laughed. 
“I hear that,” said Derek, who had suddenly appeared in the kitchen. Spencer made his way to the chair on your other side, taking a seat. He nervously fidgeted for a bit, but when you rested a comforting hand on his thigh, his nerves seemed to calm. Soon after you poured yourself a glass of wine, Rossi announced that dinner was served. With a cheer, everyone made their way to the long table, Rossi and Hotch on both ends. You sat between Spencer and Emily, waiting to serve yourself. Once everyone was settled, Rossi stood holding his glass of wine.
“I would like to take a moment to thank you all for coming tonight. There are friends, and there is family. And, there are friends that become family. You are all my family, and I wouldn't want to spend my night of the seven fishes with anyone else. Dig in,” he toasted, and was greeted with a few “salut’s” and pats on the back. With that, you all began to serve yourselves and fill your plates and wine glasses. 
-
Once everyone was full from the delicious dinner spread, you all retired to the living room. Christmas music was playing through Rossi’s amazing sound system, and you were resting your sleepy head on Spencer's shoulder, his arm around you. It had been a perfect night, and you didn’t want it to end. As you were listening to JJ tell a story about Henry’s first Christmas, the song changed to “White Christmas” by Frank Sinatra, and you were flooded with the memory of you and Spencer dancing in the parking lot. You lifted your head from his chest and looked to see he was thinking the same thing.
“It’s our song,” you whispered with a sleepy smile. Spencer nodded and gave you a quick kiss before looking at Derek, who was mouthing “do it now!” As if it were perfect timing, JJ just finished her story and Spencer stood up, gathering the attention from the room. 
“Uh, if I could have everyone's attention, please,” he started, nervously clearing his throat. You looked up at him with stars in your eyes, and he returned it. “As many of you know, Y/N and I have been dating for awhile now, and we’ve been living together for a few months,” he began. You looked around the room and made eye contact with Derek, who shot you a wink. You returned focus to your nervous boyfriend, encouraging him with your eyes. 
“Living with her has made me realize that I don’t need an ‘in case.’ I normally always have a backup plan for when things go wrong, well, as an FBI agent that comes in handy,” he chuckled nervously. “But with Y/N, I never thought to make a backup plan. I’ve just known that she is my forever,” he turned to you. “Y/N, you are my forever, and I want to make it official- I want the world to know that you mean everything to me,” he shakily got onto one knee, earning a gasp from Garcia and a few tears from JJ. From his sweater pocket, he pulled out a tiny velvet box and opened it. You stood up, hands covering your mouth and tears welling in your eyes.
“Y/N, will you marry me?” he asked, a hopeful glint in his eyes. You were in shock. You almost forgot to answer until you heard a cough from Prentiss. 
“Yes, Spence! Yes yes of course!” you shouted, putting the ring on and he stood up as you jumped into his arms, wrapping your arms around his neck and your legs around his waist. You barely registered, the whooping cheers from the rest of the team, as everyone embraced each other. Tears were shed by most of them (Hotch tried his best to hold back). 
After a minute of spinning, Spencer let you down and you observed the ring. It was one of the most beautiful things you had ever seen. 
“I helped pick it out,” JJ told you and you pulled her into a hug and thanked her before embracing Spencer once again, a happy blush across his cheeks.
“Hey, look!” Garcia said, pointing above you and Spencer's heads. Looking up, you saw the mistletoe she was pointing at. 
“Did you know that the white berries on mistletoe are actually toxic to humans?” Spencer asked, receiving a few head shakes. You looked up at him in awe, always adoring his facts.
“Come here,” you said, pulling him down by his tie and giving him a passionate (but tasteful) kiss that was greeted with a chorus of “aww’s” and a few “ewwww’s” from Jack and Henry. You both laughed and continued to mingle with the team, showing off your rock. Spencer had made it a Christmas to remember, and you were so eternally grateful to have someone who loved you as much as you loved him.
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shyflameweasel · 3 years
Text
This is in the same universe as this. I honestly have no clue why I wrote this but here it is.
Once more, your impromptu roommates never cease to amaze you. Its still up in the air on whether or not that was a good thing however. So instead of anymore health questions (you think it stopped cause at one point someone hurled on the carpet) things had relatively settled into some form of mad normality.
Until the new neighbors got involved. They moved in maybe a week ago and seemed relatively normal at the time. It wasn’t that they were crazies or a bunch of murders, which was apparently your house instead, nope. It was that they seemed to think that they had the full reign to be in everyone’s business while letting their kids run amok. And that as neighbors they could bug you at all hours of the day for ‘neighborly favors’. You don’t mind helping someone out now and again. But you draw the line at someone complaining that your door wasn’t unlocked for them to waltz right in.
‘Oh I’m sooo sorry about that. Here let me give you my bank information, the keys to my house, my social security and my ID. Ya nooo.’
You refused to be pushed around like that. And it wasn’t much better when one of their spawn ‘At this point you couldn’t call them kids but calling them gremlins would be an insult to the gremlins’ for some reason were just...looking through your window cause that’s an entirely normal thing to do and saw one of your roommates. How do you know that? Because they told you after banging on your front door and trying to force themselves into your home demanding to quote unquote see the alien.
It was a bit of a hassle but you had managed to get out of the door to close it behind you so they wouldn’t try to get into the house. Leaving yourself and the two kids outside. The older of the two, a little girl of nine, stamped her foot. “We wanna see the alien!” she harrumph, glaring as well as small child could. Her little brother, six years old, nodded his head. 
“Ok, why do you think there’s an alien in my house?” “Cause we saw them in the kitchen.” “Well you’re wrong there- wait” you paused for a second realizing something. You’re kitchen couldn’t be seen from the front window so that would mean... “Why were you looking in my window? More importantly why were you in my backyard?” “Bored.” You take a deep, calming, breath in. It wouldn’t do anything if you got mad at the kids. It took a lot of convincing that no, there was no ‘alien’ and that they wouldn’t be taking them on any space adventures. Luckily they didn’t throw their normal fit and headed back home.
You thought that was the end of that...until a couple days later another neighbor, this one non-crazy, came up to you. Apparently the spawn you caught trying to break into your house had told their mom you had an ‘alien’ living with you. But she took that as a different kind of alien and started spreading that you had an illegal person living with you. You may not have been too sure if the dudes could legally be at your house since they were a completely different species but still! Thanking them you went back to your house, neither of the parents would be back for a couple hours so you had to wait.
You fell face first into your couch groaning. These people have been trouble from day one. “Hey, you okay there?” Reluctantly removing your head from the cushion, you saw Deimos standing in the hallway. You gave a half-hearted wave before face planting back into the couch with a grumble. Maybe you could put off the inevitable headache. Apparently he didn’t get the memo as a few moments later something poked your cheek. Repeatedly.
Tilting your head enough to uncover an eye, you glared at his toothy grin. “Ah come on. No need for that. Why not tell little old me what’s got ya panties in a twist?” You considered that for a moment. They had heard you complain about the neighbors before. (”If they’re so annoying why not kill them?” “Hank, no. That’s illegal.” “Not in Nevada.” “Well your Nevada was a free for all murder fest.”)
Grumbling, you momentarily drop your plans of suffocation by cushion and sit up. “It’s the neighbors again.” You think he raised his eyebrow, kinda hard to tell from his lack of eyes. “Again? What they asking ya to babysit their brats again or gettin huffy about ya not lettin them come over.” Groaning you drag your hand over your face, “No, the mom’s spreading rumors that I have illegals in my house.” “Illegals?” “People that got into the country without a passport and paperwork.”
Deimos seemed slightly confused at that “Huh. And that’s bad why?” You reconsider your suffocation plan “It’s bad because if someone believes what she says they could call the cops.” He snorts. “No I’m serious Deimos, I have no clue how they would react to you guys. If they don’t arrest you for not being...y’know” you gestured to all of him “Plus I’m pretty sure you guys are living here free.” “One rude and two we pay rent.” “Dude I’m pretty sure you’re all committing tax evasion.” You had absolutely no clue how they were even paying rent and a part of you didn’t want to know.
Shaking that thought and its implications away, you get back on some tract. “I’m gonna try talking to the mom when she gets home from work in a couple hours to try and fix this mess. Hopefully things will go my way.” You really hope you didn’t jinx yourself...
And you jinxed yourself. When you tried to talk to her she did her best to brush you off. And when you brought up how her kids shouldn’t be in a strangers backyard she had the gall to laugh at you. Not only had she not punished her kids for basically trespassing on your property, she congratulated them on finding out about your ‘alien’ friend. If this woman wasn’t crazy you’d eat your favorite hat. So after unsuccessfully trying to talk some sense into the woman she slammed the door in your face. Sighing, you decided that you’ll try to catch the husband before he leaves for work tomorrow and see if he could talk some sense into his wife.
You’re pretty sure this is where things seemingly went off the rails. Because after having just as much luck with the husband as you did his wife, you didn’t hear from them for about two weeks. When you did hear from them it was when you got home to see a moving truck in their freeway and a for sale sign in the front yard. Catching a glimpse of them the parents looked disheveled and twitchy. Trying to catch their attention had them flinching and scrambling back into the house when they saw that it was you.
You found that a bit weird but went inside anyway to be greeted by a smug atmosphere. Deimos was sitting on the couch with a laptop but turned to you with a sharp toothed smirk. You had a gut feeling that something had happened that you wouldn’t like. It was proven right. “So I saw that the neighbors are movin out. Pretty weird I gotta say.” “Deimos-” “Real shame, they seemed like such nice folks.” “Deimos.” “They were just getting settled in and everythin.” “Deimos!” That got him to quiet down but did nothing for his shit eating grin. “What. Did. You. Do.”
Apparently he and the others took offense to the possibility of law enforcement. (”Not like it would do much but it would be annoying to loose a cozy place like this.”) So they, not including 2BDamned who seemed to be the only one with some kind of sense, decided to go to war with the neighbors. Which included but not limited to: messing with their cars, hacking their computers, ominously standing somewhere they weren’t supposed to be, sharpening weapons, moving everything in the house slightly off by an inch. Three fully grown and fully trained men decided that one annoying family in the suburbs was a threat.
You stood there blinking unable to grasp exactly you just heard. So you did the next best thing. Go straight to your room and sleep because you sure as hell did not know how you ended up with these loons.
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sirowsky · 3 years
Text
The Flowers Always Know
Description: When a mad scientist uses you as an experiment while you’re on holiday, the Heroics only just manage to save you. And in your recovery you become very close to the leader of the group. (Slow burn)
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Language, some mild smut.
Link to Masterlist
Comment: All I can say is: I’m sorry. My head is a strange place.
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Chapter 29
  “Marcus!! Oh, get that sweet tush over here and hug me, and you better make it a good one after you’ve neglected to visit my cave for longer than these magic hands care to remember.”
  You already loved Velma.
  “Hey, Vel. I’m sorry, I’ve been preoccupied.”
  He did hug her, and properly too, as well as about 10s longer than what would be considered socially acceptable for mere friends, without either of them seeming to find it weird or awkward at all.   You still loved her.
  “Thank you, my darling. You’re forgiven. Now, tell me what you’ve brought me?”
  He beamed at you. He really did love any opportunity to show you off, but he seemed especially pleased about this introduction.
  “Velma, this is my fiancé. Hermosa, as you’ve undoubtedly gathered – this is the one and only Velma.”
  “Your fi… You’re getting… And you’re here. You brought her to me! Are you…?”
  “Yes. I am. On both counts.”
  “YES!! Thank the Greek fucking Gods!! A wedding-dress, and for you, my darling, of all people! Thank you.”
  “Well, technically it’s for her.”
  “Oh, no, sugar. The dress is for the groom. The shoes – are for the bride.”
  She finally set all of her glorious attention on you.
  Velma was a drag-queen, and the most awe-inspiring individual you’d ever seen. Everything about her was superior. She was taller than anyone else in the room, helped by fucking spectacular plateau shoes, she was broad-shouldered and muscular to boot. She carried herself like an empress, with a kind of stillness and real elegance, despite having so much flare and finesse to her. And even though she was covered in colours and sparkles, she somehow looked like she would belong absolutely anywhere.   And when she actually looked you in the eye, you could almost feel her read the pages of the book that was your life, and yet, there was nothing intimidating about it.
  “Well, now. There’s a lot of story here, isn’t there?”
  “A bit. Yeah.”
  “Mm. Alright then, come with me, darling. I demand to know every little detail about the woman my Marcus has chosen.”
  She turned dramatically, and headed for a side-door in the studio workshop where you were, and you looked at Marcus with a wide grin.
  “She’s coming to the wedding.”
  “Don’t worry – she’s on the list.”
  “I don’t care about any list. She’s coming. I need that amount of sparkle at my wedding. And I’m not just talking about the clothes.”
  He chuckled happily as he watched you literally skip over to the open door, and disappear inside.
-----
  Three weeks later, you finally got around to getting your house sold. It was a fairly quick sale since the neighbourhood was nice and the yard was bigger than most other properties on that street. And since you didn’t really need the extra money, you could give the young couple that fell in love with it, a kind price.   You weren’t really particularly sorry to see it go, but you were very happy to see it fall into the hands of people who would appreciate it. For a long time, that house had been your refuge, your safe harbour when life got hard, and you wished that it could be the same for someone else.   You put the bulk of the money in your savings-account, and ear-marked the rest for wedding-expenses.   There still wasn’t really any actual planning going on, as far as dates and times and venues were concerned. But you and Marcus were still getting through a lot of the stuff that goes on around the actual day.   You’d settled on what colours you wanted for the flowers, and what types they should be. You’d had an almost outrageously fun day last weekend, trying out the recipes for all the wedding-cakes you’d both found online. And after soiling literally every inch of the kitchen with flour, and tasting so many different cakes your taste-buds had eventually given up, you had managed to conclude that you wanted a lemon-flavoured one. Missy had tried to get you onto the chocolate-train, but you’d held your ground, with the promise that there would indeed be chocolate present, just not in the cake.   You’d completed the guest-list, and chosen the invitation cards, but they were safely stowed away in a drawer, still unwritten.   It wasn’t that you were stalling or didn’t feel ready. You were just genuinely enjoying the preparations, and not having that deadline made them feel like they were just fun things to do over a weekend, rather than things you had to do to be ready in time. Especially since Missy loved being a part of it too, it made the whole thing feel like a prolonged family event.
  By now, the only thing that was still on the prep-list was Marcus’ suit, but you’d both agreed not to make any decisions on that until you’d seen what Velma did with your dress.   You’d spent two whole days in her cave, getting your measurements taken and your skin-tone evaluated. There were about a hundred things about your body that she’d wanted to know, but you trusted her with your life already, so you’d happily complied.   Plus; any excuse to spend time with her was a good one.   Work was finally becoming manageable again, as you’d finally caught up on all the stuff that was trailing behind, and you were deliberately keeping any and all new projects firmly steered in other directions or delegating them onto other designers. You had enough on your plate with just getting through the already started ones, on top of the wedding-planning.   Today had been a good day, so far, and you’d decided to go and find Marcus and see if he had time to join you for lunch.   When you approached his office, his door was open and you could hear Tech talking. Not wanting to interrupt, you stopped outside and out of sight, while you waited for their conversation to finish. You picked up your phone to send an e-mail while you waited.
  “I can’t believe that building was still standing after that.”
  “Crushing lost control for three seconds. Let’s just be grateful it wasn’t longer.”
  “Oh, I remember that time back in the beginning when he was out of it for like 20 seconds.”
  “I think most of Colombia remembers that, too.”
  “Probably.”
  “Hey, um. Speaking of losing control…”
  “What?”
  “Well, there’s a certain office on the other side of the building that gets a fair bit of noise-complaints.”
  You snapped out of your e-mailing and instinctively turned your head to listen closer.
  “Stay out of it, Tech.”
  “Hey, I’m not the filing them, and I never will. I’m all for healthy appetites. Just wondering if you’re aware of the fact that a lot of people are talking about you guys?”
  “So? Let ‘em talk.”
  “Sure. But they’re not talking about it being a nuisance or inappropriate. They’re talking about how the hell you can keep it up for three hours straight sometimes. Is that true, though?”
  You weren’t sure if you wanted the ground to open up and swallow you, or if you wanted to go find these people and tell them to mind their own business.   There was a brief pause before Marcus answered, and his voice was a bit lower than before.
  “It is. I seriously can’t get enough of her. Ever. No matter how tired I get, I can always go another round.”
  “That’s kind of amazing. How do you ever get anything done?”
  “I have no idea.”
  “Any idea when the knot-tying might be happening?”
  “No. I’m dying to do it, to the point where I have to repeatedly tell myself not to just beg her to go to Vegas with me. But I also really wanna get it right, you know? Not necessarily perfect; just right. Right for us. And I want her to feel ready, so that she can just relax and enjoy that day, whenever it happens.”
  Your heart swelled to an almost painful size behind your ribs.
  “I am ready, honey.”
  You stepped over the threshold and watched as his expression turned from confusion to realisation as he saw you.
  “You wouldn’t have to beg. I’d go to Vegas with you right now if you asked. I’ve told you; I don’t really care how it happens. I’m enjoying the preparations and everything we’re doing together, but even if nothing ever got used, I wouldn’t feel like I missed out on anything. You’re the one that wanted the traditions, remember?”
  Tech excused himself at that point, and closed the door behind him after he left.
  “Do you still want all that, Marcus?”
  He looked so torn.
  “Damned it… Yes. I really do.”
  “Then let’s pick a date. Let’s find a place that feels right and let’s make it happen.”
  “Are you sure?”
  “Are you ready?”
  He shot up from his chair and was suddenly holding your waist, staring into your eyes.
  “Ah, mi novia, I’ve been ready for a long time.”
  His hands migrated down to your ass, and you let him squeeze you to him. You were wearing a simple blue summer-dress today, and he quickly found his way underneath it, letting his hands run up your thighs and relieve you of your panties.   Then he pulled you along to the sofas, sitting down and urging you to straddle him.   It was almost strange how calm it was. The two of you were always so heated, so passionate whenever you came together, to the point where it was almost always beyond your control, or at least, on the very edge of it.   But this time, there was no tearing at each other’s clothes. No hands desperately grasping, needing and demanding more. No burning heat that made you feel empty and aching until he entered you.   The heat did come, but gradually. With each caress, each tender kiss and each movement of your bodies together, it slowly built from an ember to a flame.   Your walls actually allowed him to move inside you this time, and as you rocked yourself over him, a completely different kind of pleasure to what you’d become used to with him, built inside your core and seemed to reach towards your heart, instead of your sex.   After a while, he turned you both to the side so he could lay you down and settle himself on top of you, and that feeling that was creeping towards your chest, drastically intensified. He drove into you in long, strong thrusts that buried him as deep as your bodies would allow, each time, and his throat made involuntary little sounds of pleasure every time he returned into your wet and welcoming warmth.   It took you nearly thirty minutes to build to a climax this time, and when it finally hit, it was strong in a completely different way than it ever had been before. Your bodies didn’t curl or clench in on themselves, there were no involuntary power-outbursts, no levitation. But it felt like you were underneath each other’s skin. Like your hearts actually melded into one through the intricate contact of your skin and nerves.   It was utterly overwhelming and there were tears streaming from your eyes throughout the whole climax. And they didn’t stop, even after you’d come back down.   There was no pain or sorrow anywhere inside you in that moment, so you concluded that these were tears of pure love and you made no effort to stop them. You just held him close and waited for the feeling to burn itself out.   He burrowed his face into your neck while you laid there, feeling the tears as they passed over onto his cheek on their way down, but making no comment about them. He knew what they were, and it made him love them too.
  You took a late lunch together, and since the pills were working perfectly and the lab had been able to produce several months-worth already, you could enjoy eating like a normal person these days.   Marcus really did miss your stomach-bear, though, and he would occasionally drop comments like ‘this is one of those moments when mama bear would have roared’, and you felt a little bit sorry for him. It was like he’d lost a puppy.   While you ate, you started discussing what places you thought might be nice for a venue.
  “Churches are nice, but a bit… I hesitate to say ‘stuffy’.”
  “Yeah. They feel so formal, like you’re not allowed to have fun, and I really want us and our guests to feel like we’re allowed to have fun.”
  “Definitely. So, what about restaurants?”
  “Not my thing, if I’m honest, hermosa.”
  “I figured. Pavilion?”
  “Now, we’re talking. A big one, with lots of decorations and a dance-floor!”
  “You and your dancing.”
  “Oh, no; you’re the dancer, remember?”
  “And your foxtrot is adequate, but your waltz needs some work.”
  “Thanks. So, do we know of any potentially available pavilions, or are we gonna have to build one?”
  “Don’t you worry about that, sugar-plum, if it’s a pavilion you’re looking for – I know the perfect one.”
  Velma approached your table, wearing an even more daring outfit than last time you’d seen her. As always, she made a show of eyeing Marcus up and down and making appreciative noises to showcase his hunky-ness. And, as always, Marcus just smiled and let her do her thing.
  “Where is it?”
  “Didn’t I just tell you not to worry? I’ll take you to see it later if you want, but for now – I need to borrow your little cherry, here. Time to dolly you up, hon.”
  “It’s finished?”
  “Literally seconds ago. I came to find you right away, I need to see it on you before I can definitively say that it’s done.”
  Marcus beamed at you both while Velma slipped her arm through yours and led you back to her cave.
  Somehow, you’d expected it to be difficult to get into, or at least require assistance, but it wasn’t. It wasn’t a big or flaunty thing, nor was it heavy or complicated in its design. And yet, there was something so special about it.   It was snow-white with a hint of gold to the shimmer in the fabric, to match the rings. It was an off the shoulder style dress, with long sleeves in the most beautiful lace you’d ever seen, that carried over into the body of the dress as well, though it was purely ornamental there, as the actual body was made from satin.   From the waist down, there was no lace, but tiny golden details had been sewn into the satin and it made the dress come alive somehow.   The skirt was cleverly designed, so that it billowed out just a little, but without getting puffy, and it was still just two layers, making it easy to handle and comfortable to move in. There was no train, but she had made you a vail in the same exquisite lace, in case you decided that you wanted one.
  “Oh, my. Honey… I thought it looked gorgeous on the mannequin, but damn! You make this dress.”
  “It’s perfect, Velma. It’s everything I didn’t know I wanted.”
  “Marcus is gonna swoooooon…”
  “He’s gonna love it.”
  “Well, just make sure to have someone strong standing next to him so they can catch him when he inevitably goes down.”
  You just smiled at her.
  “Oh, and thank you for the shoes. You’re right, I’m gonna love these a lot more than the dress before the night’s over.”
  “You got that right, Cherie.”
  You met up with Marcus as soon as you were done in the cave, and the smile that lit up his face when he saw you carrying the special box that housed the dress, shoes and vail, could have put the sparkles in Velma’s very short skirt to shame.
  “You actually have it? It’s finished?”
  “It’s right in here.”
  He looked positively squirmy with anticipation.
  “And it’s even more beautiful than anything you’ve imagined. Trust me.”
  He chuckled.
  “I do.”
  Velma took you out to see the pavilion she’d mentioned, and it really was perfect. It sat on several acres of green lawns and meadows, with a large pond not too far from the structure. You could have the ceremony out on the grass, overlooking the water, and put up a canopy over the tables and chairs for the dinner and cake. And then move over to the pavilion for the dancing and fun-times. There were huge old oak-trees framing the entire area, giving the whole place a bit of a fairy-tale feeling.
  “Marcus, we have to pick a date. We have to find out if this place is available for us.”
  “Oh, don’t you worry about that, honey-bun. It’ll be available whenever you want it.”
  Velma gave you this knowing look and you gawked at her.
  “You own this place?”
  “For a long time now. I only use it for very special occasions, and I don’t go blabbering about it to every Joe and Willy looking for a party-house. But for you, my turtle-doves, it’ll always be available.”
  By the time you went to bed that day, you’d not only picked a date, but completed and sent all of the invitations as well.   You were going to get married on the ten-month anniversary of when you first opened your eyes and saw him by your bedside, which gave you roughly a month to get everything ready. And since you had everything pretty much figured out already, that wasn’t going to be a hard deadline to keep.
  Or, so you thought.
  But the day before the wedding came at you like you’d somehow fallen asleep at the wheel going 200mph down the highway.   Suddenly it was all happening. And while you were totally ready emotionally, you were also just not ready over-all, and you woke up that morning feeling sick. Actually sick.   Marcus was too excited to get more than 4h of sleep per night in the week leading up to that day, but he didn’t want to disturb you, so he’d gotten up and left the bedroom some time earlier that morning.   You walked into the bathroom to splash some cold water on your face but it didn’t do much to alleviate the nausea, so you gave up and just got dressed instead.
  “Hey, alma, are you okay?”
  “Yeah, sweetie, just feeling a little overwhelmed I guess.”
  “You sure?”
  “I’ll be fine, don’t worry. The wedding is happening, come hell or high water.”
  “Good.”
  “Where’s Marcus?”
  “He got called in to work really early, some crisis with a blue-whale, I think.”
  “Okay, well, then I’ll drive you to school.”
  “Are you sure you shouldn’t just take a sick-day?”
  “I’m not gonna be helped by sitting here wringing my hands all day. Let’s go, Maid of Honour.”
  She smiled at that, but then frowned.
  “You’re not gonna have breakfast?”
  “Kid, I’ll be happy if I can keep the damned pill down this morning.”
  You dropped her off and went to work, intending to treat this like any other Friday. But when you stepped into your office, there was a weird smell that just set off all your senses, and you had to duck over the first available trashcan and vomit. Since your stomach was empty, all that came up was bile, and that somehow made you even more nauseas.
  What the fuck was that smell?
  You abandoned your office and headed for Marcus’ instead. It smelled fine, so you sat down at his computer and used your own login to access your files and get to work.   But after about an hour you’d had to visit his bathroom three times as your stomach continued to try and cough up shit that wasn’t even there, and you gave up, and headed down to medical.
  You had just intended to ask for some anti-nausea medication, but because of your medical history, they insisted on an exam to rule out any possible delayed complications.
  You left medical in a daze, not even realising where you were going before you found yourself back in Marcus’ office.   You sat down in one of the sofas and just waited. You didn’t dare to even try and feel anything without him there, because you were afraid that you might suddenly feel way too much, and you needed him to be there, to keep you calm if that happened.   Some time later, Crushing ducked his head in and had to almost shout to get your attention.
  “Huh… What?”
  “I said, Marcus went home straight from the mission, two hours ago, he had something he wanted to get done for tomorrow. So, there’s no need to wait for him here.”
  “Oh. What time is it?”
  “Almost five.”
  “Shit…”
  “Hey, you okay?”
  “I hope so. Yes. I mean, yes.”
  “Want me to take you home?”
  “No, I’ll be fine, thanks Crush.”
  You drove home being almost ridiculously cautious and you laughed a little at yourself when you parked the car, next to Marcus’.   You were surprised to find the front door locked. You never locked the door when you were home. They must have gone out on foot for some reason.   Fishing your keys out of your bag, you unlocked it and stepped inside, and you were just about to call out to see if anyone was home, when you heard a sound that made every hair on your body stand straight up.   It was a mechanical sound, a machine of some sort. You couldn’t identify it, but your body sure as hell remembered it.   Walking into the living room, a fear unlike anything you’d ever felt before, flooded every cell inside of you.   Your own blood rushing in your ears drowned out the sound of your keys and handbag falling to the floor, as you tried to take in what you were seeing.
  Tubes… wires… computers… machines… bags of liquids… chairs that weren’t chairs but fucking instruments of torture. Two of them. One for Marcus… and one for Missy.   And right in between them – Dr. Prince.
Authors’ Note: I love criticism, don’t be shy to let me know if there’s anything you like/don’t like/have questions about.
@blueeyesatnight​ @farfromjustordinary @allmyspideys @hrk-fic-recs @strawberryperegrine @lucrezia-thoughts @computeringturtle @sarahjkl82-blog
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harveywritings92 · 3 years
Text
Welcome home!: Hawks x Older! OC
Summary: Keigo (Hawks) age 23 pro-hero #2 and a model who can't cook for crap! so one night after patrol he's wandering back home with his convenience store dinner, and notices a lady, Tsukino Akibara age 27 occupation: Librarian; walking home by herself when he noticed a man was following her, he decided to intervene and walk her home, and as a thank you she makes him dinner, now Keigo can't seem to stay away, though a lot of people are wondering if it's the food or the pretty girl that's keeping him around.
Kino's quirk is called Push-pull: she can telepathically pull people or objects towards her or push them away, the drawback is that is she overuses her quirk can cause temporary blindness.
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"Whoa! you seriously need to eat six bowls of rice for dinner?!" The brunette said gawking at Hawks who nodded downing his fourth helping of rice, he just got done telling the older woman the strict diet the commission had him on since childhood a healthy light breakfast, lunch was always his call, and end the day with a hardy dinner, they're starting to not really care what he eats so long as he does his job! Kino gawked at the winged hero in astonishment she knew Keigo ate lot... but six with every meal?
"How much food should I even cook with that much rice..." she muttered then looked at her tiny blue rice cooker that she's had for years. *The poor thing will never make it...* she mentally shuddered then snapped out of it when Keigo held his bowl out for another helping to go with his hamburger steaks, Kino complied and watched in awe as Keigo downed the half the steak in one bite. *He kind of reminds me of my old dog Poro...* she hummed having mini flash back of her late childhood pet... then was brought out of her reminiscing by the blond holding his bowl out to her. *Another?!* You smiled tightly and went to the kitchen while thinking back to how this all started...
[Tsukino was walking home late after a long day of work walking this late in the night would invoke fear and wariness over every movement creeping in the shadows... Kino however was numb to it all it had been three years since her ex husband left her... the empty silence and loneliness seemed to be her only companions... The brunette didn't even noticed the sleazy man eyeing her, from the bus stop she passed nor did she hear his footsteps coming up behind her...
She was almost in his grasp when a chipper voice called out. "Hey honey! Sorry for not meeting you at the station I fell asleep!" a blond man with red wings smiled sheepishly as he walked up to Kino who looked at the young man bemused, before his gold eyed glanced behind her and he frowned. "Who are you?" he asked briskly the brunette women turned to see her stalker gawking like a deer in the headlights, before putting his hand in his pockets and walking away with his head down. "You gotta be more careful being out this late, I saw him tailing you from the bus stop." Tsukino eyes widened as her hands gripped her bag.
"Thank you...I" she was cut off by the man's stomach growling he blushed putting he hand on his belly. "It was no problem I should probably grab some dinner now." you saw him walking away with bag convenience store bentos, and in a moment of pure impulsiveness Kino grabbed his arm."Say eating premade store food all the time isn't really good for you, um why don't you come over to my place? I'll make you something."  
She wasn't expecting him to say yes, but next thing she knew was making him homemade onigiri which the blond man who introduced himself as Keigo ate in under 30 secs and was getting ready to leave when, Kino stopped him again. "Why don't you comeback whenever you feel hungry after I've grocery shopped of course." again you weren't expecting Keigo to say yes. "All right gimme your number." and with that an odd friendship began....]
That was nearly six weeks ago...
Kino was slack-jawed as she was watching the winged hero still in awe as he asked for another bowl of rice, only to find the cooker completely empty. "I'm outta rice!" she said eye twitching, Keigo said that was fine and continued eating the rest of his food, after his plates were clear; Kino still felt guilty for losing the battle to his monstrous appetite, so she cut up some apples and sprinkled them with some cinnamon sugar and brought them out to Keigo. "Hey, I know you're still hungry sooo..." she trailed off seeing Keigo slumped over her table with his head resting in his arms as his breaths came out steadily. "Huh...ya gotta be kidding me, he fell asleep?" she said surprised putting the bowl of apple slices on the table; Kino went to get a spare blanket and draped it over Keigo's shoulders the wing man didn't even twitch.
"Hero business must really take the wind out of you..." Kino hummed patting him on the head before going back to the kitchen to do the dishes as she was finishing up she heard Keigo wake up. " mm, *checks clock* Oh crap! it’s already this late!?" he sputtered quickly grabbing his goggles and jacket. "Well it looked like you were sleeping well, I didn't want to wake you." Kino said wiping her hands on her apron. "Oh by the way I left some apples..." Hawks cut mouth full. "Aw rlawredy tate em'! (I already ate them!)" he tossed the bowl her way which the brunette caught with her quirk she gawked at the empty bowl astounded and gently set it down on her counter and went to meet Keigo by the door and the winged hero turned to her.
"Thanks for meal Kino, I'll text if I can come again?" 
"You don't have to ask my answer will always be the same."
With that Hawks took off for his night patrol, and Tsukino when to look through her mail pile for that electronic store catalog she saw earlier... 
The next day the silver eyed brunette arrived to a large electronics store, intending on buying a brand new rice cooker, but first decided to have a little fun. testing out video games, playing on the display tablets and lounging in a massage chair for few minutes, Before finding her way to the small appliances aisle.
Kino felt a little overwhelmed by the different Rice cooker brands and tried to remember when she bought her old one and how much it cost, but then remembered she was a broke high schooler living on her own bought it at a yard sale, that was like eight years ago! and she didn't know how long previous owner had it for!
 Eventually a clerk noticed her looking lost and decided to help her, unfortunately the clerk was obviously looking out for their quota and Kino found she'd gone a bit over budget with her new toy..."Looks like I'll be taking double shifts..." she mumbled to herself patting her new Rice-cooker while continuingly telling herself it was a very necessary purchase, and as it turned out it was able to meet all of Keigo's rice needs when he stopped by for dinner again that night! 
a month later...
Kino was woken up by a text from Keigo. {Hey I'm pretty busy tonight, so I won't be able to come over sorry 😞] the short woman blinked as she re-read the text. {Okay! don't push yourself to hard! 😊] she sighed before rolling over to looked at the ceiling wondering what she'll do today... Keigo told her he's interested in western cooking and has never tried pulled pork before she was gonna make that tonight! even searched the internet for a slow cooker recipe that she'd been dying to try out! she puffed out her cheeks as she got up and her vacuumed her living room, then went to do the laundry...
{not noticing the little red feather following her around.} 
"Hmm, maybe I should go visit auntie's grave." She said to herself it had been a while since she went to clean the headstone, she got on the phone with her friend Shun. "Yeah I was thinking of going this Tuesday… yeah I can meet you there, haven't been there since school!" she hung up and looking at the tv to see a KFC Commercial with Hawks flying around eating a bucket of chicken and her stomach growled. "It's lunch time!" She cheered deciding not to cook and got some cup noodles and peach juice, before sitting down to read something...
"I've already read this book." She huffed decided to go to the library (the feather from earlier snuck into her bag) and went to get a few new books and she spied a few magazines with Hawks on the cover, but decided it was too weird reading about someone that she cooks dinner for almost every night and left them alone... 
On her way back the owner of the butcher shop she frequents called to her. "Say missy those Chicken legs you were asking about are on real cheap today!~" Kino smiled at him. "that's okay I'm fine today!" the man looked at her like she grew three heads. "Hey... ya better not be cheating on me with another meat vendor!" he joked the brunette giggled and waved him off.
"Tonight dinner will be whatever I want." she mumbled as made her way home as soon she got home Kino sat down to read a book on the rules soccer as her cousin's son had joined a club was curious. "Holy crap!...I never thought kicking a ball around would be so complicated!" she sputtered gawking at all the rules and regulations. "Urhg, all this sports jargon making my head spin, think I'll take a bath." she said getting up from the beanbag she was sitting in and going over the a pink drawer and pulling a purple bottle out of it.
"Shun gave these bath-bombs for a birthday gift, never really used them before." she said getting the bath ready as Kino was opening wrapping on the bath bomb, nearly choke on her spit when she saw it was Easter themed it was supposed to looked golden chicken but instead "hehe.. it-IT LOOKS JUST LIKE KEIGO! HAHA!" the feather that was chilling outside her bathroom bristled as she burst out laughing as she put it in the water. "Oh wait... I should've taken photo, dang!"
Now that she got a few minutes to think to herself quietly Kino didn't realize how lonely she was feeling. "Spending the whole day alone like this... feels long and tiring." she sighed then noticed her arms and belly were looking kind of gummy... "Jeez... A month of eating the same meals as Hawks and without excising I'm starting to get pudgy..." she huffed getting out of the bath, later when she was getting ready for bed Kino stayed up to do a word search puzzle when she heard something on her balcony... scared she looked around for a weapon as using her quirk would be a bad call in this situation, as she didn't want to accidentally kill someone; grabbing a random object she crept towards her balcony door.
The short woman swallowed hard as she opened the door only be greeted by Hawks sitting on her railing sipping a can of coffee. "Keigo?" Kino blinked bemused as the blond turned to look at her. "Oh hey you are awak...why are you holding a toaster for?" he asked brows scrunched up in confusion, the silver eyed brunette looked down at what she was holding, sure enough! in her frazzled she grabbed the toaster to defend herself with. "Uh.. I was just putting it away..." she said using her quirk to put it back on the counter, the wing hero hummed as the brunette cleared her throat.
"So what are you doing here?" 
"I'm taking a break from mid-night patrol, figured I'd see if you were awake.."
"Oh, so you going back out?"
"In about five minutes, why?"
Hawks cocked a brow as Kino was quiet for a moment he frowned mentally preparing for her to try and kiss him or try and drag him to bed with her, (like all the other girls that just wanted to be friends...) instead he was confused when she told him to sit tight for a second, and disappeared in inside she came out couple minutes later. "Hold your hand out." she said Keigo complied and Kino grab his hand the blond felt shock go through him, and his wings fluffed up a little as the brunette woman gave him this a small bundle wrapped in a cloth. "A bento!" she chirped as Keigo's jaw dropped slightly he looked down at the bento then back at her stunned.
" I don't have anything warm other than onigiri though..." she said apologetically as Hawk kept looking at her wide-eyed then shook his head. "Urm, it's fine thank you...I gotta go." he muttered avoiding eye contact his ears were burning as he took off into the sky. "Goodnight Keigo! be safe!" Kino called after him before turning in for the night.
{Meanwhile the head of the commission received pictures of Hawks frequently visiting as certain brunette and did not take kindly to this one bit. and decided to put an end to to these little trysts at once. "I look forward to meeting you miss Akibara." she smirked confidently... Not realizing just who she was threatening.} 
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tangent101 · 4 years
Text
Perceptions of Wealth with Max Caulfield in Life is Strange
One thing I’ve noticed repeatedly in Life is Strange fanfics (and in occasional commentaries elsewhere) is how people assume Max Caulfield comes from a wealthy family. And while I’ve talked about this in the past, it’s probably about time to mention yet again that Max is in fact from a poor family, and that her parents either live in an apartment complex or in her grandfather’s house.
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It’s easy to claim otherwise, especially when you compare Max to Chloe, but when you look a little deeper, the signs are clear that not only is Max poor, but she may in fact be as poor as Chloe. We can start by looking at Max’s clothes. Let’s start by looking at Max’s journal entries on clothes:
My mom cried, and my dad laughed. They're so weird. But they're happy and this means extra financial support because they don't have to pay anything to Blackwell. This means new clothes and if I can work it, a new laptop.
Max’s journal entry for July 10th already lays the groundwork here. She believes that seeing her family doesn’t have to pay for tuition, she can get new clothes and maybe even a new laptop. And to be honest, I actually bought into this... until just now when I saw this August 25th entry as well:
That made me want to cry like a little girl. And never leave Seattle. So instead of packing, I feel like burning all my clothes, then just raiding a thrift store to build up a new Max wardrobe over my junior year. Not that I even have an old Max wardrobe.
First, do note that Max talked about “raiding a thrift store” to build up a wardrobe. Her comment here is so matter-of-fact that the point Max was thinking of going to a thrift store for her clothes slipped past my radar... but as a middle-class woman, I do have to admit that it wasn’t until finances got rather tight that I started buying at thrift stores myself. Given that clothes aren’t tremendously expensive at Walmart and the like (especially if you hit sales) that’s perhaps not surprising. But there are no back-to-school sales for Max mentioned or the like.
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In fact, we see no signs that Max got a new wardrobe (and admittedly she doesn’t have a lot of outfits, even accounting for keeping jeans in the bureau). Her laptop also is a fairly small one and may in fact be her old laptop. I cannot recall anything Max says or does that genuinely states that anything Max brings with her is new. (This also is true for alt-Max, seeing alt-Max’s journal states on September 14th “Yes, I'm older and thanks to Vic and Nathan I'm now a bit more fashionable too.” In other words, the nice clothing alt-Max wore were gifts from Victoria and Nathan.)
Max even comments on this when perusing Victoria’s clothes. She comes across some socks that “cost more than my entire wardrobe” and given a nice pair of thigh-high silk stockings can cost $75 or more, this might not have been hyperbole. Given that if you’re very lucky on sales you could probably snag skinny jeans for $8 new, and designer t-shirts for close to that (and let’s not go into the hoodies)... and it becomes most likely Max’s wardrobe, with (as Chloe puts it) “chlorine brand [T-shirts] and generic jeans” is cheap used clothing.
Hell, even Chloe’s clothing is in better shape. Despite the fact Chloe’s “poorer” than Max, her clothes look much less shabby and worn. Her ripped jeans look designer. Her shirts are likewise in good shape, with any “damage” being strategic and done for looks. Admittedly, Chloe may prefer certain outfits over others, and thus the lack of wear is Chloe not wearing most of her outfits all the time... but if you put Max and Chloe side-by-side (without Max’s camera evident) and ask which girl is from a wealthier family... and people would probably think Chloe is.
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This also helps explain why Max never visited her best friend even in the summer despite living six hours away. If Max’s parents lived paycheck to paycheck then the cost of fueling up a car to drive Max to Arcadia Bay would be painful. (I say this as someone who once had to put her last two dollars in her car so to have just enough gas to last a week, back when that would buy two gallons of gas.) Max didn’t fall out of touch because of stressing out over William or being a bad friend. Max probably didn’t have a cell phone for the first year she lived in Seattle. 
Again. Max and her parents moved to Seattle in the middle of the Great Recession. Yes, that was 11 years back but a lot of people lost their homes. Some of those who become financially destitute never recovered, even today. Others were forced to move in with parents. So if Max is living in a house, it belongs to her grandfather. She probably lives in a two-bedroom apartment and one that’s not even in a good part of Seattle. (She most definitely never rubbed elbows with Victoria in Seattle and never met Victoria prior to Blackwell.)
Speaking of Victoria, this gives another reason for Victoria’s harassment of Max and that is classism. Victoria acts like the typical snobby rich girl who sneers at those who struggle financially. Add in that Max has actual talent despite her lack of wealth, and she becomes a prime target for Victoria (along with Kate for her religious upbringing and lack of “shame” over her religiosity). 
There’s another aspect of this “economic value” with Max that you might not expect, and that’s behavior. When you’re poor, you tend to become invisible to people wealthier than you. In return, some poor people will try and avoid standing out and drawing attention to them. Max has this in spades. She is a “shy cliched geek” who hides behind a lens rather than interact with a world that judges based on appearances. Well, Max appears as shabby and without value. 
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She is treated as such by various people as well. And trust me, if Max dressed like Victoria or Juliet, she would not be treated as dismissively. Appearance and behavior are reflections of each other, and we again see this with alt-Max with her nice clothes and more assertive personality, compared to the original Max who feels out of place.
Amusingly enough, as she starts wearing Rachel and Chloe’s clothing she increasingly becomes assertive and willing to take a stand. A good part of this lies with Chloe’s confidence with her, but we the players get to see this as well with Max’s clothes changing and becoming more vibrant. 
So, why do people think Max is financially comfortable? I suspect it’s primarily because Max uses an instant camera. I once calculated out the financial value of the Caulfield Photo Wall, and came to over $100. Admittedly, that may have been all of Max’s photos (outside of ones that Chloe or other people had claimed over the years)... but when you also account for however many photos get rejected for not being good enough (and Max rips up several photographs in Life is Strange) and you’re left with the possibility Max has taken probably a thousand dollars’ worth of pictures.
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That said? This doesn’t mean Max has spent a thousand dollars on film. Don’t forget, Max starts out with a battered camera that despite the design being extremely sturdy falls apart when it is knocked off a desk. Polaroid Instant Cameras are much sturdier than that, so the only way that camera fell apart that easily is if it had been broken in the past (which would explain why Max knows how to repair the camera). And with Max’s own journal, we know that Max is perfectly willing to buy and utilize previously-owned items.
In all likelihood, Max lucked across an estate sale or yard sale where someone was getting rid of an old camera they didn’t know the value of and all the film with it and Max walked away with $500+ of film and camera for $10 or so. If she bought more film via eBay and was lucky? She could very well be getting more film for only a couple dollars per cartridge of eight shots. It is also noteworthy to state Max doesn’t have a backup camera. She doesn’t have a digital camera on the side for most of her shots. She uses her phone for some pictures but mostly it’s that old beast of a camera that barely is holding together. 
There’s another reason why a lot of people just assume Max is from a nice middle-class family and that’s because many gamers are from that setting. Who wants to think of Max as a poor girl who is only attending Blackwell because of a art grant? Especially when you add in shabby clothes that highlight Max’s shy and withdrawn personality... you end up with someone that people can have difficulty connecting with. So it’s understandable people just assume the best for Max. After all, they are Max in the game, and who wants to be poor?
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yelena-bellova · 4 years
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Don’t Be Afraid: Poe Dameron x Solo!Reader - Chapter Six
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Chapter Six: Grief and Nostalgia
Series Masterlist
Plot: Reader and Rey run into trouble at Niima Outpost, plus they meet a man who’s wearing a familiar jacket.
Warnings: character death (major), angst, very little language
Word Count: 4.8k
A/N: I DREADED writing this chapter...I kept stalling on it because it kept bumming me out + action descriptions are hard for me to write for whatever reason. Now give me angsty dialogue and that’s my sweet spot 👌🏻 Anyway, I’ll keep it short and sweet. Enjoy! (Apologies for any typos)
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“Alright, BB-8, y/n and I are going to load you into the netting. It’s sturdier than it looks, you won’t fall out.”
I’m not sure about this.
I rolled my eyes, “Bee, you flew back on a mission from Corellia practically hanging by your antenna with Poe as the pilot but netting on a speeder is where you draw the line?”

Yes, I did and yes, it is.
Rey chuckled, “Is this Poe a particularly reckless flyer?”
BB-8 whirled loudly in time with my chortle, “He’s the inspiration behind the word ‘reckless’.”

The morning sun had risen and Rey was doing a check on her speeder before she took us ti Niima OIutpost. I was leaned up against it as Bee did circles in the sand to pass the time. My hunger had fully set in, having not eaten in over twenty four hours and I was having intense stomach pains. I’d discovered a few spare credits in a pocket of my jacket and was eager to get some sort of breakfast.
“Okay, let’s load BB-8 in.” Rey said, the aforementioned droid defeatedly rolling over to us. We each took one side of him and lifted him into the netting, an unamused squeal coming from him. We echoed the noise, I’d forgotten how heavy Bee was.
“It won’t be for long, hang tight.” I said, bending down to eye level with him.
Rey stepped up to the seat and I followed suit, “It goes pretty fast so you’ll need to hold on tight.”
“Trust me, I’ve flown on many ships, I’m used to-WHOA!”

The speeder took off faster than I was ready for, I locked my arms around Rey’s waist and squeezed. I could hear her laughing at me over the ship.
“Shut up!” I yelled as we sailed through the desert, digging my chin into her shoulder to anchor myself further.
Turned out that the outpost wasn’t too far from Rey’s makeshift home. Within twenty minutes we were pulling up a couple hundred yards away from it.
“I thought you’d said you’d flown before.” Rey taunted, I was still clinging to her as if my life depended on it.
“Yeah, well, in my defense this thing doesn’t fly like the piece of junk I thought it was,” I said defensively as I separated from her and lowered myself to the ground. Rey laughed under her breath at me, joining me to lift BB-8 out from the netting and onto the sand. Rey slung her staff over her shoulder and gathered the parts she was going to sell,
“I’m going to see what I can get for these, then we’ll see what we can do about getting you two a transport.”
I nodded, “I’m going to die if I don’t eat so I’m gonna go see what I can find.”
Rey nodded and we both looked to BB-8 who seemed to be torn over who to go with. After looking between us, he rolled over to Rey. I gave an exaggerated gasp, “Traitor!”

We spent all day yesterday together in a desert. I’m going with Rey.
Me and her looked to each other, our faces forming ‘o’s’ before heading towards the outpost. It was decently packed, but not overly crowded. Rey and Bee went one direction towards a small building while I wandered the market portion. There were stalls with spices, exotic looking fruit I’d never seen, and other questionable looking food I didn’t feel like taking a chance on. After a few minutes of searching. I found a stand selling plain bread. I handed the seller a few credits and began picking apart at the small loaf, aimlessly walking around as I waited for Rey.
Every person I passed who looked even remotely like Poe, I gave a once over to see if it was him. I wasn’t sure how long it would take for him to make it across the desert. I knew it was almost impossible for him to already be here but I was so desperate to make sure he was okay, logic seemed to be taking a backseat to emotion. There hadn’t been a lot of time yesterday to focus on BB-8 and my’s conversation, but now that I was one step closer to finding him, things was beginning to flood my mind. What was I supposed to do when we saw each other again? Was I just supposed to walk up to him and say ‘Hey, super glad you’re not dead, I’m in love with you by the way.’? Did he really feel the same as BB-8 said he did? He’d been right about me and had gotten me to realize my feelings, maybe he was right about Poe too. At the thought of Poe telling me he loved me, I felt my heart start to speed up. Jeez, how had I not realized this until a frickin’ droid spelled it out for me?
“Well, that was a waste of time.” Rey huffed behind me, BB-8 rolling to my side as close as he could.
“No luck?”

”He wanted to buy BB-8.”
My eyes widened as I looked down to him, if he were a child he’d be clinging to my legs right now. How stupid had I been to let him go into a place where they sold droids and parts?
“His compartments weren’t searched or anything were they? They didn’t touch him?” I asked urgently, bending down to examine Bee.
“What? No, Unkar didn’t touch him. I told him he wasn’t for sale.” Rey answered.
I breathed a sigh of relief and stood up to face her, “Thank you.”

”What’d you think I was going to do,” she asked, her voice raised an octave, “Sell him?”
“I don’t know, you don’t owe us any kindness,” I responded, “Unkar probably offered you a lot!”
“He did, but...” she trailed off, looking down at Bee before back to me, “It wouldn’t have been right.”
I smiled and squeezed her shoulder, I had been right about her. The thought of leaving her behind and probably never seeing her again made me sad.
“Here,” I broke my loaf in half and handed it to her, “A sad attempt at repaying you.”
Rey chuckled and we began walking through the marketplace, BB-8 following closely behind. She explained that while there wasn’t consistent transport that came in and out of the outpost, plenty of people were bribable and could get us back. I didn’t relish the thought of flying back with some seedy character but there weren’t a lot of other options.
Out of nowhere, someone grabbed my arms from behind and gripped tightly. Another creature did the same to Rey whilst third one kneeled over BB-8 and threw a sack over him.
“Let him go!” I yelled, doing my best to squirm out of their grip. There was no way to escape without fighting dirty. I head butted him with the back of my head and his grip on me loosened for a second. I freed my arms and spun to grab his, placing him in the same hold he’d had me in. I kneed him in the groin, swept his legs out from under him and he fell. He groaned loudly as I looked over to Rey who seemed to have taken care of herself quite nicely. I was thankful I wasn’t on the receiving end of her staff. We kneeled down to BB-8 and I pulled the sack off of him, he was beeping wildly.
“Hey, you’re alright,” I assured him, rubbing a hand over his head. He looked around us and promptly froze,
Look!
“Look at what?” Rey asked.
Him! Look! Y/n, he’s wearing Poe’s jacket!
“Wha-“ I looked in the direction BB-8 said to and saw a dark skinned man standing a few hundred feet away. He was unmistakably wearing Poe’s worn jacket, the one he’d worn on this mission. We locked eyes, he looked nervous yet he looked at BB-8 as if he knew him.
“Him?” Rey pointed to Finn discreetly.
“That’s Poe’s jacket, don’t let him get away.” I stated right before Rey and I took off running towards him. The man was fast though and took off too. We ran through and past the various stalls as we tailed him.
“Keep on him!” Rey shouted before making a hard left turn, in my concentrated state I barely heard her.
As I neared him, Rey popped out a few hundred feet ahead of me and knocked the man to the ground with her staff.
“What’s your hurry, thief?” she asked, standing over him with the weapon aimed at him.
“What? Thief?” he sputtered, still panting from our chase.
I stood behind him, took out my blaster and fired a shot a few feet away from his head. He jolted and sat up, turning to see me.
“Do you need an exact definition of the word?” I asked loudly, a few vendors screaming at the shot I’d fired.
BB-8 rolled out from behind me up to the man and shocked him with his welding attachment.
He yelped, “Hey, what?!”
“You wanna tell me how you stole that jacket?” I asked, my aim never breaking from him.
“Look, I’ve had a pretty messed up day. So I’d appreciate it if you stop accusing me-“
BB-8 zapped him again causing the man to yell at him to stop.
“That jacket belongs to that droid’s master and my best friend, how did you get it?” I asked unflinchingly.
The man sighed heavily and threw his head back before looking to Bee and then me,
“It belonged to Poe Dameron. That was his name, right?”
Rey held her stance as I slowly lowered my blaster, BB-8 and I looked to each other warily.
“He was captured by the First Order. I helped him escape, but our ship crashed.”
“So where is he?” I asked quickly, tears beginning to blur my vision at what I feared this man was about to say. Poe wasn’t with him, something had happened.
“Poe didn’t make it...”
What happened the next few minutes around me, I couldn’t say. I distantly heard Rey call my name, I felt my feet carry my a good distance away from where we’d been and I felt my knees hit the sand.
Poe was dead.
Silent sobs wracked my body as I gripped handfuls of sand. Poe had cheated death for so long, escaped from seemingly impossible circumstances. I assumed this would be another one of his legendary stories. I began beating myself up for leaving him, if I’d stayed I could have saved him.
He died not knowing how much I loved him.
BB-8 rolled next to me and let out a heartbreaking noise. I put a hand on him as I finally caught my breath, the sobs dying down to a silent stream of tears. I wasn’t the only one who had lost someone, Bee had lost his master. We sat there for a moment, comforting each other as best we could.
Y/N, LOOK!!
I whipped my head up to see two stormtroopers speaking to the thugs that had attacked us. They pointed to us before doing the same to Rey and the unnamed man. He saw them too and grabbed Rey’s hand before running towards us,
“We gotta get out of here!”
Bee and I took off running with them just as blasts were fired past our heads. Rey screamed as one almost hit her, and it snapped me out of my grief. Poe would want me to keep running, he’d want me to save the galaxy even if my own had just died. We ran through and past stalls before Finn ducked us into a tent and began searching for weapons,
“They’re shooting at all three of us!” Rey exclaimed.
“You were seen with me, you both are marked now,” I said while checking BB-8 to make sure he was okay.
“I was a mark before I met you two,” the man said, “Does anyone have blasters around here?!”
“Wonderful, I fell in with the galaxy’s two most wanted people,” Rey grumbled.
“Don’t forget BB-8,” I quipped, earning me an annoyed glare from Rey.
The man then shushed us and stilled himself, there was a distant sound in the sky. He suddenly grabbed Rey’s hand and pulled me to my feet,
“Stop taking my hand!” Rey said through gritted teeth as we began running again through the outpost. We didn’t make it far out before the shrieking sounds of TIE Fighters followed us and fired at us. The blasts hit near us and the four of us flew through the air, landing harshly in the sand. I groaned and scrambled to my feet, Rey pulled the man to his feet and BB-8 rolled to me.
“All good?” I asked them, receiving nods from everyone.
There were more TIE’s coming in as we sprinted towards Unkar’s shipyard. We needed to put as much distance between us and this sandy wasteland as possible. I half expected Poe to swoop in, taking the TIE’s down one by one in his X-Wing, showing off while doing so. Tears began to enter my vision again and I had to force myself to blink them away, my grief had to wait.
“We can’t outrun them!” the man yelled over the blasts.
“We might, in that quad jumper!” Rey pointed to a ship in the near distance.
“We need a pilot!”
“Between the two of us,” I gestured to Rey and myself, “We’ve got it covered!”
“What about that one?” he asked loudly, I was too focused on the quad jumper to care at what was bringing up.
“That one’s garbage!” Rey responded just as our ship exploded in front of us. We came to a halt staring the wreckage,
“The garbage will do,” I declared before following Rey and Finn in the other direction. When I saw our ship of salvation, a grin broke out across my face.
It was the Millennium Falcon.
How it had ended up on Jakku, I didn’t know. I didn’t even care, all that mattered was it was there in the moment I needed it the most. I found myself running faster and ending up in front of our ragtag group. I bounded up the already lowered ramp and found myself in the heart of the ship. I breathed in the scent, it was dusty from having sat unused for who knows how long yet it was also exactly how I remembered it. But just like my grief, my nostalgia had to wait as Rey and the (still) unnamed man entered with BB-8.
“Gunner position is down there,” I pointed and the man ran in that direction, “Rey, I need you up front with me.”
I made a beeline for the cockpit and she followed quickly, I took a seat and pressed a button. The ship roared to life and I chuckled,
“I missed you, baby.”
“Have you flown this thing before?” Rey asked with confusion as she took the seat next to me.
I adjusted the controls and flicked some switches, “It’s a long story, but yes.” I looked over to her as she pressed a few buttons, she looked genuinely nervous.
“Hey,” I put a hand on her shoulder, “We can do this.”

She nodded and I pulled the lever, the ship rocked as it rose from the ground like a phoenix from the ashes. It tilted and spun from it’s long period of misuse, and it had been so long since I’d flown it, I was admittedly rusty.
“Look out!”
I screamed as we slammed into the town’s archway and destroyed it. I quickly steered us away from the wreckage and the ship flew forward, TIE Fighters in tow. I took us higher into the air with the intention of getting off the planet.
“Stay low! Stay low!” I heard from the gunner position.

“What?” Rey replied.
“Stay low! It confuses their tracking!”
I shook my head, “You better be right!” I let go of the yoke and Rey pressed a few buttons, “BB-8, hold on!”
“We’re going low!” Rey shouted. I pulled the yoke again and we did a complete loop before evening out and heading straight towards the TIE’s. They dodged us before swinging back around and resuming their attack, one of the blasts hit us and shook the whole ship. The man had yet to fire a single shot yet and it was beginning to worry me.

“What are you doing back there?” Rey yelled, “Are you ever going to fire back?!”

“I’m working on it!” he shouted back, “Are the shields up?”

Rey located the switch for the shields quickly and flipped it as I swung us to one side to dodge a shot. The man quickly began firing shots at the fighter but missed, I doubted he’d spent much time in the position. We were hit again and I yelped, the two First Order pilots were either insanely talented or I was spectacularly bad at flying. The Solo side of me was too cocky to even consider it being the latter. But if we didn’t shake these guys there was a good chance they’d hit an engine and we‘d be done.
“We need cover quick!” 

“We’re about to get some,” I replied, “I hope.” The last part being mumbled under my breath.
Rey continued adjusting controls as we stayed low, I made a sharp right turn past a rock formation. The ship banked so hard at such a low altitude that we drew a line through the sand. I hoped what the man had said about the tracking systems was correct information because flying the Falcon was 10 times harder when you weren’t in open space. We were headed into a ship graveyard, probably fron the legendary Battle of Jakku a few years after the death of the Emperor. I’d heard stories about it since I was young from my dad followed by my mother chastising him for retelling war stories to a child. A chill went down my spine as we passed a wrecked Star Destroyer.
I serpentined through metal wreckage, occasionally bumping into something as the man fired more shots, only missing by a few inches. There was another wrecked ship ahead of us and I was reminded of a move that I’d seen Poe pull in battles. No other Resistance pilot was brave enough to do it most of the times, but I was confidant enough in my abilities that I thought I could pull it off. I flew directly towards the wrecked ship and at the very last second possible, with Rey calling my name worriedly, I pulled away and swung left. It looked like we had lost one of the TIE’s. Right after that, the turret fired a shot at the other fighter and it landed perfectly.
“Nice shot!" Rey yelled back to the man, unfortunately the joy didn’t last long as the fighter I thought had crashed tailed us once again.
“Damn it!” I exclaimed just before the TIE fired a shot that definitely hit us.
“The cannon’s stuck in forward position, I can’t move it! You gotta lose ‘em!” the man called out.
“Ideas?” I asked Rey whose eyes were locked onto the main Star Destroyer ahead of us, I could practically see the gears turning in her head.
“Switch seats with me, quickly.” Rey directed, while I may have been the better pilot, she had the upper hand in knowing the terrain. She seemed to be a quick thinker too, a trait I admired. Somehow we maneuvered around each other without a hand ever leaving the controls as we switched roles. I wasn’t sure what she was planning to do, but at this point we were way past distrust.
“Get ready!” she called.
“For what?” both me and our amatuar gunsman asked.
The answer we received was Rey passing the Star Destroyer three quarters of the way before swinging the Falcon back around, heading right into the rear of the Destroyer. I was mumbling a few curse words in another language under my breath, there wasn’t much left for us to do after this to get the fighter off our backs. As we maneuvered through it, I was simultaneously uneasy and fascinated at being inside an abandoned Star Destroyer. We were quickly approaching the other side of the ship with no exit plan, luckily Rey spotted the sun coming through a hole in the side and made a sharp turn. I’d hoped that the TIE pilot’s reflexes weren’t fast enough to do the same but when did things ever work out as I needed them to? He was still on our tails, but when I glanced over at Rey, I could tell she had another good idea. Before I could blink she pulled back down on the yoke and the Falcon began to loop back down before facing the TIE head on. I knew exactly what she was doing. The man fired a perfectly aimed blast at the enemy ship and it exploded, I could hear his cheer from below deck. Rey pushed back down on the lever and we straightened out, she steered us up into the sky.
As soon as we were off planet, Rey put the ship on autopilot and we leaned back in our seats, exhaling deeply. I looked over to her and we both began laughing,
“Did we just do that?” she asked, still in awe of our escape.
“I think we did,” I chuckled.
I could hear the man’s footsteps coming up the ladder and two of us exited the cockpit to find him standing out in the corridor. The three of us began singing each other’s praises in a flurry,
“Good shooting!”
“That was some flying.”
“You’ve got to teach me how to do that.”
“You were a complete natural!”
“I’ve flown some ships but I’ve never left the planet,”
“Your last shot was dead on.”
“That was amazing.”
“You two set me up for it!”
“It was perfect!”
“I can’t believe we actually did that!”
How are we supposed to get back to base now?!

The three of us turned to a frazzled BB-8 and Rey kneeled down in front of him,
“You’re okay. He’s with the Resistance too. They’re going to get you home…We all will.”
While I appreciated Rey’s loyalty, my focus was now on the fact that the man standing in front of me was definitely not a part of the Resistance. It was fact and not ego when I said that I was the General’s daughter, everyone on base knew me and this guy clearly didn’t.
“I don’t know your name,” Rey said quietly, addressing him.
He stopped for a second before responding, “Finn. What’s yours?”
“I’m Rey, this is y/n. She’s with the Resistance too.”
I gave Finn a knowing look but managed to smile as to not alarm Rey. By the panic in his eyes, I could tell he probably knew he had been made. I didn’t have any intention of letting him float back to wherever he came from, he had helped save our asses and seemed too nervous to be a spy. I began to open my mouth to say something when my eyes fell on his jacket, Poe’s jacket.
My grief couldn’t wait any longer.
As if Finn knew what I was thinking about, he began talking. “Y/n, I want you to know I tried to save Poe. I really did. He kept telling me how important it was that he got back to his girl.”

I bit back my tears and nodded, “And I’m grateful for that, Finn. That you helped. I-I just need a few minutes.”

I didn’t stay long enough to see their reactions, I walked quickly through the corridor and made my way to the captain’s quarters. Thankfully, the access code hadn’t been changed and I was still able to escape. Shutting the door, I turned to find that little had changed in the room that used to belong to my parents. Not that there had ever been much that could change about it, it was kept very minimalistic. A cot, a closet, a door to a refresher.
It didn’t take long for me to fall apart as I slid down the wall to the floor. Poe was actually gone. I’d never get to hold him again, I’d never get to hear his laugh, I’d never get to wait in the hanger for him to see his X-Wing return from a mission. I’d never get to tell him how deeply in love with him I was, I’d never know what his lips tasted like, I’d never know what our future may have looked like. He spent his last few moments desperately trying to get back to me, his girl. I hugged my knees and rested my head on them, feeling the tears soak through the material of my pants. I had to make it through the rest of my life without my best friend and the love of my life. It just felt cruel that both of those roles belonged to the same person. I needed to hear Poe’s voice more than anything right now, I needed to hear him crack some inappropriate joke before reassuring me that I was going to be perfectly fine. Though I knew there was no ‘fine’ to go back to.
My grief changed to anger that surged through me like an electric charge. The First Order had taken Poe from me and they were going to burn for it. I refused to believe for a second that my brother may have possibly been a part of it. Had Ben been the one that tortured him or fired whatever shot had brought Poe down, I’d have to accept that there truly was no good left in him. I wasn’t prepared to face a world where Poe was dead and there was no hope for my brother.
“Y/n, you better get out here!”
Finn’s voice broke me from my thoughts, I dried my eyes and exited the cabin quickly. The hallway was dark except for a few emergency lights, Finn grabbed my arm and dragged me down the corridor,
“Rey had to do a repair on the ship but right after, this happened,” he explained, gesturing around us.
We entered the cockpit and found Rey sitting in the pilot’s seat,
“Someone’s locked onto us, all controls are overridden.”
“Shit,” I mumbled, Finn proceeded to place a hand on Rey’s shoulder as he got higher to try and see something.
“Get off!” Rey grumbled, “See anything?”
Finn sunk back down in the co-pilot’s seat, he looked like he’d just stared down Snoke himself.
“It’s the First Order,” he breathed, they’d found us. I’d been stupid to think there wouldn’t be a ship waiting near from Jakku to capture us.
“Okay, think, what do we do?” I asked, looking between the two of them.
Finn pointed at Rey, “You said poisonous gas?”
“Yeah, but I fixed that,” she replied confidently, clearly the repairs she’d done hadn’t been minor.
“Can you unfix it?”
We looked to Finn like he was insane before the metaphorical lightbulb clicked above both our heads. The three of us sprinted through the ship till we reached the lounge. We each grabbed a gas mask before heading down into the open grating area.
“C’mon, Bee,” I urged, Rey and I grabbed him and attempted to lower him down. I miscalculated how much he weighed and we dropped him on Finn.
“I’m okay,” he groaned, “BB-8, get off me.”
Rey struggled with pulling the grating over us and came back down to work on the controls.
“Are you sure this is going to work?” Rey asked Finn.
“Yeah, their masks filter out smoke, not toxins,” he replied.
“How do you know that?” I asked in a faux innocent tone, observing the anxiety in his eyes when I posed the question. The sound of the ship ramp lowering was loud and the lights came back on.
“Hurry!”
Rey continued fiddling with the controls until we heard the sound of the ship door opening and footsteps. I was already running through strategies in my head, surrender was probably the smartest option. But the urge to take down each trooper in a blaze of blaster fire was tempting too. One of my hands stayed planted on my holster, ready to defend us if necessary. There were two voices, though I couldn’t make out what was being said. I held my breath as the footsteps came closer, suddenly the grate was lifted and the three of us raised our hands in surrender. Though mine were lowered at the sight of who was standing above us,
“Dad?”
“Y/n?”
———————-
A/N: Fear not, obviously we’ll see Poe again but a lot of shit has to go down before we have our reunion. Also, I love writing the friendship between Rey and the Reader. Two supportive badass women kicking 🍑 together! Let me know what you thought!
Taglist: @m1rkw00dpr1ncess @springfox04 @constantdisgrace @holybatflapexpert @seninjakitey @tammythompson-singslikea-muppet @leilei-draws @eternal-fandoms @dream-alittlebiggerdarling @imaginecrushes @eternallyvenus @thescarletknight2014 @simplyhemmings @captain-america5 @breyasficletblog
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nose-bandaid · 4 years
Text
Smitten
hihi !! are your requests open? sorry, i was looking around your blog but I couldn’t find anything ;; if so, would you be open to writing a fluffy boy next door for joshua? (svt) hope you have an amazing day <3
Joshua x (gender neutral) Reader | boy next door AU fluffy fluff:) | 3.3k words
synopsis: you’ve got a new neighbour — as you’ve been expecting for the past few months. what you didn’t expect was for you neighbour to be the most polite, kind hearted, and not to mention beautiful, man you’ve ever met. alternatively:
“when your pet dog does a better job at getting you a date than all of your friends combined.”
a/n: for my lovely bunny anon! i hope it’s to your liking and that it’s at least somewhat similar to what you had in mind:) i had a lot of fun brainstorming the ideas so i’m really hoping my writing does it justice lol
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You almost dropped the bag in your hand when you turned the corner to your street and saw a party going on right beside your house. You even did a double take to make sure you didn’t make the wrong turn earlier, but nope, you were on the correct street alright. And the group of people milling about didn’t seem to be planning on going anywhere, anytime soon.
It baffled you, how such a ruckus could’ve emerged within the hour that you were gone to get some groceries. Sure, you were expecting a new neighbour — the house had been on sale for the past few months — but you weren’t expecting, what, ten? Twelve? No, thirteen people? How were they planning on fitting all of those bodies into such a tiny house? 
Even from afar, you could tell that they were a rowdy group, and their loud voices reached all the way to where you stood. Your stomach squirmed at the thought of having to deal with a bunch of chaotic people living right next to you for the next who-knows-how-many-years, and you took slow steps towards your own house. The old couple that lived on the other side of you had all of their blinds drawn, which was unusual of them to do, considering they loved the sunlight, and you wondered if they’ve made a noise complaint yet. 
When you finally reached your own yard, the energy within the party died down a little and some of the boys cast curious glances your way while whispering and snickering to each other. You just stared back at them until one broke from the group and approached you with a bashful smile.
“Hello!” He radiated such a soft, friendly aura, your initial spite towards the group melted away and you willingly accepted his handshake.
“Hi.” You managed a tight smile. “I suppose you guys are my new neighbours?”
His eyes widened and he turned back to the others, who had already found something else to engross themselves in. “Ah... no, no.” He turned back to you and gave you a sheepish look.
“Sorry, those are my friends, they all insisted that they visit me on the day I moved. Even though they probably won’t be helping me with the actual moving.” He rolled his eyes childishly at that last part.
“I see...” You watched the group together, as they began screaming at what seemed to be a funny video on someone’s phone. Judging from your neighbour’s deadpan expression, he was just as tired of the noise as you were.
“So yeah, it’s just me that’s your neighbour, don’t worry. I’ll try to make sure that it’s not this chaotic the next time they visit. I’m Joshua by the way.”
“Y/n.” You responded, and he echoed it quietly before nodding. “And it’s not much of a problem, I don’t really mind the noise. I guess I’m just not that used to it being lively in this neighbourhood.” You gestured to the empty streets as you spoke.
Before he could respond, one of his friends loudly called out his name and Joshua gave you another apologetic look.
“I probably shouldn’t ignore them. I’m sorry that this introduction wasn’t the best out there, but let’s try to redo this again later.”
You bid him off with a wave and made your way into your own house as the group of boys started shouting once again. Giving them one last glance, you laughed quietly to yourself and wondered how they could possibly store that much energy into their bodies. Even just watching them goof around like that made you exhausted.
You were greeted with your own bundle of energy to deal with when your dog, Mittens, dashed towards you upon your arrival. The sound of your keys jingling never failed to catch her attention. Dropping to the floor in defeat, you let her gift you with a flurry of kisses and you returned the love with some scratches behind the ear.
“Hey, Mittens.” 
She barked, and you were grateful that most of your conversations with her didn’t end up being one sided. Though you weren’t able to understand a single thing she was trying to tell you, at least it seemed like she was trying. 
“We got a new neighbour today, and guess what?” 
Another happy bark.
“He’s kinda cute, you know?”
=====
You saw Joshua again the next morning when you took Mittens for her daily walk. Or at least, that’s what you tried to do. The moment you stepped outside, she abruptly bounded towards him, yanking the leash straight out of your hands.
“Mittens—!” Before you could react, she had already tackled him to the ground  and was delivering her usual round of kisses, the boxes previously in his hands scattered all over the driveway. You ran up to them and quickly heaved her off the man, letting a string of apologies fall out of your mouth. As friendly as he seemed to be, you didn’t think that having your dog attack him with her love was the best way to make your first impressions.
“I’m so sorry she’s never acted this way towards anyone before I don’t know why she did it.”
Joshua laughed and dusted off his pants. “It’s alright, I take it that this is your dog?”
Lending him a hand to help pull him back up, you answered. “Yeah, her name is Mittens.”
He raised an eyebrow at the mention of her name. “Mittens?” 
You pouted. “Hey! I think it’s a cute name... And it’s because she kept on stealing my mittens when I first adopted her.”
“Just curious,” He shrugged. “Y/n and Mittens... yeah, that sounds like a cute pair.”
You frantically tried to distract yourself from the blush blooming on your cheeks and remembered the boxes laying on the ground. “Right! Your boxes I’m so sorry about that too, I hope they weren’t anything that important?” The last thing you wanted to do was destroy your neighbour’s property on the second day of knowing him.
“Oh, these? They’re just my clothes, it’s all good.” He answered, dismissing the boxes with a wave.
“Thank goodness,” You let out a sigh in relief as your pet struggled in your arms, trying to go back to Joshua. “Do you need any help with moving in?”
He shook his head in a polite denial. “There’s only a few things left to bring in, I should be done in a bit, thank you though. However...”
You perked up when his voice trailed off. “Yeah?”
“I might need some help with getting over how cute Mittens is.”
You burst into a fit of laughter at his confession. “She’s usually not that friendly to new people, but she seems to like you a lot. You’re welcome to hang out with her anytime you’d like, if we’re both free. I trust you, you seem like a nice person.”
“Really? Thanks for that.” He bent down to pet Mittens and gave her a longing look. “I had to leave my own dog back home with my parents because of some vet stuff that needs to be completed, so I really appreciate it. It’s like a little reminder of him.” As he got back up, he retrieved one of the fallen boxes and gave you a smile. 
“I’ll look forward to getting to know you two better then.”
=====
Over the next few weeks, you realized that the time you took Mittens out for her walks aligned with the time Joshua usually set off to work. Which was a clearly a win for your pet, who still treated him like a brand new friend every time she saw him. You weren’t complaining either, the perfect schedule meant that you got to see his gorgeous face and listen to his sweet voice every morning — a wonderful way to start your days. But you weren’t quite sure how good that was for your heart, because you were well aware that you’ve begun to fall for him. 
Hard.
Once in a while, the two of you would meet up in each other’s backyards so that he could spend some time with Mittens, who would practically refuse to eat her dinner when he’s around, because she’s just that happy to play with him. These meetings also allowed you to learn more about each other, and to you, everything about him just seemed so perfect in your eyes. You learned about how he moved here to be closer to his new job, and how some of the friends he grew up with — the ones at the party — were starting up a band in the city. You learned that he played the guitar in his free time, and that he used to teach little kids at a music school. He also grew up in a very quiet town with a small family, explaining his down-to-earth, endearing personality. Honestly speaking, if you were him, you’d find it hard to not boast about all the talents you had.
As time continued to pass and your crush on him continued to grow, you found it harder and harder to look at him in the eyes when he passed by. Heck, even conversations with him had gotten more difficult, and you could barely hold one without stuttering out some barely coherent words. But being the polite man he was, Joshua never showed a single sign of annoyance towards your change in character. Which honestly, just made you fall for him even harder.
It eventually got to the point where you had no choice but to alter your schedule. If you didn’t create an opportunity to compose yourself, you swore you would literally combust in front of him. And so, you held off on walking Mittens so early in the morning, and opted to taking those walks when you got home from work instead. Though it didn’t eliminate your encounters with Joshua, you were grateful to have more time alone to think about your feelings because you had no damn clue what to do with them.
Mittens however, seemed to notice the way you’ve been avoiding the man in question, and had been sending knowing looks your way (how she does that as a dog, you don’t know, but her message is strong and clear) every time she saw Joshua outside. And on one particular day, she was adamant on getting you to see him. She didn’t stop barking at the harmless window until you joined her in the living room to check out the sight that’s been provoking her.
And of course, it was just Joshua lugging a guitar case back into his house. He must’ve returned from visiting his friends in the city, judging from the way he was dressed the slightest bit fancier than he usually did. Though his clean and casual style suited him very well, you had to admit the button down shirt he had on made him look incredibly refined. As he unlocked his door, he looked your way and sent a small wave.
Your ears burned when you realized he must’ve caught you staring from the window and you could barely muster a wave back before flopping onto the couch with a sigh. 
Your dog plopped herself onto the carpet nearby, finally calm, and you glanced at her.
“You have it good Mittens... So lucky.” 
She simply stared at you happily, not understanding the reason for the downcast tone in your voice. Nonetheless, you continued your miserable rambling.
“Like really, I’m so jealous. So you can express your love for him at every passing minute but I can’t? And you have permission to give him constant kisses, but not me?” You paused. 
“Wait, I take that back, that sounds so stupid now that I’ve said it out loud. Of course it would be weird if I went up to him like that. I have to be a decent human being and neighbour.” You muttered into the arm draped over your face in an attempt to hide your embarrassment.
You rolled onto your side and scratched her head in an attempt to apologize for your harsh comments. Mittens gave you a small lick on your other hand in response. What am I going to do...
“Ah... I’m smitten aren’t I?”
You laid there for a good ten minutes, moping about your one sided crush and how unfortunate it would be if you did confess to him, only to get rejected. You’d still be forced to face him pretty much every single day, being neighbours and all, wouldn’t you? Oh how awkward that situation would be. You let out a long groan until you felt a nip at your fingers.
“Ow!” You frowned at your pet who playfully growled back. “What was that for?”
She scurried toward the front door and once again, barked at you endlessly until you hefted yourself into a sitting position on the couch. “What is it?”
She began scratching at the door — an act that she knew you didn’t really appreciate. You thought the two of you had already reached a mutual agreement to have her use other methods to announce when she wanted to be let out. 
Then it hit you.
She’s doing this on purpose isn’t she?
You sighed, not even bothering to fight her antics, and got up to open to door. “You want to be let out? Is that it?”
She let out a joyous bark the moment she was free, and dashed towards the other houses across the street. 
“Hey!”
In a rush, you hastily slipped on your shoes to catch up to your runaway pet. Your stomach churned with worry, what if she messed up someone else’s property and got you into trouble? Or even worse, what if she got herself into trouble? As empty as the streets usually were, you couldn’t bear the thought of her getting injured.
“Mittens! Come back here!” You desperately called.
And she did. 
Your dog returned to you with a happy smile on her face, as if her only motive was to lure you out of the house and into the bitterly cold wind. You didn’t even get to even spit out a lecture about her dangerous behaviour before she was on the run again, and this time, she made a beeline to Joshua’s backyard. If any of the other houses were looking out their windows that day, they must’ve thought it was quite silly to see their grown neighbour desperately chasing after their energetic dog, but you didn’t care. She was clearly up to no good, and you had to put a stop to that immediately.
The door to the backyard was left wide open that day, and she took full advantage of that, slipping easily into his property. You just stood there, mouth gaping at the audacity your pet had to pull yet another stunt, and she simply stopped in her tracks to smile at you in the safety of his garden. With dumfounded steps, you made your way towards her and hesitated before entering. As much as you wanted to snatch your dog and flee back into your home as quickly as possible, you didn’t want to enter his yard without permission. What if he happened to see you randomly lingering in his backyard? He’d most likely understand your reasoning behind it, but you wouldn’t be able to stand the embarrassment that was sure to come with the confrontation. After taking a moment to weigh your options, you decided it was best to try and coax her out of there without actually entering. You even considered offering extra treats for a week, despite her bad behaviour.
Before you could even utter out a single word, Mittens began nudging the wooden door with her body, and a strong gust of wind completed the task, shutting (and ultimately locking) the door in front of you.
All alone, you almost screamed out loud at all the unfortunate events that just had to happen to you. It felt as if everything really was scripted by someone else, and you were the unlucky protagonist who had to deal with it. The only option you had now was to get Joshua to help you out, or else Mittens would either A) hang out in his backyard until she gets noticed or B) dig her way through into someone else’s yard. You definitely didn’t want to risk having to deal with the latter, so you begrudgingly made your way to your lovely neighbour’s door to finally give in into Mittens’ plan. Letting out a sight, you tried to compose yourself before ringing the doorbell. You certainly weren’t in the ideal state to present yourself with, but you had no other choice. 
It took about a minute before you heard some shuffling on the other side, and the door opened to reveal a sinfully good looking Joshua. He looked as if he had just gotten out of the shower, with his damp hair hanging over his eyes, small towel wrapped around his neck, and loose fitting t-shirt that exposed way too much skin for your own good. Stray water droplets still ran down his face and he wiped them away before greeting you with that goddamn cute smile.
“Hi y/n! Sorry that took a while, just got out of the shower.” He gestured to his appearance and you merely nodded, at a loss for words. “What brings you here?”
Tearing your eyes away from him, you stared at the fuzzy pink carpet at his front door instead, and reminded yourself of the reason why you were talking to him in the first place.
“Ok, so believe it or not, Mittens was being sneaky as usual—,” He interrupted your sentence with a small chuckle. “—and she somehow made her way into your backyard and shut the door on me before I could do anything about it.”
His expression morphed from understanding to astonishment. “She really did that? So like, you’re telling me she’s in my backyard right now?”
“Well, hopefully, she’s still in your backyard and hasn’t run off yet. It’s almost as if she’s trying to play games with me, I can’t with this dog.” You muttered, and Joshua gently patted your shoulder in consolation.
“No worries, I’ll go check right now and if she’s there, I’ll let her out through the backyard.”
When you nodded in agreement to his idea, he shut the door with a soft click and you anxiously paced the front yard, waiting for the arrival of Joshua, and hopefully Mittens in tow. It took a while — much longer than you thought it should’ve taken, but you also knew just how difficult she could be, so you waited it out patiently and hoped for the best.
After what felt like eternity, the backyard door opened again and Mittens came bounding into your arms, tackling you the same way she did to your neighbour when she first met him. Shouting a quick “Thanks!” at Joshua underneath all the fur you were buried in, he simply sent you a small thumbs up before disappearing behind the fence. It a bit odd that he left so quickly without a word, but you quickly dismissed the thought to turn your attention back to the happy troublemaker. 
As you lightly scolded your pet for pulling off a stunt like that, you noticed something unusual dangling from her collar and gently took it into your hands. 
It was a small guitar keychain with a piece of paper taped to it, definitely not something that you owned. And from the way it was attached, it was obvious that it didn’t accidentally cling onto the collar in the midst of her adventure. Someone had put it there.
Taking it off, you curiously unfolded the paper to read a beautifully handwritten note.
Hey y/n! 
Ever since I moved in, I’ve been having a great time getting to know you and such. I’ve learned that you’re a wonderful friend and neighbour:)
I feel like Mittens is trying to scheme up something here haha, maybe she knows more about life than we both do? Things can work out in pretty funny ways. Anyways, I can’t just let her do all the work so... How about we grab a cup of coffee this weekend, if you’re free? My number’s on the other side of this so let me know:)
— Joshua ♡
Burying your face into your hands, you gushed at the note and gave your loving canine a big hug.
“Ok Mittens, I’ll have to thank you for this one.” You whispered, unable to wipe the stupid smile off your face. 
=====
i’m sorry if the plot felt a little rushed askhfddkjgf if i continued rereading this i think i would’ve ended up making it worse.
but despite that, it was still written with love, so i hope you enjoyed it! ♡
~ tiny
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writersdaydream · 4 years
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Open the Door
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Prompt: please open the door
Fandom: Hemlock Grove
Character: Roman Godfrey
Word count: 2159
High school is supposed to be the best four years of a teenager’s life. So far; it’s a load of shit. Having a dad in the navy isn’t the easiest thing ever. In my 17 years of life, I’ve had the privilege of moving 6 times to different states. The longest place ever being Oregon, and my favourite. Only one more year until I can move out and be in my own place, living wherever I choose, for however long I choose.
2 years ago we moved to Pennsylvania, and it quickly felt like home. The aesthetic was perfect, the weather was perfect, and for once, I had friends I felt like I could trust. Moving place to place, I found it useless to make friends; keeping the ones I would meet online, never staying long enough to make friends in person. That’s not how Roman saw it however; I still genuinely don’t know if he wanted to keep me close to keep me quiet or if he wanted to be friends.
Whatever the case, we didn’t stay the same; I was quick to discover he was protective over those he gets close to. May be from losing people in the past or just how he was brought up and how he is with Shelly.  After saving my life the first time, there was something between us that quickly sparked. Long story short, he’s been my first boyfriend and I would not change anything for the world.
-
School that day was going by as usual, Roman came to pick me up, we got coffee and were in the parking lot smoking before school started. “What’s on your mind?” He asked, pulling me from a trance, but I just shrugged – not wanting to get into it this early in the morning. “Y/N, I know when you’re lying” but once again I shrugged.
This was the longest my family has ever stayed in one place; we always moved around just to be closer to my father, and it was usually around this time of year that we got news whether or not he would be relocated. I couldn’t say goodbye to this place; Hemlock Grove quickly became my home, no matter how dreary things got or how intense my life would become. I wasn’t ready to give this up. My anxiety was quickly rising, but I didn’t want to bother him with my family issues.
Roman turned to me, his hand on my exposed thigh and looked in my eyes. He always managed to calm me down and get me to start talking but I don’t know if I could tell him this time, I didn’t want to get him in a mood before I knew if anything was happening. Looking anywhere but my boyfriend, I saw it was 8:30 and we had 5 minutes to get to class. “Look, I don’t know if anything is happening, maybe I’m just having a rough day. Anyway, we have five minutes,” and without looking back, I grabbed my stuff and rushed towards the door.
-
All day, I could feel Roman staring at me. I wanted to look at him, give him some peace of mind – but I knew if I do that, I would start crying. I feel like I can’t leave, this is the one place I have ever lived that made me feel lucky. I had friends, I had a boyfriend, hell, I was supposed to be graduating at the end of the semester – I feel like I can’t let that go, but I had no power whether we moved or not. I’m still a minor, and my mom is legally allowed to drag me everywhere with her.
During lunch I decided to take a walk, try to clear my head and be fresh for the afternoon. Numerous calls and texts from my friends almost prompted me to turn my phone off until I got the one text I have been dreading all day.
We need to talk when you get home                                                                                                            
                                                                               -mama
Tears immediately brimmed my eyes, I couldn’t do it. I can’t leave this place, I’ve built too many things, had too many memories for it to be taken way from me in just two years.
After little debate, I decided I was done with school. It felt as though my heart was slowly being torn in two. I hadn’t even gotten complete confirmation of what was happening or why she needed to talk to me, but it was like a yearly clock work. We are going to talk, she is going to break my heart and we are going to pack up to wherever is closer to dad’s new base.
Where are you?                -Rome
Y/N, come on
               -Rome
Class is starting, are you skipping?
                                               -Rome
I wasn’t feeling well, decided to walk home
                                                  -Y/N
Bullshit
               -Rome
               -Y/N
With that, I turned on do not disturb and enjoyed my quiet walk home.
-
Every house I walked by, every tree I saw would just make me more sad; knowing these would be the final times I would see these places. The walk way up the house already confirmed what my mom hasn’t told me; a real estate agent hammering a brand new ‘For Sale’ sign up in the front yard. Tears welled in my eyes, but I quickly shook them away – at this point, I should be used to it.
“Y/N? Is that you?” My mom yelled as the door slammed behind me, no point in trying to hide it – she had already heard my entrance. “Hi” I say, trying not to show the crack in my voice. “It’s only 1, don’t you have class this afternoon?” I shrugged my shoulders, really, I just wanted this conversation to end. “Y/N?” She asked again, but I just shook my head and made my way up to my room. Seeing the collapsed cardboard boxes resting over the door just made more tears well into my eyes. I knew there was no stopping this and I had to agree with what was going on; whether I liked it or not.
 Roman
After a couple more texts and no answer from Y/N, I realized I wasn’t going to get anywhere. Glancing at the clock, I had 20 more minutes of class, but I was not in the mood to sit through it. Y/N made class a little more bearable to sit through, and I was losing my mind sitting here. She wasn’t answering, she had told me she wasn’t feeling well; but I had a hunch there was something else going on. “Mr. Godfrey, is there somewhere else you’d rather be?” The teacher asked after I ignored yet another question, so I looked at him. “Yeah, thanks for asking,” and with that, I grabbed my things and left; hearing protests, but not looking back.
I had one thing on my mind, and it wasn’t schoolwork.
-
Pulling up to Y/N’s house, I immediately found out why she had decided to skip the rest of the day; a large, bright ‘for sale’ sign was posted up in her front lawn. I felt my heart sink, she had told us about her father relocating every so often, but I didn’t think it would happen so soon after her moving here. I kept my eye on the sign, as if staring at it would make it disappear, but that’s not how the world works; it’s also not how being an Upir works, unfortunately.
Shrugging it off, I put my car in park and went to the front door. Looking up at her room, the blinds were drawn, and her windows were closed; she loves hearing and feeling the breeze, so I knew she was sad. My heart broke for her, and all I wanted to do was hold her and make sure she was feeling okay. “Roman! Haven’t seen you in a while” her mother greeted as she opened the door, I smiled gently and accepted her hug. “Sorry about that, things have been a little hectic lately. Uh, is Y/N here?” I asked. “She’s up in her room, I must tell you, she’s in a little bit of a mood,” with that, her mother was down the hallway; most likely going to keep packing.
Stalking up the stairs, I couldn’t help but get chills. Y/N was an emotional person, you can feel her emotions as soon as she steps foot into a room. Either being able to lighten it, and make everyone feel better or at ease, or bring down the room entirely. She is human but has no idea how truly powerful she is. At the top of the stairs, it felt as though a ghost had passed through my body. The entire floor was cold, freezing even, but as I looked around, all doors and windows were closed; the sun was shining outside, I knew this was entirely being brought on due to her mood.
Gingerly, I knocked on the door; not expecting an answer but expecting at least a sign of life. Besides hearing her little cries, it seemed as though the life had been sucked out of here. “Go away mom” she cried, making my heart break, she was clearly upset and it made me upset for her. “It’s me” I whispered, there was a moment of silence, before she turned on her bed – most likely shifting her back to door. “Go away” her voice cracked. Her voice was breaking, telling me she was trying not to cry, but it was no use. I gently tried pushing the door open, but it was no use – she had locked it. “Come on Y/N don’t do that. Please, open the door.”
However, there was no answer.
I knew she was hurting, but I had no idea what to do. “Please” I whispered, starting to feel defeat. Before meeting her, I would have never shown this much weakness to anyone, no matter how close I was with them. That was something about her though, she had so much power it was insane, she knew my strengths and she knew my weaknesses; and she was the main one.
Resting my forehead against the door, I wasn’t willing to give up. Y/N and I were both very stubborn people, she should know better than to assume I would have left.
I don’t know how much time had passed, but I had ended up sitting on the floor outside the door. I don’t care how long it would take, I would not be leaving until I was able to see her, and see how she was doing.  I heard movement from her room, and suddenly weight on the other side of the door. “You still there?” She asked, I let out a little smile, turning my head. “I’m still here” I say.
Suddenly, the lock clicked. I knew she had unlocked the door, but I didn’t want to do anything she didn’t want me to. The door had opened, making me stumble and fall back into her body, her arms catching me slightly. “You know, you’re supposed to be in my place” I mumbled, putting a hand on her arm that was around my shoulders. “Let me have this, please” she said.
I did as asked, not daring to move. I could sense how she was feeling, and I didn’t want to do anything to disrupt her peace in this moment.
It was quite a long time before she finally spoke, her cheek pressed against the top of my hair, our hands interlaced. It was a peaceful moment, and if this is all I could give her in moments like this, I would do it ten times over. “We’re moving” she said, tightening her grip on my hand, and I nodded my head – not quite sure what to say to that. “I don’t want to say goodbye Roman; I don’t think I can” her voice cracked for what seemed like the millionth time today, and it shattered my heart. I hate how this girl can do so much, without doing anything at all.
I sighed, trying to think of anything to calm her. I turned in her arms, letting my head rest on her chest. Her heart beating millions of miles an hour, she was anxious out of her mind. “Calm down sweetheart, okay? We’ll do something, I’ll make sure you don’t have to leave” I promised. “How can you Roman? There’s nothing we can do, I have to move, I have to make new friends and start everything over again” she said, moving the hair from my forehead. I couldn’t help but to smile, she was so naïve it was a little cute. “Trust me, you won’t have to. I won’t let you leave,” her pupils dilated at my words. “I promise” I whispered, leaning up to capture her lips in mine.  
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Survey #459
“i wanted you to know that i love the way you laugh  /  i wanna hold you high and steal your pain away”
Does the person you like have any flaws? He's never seemed very expressive of what he feels. Has anyone ever given you a ring? Why? Yes. Because it was our anniversary and he wanted to, ig. If you ruled your own country, what type of government would it have? I'm not educated enough to answer this. Creation theory, Evolution or the Big Bang theory? I really don't know what I believe about the origins of the universe, but I do believe in evolution. Describe one of your most emotional farewells. The last time I saw Jason and we talked for a long time, and I finally got my closure. It was all so heavy. It started so stiffly, but it ended with us just chatting and smiling and, to my absolute shock, a hug from him. I'm getting emotional so NEXT QUESTION. What was your last serious conversation about? I was reassuring and comforting Sara about some stuff. Is there a city that you have a particular fondness for? If so, what city is it and why? No. Are there any gnomes in your yard? No. When was the last time you were stung by a bee? What kind was it? Years ago. A bumblebee. Are you gonna buy lottery tickets when you’re old enough? I am old enough, and no. The odds are way, way too small, and I don't really dabble in addictive behavior. Have you ever been into a real cave? No. :( That's a life goal, though. Have you ever posted mean comments on YouTube? I know I did once as a kid. It was regarding Meerkat Manor and I thought it was really disrespectful to Flower just because of the music chosen lmao. The drama. What color is your digital camera, if you have one? Black. If you had to spend one day in any movie storyline, which one would it be? Alice in Wonderland, I suppose? Name the strangest game you’ve ever played (video game or real game): Oh man, I've played waaaaay too many video games. I suppose Silent Hill with how confused it left me at first. Its concept is definitely wild. Parasite Eve is high on the list, too. In your opinion, what is the saddest movie you’ve ever seen? Boy in the Striped Pajamas destroys me. What is the best song to make out to? I could answer this but I'm not gonna lmfao Is there anyone right now that you are simply/overly infatuated with? story of my life ayyyyeeeee Who was the last person to play with your hair? Are they cute? Not a clue. Who was the last person close to you that died? Did you cry? Jason's mom. I sobbed on-and-off for days. Do you consider yourself a healthy person? Physically and mentally? No, in either way. Do you know anyone who owns a boat? My dad does. I'm sure others, too, with how popular fishing out on a boat is here. Do you know anyone who uses medical marijuana? I don't know. Even for medicinal purposes, it's not legal here. Do you know anyone who’s died in childbirth? No. What did you do for your 21st birthday? I was in the psych hospital, so... lmao. Therapy, reading, and coloring. Lots of reading and coloring. Because they did NOT fill your schedule enough there. We only had two group therapy sessions a day, and the rest was just... blankness. If dinosaurs could be tamed, would you want one as a pet? I know I'd be one of the dumb ones that absolutely wanted a tiny raptor, lol. Do you own more than one copy or edition of a book? No. If you could see any musical on Broadway right now, what would it be? Not interested. Do you eat soup when you’re sick? I don't like soup. If you read, which book or series did you enjoy most as a child? My first real series that I read religiously was Hank the Cowdog. Then it was Warriors. Do you buy Halloween candy when it’s on sale after the holiday? No. I really don't need candy available to me. Do you agree with the “they’re just being kids” excuse? It depends on what they're doing. In a lot of cases, no. Do you ever watch talk shows? No. Do you have a/any hero(s)? Mark Fischbach, Steve Irwin, my mom... Have you told your parents all of your secrets from when you were a teen? No. Though Mom has playfully once told me that she knows a lot of things I don't think she does, and that's terrifying lmao. You’re getting married. Who’s your maid of honor and best man? M.o.H.: Mom or Sara. Best man isn't my choice. Would you rather get highlights or dye your whole head? DYE IT ALLLLLLL. Are you wearing anything of any sentimental value? Describe? My friendship ring w/ Sara. It has a heart carved on the outside and "bitch" engraved inside so no one can see when you have it on, lol. She has one that says "jerk." It's a Supernatural reference. Who challenges you the most? In what way? My therapist and psychiatrist. They just help ensure I pursue my goals and give me little nudges forward to reassure me. Who seems to hold you back? In what way? PFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFT ME. I listen to my anxiety WAY too much. What was the last opportunity that you passed up, and why? Going up to Lake Gaston w/ Mom to visit Ash and her fam. They go there all the time, and it's a real nice place. I just didn't want to go because of the heat. Should there be an application process for having children? Hunny, that would not stop people from fuckin lmfao Name one thing that you think defines you as a person? m e e r k a t s What is a fear you have about living on your own? That depression would get the better of me and I'd neglect taking good care of my house. One of the many reasons I'll never live alone. Not at all saying I'd leave the responsibilities to my partner, but they'd be motivation for me to get stuff done. What’s the worst name your mom has ever called you? I don't know. Nothing that bad. What’s your stance on spooning? It helps me feel safe and loved and alsdkfjalwe I just love cuddling in all sorts lmao What’s your most recent obsession? Violet Orlandi & Melodicka Bros' cover of "Somebody That I Used to Know." Have you ever been scammed? Ha ha, yes. I once wanted to get Jason a Joker and Harley Quinn pillow from deviantART; talked to the artist, paid 'em, never got it. :^) Have you ever fostered an animal? No. I would get WAY too attached to foster. I wouldn't be able to give them up without breaking down, probs. Do you know anyone who acts way younger than what they are? I'm sure I do, but no one is coming to mind atm. Would you say you’re a pretty independent person? God no. Does the last song you listened to, remind you of someone? JASON. Do you currently want a new computer? Yes, actually. I want a desktop PC for better gaming quality, honestly. Also, the "escape" key doesn't work on this laptop, one key is missing so I have to hit the sensor JUST right, and it restarts randomly sometimes. I want a PC mainly because I want to get out of the habit of being on my laptop in bed all damn day. How would your parents react if you got a tattoo? I already have like six or seven, so they wouldn't be surprised. Is there anyone you can picture yourself being with forever right now? Maybe. Who is your truest friend? Sara. What is the strangest thing you’ve ever seen outside of your house? THIS house? Idk. Nothing that I'd consider odd. What bug frightens you most? STAG BEETLES lkadjslkfja;lwekjawl;kejrlawer Who is your oldest friend? That would be Sam, and he's in his mid-30s. How long have you known them? Many years. We met via WoW, which I've been playing since '14. I don't really remember how far into it we met, though. Where are they right now? lol I wouldn't know, he's all the way in Jersey. Plus we haven't talked in a while. Have you ever dated a friend of one of your siblings? God no, that would be so weird. What is the best gift someone can give you? An ear to listen without it feeling like a chore to them. Have you ever dated someone who had a child? No. I don't think I could do it. What is the last movie that made you cry? The The Lion King remake made me tear up. Have you ever played in a waterfall? No. Ugh, that sounds like a blast. In your life who has meant the most to you? Let's not get into this. What has been your biggest failure in life? Letting depression and my other conditions take away my identity, becoming my new identity. Do you trust yourself? No. I second-guess EVERYTHING and never know what I should listen to: my heart, my head, my gut... or which voice is what. Would you ever consider getting an abortion, under any circumstances? Yes. What was the last bug you killed? Some kind in the bathroom. Idk what it was. Just a little thing that sort of resembled an earwig, but not completely. Do you prefer profile pictures by yourself of with someone else? By myself, since it's my page. Do you know anyone who has written a book? I don't think so? Do you drink milk/juice from the carton if no one is around? Ew, no. I live with another person, and even if I didn't, what if I had guests? Has anyone ever told you they liked you in a realllly sweet way? Maybe? Has a member of the opposite sex ever given you jewlery? Jason has. Do you find sleeping in cars easy? NOOOOOOOOOO. I'm too scared to let my eyes close and not see what's going on on the road. Has a boyfriend’s/girlfriend’s parents ever gotten mad at you? Why? I don't believe so, no. What is the funniest thing a child has ever said to you. Definitely something my niece has said, but idr what it was. What’s been on your mind lately? Y'all know, lol. Do you feel like you need to get something off your chest? No. Sara was recently there for that. ♥ How would you react if someone told you they had feelings for you? Be very very excited if it was from a certain person.
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tisfan · 4 years
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Black Thumb, Green Wallet
Title: Black Thumb / Green Wallet Collaborator Name: @tisfan Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25019287 Square Filled: O3: “Why do I even Bother?” Ship/Main Pairing: Bucky/Tony Rating: teen Major Tags & Triggers: none Summary: Tony doesn’t know anything about plants. Bucky-- has no idea who this crazy guy is, but he has a cute butt and is willing to help out. Guess gardening 101 is in session Word Count: 1397 For @monobuu For @starkbucksbingo 
“Why do I even bother,” Tony said, looking disgusted. The plants, which had been bright and cheerful a few days before were limp, drooping, and one of them had turned black. He wasn’t sure which one was more pathetic, the dead one or the one where all the leaves had fallen off.
It wouldn’t be so bad, really, except that Pepper had given him the plants, specifically for his birthday. And she and her husband Happy were coming to visit for the fourth of July weekend. Tony’s balcony had a good view of the fireworks and they could drink and eat without being surrounded by people. 
It had been a while since Tony had seen her in person, really. The plants had been part of some delivery system, and Tony had watered them and put them in the windowsill.
He thought he’d even managed to water them more than once.
Probably. He thought.
Pepper wouldn’t say anything if she didn’t see the plants. She wouldn’t. She wasn’t that kind of person. But she would look around for them, and then for just a second, her eyebrows would get that little wrinkle and Tony would know she was disappointed in him, once again.
There were so many people who were disappointed in Tony on such a regular basis, it was hard to admit to disappointing Pepper.
“Fine,” he exploded at the empty air. “Fine.” He gathered up the little stakes from the plants that told him what they all were. There had to be someone at the nursery -- he was pretty sure that garden shops were called nurseries. Maybe they were called nunneries. Now he couldn’t remember, damnit. -- that knew enough to get him at least replacement plants and he could pretend everything was fine.
Like when he was eight and his mom forgot to tell the maids to feed the goldfish while they were on vacation, and she had them replaced with new fish. Like he wouldn’t notice.
Well, Pepper at least hadn’t seen the plants. 
Had she? He thumbed through his texts and emails to her to see if he’d mailed any photographs. And no, he hadn’t. Except for one, but maybe he could tell her he’d had to repot that plant.
Probably.
Right?
Jesus, he was in trouble.
*
“Hey, hey, excuse me,” someone said. Bucky, who was staring into the endless depths of the delivery truck and knowing for a fact that Quill was slacking somewhere in the back with his headphones in, sighed. He was the only employee out in the nursery, which was usually fine, but then someone had to go and want to know why the begonias weren’t on sale. 
Lady, I don’t make policy around here.
Can you carry this to my car? No.
Would you-- No.
Bucky didn’t bother to answer. He laid another flat of pansies on the handtruck and started wheeling it down the truck’s ramp. If he didn’t get the plants unloaded by the time the driver got back, the driver would leave, half the flowers undelivered, and then there’d be hell to pay.
“Hi, yes,” the guy said as Bucky rolled the flat down the ramp. “So, I looked around and there’s no one else here, and I hate to bother you--”
Bucky gave the guy his thousand yard stare, but it didn’t seem to have any effect. Right. “How can I help you, sir?”
“So, like, I don’t know anything about plants--” 
Oh, Christ.
“Neither do I,” Bucky lied. He was, in fact, a master gardener, and he’d convinced the owner of Hydra Hardware to add on the nursery, but it also meant he was extremely overworked. “I just pick up heavy things and put them down. I gotta unload this truck, man.”
“If I help you unload, will you answer some questions?”
What?
Bucky looked the guy over; he was wearing painted on jeans and a ratty band t-shirt that showed off biceps for days. Did a very slow pan and scan, and even added in a little twirl of his finger. He wasn’t quite sure if he was trying to embarrass the guy, or what, but holy crow, the rear view was really, really nice.
“Don’t suppose you have better shoes than that out in your car,” Bucky said,
“Huh?”
“You’re wearing keds. If you drop something on your foot, you’ll break a toe, and I don’t want to get sued for that.”
“Wha-- oh, you know, I have steel-toed boots in the trunk, if I get them, and help you, will you answer some questions about plants?”
“Sure, why not.”
Because Bucky was almost positive that the guy did not have work boots in his car, probably some doc martin knock offs, which were great for working a shift behind the counter at the coffee shop, but still weren’t up for dropping a flat on your foot.
“Great, you’ve saved my life, sunshine,” the guy said, and dashed off. He actually ran pretty fast, Bucky noted. 
Well, stranger things had happened, but Bucky couldn’t remember when. He shook his head and got back to work. He’d almost forgotten about the guy when he came back, wearing black boots and a baseball hat. “Huh, are those mining boots?” 
“Matterhorns,” the man said. “I do a lot of workshop stuff-- rebuilding engines and stuff. Got tired of replacing my boots every three months.”
“Huh, okay, then. I gotta get all these flats off the truck in the next thirty minutes. You know how to operate a hand truck, or you just want to load, an’ I’ll take them down the ramp?”
“I got this,” the man said, and he pulled out a pair of work gloves, and got down to it. Nice. Bucky’d probably get fired if Pierce came out and saw him putting a customer to work, but Pierce didn’t come out of the back office all that often. “My name’s Tony, by the way.”
“Bucky--” Bucky displayed his employee name tag. “Nice to meet you.”
The guy was strong, shifting the plants as if he did more to get those muscles than go to the gym. Gym rats couldn’t pick up shit, they knew how to lift a weight bar, but not how to pick up one side of a washing machine without throwing their back out.
“So, what’s your boggle?” Bucky asked after most of the flats were unloaded. “Bring those with you, I gotta rack ‘em.”
“So, one of my friends got me some plants to liven up my condo,” Tony said. “And-- I’m not so good with plants, and they all died.”
“Happens,” Bucky said, philosophically. “What plants?”
Tony handed him a bunch of plant stake labels. 
“Uh-huh,” Bucky said. “And what did you do with them?”
“Put them in the windowsill and watered them every few days,” Tony said, crossing his heart like Bucky wouldn’t believe him.
“Okay, well, first off, some of these need more light than that, and some need less, and this one doesn’t need to be watered all that often.”
“So, you can help me?”
“Depends,” Bucky said. “If you want replacements so your lady friend won’t sneer at you and you might get laid--”
“Pepper is a friend’s wife,” Tony said, grumpily. “And I don’t date women anyway. I’m a failure as one of those sitcom type gays, though. I don’t keep my house clean, I’m only a snazzy dresser if I have someone else picking out my wardrobe, and I don’t know the first thing about interior decorating. Queer Eye would completely disown me.”
“No, Queer Eye would help you,” Bucky said, grinning. “But I guess we can go with Queer Eye for the Plant Guy. Look, you tell me what kind of lifestyle you’ve got and what you want your plants to do-- not what Pepper thinks you should have, and I’ll help you get all set up, and teach you how to take care of them. I can give you some good website resources, too.”
“Yeah?”
“Sure can,” Bucky said. He waved at the truck driver as Kurt packed up and pulled out. “Look, it’s my break now, come on, we can talk while I eat.”
“Buy you a cup of coffee and a danish?” Tony jerked a thumb at the bakery across the street. “And you can teach me all your planty secrets?”
“Sounds good to me,” Bucky said.
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insomniac-dot-ink · 4 years
Text
Never Alone
The yard sale spread out like a little girl shook her dollhouse and the contents sprawled into messy piles across the grass. There was a box of second-hand shoes that you had to find the mate for yourself and rickety card tables with rusting legs holding knick-knacks ranging from toy trains with gunk in the wheels to stained cloth napkins the color of one of the seven deadly sins. 
Two neighborhood houses on Chestnut Hill had decided to get together and sell the insides of their attics to the unsuspecting masses. I wrinkled my nose at an old toy chest with a yellow finish and long scrapes across the top.
I glanced over to where a tall brunette was inspecting a plastic tea-cup with flower designs on the side. “How long do you want to be Ollie?” I asked sourly as the sun licked over my brow. It was barely even eleven and I could already feel the heat of the day sinking its teeth in.
Olivia barely looked up as I addressed her, she was in “shopping mode” which was a space I couldn’t personally penetrate with either manners or an industrial-sized hammer. “A couple minutes. Ten tops.” She lied and I wrinkled my nose.
I shook my hair back in irritation, “you promised you’d try that new brunch place with me.” I stuck my bottom lip out, “Derick and I were gonna do it… but you know.” Olivia looked up long enough to flash me a sympathetic look and held up two fingers, “just a couple of minutes.” She gave a long pause and tried to wave me off, “Go find something you like. It’s a big sale there’ll probably be something.” I rolled my eyes and turned back to the messy zig-zags of junk. “Ugh.” I walked away with my shoulders hunched.
Olivia Henderson was my roommate and best friend and had a thing for yard sales, second hand stores, people’s closets, junk piles, and anything that smelled a little funky from the lost and found. Her tastes were as inexplicable as the fact she worked in banking. She collected shoddy 18th century reprints and people’s old key chains with anime characters on them and weird bomber jackets covered in patches.
To say the least, she was going to be awhile.
I rounded an burnt ironing board and watched an old couple inspect a bright green bike parked up against a table. I glanced down at my phone and saw a healthy number of notifications which I immediately flicked away out of habit.
The old couple laughed at something as the owners of the house rounded on them and asked something probably included lines like “lovely couple” and “this will be perfect for you…” I rolled my eyes and went around a box with old roller blades and worn jackets for sale inside.
I checked my phone again and there was a new text.
Mariene: I heard about you and Derick :(
Mariene: Want to talk about it? :)
I shook my head like there was something I was trying to dislodge and jammed my phone in my back pocket. The sun simmered above and I kicked a box of board games lightly before weaving back and forth toward the back of the house.
It was a two-story carbon-copy kind of house that was painted grey and felt grey and oozed that bland grey choke hold sensation of suburbia. The houses around it were beige and cream and off-white and had families in them that were working on holding down decent jobs, having 2.5 kids, and then dying. The whole thing made my stomach churn.
I eyed an old rocking chair that at least looked reupholstered recently and heard the last of the old couples voices: our grandson just turned eight…
Their grandson just turned eight. I felt my phone buzz from my back pocket and glanced over my shoulder to check that Olivia was still collecting slightly bent silver forks and drapes with bowling alley designs.
I was ready to leave. I was ready to get brunch and bitch about Derick and Serina and the fact they were now “Derick and Serina.” How the last thing he said was “I love you,” before cheating on me. I took another meandering step toward the house when my eyes landed on a doorway. There was a series of concrete steps laid into the ground itself, tucked away right behind some bushes and at the back of the house.
I eyed it for a second. The door itself was brown and faceless and the only thing interesting about it was that it was open. I cocked my head to the side as a little basement entrance was fully exposed. It reminded me of a scab begging to be itched.
I looked one more time over my shoulder to check that the owners were still talking to the old couple and Olivia was still in love with her oddities. I skipped down the garden level steps toward the door.
Snooping and boredom usually went hand in hand and I justified it in the back of my head with a quick “maybe they have better junk they’re selling down here.”
A few steps down and the light seemed to shift above my head. It became honeyed and slightly cloudy-- like looking through colored glass. The voices of the yard became more distant and I poked my head inside a very cramped looking room.
It was a finished basement that unlike my parents house wasn’t just concrete floors and water damage. I stood up straight as a blast of AC hit me in the face and I took a few more steps into the room to feel that sweet cold air across my skin.
It seemed to be another storage room which was impressive since they already seemed to have an entire universe of junk on their lawn outside. There were brown boxes stacked high and a wooden dresser alongside a big classic baby crib with wooden bars. The cool air inside the room was heavenly, but there seemed to be a sheen of dust through it. The late summer light streamed down  through floating bits of something and my nose began to tickle.
I glanced around the boxes and curiously made my way to the baby crib because I hadn’t seen one like that outside of movies and museums. It looked like it was made of real wood and whittled by hand with a certain amount of care.
My parents had bought plastic industrial-made cribs and quickly got rid of them the second me and my sister were old enough for bunk beds. They weren’t the type of couple to hold onto sentimental keepsakes or make anything by hand.
I delicately touched the railing of the crib and it was warm and the wood was soft like smoothed stones you find near lakes. My eyes glazed over for a moment and some part of me wanted to take the crib home with me. It was handsome and strong and I didn’t own a lot of things with history behind them.
I shook the thought out of my head after a moment because I never planned on having kids. I never wanted to live in a beige neighborhood where people settled for their jobs and settled for each other and settled for raising bratty kids they didn’t even want. Kids that in turn grew up to settle for shitty governments and shitty societal systems and stop dreaming and start focusing on collecting piles of junk and dying on top of them.
I turned around quickly as if to bundle myself up and run away from the whole vision of it. I pivoted and stumbled into a vanity that I hadn’t noticed was right beside the crib. I hit it hard with my whole body. “Oof!” I yelped.
It was a big solid vanity with four drawers and spindly legs and a round clear mirror in the very center of the wooden body. It looked like the same wood as the crib. I had a moment to catch my own panicked eyes in the mirror before the thing teetered backyard.
“No!” I reached to stop it from thundering backward, but it happened quickly. The vanity toppled backward and crushed two small boxes behind it that sent up an entire storm of dust into the air.
I sneezed rapid-fire as the dust exploded and my head rocked back and forth.
“What’s going on?” A sharp voice barked and someone was at the side door. “What are you doing in here?!” I sneezed again and turned around to find one of the owners-- the woman in a pink cardigan, staring daggers at me. Her mouth went round in perfect horror as she saw the vanity toppled backward and me standing in the very center of the dust plumes.
“Sorry,” I said quickly, “I didn’t mean to, but it’s not broken or anything, promise.” I said before sneezing again and wiping at my nose.
“Get out!” Her voice was strained and barely a pitch below hysterical. “Get out of here!”
My brow furrowed and I plodded back toward the door, “It was open--” She pushed me physically from the room and into the stairwell, “you fool.” She spat, “don’t ever come back here and pray to God it didn’t--” She paused, “just pray.” “What?” I backed away from her. “Anika?” Olivia poked her head around the corner as the light beat me over my head. Olivia eyed the owner looking like a bull with red paint in front of her, “Uh?” “We gotta go.” I said flatly. Personally, I thought the woman was overreacting since nothing was actually harmed.
The owner turned to me. “Leave.” I didn’t need to be told twice. I hurried up the stairs and grabbed Olivia’s wrist, “Come on.” I tugged on her.
“Wait, I found this weird map I want to buy.” “I think we just sorta got banned.” I clarified and tried not to wince. I reminded myself it wasn’t my fault the woman completely lost it.
“What?!” 
“I’ll make it up to you.” I said quickly, “lunch is on me.”
I glanced over my shoulder and the last thing I saw was the woman hurriedly locking the door with a huge old-fashioned key and muttering to herself. Something cold dropped into the pit of my stomach and I ignored it.
------------
“I can’t believe you guys are going out without me.” I pouted as I watched my roommates finish gathering their bags and checking their makeup and phones for updates on their Uber.
I lived with three roommates because it was New York City and I wasn’t a billionaire. Olivia was a strange artsy girl who worked in accounting, Carmen was an outgoing career girl with a type-A personality, and Molly was a soft, quiet girl who was getting her PhD in something useless. They were all my type of people, but it didn’t help when they all just stared blankly at me as I moped on the green armchair by our windows.
Carmen puckered her lips, “Hey, we told you to come with us.” She said with an arched eyebrow, “it’ll help get over your bastard ex.” I gave a dramatic sigh, “I’m not ready for a rebound guy yet.” I said tersely and shifted in place. “And I’ve got a headache.” I lied mostly for the effect. 
Molly shot me a sympathetic look. “We don’t have to talk to boys--” “Speak for yourself.” Olivia joked.
“It’s our girls night. We've been planning it for weeks now.” Molly simpered.
I stuck my chin out stubbornly. “Can’t we just stay home and watch TV? I have a breakup ritual to get through.”
Carmen clicked her tongue, “I bet Derick would be so jealous if he saw you already hot and ready to trot right now.” I made a face at them. “I don’t want to make him jealous. I don’t care about that cheating asshole anymore,” I lied again and turned away, “but you guys have fun.” I knew I was mostly refusing out of spite, didn’t they care that I was going through something right now? It didn’t matter either way though as Carmen cheered, “Our Uber’s here! Come on ladies.” “Be good, Anika,” Olivia waved, “don’t get banned from anything else while we’re gone.” She said with a twinkle in her eye and a reference to our outing that morning.
I flipped her off, “Go enjoy getting yourself gonorrhea in a club bathroom.” “We will.” And just like that they were out the door and to their “girls night” without a care in the world.
I groaned and hung my head back. I heard my phone buzz probably with yet another text from my sister. She never got the hint when I didn’t want to talk to her or listen to another one of her lectures beginning with “start growing up already, Anika, you’re almost thirty.”
I closed my eyes and wanted something to scream into.
The apartment was a clean space with dark carpets and low ceilings. It was decorated by Olivia with misshapen nautical lamps in the corners and heavy curtains that Carmen put up so she could Skype with her international colleagues early in the morning.
I stared at the ceiling as I listened to my roommates reach the elevator and the doors dinged. I frowned as the noise faded and something else took its place. It was a faint sound.
I perked up and looked over to the apartment hallway. It was almost so distant I couldn’t make it out, but there was unmistakable shuffling coming from the narrow space. “Hello?” I said and narrowed my eyes.
More sounds of scuffing came from the soft carpets. I stood up. Some animal-instinct sent off alarms in my head and I peered around the corner. I swept my eyes across the closed doors and a dying houseplant by the bathroom.
I looked to the ceiling to check if maybe rats were in the vents, but I heard the noise again: pat pat pat. 
I looked right in front of me where the sound was coming from. Nothing was there.
Pat, pat, pat
I looked down. There were two dark indents in the carpet that seemed to be moving. I backed up until I reached the opposite wall. 
Pat, pat, pat
Something was padding across the floor in front of me, slowly and deliberately. But I couldn’t see anything there.
Some sort of dread settled in my stomach that I couldn’t place, cold and hard and tying knots in my guts. I stared for another moment at empty space, and then ran for the door. I shoved my feet into my shoes, looked at my phone, and then booked it into the hall and down to the stairwell.
“Hey!” I waved as my friends were nearing a blue Mazda. “I changed my mind. I want to come.” I didn’t think I was actually that torn up about Derick, but the mind is a terrible thing, and I didn’t need it playing tricks on me all by myself in my apartment.
--------
My fingers clacked on the keyboard with a certain satisfying fury. The deadline was the day after tomorrow, but that meant it was even more important to get most of the leg work out of the way that night. 
The shine of the fluorescent lights was almost feverish and angry above me and my right wrist ached from typing. It was past midnight by then and it was only me and a lowly intern finishing up work for the night. The building was always “on” in the way that the city itself was always “on,” but I had an article on current campaign finance reform failures that I needed to finish.
It was almost 1am by the time I blinked and Kenny the intern was turning off his desk lamp. I looked up and he looked right back at me. “Um,” he was a sweaty kind of kid with a round face and freckles that popped like pock marks on his cheeks. “Did you, uh, want that on?” He asked nervously as he pointed to his desk lamp for some reason.
I shook my head, “I’m basically done.” I looked at my article. It would need a lot of cleanup tomorrow morning before it went to the presses the next day, “I’ll be right behind you.” I let Kenny get to the elevator first and head downstairs so we wouldn’t have to share any awkward small talk when all we really wanted to do was head home. I was revising the last paragraph-- the one with the real “punch” to it when I heard something.
I looked up just as a soft shuffling sound came from across the room. My neck prickled and I closed my laptop.
Pat, pat, pat.
It had a slow pace and strange rhythm to it, but I was certain this time that it was footsteps. I hunched over, finished closing my bag up, and stood.
Pat, pat, pat
It sounded a little quicker this time, but still slow and steady. I jogged to the elevator and was grateful that it didn’t seem able to run itself. I clenched my jaw and looked over my shoulder. Nothing was there again, and some rational part of me felt ridiculous.
I glared, “I know you’re there.” Pat, pat, pat
It was getting closer now. Closer than it was before.
I bared my teeth, “I don’t know what you want--”
Ding
The elevator arrived and I threw a withering look over my shoulder. “But you’re not going to fucking scare me. Go away.” Pat, pat
It was almost right in front of me now. I darted quickly into the elevator and pushed the button a dozen times to get the doors to close faster. I exhaled when they finally gently clanked shut just as the steps arrived right where I had just been.
I was massaging my neck and thinking about going to shrink when I heard the creature really arrive at the door.
Sccrrrtchhh
I sucked in a quick breath and that same cold dread shook through my nerves. The elevator started descending to the street level, but all I could hear was that same sound over and over again: sccrrtchhh
It sounded like claws on metal.
I spent the whole walk home looking over my shoulder and listening for invisible things and slow footsteps. I waited for its claws to finally arrive and slit my throat. However, nothing seemed to pursue me in the crowded streets or the subway.
It was probably all in my head. Or it was just trying to scare me a little and would go away-- maybe it enjoyed the hunt and not the kill. But something told me that wasn’t the case.
---------------
“So,” I said and a long drawn-out silence passed between us over the phone. “How’s Josh? How’re the kids?” I asked casually and waited for the other shoe to drop.
My sister cleared her throat on the other end of the line, “He’s fine. They’re fine.” She sounded prim and measured as always, “You’re the one we’ve been worried about.” I scowled off into nothing as I sat in a large park with pigeons pecking at the ground nearby. The weather had been turning and the sky was readying itself for the first snow, “Why?” I said without meaning to.
“Because of Derick. You guys had been dating for ages,” she said slowly, “Plus… you know.” “What?” “You only call when you need something.” She said with both a hint of humor as well as accusation in her tone.
“Well it’s not about Derick.” I grumbled, “I was actually calling about…” I drew a deep steadying breath. “I’ve just been straining myself at work a little too much.” I stared at the ground with a hard look. “And maybe gotten a little over stressed.” “Oh?” Mariene waited.
“So,” I forced the words out. “I know you got a good doctor after Liam was born.”
“You mean a therapist?” She said and it sounded triumphant. “Because he handles mostly postpartum depression, but I could find you someone really good. What do you think the problem is?” “There’s no problem.” I said quickly between clenched teeth, “I just need a better way to unwind or someone to… I don’t know. A second opinion.” “On what?” Mariene sounded truly concerned now.
I looked up at the slate-grey sky and sighed, “it’s nothing.” My shoulders drooped, “it was nice talking to you.” I said in a tone that didn’t really convey the sentiment at all.
“Wait,” Mariene said quickly, “Anika, don’t hang up. If it’s really bad, you can stay with me. Or maybe get an apartment of your own! You’re almost 30 and living with 3 other people is--” “Goodbye Marienne.” I hung up. I looked over my shoulder as I had been doing for weeks now ever since a that first panic pumping night. That first feeling of something, something I couldn’t see approaching.
I checked the park one more time but only saw the squirrels in a trash bin and an old man sleeping on a bench nearby. I got up and told myself that I hadn’t heard from it in awhile now. “I’ll just go back to my apartment,” I rubbed my face. “And sleep.”
“And sleep” was mostly wishful thinking at that point. I hadn’t slept well in awhile. Soft bits of snow started to fall and catch in my hair and eyelashes. I took a deep chilly breath that prickled in my lungs and grounded me. I started walking. I had taken to wondering at night and going in random directions. 
I had to use google maps to get home on these nights. I followed the little blue line on my phone down a dark narrow street that directed me toward home. That’s when I heard the distinct echoing.
“Oh.” I said.
Clack, clack, clack
It’s steps reverberated through the dank street and I looked around me. Belatedly, I realized that I had chosen the one street in all of New York that was empty. “Do you only come,” I looked behind me and it seemed even quicker than the last time we met. “When I’m alone?”
Clack, clack, clack
Did it keep getting faster, closer, better at this each time? I couldn’t tell. I started hurrying down the long dark street with empty buildings on either side of me. I needed to find people. I just needed to find some other living breathing person.
Clack-clack-clack-clack
I looked behind me and in the soft fallen snow I saw it’s footsteps. They weren’t shoes or toes or even paws. It was something much worse.
I let out a scream and turned a corner. I ran straight into an old woman with her hair falling out and a sallow look to her skin. “Oh thank God,” I grabbed her and turned, “do you see that?!”
I pointed to the place where the steps were misshapen and lumpy in the snowfall. 
“See what, dear?” She asked with her eyes squinted and I remembered to breath again.
“Nothing.” I collapsed onto the ground next to her, “nothing at all.”
----------------
Things were different after that. I went out more. I went dancing so much the blisters on my toes had blisters. I stayed in crowds. I never stayed home. I considered getting a cat, but then what if it hurt the cat when we were finally alone? I knew I  had started to bother my friends. They gave me irritated looks when I third-wheeled on nights out with their boyfriends. I knew I was getting annoying when I clung to them and looked over my shoulder wherever we went. I knew I was distracted and not much fun.
It didn’t help that Molly saw me sliding a giant knife into my purse. It didn’t help when Olivia asked me what was in my pocket jokingly and reached in to find handfuls of sand. I couldn’t give her the proper explanation. I couldn’t tell her that I needed to see if it was coming.
It stayed at bay though, as long as I was never alone.
I went back to the house on Chestnut Hill. I suspected that’s where it started-- with the dust and the baby crib. However, when I finally found the address that Olivia gave me the place was completely empty with a “for sale” sign out front.
I couldn’t find the owner’s new address and when I tried to find the basement I couldn’t find that either. 
It was midwinter when my friends finally had an intervention. 
“We think you need some me-time.” Carmen said factually as we sat in the middle of the living room. “Why don’t you stay home tonight and give yourself a spa night?” She smiled tightly.
They all stared at me from places on the couch and I didn’t even care that we hadn’t had fun together in months. I just needed them to be in the room.
“Sure.” I said with an absent nod. “We can do a spa night tonight.” “Well, babe,” Olivia said slowly, “I’m going to do some me-time tonight in my studio. By myself. Carmen is going on a date with her boyfriend. And Molly is going to visit her parents tonight.” I turned to Molly. “I’d love to see your folks. It’s been too long.” I gave a strained smile.
Molly shook her head. “They saw you last week.” She said with an equally strained smile. “And I was thinking… it would be nice to be only me and them. You know, with my dad being sick and all.” I clenched my teeth, “Of course.” I went on, “but I’d love to give him some get-well presents.” “And you can!” She said, “but not tonight.”
She got up to leave and I turned to Carmen. I opened my mouth and she put her hand up. “No.” She said, “I let you come out with me and Isiah last time and you wouldn’t even leave us alone on the pier. Just, no.” My face fell as she got up to leave as well, “this isn’t healthy.”
I got up as well, “fine.” I said, “I’ll go out by myself.” I could certainly spend a night in the park or at yet another club again.
I heard a collective sigh and Olivia took my shoulder, “do what you need to do.” She kissed my cheek, “but you need to get some rest.” 
Rest? It sounded like a joke at this point.
I shook my head. “Let me just get my bag and I’ll go downstairs with you all.” I said and hurried to my room. I expected them to wait. They always waited before. Olivia was my best friend and she would never leave me.
I came back to the empty living room.
Pat-pat-pat
It was so fast now. I let out a small cry before dashing out into the hallway. I barely made it out where I banged on every single one of my neighbors doors. “Please,” I hit 603 with my bare hands and tried the door knob, “please, please come out.” Pat-pat-pat-pat
I ran from door to door banging and yelling and running as the thing’s enormous weight bore down. I felt a hot breath on my neck.
“What is it?” A family-man with a beard burst out of room 610. “Are you alright?” I exhaled as the heat from the things mouth disappeared. The tears were streaming down my face then and I reached for my phone, “I’m sorry.” I said and then I made a phone call to the one person I thought might still want to see me.
-------------------
Derick walked in the door with his slouchy jeans and tousled brown hair. He wore a sheepish look on his face and hung back the second he entered the apartment. He was just in time after the guy from 610 left. Derick rubbed the back of his neck as we exchanged looks, “Uh, I guess you heard me and Serina broke up.” I shook my head. “I heard.” Derick seemed to see me for the first time, “babe, why are you holding a baseball bat?” He frowned, “And why did you call me here? Last time we talked you said you’d like to see me dead.” “It doesn’t matter.” I said blankly. Robotically. “None of it matters. You still want me. Yes?” “I mean,” he shifted from foot to foot. “We had fun together. We dated for five years, that wasn’t nothing.” “It wasn’t.” I agreed. “And we could be together again.” His face emptied, “You said we wanted different things though, like, kids and a house. I still want those things, Anika.” I was so tired. I dropped the baseball bat and walked over to him. I wrapped my arms around him so he wouldn’t escape and buried my face in his chest. “Let’s have kids.” I said blankly, “lets have as many kids as we possibly can.” “Alright?”
“But you have to promise me,” I squeezed him tightly around the middle and he grunted as I dug my nails in. “Never,” I seethed between my teeth. I was still shaking somehow and maybe I would never stop shaking. “Never ever leave me alone.”
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mymelodyheart · 3 years
Text
Highland Destiny Chapter 10 ~Spring Has Sprung~
"Ah, Jamie come in, come in...take a seat." Ned Gowan motioned with a wave of his hands as Jamie was ushered into his office by his secretary. "I'm so glad ye can come. I will try and make this as quick as possible."
Ned Gowan, Fraser's family lawyer, had called early Monday morning after the weekend of the ball, urging James Fraser to see him as soon as possible. 
"Ned, ye said it's an emergency?" Jamie shook the elderly man's hand before sitting down. 
Ned Gowan took some papers from his desk drawer and stacked them neatly in a row in front of him. "Aye, it concerns Château Cheval Blanc. I personally think ye should put off the sales of yer shares...weel at least for now until I can establish the validity of my theory. I have reason to believe that our mystery shareholder may soon surface. But before I proceed, I do have a question...do ye know or have ye heard of the name Jonathan Edward Randall? Or if by any chance your uncle mentioned the name in the past."
"Jonathan...Jonathan," Jamie's brow furrowed in concentration as he uttered the name. "Aye, uncle mentioned that name a few times when I worked in his winery as a young lad. An old foe he once said...set on destroying him...I believe that's what uncle said. I understand that this person has been deceased for some time."
Ned's eyes lit up and quickly leafed through one of the stacks of papers. "Hmmm, interesting ye should say that. Firstly, we have a couple of the late Jonathan Edward Randall's lawyers enquiring about yer shares, and I find that quite suspicious considering Randall is long dead. Secondly, not too long ago, we dug up some old business records from Frédéric de Marillac. And as it turned out, Jonathan Edward Randall was once his business associate and long-standing friend. They go a long way back when they were students in Oxford. From your statement, there is a high probability that Frédéric de Marillac had been buying the shares for Jonathan Edward Randall. We have found a copy of one particular shareholder agreement. This contract was especially drawn-up for de Marillac, meaning this did not apply to all shareholders. There are two paragraphs I find highly interesting in de Marillac's contract. First one is, it states here, he may assign a successor to his shares without the approval of the other shareholders and the second one states here that upon the death of the shareholder, the deceased shareholder stocks are to be bequeathed to the next of kin. Yer uncle must have been quite desperate to sign such a contract. Now, Jonathan Edward Randall's next of kin was Franklin Wolverton Randall or also known as Frank Randall."
His thoughts were on Claire and were only half-listening to Ned Gowan when Jamie suddenly sat straight up. "Frank Randall?"
Ned ignored the interruption and carried on. "Now Frank Randall died five years ago and left behind a widow. At the moment we cannot find any documents of the widow's name. It's as if her identity has been erased overnight. This should have been a public record, but we cannot find Frank Randall's marriage certificate. But we did find phone records of de Marillac contacting Frank Randall's former residence. But there are no records of that contact reciprocated. And last but not least, we were able to acquire a bank transfer statement with a substantial amount of money sent to de Marillac. And this money came from Jonathan Edward Randall. To summarise the hypothesis, the money transferred, we believe was used to buy the shares. And because of the agreement signed between your uncle and de Marillac, we have reason to believe that Frank Randall's widow is our elusive shareholder by default. She is Frank Randall's next of kin."
Dhia Claire!   Jamie was dumbfounded. "What is the probability that yer theory is correct? I thought the secret shareholder hold only 15% of the share."
Ned Gowan leaned back on his chair and smiled, looking satisfied with himself. "We found in some old records that the 15% share was under Frank Randall's name, making the probability of my theory very high, but I have a few people investigating and will confirm in the next few days. The good news is if the widow does surface, and we can prove that de Marillac's shares are legally hers, ye can make an attempt to buy it from her. With yer charm and popularity with the ladies, I don't think that should be too difficult for ye. So Jamie lad, what do you propose we do next once we have established the name of our secret shareholder?"
"Sell my shares to the secret shareholder at a fraction of the price, " Jamie answered, his face expressionless.
"What!?!"
..........
Claire got out of her car. She had been expecting the garden to be unkempt and over-grown, but instead, found a well-kept yard with arrays of wildflowers, herbs and spring flowers in full bloom. It had been three weeks since she was last at the cottage and it was on the night before she left for the St. Agnes Charity Ball. Claire had been staying at Joe's, and he was kind enough to let her stay in his apartment, considering he lived half the time at Gail's townhouse. He had insisted Claire stayed for as long as she needed knowing she wasn't in the right place to be alone in the cottage.
Ever since the night she walked away from Jamie, he had been continually trying to reach her via phone, messages, emails and sometimes through her friends. It took a lot of willpower not to succumb to his pleas, but Claire knew she needed the time and space for herself to heal and to sort out her feelings. She had been astounded at the force of her anger and intensity of her pain during that disastrous night. She knew she never wanted to feel that way again.
Geillis had been a blessing throughout the past few weeks. She had taken upon herself to take care of Claire's needs: retrieving a few of her clothes from the cottage and her car, admonishing Jamie for his stupidity and acting as their mediator. Geillis had found out the whole truth after hollering and shouting all sorts of abuse at Jamie when she came to the cottage. He had been silent, contrite and close to tears which was very much a far cry from the self-assured and cocky Jamie she knew from all the years she had known him. And of course, there was that headline news from the Daily Mail, much to the horror of Claire, plastered on the front page, DISTILLERY KING DITCHES FIANCEE FOR LADY IN RED. There were two photos under the headline. One was of a scowling Jamie dragging Annalise and another of Claire and Jamie kissing.  Bloody tacky journalistic piece of shit!  She had thought then.
"Claire, what do ye want to do? Ye cannae hide here forever. Do ye love him?" Geillis had asked one evening over takeaway dinner.
"Oh, I do Geillis. I wouldn't be in this mess if I didn't. But I'm scared... too scared..."
"Och come here." Geillis had gathered Claire to her arms. "Listen, hen, it's reasonable to be scared, but runnin' away wilnae help. I've known Jamie since he was a wee laddie. Ah ken he'd done a lot of stupid things in th' past, but he'd done a lot of good too, like puttin' a lot of money in St. Agnes' restoration an' other stuff like that. He's got a big heart, an' th' media hae portrayed him a playboy. Sure he had other women in th' past, but ah have ne'er seen him in such a state before. He's in love wi' ye, Claire, an' it breaks mah heart that both of ye are sufferin' like this."
Claire had given Geillis' words a lot of thought, and she knew she had to confront Jamie sooner or later. So it was on one untypical warm spring day, on the way to the garden centre when she decided to stop by the cottage. It was on the spur of the moment decision as if some force of nature was guiding her. She was dressed in jean shorts, a white sweatshirt with a Union Jack print and white sneakers. She had been planning on taking a walk in the open fields after plant shopping. 
The cottage was tranquil when she arrived, and she didn't see Jamie's vehicle or noticed any presence. She had quickly gotten out of the car before she could change her mind but not before taking an A4 size envelope she meant to give to Jamie from the compartment. She knew Jamie had stayed in the cottage all that while and he had told Geillis he will only leave if Claire wished it. Secretly, Claire was glad he stayed. 
Walking through the front garden, she was amazed at how beautiful it had turned out to be. It had been her plan ever since she arrived to plant some medicinal herbs and wildflowers and put a trellis on the cottage exterior wall for some climbing plants. It seemed someone had already done the job for her.
Inside the cottage, everything was spic and span, and in every room, there was a vase with a bouquet of wildflowers in assorted colours. She was just placing the envelope on the coffee table in the living room when she felt a presence from the doorway. She turned around and saw a very stunned Jamie standing there. Claire didn't even hear him come in.
"Sassenach..." His voice was almost a whisper. Jamie's hair was a tad bit longer and curlier from his usual wavy locks, and he had several days old beard, making him look like some medieval Norse warrior. He was wearing a black shirt, and grey sweat pants and his skin was very bronzed, probably from working in the garden or running. 
"Hi, Jamie," Claire stammered, "I'm sorry for coming unannounced...I was just driving by..., and I thought I'd stop and...I didn't see your car, and I thought ..."
Jamie took a few steps forward as if to reach out but stopped himself midway. "Claire, what are ye talking about? This is yer home," he said softly. He then ran his hand through his hair, quite unsure what to do next, he took a deep breath and muttered, "Christ Sassenach I've missed ye so much. Would ye mind verra much if I kiss and hug ye?" His eyes were full of yearning, but he was very cautious.
Looking at his beautiful deep blue eyes, all doubts seemed to dissipate. "No, I don't mind Jamie but..." Before she could finish her sentence, Jamie had Claire in his arms, kissing her with so much tenderness. The kiss was not one of seduction, nor of demand. It was a kiss full of longing and outpouring of love. Claire gave in and put her arms around his neck as a single tear ran down her cheek. He smelled of sweat, fresh air and tasted of mint, and she loved the feel of his stubble against her skin.
"Oh Christ Claire, I'm so verra sorry for everything," Jamie murmured in between air. "I don't ever want to lose ye again. So so sorry..." He rained kisses all around her face before kissing her deeply once again.
As his hands wandered up from under her sweatshirt, Claire stopped him. "Jamie, please..." She gently placed her hands on his chest and looked up at him. Like his, her breathing had become shallow. Although she didn't want the kiss to end, there were still a lot of unanswered questions.
Confused, Jamie searched her face. "Don't ye want me anymore, Sassenach?"
"Jamie, that's not it. We need to talk. We can't just start from where we left off as if nothing happened..."
Still dazed from the kiss, Jamie managed to regain control, "Aye, that's true...come we'll take a seat." Without letting go of her hands, he led her to the sofa. He turned to face her and sighed. "Look Sassenach, everything I've ever told ye was true, but I admit I omitted some parts of the whole story...and as for Annalise, I never told ye about her because the last time I was with her, it was almost 9 months ago. I'm not proud tellin ye this, but our relationship was never one ye can really call a relationship. Geillis must have told ye the whole story surely. And also, I was going to tell ye on the night of the ball about Frisealach, but Annalise happened. I suppose ye know already I own the distillery."
"But why didn't you tell me you owned the distillery? I asked a few times about your job, and you always came up with some feeble answer, such as working in the administration. I suppose that's part of your work, so I guess there's some truth to it. And I don't even know where you live...you only spoke of your family home, but that's a couple hours away from here. I don't suppose you travelled every day from Lallybroch to Inverness."
"I don't know Sassenach why I never told ye the things I should have. There are a lot of things I should have done and not done, but ever since I laid eyes on ye, I haven't been thinking clearly. I haven't been myself. After we made love for the first time, I couldna bear to leave yer side, and before I knew what was happening, I just slotted into yer life. It seemed to be the most natural thing in the world to be with ye. Before meeting ye, I lived in a luxury apartment in the town centre. Aye it's posh, and it has everything, but it has no soul. I never felt at home in it. With ye here, it's the first time I've ever felt at home outside Lallybroch." 
Claire gave him a mock warning look. "Jamie, are you trying to charm your way out of this?"
Jamie smiled and took her hand and kissed the inside of her palm. In a serious tone, he answered, "No. I promise you it's the truth. It's like I'm under yer spell and, to be honest, I'm only too happy to remain there."
"How about those string of women in the papers, internet and magazine? I saw photos of you with different women each time..."
"Christ Sassenach, do ye really think I slept with all of them? If I did, I wouldna had time to run my companies. It's a marketing ploy to be seen with the right people and to introduce my whisky in Europe and truth be told, I hated every moment of it. I dinna care for a celebrated lifestyle. Everything about it was very superficial, and ye have to be mindful all the time of what ye say in public. That's no easy thing for me - I grew up in a family that says their mind a lot. No Sassenach, it wasn't for me."
"So, what do you want of me? From us?"
Jamie got off the sofa to kneel in front of Claire. Then taking her hands in both of his, he looked into her eyes. "Claire, I want to be with ye. I have never wanted anyone as much as I wanted ye and I promise there'll only be truth between us." His voice cracked, and his eyes turned to a darker hue. "Ye see Sassenach, whenever I look at ye, my heart starts to pound, when for years, I dinna think it beat at all. I dinna ken what was missing in my life until ye came and filled in the holes and took away the emptiness. And when you're not by my side, the loss is unimaginable. The night I carried ye out from St. Agnes and looked down upon yer face, I knew I was ruined for life. Totally, utterly ruined. I can't be good for anybody now, except for ye. What I'm trying my hardest to say is, I love ye, Claire Elizabeth Beauchamp. And I am scairt because ye have my heart now in yer hands."
"Jamie.."
"Sssh." He placed a finger on her lips. "Sassenach, may I kiss ye?" Jamie didn't want to hear what Claire had to say in fear she may not feel the same way. Without waiting for her to reply, he pulled her tight against him and kissed her softly, one hand behind her neck as his thumb caressed a sensitive part just under her earlobe. She tasted of warm honey, and her skin as soft as the petals from the flowers. "Claire, will ye stay with me tonight?" he asked hoarsely.
The spell broke when Claire was reminded of her plans for that night. "Oh Jamie, I can't tonight...I've already made arrangements..." Although rattled by his confession, she wanted to stay, but this time she didn't want to rush things between them.  One baby step at a time!
Jamie tried to hide his disappointment, and gave her a smile instead, not wanting to rock the boat. "Are ye going out with Geillis?" he asked.
"No, I'm meeting up with Tom tonight." Claire felt him stiffen and gave him an apologetic look, knowing that both men had some sort of disagreement.
"Oh! Are ye seeing him...I mean is it a date?" Jaime was no longer smiling, but he kept his hold on her.
Claire reached out to touch his face and sighed. "No Jaime, it's not like that. It's just for a couple of drinks. I promised him a few days ago that I will see him. And then I have some things I need to do for Joe...medical kinds of stuff."
Feeling slightly heartened, Jamie asked in a hopeful voice, "Errm, Sassenach, can I see ye tomorrow?" His finger was tucking a lock behind her ear.
"How about lunch before I go to work tomorrow...that's if you're not too busy being a boss?" Claire asked, good-humouredly. "I start work late...we have a few shift changes this week."
Thinking that lunch would be a longer wait, he suggested an alternative. "How about breakfast? I will bring it up to ye, so ye didna need to dress." Jamie attempted a wink before giving her a suggestive smile.
Claire laughed. "Alright breakfast then but not too early...I was planning on sleeping in. I'm staying at Joe's apartment. You remember where he lives?"
"Aye." He nodded.
"Oh by the way, before I leave, this is for you." Claire took the brown envelope from the coffee table she had earlier and placed it in Jamie's hand.
"Sassenach," he said, giving her a suspicious look. "This is not a goodbye letter, is it?" He frowned as he weighed it in his hands.
"No Jaime." She gave him a lingering kiss, telling Jamie with her own lips how much she loved him too.
.........
It was probably not a great idea to meet Tom at the Scotch & Rye Pub. It was Saturday, it was loud, it was teeming with employees from Frisealach and Laoghaire MacKenzie was there. Most likely, Jamie could walk in any minute soon. They found an empty high table near the entrance and quickly took it.
"Claire, what would you like to drink?" Tom's soft voice broke into her contemplation.
Distracted, she replied, "Oh, a glass of dry white, please." She had been thinking of what Jamie said earlier in the afternoon.
Claire watched as Tom made his way to the bar. She saw Laoghaire approached him at the counter, smiling sweetly at him as she placed well-manicured painted fingers on his arm. She saw her opened her bag as she continued to chat with him and took a few pound notes from her purse to give to the bartender.
Claire smiled as Tom came back with their drinks, but her smile quickly faded away as she saw Laoghaire was right behind Tom. "Claire, the drinks are from Laoghaire, she says it's a truce and apologies offering."
"Oh! Well then, thank you, Laoghaire, that's very kind of you!" She raised her glass to her. "To truce and forgiveness." Her heart warmed a bit for the girl, but she still felt slightly uneasy about her mannerism.
"Och think nothin' of it. Anyway, I hope ye both enjoy yer date!" Before Claire could protest its not a date, she had turned around sauntering towards the Frisealach employees' table.
Once alone, Tom revealed, "She's a funny girl her. She asked me a week ago, here in the pub, if I fancied ye. I told her it was none of her business." He leaned forward and in a lower voice, he continued, "Stay clear away from her, Claire. She might not seem to be the brightest, but I can't help but feel apprehensive whenever she's around. I think she's a bit of a gossip." 
Claire laughed nervously, taking a big gulp of her wine, trying to dismiss the warning. "Don't worry. I think she's just young and full of mischief."
"Don't ye want to find out Claire?"
"Find out wot?" She took another sip of the wine and grimaced at the taste.
Tom leaned forward and smiled at her. "Whether or not I fancy ye?"
Claire thought he had a beautiful smile. "Well, do you?" she asked boldly. Suddenly Claire felt relax and loose-tongued. She stood up from her high chair to lean forward to remove a fluff off Tom's hair when suddenly she felt wobbly.
Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ!   Feeling the room was spinning out of control, she attempted to sit back but instead ended up slipping into the darkness.
..........
Jamie was just walking into the pub when he saw Claire swayed precariously as she held onto the high table. Before she could fall and Tom could react, he caught her in time before she hit the floor.
He shot Tom an angry look as he propped Claire's head with his hands. "How much has she had to drink? Didn't ye think she might have had enough?"
"She's only had one glass, and she drank it too fast," Tom snapped, as he kneeled down to check Claire's pulse. People were gathering already, and he knew Claire needed air. "Listen, Fraser, I'll deal with this. I'm a doctor, and I'll make sure she gets to the hospital. Go and join yer friends."
Jamie was lifting Claire up already. "She lives with me, so she's practically like my wife, so back off Tommy," he growled, determined not to relinquish his hold. "I'm taking her, my car is just outside."
Unperturbed, Tom let Jamie carry Claire as he held the door open. "I'm coming with ye."
"Suit yersel'"
..........
Both men drove in silence as they headed to the Northern Royal Infirmary. Tom had called Joe and the hospital in advance as Jamie laid Claire in the passenger seat. When they finally got there, they were greeted by Gail, Joe Abernathy's girlfriend, who was the doctor on duty, and Claire was immediately put onto a wheeled stretcher and taken away.
Seeing the concern on both the men's faces, Gail guided them to the waiting area. "Listen, boys, it's probably not serious. Claire has been under a lot of stress, so it's probably just the repercussion rearing its ugly head. Wait here, please. We'll do some test, and I'm quite sure the results shouldn't take very long," she said, smiling warmly.
Quite contrary to what Gail said, both men waited two hours.
When Joe finally arrived in civilian clothes, Jamie and Tom were sat at opposite ends of the waiting area. He had just come out of the operating room when he heard the news about Claire and immediately went to see the doctor attending her. After reading the initial results, Joe volunteered to relay the report to Tom and Jamie. As soon as he appeared in the waiting area, both men stood up and were surprised when they saw he was accompanied by two security guards and two policemen. Joe liked both men, but his main concern was Claire at this very moment.
"Tom, Jamie, we have the result from the initial tests." His voice sounded stern and very professional. "But before I can reveal anything, I want to ask... who was with Claire when she blacked out?"
Tom raised a hand. "I was with her, and we were both on our first drink. She drank the wine rather quickly, and I was surprised that she seemed tipsy all of a sudden," he explained.
Joe closed his eyes before making a formal statement. "We have found traces of Ketamine in Claire's saliva and urine test. Ketamine is also known as Date Rape Drug, and we have a very strong suspicion of an attempted sexual assault." Turning to Tom, he proceeded, "I'm so sorry, Tom, I need to have you detained until further results come in..."
Before Joe could finish his sentence and the police could react, Jamie, with his hands clenched and his face dark red with fury, threw a punch at Tom Christie's face sending him sliding across the hospital floor and knocking him out cold.
Joe had also wanted to tell Jamie that Claire was pregnant, but he guessed it could wait later.
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