#like i could hear it when the fridge in our kitchen 'sounded different' before it needed some repairs | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

jessicaloons · 7 months

Text

Chapter 15:

You can see it with the lights out: You are in love…

Masterlist - Previous - Next

Note: I changed the racing calendar, I switched Miami with Imola

As I walked down the stairs the door opened and Mum and Dad, together with Sissy and Liam walked through the door, apparently coming straight from the airport, they looked at me confused. Sissy grabbed Liam by the hand and they disappeared in the living room, with Liam asking confused what’s going on. But Sissy just shushed him and they were gone.

"When did you arrive?" Mum asked.

"Where were you?" Dad asked.

"Yesterday. And where was I supposed to be?" I answered and Mum and Dad exchanged some glances.

"Where were you supposed to be? Maybe still in Australia like you said? Or maybe in the plane with us? Or no wai…" Dad begun but I shrugged my shoulders, walking past them into the kitchen "Lizzie?"

"I had to leave earlier…" I said and opened up the fridge.

"Oh? Is that it? You had to leave earlier?" Dad sounded mad.

"Yup." I wanted to squeeze past him but he didn’t let me through.

"What happened? Why did Charles look like he went through the worst night ever, telling us that you left with the first plane in the morning because you had to go to the factory, doing some simulator work?" Dad asked, knowing that he caught us lying.

"Umm I… I mixed up the dates, I’m supposed to be there tomorrow, but Pete already texted me that it’s not necessary before Friday…" I lied and Dad scoffed.

"You said you would stay with Charles in Australia for some days?" Mum asked and I shrugged my shoulders again.

"I know, but Debbie’s nursery school dance is this week and I promised her to come" I lied again and made a mental note to call Andrea right away when I got back to my room.

"Oh, that’s sweet." Mum said although she looked still a little unconvinced.

"Yep, it’s on Thursday. So yeah, I should better check in with Andrea what to wear!" and with that I grabbed my orange juice from the fridge and went back to my room. I could hear how they discussed whether or not I’m telling the truth, but Dad was convinced I was lying.

As I checked my phone I saw 13 more missed calls, 21 iMessages, 15 WhatsApp messages and 9 Instagram DMs from Charles. My stomach clenched and I unlocked my phone right as Pierre called, but I ignored it. He was probably still with Charles. But I needed space. What happened was clearly the alcohol taking over. And with the next race coming up being a new track where no real simulator data or whatsoever existed, I had to focus on Miami. Not on the mistake Charles and I made. Both drunk. Both not knowing what we were doing. End of the story. But whenever I closed my eyes I saw Charles face. Charles how he smiled at me on the podium. Charles how he hugged me after the race. Charles how he swallowed hard when I showed him my outfit for our celebration in some Melbourne club. Charles how he danced with me. Charles body grinding against mine. Charles intense gaze. Charles pulling me with him in a dark corner. Charles pushing me against the wall. Charles smile after our first kiss. Charles face when I pushed him off of me. Charles heartbroken face when I left him at the airport standing. Charles. Only Charles. Always in my mind. I let myself fall into my pillows, face first and screamed.

Charles POV:

"Charles? Hey? Charles, are you o…?" Pierre began but when he looked at my face he immediately fell silent.

"She’s really gone, Pierre. I begged her to stay… but she left anyway…" I whispered and walked past him. Sitting down on the bed.

"Give her some time… she’s scared, like you said…" Pierre sat down next to me.

"No. It feels different. It feels like I’m losing her…" I whispered and I felt a peng in my chest, my breathing ragged. Tears prickling my eyes. It was over. I lost her. There’s no coming back from this.

"Don’t say that! You and Lizzie belo-…" Pierre began as I interrupted him.

"There’s no Lizzie and I. Not anymore. I destroyed it." my voice sounded void just as how I felt "You can go back to your room now. It’s okay. I’m okay…" I got up and walked towards the bathroom "Thanks Pierre, for being here for me…" with that I disappeared and locked the door. After a couple of moments I heard the room door closing and I sat on the floor, pulled my knees up to my chest. I destroyed everything. Our friendship. Our families. Everything. I tried to call her again, I just needed to tell her that I’m sorry, but the call got straight to her voicemail. I leaned my head back into the called tiles and let the anxiety and pain of the last hours fully consume me.

I packed my suitcase, threw everything in that Lizzie forgot to pack and left the hotel room. Lied to her parents. Hugged them goodbye. Tried to call her again and again, texted her. Nothing. I flew back to Maranello earlier than planned, speaking to no one. Joris and Andrea exchanged worried glances but I ignored them.

I focused on Miami. Racing was the only thing I had left now.

"Charles? Can we talk?" Joris asked as he sat down on the sofa and I looked up from my notebook.

"Yeah? What’s up?" I said and closed the book, laying it down next to me.

"I wanted to ask you the same… what happened in Australia?" he looked worried.

"Have you talked to Pierre?" I asked and he looked at me confused.

"No? Why?"

"It’s nothing. I’m okay. Don’t worry!" I replied and took my book back from the sofa.

"But we are worried? You have said maybe 5 sentences in total in the last 3 days, you look horrible, what’s going on?" he asked.

"I’m fine, okay? I need to focus on racing. That’s it." I sighed and opened my notebook again, signalling that the conversation was over for me. He looked at me for a minute before he got up and left. I took my phone out, looked at her contact info, thumb hovering over the screen. Should I call her again? Maybe try it again? Maybe there was still some hope left? I swallowed hard. No.

My flat felt cold and empty as I walked past the pictures on the wall. Flashbacks of how Lizzie said that if I wanted to hang up some pictures I should make them all the same size, the same clean frame, photographs in black and white to keep it quiet and not busy on the eye. I stood in front of the picture Joris took of us, at the lookout, one of my favourite spots in Monaco. Lizzie’s as well. I didn’t know how long I stood there, staring at the picture. But as my phone rang I was startled. I accepted the call, but my throat was tight and I almost couldn’t speak.

"Yeah?" I croaked out.

"Charles? Are you okay?" Lorenzo. I swallowed hard.

"Umm… yeah, fine." I said and walked into my living room, sitting down on the sofa.

"Can I come over? There are some things we need to decide for All Time." he asked and I leaned back.

"Sure." I closed my eyes "I’m here."

"Alright, I’ll be there in 20 minutes?" he said.

"Yup."

"Woah! Are you sure you’re okay?" Lorenzos first words when I opened the door.

"Wow… thanks, good to see you too." I mumbled and walked back into kitchen, grabbing some water and glasses.

"Sorry, but you look horrible? Are you getting sick?" he asked as he sat down on the sofa, looking intently at me.

"Don’t think so, no." I said and poured us our water "So, what needs to be done?"

He looked at me for another moment before he shook his head slightly and dived right into talking business. I didn’t listen, not really. My mind occupied by Lizzie. How beautiful she looked in her dress. Her pink cheeks when we were dancing. Her surprised look when I pulled her with me into this dark corner. That little sigh I took right off of her lips. Her lips. Soft and sweet. Her body melting into mine. Her smell. Always the same for years. Something tropical, like coconut, mango and pineapple, mixed with the smell of fresh laundry and a tinge of lime, that little spritz of excitement. I never felt this good in my entire life. Winning the championship wouldn’t even compare to it. My heart rate going through the wall because for one moment I thought I was on top of the world, having everything I ever wanted. But the look in her eyes as she pushed me off of her. That fear. It sent shivers done my spine. Because that was the moment I probably lost her forever.

"Charles? Hey?" Lorenzo snapped his fingers in front of my face and I blinked in confusion "Okay what’s going on? What happened in Australia? Don’t give me that look. Speak up!"

"Nothing happened!" I insisted, going for my glass of water but spilling it in the process "Fuck!" I jumped up to get a towel but I tripped, ending up knocking over the little trophy I got from Liam for my birthday last year. Best uncle in the world. How proud Liam was as he handed it to me, telling me it took him almost 2 days to make it, even tho Lizzie helped him a little, just to reveal later that Lizzie did the most work and it actually only took almost 2 days because the clay had to dry over night. I watched as the trophy tumbled down the little side table and ended up on the floor. Shattering into pieces. I choked.

"No. No. No. No." I whispered as I knelt down looking at the pieces "No. God. Please. No. I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry."

I didn’t felt the tears that were streaming down my face or Lorenzo kneeling down next to me. I just looked at the broken pieces that resembled what I’ve done to Lizzie and our families and felt crestfallen.

"Come here…" Lorenzo whispered, pulling me into a hug and I let out a heartfelt sob. I let it all out. I cried the tears that I tried to hold in for dear life over the past few days. Sobbing and whimpering. Lorenzo only held me close, gently rubbing my back, telling me that everything was going to be okay. But it wasn’t going to be okay. I made sure of that.

I opened my eyes and looked around, I was curled up on the floor, head on a pillow, blanket covering me, Lorenzo sitting next to me, rubbing my back every now and then. He scrolled through his phone as I slowly sat up, he looked up from his screen. Silently he handed me a glass of water and I downed it in one big gulp. My throat was sore, my head pounding. He poured me another glass which I also gulped down in one go. I rubbed my eyes and groaned when I saw how late it was. I slept for almost 2 hours. I looked around frantically, the pieces of the trophy. Where were they.

"I put everything I could find in a bowl, on the table." Lorenzo said and I looked for said bowl.

"Thanks." I whispered, voice hoarse and I cleared my throat.

"Can we talk about what happened? And I’m not talking about the broken trophy. No, I mean in general? Why was Sissy asking me if you’re alright? She didn’t hear from you since Australia and Lizzie is acting strange as well? Joris said you were awfully quiet these past days in Maranello? Your sim work has seen better results? And now I come here and you look like you haven’t slept in days, your not focused and you break down over a broken trophy? I know Liam made it for you. I know it’s sad, but you cried for almost 30 minutes straight before you fell asleep on the floor… what happened in Australia between you and Lizzie?" Lorenzo looked at me insistently. I leaned back against the sofa, ruffling my hair before I took a deep breath.

"I messed up, Enzo. Big time. I don’t know if she will ever forgive me…" I whispered and he chuckled a little.

"I think you underestimate how much Lizzie loves you… so, what did you do?" he asked and I sighed and then I told him everything. The club, the kiss, the devastation, the showdown at the airport, the alone time back in our hotel room, the family the next morning, the hundreds of unanswered calls and texts. Everything.

"And what are you going to do now?" Lorenzo asked and I shrugged my shoulders.

"Ask her for forgiveness? Ask her to forget what happened? Try to mo…" I began but he slapped the back of my head "Ouch! What the fuck?"

"Wrong answer! You’re not that stupid, come on! Try again!" his voice was firm.

"I don’t know, okay? What am I supposed to do? Maybe I misjudged everything and she never reciprocated my feelings and she’s…" I began again. SMACK. "Seriously if you slap me one more time I’m going to…"

"You’re going to what? Fight me? Good! At least then I know that there is still some fighter mentality left in you! Charles, she loves you! You know it. I know it. Everyone knows it. She was scared! You know what it will mean if you guys officially start dating? The media will come for her! Not you! Her! Of course she’s freaking out a little! But that doesn’t mean that she doesn’t love you! You are one of the smartest people I know, for gods sake, she’s one of the smartest people I know… and still you guys are so unbelievably stupid! And blind! Get your shit together! Fight for her!" Lorenzo said and I looked at him for a while, thinking about his words.

"But what if loving her isn’t enough? What if I can’t give her what she deserves? What she needs? What if I can’t protect her from all the shit that will happen?" I almost whispered and he grabbed my arm, making me look at him.

"Isn’t she worth the fight?" he held my gaze.

"She’s worth everything." I choked out.

"Did she ever gave up on you before?" Lorenzo asked and I swallowed hard.

"No. Never…" I whispered, blinking tears away.

"Then you shouldn’t give up on her now." he said and got up "You have a girl and a race to win this weekend."

He was right. I had to fight.

"So you’re telling me that you and Charles kissed. Finally, after what? 10 years of crushing hard on him? And your reaction was to flee the freaking country?" Shima’s look was almost comical, Andrea just shook her head.

"I know you since you’re 5 Lizzie and I remember how you told me the first time about Charles when you were like 7? 8? And even back then I thought that you had a huge crush on him! Why did you run away?" Andrea asked and handed Debbie another apple slice.

"Because if he’s not feeling the same, our friendship is over when he knows that I’m in love with him!" I say and they both groan.

"How can you be so, Debbie cover your ears sweetie, thanks. How can you be so fucking blind? Charles is as much in love with you as you’re with him! He always was in love with you! Since I know him! God even during his stupid relationship with the devils spawn he was so madly in love with you! Why do you think Camille hated you so much?" Shima whisper shouted and Andrea nodded in agreement.

"Are you telling me that you never felt the chemistry between you? The sparks flying like crazy? Do you really think it’s normal for best friends being this close? This touchy? Almost intimate? Haven’t you seen how Charles always looked at you?" Andrea said and I swallowed hard "God, sometimes I’m even jealous of you guys! Simon and I work out perfectly, we’re in sync and happily in love. But next to you guys? Your chemistry? Pffff. We’re not anywhere close to that level of intimacy!"

"Let’s say he feels the same? What if it’s not working out between us? What if we both feel after a month or two that we’re not working out together? Our friendship would be ruined!" I whispered and Andrea sighed.

"Lizzie, you and Charles basically were kinda dating since forever! You just didn’t realise it. You spent most of your free time with him, he was always the first one you called whenever something was happening in your life, he was always the first one you thought about in the morning, the last one you thought about at night, if you’re being honest with yourself! And for him it was most definitely the same!" Andrea said and I looked conflicted.

"I don’t know, okay? I can’t think about this right now! There are other things that come first! The race! Dads birthday! The media and practically half of Social Media still hating on me even after I finished 2 out of 3 races on the podium! As a rookie!" I said and Shima just shook her head, but said nothing. Why won’t they understand why I was scared?

Miami was different, to say the least. It was hot, humid. A lot was going on off track. I arrived on Tuesday with Dad, Sissy and Liam. I had to attend some events from sponsors, do another Audi Challenge with Valtteri and then of course the press conference on Thursday, where I was unfortunately in the same group as Charles. I had successfully managed to avoid him over the past 2 days, we only saw each other at breakfast where I pretended that everything was fine, so that no one got suspicious, but all streaks of luck must end and as I walked into the conference room he looked at me and gestured to the empty seat next to him. I pretended I hadn’t seen it and sat down between Lewis and Seb. In the corner of my eye I could see Charles looking defeated.

"Trouble in paradise?" Seb whispered and I looked at him confused. "Usually you two are like thick as thieves? And today you walk in, separately, not even looking at him and then sitting next to me instead of him?"

"It’s nothing, Seb, really! It’s just that the media is a bit annoying, constantly painting us as the new F1 It-couple. Questioning if he used his connections to get his 'girlfriend' into F1. I just want to race. So yeah we’ll lay low now for a bit." I answered but Seb didn’t look convinced but said nothing. Lewis next to me just chuckled.

"But you’re cute together and his Insta post? Come on! Let the media talk and be happy! Because let’s be honest? Neither of you looks happy right now…" he said and I looked at Charles who sat in his chair, slumped, staring at his hands with blank eyes. I swallowed down the lump in my throat, while checking discreetly Charles‘ Instagram. I recognised the picture immediately, the memories of it playing in the back of my mind. Never let you go. I had to blink away the tears and took a deep breath while putting my phone back in my pocket. Why can’t this press conference be over just now. I had to go. Be alone. Calm down. Think.

"Lizzie! Lizzie! DAMN IT, LIZZIE!" Charles yelled and I flinched "Would you please stop running away from me?"

I slowly turned around and the look on his face nearly broke my heart, pain, inflicted by me.

"Charles, please not here. Not now. I’m already late…" I began but he only shook his head.

"I tried to call you like a thousand times! Texts, What’sApp, I even wrote you in fucking Instagram! But you just ignored it all, so we will talk, now!" he said and his voice was more pleading then demanding.

"There is nothing to talk about, we were both drunk, it happened! It meant nothing. End of the story! And now I go…" I began but Charles just scoffed.

"It happened? Just like that? Ok, let’s blame the alcohol after the race in the club. Fine. But if it really meant nothing, why did you flee the country? In the middle of the night? So headless you forgot almost half of your stuff at the hotel? Including your fucking passport that I had to bring you? And instead of talking to me you boarded a plane, leaving me standing at the airport! With no explanation?" although he had every right to be mad, his words weren’t said in spite, he sounded genuinely hurt.

"You’re right, okay? It was a dick move! I was just… I was confused, scared, because I didn’t wanted it to be awkward between us, you know? I wanted it to be like nothing ever happened. You and I. Our friendship. Back to normal. Back to us." I answered and he only shook his head.

"Back to normal? What normal? To the normal of all the almost kisses over the last years? When one of us pulled away in the last second? Back to all those moments, basically our entire life, when we could feel that this connection between us is so much more than just a normal friendship, that it’s simply lo…" he began as Julie shouted my name from across the paddock.

"I have to go." I whispered and turned to leave as Charles grabbed my wrist.

"If you would only allow yourself to feel it too and not be scared for once…" he said, then he let go of my hand and walked away.

With a pounding heart I walked towards Julie, because we would do our second Audi Challenge, this time "Finish the Lyrics".

I sat with Valtteri in our hospitality, Julie explaining us the rules, Walt set up the camera. I wasn’t really listening but I knew I had to smile through the video and tried my best to not think about what Charles had said, I had to play my part and be the bubbly and energetic Lizzie that they knew, otherwise I wouldn’t hear the end of it.

“Ok, I’ll play a song and at a random part I will stop and the first of you who hit their buzzer has to finish the lyrics, if you’re correct you’ll get a point, if you’re wrong your opponent gets the point… understood?”Julie explained and I nodded, Valtteri gave a thumbs up. Julie started the first song.

Union's been on strike, he's down on his luck

It's tough, so tough

Gina works the diner all day

Working for her man, she brings home her pay for love. Mmm, for love

She says…

I hit the buzzer just a millisecond before Valtteri.

"We've gotta hold on to what we've got. It doesn't make a difference if we make it or not. We got each other, and that's a lot for love. We'll give it a shot" I looked at Julie and she nods.

"Correct, that’s one point for Lizzie! Just one sentence is enough, you don’t have to sing the half song!" Julie laughed and I looked at her shocked.

"It’s Bon Jovi! YOU HAVE TO SING THE ENTIRE SONG!" I exclaimed and Valtteri laughed and nodded agreeing.

"One sentence is enough! Next song…” Julie said and I sighed.

My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim

I had to stop for the night

There she stood in the doorway

I heard the mission bell

And I was thinking to myself…

I was thinking hard for the the lyrics but before I could react, Valtteri already hit his buzzer.

"This could be Heaven or this could be Hell" he finished the lyrics and Julie clapped her hand.

"And that’s a point for Valtteri!" she said and I laughed.

"I was just thinking of if when you hit the buzzer!"

We played for 6 more rounds and in the end I won with 5:3.

"So guys, that’s it from us! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed it crushing the Finisher!" I said into the camera and Valtteri only laughed and bumped me with his shoulder. Walt stopped the recording and Julie was happy.

"Yup that was good! Thanks you two, you’re done for today!" she said as we both got up and walked out.

"See you tomorrow, Lizzie!" Valtteri said and I nodded and smiled as he walked away. I took out my phone, opened Uber and wanted to order a car, as someone pinched my side and I flinched and turned around to see who it was.

"Fuck! Seb! You can’t do that! I almost had a heart attack!" I said in German and he laughed.

"Sorry! You ok?" Seb asked and I laughed "All good between you and Charles? I saw you after the press conference…"

"It’s nothing, really. We’re having a different opinion on something but nothing serious!" I lied and Seb nodded slowly.

"You want my opinion? What you and Charles have, that’s unique, that’s something not many people find in their life’s… don’t throw it away because of a disagreement!" he said and I looked up at him "Anyways, how do you like Miami so far?"

"Hot? Humid? Too many people? Too many events?" I answered honestly and he nodded.

"So true! But the track itself looks like a lot of fun!" he replied "Come on, I’ll drive you to your hotel." I nodded thankfully and together we left.

"What’s wrong with you and Charles?" Dad asked as I prepared for qualifying "We’re here since Tuesday, you’re having separate rooms and use them both, I only saw him at breakfast! And I haven’t seen you two talk at all?"

"Dad, I think you forget that we’re not teammates anymore? I can’t hang out with him all the time?" I said and rolled my eyes.

"Yeah sure! Try that again. What’s wrong with you and Charles? Did you guys had have a fight?" he asked again and I just groaned.

Right on cue Pete appeared to talk something through with me and I looked at Dad apologetic.

"So, what’s wrong with our two lovebirds?" Sissy asked Dad, but he only shook his head.

"She said nothing, but we both know that’s a lie…" he answered and they watched me as I got in the car.

P9. What a shit result. I just couldn’t get a lap done. I climbed out of the car and Mick stood next to me.

"Tough track…" he said and I only shook my head.

"Not much grip and the downforce? Didn’t expect that." I answered and we walked together to our weighing. I could see Charles getting out of his car and how Carlos and Max congratulated him. I took my receipt from the weighing and followed Mick to Charles. I hugged Max first, nudged Carlos shoulder and then I stood in front of Charles. He looked at me with a smile but I knew it wasn’t a real one, his eyes stayed cold and I saw the hurt in them, but most importantly, he didn’t look me in the eyes, something behind me was his focal point.

"Congrats Charles." I said and hugged him, he only patted my back twice and then let go of me, it felt cold.

"Thanks Lizzie" he said and turned away to get his towel, I left with Mick.

"Are you guys okay?" he asked and I sighed.

"We had a little disagreement, but nothing serious." I replied and Mick nodded.

After the team briefing I gathered my belongings and left the paddock as fast as possible.

I walked straight into Pierre who looked annoyed.

"Lizzie." he said tight lipped, turning to walk away and I scoffed.

"What?" I asked and Pierre only shook his head "Oh come on! You shouldn’t pick a side here!"

"I’m not picking a side Lizzie, but would I do it, it would be his side for sure and you know why! I don’t care what happened before, but you left him at the airport, after he basically saved your ass! You have no idea how he was when he came back to the hotel. You left him! HIM! You did the one thing he’s the most afraid of, being left alone… and then you ignored him! Grow the fuck up, Lizzie and admit what we all already know!" he just said and then walked away.

"That’s unfair!" I almost yelled but he just shrugged his shoulders and kept walking.

I almost sprinted to my car and drove back to the hotel.

Back in my room I took a shower and sat down on the bed. We kissed, in the club, both drunk. But what did it mean? It felt good, it felt right. It felt like our bodies just belonged together. It felt like home. But what about our friendship? Could we risk losing it for what exactly? The thought alone, losing him, his family, even his friends, was scaring me enough to tell myself we shouldn’t be doing it. But if it’s so wrong, then why did it felt so right? I laid down, my head spinning. I had to think of Pierre’s words, he was right. I did the one thing Charles was most afraid of. I left him. After I promised him in the past again and again that I would never leave him. And then I left him standing at the airport. Him out of all people. How could I do that? What was wrong with me! I felt tears prickling in my eyes and closed them. Taking a deep breath. Do I love Charles? Yes. Am I in love with Charles? Yes. Do I want him as my boyfriend? Yes. Do I picture a future with him by my side? Yes. Do I want to grow old with him? Have children? A house? A dog? Basically everything just with him? YES. Am I afraid about the consequences if this is nothing more than just a stupid crush? Yes. Is it more than just a stupid crush? Yes. But would the media bash me for dating a fellow driver? Yes. Would they call me all kinds of names? A paddock bunny? Yes. Would they keep up the narrative of me being only here because of Charles? Yes. Would everything I ever fought for be diminished? Yes. Not for the first time in the last weeks I screamed into my pillow. After a while I had exhausted myself and fell asleep.

I woke up. Cold sweat on my face. Breathing shallow. Body all tensed up. Paralysed. It happened again. The first time in months. I tried to calm myself down. But the thoughts all returned and I felt the tears streaming down the sides of my face. Why must it happen before a race? On an unknown track? When my mind was already in shambles over the situation with Charles. How I hurt him and how he must hate me now? Why now? Panic began to rise.

"Lizzie? You’re still in bed? Get up! You overslept!" Dad woke me up, Liam jumping on my bed.

I stirred and sat up slowly, my muscles aching, head pounding. Whole body tense. I felt exhausted and like throwing up as Dad opened the curtains.

"Come on! You need to get ready!" Dad said and I scrambled out of bed. Then I hugged him and kissed his cheek.

"Happy Birthday, Pops! Give me 15 minutes." I said and grabbed an Audi hoodie, some jeans and went straight for the bathroom. I took a deep breath and jumped under the shower, got out and gave my best to look at least decent. I felt like a tank rolled over me. Twice. But I couldn’t show it. Just smile and get it over with.

"Alright, let’s go!" I said, storming out of the bathroom, grabbing my phone, access pass and sunglasses.

"Where’s your Audi kit?" Dad asked and scoffed as he saw my jeans "And why do you young people need to wear jeans that cost a fortune but are destroyed? Make it make sense? It’s less fabric so it should cost less!"

"Dad! I’m not having a discussion about style whatsoever with you now! Not on your birthday where I have to be nice to you! And at the hospitality I will change into a proper team shirt! But for now, let’s go!" and we left my hotel room. As we stepped into the elevator it drove up two floors and as it opened Charles, Joris and Andrea stood in front of us.

"Charlie!" Liam screeched and bolted straight into his arms.

"Hey Bubba! Excited for today?" Charles asked him and Liam nodded and they got into the elevator.

"Happy Birthday, Pops!" Charles said and patted his shoulder and Dad just smiled. I hugged Joris and Andrea who then preceded to congratulate Dad as well. I pressed a smile at Charles, who gave me an awkward side hug and I was more than happy that he had Liam in his arms.

"I see, you’re Lizzie’s supporter number 1 today!" Charles laughed and pointed at my team merch Liam was wearing, cap, shirt and shoes.

"But look, I’m wearing your Ferrari bracelet!" Liam showed Charles the bracelet and Charles’ smile got bigger.

"How lucky we are, to have you as our supporter!" he laughed and the rest laughed with him, all but me. I focused on the floor, feeling dizzy and slightly overwhelmed.

"Alright, let’s cut to the point… what is going on here?" Dad asked bluntly and looked between me and Charles. I sighed and Charles just shook his head.

"What do you mean?" he asked and Andrea just groaned while Joris sighed.

"You two? Since Australia you don’t speak, no Lizzie don’t look at me like that, when you’re on the phone together literally half Ludwigsburg can hear you… since we arrived we only saw you at breakfast… so? What’s going on here?" Dad said and I only shook my head.

"We had a little disagreement. We both are stubborn. End of the story." I said and as the elevator door opened I was the first one to exit, almost sprinting away.

"Little disagreement my ass!" I could hear Dad saying but I stormed through the door.

"You’re late!" JK greeted me as I stepped out the hotel, I looked up at him and he hugged me "Where’s the rest?"

"They’re coming, where’s the car?" I asked as a bright green Audi RS8 parked in front of us "I hate him! I said I don‘t want that car! Everyone will stare at us!" Felix thought it was hilarious to always send me a car in the brightest colours, just to annoy me.

"Ooouuhhh! Nice ride!" Joris said behind me and I groaned.

"You wanna drive it?" I joked and shook my head. "Come on, JK. We gotta go. Dad, your car is coming in… oh there it is."

"I wanna go with Charlie!" Liam whined as Charles sat him down.

"That’s not possible, Liam! Charles will only have space for one person!" Sissy explained as Liam pouted.

"That’s unfair! We haven’t seen Charlie for so long!" he mumbled and my heart broke. Charles took the key from the attendant and threw it to Andrea.

"You guys take the F40, I’ll drive with Liam and Co." he said and Liams eyes began to sparkle "Come on, Bubba!" he took his hand and he got into the van, followed by Sissy and Dad.

"Damn, I understand why everyone always says he’s made out of boyfriend material… he’s the jackpot when it comes to boyfriends… just saying." JK chuckled and got into the car. I watched how the van drove off and Liam waved, I waved back, locking eyes with Charles for a moment, he only smiled sadly and then focused on something Liam said.

"I hate Miami!" I grumbled and got into the car. Headache getting worse by the second, the tension in my body growing. f1 has posted a new story

During the whole drivers parade, the build-up, starting procedure, everything I could feel Charles eyes on me and as I made my way to the back where my car was he walked up to me.

"Lizzie! Lizzie! Listen! What happened happened and we need to talk about it, please stay, I just… Fuck Lizzie! We said we never race when we’re mad at each other! So come on! Please!" he pleaded and walked next to me. I slowly turned and looked at him, his pleading eyes making my knees go wobbly. I nodded slowly.

"Drive safe. Drive fast. Drive to win!" we both said, our mantra for years, we usually said it somewhere more private, but still. We said it before every race in the past.

"Thank you!" he whispered as he pulled me into a tight hug "I’m sorry, ma belle!" he looked at me for a second but my throat felt tight. He just nodded, a tinge of sadness in his eyes, then he walked back to the front of the grid, to his car, waiting on pole for him.

"I’m sorry, too…" I whispered and turned around, preparing myself.

"Radio check." Pete said but I didn’t listen, I thought about what Charles said, what happened happened and we needed to talk about it. Do we? And why do I feel so hot out of the blue?

"Lizzie? Radio check?" Pete again, no reaction from me, but what if we talk about it but both want a different solution or outcome? What outcome do I want? Starting to date Charles would be the end of my career. No one would take me serious anymore? I would be a paddock bunny. I would confirm all their theories, that I only got into F1 because I slept with someone important. But shouldn’t that be someone from F1 then? And why does my headache got even worse although I took a painkiller.

"Lizzie!" Matt waved his hands in front of my visor and I looked up "Something wrong with the radio?" I blinked, feeling sweaty and dizzy.

"I don’t know." I pressed the radio button "Radio check."

"Loud and clear. Thanks." Pete answered.

"Copy." I took a deep breath, feeling slightly nauseous. Focus, Lizzie! Damn it! Come on!

Formation Lap. Okay. It’s manageable.

One last deep breath. Light’s out. I accelerated, overtaking Norris and Russell right at the start, who touched wheels, creating a gap for me. I felt a little bump as I excited turn 3 and pushed the throttle as much as possible.

"Damage?" I asked.

"Negative. P7. Good start."

The next 3 laps I battled almost in every corner with Seb, I felt the exhaustion seeping through my bones, making it harder to pass him. Then he finally left enough space for me to slip through, but in the next corner he almost caught me again but I hit the apex perfectly and could manage to put a bigger gap between us.

"Hamilton in front. 1.4 seconds ahead."

"Who’s faster?"

"Currently you, but only slightly."

5 more laps and I closed the gap to Hamilton, but at this point I straight up felt like I would faint any moment. I tried my best to focus and somehow managed to pass Hamilton. But the tension in my muscles made it harder and harder to grip the steering wheel and to held my head up through the g-forces.

"Perez ahead. You have DRS. Go."

Pete. Somethings wrong. I said, but nothing happened. Pete! I think I have to stop. No words were leaving my mouth.

Perez didn’t leave much space and as I wanted to brake and leave him the space he wasn’t leaving me, I was unfocused for a second. Right at the entrance of the corner our front tires touched and I spun out. I didn’t even tried to brake or save the car by counter steering. I just closed my eyes and waited for the impact. Right at this moment I felt remorse, not having talked with Charles about us. Now it was too late anyways.

I stirred around, opening my eyes.

"Charles? What are you doing here? Dad’s outside…" I began but Charles only shook his head and sat down on the edge of the bed, still in his racing suit.

"I can’t do this anymore, Lizzie. I’m tired of it… tired of pretending that we’re just friends when I’ve loved you all my life!" his voice falters for a moment "God, I’m so in love with you, Lizzie! It’s like from the moment I’ve met you, you nestled yourself inside of my brain, attached yourself to my heart, my soul… and I can never ever let go of you and I don’t want to! Because my whole being, my thoughts, my everything, is consumed by you!" he scoots closer, cradling my face between his hands, his voice sounds almost broken as he continued "And I can’t sleep, I can’t breath, I can’t eat… I can’t function properly anymore because all I can think about is you! Lizzie, I love you!" he’s so close now that I can feel his hot breath on the tip of my nose, I could see the tiny freckles on his nose, the little speckles of gold in his eyes "And after today, after I almost lost you. Again. Please! Mon amour, please say yes…"

"Say yes to what?" I whispered and he came even closer, our lips almost touching.

"To me. To us." he whispered back, his gaze wandered down to my lips "To our life together. Say yes and I’ll be yours, even though I always was." I felt my insides flutter, the butterflies going crazy, the heat rising to my cheeks.

"But what if…" I began but he pressed his lips onto mine and I melted. Every resolve I had crumbled. The kiss was tender, sweet, promising. I felt like a weight lifted off of my shoulders. My whole body was tingling, heating up. My heart was beating out of my chest. It felt like this was where I belonged. Where Charles belonged. This was home. After what felt like an eternity I opened my eyes again, Charles still as close as before, smiling his most beautiful smile, dimples dimpling.

"I love you, cara mia!" he said it with so much love and conviction that I blushed even harder.

I took a deep breath. All my emotions boiling over, but it was now or never.

"I love you too, Charles, like really… but I’m so scared!" I said with a shaky voice and closed my eyes. He only pressed his forehead against mine and paused for a minute.

"Don’t be, nothing will change!" he answered and I just nodded slowly "What’s going on inside of your pretty head?”

"Can we keep this, for now, between us?" I asked quietly and looked down at my hands in my lap.

"Hey, look at me, Lizzie." he whispered and gently grabbed my chin, lifting my face up to look at him "We do this the way you want it to! It’s just you and me! Well and Pops…" he says softly and I looked at him confused.

"Dad?" I asked nervously.

"How do you think I got in here? As soon as the podium ceremony was done, I left and got here. He spoke with the nurse and then he told me to finally make my move…" Charles said and I laughed.

"A move you made." I smiled as he leaned in and kissed me again, then he hugged me and inhaled deeply.

"This is what I always wanted… just you and me…" he whispered.

"Against the world." I continued and Charles chuckled and sat up, then he took my hands in his.

"Forever and always!" he said and I smiled.

The door opened quietly and Dad looked inside.

"The Doctors want to see you, Lizzie." he said and I nodded, Charles stood up but I grabbed his hand.

"I’m not leaving. I’m just making space." he chuckled and sat down in the chair next to my bed as the doctors walked in.

"How are you, Lizzie?" the brunette one said.

"I’m okay, just a bit tired." I answered honestly.

"Any pain?" he asked.

"A little headache and my body in general feels a bit tense." I answered and he nodded.

"You have a slight whiplash, nothing to bad. And your body will feel tense for a couple of days and then it should be fine, as well as the whiplash. No work-outs, lots of water and rest and you should be good to go in a couple of days." he said and I looked at him with wide eyes "Oh! No you can leave tomorrow I meant in a week you’re good to go back to racing."

"Thanks, Doc." I said relieved and he nods.

"I’ll prescribe you some pain killers and something that helps you sleeping. Pain killers whenever the pain get’s too much but three are the maximum a day. Sleeping pill around 30 min before you go to bed, if needed." he explained and I nodded "I’ll leave you to rest. Mr. Leclerc, visiting hours ended 30 minutes ago. Only family members are allowed to stay."

"I’m not leaving her side." Charles said immediately and Dad chuckled.

"It’s alright Doc, he stays and I’m leaving." he said and the doctors nodded.

"Alright. If you need anything, push the call button." a nurse replied and with that they left.

"Andrea will be here any minute, bringing you new clothes. Get some rest. Both of you!" Dad said and kissed my forehead and squeezed Charles shoulder as it knocked on the door and Andrea walked in with Charles’ backpack.

"Oh Lizzie! My pretty girl, how are you?" he asked in Italian and handed Charles his backpack.

"I’m okay, thanks Andrea!" I answered in Italian as well and Andrea kissed both my cheeks, then he hugged Charles and whispered something to him, Charles only nodded.

"Rest up. Both of you!" he said and with that he left the room together with Dad.

"You can take a shower in there, if you want." I said and nodded my head in the direction of the attached bathroom, Charles looked hesitant for a moment "I’ll still be here when you come back!” I reassured him and he nodded and left with the backpack.

I scrolled through my phone as I came upon a post from Sky about the post race press conference, which Charles wasn’t attending, he left almost straight after the podium procedure. Apparently the FIA was considering to fine him. Why didn’t he just wait for after the press conference before he came in here? I didn’t want him in any kind of trouble because of me. Reading the comments was, as always, not a good idea. Where most people agreed that it was sweet from Charles to immediately leave and check on me, some people called him a love sick puppy and he should be fined for leaving. Others asking how I made it even into F1, spinning out like that. If I would be honest, the people would think differently. But I won’t tell anyone besides JK and Dr. Lindner what happened today. And how we can prevent it from happening again.

"About what are you thinking that hard?" Charles soft voice made me flinch. He stood in the doorframe, wearing grey sweatpants and a t-shirt.

"The FIA thinks about fining you… you should’ve stayed for the press conference, Charles! I don’t want you to have any trouble because of me!" I said quietly but he only shook his head, switched the light in the bathroom off and walked over to me.

"If it was for me, I would’ve left straight after I got out of my car. I wasn’t even celebrating. I just wanted to see you. That was my priority!" he whispered and took my hand in his and kissed it. He then pulled the armchair close to the bed and I looked at him curiously.

"And what are you doing?" I asked and he looked up.

"I’m making myself a little comfortable." he answered and grabbed the stool but I chuckled.

"Oh no, you’re not sleeping in an armchair and a stool! You have two options! You’re sleeping on that sofa, or you’re sleeping with me in the bed, there’s enough space. So, what will it be Leclerc?" I said and Charles looked over at the sofa that was at the other side of the room, then he looked at the bed and I scooted over to make him space.

"Okay, but you’re telling me when it gets uncomfortable!" he said and climbed in next to me. Then he laid on his side and I leaned into him a little, his arm under my head, legs intertwined. "I could get used to this!" he kissed my temple and I giggled.

"It’s not the first time that we’re sharing a bed!" I said and Charles nodded.

"But it’s the first time after we both… umm… confessed our feelings!" he answered and I yawned a little "And now sleep! You need rest!" He kissed my temple again and switched the light off.

"Yeah I need to be fit for DisneyWorld. We’re meeting Mum, Marcus, Lisa and Benji there tomorrow. For dads birthday, but also for the kids… you want to come with us? I know it’s a bit last minute but…" I began but Charles laughed only.

"Liam invited me already, I’m coming with you!" he said and I smiled.

"He did? Sneaky little lad!" I laughed "Oh and before I forget it, Daniel and Isaac are also tagging along."

"Daniel and Isaac? As in Daniel Ricciardo and his nephew Isaac?" he asked and I nodded "How did that happen?"

"They bumped into Sissy and Liam on Friday, started talking and Liam invited them earlier today as well… and Daniel was more than happy to agree…" I chuckled.

"What am I missing?" he asked.

"Oh… you’ll see…" I yawned and cuddled closer into him.

————————————————————————

Little Note:

Aaaand chapter 15 is out - Lizzie and Charles made it! THEY FINALLY MADE IT… from now on it will be fluffier than fluffy, right?! 👀👀👀

Please leave a comment/ like/ reblog/ message and tell me how you liked it! I'm dying to hear your thoughts!

If you want to be added to the taglist, drop a comment!

Last but not least, English is not my first language and although I tried my best: please excuse any mistakes I made!

Taglist:

@silkenthusiasts @eugene-emt-roe @sunny44 @itsjustkhaos @glitterquadricorn @aundercover @kakorrhaphiphobia @alittlebitofbooksandmagic @ru-kru @glitterf1 @janeholt3 @maeve-wileyy @18754389

All the images I’m using are from Google, Pinterest and Instagram (or self made).

66 notes · View notes

callsign-bunnie · 1 year

Text

"Goodbye, Simon.”

Ghost goes into another spiral. Soap realizes he’s never going to be enough for Ghost to help himself. So he leaves and Ghost is alone, again.

Angst, hurt/no comfort. Breakups. Soapghost.

Sorry, I was going through something when I wrote this.

Ghost hesitated when he went into the apartment. He hoped Soap would forgive him for this one. He’d been gone for 3 weeks, which was the longest he’d ever disappeared on Soap. He hadn’t meant to, he’d just started thinking again.

Which was the problem.

Ghost dropped his keys in the bowl, not even jumping when Soap spoke. It was routine at this rate. He’d get home and Soap would be sitting there on the couch. Usually exhausted. Sometimes angry. Always worried. “You were gone a while, this time.”

“Sorry, I-”

“It’s alright.” Ghost paused, frowning. Soap’s tone was different this time. It was still gentle as always but... it sounded defeated. “Where did you go, this time?”

“Mexico.” Ghost winced. He pulled his hood down and then took the jacket off, hanging it up. Soap nodded a little and went quiet.

“Did you see Alejandro?” Soap asked, after a moment.

Ghost considered lying, saying he did. Pretending he did more than go to where he had to dig himself up and just lay in the dirt for a while. But, no. Soap wouldn’t ask if he didn’t already know the answer. Not in this case. “No.”

Soap nodded again. Ghost finally met his eyes. He’d been crying, which wasn’t a shock. Soap didn’t like to cry in front of others, or much at all. Ghost knew that. But... he always cried when he was worried for Ghost.

Soap clenched his jaw a little and then looked away. “I made dinner. I couldn’t eat much of it, so there should be more than enough for you.”

Ghost nodded a little. “Okay.” He started to go to the kitchen, listening when Soap followed him.

“Price said you called him a few times.” Soap said, after a moment, and Ghost cringed, guilty. “To check in.”

Ghost hesitated. “I knew he wouldn’t say anything. Just tell me to be careful.”

Soap nodded again. He got the food out of the fridge and carefully reheated it for Ghost, using their worn down toaster oven and not the microwave because Ghost hated food reheated in the microwave. The action made the guilt in Ghost’s chest swell.

Soap leaned against the counter, watching the toaster oven. Ghost sat at the table, watching Soap.

“You know, I was thinking to myself this morning, actually, that... I might like to go back to Mexico, myself. Crazy coincidence, huh?” Soap chuckled, but Ghost could hear his voice strain.

Ghost winced. “Johnny, I-”

“I’ve said before that you don’t have to justify your... episodes.” Soap looked at him, smiling weakly.

Ghost looked away and then took his mask off, shaking his head a little. “Soap, I- I’m sorry. I really am.”

“But you’ll still do it again.” Soap nodded. “How long will it be, next time?”

Ghost frowned, “it won’t happen-”

“I knew. When we got together, I knew that you were... hurt. But, I didn’t expect to be getting half of a relationship.” Soap turned back to the toaster oven. “3 weeks is a long time. Especially by yourself. You do a lot of thinking. A lot of questioning.” He finally got the food out and brought it over to Ghost, sitting at the table, with him.

Ghost watched him sit down. A pit of dread started to settle into his stomach. He didn’t touch the food. He remained silent.

Soap didn’t even look fazed by Ghost’s silence. He just continued. “I think I’ve slept on the couch more than I’ve slept in our bed. When we’re home, that is. Can’t count how many dinners I’ve thrown away because you weren’t there to eat them with me. How many texts from Price that I’ve gotten. ‘He’s alive.’ ‘He misses you.’ ‘He’ll be back, soon.’ But where is he? I don’t fucking know. Could be fucking Mexico, could be some fucking cave in the middle of the woods, maybe he’s in fucking space for all I know.”

Soap stood again. Ghost couldn’t speak. He couldn’t justify himself. “You come home, you see me on the couch and it’s ‘Sorry. I couldn’t handle myself, again.’ No acknowledgement. No... justification beyond you couldn’t handle yourself and do you come to me? No. Because the next fucking day, we pretend nothing happened.”

Soap started to pace. “And there’s the fact that every fucking call from Price makes my hands shake. I get dread in my stomach, I can’t fucking breathe. What if this is the call? What if Price is telling me they dragged you out of some ditch? All I can think of is how many times I’ve talked you from the fucking edge but I’m not there this time.”

Ghost finally looked away. But he still couldn’t speak.

“You’re my boyfriend. The love of my fucking life. And I get updates from Price. Every fucking time he calls me, you know what he says, Simon? It’s ‘I’m sorry, Johnny. I’m sorry he doesn’t talk to you.’ How fucked up is that? Alejandro called me. To check on me. I almost couldn’t fucking answer the phone because oh god, what if he’d found your body?”

“But you know what’s even worse? When no one calls. Because then I don’t know. All I have to go off of is if you come home or not. And I live my life in dread for the day that I wake up and you’re gone again and you never come back.”

All of the emotion seemed to drain out of Soap and he came back to the table, putting his hand on it. “Why? Why can’t you just come to me?”

Ghost shook his head, finally finding words. “I want to. I do, but... I don’t want you to see that side of me.”

Soap snorted and Ghost winced, realizing that was the wrong answer. “Half a relationship. Half a boyfriend.” He shrugged. “Fitting.”

Soap was quiet for a moment and Ghost knew he should say something. He was about to lose Soap and he knew he needed to try, to do something to make him stay. But Ghost wasn’t sure what he even could do.

Soap looked away. “I love you. So much. I love you more than I think I could ever express. I was willing to sit here and destroy myself to help you get better but... I could take myself apart, piece by piece and put all of it into helping you and you... you’ll never get better. Because you’ll never help yourself.”

Ghost shook his head, again, the need to stop him finally setting in. “Soap, no- I’m trying. I really am. I-”

“No, you’re not Ghost! You’re a fucking... ghost! You drift through our fucking lives, including your own, like you’re already fucking dead and it doesn’t even matter! I cannot ever imagine going through anything you’ve gone through but fuck-” Soap tore at his hair and Ghost immediately moved to stop him, but Soap just swatted his hands away. “Why is it too much to ask that you just... come to someone when you fucking need help?! Why?!”

“Soap, I-” Ghost desperately needed to explain, he needed to tell him. “Johnny, I talked to Price, I’m taking the initiative, I can’t- god, please Johnny, I can’t fucking lose you, please...” He didn’t care how desperate he sounded. He couldn’t lose Soap, too.

Soap seemed to soften and then he came over to Ghost. He touched Ghost’s face and kissed him, gently. He took a deep breath. “I can’t. I’m never going to be enough for you to get better. I can’t save you, Simon. I... you need someone who’s going to be enough for you.”

“I don’t want someone who’s enough, I want you. Johnny, please...” Ghost felt like he couldn’t breathe. He needed Soap to stay.

Soap shook his head but didn’t respond. He went to the bedroom and Ghost immediately followed him. But he stopped when he saw three overnight bags, sitting perfectly on the bed. The drawers in their dresser were open but everything was so neat.

Ghost surged forward and grabbed Soap’s arm. “Johnny-”

“Ghost, I’ve made up my mind.” Soap sighed, pulling his arm away. “Just... please don’t make this harder than it already is.”

“Please... I’m going to try...” Ghost pleaded. He would get on his knees and scream it if he had to. If it meant Johnny would stay.

Soap looked away from him but continued to grab his bags. “I’m sorry.” He mumbled.

And then he left.

Ghost wanted to scream. He couldn’t cry but... if he could have, he would. His pocket suddenly burned and Ghost wanted to break something at the realization that he’d had a way to keep Soap the entire time but he’d been so caught off guard, he didn’t fucking remember it.

And now it was too late.

Ghost let out a shaky breath as he reached into his own pocket, pulling out a silver ring. He’d obsessed over it. Called Alejandro the day before he got it to make sure it was good because he knew Alejandro was a romantic and Soap had commented on how nice Rodolfo’s ring was. Not too feminine, but not boring like the normal bands for men.

Ghost set it on the nightstand, staring at it. A wide black band, with a gold marbling design. Alejandro had called it elegant. Rodolfo said it was still masculine enough. Both had agreed Soap would love it.

Ghost had made up his mind to finally do it that day. When he got back. He was going to finally try therapy again, despite how horribly it’d worked out, last time. He was going to try.

But it was too fucking late.

Ghost collapsed in on himself, crouching to the floor and covering his face. It was too fucking late and it was all Ghost’s fault. Soap had fucking left him because he couldn’t fucking get his shit together.

Soap was gone.

And Ghost was alone again.

#Johnny Soap Mactavish #Simon Ghost Riley #Soap Cod #Ghost COD #Soapghost #Ghostsoap #Soap x Ghost #Ghost x Soap #Macriley #Call of Duty #Call Of Duty Modern Warfare 2 #angst #this is probably bad i'm sorry #Emotions and shit #breakup

232 notes · View notes

daydream-cement · 1 year

Text

The Road Trip Ch. 3

Our characters are creating relationships and destroying them. More importantly, they have no idea what is to come next.

this fic has been such a joy to write with my @bri-sonat !!! initially this crossover idea was supposed to be something so much more simple, but em and i just kept writing.... and writing... and writing (and i couldn't be happier about it).

After hours of wasting away at the pool's edge, Larissa retreated indoors in search of a meal, unsure of who to expect wandering about the house. The shapeshifter ducked into the kitchen, pulling her swimsuit cover tighter around her waist when she saw she wasn’t alone.

Miranda was shoveling cereal into her mouth happily, waving to Larissa and speaking with a full mouth as she entered, “Hey, Riss! Can you believe it’s 6 already?”

“I cannot.” Larissa shook her head, opening up the fridge to see what food it was stocked with. The shapeshifter happily pulled a premade salad from the fridge and then began searching around the kitchen for silverware, “How are you feeling?”

Miranda waved a hand like she was batting away the question, “I’m fine. I was just tired. Brienne was being all chivalrous and overprotective.” She certainly wasn’t upset with Brienne’s actions, only a true friend would do something so kind.

“What’s her deal anyway? Earlier I told her she was attractive and she was furious with me…” Larissa tried to keep her tone casual and polite, not wanting to rouse any suspicion from Miranda. The headmistress eventually found a fork on her third try at a random drawer and then joined Miranda at the dinner table.

Miranda shrugged as she spectated Larissa, taking a seat across from her, “I dunno. Oh! You should ask Phas, I saw that they were pretty chummy before we started playing.” The constable’s mouth was filled with half-chewed cereal as she spoke, eyes lighting up when she remembered seeing the two women speaking earlier. “I really know nothing about Brienne. She’s so, hmmm, what’s the word I’m searching for here? Oh! Mysterious!” As she tried to look for the word, she gestured wildly with her free hand, trying to will the adjective to come to mind. The headmistress could almost see the bulb light above the cereal-eating woman’s head once it did.

“I’m certainly not talking to that woman. If I set foot anywhere near her room, I wouldn’t doubt harm may come to me.” Larissa’s voice was more of a low murmur, wanting to keep anyone other than Miranda from hearing her. One of the shapeshifter’s hands gripped the edge of the salad bowl, the other manipulating the fork into mixing the salad.

“Oh, Weems, you flatter me so. Glad to hear you speak so highly of me.” Both of the women snapped their heads towards the sound of the new voice that had entered their space. Phasma stood in the archway, eyeing both Larissa and Miranda who looked like they had gotten caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

Larissa’s brow furrowed momentarily before the headmistress finally straightened her back and applied a diplomatic smile to her face. For years she had been working with people she didn’t quite like, what was another week? The mixing of her salad slowed and Larissa gestured to the empty seats with a nod of her head, “Care to join us, Captain?”

“Are you sure you want me to? After what I heard you two talk about I think it’d be best if I had my dinner up in my room. Don’t let me disturb you. Carry on.” Phasma moved into the kitchen fully, making a direct line for the fridge.

“If you wish…” Larissa shrugged, not caring where Phasma chose to eat.

Miranda seemed to have a difference of opinion, her kind nature bubbling to the surface, “No way! Phas, you have to eat dinner with us! I wanna hear stories about you working for the first order. I’m sure you have some good ones.” Miranda pointed to a chair directly across from Larissa and her tone was borderline begging Phasma to stay. The constable was hoping all of the women could be friends after the trip, so promoting togetherness was a part of her grand agenda.

Phasma opened the fridge door, turning her upper body as she did to look back at the two women who were sitting at the dinner table. Miranda stared giddily at Phasma, whereas Larissa held intense eye contact with her salad, “Well. If you insist.” Grabbing a protein shake from the fridge, she closed the door and moved to join the constable and headmistress.

“Really? Oh, cool!! I have so many questions. Well, not exactly questions, but I wanna know everything you’re willing to share. How many planets have you been to?” Miranda tried stilling herself, but she was vibrating in her chair from the pure excitement of eating dinner with Phasma. For years, the constable had enjoyed movies and television about traveling in space and now she had the opportunity to sit and talk with someone who had experienced everything she could only dream of.

Larissa glanced up at Phasma at Miranda’s question, curious herself of the answer. The shapeshifter stabbed at her salad, filling her mouth to avoid her having to join the conversation in any capacity.

“First of all, slow down. Second of all, it depends. Planets in total, or planets that are still intact?” Phasma sat down across from Miranda, leaning back in her chair and twisting the lid of her shake open to take her first sip.

Miranda’s eyes widened at Phasma’s words, and a grin broke out. Phasma’s words reminded Miranda of so many of the movies and shows she had watched over her lifetime. She tried to reel in her excitement, but it was near impossible, “Both? How many planets have you destroyed? Were they a threat to who you have pledged allegiance to?”

“Well. Planets? Too many to count, if I had to venture a guess, I would say fifty, sixty, maybe? As for planets being destroyed, I’d say half of my previous numbers. If you want a precise number I will have to check my journal. I destroyed them because I felt like it.” Phasma answered all of Miranda’s quick questions, speaking of her immorality and crimes as if talking about her dinner from last night. Speaking so casually of blowing up people’s homes, and for fun, of all things.

Larissa eyed Phasma, unable to hide her calculating look. The shapeshifter found the captain to be strange in many ways, but these stories seemed almost unbelievable. Miranda turned to the headmistress in shock when Larissa asked a question of her own, her tone looking to challenge the captain, “And how many people have you killed?”

Phasma’s eyes shifted from Miranda to Larissa when she spoke up. Her brows cocked in surprise and interest, her eyes analyzing the shapeshifter. She hadn’t expected the principal to join in on the conversation, especially not with such a loaded query, “Now that. That, I lost count of many years ago. Stopped counting after I hit one hundred, there wasn’t simply any space left in my journals. And it is so hard to count bodies, and body parts when they are blown up and mangled beyond recognition.” The captain wore a fond smile as she spoke, proud of reliving and retelling her vile actions.

Larissa’s lip curled involuntarily at the more gory details, not appreciating the candid reply. The headmistress turned her gaze back down to the salad, trying to regain her will to eat. Miranda, however, only had more questions for the captain, “Wait… do you work for the good guys or the bad guys?”

Phasma noticed the headmistress' disgusted expression, “If you didn’t want to know, you shouldn’t have asked, darling.” The captain turned her attention back to Miranda, choosing to answer the question neutrally, “Depends on who you ask.” She took another sip of her shake as she waited for the constable in front of her to elaborate on the inquiry.

Larissa couldn’t hold her tongue, the need for a verbal joust spilling from her mouth when Phasma was done speaking, “And you kill to- What? Fill the void? Who hurt little Phasma that you can’t seem to not threaten someone at every turn?” The headmistress began to regret her words immediately, knowing the captain was sure to bite back.

Phasma’s previous expression fell, the inherent glower and piercing eyes returning to her features after Larissa spoke. Her eyes immediately went back to the headmistress, leaning forward in her chair to get even closer to the platinum-blonde woman, “No. I kill because it feels good. Because I want to. And because I can.” The captain stared into the shapeshifter’s eyes, assessing whether or not the potential spout was worth her time.

Larissa held firm, keeping her posture and maintaining searing eye contact. The headmistress was putting all of her faith in Lucifer to not let Phasma break the only house rule. She gave Phasma a soft smile, breaking eye contact to gather another forkful of salad, gazing into Phasma’s eyes and speaking before pushing the greens into her mouth, “And here I would’ve guessed not enough hugs from mother.”

Phasma huffed a dry laugh, “Oh. So now I have mommy issues?” Leaning back in her chair once again, she took another sip, “What an astute observation. Where did you learn that, during your own childhood? I’m sure having a cold and distant mother leads to seeing some equal signs. You would know better than most, no?”

“More so that you remind me of my students. The same ones who lash out for attention and hurt others when they really just need love, hm? But your amateur psychology was worth a shot.” Larissa wasn’t about to reveal any aspect of her relationship with her mother to this woman. Instead, the headmistress only dug her claws in deeper, rolling her shoulders back as she stared at Phasma.

“Real interesting connection there, only issue is, I am nothing like your little child students. There was no ‘amateur psychology’ in play, I too am observant, you know.” Phasma smirked over her drink, maintaining the heated stare.

Larissa hadn’t experienced this much verbal warfare since she herself was a student at Nevermore. The headmistress scoffed and dropped her fork in the bowl to fold her arms over her chest, “Observant? Not a word I would have used to describe you, but sure, if you think so.”

“Not observant, you say? Would a non-observant person have seen the way you look at our dear Lord Commander? The way you eye-fuck her when you think no one is watching, hmm?” Phasma leaned closer and closer to Larissa, an extremely smug smirk on her face, watching for every single reaction the headmistress could wear. The captain was now playing dirty.

Larissa pursed her lips, looking Phasma up and down before making eye contact once more, “I know good art when I see it.” Pushing her chair back, Larissa moved to stand, earning some height over Phasma, even if it was momentary. She considered holding the next thought in, but the need to win the argument was too great, “You can’t be all that observant because you would have noticed me eye-fucking you too.”

The captain stood herself, a wry chuckle escaping her lips, “Oh no, you misunderstand. I noticed that as well. I just didn’t want to embarrass you by bringing it up.” Phasma tilted her head to the side slightly, “Which is why I find this conversation so amusing. The fact that you were arguing with me when you couldn’t keep your eyes off of my thighs just a few hours ago.”

“What can I say? You are fun to argue with.” Larissa nabbed her salad bowl from the table and took her leave. She knew Phasma would take this as a win, but she couldn’t stand to be in the woman’s presence with the deep red blush crawling up her face.

The chromed trooper laughed deeply as she watched Larissa leave in her periphery, her booming voice shouting after the shapeshifter, “This was fun, let’s do it again sometime!”

Always needing the last word, Larissa paused momentarily, “I’m sure you would just love that, wouldn’t you?” She knew it wasn’t the best comeback, but her frustration got the best of her. The headmistress stormed from the home, choosing to finish her dinner outside, muttering to herself in the lounge area.

“I would love that very much! I always enjoy frustrating people and making them flustered!” Phasma knew Larissa had left the house, hearing the closing of the door, but the quiet house carried her voice, and she knew that the headmistress had to have heard at least a fraction of her words. The captain took her seat, returning to her spot across from Miranda, and continued sipping on her shake.

Miranda turned her gaze down to the cereal bowl, unsure if she wanted to ask any additional questions. There was no way she wanted to be on the receiving end of any discussion like that.

Phasma took a deep breath, and almost like the argument never happened, she, scarily calm and composed, looked to Miranda, “So, any more questions?”

Miranda only shook her head, focusing on finishing the rest of her cereal so she could go anywhere that wasn’t under the captain’s uncomfortable gaze. The soft clinking of metal against the ceramic bowl was the only noise that came from Miranda’s side of the table.

“Very well. This has been a very fulfilling dinner. Thank you for allowing me to join.” Phasma smiled to herself, satisfied with the end of her heated discussion with Larissa, this had been the most interesting thing that had happened all day. She finished the rest of her shake, standing up to throw away her trash. Once she had done so, she took her exit, leaving Miranda alone in the kitchen.

Miranda finished up her meal and left her bowl in the sink, wanting to explore the house until she found Brienne. At least she knew the knight wouldn’t have any rude comments to throw back and forth. The constable was excited for a fun trip with new friends, but this vacation was beginning to look bleak.

The constable padded down to Brienne’s room first, knocking gently and calling out to the other woman, “Bri, it’s Miranda! Are you busy?”

Ever since Brienne brought Miranda to her room and provided her with whatever she needed, she had retreated to her room and hadn’t left since. At the knock on her door and the voice from the other side, the knight smiled, glad that the constable was feeling well enough to be up and walking, “Not particularly.” The Lord Commander’s voice was muffled from the other side and seconds after, the hardwood was opened, “What can I do for you, Constable?”

“I was wondering if you wanted to hang out. Phas and Rissa had one of those knock-down, drag-out fights and I think it’s best to leave them alone for a bit. We could go for a walk or explore the house or just sit around. Whatever you want…” Miranda shrugged and tried to sound impartial, but deep down she was jumping at the bit for Brienne to hang out with her. While Phasma was cool for living in space, Miranda felt a kinship with the lady knight, assuming they may share many of the same experiences.

“Well, that certainly sounds unpleasant.” Brienne furrowed her brows, stepping out of her room and closing the door behind her. “I would love to hang out. We can do whatever you wish.” The knight smiled at Miranda, wishing to take her mind off the surely terrifying experience of being stuck in a spout between Phasma and Larissa. “I am glad to see that you are doing better, by the way.”

“Oh, yeah, I’m alright.” Miranda waved off the other woman’s care and took a step back, hoping to draw Brienne from her room, “We can sit in the living room. I wouldn’t want to invade your space. I want to hear about you being a knight- I mean, Lord Commander. That’s really cool…”

Brienne laughed fondly at the constable’s quick correction, “I am still a knight. Just a different title and job. I can tell you about both if you wish, I have many stories.”

“Yes, tell me everything. It isn’t every day you meet a woman like you.” Miranda gave a quick smile, beginning to slowly lead herself and Brienne towards the main room of the home, ready to soak up every story Brienne had to offer.

“Well, most of the interesting stories happened before I was officially knighted. There’s the story of how I fought against and beat two of the strongest fighters, not at the same time, of course. Or the story of the war against the white walkers, that one took place after I got my knighthood.” Brienne walked with her hands clasped behind her back as she spoke, maneuvering the house to arrive in the living room.

“Who are the strongest fighters? And what’s a white walker? Is that like a ghost? Probably not…” Miranda settled on the couch, drawing a pillow to her chest and staring intently at the knight, ready to consume and memorize each of her stories. The constable was quick to appoint women as ‘personal heroes’ especially when they live lives and accomplish things she could only dream of.

Brienne had taken her seat on the couch next to Miranda, sitting stiffly upright with her palms resting flat on her thighs, “Well, there was Ser Jaime Lannister, I was ordered to escort him and ended up having to fight him, his manacled form most definitely helped me, though. Then there was The Hound, he used to be in the King’s Guard, and he was a worthy opponent, I was very surprised to see him alive.” As the Lord Commander spoke, she grew more and more relaxed, allowing herself to lean back a tiny bit. “White walkers are dead beings from the other side of the wall, they never truly died, you just had to keep fighting until the Night King was slayed.”

“They never truly died? Night King? How many of them were there?” Miranda leaned forward in her seat, literally at the edge of her seat from Brienne’s tales. From the way her mouth remained agape and her brow furrowed, Miranda was unable to hide her true wonderment from the thought of Brienne fighting zombies.

The knight smiled heartwarmingly, never had someone been so invested in her anecdotes before, “Exactly so. You could slash as much as you wanted, but as soon as one fell to the ground, it rose. There were hundreds of them. White walkers and wights as far as the eye could see. At one point, I and another knight were cornered, our swords wildly gliding through the air, fighting with every single ounce of strength left in us.” Brienne had opted for dramatics, lowering her voice as she spoke, telling the story theatrically for Miranda’s enjoyment. She lowered her voice even more before she began speaking of the leader. “Yes, the Night King. His skin was wrinkly and ice white, eyes glowing and blue as The Shivering Sea. He is said to have existed since the age of the First Men. You kill him, you kill them all. All his troops.”

Miranda fell into the dramatics, enjoying every second as she envisioned Brienne battling the white walkers. She couldn’t help herself when she became Brienne’s biggest fan, “But how did you survive? I mean, probably because you are the coolest person to ever exist. I swear to God, Bri. You are amazing. I couldn’t imagine doing anything like this. Are there... Are there many other knights that are women?”

“That’s a very good question. I’d like to think it was pure luck. Or that the Gods were smiling down at me. Or maybe it was pure skill. All I do know is that had that battle gone on for another minute, I would be one of the bodies on the frozen ground.” Brienne paused for a second, thinking back to the moments when she thought she was done for before the white walkers crumpled to the ground. “No. I am the only one. Sadly, it is frowned upon for a woman to be anything else than a woman, in what society deems as ‘traditional.’”

“I was the only woman at my department for a little while... It can be... rough.” Miranda’s eyes fell to the floor, moments from those two years flashing through her mind of the ‘man’s world’ she was expected to exist in.

“What changed?” Brienne had turned her body towards Miranda when she saw the constable’s gaze fall on the floor, her tone low and gentle, her eyes locked on the policewoman next to her.

“Well, my partner came to work at the department. Robin and I didn’t see eye to eye at first, but after a while... we became friends. She is always nice enough to stand up for me when the guys say something offhand.” Miranda brought her gaze back up to meet Brienne’s, slightly embarrassed at her admission that she typically refuses to stand up for herself, especially when she has painted Brienne to be such a fearsome individual in her mind.

“I’m glad you have someone like that on your side, though you should start standing up for yourself as well. Recognize your own worth, your own value.” Brienne smiled fondly at Miranda, empathizing with much of what the constable was talking about. Knowing all too well what it felt like to be constantly bad-mouthed and ridiculed.

Miranda only shrugged, knowing it was unlikely she would stand up for herself unless she was pushed to the brink like she had been with Robin when their relationship was on the rocks, “I’m sure the guys are just joking most of the time. No reason to cause trouble if I can help it. Don’t worry about it, Bri. I’ll make a commissioned rank one day while the rest of those guys are stuck as sergeants and constables.” The constable smiled to herself, picturing the rank she could hold one day.

Brienne frowned and drew her brows together, in her experience, men’s so-called ‘jokes’ always held their version of their truth. “Men call the actual insults jokes so they can say, ‘it’s not that serious,’ or ‘you can’t take a joke.’ Their ‘jokes’ are just mockery disguised as jest so they can play it off like one.” The knight was leaning forward, arms resting on her thighs as she spoke to Miranda. “I assume they would be quite pissed about the fact that they would have to take their orders from a woman, I know you will do a wonderful job.”

“Ha. So you’re telling me they are serious when they call me a man? Great.” Miranda tried playing off her pain as a joke, but her tone didn’t quite land. Rather than continue on the subject, Miranda attempted to change the subject, “So what’s your deal with not wanting to get in the pool? If you don’t know how to swim, I can totally show you how to swim if you want.”

“Most definitely.” Brienne considered reaching out and placing a comforting hand on the constable’s knee but didn’t know if that would be appreciated, considering people’s previous reaction to any type of physical intimacy from her, so she refrained from doing so. “I grew up on an island, so I know how to swim. My reason for not wanting to get in the pool is far more complex and complicated, it runs deep and has for years.” The Lord Commander wasn’t all that keen on bringing up all of her childhood and adult life experiences she had gone through because of the way she looked and the career she had. Instead, she opted for a short and simple answer, hoping it would satisfy Miranda’s inquisitiveness.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to pry...” Miranda trailed off, unsure of what to say to Brienne next now that she had effectively ruined their discussion, “Well, I-”

The constable paused mid-sentence when she saw Larissa’s pale, swimsuit-clad form from the corner of her eye. The shapeshifter spoke up, joining the conversation uninvited, “What are you two up to?” Larissa strode into the living room, landing on the cushion next to Miranda, and tossing her sheer swimsuit cover over her legs.

“Brienne was telling me about all of her adventures. Rissa, I’m telling you she is the coolest person on Earth.” The constable’s hand reached out and gripped Larissa’s forearm, shaking the headmistress to indicate how excited she really was about hearing the knight’s tales. Larissa kept her eyes on Miranda, not wishing to make Brienne any more upset than she had earlier.

The knight laughed softly and shook her head at how Miranda spoke about her, “I would not say that I am the coolest person on Earth, I think you are overselling me a little bit to the Principal here.”

“Don’t listen to her, Riss. She is underselling herself. She has fought zombies and kicked men’s asses in battle. I get why you like her so much.” Miranda’s mouth was moving faster than her brain as she spoke to Larissa, spilling a quick summary of their conversation, including more than she should have revealed. The headmistress’s gaze narrowed at the constable’s revelation, wishing the woman could have just kept her mouth shut.

“That is true, I have done tha- What?” Brienne stared wide-eyed at Miranda who hadn’t been able to stop the words that tumbled from her lips. The knight released a sigh before standing up, her new friend apparently being in on the forever-ongoing plan to point and laugh at Brienne the Beast. She felt a deep, and cutting disappointment and sadness, but had learned long ago to not expect much from people; their true colors always show sooner or later. “This has been a wonderful conversation but I think it is time for me to retire for the night. I will see you both tomorrow.” The Lord Commander quickly bowed before leaving the room, not allowing the constable or the headmistress to protest or respond in any way.

“Miranda,” Larissa hissed, burying her face in her hands in sheer embarrassment. At least Phasma would have teased her about it in private instead of making her ‘crush’ known to Brienne.

“I’m sorry! It just slipped out! I didn’t think it would make her upset!” Guilt washed over Miranda and a pit of anxiety began growing in the woman’s stomach for upsetting her friend. The constable moved to stand so she could follow after Brienne, wishing to comfort her and apologize in any way she could, but Larissa reached out a hand, stopping her in her tracks.

“Leave her be, Miranda,” Larissa warned, but Miranda pulled her arm loose, choosing to follow after Brienne instead, not wanting to give the knight any longer to think about her words.

Miranda bounded after Brienne, watching her door close from a distance. Knocking at the door, Miranda thought over her final words to Brienne, wondering what she could have said to cause the knight to take her leave so suddenly, “Bri, what did I say? I didn’t mean to upset you. Please just talk to me and I’ll leave you alone for the rest of the trip if you want.”

As Miranda knocked and waited at Brienne’s door, Larissa passed her by to ascend the stairs to her room, speaking softly to Miranda, “Just leave her be. I don’t think she likes compliments.” Without another word, Larissa retired to her room, wanting a shower and a good night's sleep. Miranda wasn’t about to give up, the constable was prepared to sit outside the knight’s room all night if she had to.

“Hilmarson, if you have come to insult me even more, don’t, I got it the first time. And if you have come to apologize, I have no interest in hearing your excuses, own up to your words.” Brienne's voice was muffled on the other side of the door, so much that Miranda could barely make out what she was saying. There was a twinge of woe and hurt in the knight’s voice and she sounded so defeated, having given up on making friends with any of the women.

Larissa had insulted her, and so had Miranda, and Phasma was, well, Phasma, the captain had no interest in making any friends whatsoever and Lucifer was seldom there. Brienne had come to terms with that she would spend the rest of the week alone amongst people. Sure, she would socialize with them to stay civil, but she would not allow herself to hope.

“I want to apologize! But I need to know what I’m apologizing for! I don’t want to say anything to hurt you again, but I truly don’t understand.” Miranda leaned her forehead against the door as she spoke to the knight. She was trying her best to convey her most genuine of tones, but it was hard when Brienne couldn’t see the look on Miranda’s face, “I have no excuses for you.”

Brienne was unsure if she had the energy to indulge in this now, it had been a long day, and she wanted nothing more than to lay down in bed and get her hours in, to get this day over with.

Maybe Miranda hadn’t meant it in a hurtful way, maybe the knight had let her own insecurities and knowledge of how the world saw her take over. She was almost certain that the constable hadn’t meant to hurt her judging from her tone, but the Lord Commander couldn’t shake the forever gnawing feeling of humiliation lurking around every corner.

The knight opted for placing her sleep on hold for a few minutes, deciding that Miranda deserved an explanation and not the silent treatment. Brienne opened her door, the constable almost falling into her when she did, having to regain her balance, “Do you wish to do this in my doorway, or do you wish to come in?”

“I-I don’t want to intrude... I just- I don’t know what I said Brienne. I wanted you to know how great you were... Honest..” Miranda fidgeted with her hands, trying her best to stay calm in the terribly nerve-wracking situation. It took everything in her to meet Brienne’s gaze, but she knew she must if the knight were to believe her, “I, uhm, don’t have many friends so I try to avoid losing them when I find them...”

Brienne assessed the woman in front of her, looking for that usual sign that told her she was being made fun of, finding nothing remotely close to it inside Miranda’s eyes, “I will ask you one simple question. Did you mean what you said? Me being the coolest person on Earth and all that. Did you mean it?”

The constable didn’t hesitate with her answer, “Yes. I meant every word. You are truly one of the most incredible people I’ve ever met.” Miranda decided to keep her answer short, not wanting to get herself into any more trouble by continuing to speak.

The knight smiled tenderly, “That was all I needed to know and I am trusting it to be the truth.” Brienne still couldn’t shake the nagging voice warning her of the inevitable derision that had become commonplace, but she decided to believe her new friend, praying she wouldn’t regret it. “Goodnight, Constable Hilmarson.”

Miranda nodded, “Night, Bri.” Brienne’s reaction wasn’t exactly as thorough as she expected, but Miranda knew she wasn’t entitled to much more. Rather than wait for the knight to close the door, Miranda flashed a smile and took her leave, deciding to adjourn back to her own room while she and Brienne were on a high note. The knight had closed her door after the constable left, getting ready for bed and finally being able to lay down in a comfortable bed after one of the longest days in her life, Brienne was sure.

#gwendoline christie #larissa weems #wednesday netflix #gwen christie #brienne of tarth #game of thrones #got #captain phasma #star wars tfa #star wars #star wars the last jedi #star wars the force awakens #lucifer morningstar #lucifer morningstar (sandman)#the sandman #fanfic #fanfiction #crack fic #the road trip

130 notes · View notes

scarletsaphire · 7 months

Text

Maddie has a quiet moment to herself, but then hears a sound coming from somewhere within Fentonworks.

---

For Ectoberhaunt day 13: Horror Flick

The downstairs of Fentonworks was uncharacteristically quiet. Jack had taken the GAV to the dump, looking to find some usable parts for their newest invention. Jazz was volunteering at the library. Danny was... well, Maddie didn't know where exactly Danny was. It had become far more trouble to keep an eye on him than it was worth, and he always came home safe and sound. For the most part. That meant that Maddie had the house to herself for a little while.

Normally, she wouldn't care. She'd hole herself up in the lab, working on something. She would have been doing that now, if it wasn't for the part they were missing. She could try working on a different project, but that might end with her losing her mojo for this one. So she was taking Jazz's advice and taking a well deserved break, at least until Jack got back.

They hadn't had a lot of food in the kitchen, unsurprisingly; none of them had ever been very talented in the kitchen. But Maddie had found some tea, and there had been some leftover lo mein shoved in the back corner of the fridge that was good enough. Certainly not the most orthodox of meals, but since when has Maddie ever been orthodox?

Maddie wasn't used to the quiet of everyday life. She was used to the sound of her husband's excited chatter, to the whirring, clanging sounds of machinery. Now, all she could hear was the occasional car passing by outside, the sound of her chewing, and the soft padding of...something. That was weird. Normally, Maddie was pretty good at recognizing what a sound was. It was important to be aware and vigilant as a ghost hunter. But this sound wasn't one she recognized, and it was coming from somewhere inside the house.

Maddie turned away from the window, scanning the living room. Nothing looked out of place. The couch hadn't been moved, the TV was still turned off, the windows were shut tight. It could have been coming from upstairs, perhaps? She turned towards the stairs, and immediately froze.

On the ceiling near the staircase was a ghost, crawling on the ceiling exorcist style. His head was flipped backwards, staring down at Maddie with glazed eyes. His face was a mess, covered in scratches and bruises, and his tongue lulled out, flopping around. His white hair was matted together, splotches of blood and dirt clearly visible.

Maddie nearly dropped her cup of tea, but was able to stable herself enough to set it down on the counter. She turned back to the specter with a scowl. "Daniel James Fenton, put your head back on right and get off the ceiling this instant."

Danny laughed, contorting his body inhumanly and putting his head back on straight before floating gently to the floor. "I got you good, though," he said, still laughing.

Maddie shook her head with a sigh. "Yes, you did. But what happened to your face? Who was it this time?" Maddie reached into the upper cupboard, grabbing the modified first aid kit they kept for Danny.

Danny sat at the kitchen table, propping his head up on his hand. "Johnny and Shadow. Got tied to their motorcycle and dragged behind them for a mile or so."

Maddie hummed, and started to clean out some of Danny's scrapes. He didn't even flinch at the antibacterial wipes. "And was this his fault, or was this your bad idea?"

Danny smiled sheepishly. "Can't it be both?"

"What were you trying to do?" Maddie asked.

"We wanted to see if I could slow him down by acting like a kite. Or if it would make me fly faster. Turns out, I am not good enough at body modification to kite myself. Yet."

Maddie sighed. "Yet, meaning you're going to keep trying?" Danny just smiled at her in lieu of an answer. "You're just like your father. Now, space bandages?"

Danny nodded, and continued chatting as Maddie grabbed the bandages from the first aid kit. She liked this much more than quiet.

#danny phantom #danny phantom fanfiction #danny fenton #maddie fenton #ectoberhaunt23 #day 13

25 notes · View notes

blueicequeen19 · 2 years

Text

Best Friends Sister Pt. 4

Warnings: angst, unprotected sex

I push off from the couch as Sarah stares at us wide eyed. I push past her and go straight for my room but I know she’s coming after me. I try to shut the door but she stops me.

“Y/N—.”

“Stop, Sarah. It was a mistake. It was convenient and I was horny. So mind your own business and keep this to yourself.”

“You cannot expect me to keep secrets from your brother! That’s not fair!”

“This doesn’t concern you so don’t get involved. Let me tell him.”

“Y/N, please. I hate keeping secrets from him.”

“Just go to bed. I’ll tell him in the morning.” I gently urge her out of my room, finding JJ waiting with a scowl but I shut the door and lock it. I rest my forehead against it and listen for their foot steps. It takes a minute but they finally leave.

What did I do?

I’m a coward. I hide in my bedroom until I hear the Twinkie leave. Everyone should be at work now so after getting ready for the day, I finally come out of hiding. I go into the kitchen for something to eat when I hear a bedroom door open. I turn in time to see JJ rush me in nothing but his boxers.

“Oh, shit.” I try to run but he catches me around the waist, pinning me against the fridge with his body, his hand around my throat.

“Convenient?” He growls.

“Stop it, I panicked!” I shout but his cock pressed against me has me trembling in need. Last night was replaying in my head like a porno and I could still remember what he felt like.

“Plus you talked me into it. Whispering in my ear the whole time.” I spat and he takes a step back like I’ve slapped him, hurt filling his blue eyes.

“I saw what you needed and I wasn’t about to let you get it from someone else. You were the one that told me to keep going after John B got up. You practically begged me.” He throws back. It stings but he’s right. I can’t place the blame entirely on him.

“Well it’s over now. It won’t happen again.” I cross my arms over my chest but he glares at me.

“That may have been our first fuck but it won’t be our last. I’ll go find John B right now and tell him how I’ve wanted his sister forever and while I’d like to have his blessing, I certainly don’t need it.” My heart catches in my throat. He wants me?

“You’re his best friend. He could hate you.” I whisper but he shakes his head, pulling me flush against him.

“He’d get over it once he saw how happy we were.” JJ grabs my face, bringing me in for a toe curling kiss.

“I’d make you happy.” His whispers over my lips then rolling his hips like I didn’t already know how hard he was.

“He’d make you happy.” JJ takes my hand and places it over the prominent bulge. I swallow, trying to resist.

“J—.”

“All night I dreamed about how you tasted. The face you make when you cum. How good you feel wrapped around me. The sounds you make when I hit your G-spot.” He kisses me again, my hand stroking him without any guidance. I could feel the wet spot he was making.

“We-we need to be smart about this. I need time. I don’t even know if this is what I want.” I confess. What if this was just years of lust? What kind of future would I have with the flirt of OBX?

“You’ve wanted this since we were kids in the third grade. You wanted this when we were 16. When we were 19. And now. You pushed me away so Bree wouldn’t lose his best friend because you know I’d put you before him. But it’s no different than him and Sarah. We still have each other. We just have another number one now.”

“You think it’s that easy? I can’t just hurt my brother for my own benefit. I’m all he has.” JJ silences me with a kiss, using his lips to distract me. He moans into my mouth, scooping me up and sitting me on the counter.

“Don’t you need to go to work?” I breathe as he pulls my shirt off and I lift my hips so he can remove my shorts.

“I’m about to.” I snort before his fingers slip past my panties and inside me without warning. My eyes roll back as he finds that spot inside me so easily, working it until I’m dripping. My panties go next. I grab his erection, stroking it a few times before spitting in my palm and stroking him again. He braces his hands on either side of me, his head hung as he moans.

“Tighter.” I squeeze harder, my lips on his forehead as I feel the precum start to leak out of the tip. I can’t wait any longer. I scoot to the edge of the counter, lining him up with my entrance when he sucks in a breath.

“Condom.” He bites out as I circle my hole with his head. The heat of him was burning me alive.

“Then go get one. But I have an iud.” I gasp when he takes his cock in hand and shoves it inside me, burying himself to his balls without warning. I wrap myself around him as he takes a moment to stop shaking. I was shaking too. I didn’t realize how bad I wanted this until I’d already had him. Now I was screwed.

#smutwarning #jj maybank smut #jj maybank fic #outer banks smut #jj maybank imagine #obx2 #jj maybank fluff #jj obx #jj maybank x you #rudy pankow

215 notes · View notes

countrymusiclover · 1 month

Text

49 - The Price of Landon Kirby

Part 50

Family is More than Blood

@secretdreamlandmentality

Alina’s pov

Shutting the fridge in the kitchen I grabbed a bottle of milk that was for Xavier. I jumped, nearly dropping the bottle on the floor, seeing Lizzie standing on the other side of the door. “Lizzie. You scared the living crap out of me.”

“Calm down, Alina. I just wanted to hang out with you since you’ve been busy with your baby boy.” She leaned against the countertop wearing a white long sleeve shirt and the Salvatore logo pin stuck on the front of it.

I sighed feeling guilty that she spoke the truth. “I’m sorry about that. But I thought you were busy helping my sister find Landon.”

“I was…until she basically declared that she didn’t care if we were going on a dangerous mission. All she cares about is getting her boyfriend back.”

I trailed off turning around so I was facing her. “She loves him. I understand why she wants him back.”

“But she refuses to see anyone else and refuses to care about their safety.” Lizzie flipped her ponytail over her shoulder.

I started walking and exited the kitchen hoping she would just follow me and she did so we could continue talking on foot. We made our way up the stairs to my bedroom seeing Xavier laying awake in his crib. “Lizzie, I just think you’ll understand when you find your person. And you should know by now that us Mikaelson’s are notorious for doing everything to protect the ones we love.”

“Believe I have figured that out over the years. On a different note, what do you think this little guy is going to be supernatural wise?” Lizzie slumped her shoulders tickling Xavier on his feet and his laughter filled the room.

Moving Xavier to lay his head on my chest he made a cooing noise. “Considering Jackson and I are both wolves, he’ll definitely take after that. If he’ll be a hybrid or werewitch I’m not sure yet.”

“In my opinion I think team werewitch should dominate the team heretic - huh why is your dad calling me?” Lizzie smirked back at me feeling her phone vibrating in her pocket.

Shrugging my shoulders I responded. “I don’t know. Answer him.”

“Hey Uncle Klaus, what are you calling me for?” She asked, putting the phone to her ear. I couldn’t hear what he was saying but she hung up the phone seconds later. “You told them about Hope’s suicidal mission?”

“I just told them since it might affect the school.” I answered her question.

She made a face at me, deciding to leave the room without another word. “Okay well I’ll find you later. I have to go spy on my sister's new love interest.” She shut the door behind herself and I threw my head back praying she wouldn’t find out I was lying.

“Did she suspect anything, Lina?” Hope’s voice came into my bedroom when she appeared to be me in astral projection form.

I rolled my eyes at her. “I don’t like lying to her.”

“Like you said she’ll understand when she has someone she loves like us. Now can you get the Ascendant from the office or not?” My older sister asked me.

Bouncing my baby boy in my arms I paused before answering her. “Yeah I’ll get it. But next time I am not lying to Lizzie ever again.” I laid Xavier back down in his crib heading to the office knowing we had a few more hours before the celestial event would be here which was her one chance to bring Landon back home.

Josie’s voice could be heard with me moving through the forest. “Bennett blood?”

My sister Hope answered. “Check.”

“And then, do you have the ascendant?” Josie said.

“Uh, back at the school.” She trailed off.

“Then why are we here?” Josie sounded confused.

“Well, your dad had it spelled. But for a fully operational siphon witch who can break down its barrier, that shouldn't be a problem.” My sister explained right before I came running through the woods with a bag on my shoulder carrying the Ascendant.

“I’m here, Hope.” Reaching inside the bag I dropped it at my feet holding the Ascendant in my hands. “I’ll help you and then I have to get back to Jackson and Xavier.”

“That shouldn’t be a problem, Lina.” Hope said, giving me a nod. I closed my eyes focusing my magic with the object turning red briefly and then returned to its normal color.

Hope held up the coin Josie had put her magic in that suddenly flew out of her hand and we all turned our heads to see my mother and Lizzie standing a few feet away. “Well, it sure as hell is for this one, sister. I told you to leave her out of this.”

“So let me see if I have this right. You are so desperately in love with Landon that you are willing to put us all in extreme danger. Have you lost your ever freaking mind, Hope Andrea Mikaelson!” My mother stomped forward getting in my sister’s face, her fangs sticking out of her mouth. I gulped knowing we were definitely in trouble now.

Raelyn’s pov

“Mom please understand why I am doing this. You would do the same if it was dad.” Hope raised her voice at me.

Vamping in my daughter’s face I growled, raising my freehand attempting to freeze them. “I wouldn’t risk everyone’s lives unless they chose to help me out. But going behind everyone else’s backs to get him back no matter the consequences is the problem here - Immobilus.”

Alina stomped forward shoving me backwards towards my nieces. “You can’t stop us even if you wanted to. Just stay out of the way otherwise you’ll get hurt.” Stepping backwards from her I clutched my hands into fists at my sides, not liking that I felt powerless.

I was standing in the middle of a confrontation between these family members. Klaus was picking up Charming and Rapunzel from the Gilbert house so he wouldn’t notice I was missing for a few hours. “Well, I think we're all clear as to why we're here, so why don't we just skip the verbal sparring and get to the actual fight?”

“I'm not gonna ask again, Lizzie. Give her the coin.” Hope snapped at her.

“Invisique.” Lizzie takes my hand in hers and siphons some magic from me. She throws the now invisible coin across the ground.

Hope gasped. “How could you?”

“Relax. We'll find it later, after we get your boyfriend back.” Lizzie stepped towards my eldest daughter.

Josie sent her sister a weak look. “Lizzie, no. You don't have to do this for me.”

“Yes, I do. Because you're my blind spot, Jo.” She spoke back.

The Saltzman blonde glared at Hope. “You want to do this spell so bad? Let's do the damn spell.”

Standing off to the sidelines with Josie I just silently watched them. Alina finished drawing the protection circle while Lizzie got the Ascendant ready for the spell. “Now step outside the circle.” Hope instructed Alina who stepped backwards over the circle with us.

Lizzie warned her. “And don't come back in. No matter what happens.”

“Sangiema Meam Et Nos Mundo Carcerema. Sangiema Meam Et Nos Mundo…” Hope and Lizzie each held onto the Ascendant and began chanting the words to the spell.

The sky began changing colors and the stars shifted around to be in line with the magical object. “It's working.” Josie muttered out.

“...Carcerema. Sangiema Meam Et Nos Mundo Carcerema.”

Lizzie winced, eyeing the object when it began turning red and I could hear her heartbeat beginning to race. “I don't remember this being so painful.”

“Dark magic. The Necromancer was full of it when we trapped him, so the prison world must be radioactive with it. And now it's infecting you.” Josie gasped before I caught a glimpse of black veins crawling up their wrists and their faces. I gasped in horror when a memory flashed through my mind.

“You have to promise not to say anything to the guy and girl outside this door that came with me, this started happening after I did the spell to find you.”

Rolling up the sleeves of my shirt on my right arm I held my forearm out to her seeing her eyes go wide in shock and horror at what she saw. The black veins that had first appeared the spell to consume Esther spell had returned and we’re making their way up my arm. “Holy crap, cuz. We are in serious trouble. If…if that gets worse then you might.”

“Die, I know Jo.” I sniffed through some tears knowing Klaus would hate me if I told him I might die so I needed to fix this before he ever found out about it. “You’re the only family member I trust so I am begging for your help with this.”

Lizzie began panicking. “What do we do?”

Josie raised her voice in a panic. “Sever the connection. Let go.”

“ I can't! ” Lizzie tried to pull away.

Covering my ears with my hands I attempted to block out the increasing sounds of their heartbeats banging against my ear. “This can’t be happening. This isn’t happening right now….where is it, where is it!” Running my hands frantically around the waistband of my jeans I located Josette’s hunting knife I still had on me, death gripping it in my hands.

Hope wasn’t backing down even when the black veins began growing. “Hold on. We can do this. We just have to push through.”

“No, Hope, you could die! Let go!” Josie begged her friend again.

“No!” Hope declares with a stern tone. “I'm not abandoning him again.”

Josie moved past me and shoved her hand down on her sister’s arm, trying to help her with the magic. “ Josie! “ Lizzie cried out in terror.

Hope apologized seeing the two twins struggling. “I'm so sorry.”

“Alina!” I cried out when she ran forward throwing her hands on Hope’s shoulder siphoning from her. The dark magic began traveling between the four girls and there wasn’t a part of their skin that wasn’t covered by it.

I vamped forward to the edge of the protection barrier seeing a figure appear before my eyes again. “Difficult to watch isn’t it?”

“What the hell do you want!” I growled through heavy tears seeing the darker version of myself coming out of my head.

Dark Raelyn smirked evilly, tapping the tip of the hunting knife in my hands. “You know why I’m here, Rae Rae. The only way to save their lives is embracing who you are.”

“No. I…I won’t.” I shook my head no yet she just tilted her head silently telling me I was wrong. My fingers clung onto the blade handle with the teen girls fear consuming my every emotion. Closing my eyes I blurted out the ancient words as fast as possible off my tongue. “Fructose Ispiritus…Fructose Ispiritus!”

Gasping sharply the hunting knife fell into the glass and my hands turned red siphoning all the magic that had been contained inside of it for so long. “Ahhh!….Magia tollux de terras….Magia tollux de terras!” Grasping Alina and Josie’s shoulders wincing I held onto as best I could seeing the black veins disappear from their bodies and transfer onto mine. The Ascendent dropped from their hands when someone grunted and knocked it away from our group of witches.

All of us got thrown backwards to the dirt and the Ascendant dropped into the dust. I groaned holding my head laying beside Hope seeing someone walking to us when the fog cleared and she sounded relieved. “ Landon? “

He replied with a smile. “Long time, no see.”

“Am I dead or is this... another dream?” Hope rose to her feet slowly walking towards her boyfriend in disbelief.

Lizzie slowly rose to her feet helping her sister up at the same time. “No, I'm pretty sure Landon made it back here somehow.”

“Because we totally see him, too.” Josie whispered back.

Alina whipped her head around in my direction seeing me swaying from side to side on my feet. “Mom, are you okay?”

“I….I…my magic is -“ My eyes rolled back in my head and I fell backwards passing out onto the harsh ground.

Alina rushed over to her mothers body with the other girls all concerned for her safety. “Is she going to wake back up like normal?”

“I don’t think so, look. They aren’t going away like they should. We need to find dad immediately.” Hope declares beginning to panic about what danger she had just put her mother through…and would she ever wake up.

Comments really appreciated ❤️

7 notes · View notes

bluiex · 1 year

Note

"Where had you been!?" Mumbo said the moment Grian stepped in, getting a shrug in return "Everyone is looking for you everywhere! The king thinks YOU killed Hawkeye and there's guards all over the shopping district i couldn't get anything done!" He complained but the shorter walked directly into the kitchen and opened the fridge, an exasperated noise coming from Mumbo. "Is Hawkeye actually dead?" He finally asked, anxiously running a hand through his hair "i- it's all over the news, they think Xelqua- YOU! Killed him, and with him missing it'll be so much harder to keep the resistance on the low- they're blaming it all on us!" Grian snorted, and that just confused Mumbo even further. "I don't feel very dead to be honest" He yelped when a new voice was heard in the room, turning around so fast he could have snapped his neck or worse, and- "He doesn't look dead to me neither" He could hear the smile in Grian's voice behind him, but he couldn't bring himself to care when none other but Hawkeye was standing right in front of him, and oh god he looks even better in person- WAIT. NO. BAD MUMBO.

The man had a grin on his face, and he looked different than when he'd see him on the TV (not dead!!), the scars all around his body and face were even more noticeable now that he had him in person, and instead of his first thought being acting frightened or protective or any emotion a normal person would feel when there's an unannounced guest at their home, he couldn't stop his brain from going OH HE IS ACTUALLY VERY VERY HOT- The hero's smile seemed to widen even further at his face heating up, walking closer, each step felt slower than the previous "I believe you're Grian's partner, Mumbo! I'm happy to meet you, i was told i can trust you so i'll hold you on to that" "I- you- h- how-?" He sputtered, confusion evident as he looked back at Grian, then to the scarred brunette, then back at Grian "W- weren't we- i- i thought he was our uh- target??" "Well, long story short, he's with us now, the king tried to kill him, i saved him, blah blah blah-" Grian explained as he sat on their kitchen table, looking uninterested but Mumbo knew better. The dirty-blonde would have never taken anyone to their home, while in his civilian clothes, for nothing. He also knew of Mumbo's admiration for Hawkeye, and, even if they were trying to get rid of him, it was because they were after the king, the person the hero was supposed to work for- "You're making it sound way less interesting" The brunette said, and there was something in his voice, so easy and soft that the bantering sounded like a talk between two best friends. "I stayed up all night making sure you didn't bleed out, i'm tired!" The way Grian answered made him think, maybe they weren't just enemies, maybe there was something emerging between all the fighting and chasing around, or maybe it was something that had been lost from a long time ago and was now getting reignited. He knew Grian wouldn't bring just anyone into their home. "Is he okay? He's all red in the face" It took him a second to realize they were now talking about him, but before he could say anything Grian answered for him. "Just give him a moment, he's a big fan of you, your tactics AND your muscles" "GRIAN!!" ===

i. didn't expect to make this so long, mumscarian has taken over my brain, and the Au i made isn't. helping. is anyone up to me sending these lil(not so little now that i got carried away) snippets of it and how mumbo is really down bad for grian and scar? -void(tell me if anyone has this name taken PLEASE) Anon

I'M SCREAMING VOID ANON. I'M YELLING TO THE ROOFTOPS ABOUT HOW AMAZING THIS IS. AND I NEED MOOOORE!!!!

I can just imagine Scar(Hawkeye) walking in, with thag tiddie window open(prob even more so since getting hurt) and Mumbo is just staring as you've written LMAO poor Mumbo gonna die from embarrassment

Mumbo: Oh no he's hot! (squidward meme)

#bluie gets an ask poggers #mumscarian #mumscarian ficlet #long post #mumscarian resistance au #should I call it this?#what are you calling it so I can tag it-

42 notes · View notes

onthesandsofdreams · 1 year

Text

In Dreams [16/?]

Pairing: SanSan Rating: T Summary: Her smile grows, "You're safe and sound among friends." Words: 1229 Notes: Modern Westeros

Read @ AO3

Sandor turns to look at her, and Sansa gives him a soft smile. "Thank you, Sansa."

Her smile grows, "You're safe and sound among friends."

"Yeah," Arya says before Sandor has a chance to respond. "We're cool, and don't worry, we'll keep your secret."

Sandor turns to look at Arya, Sam and Gendry. "I would be grateful, I would hate to be circus carny."

"You won't be, you have our word." Arya nears swears. "I would never hear the end of it thanks to Sans."

She rolls her eyes. "Do you need anything more, Sandor?"

That draws Sandor's attention back to her. "Perhaps something more to drink? I find myself very thirsty. Anything is fine."

She nods, stands and gets Sandor water, but makes a stop at her fridge to make sure she still has more sports drinks. Luckily, she does. "Here you are Sandor," she places the glass in front of him and watches as Sandor drinks it all in large gulps.

To her surprise, Gendry stands, "You know Sansa. I think we're going to leave you." He sends a look at Arya. "Sandor needs to rest, and don't worry about the food. Save it for later if you want."

She blinks, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I think he should rest." Sam agrees, Arya frowns but gives a choppy nod. "I'll be in contact to get your papers Sandor."

"I would thank you for that," Sandor tells Sam.

Arya goes to hug her, and she squeezes her sister tight. She knows that Arya has a million and one questions, but she appreciates that she is giving Sandor the space he needs before she overwhelms him with questions. Sam and Gendry had always been thoughtful men, and she's sure they would do the same for just about anyone. "Thank you," she tell them.

"You're welcome, Sansa." Gendry says, gives her a hug and the three of them walk out.

She doesn't follow, she stays with Sandor in the kitchen. She's about to speak again, when Lady finally makes her entrance, halts at seeing Sandor and gives a small growl. But to her surprise, Sandor grins. "Ah, the famous Lady."

"Yeah," she says. "C'mon Lady, don't be rude. Meet Sandor."

If Sandor's surprised that Lady gives small steps to him to get a good whiff of him, he does not show it. On the contrary, he seems happy to see Lady and he offers a hand to let her get his scent. "I love dogs," Sandor tells her. "Always had."

"Is that why they called you 'Hound'?"

"In part," Sandor admits. "My family crest was three hounds, but..." he stops himself and looks away for a moment. "Gregor was a monster, and I wanted to be as different as I could from him. He took knightly vows and spat on them at every chance he could, I would not take them, but I was loyal until I could no longer be."

She is silent for a moment. "It must not have been easy."

"No, it wasn't." Sandor shakes his head. "I was a mess. It took a man of faith to help me. And then, Brienne became my friend and I already knew Jaime from being his sister's guardian."

"Sandor, would you like to rest?" She asks. "I have a room ready that you can use."

"Not yet, if you don't mind."

"I don't. I just wanted to make sure to ask what you wanted to do."

"And I appreciate it, but I would rather not sleep now. I have been resting for way too long, and now all I want to be awake."

"Understandable."

"And I think I have an idea, if you don't mind, I would give your sister and your friends a treasure or two from my 'grave'."

She blinks surprised. "Oh? Sandor those things are yours, you're welcome to use them as you see fit. But I will not deny that I was thinking of using some to get you some money. Many of those things are valuable and should give you a cushy starting point until you're stable enough to work."

Sandor looks thoughtful. "Aye." He says slowly. "I see your point. Still, I would like to give them something."

"Then, we'll go through the things and you'll get to decide." She gives him a smile. How kind and generous of Sandor to do that. "I'm sure they'll be thrilled. Sam, specially, he loves everything history and historical. He'll be over the moon."

Sandor laughs, "Yeah, he gave me that impression that outside of your sister, he had questions."

It is her turn to laugh, "Yeah. Sam is a scholar in all the meaning of the word. He loves to study and learning new things. Do not be surprise if next time you two see each other, he will have a voice recorder and a list of questions."

"I would not mind answering." Sandor chuckles. "And speaking of work... well, I do not even know where I'd begin with that."

"Well, maybe something that involves something you know?" She frowns. She really had not thought of that. "Tell me something that you loved to do and we'll start there."

"Sansa, I was a warrior." Sandor says with a sigh. "I never had chance to be anything else. My father died - or as I believe, was killed - when I was still young. I was good with a sword, so that's what I did. I never had the chance to be something else. And now, I would not even know where to begin."

"Yes, forgive me. I didn't think about how overwhelming this could be for you Sandor."

"There is nothing to forgive, Sansa. I understand that plans should be made to make sure I have things in order. Just... well."

She extends her hand and takes Sandor's in hers. "We'll figure it out. Just, tell me if I get to be too much, okay?"

"Very well. Thank you, for believing in me, for helping me and for being my guide."

Squeezing his hand, she smiles. "You're welcome Sandor. Thank you for being brave."

A snort. "I am not brave, more like resigned. Qyburn made sure that I survived and Brienne and Jaime made sure that I would be safe... as much as I could be. But you? You listened. Sansa, out of the people who have stayed in this house, you were the only one open to talk to me. That alone is something that I will never stop being thankful for and now, here we are."

She feels her eyes fill with tears. "Oh, Sandor. How could I not? I could not imagine how hard and how lonely you have been." She feels her tears fall and she wipes them away quickly. "That is why I did what I did. No one deserves to be alone and unheard, much less for such a long time. And yes, you are being brave; for you are facing this strange world with hope and with patience."

"Is it bravery for facing what I should do?" Sandor speaks softly. "Because if I don't, what else could I do with this gift? Spit in the face of those who made this possible? No. I would live. I would take this chance and live as best and as good a life as I can."

She smiles, "And that is bravery, Sandor."

#sansan #sansa x sandor #sansa stark #sandor clegane #arya stark #gendry waters #samwell tarly #asoiaf #asoiaf fic #au: modern westeros #multipart: in dreams

9 notes · View notes

themculibrary · 1 year

Text

Date Night Masterlist

baby, i love your way (ao3) - bevioletskies gamora/peter T, 2k

Summary: “So this was your idea of a ‘romantic date night’?”

“I think comin’ back to Knowhere is very romantic,” Peter said defensively. “You don’t think so?”

“Believe me, I much prefer this over an expensive dinner by candlelight,” Gamora replied. “Or an evening boat ride...or a tour through an abandoned palace…or that strange club on Xandar with the dancers and the funny drinks...”

“I thought you had fun when we did that stuff.” Peter frowned. “Gamora - ”

“I did, honestly. Just...I like this more.” She reached over to take his hand, guiding it to rest on her stomach, rising and falling with every steady breath she took.

Candy Flowers (ao3) - RiotFalling bucky/tony T, 587

Summary: Just Bucky and Tony on date night.

Date Night (ao3) - ShadowHaloedAngel bruce/pepper, steve/tony G, 3k

Summary: With their busy schedules, Bruce and Pepper often struggle to get any time together. For their anniversary, Pepper makes sure to get them some time together and they go out for the kind of date that they never had in high school. And a certain engineer delights in teasing them when they get back after "curfew".

Date Night (ao3) - sharpiesgal (TigerLily) clint/tony T, 570

Summary: Clint is an amazing boyfriend. He puts up with Tony's nick names, forgetfulness and desire to drive Nick Fury crazy. To prove this he plans a very special evening for their weekly date night.

Date Night Redo Bro (ao3) - Benjamin236 yelena/kate T, 12k

Summary: The Tracksuits feeling bad for interrupting Yelena and Kate's last date night want to make up by offering a redo date night. With Kate currently being public enemy number one by the police. How exactly will this date night go for our dynamic duo?

Every Inch of Your Skin (Is a Holy Grail I've Got to Find) (ao3) - girl0nfire, saturnmeetsmercury (jarofhearts) bucky/natasha M, 7k

Summary: Monday: Foreplay

There's something to be said for treating his best girl.

Familiar Edges (ao3) - Rhang bucky/sarah G, 3k

Summary: She grabbed for the wine bottle and refilled each of their glasses. “Drinking game. Ask a question, if it pertains to you, take a drink,” she explained simply.

“Sounds simple enough,” Bucky said, sitting up to grab his glass again.

give a little time to me (ao3) - jemmasimmmons leo/jemma, lance/bobbi T, 3k

Summary:

‘…and there’s a bottle in the fridge-‘ ‘Excellent. What of?’ Raising her eyes from her detailed list of babysitting instructions, complete with bullet points, footnotes and references, Jemma gives Hunter a withering look. ‘Breast milk, Lance. For my baby.’ Hearing Bobbi snort behind him, he nods, trying to look like he had known that all along. ‘Right. Of course it is.’

Bobbi and Hunter babysit, while Fitz and Jemma go on a date.

Ground Rule 2.5 (ao3) - awilix eddie/venom T, 4k

Summary: “You want food?” he asks, still breathless. “Now? Could you not’ve waited until I’d at least—” A ratty towel, held up in the shifting claw of a skinny little tendril, materialises next to Vee’s floating head. Eddie sighs and fights back a smile as he takes it. This is not the time to find that sweet. “Right. Thanks, buddy.”

YOU’RE WELCOME, Venom purrs, now back inside Eddie’s head. GROUND RULE 2.5. NOW.

Hair Floof Time (ao3) - Annie D (scaramouche) steve/tony T, 1k

Summary: Written for an anon on tumblr who requested: "Something with Tony's hair? It's really floofy."

While watching TV together, Steve plays with Tony's hair.

Mission Impossible: Kitchen Edition (ao3) - jellybeanforest steve/tony G, 2k

Summary: Steve has always been the type of guy to jump out of an airplane without a parachute and with only the vaguest idea of what awaited him on the ground. He never let the little things like inexperience and a complete lack of skill derail him before. Why should this endeavor be any different?

Or: Steve insists Tony and he cook together on one of their stay-at-home date nights. Tony remains dubious but humors him. It goes about as well as one would expect.

Moonlight (ao3) - lakecryptid eddie/venom T, 3k

Summary: It's 3:12am.

Eddie just wants to sleep.

It's the perfect time to dabble in romance.

Of Boats, Blankets, and Beyonce (ao3) - sammysouffle joaquín/sam G, 456

Summary: Sam and Joaquin have a date night on the boat.

Sharp Shooting (ao3) - nepenthe_writer bucky/tony G, 1k

Summary: Tony and Bucky's date night at the fair has them showing off their shooting skills

Ten Romantic Valentine's Day Ideas for Busy People (ao3) - BlossomsintheMist steve/tony M, 3k

Summary: Steve and Tony do their best to celebrate Valentine's Day together. They're busy and it's not perfect, but it ends up surprisingly romantic all the same.

The First Day of the Rest of Your Life (ao3) - wisteriafic wanda/vision T, 6k

Summary: What does a synthezoid turn to for advice with a new relationship? An online list of helpful tips. Things don't always work out quite as planned.

#themculibrary #fluff #datenight #datenight masterlist #dating #masterlists

4 notes · View notes

hangmanapologist · 2 years

Note

Robyn my friend, I hope your day is getting better, trust me, I worked different retail jobs for seven years. It's hell, but no bad thing ever lasts forever.

If it'll make you feel any better, might I offer a bit of a comedic idea?? This could be for either Bob Floyd, Rhett Abbott or Ben Mears, take your pick.

So it's a really frigid winter night, school has been called off for like two days and the kids have a long weekend as a result. Either Bob, Rhett or Ben and wifey!reader have let the kids stay up late to have a movie night and they're watching like Empire Strikes Back or Return of the Jedi or something (because, you know, when you have the same set of VHS tapes for years, shit like that never gets old).

The kids have all gone upstairs to bed but any one of those three and wifey are still watching the movies and are getting kinda handsy with each other. They start getting so into it that they barely notice the sound of their three year old son's tiny feet walking down the stairs and padding into the kitchen.

Baby boi walks downstairs with his little blankie in hand, opens the fridge, grabs his little thing full of juice and chugs a good amount of it, completely oblivious to the fact that mom and dad are near to fucking on the couch and vice versa. The male character and the reader suddenly hear the loudest, deepest, most obnoxious belch imaginable from the kitchen before the little one traipses his way back upstairs to bed. Wifey's like "what in the blue fuck was that?" and Bob/Rhett/Ben is like "I have no idea, but I think our kid just exorcised a demon" (lol).

Bestie, I hope this brightens your day a little bit. Hang in there, it'll get better.

BBY IM SO SORRY I JUST SAW THIS

Ilysm and I hope you’re taking care of yourself you angel <3

#i appreciate you!#auroralightsthesky #💌

2 notes · View notes

casspurrjoybell-22 · 9 months

Text

Master - Chapter 25b

*Warning: Adult Content*

It doesn't take long to get to the kitchen once we make it to the bottom of the stairs.

I didn't know my way around his Malcolm's home but he did so I followed closely.

It was so different from Master's castle.

It was much smaller but also not as dark inside since it was above the ground.

There were lots of windows so sunlight came in and lots of indoor lights to make it bright when it got dark outside like it was now.

The kitchen was nothing like the kitchen we used in Master's castle, this one was bigger and everything was white and silver and super clean, since I cleaned it this morning.

"What are you making?" I ask as I head for a seat at the nearby table, but Arias grabs my arm and turns me around.

"We are going to make a common elven dish," Arias says with an expression that almost dared me to challenge him.

"I think you'll like it."

"What's it called?" I ask as I stand by while he gets the different ingredients out of the massive fridge.

"When translated, it's called... The trees' leaves," Arias says fondly.

"In my realm, we work around our natural foundation and so all elves have a palette that favours natural produce."

"I don't like vegetables," I say with a frown while my eyes track him laying out only the healthy stuff.

"You'll enjoy this," he assures me but I didn't think I would.

"Rinse these for me."

I take the bowl full of cabbage and tomatoes to the sink and pick up the soap.

"No, just water no soap," Arias says taking the soap away from me before I could squeeze some out.

"Okay," I say with a frown, I didn't get how it could be clean if it didn't have soap but maybe that's how they did it in Arias' realm.

"Tell me more about your home."

"Like what?"

"Anything or everything," I answer quickly, hoping that for he would indulge me since we were alone,

"Anything you like, I want to know more."

"Alright," Arias agrees and I bite my lip to keep in a squeal of excitement.

Arias rarely spoke to me about his realm anymore, he did when we were in chains together to comfort me after a beating but always soft so softly I almost missed his words.

When I asked for more now, he'd always say no because his Malcolm and my Master could hear him which he didn't like.

But they weren't here now so he had no excuses.

"Where I live, it's in a valley between great mountains that breach the skies," Arias begins, his voice turning ethereal as he spoke.

"There creatures of all kinds that live in the valley, breathtaking in every way and a sight to behold, if they let you witness their beauty. My kin lives in the centre of the Valley, on the river's path."

"You live in like boats?" I ask with a frown, I didn't know you could live on boats.

"No young one," Arias replies warmly as he begins to dice all the clean veggies I laid out.

"The castle was built around the river's path, it flows through the inner workings and boats are used to pass through. The castle itself is higher up the river's path, closer to the peak but the rest of my kin is littered along its path."

"That sounds so nice," I say as I stop the water with nothing left to wash without soap.

Arias was smiling fondly down at the yucky plant food as he continued to cut them slowly and I knew his smile wasn't because of the food but because of the things he was probably remembering of his home.

I had images in my head of his home, they came together like a puzzle piece as Arias told me more details.

With purple skies, animals and colours I couldn't imagine and now a castle on water, it seemed magical to me.

"It is nice," Arias replies as he rests his knife down and looks to me, his golden eyes glowing so brightly my heart thumped a little faster.

"And that's just my kingdom between one valley. The rest of the planet is a wonder of its own, Ythene's realm is even bigger and better."

"I want to see it," I whine and he chuckles as he escapes the dreamy state he fell into for a moment.

"Perhaps one day you may," he replies and I frown quickly because he said before that no elves were allowed inside.

Arias seemed to pick up on my thoughts because his smile changed a little.

"I'm quite influential over there, I don't imagine it would be too hard to change the law."

"Influential?" I ask with a bit of frustration because I didn't know this word.

"It means that I have a bit of power, I'm ranked highly should I say," Arias explains but his eyes darkened as he spoke and his lips turned downward.

This wasn't a topic he liked to talk about.

"We're straying from making the meal," Arias says firmly closing the door on the subject of his world and past.

I wanted to say sorry but I didn't know if that would help, besides, Arias was already taking out pans and powders for dinner.

"There's some fruit in the fridge, pick what you like and begin to cut it into small pieces. As small as you can."

"Fruit and veggies?"

"They can make an intoxicating combination," he replies with a smirk that I could tell probably made his Malcolm want to do naughty things because that was the smirk Master gave that made me want to do naughty things.

I wondered if Masters were born with those faces to torment their Kalem and Malcolm.

Opening the fridges two big doors, my mouth falls open when I look at all the many vegetables and fruits that filled every row, draw and space.

It was all the things Master said made me healthy and more, it was scary.

"Do you not eat meat Arias?" I find myself asking with what I think was horror.

I couldn't imagine not eating the crispy meat ever.

"Only if I catch it myself," Arias replies and it takes me a second to realise he meant that he killed what meat he wanted to eat.

"Otherwise, I find the taste unsatisfying."

"Poor Malcolm," I mumble under my breath as I pull out some apples and pears, then a few mangoes and peaches.

"Grab a lemon or two as well please," Arias requests but it sounded like a command, most of what Arias said sounded like instructs he expected to be followed.

I didn't think he even knew he was doing it.

"What does your Malcolm eat or drink?" I ask as I close the fridge to find Arias's slightly confused face as he heats two pans with oil.

"There's no blood,"

"He keeps it in a separate room," Arias replies as he mixes the lays the vegetables out on a long board before he begins to douse them with different powders and herbs.

"Malcolm drinks a copious amount."

Before I can ask he quickly fills in,

"it means abundant."

"Master drinks a lot too," I say as I begin to cut the apples, sneaking in one or two pieces in when I dared.

I couldn't help it! Apples were the best.

"Has he had yours?" Arias asks carefully and I hesitate a bit on the answer, not knowing how he could react.

"Once," I say and quickly look up, expecting to find anger but Arias was still calm as he rubbed his seasonings into his vegetables, one at a time.

"I made him and he wasn't happy about it."

"Understandably," Arias replies making me whine softly, I didn't want Arias to scold me too, Master already did that.

"There are different types of bites a Vampire can give outside of drawing blood, it could have done something irreversible if he wasn't careful."

"Like what?"

"I trust your vampire will tell you when he returns," he replies making me groan.

Arias only laughs.

"Until he does, avoid it young one."

"Okay," I agree sadly.

I liked when Master bit me, it felt really good and it made me feel closer to Master than I ever did before.

It was more than just the physical, it was something deep inside that made me feel like if Master and I, in that moment, were one together.

My head became so loopy and it drifted into a different space that felt thin and empty, it felt like peace and happiness.

It was like I found a safe space while Master took from me what he needed and it was bliss.

I loved it.

So much that I wanted to do it again, forever, but Master had been pretty clear that he wasn't going to bite me again for some time.

He said he needed to think about what that would mean for him, for me and us, so I didn't fight him on it... even though I really wanted to.

"Does your Malcolm drink from you?" I ask and Arias shakes his head immediately as he puts onions to simmer in the low-heated pan.

"That isn't a privilege I see my Pisen earning for quite some time," he replies, his lips turning up gently with amusement.

Arias and his Malcolm confused me sometimes but they seemed happy - even if Arias never admitted it - so I was happy that Arias found him.

"You eat another apple slice and you won't have any for the meal young one," Arias scolds making my hand freeze a few inches from my lips with the small chunk of green apple.

My face burns as I put it back down and force myself to keep cutting up the rest of the fruits without taking some more pieces for myself.

1 note · View note

christianjohndomingo · 2 years

Text

Vilomah

You and your mother are gifted with the creative talent that I always desired but was never given. I couldn’t be more happier that you didn’t get your old man’s hanging curveball although who knows where that nasty throw could have taken you in life if you went on to be professional. But trust me, the art world is where you belong.

The scribbles of green circles and red triangles on a blank sheet of white paper that was made to print invoices always takes my dear breath away. And I mean it when I say that because I know how remarkable your mother is on canvas as she would also rip the paper off the crayons like you do when she was your age.

In the morning, when you were scribbling the life away from those waxed colored tools, I tried to observe what you were drawing without you noticing me. If I were caught with those captivating hazel eyes of yours, I’d take a sip out of my coffee or check my phone right before you get upset at me for staring at you.

However, the last time I asked you if you were drawing a tree, you corrected me and said it was a car. So I was afraid to ask again because I don’t want to embarrass myself or offend you. But mostly so I don’t think about it at work of how stupid I felt for assuming.

I’m afraid that your Jackson Pollock replicas aren’t what I think they are. Perhaps they are buildings you see when you look out the window of the car or maybe it’s Buster, the annoying dog of our neighbor Charles that I fake smile and pretend to like him when Buster constantly jumps on me on our walks to the park.

Whatever it is you are drawing, there’s always a vacancy waiting on the fridge for your next masterpiece. And one day the fridge will turn into a gallery and your drawings will still remain the same. And your mother and I will stop in the middle of the gallery and stare at them like we always do in the kitchen knowing we gave birth to an artist.

At least that is what I’m telling my therapist I’m writing.

I was ready to become a father since the day Maya surprised me at dinner one night at her favorite restaurant. When we sat down at our table, she pulled out a small box, placed it gently on the table, and said, “open it.” The box was bigger than an iPhone but smaller than a MacBook so it definitely had to be the Beats headphones I was begging for. Wrapped in black wrapping paper, I tore the edges off so slowly anticipating what was inside. Once I lifted the lid, I saw a pair of shoes: the left one red and the right one blue. As I stared at the smallest shoes I’ve ever seen for about ten seconds, it finally hit me; my body became paralyzed and the music playing in the back was suddenly silent. The second I looked up to Maya, the stream of tears from my eyes blurred her face and a stream ran down my cheeks, the same reaction when I found out we lost the baby.

At work I find myself visualing scenarios in my head ever since we found out about the miscarriage. Instead of journaling my feelings, I am writing about a fantasy world where everything is perfect and nothing terrible has happened to me. And there are these voices from other people that keep replaying in my head day in and day out driving me to insanity. I question everything at least every minute trying to come up with some sort of understanding, catching myself juggling different perspectives just to know what peace feels like again.

She was only in her first trimester. It wasn’t an actual baby yet.

I can hear the laughs of the pro-abortionists mocking the brainwashed Christians for thinking abortion is a sin and god considers it to be murder. I know what those laughs sound like because I was one of them. My family tried to raise me as a radical Christian but I didn’t see any benefit to their beliefs so I rebelled. But here I am eating my own words, unintentionally understanding why those Jesus freaks fought so hard against Planned Parenthood. I now struggle to dismiss the early stages of pregnancy despite the doctor telling me the baby would have been about the size of a grain of rice when it passed. That should have been reassuring but a redwood tree began its life as a seed and eventually the grain of rice would have been….nevermind.

We can try again.

When Maya told me this, her voice carried no weight and those words fell directly onto the floor. Her eyes just glanced at me for a second or two as she attempted to give me an effortless smile that her muscles could hardly spread and walked back to our bedroom. I just sat there in the kitchen, the same place where Maya and I made a list together to choose a name for the baby. Each of us had a list that had “boy” on one side and “girl” on the other. We wrote down names and tried to convince each other that our list was better or agree on at least one of the names together. We debated and laughed the night away until ultimately we gave up and decided to do this again another day with a new list. “We are just too freaking picky, aren’t we?” she said. “Maybe tomorrow we’ll finally settle this once and for all” but tomorrow never came.

You’re falling apart.

Maya was right; I was losing my wife and myself by pretending this misfortune didn’t bother me when in reality it was eating me alive. It was the first week after the loss that changed the whole trajectory of who I have become. When I tried to comfort Maya one day as she sat silently on our sofa staring at the window, she said to me,

“When your body can’t do the one thing that it should, you come to realize if all the other parts of you are just as faulty.”

I disagreed in silence which was the root of my mistake. I should have said something but I said nothing. She continued getting lost looking outside as if I was never there to begin with and at that moment I felt afraid to say anything else only to think I would have made no impact on this situation, my second mistake.

I couldn’t talk to my friends or my family like Maya did which really helped her during this process and I remained quiet living in my head without telling anyone a single word on how I really felt. My communication between anyone felt so lifeless that things took a bad turn when I lied to Maya about working late but really I was at the driving range hitting golf balls until the staff had to kick me out. One of those nights Maya FaceTimed me in agony thinking that I was having an affair because I was routinely out so late. That’s when I had gone too far and didn’t realize I was jeopardizing my marriage.

“I watched you so closely and began to see things that weren’t there before.” she said. If you’re not going to talk to me, you need to talk to someone. Anyone. We’re falling apart. You’re falling apart.”

My third and final mistake.

I’m sorry for your loss.

A line nobody said to me.

It’s good to see you again. What has changed since we last met?

I felt the same as yesterday, the day before, and last tuesday: “I’m still in a trance of writing fictional episodes of the baby and I,” I say to my therapist. Yesterday I wrote what it would be like to take you to an amusement park and how you would react to the neon lights, inhale the nauseating smell of deep fried Twinkies, staring at the baby blue cotton candy on advertised every corner, and the grinding sound of the roller coaster tracks with its screaming passengers creeping up right behind us. I thought about what would happen if I had lost you and how my heart would drop to the floor and my vision would become blurry trying not to go insane hoping you were just drawn to one of the stuffed animal prizes hanging close by. Sort of like how I’m feeling now.

The day before I wondered what it would feel like if you caught a fever. I might say this would probably freak me out more than losing you at the amusement park. If your temperature reached over a 100 and the distress in your cry overtakes the thoughts in my head, how in the hell would I cope? How do I speak to a small human who can’t speak at all?

“Have these letters you have been writing helped you process the loss?” he asks.

“I think they are the only thing keeping me alive to tell you the truth.” I replied.

“I thought about these letters you write and I want to do an exercise with you if you’re comfortable with it. I think it would help you get familiar with sharing your feelings if you allow yourself to. Let’s pretend your child was sitting right next to me on this chair to my left; what would you tell him or her?”

Instantaneously I began to weep and tremble trying so desperately to hold back any feelings he summoned out of me with that question. But there he was clear as day, appearing next to that empty chair beside the therapist just as I had imagined him. I knew I couldn't hold this weight in me anymore. I had to do this for Maya and ultimately, for myself.

Looking at the empty chair, at the ghostly child, I unloaded everything I had in me. “I just want to tell you how much I love you. You may not exist in the world I live in but deep down in my heart you are very much alive. And I’m sorry that your mother and I couldn’t bring you to this world. It’s not your mother’s fault. These things happen and it sucks it happened to us. Whenever I go places and I see dads holding hands with their kids, I ask myself, ‘Why couldn’t that be me?’ When I go to work, I’m carrying every small piece of my shattered heart knowing you’re not here and pretend everything is fine when it’s not. I envision what the warmth of your tiny hand would feel like placed in the middle of my palm and what kind of reaction I’d get finding one of your teeny socks mixed in with my laundry. I already have sleepless nights that lead to waking up wailing; why couldn’t I do it with you?”

The weight of arms no longer felt heavy, I covered my face with both hands and felt every drip of sob coming out, and I bawled explosively. For the first time in a long time, I said the words I’ve been imagining in my head out loud. My therapist sat there in silence for about two minutes giving me the time to grieve.

“To feel in any form is a gift,” he said. “Just because Maya was carrying the baby doesn’t mean you didn’t feel the same hurt and suffering. This child was yours too.”

0 notes