#never was THAT terrible to kris after whatever kris said. I think when you’re a teen and you’re hurting you say and do horrible shit and you

[krismoss-dreemurr]

Hey so I think we need to stop pretending our favorite characters in media are completely innocent and could never do anything wrong or fucked up. And also I think we shouldn’t have this mindset that what a character does in the past defines them now despite any personal growth

Maybe instead we need to try to understand why our favorite characters do the things they do or why they did certain things in the past and like. Chill out a little bit

#yes this is about the kris and Susie thing and yes I’m biased because I’m a Susie fictive #but can we also come at this from Kris’s perspective and acknowledge that kris was never afraid of Susie and they never seemed to hold what #she said against her. it’s so clear in both chapters 1 and 2 that they’re besties. we’re besties like no hard feelings about any of that #and it’s something that can be expanded on and worked through in the future #please let’s just trust Toby for the time being. I’m not saying you can’t feel a certain way about it or that you can’t analyze it #but let’s not freak out about it or let it completely change the way we see their current dynamic #personally I thought that it was a really interesting moment for both characters and it actually showed some growth for Susie because she #never was THAT terrible to kris after whatever kris said. I think when you’re a teen and you’re hurting you say and do horrible shit and you #might not even realize it until after the fact or don’t understand exactly how your words can affect other people. kris wasn’t reacting abd #when they did she thought they were laughing at her and given she was already taking out her feelings on them it probably felt Not Great #neither of them are good at effective communication or really being emotionally vulnerable #anyways yeah there’s my take #wrote this mainly in 3rd person because if any singlets see this I don’t want it to be too confusing #Susie talks #kris dreemurr #Susie deltarune #deltarune #safeutdr

[debbiechanclub]

BTOOT Trent/Alex Supercut!

Listen, I know that I’ve hinted at Trent/Alex quite a lot throughout BTOOT, starting with the very first chapter. And I know there are a few people who lowkey ship them. So I decided to make a supercut of all the times that it seems like there’s something there for reasons. Perhaps sequel-related reasons.

Anyway, I don’t have a word count for this but... it’s long.

Tag squad: @hotyeehawman @freshlysqueezedmox @comeasyoudar @librathepheonix13 @heelchampbucks @gabbynorth98 @irish-newzealand-idian-dutch @exe-sadboi-exe (let me know if you want to be added!)

Chapter 1

“Sudden Death” was nothing more than “Never Have I Ever.” But, quite frankly, Alex was a little nervous. She knew this group of people—and she knew they had little to no shame.

“Okay, these are the rules,” she explained. “We’ll play like normal—but Chuckie and Orange will be the only ones putting down their fingers. The first one to put down all three fingers is the loser of the round.”

“Okay, just to clarify,” Scorpio asked, “so whoever still has fingers up at the end wins the whole thing?”

She nodded. “Correct.”

“I don’t like this,” Chuck said, even as he held up three fingers. “Y’all are gonna say things you know I’ve done to make me lose.”

“Never have I ever been a conspiracy theorist,” Frankie smirked. Chuck didn’t think it was funny.

“Especially you!”

“Alright, he actually has a point,” Alex begrudgingly admitted. “Let’s keep it unbiased. Kris, you start.”

Kris put a finger to her lips in thought. “Hmm… oh, I know,” she smirked. “Never have I ever slid into someone’s DMs.”

Alex let out a loud burst of laughter. “Maybe if Trent was playing,” she commented.

“Jeez, Alex, just put me on blast,” Trent returned.

She just smirked and took another sip of beer.

Chapter 5

Step one for dealing with jealous, catty bitches was to look hotter than them. Check. Step two was to completely ignore them and live your best life. Check. Two drinks in and hanging with her boys and Kris, Alex was having a great night.

Trent nudged his chin at her. “Wanna do a body shot?”

Chuck nearly choked on his beer. “Fucking what?”

Alex smirked as she leaned toward him. “Are you hitting on me, Trent?”

“I don’t know,” he coolly returned. “Do you want me to be?”

She arched a brow. “My eyes are up here, big shooter.”

He pursed his lips. “Come on. You wanted me to look.”

She bit her lip as she sat back again. “No; let’s not. I don’t want to make Chuckie jealous.”

Chuck just rolled his eyes.

“I do want another drink, though.” She scooted past James and made her way to the bar. As soon as she was out of earshot, Chuck glared at Trent.

“A body shot?”

“Relax,” Trent said. “That was a test to see if Mariposa has joined us. Obviously, she has.”

James smirked. “Nice.”

Kris sent Trent a confused look. “Mariposa?”

Chuck sighed. “‘Mariposa’ is what we call Alex’s drunk alter ego.”

Kris’s eyes widened with excited curiosity when he said that. “Okay, I have to hear this.”

“Alex turns into the biggest flirt on planet Earth when she drinks, as I just clearly demonstrated,” Trent explained. “I guarantee you she’s not coming back from the bar. She’s gonna pick some poor unsuspecting target and spend the next ten minutes fluttering her eyelashes at him.”

“Hence, ‘Mariposa,’” James added.

“When we were in Vegas for Double or Nothing, Mariposa spent all night flirting with Chuck here,” Trent said as he pointed a thumb at Chuck. “It’s what gave him the balls to confess his undying love for Alex.”

Chuck smacked the tabletop. “Okay, again: I was also very drunk that night, and I’m not in love with Alex!”

James sent him a look. “Whatever you say, bud.”

He just grumbled and drank his beer.

“Anyway, we’ve turned it into a drinking game of sorts,” Trent said. “We like to make bets on who she’ll go after.”

Kris laughed into her drink. “Okay, that’s kind of messed up, but also kind of hilarious. Can I get in on it?”

“Absolutely,” Trent said. He waved his hand out over the room. “Please, make your selection.”

“Yes! Okay.” She eagerly looked around, searching for a pick. “What’s her type?”

“She likes beards,” James answered.

Kris frowned. “Hm. Well that knocks out my initial pick, then.”

“Who?” Trent asked.

She smirked. “Maxwell.”

“HA! Oh shit, I hope it’s Maxwell,” he laughed. “That would be fucking hilarious to watch.”

“I don’t think he’d know what to do with her,” James commented.

“Come on, Alex wouldn’t flirt with Maxwell,” Chuck dismissed. “He’s like seven years younger than her.”

“Well, it doesn’t look like he stands a chance, anyway,” Kris said with a nod toward the bar. “Cash certainly doesn’t waste any time.”

They all looked over. Sure enough, Alex was leaned back against the bar with Cash Wheeler standing just in front of her; and judging by their body language, they weren’t talking about the weather.

“Damn,” Trent said. “Well, I can’t say I’m surprised. Alex looks fucking hot tonight.”

Chuck shot him a look.

“What?” he shot. “Like you didn’t notice.”

“I mean, I don’t swing that way and I noticed,” Kris admitted.

James smirked again. “Nice.”

Back at the bar, Alex let out a laugh as she flipped her long, dark brown hair over her shoulder and playfully hit Cash on the arm. Trent looked back at the others. “What did I say?” he said as he picked up his drink. “She’s not coming back.”

Chapter 8

Alex pushed her way back into the Best Friends’ locker room. James sent her a look from where he sat on the couch, watching the monitor in the corner. “Well. You won, at least,” he commented.

She completely ignored him as she crossed the room and sat down in her cubby. She was not in the mood—and it was obvious. He gave an apologetic sigh. “I’m sure Adam didn’t mean to do what he did,” he said. “Things happen in the heat of the moment.”

She continued to ignore him as she rifled through her suitcase. All she wanted was to get changed and leave—

“Alex.”

“What?” She glared at him. He frowned.

“Are you okay?”

The genuine look of concern on his face made her stop. No, she wasn’t okay. But before she could say so, Chuck and Trent came through the door. Neither of them so much as looked at Alex as they walked into the room. She grabbed her clothes and started for the bathroom—but then Trent said something that made her stop dead in her tracks.

“Are you fucking Kenny again?”

Chuck let out a frustrated breath. “Dude, come on,” he said; but Alex spoke over him.

“What?” Her voice came out in a hiss, full of venom. She couldn’t believe the nerve of him, asking her a question like that in front of Chuck and James. It wasn’t any of his business.

But he didn’t really care. “Chuck told me what happened before we left the hotel last week. And after what just happened out there… it sure seems like there’s something you need to come clean about, Alex.”

Alex took a step closer. “That’s not any of your fucking business, Trent.”

He scoffed. “That’s a yes.”

“Dude, lay off!” Chuck unexpectedly burst. “You’re being a total dick right now!”

Trent’s eyebrows arched. “I’m being a dick? She’s the one who’s been toying with your emotions for the last year!”

“WHAT?” Alex exclaimed. She was incensed. It took all of her not to throw her clothes in Trent’s face. Chuck must have thought she might because he jumped up and stood between them.

“Alex, I don’t think that, I swear,” he said. But Trent wasn’t done.

“Oh, don’t play dumb,” he spat. “You flirted with Chuck all the time while you were fucking Kenny last year because you knew he’d give you the attention you wanted but weren’t getting from Kenny. You take advantage of his feelings for you, Alex.”

“TRENT, SHUT THE FUCK UP!” Chuck whirled around to glare at him. James jumped up and stood between them.

“Okay, now’s probably not the best time for this,” he implored. But Alex had heard enough.

“Fuck you, Trent,” she spat. “And get off your high horse before you break your neck. It’s not like you’ve never tried it with me despite anyone’s feelings.”

She threw her clothes forcefully across the room and started toward the exit. Chuck’s shoulders slumped. “Alex, he’s not speaking for me!” he called. But she was already halfway out the door, trying to ignore the tears stinging at the back of her eyes.

Chapter 9

“I’m not trying to convince you that Kenny’s a bad guy. He’s not,” Trent added, as if he was worried that was what she thought he was trying to do. “I just think you deserve better than what he can probably give you.”

Trent looked back down at the floor, his piece said, and Alex did the same. But then she put the bag of candy down and pulled him into a tight hug. “It means a lot that you think that,” she said. “But you know only I can decide what’s best for me, Trent.”

“I know,” he said as he squeezed her back. “But I want the best for you, too.”

They hugged a few seconds longer before Alex pulled back. “Truce?” she asked.

He smirked. “Truce. I really don’t like fighting with you. You’re vicious.”

Her mouth dropped in mock-offense. “What?”

“Come on,” he flatly returned. “You didn’t need to throw out that comment about me trying it with you.”

“Well, you did,” she returned. “At New Year’s. Remember?”

“Yeah, I know what you were referring to,” he said with a roll of his eyes. “You looked hot that night, sue me.”

She smirked. “Aw, thanks, Trenty.”

“Shut up,” he muttered; but he was smirking, too. “Now are you gonna share those, or what?” He nodded at the Sour Patch Kids. “It’s a two-pound bag.”

Alex genially rolled her eyes as she picked up the bag and ripped it open. “You’re lucky I’m feeling generous,” she said as she offered it to him, happy to have resolved at least one of her anxieties.

Chapter 15

With every word that came out of Matt’s mouth, Alex’s heart sunk deeper and deeper into the pit of her stomach. She felt sick. If what Matt said was true, then it cast that weekend nearly two months ago in a whole new terrible light. While she’d been cuddling in front of a fire with Cash, telling him she didn’t know what she and Kenny were, asking him to share a bed with her, Kenny had been thinking only of her. She’d thought he’d just been too busy to make time for her, when in reality he’d been planning to prove to her how much he cared; how much he wanted to change for her, just like he’d said. And she hadn’t given him a chance to prove it. She’d shot his chance dead in the water. She was absolutely disgusted with herself.

Matt’s voice cut through her thoughts. “I’m sorry. But I had to tell you because I know Kenny won’t.”

Alex didn’t say anything in response. She didn’t even look at Matt before she turned on her heel and left, walking swiftly through the halls to Gorilla, in a daze. Everyone else booked for the tag match was already there when she arrived, milling around, waiting for the show to get underway. Trent spotted her the same time she did him. “There you are,” he said. “Did you get lo—”

He didn’t finish his sentence. Alex had walked right up to him, wrapped her arms around his middle, and hugged herself tight against his chest.

Everyone around turned to look. Trent went stiff, unsure what to do. “Okay, Alex,” he said. “I’m a little confused, but I’m not gonna stop it if this is what you want.”

“Trent,” she breathed. “Please. I just need a hug from my friend right now.”

He must have heard the emotion in her voice, because she felt him relax after she said that. He wrapped his arms around her. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“No,” she said.

There was a thoughtful pause. “Are you good to come out there with us?”

She didn’t answer right away. “I think so,” she decided.

“What the hell is this?” Alex suddenly heard Chuck proclaim. “I know you’re not leaving me out of a Best Friends hug right now.”

She felt Trent pick up one of his arms and make a motion as if he was cutting his hand across his throat, signaling to Chuck that now wasn’t the time for jokes. There was another pause. And then Chuck asked, “Are you okay, Alex?”

No, she thought. But she said, “I just need a minute.”

Trent rested his chin on top of her head. And then she heard James say, “Who do we have to murder?”

Me, Alex thought. But before she could say anything, Best Friends’ music started up.

Trent pulled back and looked down at her. “Are you sure you’re good?”

She nodded. “Yeah.”

“Okay.” He squeezed her shoulders and nodded toward the entrance to the babyface tunnel. “Well let’s go, then. We have some Inner Circle ass to beat.”

Chapter 16

She grabbed her phone off her bed and walked back to the mirror. She mussed her long brown hair just so and half-tucked her oversized tank top into her cutoff shorts, adjusting it so that her lacy bralette peeked out of the low-cut neck, and struck a flattering pose. She must have taken twenty photos before she finally got one she liked. It was definitely a little bit sexy; but honestly, that was what she wanted. She opened up Instagram, chose the photo from her gallery, and typed up a caption. Feeling cute, might delete later #ootd. And then she hit “post.” To everyone else, it would just look like a typical girly Instagram post. But when Kenny saw the locket around her neck, he would know.

She tossed her phone back onto the bed and went back to cleaning out her dresser. She got through the rest of the t-shirts and most of the next drawer before she couldn’t stop herself from looking anymore.

She picked up her phone and opened Instagram. The picture already had a few dozen likes, mostly from fans but a few from friends. Trent had already commented. Your pockets are longer than your shorts. She rolled her eyes.

Chapter 17

Friday evening, music streamed through the speakers in Chuck’s apartment in Philadelphia. Alex had made the near six-hour trip from Roanoke earlier that day, and she felt like Chuck, Trent, and James had been falling over themselves to make sure she was happy ever since she’d arrived. Chuck had ordered in cheesesteaks for dinner from her favorite local spot. Trent had bought her not one, but two two-pound bags of Sour Patch Kids. And James was watching her drink like a hawk, waiting to fill it back up as soon as she was done. It was kind of unnerving, especially since he was wearing his sunglasses and she couldn’t see his eyes.

Not that she needed another drink at the moment. She and Chuck were playing beer pong against Trent and James—and they were getting their asses kicked.

Alex closed one eye and poked her tongue out of the corner of her mouth, aiming for a cup in the center of the triangle on the other end of the table. She shot; and it bounced off the rim.

“Come on,” Chuck breathed. “You’re the only one of us who went to college, you should be good at this!”

“You’ve only made one!” Alex returned with a motion to James and Trent’s nearly intact triangle of cups. “That’s just one more than none!”

While they were arguing, Trent took the opportunity to sink his ping pong ball into their last remaining cup.

“GREG!” Chuck shouted.

He smirked. “Drink up, buttercup.”

“No!” Alex proclaimed. “We get to shoot until we miss.”

“Why bother?” James remarked.

“Oh, you’re dead.” Chuck said. He picked up a ping pong ball and tossed it. It landed in the cup on the right bottom corner of the triangle. He threw his arms into the air. “YES! DRINK, YOU LITTLE BITCH!”

James just smirked and took a sip of his alcohol.

Trent rubbed his hands together. “Alright, Alex. It’s all on you.”

Alex got in her shooting stance. She wasn’t sure if closing one eye was helping or hurting at this point; she’d already had a few and was starting to feel it. She aimed and fired. It started to go in a cup in the middle—but Trent used his finger to flick it back out.

Alex’s eyes widened as she let out a gasp. “Oh, you’re never gonna get to see my tits now.”

Chuck choked on his drink. Trent’s eyebrows arched. “Were you gonna show them to me?!”

She gave a nonchalant shrug. “I don’t know, maybe. I know you’re jealous that Chuck and James got to see them when they walked in on me that one time.”

“He totally is,” James said.

Trent sucked his teeth. “Man…”

Alex just smirked and took a sip of her drink.

“And on that note,” Chuck said. “It’s time for shots.” He walked over to the kitchen and pulled out four shot glasses. “What flavor does everyone want?”

That was another thing Chuck had done: he actually had made the Sour Patch Kids-infused Vodka. And from what Alex understood, it had been a pain in the ass.

“Blue raspberry,” James answered.

“I’ll try cherry,” Trent said.

Chuck filled one shot glass with blue-colored vodka and another with red-colored vodka. “Alex?” he asked. But she wasn’t paying attention.

“Where’s my phone?” she asked. She looked around the room. She thought she’d left it on the arm of the couch, but it wasn’t there. She patted her pockets, making sure she hadn’t picked it up and forgotten like a dunce; but they were empty. She started to search the cushions of the couch—but Trent walked over to her.

“Your phone? Yeah, I hid it.”

She whirled around to look at him. “What?”

He smirked. “You shouldn’t have left it just sitting out in the open when you went to the bathroom.”

“Trent,” she sighed and rolled her eyes. “Give me my phone.”

He shook his head. “No.”

She put her hands on her hips. “I’ll show them to you.”

His eyes flicked down to her chest. He seemed to consider it; but then he looked back up. “No.”

“Trent…” she whined.

“Alex…” he mimicked.

She pouted. “Why’d you hide it?”

“Because.” He put his hands on her shoulders. “One, it’ll keep you from spending all night glued to your phone waiting for whoever to text. And two, it’ll keep you from drunk texting whoever, which I’m guessing you’re about one and a half drinks away from wanting to do.”

Alex fidgeted under his gaze. He wasn’t wrong. She’d been incessantly checking her phone ever since she’d arrived, each time hoping to see a text from Cash—and each time being disappointed. They hadn’t talked since that night at the hotel, and each hour that went by without hearing from him seemed longer than the last. She knew he was hurt; she didn’t blame him for not wanting to talk to her. But she just wanted to know if he was even thinking about her. And each time she looked at her phone and didn’t see his name, it was like another papercut on her heart.

“He’s right,” Chuck said. “Forget about your phone, and anything else going on outside this apartment, just for tonight. Alright?”

He offered her a shot glass full of bright green vodka. Lime. She thought back to two nights ago, remembered how she’d missed the person she was two months ago. Tonight was a chance to be that person again, even if just for a night.

She took the shot glass from Chuck’s hand. “Cheers,” she said, and she kicked it back.

* * * * * * * * * *

Alex woke up with Trent’s arm draped over her waist atop the blanket they shared. He must have rolled over in his sleep and flung it across her. She gently grabbed his wrist and picked it up, trying to place his arm down on the air mattress in between them; but he pulled it back and snuggled with his pillow, dead asleep. She smirked to herself. She’d always been jealous of how he could sleep like a fucking rock.

Chapter 20

“Okay. You, me, darts. If I win, you show me your boobs.”

Adam watched as Alex playfully rolled her eyes at Trent’s suggestion. She was a shot of Jose and a beer-and-a-half deep and feeling it; he could tell by the lazy smile on her lips. She always got that smile when she drank.

“And if I win?” she asked.

Trent looked up, deep in thought. “If you win… I’ll pay for your next set of gear.”

“Deal,” Alex immediately accepted, and she grabbed Trent’s wrist and pulled him over to the dart boards, a satisfied grin on his face. Adam shook his head as they went.

“Y’all are weird,” he said with a drink of his nearly empty beer.

“Oh come on,” Chuck returned. “You’ve known Alex longer than us. You were probably acquainted with Mariposa years before we ever gave her a name.”

He shook his head. “No comment.”

“That’s guilty,” James quipped.

“Yeah, it is,” Chuck smirked in agreement.

Adam drained the rest of his beer to hide his grin. He almost hadn’t come out with them tonight—he was surprised they’d still wanted to at all, after what the Inner Circle had done to Orange—but he was glad he had. If he hadn’t, he’d just be sitting in his hotel room, ruminating. About how his relationships with his girlfriend and his tag team partner were falling apart at the seams, about how he wasn’t sure who his real friends were anymore. Buzzing on whiskey and with nothing better to do, he’d confronted FTR back at the arena about what they’d done to Ricky Morton last week, about how Dax had faked a leg injury the week before that—and they’d completely turned it around on him. Something about how it wasn’t personal; how they’d needed to know if they could trust him after all the nasty things Matt, Nick, and Kenny had said about them; something about how he’d always been stuck in their shadow. They weren’t wrong. And with a tag team gauntlet match next week to determine who would get a shot at Adam and Kenny’s championships at All Out, Adam wasn’t sure he wanted to give Matt and Nick yet another opportunity to eclipse him.

“You guys want another?” James asked.

“Yeah,” Chuck said while Adam nodded. “Put it on Trent’s tab.”

James pointed at him as he stood from the table. “Was already planning on it.”

He walked off, and Adam’s eyes drifted to where Alex played darts with Trent. She stood close to him, her fingers laced behind her back, and just as he was about to throw his dart, she tilted her chin up, pursed her lips, and blew into his ear. He flinched, and she let out a loud laugh as he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close to say something in her ear. Alex pushed him away, a flirtatious grin on her face, and Trent turned back to the board and threw his dart.

“Trent certainly seems to like Mariposa,” Adam remarked.

Chuck scoffed as he glanced over his shoulder. “Are you kidding? He loves her.” He turned back around. “It annoyed me when I had feelings for Alex, too.”

* * * * * * * * * *

“You do realize you’re about to lose, right?”

She pursed her lips at Trent. “We haven’t been scoring properly.”

“But I’ve gotten more closer to the bullseye than you.”

Alex just took another sip of her beer. Trent squared up and tossed his final dart. It stuck in the single bullseye.  

He gave her a cocky smirk. “I’d say that’s a pretty definitive victory.”

“Congratulations,” she slyly returned.

He rubbed his hands together, basking in his win. “So, where do you want to do this? The bathroom? Actually, no—I can wait until we get back to the hotel. I want you to be as comfortable as possible.”

Alex stepped close and put her hand on his shoulder; he reflexively put his on her hip. She frowned apologetically up at him. “Oh, Trent. Mariposa made the bet, but it’s Alex’s body.”

His head fell back. “Goddammit,” he breathed.

A wide grin broke out over her face. “Come on, I need a refill.”

Chapter 22

There was a beat of shocked silence. Alex tensed, bracing for their reaction. And then Chuck gaped, “Callie broke up with Adam and now she’s staying with Matt Jackson?”

She nodded again. “Apparently.”

More silence. And then Jim said, “That’s a clear violation of bro code.”

“No shit,” Trent added. “What an asshole.”

“Of the highest order,” Alex agreed. “After Adam did what he did, Matt came barging in here to scream at me about how I must have had something to do with it.”

Trent blinked and shook his head, his eyebrows arched high on his forehead, like he didn’t comprehend what she’d just said. “I’m sorry, what?”

Alex rolled her eyes. “Matt thinks I put Adam up to sabotaging them,” she muttered.

“What?” Chuck shot. “Why?”

“Because he’s a dick,” she returned. “He said I had ‘every reason’ to do it and that I have Adam wrapped around my finger just like I do Kenny.”

Alex stared at the floor, anxiously chewing at her lip. Of all the awful things Matt had said, that was what had hurt her the most. She didn’t give a shit what he thought about her—but if there was even a chance that Kenny or Adam felt that way, like she’d manipulated them somehow… she wouldn’t be able to bear it.

“Okay, let me get this straight,” Trent said, pulling her out of her thoughts. “Matt violated bro code by shacking up with his friend’s ex-girlfriend—”

“Major violation,” Jim interjected.

“—and then when Adam retaliated, Matt barged in here and blamed you for it?”

“More or less,” Alex confirmed.

Trent stared back at her, stunned. And then he at looked Orange. “Jim, let’s go.”

He abruptly stood from his seat. Jim did the same, albeit much more lazily.

“What’re you doing?” Alex charged.

“Not letting Matt get away with being a complete fucking asshole to you,” Trent answered, and he went out the door, James right behind him. Alex jumped up and went after them.

“Trent, wait. I handled it!”

“I’m sure you did,” he returned. “And I’m gonna back you up.”

“I don’t need you to!”

“Well I’m gonna back up Adam then, how about that?”

Alex stopped, taken aback by his response. Pride swelled in her chest. Suddenly, she didn’t want to stop him anymore.

She hurried to catch up with them as they marched around the corner toward the Elite’s locker room—and she nearly froze again. Matt and Nick were approaching from the other end of the hall, and they both looked just as pissed as Trent.

“Perfect!” Trent proclaimed, throwing his hands in the air. “Just who I was looking for.”

Matt’s brow lowered. “Oh yeah? For what? Come to gloat about your dirty win?”

“Yikes,” Trent winced. “Someone sounds salty.”

“What do you want, Trent?” Nick shot.

“That’s a great question, Nick!” They all came to a stop as they met in the middle of the hall, Trent across from Matt, Jim across from Nick. Trent’s eyes narrowed down at Matt. “I would like to know why the hell your brother thinks Alex had anything to do with Hangman screwing you two over when he’s the one who’s trying to screw his ‘friend’s’ ex-girlfriend.”

Matt balked. “Excuse me?” He turned dark, hostile eyes on Alex. “Is that what you told him? That I’m trying to—”

“Don’t talk to her,” Trent firmly cut him off. “I asked you the question, so you fucking talk to me.”

Alex held her breath. Matt glared at Trent. “You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.”

“Really? Because the situation seems pretty obvious to me.”

“Yeah? Well then put two-and-two together, Trent,” Matt spat. “You want to talk about screwing? Alex here is fucking one half of the tag team champions, and the other half wants to fuck her. Oh, and the guys who won the gauntlet? She was fucking one of them, too. Probably still is, I honestly don’t know. So yeah, I think she had a hand in screwing us over. More than a hand, pr—”

He was abruptly cut off when Trent’s fist collided hard with his jaw. He dropped like a rock to the floor.

Alex let out a gasp and jumped back. Nick started for Trent, but Jim pushed him and sent him stumbling over his brother so that he had to catch himself against the wall. Matt blinked on the floor, dazed. Trent loomed over him, his hands balled into fists at his sides.

“That was for Adam, too. And if I ever hear Alex’s name in your mouth again, I’ll hold you down so she can punt you in the dick.”

He gave him one final threatening glare, and then he turned and took Alex’s hand. “Come on.”

He pulled her back down the hall. Jim didn’t immediately follow them. Instead, he held up his hands, stuck up both his middle fingers at Matt and Nick, and then turned and walked nonchalantly away.

Alex was in a state of shock as Trent led her around the corner. “Holy shit,” she breathed.

“Are you alright?” He stopped and looked down at her hand that he still held. “You’re shaking.”

“I’m okay. Just… shocked.” She let out a breath, “At this rate everyone on the roster is gonna get punched in the face because of me.”

“No, Matt got punched in the face because of Matt,” he corrected. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I think you should’ve punted him in the dick then,” Jim added.

A grateful smile curled the corners of her lips. “Well, thank you. This time I’m not upset that someone got punched.”

Trent returned her grin and gave her hand a squeeze; but then he winced and pulled away. Alex frowned in concern.

“Is your hand alright?”

“I think so.” He flexed his fingers and looked at his knuckles. They were red and angry. “I should probably ice it, though. He’s got a hard fucking head.”

She smirked. “Well come on then, Rocky. Let’s get you some ice for that right jab.”

* * * * * * * * * *

Alex and the boys had left the arena as soon as they could. After the heartbreak of the gauntlet match and the chaos of the aftermath, they’d decided to grab some burgers, go back to the hotel, and just veg out in front of the TV for the rest of the evening. It was doing the trick; Alex felt a lot better now that she had a greasy bag full of Five Guys fries, even if she did have to share them with Trent.

“I still can’t believe I missed you drop Matt Jackson,” Chuck proclaimed as he bit into a french fry.

“Yeah, it was pretty bad-ass,” Trent casually stated as he sat next to Alex on her bed. “Alex was super turned on by it.”

Alex sputtered out a laugh. “What? I did not say that.”

“You didn’t have to,” he returned with a wink.

She pursed her lips and snatched the bag of fries from him. “You don’t get any more for that.”

“Someone sounds called out,” Jim remarked. Trent smirked. Alex glared at them both.

Chapter 23

Alex didn’t want to sit backstage any longer. She hurried to Gorilla and went through the tunnel and down the ramp. She shot Santana and Ortiz a glare as she passed them and ducked through the ropes. They smirked and talked shit, but she ignored them as she knelt next to Trent on the mat.

“Hey, are you okay?”

He didn’t look thrilled to see her. “What’re you doing out here?” he groaned.

She just pursed her lips and helped him sit up. He was obviously in pain. Chuck rolled into the ring and they both helped Trent to his feet.

“What happened?” Chuck asked.

Alex glowered at the retreating backs of Santana and Ortiz. “Santana hit Trent with that baton of his. Bryce didn’t see it.”

“Fuck,” Chuck breathed.

They all exited the ring and went back up the ramp. Trent leaned on Alex’s shoulders and she wrapped her arm around his waist for support as they walked slowly back through the tunnel. Gorilla was full of people when they returned backstage. An eight-man tag match was next, pitting SCU and Private Party against Jurassic Express and the Young Bucks; the winning teams would face each other that Saturday at All Out. Alex noticed Matt and Nick out of the corner of her eye, but she ignored them. Unfortunately, Matt and Nick didn’t give them the same courtesy.

“Sucks losing unfairly, doesn’t it?” Nick smirked.

Alex shot him a venomous glare. “Mind your business, Nick.”

Matt let out a laugh. “Oh, that’s rich.”  

“Alright, seriously,” Chuck spoke up. “I’ve had enough of your bullshit and I wasn’t even there when Trent knocked your ass out.”

“He didn’t knock me out,” Matt insisted again.

Alex scoffed. “Yeah he fucking did.”

He turned his glare on her. “Why don’t you go get bent, Alex? It’s what you’re best at.”

Trent pulled away from her and walked threateningly up to Matt. Nick stepped between them, but he completely ignored him. “I thought I warned you about saying anything to her ever again.”

Matt nodded. “Yeah, you did. But you didn’t do shit about it last night, and you won’t do shit about it now.”

“Try me,” Trent challenged.

A cruel, cocky smirk curled Matt’s lips. “Alex is a sl—”

Trent lunged for him, but Nick pushed him back. Chuck ran over and grabbed Nick, spun him around and tossed him away, and with the coast clear, Trent speared Matt into a stack of equipment crates with a violent crash. The four of them starting brawling, throwing fists left and right, but the chaos was short-lived. Jurassic Express pried apart Chuck and Nick while SCU did the same for Trent and Matt. The latter pair fought tooth and nail to get back at each other.

“You want your mixed tag match?” Matt shouted as he strained against Kazarian’s grip. “You got it, next Wednesday. And I’ll make sure I knock you the fuck out.”

“You’re on,” Trent spat. “But trust me: you won’t even get the chance to try before Alex makes your girl tap.”

He shoved Scorpio off him, and he, Chuck, and Alex backed out of Gorilla, the gauntlet officially thrown.

Chapter 25

They all reset, and Shawn served the ball. Chuck easily bumped it back, but when Callie scrambled to hit it over the net, it flew straight up into the air instead. Cash rushed forward as it came back down and whacked it as hard as he could—sending it flying like a missile right at Alex. She didn’t even have time to pivot before it beaned her hard in the shoulder and careened off into the water.

“Shit!” she cursed.

“Point!” Dax loudly proclaimed.

“Really?!” Chuck shouted. “You have something smart to say about Alex spiking the ball but nothing about Cash hitting it as hard as he can right at her?”

“Come on, it wasn’t on purpose,” Cash defended. He looked at Alex through the net. “I’m sorry. Are you alright?”

Alex gripped her shoulder as she stared back at him. It stung from the impact of the wet volleyball and was throbbing already. There would undoubtedly be a nice bruise there tomorrow. However, to Cash’s credit, he seemed genuinely remorseful—but then she noticed Callie roll her eyes over his shoulder. She bit down on her jaw.

“I’m fine.”

He frowned, but she turned away and looked at Trent. “Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked.

She nodded. “Serve the ball.”

She rolled her shoulder and turned back to face the net. Trent served the ball. It went right to Peyton and she hit it back over. Orange popped it up, and just like she had before, Alex spiked the ball to the other side.

Crack!

“FUCK!”              

Except that time, it hit Callie right in the face.

Blood poured from her nose and dripped into the pool. Peyton told her to pinch her nostrils and tilt her head forward. Cash rushed to her side through the water. He glared daggers at Alex.

“What the fuck, Alex?”

She opened her mouth to say it was an accident, to assure them it was, but no sound came out. Her vocal cords were frozen.

“It was an accident,” Trent returned.

“Didn’t look like it from here,” Dax chirped.

“Oh, shut up,” Chuck groaned.

“It was an accident!” Alex finally blurted. She looked at Callie’s retreating back as Cash helped her toward the pool steps. “Callie, I’m sorry.”

But she didn’t acknowledge her at all, and then Cash whisked her away, holding a towel to her nose. Thankfully, Dax went with them.

“Well, I guess that’s the end of that,” Shawn awkwardly announced. Peyton shot him a chastising look, and then they exited the pool and left, too.

Alex stared in silence into the water. Her nose burned. She hadn’t meant for that to happen. She hadn’t meant for Callie to get hurt. She didn’t want it to be like this between them anymore. She wanted her friend back.

“Hey,” Trent waded over to her. She felt him put his hand on the small of her back underneath the water. “It was an accident,” he gently repeated. “She’ll be alright.”

Alex’s nose burned even more when he said that. “I’m gonna go see if Kenny’s ready to leave,” she said, and she didn’t wait for a response before she climbed out of the pool, grabbed her things, and left.

#aew fanfiction #trent? #trent beretta #best friends #best friends fanfiction #trent beretta fanfiction

[prettyboysdontlookatexplosions]

totally stealing @honeybabydichotomy‘s meme-adaptation concept re: i have a handful of things that could be described WIPs and nearly all of them i already can’t shut my mouth about, but here is a trip through the GOOGLE DOCS GRAVEYARD of abandoned fandoms past (mcu, trc, something too embarrassing to list above the cut so you’ll just have to CLICK and find out)

first up, the last fic i never actually wrote for, lmao, american idol season 8 RPF fandom, back in 2010... this was going to be a bigbang fic but in keeping with my terrible track record re: challenges etc. i did not finish it, although in my defense that had at least something to do with spilling coffee all over my laptop right around the time i started a very hours-intensive job with a huge commute. when i look at this now i’m like, this sure was me writing ten years ago, but i still love the emotional architecture of any story in which one deliberately shut-off and long-repressed individual is uncomfortably thawed by the miracle of someone else’s open-hearted joie de vivre; it’s the oldest story here but arguably the closest to an actual WIP in that the ghost of that idea is the seed for the divorced quentin AU i harbor hopes of one day writing; you can definitely see the Relevant Vibes in this exchange, i think, although i feel the need to clarify that adam lambert enjoying twilight is a thing he said on national television, i wouldn’t do that to someone on my own:

Veselka is crowded, but despite the bitter February cold, Kris doesn't mind waiting outside for twenty minutes, leaning against the glass display case of the expensive toy store next door, separated from Adam by little more than an inch. "So - okay, this is kind of terrible. Like, worse than the Twilight thing. But I feel like you should know who you're dealing with, so."

"It can't be that bad."

Adam just smiles knowingly. "Oh, can't it?"

"Hit me with your best shot," Kris says. Something twitches in his stomach as Adam raises his eyebrow to that.

Adam leans down to whisper in Kris's ear, sending inexplicable sparks down Kris's neck. "Sometimes, when I'm standing in the street or on the subway or something, I like to watch people go by and try to guess what they're like in bed."

Kris blushes. "Very mature," he says with a nervous laugh, embarrassed about his own embarrassment.

Adam holds up his hands in a gesture of innocence. "Hey. We're all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars," he intones. "Oscar Wilde."

"Do you think that's true?"

"I think it is. At least - " Adam tilts his chin up, a mischievous glint in his eyes " - I identify with it."

Kris searches for something to say that won't make him seem hopelessly square. "What's the view like from down there?"

Adam gazes at the night sky, where Manhattan's perpetual glow blots out all but the brightest lights. "I like it. You see more of them this way."

Kris thinks he's spent six years priding himself himself on keeping his gaze fixed straight ahead, avoiding the pull of the horizon or the distraction of the sun. "So. Mr. Gutter." He points to a thirty-something man getting out of a parked Ford across the street. "What's he like?"

next up: an unpublished MCU snippet! this was a peggy character study set at howard’s funeral, also an excuse for me to have feelings about tony stark; idiotically, i actually have a complete draft of this, and got a really brilliant beta job from @nimmieamee, but then never went back and revised it and also could not bring myself to post it when despite being passable as done i could tell in my bones it was simply Not Working, even though parts of it i really liked:

Howard had not taken to aging with grace. It, too, offended him: the body betraying the dream of perfectibility. Dodging it had taken up an increasing percentage of his time. He took up jogging, early among the public, too late in his life: a few months in and a busted knee earned him doctor's orders to abandon that pursuit. His bones were already too brittle to benefit. Howard himself had become brittle long ago. You could blame the war; but that was what happened to people with no give to them. They were like the driest branches waiting for a storm, only unlike branches they recognized on some level the precariousness of their structure, and consequently dedicated themselves to forgetting it.

Howard was undeterred. (Being deterred also went against his every principle.) He had swimming pools installed, outdoors in Los Angeles, adorned with artificial rocks arranged just so to give the impression of a hot spring, and indoors in West Hampton, heated, lit underwater with a yellow-green glow throwing tendrils of light on smooth white walls. Fitness gurus and nutrition consultants were put on retainer, a bicoastal platoon to prevent malfunctions; physical therapists were brought in to recalibrate around malfunctions. They quit with increasing frequency, as his temper frayed along with his body. He gave up, in sequence, smoking, alcohol, red meat, all meat, alcohol, sugar, processed grains, alcohol, salt, and direct sunlight--although by the time of this last pronouncement, it produced little noticeable effect.

Lately he had become obsessed with the idea of cryogenic freezing: the fantasy of going to sleep and waking up in a time when his intellectual heirs had figured out how to repair and replace his rusted pieces. Skin firmed and thickened; knees stitched back to mint condition; a whole new heart, perhaps, grown in a jar or assembled from compounds yet to be constructed. "Wouldn't you take the chance, if you had it?" he had murmured, eyes going dreamy as they did when he talked of his latest missiles.

Peggy pictured Steve in the Arctic, his hyperactive cells stilled by the indifferent cold. She shivered, like a child hearing a ghost story, and said no, she wouldn't.

finally, two stories from a fandom i actually never published any stories with, or engaged with in any meaningful way: the fuckin raven cycle. the dumbest books on god’s green earth. the first was a ronan story where gansey actually dies and stays the fuck dead, and ronan handles it by being a huge asshole, and then, unlike in these hideous godforsaken books, actually decides on purpose to be a better person.... i’m realizing revisiting this now that some of the itch of this story i’ve finally gotten out of my system via damage control, but the GENIUS IDEA of ronan giving matthew an actual soul by giving up the dream power and thus becoming an actual human, sadly, does not really transfer, even though it’s the best concept i’ve ever thought of in my life. anyway, whatever, i have a type:

He opened the door. Adam and Blue were looking at him with expressions he couldn't decipher. Noah was looking at the floor.

"Are you—" Adam started. Ronan watched the word okay die of its own irrelevance in Adam's mouth.

"None of you were invited," Ronan said.

Blue started, "We just—"

"Sorry," he said, loud enough to drown her out. "But this is a very exclusive party. That means no rednecks"—he pointed at Adam—"no bitches"—Blue—"and no pussies"—Noah. "So I'm going to need you all to leave."

He focused his eyes on Blue. She looked like she wanted to slap him. This was familiar. He wanted to go back to the time when his only interactions with Blue Sergeant involved saying something and watching her look at him like she wanted to slap him. Things had gotten complicated after that. Then Gansey had died. Ronan couldn't articulate the connection, but he felt strongly that it was there.

"Maybe I wasn't clear," he said. "What I mean is: get the fuck out of my house."

and last but not least, another TRC story, motivated initially by dreaminess and then sporadically continued after TRK came out (seriously like ever 18 months i dig this one out and write another 500 words and give up again) out of spite - a story where, because fuck stief, adam parrish gets a cell phone, ronan lynch gets a job, and no one assumes that finally having sex means you’re basically married forever without even talking about if you’re boyfriends. this one is like, so close to being “done” in that it almost goes beginning to end and has a lot of individual lines i actually like, but has always been very difficult to pull together because of the reality that maggie stiefvater wrote a series such that ronan lynch acting like a decent boyfriend or experiencing character growth or talking about his emotions is literally out of character, which makes it hard to write a dreamy summer hook-up story; i was actually thinking earlier this year of picking it back up YET AGAIN, but then damage control ate my brain... one day, perhaps, for the satisfaction of having finished... or i might just listen to “cruel summer” by taylor swift while meditating on it for a couple million more hours:

“Did you call me over just to give me the fucking silent treatment in person?” Ronan said. It sounded less vicious than it should have. Like he had been aiming for a growl and somehow landed on a mumble.

I didn’t call you over, Adam wanted to say, but it wasn’t actually true. He had. That seemed wrong, though. Ronan Lynch wasn’t someone to be called over. He was too wild and spiteful for that. Even Gansey couldn’t manage it. The rest of Ronan’s world had given up trying long ago.

But when Adam had called, Ronan had come.

He felt like he might throw up.

“I’m not giving you the silent treatment,” he said instead. “I’m just—“ But he didn’t know what he was doing. So he switched tacks. “You just—“ But he didn’t know that, either. And asking Ronan what the fuck are you doing had never yielded helpful results.

So Adam stuck to the truest thing, what he had worked his whole life to make true. “I’m leaving in three months.”

“What the fuck does that have to do with anything,” Ronan spat. This time he was closer to the expected intensity, but there was still something strange under his voice. Maybe not. Maybe Adam was just having a nervous breakdown.

[silyabeeodess]

Thoughts on Frisk, Chara, and the Player

Besides what I’ve covered briefly in the description of a comic a few years back, this is long overdue; however, since I might make something focusing on Chara in the future, I decided to go ahead and put down my two cents on these two characters.  Since this is effectively a long essay, I’ll have everything below the cut:

One of the most longstanding debates among Undertale fans is the morality of these characters and their relation to the Player.  Some see Frisk and Chara as effectively polar embodiments of good and evil following the Pacifist and Genocide routes while others see the Player alone as the individual in control of all choices with the two characters bowing to that control.  The truth might be somewhere in the middle.

Let’s cover the most basic thing first.  The Player is you.  Yes, it’s your decisions that take the story in different directions, but you are not a character. You are not a part of the world of Undertale.  You’re an intruder, an outsider, an anomaly--something that the people in Undertale only seem to have a vague understanding of.  Characters like Flowey will break the 4th wall by calling you out for your actions, but it’s often from the idea that you’re still Chara--even if Chara’s own story played out long before you came in.  Chara will ask for your SOUL, but you personally don’t actually sacrifice anything: Even as far as the game’s story goes with the “Soulless Pacifist” route, the most you lose is the time is takes to reinstall the game and play it as you normally would. You can cheat them out of “your SOUL” easily.  They think you’re Frisk.

Most glaringly, however, is that both Frisk and Chara will fight against some of your decisions.  For Chara, you have them not giving you much of a choice with how you end the Genocide route and declaring that you were never in control, amongst other actions like killing Asgore and Flowey. Most people might not notice Frisk’s refusal beyond the fact that we don’t pick their name like we can Chara’s; however, the point where this becomes most clear is during our interactions with Undyne on a Pacifist Run.  When we try to become Undyne’s friend and she insists on fighting anyway after her house catches fire, we have the choice to fight back.  Doing so though results in a weak attack, which Undyne declares as being the result of a lack of will to hurt her.  That isn’t the Player’s decision, and it effectively forces us to spare her whether we want to or not.  

This relationship parallels what we also see in Deltarune, with the Player there also exhibiting control over Kris, but Kris fighting back.  Kris isn’t an empty vessel or puppet for the Player to manipulate, and the same can be said for Frisk and Chara in Undertale. It’s a form of temporary possession, where we--an otherworldly being--take over a host for as long a period as the game’s designers allow. It means that we can’t pin our actions on either Frisk or Chara.  Let’s go back to that second paragraph though.  The other characters don’t really know this, making Frisk/Chara/Kris suffer as a result.      

From a gameplay perspective, this is an awesome idea to tackle. From a story perspective, meanwhile, things get a little complicated.

Here’s the thing about handling it simply as a story: The Player often has to be ripped out of the equation.  Again, you aren’t a character, and the only way the Player can really be present in the world of Undertale is as an OC or persona based on the independent choices of each creator.  Keeping them out means leaving the choices we would normally make 100% up to Frisk/Chara.  Ergo, stop attacking artists and writers for their portrayals of those two when creators have to give them qualities that are entirely up to each individuals ideas and experiences to try and fill in a bunch of blanks.  Beyond Chara’s backstory giving us some information on who they were, which is mostly told to us through other characters, there is no perfectly in-character portrayal of either of them.  

Which I guess brings us to the part where I try explaining my idea of them.  So let’s start with Chara, since again, they have the most background info.

What are some canon points we can cover with Chara?

Asriel describes them as “not the greatest person,” but still cared for them deeply as his best friend. From the recordings in the True Lab, we see they had a good friendship, even if Chara often took a more leading role.

Also according to Asriel, Chara “hated humanity” and had an unhappy reason for climbing the mountain.

It was Chara’s plan to commit suicide, have Asriel take their SOUL, and try to kill humans to break the barrier.

Chara laughed after poisoning Asgore with buttercups. It’s presumed by Asriel to have been an accident, but we don’t know Chara’s knowledge on the situation.

An extended monologue from Asgore has him describe Frisk and Chara as having “the same look of hope in their eyes.”

Asgore considered Chara “the future of humans and monsters.”

They refer to themselves as “the demon who comes when people call its name.”

As of the Genocide route, their goal is the complete destruction of Undertale’s world to join the Player and move on to another. They pin the Player’s actions on their newfound “purpose” to attain power.

Narration in the game is different depending on the route, speaking commonly from a 2nd-person POV on Pacifist and Neutral runs, but 1st-person on a Genocide run. This alludes that Chara is always with us during gameplay.

Chara’s dialogue mimics Toriel’s, hinting to a close relationship following the concepts of mimicry being a form of flattery and a child’s desire to be like a positive adult figure in their lives.

So here’s what I think.  Chara’s hatred toward humanity is supported not only by Asriel’s confession, but also in their actions.  If Chara took control as Asriel described after crossing the Barrier to kill humans and take their SOULS, that willingness to commit murder along with their own suicide indicates not only that general disdain, but also a hefty amount of self-loathing simply for being human.  Whatever happened to them prior to entering the Underground, that hatred was likely only nursed further by knowledge and ideas fed to them from monsterkind: Humans hurt monsters too and monsters are supposedly “made of compassion” while “humans don’t need any.” (They may have even been bullied or faced prejudice for being human, even if it wasn’t from the Dreemurrs, just like how Frisk was constantly attacked on-site.)  This likely led to a monster-centric worldview where all of humanity--and even themselves, to a point--was the enemy.  

I imagine the “Mr. Dad Guy” sweater we find was made by Chara rather than Asriel because of the inclusion of “guy” at the end, since this seems like something more of an adopted child would do than a biological one, maybe not entirely comfortable with the idea yet of calling Toriel and Asgore “Mom” and “Dad.”  I truly do think Chara loved their newfound family and never meant to hurt Asgore: The laugh, while it can’t be confirmed, seemed to be a mark of mental instability rather than something of true malice. With the pressure of being called “the future of humans and monsters” as well, they probably felt like they had to be responsible for humanity’s actions as a whole even if they personally did nothing wrong.  From that perspective, their life--and any other human’s--mattered less than a monster’s, because they had to atone for the crimes of others.  Humanity itself had to atone.  This is why they would be so willing to sacrifice themselves and kill for the sake of breaking the Barrier.

So what happens when the monsters Chara placed on a pedestal start breaking their script?  Asriel stopping Chara from committing murder is one thing: That seemed to be one part of the plan that Chara didn’t tell him about, probably because they knew he wouldn’t agree to it. Beyond that though?  What happens when monsters stop showing that legendary compassion?  Asriel started playing with lives and killed for fun as Flowey.  Asgore declared war against humanity and started killing children.  Toriel left her position as queen and couldn’t protect anyone. Not only was their happy family broken, but monsters started acting like the humans they claimed to be better than through their own “weaknesses” and desire to kill.  They were supposed to be above humanity’s choices, above even Chara’s choices. Vengeance isn’t an excuse anymore: It’s all the same, and it feels like the ultimate betrayal.  

They’re all the same.  Monsters, humans, it doesn’t matter.  It’s an ugly world where only the strong and terrible reign, and it deserves to be destroyed.  There’s nothing left.  There’s no good left.  There’s no hope left... 

Unless, maybe, someone new enters the game. Can they rekindle that hope or will they only prove those dark thoughts right?

In comes Frisk, who we really only know as a blank slate.  We don’t know their history or their desires except to leave the Underground one way or another.   We can’t really say much, so this is where it really is entirely up in the air how we portray them.

A personal headcanon of mine is that they were a bit of a little thief, “frisking” things off of others--which is why we can get G even without killing in the game.  A very morally grey character, fitting the multiple routes Undertale’s story can go and Sans description of them “maybe not being a saint” even if they play as a Pacifist.  Maybe they don’t really know what the right choice always is, but they desire to do their best when possible. 

I can’t say much here because, as I’ve said several times now, it’s up to everyone.  Me?  I like a Pacifist Frisk, even if they struggling and suffer before reaching their happy ending.  Some might have them go through a Genocide route on their own or by Chara’s possession. Some have them with guilt-riddled consciences and others treat them as the purest of souls. Some pick different endings.   

So enjoy your interpretations, your characterizations, and your AUs.  You don’t have to agree with my ideas or anyone else’s: Just don’t bash others for theirs.  Undertale’s gameplay opens things to everyone’s personal experience and should be enjoyed as such. 

#undertale #ut #analysis #thoughts #chara #frisk #the player #video games #artists #writers #ut fandom

[yupitsfinnhudson]

Daddy Squared

Who: Alexis St. James and Finn Hudson - @alexis-st-james ft Freddie and Brando St James

When: 23rd of December 2020

Where: The St James house in Sunny California

What: Finn meets Alexis’ Dads and sees her room.

Warnings: None? The St James Dads being obnoxious

Finn was looking a little bit pale in the back seat of the car worrying about meeting Alexis’ Dads. He knew they weren’t together but he still really wanted to make a good impression on them, and to make sure that Alexis had a good time if possible. He knew that she didn’t really like visiting her family, so he gave her his best smile. “Ready Miss?” He asked. “I think all the gifts will just about fit through the door.” It wasn't something she would have normally done, but Alexis knew her dads well enough that the 'joke' about dragging her for some canapes on Christmas wasn't really them teasing at all, and sometimes it was easier to just accept than to argue about it and cause more issues. But she still felt sick, the only comfort she had was Finn next to her. They finally pulled up to the house, and she let out a small smile. "As I'll ever be. They're magpies, hopefully the shiny stuff will keep them distracted from personal questions." She said, getting out and grabbing a couple of bags. Staying here for a couple of nights, from the 23rd to Christmas Eve, meant they had their overnight bags, as well as gifts for her fathers of both her and Felix, as well as things for the staff, cats, dogs and anything else currently living in the home. She knew Finn would insist to the driver to carry the load, which he really shouldn't, but she didn't concern herself with that just yet, just pushing open the large front door and letting herself into the modern architecture nightmare of her childhood home, the entrance hall covered in various greeting cards from friends and neighbours of her dads. "Just dump things there, the housekeeper will sort it out," She instructed to Finn where her own bags lay. "You still have time to run, you know." Finn nodded at her words. “It’s okay, you don’t have to answer any questions you don’t want to.” The boy responded, reaching out to squeeze her hand and give her a smile. “I’ll be there the whole time I promise!” He told her, and then blushed because obviously she knew that. It wasn’t like he was going to drop her off at her Dads and then leave. He hid his embarrassment as he got out of the car by grabbing the majority of their bags out of the car. The house itself was extremely impressive, and he couldn’t help but be a bit wide eyed as he made his way up the drive. “Oh.. wow.” He said quietly mostly to himself. He nodded a little when she said that he could dump the bag. “Are you sure.. you don’t want me to take them up the stairs?” He asked gazing guilty at their things. “I don’t want to run Miss.. I want to meet your family.” Alexis nodded as enthusiastically as she could, though Finn was really underestimating her dads and their interrogation techniques. She watched with interest as Finn entered the house for the first time, knowing he was trying to keep his cool about the way it looked, but was excited to be here. She resisted rolling her eyes at his offer. "Finn, that's their job," She said, cringing at how suddenly elitist she sounded, "We have staff to do that for us, we pay them for that. You're a guest, your job is to relax." She then added, hoping that sounded a little better, knowing it probably done. His sincerity in wanting to meet her family almost made her want to jump him right there and then, but instead she just smiled. "Well, brace yourself," She teased, "They're probably out at the pool, but I'll give you a quick tour until we get to them. This is, uh, the entrance hall. And I'm sure they buy a majority of these cards and write them out themselves to look popular," She added as a joke, "but like it's where we put our coats and bags and shoes and the staff neatly put them away. Would you like to see the kitchen, we can get ourselves a drink?" Finn blushed bright red when she told that it was the people’s job. “Sorry.” He said sheepishly. “I just wanted to be helpful.” He explained not wanting to seem like a total dunce, quickly trying to get away from the bags like they had a bad smell about them. He went to hold her hand and then stopped himself because he wasn’t sure. “Oh I’d really like a tour! I’m looking forward to seeing everything!” Finn told her, gazing around at the house his eyes going very wide at the sight of all the cards. “Who are they all from?” He asked inspecting the cards with excitement. He took off his shoes immediately when she mentioned that this was where they put their shoes. Thinking of Caroles new carpets and how important it was that they stay nice. “I would really like to see the kitchen.. Do you have one of those fridges that gives you ice cubes?” Finn asked. "I know," Alexis said softly, though the feeling of taking him against the glass and marble walls hadn't faded quickly. "A tour you shall get." She promised instead. "Uh, just our neighbours, friends and stuff. Will Ferrell," She said, picking up a card with a frown on her face, "Terrible taste," She put it back before picking up a few more. "Reese Witherspoon and family, Kris Kardashian...oh, Bruce Willis sent this one." She said, waving it in front of Finn for a second, momentarily forgetting about his interest in the actor. She smirked at him removing his shoes, her own heeled boots staying firmly on her feet, "Yes, we have one of those ice cubes. Stay being good for me, and I might let you push the button all by yourself." She teased, leading him through the open plan area. Sometimes he couldn’t tell if she knew that it wasn’t normal to just like have a Christmas card from a random A Lister in your house. Once his family had gotten a card from the local radio station after he’d entered a contest and they’d be so over excited that they’d all taken a picture with it. When she waved the Bruce Willis card, Finns eyes went very wide again and he started to shuffle over to the thing as if it were some kind of precious jewel. “The real Bruce Willis?” He asked, inspecting the signature on the inside of the card. “Like Die Hard.. and Looper Bruce Willis?” Finn nodded excitedly at the idea of getting to do his own ice cubes. “I’ll be very good Miss Alexis... does it have more than one setting?” He asked, following after her like an eager puppy. She laughed at his wide-eyed enthusiasm. "Do you know of any other Bruce Willis'?" She asked rhetorically. It was strange, being back home....well, her childhood house. It was weird to even think that this open plan space with glass, marble and harsh corners was somewhere to raise your kids. Maybe it was partly the reason her, Felix and Jesse never had much of a childhood. "I think so? Definitely a crushed ice setting, but I don't know about anything else." Alexis paused as they entered the kitchen, hearing eager footsteps come in from the patio.

"Lex!" Freddie announced, charming Hollywood smile on his face, water glistening of his bare chest, tight swim trunks being the only thing to cover his modesty. "We are so glad you came!"

"Lexi!" Brando had come jogging in then, still a handsome man despite the years of the rich and famous party lifestyle. "Look at you! More and more gorgeous everyday, don't even need to go under the knife like that wretch of a mother of yours!" He and Freddie laughed, Alexis stood there with a tight smile on her face. "Is it true Felix is in the Swiss Alps this year....stuck in with the Motta heir too?"

"It'll be really good if they end up together," Freddie agreed, reaching for a bottle of water, "I think it'll wipe whatever evil smirk is off your mom's face as well...oh." He paused, as if noticing Finn for the first time, and Alexis fought every instinct to grab his hand and run upstairs with him. "This must be your guest."

"Yes," Alexis finally said, "Frederick, Brennan," She said, addressing them with their full, real names, "This is Finn Hudson. A friend of mine, he'll be spending this evening with us." Finn was still thinking very deeply about the ice when the two men appeared, they were like something out a movie. Like Alexis he almost didn’t believe that they existed in the real world. They screamed the Hollywood movies that he had loved so much as a kid, and the red carpets that Odette poured over and he felt shyer than ever. Knowing from years of experience on both he and Sawyers part that he could hardly hide himself he simply moved behind Alexis a little. Afraid that anything that he said would make him sound as small town and unremarkable as he felt in this grand house standing next to all these beautiful people. He could imagine Fauna here with her cheerleader smile and long extensions, or Sawyer who always had something intelligent to say. But he.. he didn’t feel like he belonged at all.  He didn’t know what a regular Alp was, let alone what made them Swiss.

He felt their eyes turn to him and he flushed trying not to swallow. “Hi Sir... Sir.” He said dryly. “You have a really nice house.. thank you for letting me come over.” His words came out thickly and he flushed an even deeper shade of red. All Alexis wanted to do was shield Finn away, take him upstairs and just vibe and do nothing. Instead, she just watched carefully as her dads drank Finn in, and she made herself stand just slightly taller, as if to hide him. Freddie grinned at Finn's introduction. "Of course, a friend of Lex's is a friend of ours." He said, "Are you two planning on joining us in the pool?"

"It really is a wonderful day for a dip," Brando agreed, "You both look so hot and flustered, you especially, Mr. Hudson." He pointed directly to Finn as he leaned on the counter.

"We've literally just got here," Alexis said, "can we have a moment to fucking breathe, maybe?" It was possibly the most LA she sounded in front of Finn, her nasty streak she had been trying to hide leaping out the moment she laid eyes on her dad. "We're going to have a drink and I'm giving him a tour." She then added, with a careful smile.

"Lex has always had quite the temper," Freddie said with a laugh to Finn, "if you're in luck, either me or Brando will piss her off so much we end up plunged in the pool!" He observed Alexis, who clearly bristled under his gaze. "So much like her mother, sometimes. And Felix is like me, of course." He added, glancing at Brando for confirmation, who nodded whole-heartedly. "And Jess...Jesse...the pool boy?"

"Definitely the pool boy," Brando agreed, "Very cocky. So, Lex, shall we get our mixologist to make some signature St. James Cocktails. Finn, you drink right? You're a drinker?" He asked, as if implying he knew something about the Hudson family. Finn was surprised by the immediate invitation to join them in the pool, he hoped that it meant that he’d made a good impression by the way that he was standing alone. Blinking a little bit when they said they looked hot and bothered, hoping that wasn’t like Hollywood code for calling him smelly and trying to subtly sniff himself to see if he needed to sneak off to put some spray on. “We don’t have our swimming costumes on right now.” He explained as if trying to make them understand why Alexis wouldn’t want to go in the pool. His eyebrows shot up at a little when they mentioned that Alexis might push them in, and then laughed because he assumed it must be a joke. The conversation moved fast and suddenly they were talking about Alexis mother again, who he knew was kind of mean. So he didn’t really think they should be making comparisons. “I mean yeah.. I drink.. not like.. a lot. Just for fun.” He flushed uncomfortably, unsure if Brando was getting at something. “And never like if I’m taking care of Miss Alexis... just for fun.” He confirmed again. Alexis tried not to let her face soften at Finn's excuse to the decline the swimming invitation, too guarded around her fathers to show the version of her she was working on for Finn. Instead she just scoffed instead at her dads suggestions, hoping Finn knew she was somewhat just putting on a show. Doing what was best done in the Hollywood Hils - pretending. Acting. "We'll go in the pool in our own time." She answered curtly, "But sure, cocktails sound good. Surprise us." It came out more like an order than she intended to, but anything to play the part of the uninterested, bitchy daughter.

"My my, yes Miss Alexis," Brando mocked, curtseying. "You better watch out, Finn, she's a bossy boots that one." He called out before heading back out to the pool area. Alexis waited for a second, wondering if another comparison to that cunt of a woman who birthed her would follow, relieved that it didn't. Freddie stood there a moment, and she recognised the softness under his sharp features, aged by time and the unhealthy lifestyle that came with fame.

"What?" She barked at him. Freddie held his hands up in surrender.

"Nothing, hon-- Lex," He said, catching himself in time, glancing at Finn for a moment, before back to Alexis, who just stared him down, to answer the unasked question in the air. No, he doesn't know. Do not bring that era up, her sharp blue eyes said. "So, Finn, bet this is a massive change of scenery for you? Been up to anything fun since landing here? When I first arrived in Los Angeles, the City of Angels, the first thing I did was Hollywood Boulevard. I've been obsessed with acting since I was a kid, and I was desperate to see all the names of the greats." He laughed, it faltering when Alexis raised her eyebrows at him. "I have a habit of talking too much, probably why this one doesn't talk enough." He teased. Finn definitely felt like he was missing something from the conversation that Alexis and her Dads were having. He’d started to see a range of moods from Alexis and none of them matched up with the version he was seeing of her now. He supposed people always acted differently around their parents, but this whole conversation sort of reminded him of a sitcom and he found himself sort of waiting for the laugh track.

“Thank you Mr St James... I will um.. watch out.” Finn responded giving the man a very awkward salute. In high school he’d known exactly what to do to impress people’s Dads, you got their daughters home on time and you promised you didn’t drink and you didn’t do drugs. But now these Dads were offering him drinks, and Alexis didn’t live with them. He had no idea how he was supposed to impress. He liked when Freddie spoke, he knew better what to do with this enthusiastic talk. “It’s a big change of scenery for sure Sir.. I’m from Ohio so it’s less like stars and more corn fields. I really wanted to see all the stuff from Die Hard and like the sights..” He explained. “Miss Alexis said.. you auditioned for Die Hard and I think that’s pretty much the coolest thing I ever heard in my whole life. It’s an honour to meet you on two accounts... I also.. um talk.” He looked at Alexis nervous hoping he wasn’t saying the wrong thing. Alexis was conflicted in watching Freddie and Finn interact. A part of her wanted to claw her dad's face off for being soo slimingly charismatic, for managing to put Finn under his spell so easily, but another part of her was happy that they were getting along. That Finn was being his sweet self, and Freddie was actually putting the effort in. She hated her complicated feelings towards her parents, thinking back to when she met Carole, and how normal her interactions with her kids and step-kids seemed, a far cry to what was currently happening in the kitchen. She nodded as enthusiastically when Finn looked back at her, as if asking permission. "Between you two, will Brennan and I ever get a word in at the dinner table?" She joked, wondering if she forced herself to look like she was at ease, it'd put Finn to ease.

"You know he hates his given name, Lex. Ugh, I remember when you were like this big," Freddie dropped his hands to his hips, "Daddy this, Daddy that, I missed that. But yes, Finn, I auditioned but sadly no match for Bruce Willis. But they've been other parts, and I'm currently a recurring villain on that trashy Netflix show, based off the comics?" He asked the younger pair, as if it would jog his memory. "But we adore a talker in this house. But maybe you'll need to save your breath for something else?" He winked at Alexis, who wrinkled her nose in disgust. Ignoring that, she took Finn's hand.

"I'm going to show Finn the rest of the house." She said, back to monotone. "We'll come down to the pool in a minute, okay?" Finn listened attentively to the man in front of him, though a part of him was just studying to see any part of Alexis in him. He knew that she had a somewhat complicated relationship with her parents, but he was curious would he see striking similarities between the two. He didn’t really see any immediately, he also didn’t really see Alexis in the house. There was no sign of her in the white walls and weird furniture. Even though Freddie had just talked about when she was small, Finn couldn’t imagine a child here. “I bet you were so cute when you were little.” He said more to Alexis than to her Dad. “I like thinking of you with little pigtails.”

“I mean I think it’s so cool that you were even in the room Sir.. like you saw the script before anyone else.” Finn told him truthfully. “Wow on Netflix..? I watch a lot of Netflix so I’ll look out for it.” He added sincerely, though his eyes went a little wider when Freddie made what he thought might be some kind of sexual reference. “Yeah I’m really looking forward to seeing the fridge.” He chatted, and then realised that it might sound weird and busied himself staring at the top of Alexis’ head and letting her lead him on. Hoping that he hadn’t made a bad first impression. Alexis didn't want to crush Finn's expectations of her childhood, wanting to let him imagine a little girl in this ostentatious house, playing with dolls, hair up in pigtails, being a little princess people expected that Alexis St. James was in her formative years. Before she could deny the pigtails, Freddie jumped in. "Oh she looked so cute, whilst you two are....getting acquainted, I'll see if I can get the old albums out." He said, "Man I've been waiting to do this. Alexis never brings people home."

"That's enough of that," Alexis interjected, biting back a smile and laugh at Finn's eagerness for the fridge, giving him an extra second as they passed it, passed the grand art, the obnoxious Christmas tree in the centre of the house, and up the stairs to where Alexis' bedroom was. She opened the door, greeted by more white walls and marble floor, the large Queen sized bed in a soft grey duvet, the entire room as if straight out of some catalogue. It had been like this for as long as the Domme could remember, the only personal touches being her and Finn's bags on the floor. She stared at the closet, wondering if the contents of her letter was true, but decided to focus on that later. "This is my room, bathroom is through there, balcony just there." She instructed him, moving to sit on the bed, soft but unfamiliar. Finn grinned when Freddie mentioned the albums, Carole had spent enough time showing Alexis every picture of him and Sawyer covered in ice cream and in his pants that he felt like he was owed this little piece of her upbringing. “Please.. I’d really love to see Miss Alexis as a kid.” He responded, though he noted that this was one of a few times that her father had referenced that she never brought people to meet them. He continued to stare wide eyed at everything that she had to show him, barely being able to believe that houses like this existed. Let alone find a rational for why anyone would ever need any of the ugly furniture that lined the rooms.

Her room was less ugly, but it was weirdly unsatisfying. Deep down he knew that he wouldn’t find the same den of teenage and childhood comfort that she’d been able to see in his room. Because she wasn’t the type of person who liked cowboy wallpaper and checked sheets. But he had expected to find a little more of her, to be able to picture her as anything other than how she looked now. But his snooping came up with almost nothing. “It’s uh.. very roomy.” Was all he could think of to say. A part of Alexis wondered if Finn expected what most people expected when trying to figure out her teenage years. Was her room as goth as her style? Band posters hastily taped over black walls, candles and over Hollywood styled Satanic decor on her dressing table? Or maybe a more Pinterest girly Cheerleader type, school flags hung above her bed, photos pegged on fairy lights across the bare walls. Everyone was always disappointing, because her room was just boring. Beautiful but boring. It was how she always liked things, but she had more personal touches in her room at Devereux. The silk sheets still grey, yes, but only because it was a good duvet colour. But she had little soft cushions she had bought, the Kuromi stuffie Fauna bought her as a welcoming present to the school perched comfortably in the middle. Little photo frames and trinkets lined her nightstands and drawers. The LA house was completely different. “Yes, roomy,” She agreed, “are you disappointed?” Finn looked at her. “Not disappointed...” He responded not wanting her to be sad, and hoping that his face hadn’t betrayed him too completely. “Surprised... and a little um.” He looked around at the impenetrable space, with its soft greys and whites. He wanted to see her in the walls and follow her footsteps over these floorboards and he just couldn’t.  “I mean I guess a little.. I was sorta hoping your room would be a bit like my room.. and I’d sorta find out more about you. This place is like nice, very nice, like James Bonds room or something.. but I don’t know.. I don’t.. it doesn’t really feel like you.” Finn shrugged. “Well the you that I sorta know.” Despite the raised eyebrow at the mention of James Bond, Alexis' face softened when Finn explained his expectations. She never really had a space that was more of a reflection of who she was, but she wanted that now, even if it was just to show Finn something. A little thought popped into her head as he spoke, and she pushed it down for now, to discover once he was finished. "I haven't lived here in a very long time," She admitted, "Not properly. This place is a very nice house, but it's not my home. If you want, we can think of this as spending the night in an Air Bnb." She stood, cupping his cheek, momentarily forgetting their friendship pact. "I'm sorry," She said again, sincerely, "But maybe we'll make my room back in Devereux more roomy when we're back?" She suggested, patting his face gently, heading into her bathroom, smiling at the mirror. The stickers were still there, that she had collected over the years, cheerleading and love-hearts and dated quotes, decorating the reflective glass. She popped her head back out, smiling at Finn, glad that he wouldn't be too disappointed after all. "I mean, this might make it up to you?" Finn listened intently, his cheeks flushing delicately as she touched him. He knew he needed to tone down his feelings for her in case he scared her off again when he had promised to be her friend, but it was so hard when he liked her so much. “Please don’t be sorry.. it’s your room, you can keep it just how you like it.” He promised with a soft nod. “Your version of like you.. might be all this very like zen stuff.” He was used to the idea that people were in some ways more than one person, like they were different people when they were with different people and that wasn’t always a bad thing. His train of thought was interrupted by her words, and he followed her through into the bathroom. His face breaking into a smile at the stickers, this he supposed was exactly what he’d been looking for. “This is cute.” He told her with his signature goofy smile. “You should get some of these for your binders.” He teased. “Or are they all Gucci?” A version of Alexis. The cheerleader dwelled on that for a moment or two, wondering if she could imagine, or remember, a version of her who enjoyed living in here. With all this shitty furniture and interior design. Sometimes Finn surprised her with his different points of view on things, and she felt bad that she was surprised, and she wondered if she would ever not feel guilty for that day after Thanksgiving. She couldn't help but smile, her genuine, cute, soft one reserved only for people in her closest of circles, when he lit up at the stickers. "Haha," She said, rolling her eyes at his teasing but the smile didn't slip to indicate she was fine with his teasing. "I mean, you probably can get designer stickers, but nothing beats the dollar store, you know?" She said, "Maybe we'll get some before we head back to school to decorate all my binders together." She took a deep breath at how quiet and still the bathroom was for a moment, wishing they could stay here forever, when she heard someone calling their names. "You know, they're not gonna stop badgering until they get you into that pool," She said, and with a poke of his abs, added, "and I can't blame them, really, for wanting to see you shirtless." He wanted so badly to lean in and kiss her smiling lips especially when she was looking at him this softly, Finn had learned to save each and every single one when they crossed her face. Instead he just returned the expression the best that he could and then went back to staring at the mirror in front of them. "When I was a kid I was obsessed with collecting these little animal stickers that you got free in cereal, I stuck them all over the toy box in me and Sawyers room. They were those like puffy kind, used to sort of annoy Sawyer because I always stuck them at a weird angle." Finn remembered. "Yeah, I'm sure we can get some mega cool ones from like a gas station or something." He agreed, and then flushed at the idea of them wanting to see him without a shirt. "I mean I don't really know why.. everyone we've seen since we got here has had more of a beach body than me." He laughed awkwardly. Alexis couldn’t believe a mere few a months ago a part of her would have been annoyed at Finn sharing little anecdotes of his past, because now she wanted to indulge in nothing but his childhood stories, drink up the earnest look on his face, just consume herself fully. “I mean it’s the sticker law that they need to be slightly crooked,” She said with assurance, though she of course imagined Sawyer as some stuck up control freak, just younger. “Well that’s our goal, find some gas station stickers.” She said, stepping away from him to stop her punctuating her sentence with a kiss. “You have a great body, Finn,” Alexis told him, “they just like to be reminded of what it was for them like twenty years ago, that’s all.” Finn nodded feeling that was more than a fair statement. “Definitely. It gives them um character.” He decided and then bent down to look for the bag that had his swimming trunks in. Nervous as he was he wanted to make sure he found his nice swimming shorts and not something embarrassing like his ones with sharks with sunglasses. “I mean they still look pretty good now. No offence.” He told her as he located the nice red ones that Carole had bought him for college. “I do like swimming.” Finn confirmed quite seriously because he didn’t want her to think that he was complaining as he changed his bottoms. As they headed back into the main room, she couldn't help but glance over at the closet again, deciding to deal with whatever nasty surprise her mom had in store for her, later. "Yeah, they could look a lot worse, I guess." She mused, smiling softly at Finn's use of 'no offence' because he never really could say anything offensive. Especially not in this house. "Good, we have a nice pool." She said, going through her own case for her bikini. Alexis wasn't planning on swimming, but it was too hot out for her to sit around in proper clothing when everyone else was in their swimwear. "Remember, Finn, you can say no at any time to anything." She told him when they were both dressed, and she was bracing herself to open the bedroom door. "Drinks, tours, foods, anything, okay? They can be....overbearing." It wasn't the word she wanted to use, but it was the one she decided to settle on for now. Finn couldn’t stop himself from admiring her in the bikini just a little. They had after all almost had sex the other day, so she mustn’t mind that he still wanted her in the sexual sense. She looked good, good enough he had to look away for fear of visibly showing appreciation. “Okay Miss Alexis.. I’ll remember.” He promised though Finn wasn’t sure that he should say no to things. His Mom had always taught him that being polite was the most important thing. He was nervous as she opened the bedroom door though, trying to think of all the things he shouldn’t say as they made their way down to the pool. “Okay then,” She said, reaching out and taking Finn’s hand, his presence being a constant calming influence on her. She felt grounded near Finn, and no matter the state of their relationship, she knew he’d be there for her when things got shaky. She opened the door, leading Finn down the long way to the pool, sharing factoids about the house and various features the architect and her dads were proud of. She knew they would want to give Finn the tour themselves, but the petty part of herself was glad she took that from them.

“Finally!” Brando announced from where he was sprawled on his hammock, a bright, fruity drink in a novelty glass shaped like a palm tree sloshing around in his hand dangerously. “What took you two lovebirds so long?”

“Brando, behave,” Freddie lectured, “Mai Tais?” He then offered the pair, “Lex, you remember Carlos right?” The man gestured to the man at the exaggerated tiki bar. He didn’t seem that much older than Alexis or Finn, but he was muscled and tanned, with a pretty boy face. Exactly her dads’ type.

“Not really,” Alexis admitted. Freddie frowned.

“You do but it’s okay, I know you like to show off in front of your friends,” He said, turning back to Finn. “So, Finn, you’re also a Devereux student, that’s very exciting. Did your parents attend? That’s where I met Alexis’ mother. Back then it was all the upper crust, as they say.” Finn took her hand easily, and then had to stop himself from pressing a kiss against her hair. It wasn’t his place, even if he thought that it might take some of the obvious tension out of her shoulders. He wasn’t really sure what she was nervous about other than the fact that her Dads seemed to pick their furniture from a bad sc-fi movie set. They’d both seemed pretty nice to him, especially Freddie. He listened along to the talk that Alexis was giving him before giving both of her Dads a wave as they arrived at the pool. At the offer of the drink he smiled cheerfully. “Thank you Sir! You have really cool cups!” He said honestly really liking the whole palm tree theme.

He gave Carlos a wave too, unsure if he should introduce himself. But when Alexis said she didn’t know the other man he decided not to. Freddie’s question made him blush a little. “Yeah it’s really pretty cool there, I’d never been anywhere that had like so much sunshine before.. but I’d never been to LA either. Oh um no my parents didn’t attend, we actually got a scholarship. Fauna.. got one first and then she suggested that we apply. Me and my siblings.. and step siblings. There’s six of us.” Alexis tried to swallow down her conflicting feelings at just how much Finn was trying with her dads, and how much they had toned back their crazy. Truthfully in the last couple of years, Alexis supposed they hadn't been as insane as they had in the past, and they knew her experience in Ohio shaped things, and perhaps they felt a bit guilty for just letting her go wherever, insteading of leading her to Devereux sooner. And playing nice with her and Finn during their visit was their way of making up for it. And truthfully, she wasn't as worried about Finn now he had settled. He still looked out of place somewhat in the house, but he was standing taller, looking happier, and he did look extremely handsome in his swim-trunks, after all.

"Yeah, Sawyer and Fae are Finn's biological siblings, Evan, Odette and Kurt are his step ones." Alexis said, "Very crowded house during Thanksgiving." She teased, bumping him slightly, resiting to give him a kiss on the cheek as she took the drink from her dad, "I'm gonna go sit by the pool," She announced, finally trusting Freddie to be alone with him.

"God I always wanted a big family, poor Odette though, let's hope she's a sweet little peach, at this rate I believe all Odette's are pure evil," Freddie paused, flashing Finn a smile, "That's my ex-wife's name. Odette. I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't know, Alexis scarcely talks about her mom. You'd think I was the one to birth her."

"And you look great, babe." Brando agreed, pressing a kiss to his husband's mouth, coming up to the bar for a top up, "I was a scholarship student, Finn. It means you're wanted, when you're a scholarship student. Not at Devereux, I was in Arkansas and ran to LA the first chance I got. Planning on ever living out here?"

Alexis watched from where she was perched on a lounger with interest, half scared but half curious what else Freddie would reveal, and if it would scare Finn away. Probably not, but being here put her more on the cautious side. "It was nice though, her being at Thanksgiving with my family." Finn interjected his cheeks going just a little bit red, wanting her fathers to know that she'd been very welcome there and not like shunted into a corner or anything. "My Mom was really happy to have her, and obviously Fauna was too or she's a little bit like overwhelmed by all of us.. you know because she's really small.. Oh have you met Fauna?" He flushed a deeper shade of red as Alexis kissed him on the cheek and then stared at his drink for a minute to process.

"I like being in a big family, because there's lots of people to take care of everyone you know.. Odette is alright, she's a bit different from my other siblings because like.. she's more sensitive I guess. She's into violin." Finn agreed, feeling a bit bad when they brought up Alexis' Mom. He knew that she didn't really like to talk about her family at all, but of course he wasn't going to say that to Freddie. "I um.. I know her name. But yeah I don't think she likes to talk about her, but that's okay.. I don't want to make her unhappy." The submissive explained taking a long drink of the drink in his hand. "Oh cool, scholarship bros!" Finn said without thinking and then hoped that Brando didn't take it offensively. "Oh yeah.. I'd love to move out here.. it's so sunny and there's like a lot of cool things to eat." "We've met Fauna," Freddie ensured, "London, last year I think...Lex can you confirm?" He called over to where his daughter lounged. She gave him a snarky thumbs up in response. "I'm glad your parents accepted her into  the fold, though it is surprising she celebrated it this year. She's normally very anti-Holiday."

"We're honestly surprised she came home for Christmas. First time in two years maybe?" Brando questioned, staring at his husband in confusion, who shrugged. "Anyway, a violin player! How exciting! I could have been first chair in my orchestra back in school." He explained. Freddie couldn't help but snort.

"In your dreams, babe," Freddie said, bumping him. "Speaking of cool things to eat, Finn, as our guest of honour, you can pick this evening's meal. Is there anything you wanted to try that Lex hasn't showed you yet?" He glanced back over to Alexis, attempting to summon her over with a wave. She stared at him for a moment, before turning back. Whatever they needed her for, could wait five minutes. "Well, guess you're the only one choosing." He said with his trademark charismatic smile, as if not totally embarrassed by his daughter. Finn thought he knew why Alexis was anti holiday usually, but this definitely wasn’t the audience of people that you told about that. Because he was pretty sure it was less to do with the holidays themselves and more about not wanting to spend them with her family. “Well it’s hard to be anti-holiday when it’s around my family. We take everything pretty seriously, every decoration is a treasure.” Finn replied diplomatically. “That’s cool Sir.” He said, taking a drink of his drink. Unsure if he should laugh along with Freddie or take things seriously and thus chose neither, instead just giving himself more liquid courage.

“Uh... I mean I wanted to try and in and out.. but like I don’t expect you guys to want to eat that.” He said, going back on his own suggestion almost immediately after he said it. Burgers weren’t sophisticated or stylish like the house that he was standing in. “I’m sure you guys know what’s good to eat around here way better than I do.” He tried instead. “I eat basically everything so.. it’s not really a problem.” leather daddy08/02/2021 Truly it was driving Alexis mad that she couldn't quite hear the conversation a few feet away and, even though she absolutely trusted everyone involved, her curiosity had taken over and she found herself back at Finn's side, elbows grazing his. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything?" She asked them, a coy smile on her face.

"Not at all Lex, refill?" Brando asked, raising his own glass at her as if emitting some type of signal. She merely nodded, it was Christmas after all.

"We're just talking about In 'n' Out, you haven't taken him there?" Freddie asked, "It's the best, truly Finn." He said, and Alexis felt her stomach churn at just how naturally well the two seemed to gel togethe.

"You want that?" She confirmed to Finn, the sharp gaze she had firmly placed on her features since arriving at the house softening, "Because we can, please don't expect us to only be eating caviar and lobster dipped in gold."

"That'd be a good course for our wedding anniversary though." Freddie chimed in with a laugh, "So, In 'n' Out? Brando, baby, will you go sort it? You've barely done anything all day."

"Yes, Sir," Brando said with a playful roll of his eyes, "Bossiness is a St. James trait, Finn. It's how they all got away with being Dominants." He joked, before heading inside momentarily.

"Come, sit with me," Alexis said, and even she could feel herself be amused at how she instantly proved her dad's point, but she really wanted to relax, and couldn't unless Finn was right by her side at all times here. Finn looked a little confused when Alexis asked if she was interrupting anything, because he really didn't know how she could interrupt when she was so clearly the star of the show. "You could never interrupt." He responded honestly. He also panicked a little when Freddie questioned her not having taken him to In And Out, he didn't want her to think she had to do anything. "Oh it's okay.. I mean I do want to eat it but like it's not a big deal." He tried to defend, feeling like he almost couldn't keep everyone happy at the same time.

The submissive nodded at the bossiness comment and then blushed, hoping that Alexis hadn't seen. Usually he might have said something about bossiness being sexy but he didn't want to call her sexy in front of her Dads because that would be weird. "Haha.." Was all he managed and then was very grateful when she suggested that he come and sit next to her, following along and plonking himself down eagerly. Alexis wondered if anything Finn thought about her had shifted, since meeting her dads, wondering if it was a bad idea to bring him at all. Their tentative friendship had just gotten back on track, and she was, admittedly, scared that bringing him here had just ruined everything. Those were the thoughts going through her mind as she observed him, the California sun bouncing off his skin, showing off a few freckles that dusted his shoulders, his long-ish hair pushed back, and she couldn't help herself from drifting towards his abs, and then his shorts, glad for the massive sunglasses she was wearing, snapping her eyes back up to his face. "You good?" She asked him, "At any point you feel uncomfortable we can just leave, if you want." Finn was just staring out at the wide landscape, marvelling at the difference from his own hometown. He'd always thought that there was something beautiful in the view of Ohio cornfields that he'd grown up with, but this was on another level that could never compete. Honestly he couldn't imagine how Alexis had ever managed to leave this behind. Her question startled him, and he looked up as though he'd been asleep for a long time, eyes wide and suddenly alert. "Oh um.. no.. I'm good.. it's nice here. Your folks are nice." He said honestly, trying to work out why she was asking him the question, did she not want him anymore, was he doing something wrong? Alexis didn't know whether to believe him when he mentioned that her parents were nice but she didn't press on it, just studied him instead. Lately she was finding it difficult to do anything but stare at him, struggling with her feelings a little bit. She wanted him, badly, in more ways than just sex, and the hopeful part of her she was letting live longer than five minutes was ensuring her when they headed back to Devereux for New Year's they'd be more than this awkward stage of friendship. "I'm glad you like it here," She told him honestly, in the soft voice she reserved for just him, that she didn't let anyone else here. She reached out to take his hand because it was the only way of touching him that seemed appropriate. "I don't think I've said thank you for agreeing to come with me." Finn watched her watching him and wondered what was on her mind, he could tell that she was trying to gage something from him but he didn’t know what. “I don’t know how anyone couldn’t, it looks like... just amazing. Like seeing so many palm trees in real life is crazy.” The football player admitted. “It’s literally no trouble at all Miss... you’ve brought me to one of the coolest places on earth and let me stay with you for Christmas.. I should be thanking you.. so um thank you!” The submissive rambled, raising his hands in an odd sort of surrender motion as he tried to wrap his head around the idea that she thought she had to thank him for coming to LA. Alexis thought about her plan for the rest of the Christmas break, what she conjured up when Finn first agreed to come with her to LA for the holiday. He was too good for her, in every way she could think of, and it wasn't the first time on this trip she thought about whether or not to go through with asking him to take things to to next level. Because she didn't deserve him, but then, as she reached out stroke his cheek, an almost subconcious action, Alexis thought that maybe she deserved to be selfish for once. "I really glad you like it here," She told him honestly, "And you really don't need to thank me, really, you're the one who came here and willingly met my dads." She said, lips twitching at the hint of a smile. Another idea popped into her head, and she sat up a bit. "Wanna go take a nap? I can get them to bring our burgers up to my room and we can eat in bed. We're going to need all the energy for their festivities later tonight, that's all." Finn still really didn't understand why she thought that she needed to thank him for coming with her, he was excited that he got to meet her parents and see where it was that she had grown up. But he didn't argue with her, instead he just nodded along with her suggestion. "A nap sounds really good right about now.. there's something about the heat out here that makes me sleepy." He agreed, standing up and offering her his hand before leading her towards that strange grey bedroom, happy that she seemed to be enjoying herself at least a little.

#(( hanging out with alexis )) #so this is a christmas thread #and what

[generaldisdainn]

A Starlit First Time

Kristanna smut week 2020 day 2: Into the mystic

Word count:  4486

Rating: M (duh)

AO3 link

Anna and Kristoff share their first time in a beautiful, mystical way.

“We’re here!” Anna called triumphantly as Sven pulled their sled to a stop in front of a warm, inviting cabin. 

Anna loved the castle. She adored opening the doors to the people of Arendelle and hosting parties with dancing and chocolate and more dancing. But she was starting to find that this quaint little cabin often felt more like home to her. Anna adored the heart of Arendelle of course, but it was up in the mountains where she felt most like herself. 

She opened the door to their home as Kristoff busied himself with setting Sven up in his stable. She breathed in the scent of wood and nighttime air. Fond memories of this place flooded her mind. 

Kristoff had built the cabin for them some months ago now. It was close enough to Kristoff’s family that they could see them more often and for longer periods of time.

Anna leaned down to the fireplace and struck a match, carefully placing it to the logs. She sighed as the fire that emerged bathed the room in a soft glow. She treasured the time they spent here. It was here where they could be unbothered by foreign dignitaries or the gossiping tongues of the castle staff. They could sleep in until well after dawn without fear of consequence or a judging look. And it was here in the cabin where they felt free to explore each other.

They had been dating for some time now, but being unmarried, it was particularly improper for the two to sleep in the same bed in the castle, so their time spent in the cabin was where brief kisses turned open-mouthed and lustrous and where warm embraces became messes of wandering hands. Anna blushed at the thought. 

She turned to the door as Kristoff pushed it open and trudged inside, promptly closing it behind him to keep out the cool air. 

He looked up at her with a smile that took over his face, a smile that reached his eyes and sent sparks down Anna’s spine. 

“Come ‘ere,” she purred, taking a seat on the couch and patting the spot next to her. 

Kristoff wasted no time in bounding over and plopping down beside his love. He buried his face in her chest, inhaling deeply and smiling. 

Anna ruffled his hair, giggling at the almost cat-like groan that left his mouth as she scratched his head. She was always learning new things about him, how he moved, how he spoke, how he felt, and how he reacted to the ways she touched him. Another shudder passed through her as she dwelled on that last thought. 

“I love you,” he murmured, the sound muffled by Anna’s dress. 

“Mmmm, I love you too.” She planted kisses to his mop of blonde hair. “You need a haircut soon.”

Kristoff grumbled and pushed himself up off of her to properly sit beside her. “Yeah, I do. It’s getting way too long.”

“We’ll get you one when we get back to the castle.” 

Kristoff hummed in contentment as Anna continued to run her hands through his shaggy locks. 

They sat in silence for a spell, happy to just be in each other’s company, away from any responsibilities or distractions.

“I’m hungry,” Anna exclaimed suddenly. 

Kristoff laughed. “Of course you are. I don’t think we have much here though.”

Anna clicked her tongue in thought. “Oh!” She bounded over to the cupboards. “We still have hot chocolate!” she stated, waving a container filled with cocoa triumphantly. 

Kristoff smiled. He loved how boundless and full of energy she was. “Hot chocolate sounds amazing,” he agreed. The two got to work, side by side. 

~

Anna was all curled up on Kristoff’s lap like a kitten, throat warm and stomach full of chocolatey goodness. She had finished hers first of course, so Kristoff had let her steal a few sips of his. Rather, she took them without asking, and Kristoff teased her about it. They were so cozy, so warm. They were home. 

Anna nuzzled into his chest and slowly brought her face up to his. “I’m still hungry,” she said, trying on the most seductive voice she could muster, although she was smiling too hard to get out anything too terribly convincing. 

“Come ‘ere.” It was his turn to beckon. His voice was deep and rumbling like the purl of a river. He took her chin in his calloused fingers and tilted her lips up towards his, stealing her into a passionate kiss. 

They melted into a dance of sorts, one that changed every night, and yet, they were both so in tune, so rehearsed, that it felt like they were dancing the dance for the thousandth time. 

His mouth opened against hers, hot breath spilling over, tongues trailing over teeth and the walls of their mouths. Kristoff caught Anna’s bottom lip in his teeth, a soft moan escaping her lips at the action.

She clawed desperately at his back, clinging to his shirt with her nails as his lips made their way down her neck.

He nipped at her pulse point and soothed the bite with his tongue. 

“Kristoff,” she huffed as his hands found their way to the roots of her hair and tugged just a bit. His lips roamed the expanse of her skin, suckling at her collarbone and leaving nips of affection at her ears. 

“You’re so beautiful,” he said between kisses, relishing the small noises that left her mouth as he continued with his ministrations. 

“Kris,” she breathed. “I, I want you.”

“I want you too,” he said, too caught up in her to hear the implication of those words.

She pulled him away from her. “No, Kristoff. I want you.” 

He stared at her blankly, a sparkle of recognition behind his eyes. She could tell he was holding himself back, perhaps afraid to get himself too excited or to make her feel guilty for meaning something other than what was implied. 

“I want you to make love to me.” 

“Tonight?”

Anna giggled. He was like a child sometimes when it came to things like this. “Yes, tonight, stupid,” she teased, brushing his hair out of his eyes.

He took her small hands in his. “I would love to,” he replied earnestly. 

Anna leaned back in to kiss him, but Kristoff pulled back. 

“There’s something I need to talk to you about first though,” he started, fingers playing with the hair at the back of his neck. He really did need a haircut. 

It was Anna’s turn to stare at him blankly, awaiting his explanation.

“You know how my family has some, well, weird traditions?”

Anna chuckled and nodded.

“So, uh, there’s one, regarding this particular,” his voice faltered, suddenly afraid to name the prospect at hand. “...engagement that’s rooted in troll culture, and we don’t have to do it like this, obviously, but it’s, I don’t know, I’ve heard it’s really beautiful and special and I would really love to share it with you.”

Anna placed a gentle kiss on his lips. “Kristoff, whatever it is, I want to do it. I promise. I want to share this with you.”

Kristoff grinned. “Okay. But we have to go somewhere for it.”

Anna nodded, nervousness and excitement rolling around inside of her as she followed Kristoff out the door and down a wooded path. 

~

Kristoff pulled Anna into a beautiful clearing. It was awash in the pale glow of the moonlight, mushrooms and gems faintly shining under the night sky. A mossy bed lay in the center of the clearing, perfect for a couple. 

He watched her as she stepped into the clearing, turning around to take in her surroundings. 

“Kristoff this is... This is absolutely gorgeous.” She ran her hand through the swaying branches of a willow tree. She turned to him, eyes alight with the magic of this place, this special place that he had taken her to. “Why are we here?”

Kristoff approached her slowly but surely, looking into her eyes and tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. His knuckles grazed her cheek. “This is where all the trolls come to consummate their love. This place is blessed and magical, and it’s supposed to grant a new couple who comes here peace and safety.”

Anna laid her head to his chest and inhaled deeply. “That’s beautiful, Kris. I love it. And I would be honored to make love here.” 

They kissed once more, deeply and passionately. Kristoff loved the way she moaned into his mouth as he held her close and moved against her. 

The two pulled apart. Kristoff wasn’t sure where to begin, and Anna seemed a bit lost herself until she whispered to him.

“I’ve never done this before.” Anna ducked her head a bit at the confession. 

She seemed so nervous, eyes darting about, almost afraid to meet his. The answer didn’t surprise him. She had never mentioned any serious lovers, save for Hans, and that jerk could hardly count as serious. He brought a reassuring hand to her cheek. “It’s okay, we’ll figure it out together.”

“Have you ever done it before?” 

Kristoff brought a hand to the back of his neck, suddenly embarrassed. He wasn’t a virgin by any stretch of the imagination, but he wouldn’t necessarily call himself experienced. “Well, yes,” he finally admitted to Anna.

“So then why are you nervous?” she asked. 

He cursed himself. Was he that transparent? Of course he was nervous. He had had his fair share of late-night trysts along the ice harvesting trail, but none of them meant anything to him. He could hardly recall any of the girls’ names. But Anna? Anna was his everything. And he wanted to get this right. He wanted this to be perfect for her.

“I’ve had sex, but I’ve never done it like this.” Kristoff gestured towards the night sky.

“Like, had troll sex?” Anna giggled, a sound that made Kristoff smile. 

He gave her a playful nudge. “I’ve never done it with someone I love, and I’ve never done it in this sacred place, Anna.” 

She stopped giggling at that, his eyes searching hers for anything to hold onto. He wanted this so badly, but he was scared, surprised she had agreed to do this with him in this way at all. 

The world stopped as Anna brought her lips to his. “I love you, Kristoff. So much,” she mumbled against his lips, warm breath sending a chill down his spine.

“And you’re sure about this?” 

“Course I am,” she hummed in response.

That was all the confirmation Kristoff needed. He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into him so that their bodies were flush to each other. They were fully clothed and yet Kristoff could feel her warmth seeping into his own, could feel the outline of her, just her, and god, it made him weak in the knees. He took her face in his hand and guided her to him, lips meeting in a familiar pattern, but the anticipation of what was to come adding a new depth to their kiss. 

He held her neck, supporting her, grasping at her hair and desperately pulling her closer as her dainty hands ran along his back. 

Her fingers trailed the hem of his shirt, so light and soft. She was trembling just a bit, perhaps from the cold or from nerves. 

“Here,” he offered, slowly taking his top off to reveal his chest. 

He felt Anna exhale as he did so, eyes looking him up and down and taking in his form before her. 

Kristoff shuddered, her breath sending chills down his spine. He knew she had seen his chest before, of course, but never in this context. Never under the night sky and with the looming promise of seeing much more than just a bare chest. 

“May I?” he asked, motioning to her dress.

Her eyes locked onto his. He couldn’t quite place what they were swimming with, but she nodded her head and he placed a comforting kiss on her forehead. He murmured his love into her skin and ever so slowly removed her dress.

Kristoff’s breath caught in his throat as he looked at his beautiful fiance standing before him. Her skin was pale and soft, freckles shining like constellations in the moonlight. Her hair was fiery, cascading down her shoulders and framing her breasts. And her breasts, god. He could feel his cock start to harden embarrassingly quickly as his eyes gazed upon her speckled breasts. Her small nipples stood alert as cool night air blew across her skin. Her arms were so smooth and so soft, he wanted to feel them wrapped around his frame, wanted to feel her bare skin pressed up against his own. Kristoff had never seen anyone or anything so stunningly beautiful.

He noticed that her arms had slowly moved to wrap tightly around her chest. Her eyes were flickering to anything but his face. 

“Are you sure it’s okay?” she asked, motioning down to her body. 

“Anna,” he cooed, almost shocked that she would even insinuate such a thing, that she was not enough for him. “It’s, you’re, God.” He couldn’t help himself as he brought his lips to her shoulder, not kissing her as he still felt the tension in her stance, but just bringing his nose to her, breathing her in. “You’re so beautiful. So perfect. I’m so lucky.” He wasn’t the best with words, but with her tonight under the sky they came tumbling out of him in a syrupy sweet mess.

“Kristoff.” Her voice was barely more than a whisper, but he heard it straining against the air and pulled back to look at her. “I don’t know how to do any of this.” The way her voice quivered broke his heart. 

He took her hand in his and pulled her down to the mossy floor, just sitting next to her, far enough away to give her space to breath but close enough so that she knew he was there for her. “Hey, it’s okay. We don't have to do this tonight.” 

She suddenly looked up at him, eyes determined. “I want to. I really really want to. I love you, Kristoff.” She placed a hand to his bare chest. “This just feels so right. And I’m scared, but I want this. More than anything.” 

Kristoff held her hand that was rested on his skin, shivering at the contact and wanting nothing more than to take her in his arms and show her just how much he loved her, show her just how much he cared for her. Not to mention the straining in his pants was getting harder and harder to ignore. “You’re sure?” 

“I’m positive.” Anna leaned in closer, a smile pulling at her lips. “Show me how to make love, Kristoff.” 

He was gone, pulling her into him and relishing the feeling of her chest pressed flush against his own. He laid her down onto the moss below them, holding her carefully to make sure that she was comfortable. He wanted to make her feel the stars. 

Her fingers traced up his strong arms until they captured his hand, pulling him towards her chest. Kristoff inhaled deeply as his hands got closer to where he ached to touch. When he landed on her breast, nothing could prepare him for the soft moan that left or lips or for the gentle buck of her hips against him. 

“Fuck.” The word left his mouth involuntarily as his hands pawed at her chest, his other holding himself up so he could hover above her. An experimental finger flicked at her nipple and she gasped. Encouraged, he leaned his head down and captured her other breast in his mouth, lapping at her greedily and using his fingers to roll her other bud.

“Shit. I never knew this could feel so good,” Anna huffed. 

Kristoff smiled against her breast as he felt her hips buck up again as he tugged on her nipple. 

“I’ve never played with my breasts I didn’t-” Anna interrupted herself with a sharp intake of breath as Kristoff sucked eagerly at one nipple and pulled on the other. 

“Didn’t know what? That you were so sensitive here?” he teased. 

Anna’s moan was enough to answer his question. 

He made note of all of the movements that made her twitch, all of the places that made her moan and squirm. He couldn’t wait to memorize her body, to put her together like a puzzle and learn to pleasure her in combinations that had her moaning and thrashing beneath him. 

“Anna,” he breathed in surprise as he felt hands creep to the waistline of his pants. 

“Can I?” she asked.

Nervousness pricked at his sides. Her feisty hands had felt his cock before during some of their more heated make out sessions, but she had never seen it. She had never seen him entirely naked. Her eyes had never rested on more than an outline of his hard cock. The thought of her staring at him made him quiver. He nodded and laid down next to her. He let her hands snake their way down his chest and experimentally pull at his waistband. Soon his pants were removed, cock bouncing up to hit his stomach. 

Anna’s eyes lit up and she laughed. 

Normally a reaction like that would embarrass Kristoff greatly, but it was Anna, and seeing her laugh at the way his dick sprung up with arousal was just another thing that made him know that she was the one for him. 

Pants thrown off to the side, Anna poked his cock with an experimental finger, gawking at the size and the way it bobbed at her touch. 

“Stop it,” he chided playfully, swatting her hand away from his member which was throbbing at her touch no matter how innocent in nature. 

“It’s so funny,” she giggled, mouth coming to cover her mouth. “It’s big too.” At that, she wrapped a small hand around his shaft and Kristoff groaned. She leaned in closer and brought her thumb to the tip of his cock, taking the little bead of precum and swirling it around the head. 

Kristoff’s head threw back as she worked, a strangled moan escaping his lips.

“What’s this?” she asked, referring to that little bit of wetness at his tip. 

He laughed at his Anna, ever so curious and playful. He was relieved she finally felt comfortable about this whole situation and thrilled to see her so enthralled by his member. 

“And how is that supposed to fit inside of me?” Her face curled up at the question, probably trying to wrap her head around the fact that he was supposed to fit. He was sure he would, but even as modest as Kristoff was he was still aware that his size was well above average. 

“It’s precum. And it will fit.” 

Anna giggled again, and god, Kristoff wanted to make sure she kept making that beautiful sound for the rest of her life. His thoughts were cut short as she leaned down and ran an experimental lick up his shaft. 

Kristoff felt like his brain had stopped working. Her tongue had caught him completely off guard and all his nerves were suddenly firing at once. “Anna, you don’t have to- fuck.” His thighs twitched involuntarily, hands tensing and grasping for something to hold onto as she took the head of his cock in her mouth. 

“I want to. Is this good?” Her mouth sunk down onto his cock. She wasn’t able to get it in all the way, but he could still feel her wetness, her tongue, her lips- it was all almost too much. 

It took all of his focus to get out a strained “yes” as she dragged her tongue up his length, stopping at the head to suck on him. 

“Anna,” he whispered, hands finding a hold in her hair and pulling her up so that they were face to face. “Do you want me to make love to you?”

Anna nodded.

Kristoff flipped her gently so that she was resting on her back again, chest exposed to him. He was naked above her. He brought his hands to her lace panties and pulled them downwards. 

Her hands made an attempt to cover herself up, but Kristoff stopped her, lips resting on her breast. “You’re so beautiful. I love you so much.” And he meant it. He meant it with all that he was. 

Kristoff ran a finger up her folds, shuddering as he felt her warmth and her wetness, all waiting for him. He couldn’t wait to lose himself in her, to lap up those juices and make her whimper and shudder with his tongue, but for now, it was time to take her in the most sacred way he knew.

He hovered above her, brown eyes searching her blue ones for a sign. 

Anna smiled, nodding once more to assure him that she was ready. He wanted this. He wanted this to be perfect for her. 

Kristoff entered her, slowly, gently, back tensing as he felt how warm and wet she was. He was barely inside of her and he was already melting. He stopped suddenly as she tensed beneath him, eyes skewing shut. “Are you okay?”

“It hurts,” she replied, her voice catching in her throat. 

Kristoff planted a comforting kiss on her forehead. “Just get comfortable. Let me know when you want me to go deeper. We’ll take this as slowly as you want. You’re in control.”

Anna nodded. Kristoff wanted this to be perfect for her, and he wanted her to know that she was in control of this situation. 

Suddenly, her eyes opened and her mouth dropped, hanging open in disbelief. 

“What? What’s wrong?”

“Kristoff, look,” she sighed, motioning towards the clearing. 

He gasped. He knew this place was sacred and magical for couples in his culture, but he was not expecting to see how the clearing had transformed. Mushrooms glowed and pulsed, crystals changed colors in steady patterns. The sky above shone with a thousand different colors up above, all dancing against the darkness of the night sky. The trees sparkled around them.

He looked down at his Anna, his love, his beautiful fiance, and he felt his heart surge as he saw her. Her face was alight, bright lights reflecting in her blue eyes and pale skin glowing with the colors of the clearing around them. “I love you so much.” He was overcome with it- this love that consumed him as he felt her. All of her. 

“More, Kristoff. I’m ready.”

He pushed into her slowly, focusing on her face for any signs of discomfort until the hilt of his shaft met her thighs and he was inside of her fully, engulfed in heat and warmth and filled with light. 

The light around them pulsed, glowing and dancing. The way the light made her hair shine- it was breathtaking. 

“More,” she begged. 

Kristoff instantly complied, beginning to thrust at a slow rhythm that brought tiny mewls out of her. Kristoff inhaled her noises, strained his ear to pick up every slight pitch in her breath as he fucked her, filling her completely and rocking against her. 

Soon he felt himself picking up speed as Anna’s moans encouraged him, obscenities spilling from her mouth in a way he had never heard before.

He grunted, cock pulsing within her. He couldn’t get over how close they were to each other, how connected they were as the sky sang above them in a swirl of colors. He could feel her thighs clenching around him, legs silently begging for more. Deeper. Harder. Kristoff complied with her silent plea, moving his hips faster. He brought his thumb to her clit, determined to make her cum before he would allow himself to finish.

She wreathed against his cock and his hand, face contorted with pleasure. His ministrations were bringing her so close. She was teetering on the edge. Kristoff could tell. He rubbed her clit as he fucked her. He pressed himself onto her, lips latching onto her neck and his chest pressing into hers. Her sounds were getting louder and more frequent, a sudden cry tearing through her lips as he buried himself deep inside of her.

“Oh right there, Kristoff. Just like that. Fuck, please,” the words poured out of her, worshiping his every move and begging for more. Kristoff ate it up. He vowed to bring those noises out of her every night for the rest of his life if she let him. He concentrated his efforts on that spot within her that made her yell out his name. He felt her pulse around him. He would’ve come by now if he had let himself, but he would rather die than not see her come undone around him in this moment. He brought his lips up to her ear.

“Anna, I want you to come for me.” He rubbed her clit, pounded into her, and prayed that she would cum soon. He was so tantalizingly close to his own peak. His prayers were answered as, with a broken cry, Anna came around him, walls closing in and thighs pulling him in tighter to her. Her hips rocked against him and he finally let himself cum, quickly pulling himself from her and cumming on her bare stomach. His hand replaced his cock so that she had something to grind against as she came long and hard on him, whispering words that he couldn’t make out. His cock twitched in his hand, warm seed spilling onto her. He was shaking when he was done, still relishing the feeling of her wetness on his cock and on his fingers. 

Kristoff wordlessly pulled his fingers out of her, a gasping breath leaving her as he did so. He grabbed his shirt and helped her wipe his cum off of her stomach, and, when she was clean, he pulled her into his arms on the mossy floor. The lights were still shining above them, the glowing trees and crystals around them fading into a gentle pulse of warm light as they rested there.

“Thank you, Anna,” Kristoff murmured into her neck as he trailed his lips along her freckles, trying to kiss her everywhere he could as he held her.

“What for?”

“For doing this with me. Here and in this way. This really meant a lot to me.”

This time it was Anna who initiated the kiss, pulling Kristoff’s naked body towards hers and pressing into him. “I couldn’t imagine our first time going any other way.”

She buried herself in his chest and Kristoff breathed her in, satisfied and full of warmth and light, content to lay there with her and watch the sky dance for the rest of eternity. 

#kristanna smut week 2020 #kristanna smut week #kristanna #mine

[punkpoemprose]

December 15th- Pen Pals

Universe: 1940′s AU/ WWII American Homefront AU

Rating: G (General Audiences, this is fluffy)

Length: 4222 Words

A/N: I wanted to write smut for this one, but it just came out fluffy AF. It’s pretty saccharine but I loved writing it <3

She wasn’t quite a Rosie. Other women she knew, those she’d went to school with or knew in town were, but she wasn’t. Her family had always had money and she didn’t need to work. All the local factories were well staffed, and while she was certain she would be capable of factory work if called to it, she’d been raised a debutante. Her parents had taught her about society, dressing well, throwing parties and being well spoken when the occasion called. They’d also raised her and her sister to take over the family business, which now, with their parents passed on, and most men off to war, she was taking to well enough.

Had Anna been a nurse she would have been in Europe already doing her part. Had she been trained as a secretary she would have been on a base somewhere taking notes and making calls and rushing about to ensure that things were moving smoothly. Had she been a pilot she would have been out fighting. But she wasn’t any of those things, and the war had come upon them so quickly that it had left Anna, 18, just out of school, no time to train. So, she worked with what she had.

She put little strawberries on the tops of the cupcakes she’d baked and frosted. They’d go in her car soon with the rest. That her parents had allowed her to learn to drive had been a blessing. Most of the girls didn’t drive, so she spent plenty of time doing all the running. It was an essential part of her duties as a head hostess after all.

She’d found her part of the war effort with the USO. She wasn’t much for a fighter or a builder, but she had a quick wit and she was good at planning things and brining people together. She’d made and served hundreds of meals, planned dances, talked to soldiers to give them a bit of solace, though what she was proudest of was the letter writing campaign she’d organized. No soldier from their hometown was going to go more than a week without a letter from some girl or another down at the USO. Anna herself wrote to three men religiously, week after week. Updates about town, little care packages of cookies and homemade jam and silly photographs she’d take with the girls, whatever she could do to let them know that they were being thought of and watched over.

Two wrote back religiously, both a bit older than her. They had wives that wrote to them too, so while they were always happy to get Anna’s letters, she was grateful that they didn’t flirt back. Anna was happy enough to be their reporter and secret “ace in the hole” on the home front. For Valentine’s day last year she’d picked up and delivered chocolates to their wives in their names, she sometimes would call and pay for a service technician to go over and fix something at home that they normally would. She had the money and she had the time, and it was one less thing they had to worry about, and one more thing she could do.

The third however, he was just a little older than her, and he so rarely wrote back that her heart was eternally skipping a beat. He was on the Eastern Front, where exactly she didn’t know, which meant that every week when she sent him a letter, she had to hope it would find him. Every week when she wrote him a letter, she begged him to write back, because she lived for the days when she saw his handwriting in her mailbox. Private First-Class Kristoff Bjorgman was, by all accounts, what kept her up at night. She knew of him but didn’t really know him. He’d gone to the all boy’s school in town, and someone told her in a whisper that he’d been a ward of the court, that he had no family to speak of and was very quiet. She didn’t even know what he looked like.

She did know how he wrote to her though. She’d saved every letter. The most recent, from over a month ago, she kept in her pocket. Hostesses were supposed to be sweet and happy and helpful. They were supposed to sit at the side of servicemen and women when they were home, whether they were shipping out soon or whether they were back for some time. To write letters, to be a piece of the home front was not necessarily expected, but it was appreciated and endorsed. Having feelings for enlisted men, however. That was something they were warned against in their training.

No one had warned her how mere letters could make her feel.

Dear Anna,

It’s still strange to me to address you as such given that we’ve never met, but I’m starting to feel like I know you and Ms. Arendelle is, as you put it “terribly formal and boring”.

I’m grateful for the sweets you sent along, military chocolate is all fine and good, but your cookies are better. I never had much for baked goods growing up, you’re spoiling me. Some of the other men get care packages too, but none as good as yours. They joke that they want you to teach their girls how to bake, and after this last batch I think they’ve become quite serious about it.

Thank you too for the photograph. You didn’t have to drive all the way out to the bluffs to take it but seeing the lake again after what feels like years really lifted my spirits. The one you sent of you standing in front of the scenery gave me a smile too. You look like you’re about to deliver some clever line in a movie. You looked pretty lovely beautiful, if that’s not too much for me to say. If it is, you can write me and let me know and I won’t say so again, but if not, I do mean it.

I wanted to let you know every time one of your letters comes through, or sometimes when I get a whole batch of them at once, it just makes me happy to know that you’re back home writing them. You’ve become a lifeline for me Anna, and I can’t ever thank you enough for that. If When I make it home I hope you’ll let me try.

If I know where I’m heading next I’ll send along an address. If not, I’ll just hope your letters make it.

I miss you, even though that doesn’t make sense.

I hope this finds you well. Don’t let them work you too hard at the USO. You’re already doing so much.

Yours,

Pfc Kristoff Bjorgman

Kris

P.S. I forgot to answer your questions, I was so taken by the photos and the sweets. I don’t smoke, it never really interested me much. I played a bit of baseball in school, and it’s the only sport I follow much. If you want to send me scores, I wouldn’t mind, even if they’re late. Though we do get updates here every now and then on baseball, football, and boxing. Problem with baseball is that most of the players I followed have been drafted too. Bet we could have a hell of a game with just enlisted. I hear there’s a women’s league now that’s making news? If you happen to catch a game on the radio I’d love to hear about it. What about you Anna? You smoke?  You follow any sports?

When he wrote her, his writing was full of strike outs and rewrites and while everything he said was well thought out, it gave her the distinct impression that he wasn’t used to corresponding with others, let alone with a woman. She thought maybe he was flirting with her from time to time, and while she’d never admit it to a soul, she was a relentless flirt back, because after all the letters they’d exchanged, she’d gotten to know him. He’d been a fireman before the draft made him a soldier, and oh while she didn’t know what he looked like, she imagined he was strong. All the firemen she’d ever seen were strong, and he’d played sports in school, so he had to be at least a little bit athletic. She imagined him from the pieces she had. He liked good food, and animals and being out in nature. He liked the lake, and she’d spent hours driving down to the bluffs, not only to send him photos, but to just imagine him there. It was hard to imagine someone without knowing what they looked like, but she could imagine the conversations they’d have.

He was shy and sweet, but unafraid to share his thoughts. He’d seem gruff to others, but she’d written to him and heard his thoughts on life and love and the war, so she wouldn’t be put off by it. She’d imagined meeting him for the first time. She thought about how he’d smile at her, maybe they’d share a hug. In her most daring daydreams, she thought that she’d press a kiss to his cheek to welcome him home. It would completely scandalize her sister, Anna kissing a perfect stranger, and yet she smiled at the thought because he wasn’t a stranger at all.

She sighed, picking up the box of strawberry topped cupcakes and bringing it out to her car. She didn’t have time to daydream. She had a dinner dance to put on, and while she was already dressed for it, she had cupcakes to drive over, dinner to cook, a band to instruct, makeup and hair to touch up, girls to prep, and ultimately men to serve and chat and dance with.

Her heels clicked against the blacktop of her driveway as she went, the breeze catching the stubborn hairs that were refusing to stay tucked into her victory rolls. She’d tackle them soon enough, packing her tools for the war effort in her vehicle; cupcakes, decorations, a makeup bag, a clipboard, and of course, herself.

***

When everything was sorted, dinner and dessert served, and the band just starting to play, Anna finally let herself walk out of the back room and into the dancehall.

She did this every week, and yet it always worried and exhausted her. She was always waiting for the other shoe to drop, for one of the girls to be sick, for her USO uniform to rip, for the band to simply not show up in time.

Tonight though, everything had gone according to plan, and she had even had enough time to change out of her uniform and into one of her dresses for the dance.

“Anna,” one of the girls called to her when she stepped out to where the action was happening. She almost didn’t hear her over the sound of the band playing “Begin the Beguine” and the giggling of the other ladies, dancing out on the floor with the various servicemen they were entertaining for the night.

She nodded and walked over to have a better chance at hearing what she was saying. Anna loved a good dance, but she found herself wishing that this one was a bit quieter. She’d had a headache since noon, and she was trying to keep in a good mood, but the noise wasn’t helping matters.

“What can I do for you?” she asked. The girl was newer, just recently volunteered, and Anna was used to the girls only calling on her when they needed a hand with something. They were friendly enough, of course, but none of the girls really chatted with each other once an event was on unless they really needed to.

“It’s more about what I can do for you,” the girl said, coyly smiling, “There’s a man here asking for you by name. He just got back into town, must be important.”

“Well who is it?” she asked, trying her best not to nervously straighten her dress as the girl caught her up to speed.

“I didn’t ask his name,” she replied, “but he’s one of the only men still sitting at a table without someone chatting with him. I tried, but he just smiled all shy and asked if you were here.”

That, Anna decided, was odd. Usually she was so busy behind the scenes keeping things working that no one knew she was there, let alone asked for her. There were some enlisted men she knew well enough before the war started for them to be able to ask for her by name, but really, none of them were particularly shy and probably would have been just as happy talking to another woman. It certainly wasn’t her ex-boyfriend. He’d run up into Canada to dodge the draft, and she’d broken up with him before that.

She nodded politely to the girl and decided it best to go and see for herself.

There was only one table with a lone man, and while she couldn’t really get a good look at him with the lights dimmed for dancing, he didn’t look at all familiar to her. She turned her charm on high as she approached him, wishing that she’d checked her teeth for lipstick before walking out.

“Hi there,” she ventured as she sat down at the circular table across from him. She smoothed down her skirt and smiled, getting a better look at his face in the light of the candle that sat in the center of the table.

She didn’t recognize him. He had the sort of face she’d remember. Dark eyes, light hair, and a wide nose. He was wearing his uniform, a few other men in the room were too, but most wore suits. Most were trying to forget for a few hours that even though they were home, they were at war.

He recognized her. She saw it in his eyes when he looked at her. He smiled and his eyes did too. Her stomach twisted into knots, there was nothing she hated more than forgetting a face. She didn’t want anyone she ever met at the USO thinking that they were forgettable.

She stuck out her hand anyway, better to act as she should and then tell him later that she had simply not recognized him in the dark, or that he was even handsomer than when they last met, should she realize that they did in fact know each other.

“Anna Arendelle,” she said with a smile, “I don’t think we’ve had the pleasure?”

He took her hand carefully and she felt butterflies in her stomach when their fingers touched. His hands were so much larger than hers, so much rougher. He was probably a good foot or more taller than she was, and she knew so even sitting down.

“Not officially,” he said by way of response, adding, a bit nervously, “You’re lovelier in person… if that’s not too bold of me to say.”

It clicked then. No other man would ever question his boldness at the provision of a compliment. No other man would recognize her and smile without her recognizing him. She couldn’t believe it, she couldn’t even voice the thought for fear of being wrong.

“It’s kind, not bold,” she replied. “It’s a wonderful compliment to give a girl.”

“Is it?” he asked, giving her a coy smile, “I wouldn’t really know, I’ve only ever tried to compliment one girl.”

It was him. It was definitely, and without a doubt, him. She thought about all her daydreams. The ones where she hugged him, the ones where she kissed him and welcomed him home. She could hardly muster the strength of will to hold herself together let alone be so bold.

When she hadn’t heard from him she’d thought the worst. She always thought the worst when he didn’t reply within a month. It was so easy to be scared when she heard everyday about how brutal the war was. She put up a brave face at the dancehall, at the meetings and at the get togethers, but the truth was that when she went home to find no letters, she worried herself half to death.

“She sounds like a very lucky girl.”

He laughed, and it was a wonderful sound. Anna’s heart skipped a beat. She’d been so worried about him; she’d never expected to be able to hear him laugh. She hadn’t even been able to imagine his face, and she was glad that she hadn’t tried very much, because nothing she could come up with would be as perfect as what he was.

“Oh I don’t know about that…” he trailed off, and for a minute looked thoughtful, “I just realized you might not actually know who I am… I never sent you a picture did I?”

She laughed at that, at the way he looked so concerned after just teasing her back that she might not know who he was.

She shook her head, more certain now than she’d been even moments before. She was also certain that she was correct in her assumptions that he was, in fact, a man who had never or only extremely rarely, spoken to women. He was good at it so far she had to admit, but he also seemed terribly nervous at it, like someone just learning to drive a car.

“You didn’t, but I think I figured it out anyway. I’m not one of those girls that writes to every single serviceman you know. You’re special Kristoff.”

The smile that spread across his face warmed her from head to toe.

He squeezed her hand gently and she couldn’t help herself but to intertwine her fingers with his. This was not protocol in the hostess handbook, but she’d really never been one for rules anyhow. Structure was good and important, but rules were made to be broken.

“I’m so sorry I didn’t write you back. I was in the hospital… shrapnel… and even though I healed fast, they sent me back home. I don’t know for how long, but once I knew they were sending me back, I just… I needed to come see you.”

Anna flushed. She almost wondered if the room had suddenly warmed by a few degrees, but of course she knew it was just her reaction to him. He was real, and there, and holding her hand while giving her a look like she was the only woman on Earth. She normally took flirting in stride from the men who came to her dinner dances, but that the man she’d been writing to for so many months was there was so inconceivable to her that she threw out the whole rule book.

“You were hurt?” That had been her worst nightmare when she hadn’t heard back from him, that he was injured or worse.

“It’s alright,” he said, “I can’t really walk on the leg much yet, but what doesn’t kill you…”

She shook her head, “Guess I shouldn’t ask you to dance then.”

He shook his head and chuckled, “I’d try to if you wanted me to, but I’ve always had two left feet anyway.”

“Oh I doubt that,” she replied, trying her best to breathe as he openly admitted that he’d dance on an injured leg to please her. She was used to flirting, but this wasn’t flirting. This was his honest interest in her, this was talking to someone she’d already made a connection with. “I’m sure you’re a wonderful dancer when you’re not hurting.”

He took the compliment and grinned, “To be honest I’ve never really tried enough to know.”

“Well when you’re feeling up to it, we’ll have to try.”

She only noticed the crutch leaning against the chair to their side after he’d mentioned being injured. It was a relief to know what whatever had happened, or however badly he’d been hurt, he was getting around on his own now. That was a good sign if nothing else.

“I’d like that,” he said, then looked thoughtful for a moment, “Do you want to go someplace quieter?”

Oh she did. She very much did. She wanted to sweep him off to some dark corner and kiss him, but despite her willingness to throw out the rulebook, it wasn’t really an option.

“I do, but I have to stay here and clean up and make sure the girls head off home with their chaperones instead of…”

She flushed, then added, “Well there’s some rules…”

He nodded.

“What if I stay until after you’re done?”

“Oh!” she was surprised to hear him say that he planned to stay, to wait for her. It was absolutely against the rules, and she knew she should politely decline, but she’d rather hang up her uniform than not spend time with him. “I would love that.”

***

The last girl was off before the cleaning was done. Anna was perfectly content to do the rest herself, and she found, with great pleasure that Kristoff was an enthusiastic assistant for the last of her evening tasks.

“So you’ve really never gone to a baseball game?”

She was washing dishes and he, sitting on a barstool she’d brought in to keep him off his leg, was drying.

“I really haven’t. I heard them on the radio, and my dad bought a television not long before he passed, so I watched a few of the televised games, but I’ve never gone in person. My parents didn’t take me out much unless it was to a social event or something.”

He shook his head and took a cup from her hand, their fingers brushing as he did so. She knew she shouldn’t be blushing so, that she shouldn’t be alone with him in the first place but seeing him there had been like seeing an old friend, and she wouldn’t trade these moments of comfortable small talk for the world. Unless, of course, he offered something a little more than friendly, in which case she’d gladly trade up.

She’d started to form a crush on him when they were writing to each other. He was reserved at first when he wrote, gruff, uninterested in her charity, but as time went on he softened to her, he wrote to her about the dreams he had, about the places he wanted to go and about how he’d always wanted a dog. Most recently he’d written about how he wanted a family, about how if he made it out of the war in one piece he wanted to settle down and make a life with someone. It had been so easy for Anna to imagine being that someone, and now that she was meeting him well and truly, she could see it even clearer.

“We’re going to have to change that,” he said as he wiped the glass down and set it with the rest of the dry dishes on the counter, “It’s America’s pastime after all. You’re a patriotic gal, makes sense you should go see a game.”

She smiled and lowered her head to hide her blush. She didn’t know if he knew he was implying he’d take her to a game as a date. He wasn’t really a flirt, he was straightforward and true and she liked that about him. She liked everything about him really. He was so different than the sort of person she thought she’d fall for, the kind of person her parents had always thought that she would fall for. He was an honest man, he worked hard, he didn’t have much but himself to give, but Anna liked that. He wasn’t tactful, just kind.

“Are you asking me on a date?”

She couldn’t meet his eyes. She could be coy. She could flirt, but she didn’t want to. She wanted to show him that the girl who wrote him letters, was hoping that he meant that he wanted to take her on a date. She couldn’t bear to see him give her an apologetic look if it wasn’t what he meant.

His hand reached out and touched her arm gently. She was learning that about him too, the despite how large and strong he was, he was gentle. Every touch he’d given her was tentative, gentle, borderline tender.

“Yes. I’m trying to anyway.”

Anna grinned at that and turned to look at him.

His smile was nervous, and that was just another endearing thing about him.

“I’d like that very much then,” she replied, not bothering to duck her head down to hide her flush.

“Good,” he said, and then cleared his throat, “I mean, that’s… thank you?”

She laughed at that. He was new at this. She loved that.

“Thank you for offering to take me,” she replied, trying to keep herself from giggling more when he smiled at her laugh, “I’m looking forward to it already.”

She was looking forward to more than the baseball. She already wanted to give him a kiss, to put that victory red lipstick to work. She thought though, what could be more patriotic than kissing a soldier at a baseball game and leaving that symbolic red on his lips?

She was nothing if not an all-American girl.

#kristanna advent 2019 #kristanna #WWII AU #WW2 AU #USO Hostess! Anna #Soldier! Kristoff

[letterboxd]

Life in Film: Kris Rey.

As her new comedy I Used to Go Here opens, Chicago-based writer and director Kris Rey talks to Letterboxd editor-in-chief Gemma Gracewood about turning 40, divorce, female friendships, why nobody but Jemaine Clement could pull off a scene making tea, and what we can all learn from Generation Z.

If Kris Rey’s new comedy I Used to Go Here were a typical Hollywood rom-com, it would finish just before Rey’s film starts: with Kate Conklin (Gillian Jacobs) as a newly published author, engaged to be married to a handsome guy. Instead, we meet Kate in a Bushwick apartment she can no longer afford, as her publishing company breaks the news that her debut novel (Seasons Passed; terrible cover art, purple prose) is a failure and the publicity tour is off. That’s on top of the insult that her fiancé has recently ended their engagement.

Kate is given a faint ray of optimism when her creative writing professor (Jemaine Clement) invites her back to the liberal arts college she graduated from a decade earlier, to give a talk to his Gen Z students. Leaving Brooklyn and her pregnant bestie behind, Kate dives into the nostalgia of her old Illinois stomping ground, and I Used to Go Here turns into a low-key, pot-fuelled, intergenerational romp through ideas of success, friendship, creativity, authenticity and idolization.

The film’s fans on Letterboxd include Matt Neglia, who writes: “Gillian Jacobs brings charismatic charm and restraint to her role as a writer longing for a time when we were filled with endless potential without the fear of failure.” Matt DeTurck identifies with this theme: “Relatable for anyone wrestling with fitting the pieces of their life together in ways that feel truthful.”

On the contemporary representation of university life, Alex Billington remarks that “it’s got all the college movie tropes… but it repackages all of these in a smart adult-looking-back indie film package”. Max notes that “the college kids are an invaluable addition and feel like people rather than college or Gen Z stereotypes”.

Kate (Gillian Jacobs) and David (Jemaine Clement) in a scene from ‘I Used to Go Here’.

Your film starts just after the point at which a mainstream comedy about a single white woman in her thirties would end: with Kate’s book being published to no acclaim, her engagement being broken off, everybody else pregnant except her. It runs in opposition to the happy endings Hollywood has made us expect. Kris Rey: Oh god, [that’s] so astute. No-one has said that before and I have never thought of it before, but that’s so true! I think what’s so interesting about the whole journey that she goes on, and all of our own personal journeys, is that you’re used to, like, at the end of the movie, they get married! She gets her book published! And then everything is perfect! And then you realize: ‘Oh. Oh god, okay. How do I move on from this?’ So, you’re right, that is what’s so different about this.

The other thing—and I’m sure this can be said about most films this year—is how the set-up feels weirdly right for these times, which is to say: the widespread derailment of plans that the pandemic has wrought. It’s like we’re in a strange global coming-of-age. Several Letterboxd reviews observe how, for women in their late twenties to early thirties, there’s a second coming-of-age where everything suddenly feels extremely nostalgic. The film dives into that longing feeling by literally returning Kate to her old college. It’s funny, you know, a lot of people have pointed out how this doesn’t quite fit into a category. It’s not a rom-com, it’s not a true coming-of-age film in a sense of what we know that to be. I think that part of it is exactly what you’ve just pointed out, which is that it’s about a unique period of time for women, where you do reach this precipice. Mostly, it comes out of this big ever-pressing question which is “Am I going to have a family or not?”. Not every woman, but most women, have that question in their head until they either have a baby or they reach the age where they can’t have a baby anymore. “Am I going to have this? Am I going to follow this path of domesticity? Am I going to find a relationship that works long enough to have a family with them? Am I going to have to make sacrifices in my career to make room to have a family? Am I going to find them all at once?” Men just don’t have that point, to no fault of their own, but the fault of the patriarchy in general, which is that it has to be a conscious decision for women in a way that everything revolves around that, as we go about our lives at that age.

And you’ve explored that idea in more than just this film. I loved the awkward-yet-sincere moment at the baby shower, when the friends make her hold her book alongside their third-trimester bumps for a group photo. A book is a baby, and its publication should also be celebrated! Scenes like that emphasize how well Gillian Jacobs embraced the role of Kate. What did she bring to it that wasn’t on the page? There’s such a special thing that happens when you cast anyone for anything. It certainly happened with Gillian, but also with everyone. Definitely Jemaine was a big one, which is that I don’t typically write for specific actors. I write a character, I write the dialog, and then when I cast them I think ‘oh, Jemaine Clement is going to be in this role’, so then I go back through and read the whole thing in his voice and think ‘maybe he’d say it like this instead’ and maybe after [a scene we don’t wish to spoil], he would make tea for everyone. Very few, if any, American actors would be able to pull that moment off. That is kind of what I’m looking for: who are they? Are they able to feel like real people? Because so often they feel performative.

Like versions of a person. Right. Like they’re acting like a person! Gillian is very authentic. If you were to talk to her, she would just seem like her real self, and that was what was so appealing about her for me. Gillian just really brought herself, and I learned about her as a person.

As well as great comics like Kate Micucci and Jorma Taccone, there’s a lovely assortment of inclusive young characters who live in Kate’s old student house. Where did you find them? I just flushed them out and gathered them and held them close! There’s a couple of them that I didn’t know but I had seen in other stuff. Josh Wiggins, who plays Hugo, I’d seen him act in a movie called Hellion. Forrest Goodluck I saw in The Miseducation of Cameron Post. He’s incredible in that and I knew I wanted him to play Animal. Hannah Marks was someone that was sent to me, and we talked on the phone and I just knew she would be perfect. She’s such a brilliant go-getter and filmmaker and so ambitious in her own life. Khloe Janel, who plays Emma, auditioned for me here in Chicago and she’s so good. I adore her. I was taking a walk yesterday through the neighborhood and I saw her name on a little sign—she was making these poetry zines! I bought one.

Hugo (Josh Wiggins), Animal (Forrest Goodluck) and Tall Brandon (Brandon Daley) in ‘I Used to Go Here’.

The person we need to know about is whoever the guy is who plays Tall Brandon! Brandon Daley, who plays tall Brandon, is a person that I just knew. He is on the periphery of my social circle and he had come to a few parties at my house. His buddies called him ‘Tall Brandon’, in this very demeaning way! They were of course all good friends. I thought he was such a funny character that I wrote the character based on him. But I didn’t know him. Then he heard that I had written a part called Tall Brandon and he asked if he could play the part. I was like, “I don’t think so, Brandon!”

Was he an actor? Kind of. He’s a filmmaker but he’s much younger than me and he hadn’t done anything besides his own work. But I made him audition for the role based on him! [Laughs] I don’t know, I was just like, it’s a huge role, you know? The last thing you want is someone who can’t act like themselves, which everyone struggles to do. Anyway, he was so good in the audition, so funny, and he just nailed it. He steals the whole movie! He’s just so good.

I Used to Go Here is a long way from problematic college fare like Revenge of the Nerds or the angst of St Elmo’s Fire. It feels thoroughly 21st-century, especially in how the Gen Z housemates take an inclusive, ‘sure, why not’ approach to having Kate tag along with them. What inspired the way you wrote the intergenerational aspects of the film? There weren’t necessarily college films that I was using for inspiration. I wanted the place to feel the same that she left, but I wanted the people to feel different. This is what I’m finding in my life. I’m gonna turn 40 this year, and when I interact with people in their twenties, I’m blown away by the way that they view the world and the way that they view themselves and each other. I’m so impressed by it. And I am on board with a lot of these cultural changes that we’re seeing happen before our eyes, like, the idea of gender identity has changed so much, and so quickly. I’ve never seen anything change like that in my life. The idea of consent. When I first heard it I was like, “What? You have to ask if you wanna touch someone or kiss someone? It seems so lame!” Now, I can’t believe that we ever did that! I’m learning so much. They seem so clear-headed about it all. I just think that we have a lot to learn from that generation.

The movie’s not about that, necessarily, but it’s infused into it and I wanted that to influence Kate, in her life. Some of it is specific to this generation, but some of it is also just specific to being in your twenties. The character April, the way that she thinks about the [publishing] industry and her art, and the way that Kate, who is jaded, is like, “Okay, whatever, you’re naïve, make your little magazine, but you’ll have to follow the rules.” We’ve all been faced with that before.

Kris Rey with her son Jude Swanberg on the set of ‘I Used to Go Here’. / Photo by Blair Todd

So it’s a watershed year for you, turning 40. What would you define success and happiness as now, compared to when you were in your twenties and the ideas you had about the industry then? Oh, god. Okay so I’ve also had a lot of personal growth because I got divorced this last year, which was crazy. I’ve got two kids, a four year old and a nine year old. So I’ve been through so much; it’s been such a huge change for me. I have learned a lot, but one of the things that I have learned so much is that the relationships that matter the most in my life are my female friendships. I’ve always known that, but I’ve never seen it so much as I have in the last two years, both personally throughout my divorce, and professionally through making a film without a romantic partner to lean on. Of course I have male friends that are wonderful and supportive, but my female friends, those relationships are where I’m realizing I wanna put my effort into more than any other part of my life.

Okay, it’s time for a few questions about movies that are important to you. Thinking back, what is the film that made you want to be a filmmaker? Boogie Nights was the first film that I watched when I was in high school that I thought ‘oh, this is a job, and I’m seeing someone make stylistic choices that are interesting and unique’. You can see the behind the scenes in that movie a little bit. I remember watching it and thinking ‘that would be a cool job’. I also really loved the movie Bottle Rocket in high school. I began my filmmaking career thinking that I wanted to make documentaries, and so there’s also a lot of docs that I loved. But those were the early films that made me realize that it was even a job. Unfortunately not any female filmmakers, because I think that was just so rare [then].

What is your all-time comfort favorite film? Sleepless in Seattle, no question.

There’s your female filmmaker! Yes, but with a movie like Sleepless in Seattle, it’s such a mainstream movie that I never thought of it as ‘a job’. It wasn’t until I was in high school that I saw more independent and auteurish works. But Nora Ephron is a genius. That movie is perfect in my opinion.

What’s a film that, as a teenager, felt like a mirror into your soul? That movie with Chris O’Donnell, an Irish film, Circle of Friends. With Minnie Driver! Who is also in Good Will Hunting, another film I saw in high school. I haven’t seen Circle of Friends since it came out, but it felt very real to me, that movie. I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned that movie to anyone!

Gwyneth Paltrow and Joseph Fiennes in ‘Shakespeare in Love’ (1998).

What is the sexiest film you’ve ever seen? Shakespeare in Love! [Laughs.] There’s two movies. One was Legends of the Fall. It was literally the sexiest movie I’d ever seen up till that point. I was very young when it came out and there was this lovemaking scene by candlelight and I was like, ‘oh, that’s what sex is!’. And then Shakespeare in Love. That scene where he’s unwrapping her? So hot.

Who is another director you’d die for? I’m such a huge fan of Nicole Holofcener. I love her films so much. I have never met her. I do know some people that know her and I am honestly so scared to meet her because I like her work so much. She’s probably my favorite filmmaker. I just vibe with everything she makes. I love the tone. I just love all of her movies.

What’s a film that we should watch after we watch yours? You should watch She Dies Tomorrow. It’s so good, and Amy Seimetz is my very, very close and dear friend. We started making movies at the same time. Our movies were supposed to premiere at SXSW on the same day, and now they are being released on the same day, and we’re just in love with each other. Amy and I are— the movies are so wildly different from each other, but her movie is so good. It is really funny, it’s really weird and it’s really appropriate for the times right now.

I feel like some reviews are missing the comedy in it. I laughed so much throughout that film. I agree: people don’t get it! Can I shout out another movie that I watched recently? Crossing Delancey. I had never seen it before and my sister-in-law texted me and she was like, “you should watch this film like right now—this seems like something you would love”. I couldn’t believe how good it was. It’s so great. It feels like it could be shot right now in Brooklyn. All the cool kids in Brooklyn are dressing exactly the same way that all the cool kids in Brooklyn dressed in 1988, or whenever it came out. She’s having a dialog with a friend and the friend is like openly breastfeeding. And the way that they’re talking about romance and all this stuff is so on point. That movie’s great.

And another female director! Joan Micklin Silver. Yeah!

Related content

Dana Danger’s chronological list of films directed by women

Appropriate Behavior: the Letterboxd Showdown of indie, slacker and mumblecore films

Quarter Life Crisis: a list by Mary, and another by Michelle

Follow Gemma on Letterboxd

‘I Used to Go Here’ is now in select theaters and on demand. All press images are courtesy of Gravitas Ventures.

#kris rey #i used to go here #college film #college comedy #comedy #jemaine clement #gillian jacobs #female director #directed by women #52 films by women #kate micucci #jorma taccone #letterboxd

[let-it-raines]

Betting on the Bullseye (29/30)

Emma Swan loses a drunken bet that means she has to ask her celebrity crush - if you can call him that - to be her date to her office’s annual fundraising gala for Boston’s Children Shelter. Killian Jones is that celebrity. She expects all kinds of humiliation and for her dignity to be completely lost all because of the ridiculousness of the situation. What she doesn’t expect is for him to say yes.

What she truly doesn’t expect is to actually like the man.

Rating: Mature

A/N: So here we are! It’s the last official chapter, and while I would absolutely love to get to write this story forever, that’s simply not possible. But don’t fret! There’s still an epilogue and then a bonus chapter based off of a prompt that someone gave me. I can’t believe this little one shot turned into this big story that may very well be my own personal favorite. Thanks for being awesome and reading, you guys💛

Found on AO3: Beginning | Current

Tumblr: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30

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-/-

Killian: My family is all here and currently examining every square foot of the place.

Emma: I know you’re not complaining when this is all you’ve talked about all week.

Killian: I love them, but Anna is seriously asking me about the thread count on our sheets.

Emma: That’s important.

Killian: I’m going to leave you with them if you don’t start sympathizing with me.

Emma: Oh no! You’re going to leave me with two people who I talk to every day and your brother! However will I survive?

Killian: Kris and Aiden are also part of the package.

Emma: I like them too.

“Are you flirting with your boyfriend, Ems?”

“Holy shit,” she yelps, jumping in her chair while her heart takes off like a rocket. She’s got to start closing her office door or put a lock on it or something. Or Ruby needs to learn how to knock. Or stay in her office. This is becoming a perpetual issue. “Rubes, why do you insist on doing this to me?”

She shrugs, the picture of nonchalance, and then steps further inside, grabs some skittles out of the bowl on her desk, and then plops down in her extra chair.

“Because your face is so pretty when you’re scared.”

“You’re an idiot.”

“I’m your idiot, though.” She pops a handful of candy in her mouth, the red and green disappearing while she quickly chews. “Are you coming down to the warehouse to help put the care packages together this afternoon?”

“I’m coming down at four.” She hits send on her email and leans forward to take a few skittles of her own. Keeping candy in her office for the holidays was a terrible idea, but Mary Margaret and Anna both sent her bags of the stuff because they thought it might be nice. “This is always my craziest time of year with all of the donations and press, but, you know, I’ve been working through lunch so that I can leave at a normal time.”

“It’d probably help if you didn’t spend half of your time flirting with your boyfriend and the other half talking to me.”

“Well, you’re the one who comes to my office.”

Ruby waggles her brows. “For the candy. Is the Jones clan in town?”

“And apparently inspecting the thread count in our sheets.”

“What?”

“They’re particular,” she laughs, checking the email that just came in. She really needs the graphics department to send her the designs she’s supposed to put on Instagram. “I think Killian is letting them explore the apartment and setting them up, and then he’s going to show them around a bit.”

“That’s like the blind leading the blind.”

“I mean, it’s not us giving a tour of Boston, but it’ll work. I can’t wait for them to come back in the summer so it’ll be nicer weather.”

“You haven’t even seen them yet, and you’re already ready for them to come back?”

“Ask me again after Christmas. Speaking of that,” she hums, as she types another email when really she needs to go talk to Liz to get things going, “is Dorothy coming over on Christmas Eve?”

“Nah,” Ruby sighs, sticking her feet up on the corner of Emma’s desk, “she’s going home to Kansas for a few days.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine. I can’t wait to meet everyone, even if Killian’s infamous friends won’t be there.”

“Just his shoddy family.”

“I’m going to tell them you said that.”

“They love me. I think it’ll be fine.”

Her phone vibrates on her desk, and she looks down to check it.

Elsa: Does Killian actually know where he’s going? Or are we going to get lost and freeze to death?

Emma: I’d bring a warm coat and some food.

She does eventually have to get back to work, as does Ruby, and even if she spends most of her afternoon bugging the graphic designs department even while she’s putting blankets and toothbrushes in care packages, it’s a good day at work. She seriously needs a nap, but she knows that she’s not going to get one. The rest of her week is jampacked with work and with family stuff. They’ve got five extra people staying at their apartment until next Thursday, and about a million things to do with them and with her friends. It’s odd to her that these two sides of her life that are so important to her have never met, but she’s glad that it’s changing now.

Will and Robin get the short end of the stick though. They’ll have to meet everyone later, but she and Killian weren’t going to ask them to come to Boston when they have their families to spend time with. That would be ridiculous.

(She really wants to see Ruby and Will meet. It’d be fantastic.)

On her way home from work she stops to get a frankly excessive amount burgers and fries for everyone to eat for dinner. It’s definitely not the healthiest thing in the world and she and Killian did stock up on groceries yesterday, but sometimes she really wants a dang cheeseburger.

And onion rings.

She’s going to have to hide the onion rings from Killian.

That’s not going to work.

She’ll just get extra.

She can hear everybody before she unlocks the front door, twisting the key and then the knob, the conversation inside dying a little bit as she steps through the door to see everyone sitting in the living room with a show that must be for Aiden on the TV. She recognizes the little characters, but she can’t quite place whatever animated dog is running around.

“Hi,” she says, placing everything down on the counter that’s already full of baked goods that Anna must have found time to make sometime today. “I, uh, brought burgers for dinner, so I hope that Killian didn’t force feed you guys too much today.”

“He force fed us just the right amount,” Elsa sighs, getting up from the couch and scurrying over to her and wrapping her arms around her shoulders before Emma can even take her purse off of her. “Hi, hon. I’m so happy to see you.”

“Me too,” she echoes, pulling back and smiling. “It’s weird that you guys are here, but I like it.”

“Not as much as I like it,” Anna adds on, practically smothering her in a hug. “It’s amazing, even if it’s cold. I was not prepared for that, and Killian practically froze us to death. I cannot wait to come back in the summer. I bet we could go sailing. Though Killian would have to bring his boat here. Or buy another one. Or we could go to a baseball game, but I’m not wearing a Red Sox hat. Oh but I can visit you so much more now that I’m going to be in New York.”

“That all sounds like a wonderful plan,” she laughs, not even sure if Anna took a breath between all of her words. “Hi, Liam and Kris. Why don’t you guys come get something to eat before it gets cold? I got regular burgers and cheeseburgers and figured you guys could add your own toppings.”

Liam and Kris both nod their heads, moving from the living room to kiss her cheek and give her their own greetings all while paper bags are being rustled and food being spread out, the greasy smell taking over the cinnamon plug in that they have. She needs to change clothes and brush her hair out before she eats, but she should probably say hi to Killian if the expectant eyebrow he’s sporting is any indication.

“I could have cooked dinner,” he says first, opening his arms a bit so that she can gently loswer herself down onto his lap, adjusting herself before kissing his cheek in greeting. “You didn’t have to buy all of the burgers in Boston.”

“I really wanted a burger. I worked through lunch.”

“The graphic design people giving you trouble again?”

“Yep. I’m going to have to learn how to do photoshop myself or something.” She unwraps her arms from his neck and curls a stray section of his chest hair around her finger, wondering how the hell it escaped from the top of his sweater. “So you survived your hosting duties?”

“I did.”

“Do you guys have horse radish?”

“No because that’s disgusting,” she laughs, looking up to see the actual pout on Kris’s face.

“Top shelf,” Killian adds in. “I keep it where Emma can’t reach to throw it away.”

“Hey,” she scoffs, yanking at his hair, “rude.”

“I know you have candy hidden in the drawer with your bras, so you can’t even say anything.”

“Um, guys,” she starts, looking around the room, “where’s Aiden?”

“Sleeping,” Liam answers for her, coming to sit on the couch with his plate of food. If he gets grease on the furniture, Killian will lose his mind. “He was awake for the entire flight, and to him, it’s naptime now.”

“Oh, I didn’t think about the time change for him. Or for you guys. Are you sure you’re hungry?”

“Liam is always hungry,” Elsa tells her placing her plate on the coffee table while she feels Killian adjust his leg underneath her. “It’s really unfair how good men have it with their metabolism sometimes.”

“Darling, I’m nearly forty. I don’t have the metabolism I used to have.”

“That’s true for all of us,” Kris says as he and Anna both come back into the area. “And obviously Emma has determined to fatten us all up for the winter.”

She snickers under her breath. “You guys can all come running with me in the morning. The cheeseburgers are totally worth the pain.”

“Says the twenty-nine year old.”

“I can’t help that you’re all old.”

“Hey,” Anna scoffs, waving a fry in the air. “If Killian wouldn’t kill us, I’d definitely throw these fries at you.”

“That’d be a sad waste of fries.”

“It’d be worth it.”

“Debatable.”

“If you’re going to waste fries it has to be the ones from the end of the potato,” Elsa adds in.

“Those are the best ones,” Liam protests, popping a fry into his mouth.” “They taste too much like a potato.”

“Fries are potatoes,” Liam and Killian both protest at the same time.

“Not all potatoes are made equally,” she points out, pushing off of Killian’s lap. She’s hungry, but she wants out of this bra and out of these pants. “Just like all fries are not made equally.”

“Amen to that.”

“I’m going to go change clothes,” she tells everyone. “I’ll be right back. You guys can keep watching your kids’ show even though Aiden is asleep.” “Sounds like a plan, Stan,” Killian mumbles under his breath, and when she turns back to look at him, he shrugs his right shoulder and winks.

She doesn’t mean to take her time while changing clothes and washing her face, scrubbing the makeup off one side at a time, but it’s kind of soothing to be able to do that. As much as she loves every person in that room, she’s not exactly used to having families over for a long time. That’s never been a situation she’s had to be in before, and it’s going to take a little bit of adjusting. It’s a good thing, but she’s not made to have to talk consistently. She and Killian talk a hell of a lot, but a lot of nights they have are spent stretched out on the couch in near silence watching TV.

Not a show for a twenty-month old but TV.

She takes the time to brush her hair out before twisting it into a loose braid that falls over her shoulder, and then strips out of her clothes so she can pull on her leggings and a sweater. She’s just about to go outside to get her dinner and talk with everyone when she stops and opens Killian’s bedside drawer, pulling the small box out and opening it to look at the ring. It’s the oddest thing, knowing it’s there and not being able to wear it. Of course, she could wear it. They could tell their families and have it all out there, this secrecy thing stopping, but she’s still waiting on the boat ornament. It’s the dumbest thing. She doesn’t have to tell everyone that way, but she wants to because of all of those dumb texts Ruby sends her.

She thinks that it’s fitting for Ruby to be the first to know when Ruby has been here for this since the very beginning.

A bit of laughter passes through her lips at that. It hasn’t been a long time. She and Killian have only known each other for a year, but it’s right. There have been plenty of ups and downs and absolutely insane moments, both because of their personal demons, the distance, and Killian’s job. He doesn’t get stopped a lot here, but it does happen. It’s always so strange to her, even if that’s how she knew him first, but it’s even stranger that one or two times some girls have stopped her. That’s not something she’ll ever get used to, but Killian is worth it.

Her trust in him is absolutely insane, especially because of how she’s been treated in the past, but when you love someone, you know.

The whole white picket fence (or apartment with a view) future used to always freak her out, but it’s what she wants now. She’s got her job, her friends, Killian.

She’s done pretty well for a kid who had nothing.

So she’ll wait on the dumb boat ornament for Ruby and wait on getting to wear the ring, the physical representation of the future she’s so damn happy to get to be a part of.

And it’s not like the next few days don’t go by quickly. They actually go by pretty fast, even if she spends her weekend falling on her ass when everyone insists that they go ice skating. Somehow, despite coming from a notoriously cold country, Anna and Elsa have never gone, and when they pass by a public rink while wandering through downtown, they insist that they have to. Somehow she didn’t think about the fact that Liam and Elsa live somewhere where it doesn’t really snow, and that being here would be like a whole new world. At least Anna and Kris have been living in Seattle…of course, they’ll soon be based in New York and will have the ice rinks there.

Somehow despite the fact that they’ve never been, Anna and Elsa are fantastic at it, quickly able to get rid of the walker and move around the crowded rink while she has to hold onto Killian’s elbow so that she doesn’t keep busting her ass.

Seriously. It’s going to be black and blue.

She definitely would have offered to watch Aiden to get out of it. Liam beat her to the punch.

But it’s fun once she gets over the pain in her ass, and she can feel her cheeks actually hurting from laughing so much. It doesn’t help at all when Elsa and Anna figure out some kind of routine that gets them kicked out of the rink. It really doesn’t help when Killian gets recognized and he starts mumbling under his breath that Robin is going to kill him for making him have work to deal with when he’s supposed to be on holiday. She’s not sure if she feels worse for Killian or Robin.

Definitely Robin.

Killian can deal with a few articles about him getting kicked out of a public ice rink.

She may or may not see if she can have anything about it printed and framed to keep forever.

She’s a good girlfriend.

Fiancée.

Partner.

Lover.

Whatever. It doesn’t matter.

Guiding them around Boston kind of reminds her of when Killian first came to visit back in May. She gets to be a bit of a tourist again, except this time they’re all bundled up in thick jackets and hats as they trudge through a bit of snow instead of sweating from the sun shining down on them. There are some perks to the city in the winter anyways, especially when there’s a light dusting of snow. She doesn’t love January when it’s too cold to even go outside or too difficult to drive, but December is a good time. Yeah, there are thousands of more tourists, but so many trees downtown are wrapped in white lights that give the city this glow the makes it especially pleasant to be here. Her foster homes didn’t always decorate for the holidays, but the city made up for it enough.

Killian’s arm wraps around her shoulder, tugging her into his side, as they walk through Columbus Park Sunday evening, making their way through the crowd to look at the blue lights that have been wrapped in the archway. They’re meeting her friends at the Central Wharf for dinner so that everyone can meet each other, but Liam had insisted that they walk through the park on the way there since walking along the seaside was proving to be a bit too chilly.

“I love you,” Killian murmurs just below her ear, his scruff pricking her exposed skin.

“I love you too,” she echoes as she wraps an arm around his waist and sticks it in the back pocket of his jeans. “I think showing your family around this weekend is going to give me frostbite.”

“Aye, it’ll be so sad when you don’t have your toes anymore.”

“However will I walk?”

“Special shoes, obviously.”

“I don’t think that’s how that works.”

“I could carry you.” “That seems excessive.”

“You’re right. I’ll leave you alone to die in the snow.”

She taps his ass. “That’s all I ask.”

Killian barks out a laugh, his head thrown back, but then he’s leaning forward and quickly brushing his lips over hers.

“Stop making out and show me where this restaurant is,” Liam bellows, and when she opens her eyes, she can see several different strangers staring at all of them.

“Babe, it’s right there,” Elsa laughs, pointing to the glowing sign a few feet ahead of them.

“That was not there a second ago.”

“I promise that it was.”

“Your brother is kind of crazy,” she laughs, speeding her steps up because she can see David standing on the inside of the restaurant.

“I think the cold weather is getting to him.”

“Probably.”

Kris and Anna walk in first, the door held open for everyone but a constant stream of people, and before she can even bother to make introductions, Anna and Mary Margaret are wrapped up in a hug. They’ve seen each other on Instagram, but Emma was not expecting that.

She should have been expecting that.

And she should have been expecting the mess of hugs and shaking hands as everyone greets each other, blocking the entrance to the restaurant a bit with the crowd. She hears Killian chuckle when Liam and David size each other up, but honestly, it’s even funnier when Ruby stares Liam down and then hugs him so tightly while Liam is almost shocked still. She’s not sure what Ruby said, and it’s probably best not to know.

They’re all seated at their table, chairs replaced with booster seats, and soon their conversation mixes in with everyone else, constant chatter floating along with the steady flow of Christmas music playing over the speakers.

“So how do you guys like the city?” David asks after they’ve ordered drinks.

“It’s bloody freezing,” Liam grumbles, his body obviously still chilled. “This coat is not nearly thick enough.”

“I told you to buy a warmer one.”

“Little brother, you didn’t say this.”

“Oh shit,” Ruby laughs, and her eyes glance to the kids before she continues, “you’re right, Ems. Killian’s face does get all red and scrunched up when Liam calls him little brother.”

“Hey, way to call me out like that.”

“My face does not get scrunched up.”

She twists her head to look at Killian and the way his nose is very literally scrunched up, and she can do nothing but smile at that end the embarrassed red tip of his ears.

“It does,” Elsa agrees. “But that’s fine because Liam doesn’t realize how ridiculous it is to call a grown man little brother.”

“It is not ridiculous.”

“As someone who is a younger brother,” David starts, “I totally agree. No one talks that way.”

“That is not true.”

“It’s totally true.”

“You don’t see me calling Anna little sister,” Elsa points out, very lovingly caressing Liam’s shoulder while her free hand keeps Aiden from throwing his crayons on the ground.

She feels Killian’s scruff against her ear before she even sees him move. “They’re going to cause Liam to implode right in the middle of this restaurant.”

She snickers at that and pats Killian’s thigh before resting her hand over his knee. “That would be a very messy clean up.”

“Secrets don’t make friends, lovebirds,” Ruby teases, kicking her foot underneath the table.

“You’re already my friend, so I’m not trying to impress you,” Killian huffs.

“I’m your friend,” Leo says, nearly quieting the entire table when they were all still debating over the weirdness of Liam and Killian’s relationship.

“You are most definitely my friend,” Killian agrees, smiling over at Leo. “I think you, your brother, and Aiden are my very best friends at this table.”

“And Emmy.”

“Oh, most definitely Emmy,” he laughs, reaching down and twining his fingers together with hers, thumb gently moving over her hand in a way that sends a shiver down her spine.

“Emmy’s my friend too, but we can share.”

“That’s so good of you to say, Leo,” Mary Margaret sighs, reaching over and pushing his hair off of his head.

“So we’ll talk about how it’s weird for me to call Killian little brother but we’re not going to talk about how I didn’t make it on his best friends list just now?”

“Sucks to be you,” Anna and Ruby both say at the same time.

Emma looks at Killian then, looks at the lines around his eyes and the smile on his face as he talks back to Liam, and whatever kind of nerves she had about their families not liking each other completely disappear just then. They’re all going to get along just fine.

And they do get along just fine. Probably much better than fine. The conversation never stops, even when they get their food, and despite the fact that they have three small children there with them, they stay late into the night casually talking about whatever they want. It all feels so natural, even with the newness of all of these relationships, and she’s already thinking about just when they can do something like this again this summer.

Soon enough, though, the night ends, and they all go their separate ways promising to see each other on Christmas Eve. When they get back to the apartment, most everyone settles down into the living room for a little while before excusing themselves to go to bed, leaving just she and Killian.

“Come here, love,” Killian mumbles, his accent deep and thick in his tiredness. She likes when it’s like this. It reminds her of the way he sounds when he’s describing every filthy thought he has about her, and it’s most likely the reason why instead of folding into his side like he wants, she gets up and straddles his lap, pressing herself down on top of him while his hands immediately go to her hips, gently holding onto her as his thumbs reach up to touch her skin.

He doesn’t say anything, though. She figured he wanted to talk to her now that they have a bit of privacy with everyone else gone to bed. But he stays silent, his thumbs moving in lazy circles as he buries his nose into her neck, breath coming out warmly against her collarbone while his teeth gently bite down, heat slowly beginning to simmer under every inch of her skin.

“You’re going to leave a mark if you stay there for too long.”

“You’ve discovered my evil plan,” he mumbles, each of the words slurred.

She laughs, throwing her head back the slightest bit while her hands move from his shoulders up into the thick strands of his hair, fingers cardings through the softness while Killian continues to lavish her skin with his tongue. She bemoans it a bit, doesn’t want him to leave some kind of mark of possession or passion, but then right when she can feel heart curl between her thighs, he pulls back, the heavy weight of him no longer in her neck. Instead he stares at her, eyes a deep blue while they trace over face, finally landing at her lips.

And then he’s on her, lips pressing into hers and hands pulling her impossibly closer so that their bodies are flush against each other despite the layers of clothes in between them. She can still taste a bit of the rum he had with dinner, especially when his tongue slowly traces her bottom lip, prodding him for the entrance he must know she’s going to grant him. When their tongues do collide, it’s like sparks are moving across her skin, all of her hair standing on edge while the sparks trickle down all the way to her toes.

It’s that kind of a kiss. The toe curling ones are the best ones.

They get better when her hips shift the slightest bit against Killian and her hands tighten in his hair. He groans, something deep from the back of his throat, and she’s practically a puddle. It’s a weird phrase, but she is. She’s a puddle and a mess of damn good feelings that have her feeling like she’s practically on fire even if she’s only left on her camisole and her jeans, her sweater from dinner resting in the kitchen.

She rolls her hips again, and Killian grunts before he’s shifting his hands so that his arms are completely wrapped around her back. For a moment she wonders why, but then she’s being lifted and unceremoniously plopped down on her back, the couch cushions supporting her while a giggle passes through her lips. Killian shifts above her, his elbows propping him up on either side of her shoulder. His mouth is hovering over hers, less than an inch away, and she thinks that he’s going to kiss her again, but then his mouth is on her jaw, then her neck, her collarbone. Finally he makes his way down her sternum, tongue licking in the valley of her breasts, and she gasps as her hips arch up into him.

Even though she can’t see it, she can feel the wicked smile he’s sporting pressed into her skin.

“I’m rather learning to enjoy winter in Boston,” he breathes, breath hot as it travels over her. His mouth moves a bit to the side, and she watches him nudge her top with his nose so that she can see the top of her breasts. “But I do find that it means I get to see a little less of these.”

“Well, I could die of that frostbite we were talking about earlier if you really wanted to see my boobs that much.”

He glances up at her, one eyebrow raised, and she smirks herself as she reaches down to brush his hair off of his forehead. “I do love them, so I think it may be worth it.”

“You only love me for my body.”

“I’m going to tell you just how wrong you are about that after I get done showing you how much I love every damn inch of this body.”

She laughs, her head pressing back into the cushions, but then Killian has somehow worked his way past her bra and is biting down on her nipple. The laugh quickly turns into a gasp, and even her blood heats at the sound of Killian’s groan.

As good as he is with his words, sometimes when he wants her too damn much, it renders him speechless.

That’s always a bit of a proud moment for her.

He releases her with a pop, and instead of moving to her other breast, he moves back up her body, spending a very particular amount of time on her ear, before he’s back at her lips. It’s a slow kiss, lazy even, but these are the ones she prefers. Quick and fast and dirty are wonderful, and she’ll never complain about those. But she likes the lazy exploration of each other that only really comes when you already know all of the ins and outs.

“Bedroom.” She yanks at his hair, and presses her hips up again, and he nips at her bottom lip.

“In a moment.”

She’s practically jelly at this point, so she agrees, not thinking anything of it until there’s the a quiet creak of wood and the room is suddenly flooded in lights besides the ones of the city.

“Bloody fucking hell,” Killian groans, harshly shifting up on her, and she doesn’t realize why until she twists her head to the side and sees Liam standing at the end of the hallway, feet frozen and mouth wide open.

Oh.

Oh.

Oh.

Her fiancé’s brother, who is still staying with them for another few days, just walked in on them making out of the couch with her breasts decidedly exposed to the world. That would explain Killian’s sudden haste to cover her even more so with his body.

“Don’t just stand there, Liam,” Killian growls, his words lilting up into a bit of a laugh at the tail end of his sentence.

“Sorry, sorry,” Liam apologizes, holding his hands up and shuffling his feet. “I didn’t – you’re not – Elsa needed a glass for some water.”

“It’s fine,” she lies, every inch of her skin cooling down while she rubs her hands up and down Killian’s shoulder blades. She can feel the tenseness in them, the frustration practically vibrating off of him. “Help yourself to whatever is in the fridge. Killian and I were just about to go to bed.”

“Really? Because it kind of looked like you were about to fuck on the couch.”

“Get your fucking water, and get your arse out of here.”

“KJ,” she whispers, twisting her head to look back at him and caressing his face with her palm. He leans into it, his eyes fluttering closed so that his lashes land against his cheek, “it’s okay. He’ll be gone in a second, and then we can go to our room.”

“I’m not sure that I’m really in the mood anymore.”

She chuckles a bit under her breath before brushing her lips over his stubble. “That’s okay too, but I think you might change your mind when you can no longer see your brother.”

“He’s bloody fantastic at killing a mood.”

“That’s probably what Elsa says too.”

Killian has to bury his face in her neck to hide his laugh, but she can feel it though every inch of her body while she continues to move her hands up and down, his flannel moving with each touch. She should be mortified right now, but considering Liam saw her morning after look the first time she slept with Killian and then proceeded to accuse her of being some kind of stalker, this is nothing.

Maybe the embarrassment will hit when she doesn’t still want Killian so badly.

“Goodnight,” Liam hums. “Use protection.”

“Look at that. He spent two hours with Ruby, and they’re already just alike.”

Killian huffs and pushes off of her. “I think it’s time for you to move your arse into the bedroom so we can finish this.”

“See, I told you it’d be fine once Liam wasn’t in the room.”

“He’s never getting invited back here.”

“Don’t be dramatic.”

“What am I if not dramatic, my love?”

She finds that Killian most definitely doesn’t mind that his brother walked in on them when her lips are wrapped around his length in the privacy of their room.

-/-

Over the next two days, Liam never mentions the compromising situation he found them in, but she can tell that he feels more awkward about it than either of them do, especially when he avoids looking her in the eye for a few hours. But it helps that she’s constantly surrounded by other people. They go out to lunch on Monday, stopping to get seafood even though Aiden has an absolute fit in the restaurant, but the rest of their day is spent in the apartment, the curtains mostly closed as they play all of the Home Alone movies, Aiden giggling and babbling even though he can’t possibly understand what’s happening. It’s cute, though, watching him clap his chubby hands together and rock back and forth while he sits between Kris’s legs.

Anna and Elsa decide that they have to make Christmas cookies, and not the ones she can buy at the market that come precut, so for the entire afternoon the apartment smells like a mixture of cinnamon and sugar, the oven constantly being opened and closed as new batches in different shapes are made. Anna is freakishly good at baking. Like, far better than Killian, and she and Elsa are able to make intricate shapes and designs all the while she has this green glob of a Christmas tree. Killian tells her that he’s sure it’ll taste good, but that’s most likely because she didn’t actually bake them.

Christmas has basically exploded in their apartment, but she doesn’t mind at all. She enjoys it and enjoys all of the happiness of it. She’s got three days off of work, and she’s going to savor in it.

“This is delicious, love,” Killian mumbles as he takes a bite of a snowman that she did, the crumbs of it getting stuck in his beard.

“Are you going to make a point to only eat my ugly cookies?”

He winks. “Exactly.”

But, of course, since she wants to savor this time, it flies by quickly, Christmas Eve arriving in the blink of an eye. She’s excited for today, though. They’re having her friends over for lunch and presents, and after today, she doesn’t have to hide the fact that she’s got a very pretty ring hidden away and a man who wants to marry her.

Which is still just insane.

A good kind, though.

“G’morning,” Killian mumbles as he shifts in bed, sleepily grabbing her hand and pressing a kiss to each knuckle, lingering a little longer on her fourth finger before moving down to her wrist. He’s so romantic in all of these small ways, and it honestly kind of makes her heart giddy. It’s weird.

“Morning.”

“It’s cold in here.” “Says the human heater.”

“That sound rather odd when you say it like that, Swan. It’s like I’m burning humans.”

“Ew, stop,” she groans, falling back onto the mattress and putting space between them, pulling the comforter up over her shoulders and burrowing herself in. “You know what I meant. You didn’t have to get all creepy about it.”

“I saw my shot, and I took it.”

She rolls her eyes at him, and she sees his lips shift up into a smile while half of his face is pressed into the pillow, squishing his cheek and causing his eyes to crinkle. His hair is all over the place, the strands going in several directions, and she’s tempted to bury her hands in it to fix it. But she also kind of likes it when he’s disheveled.

“So are you ready for our families to start hounding us on wedding dates and details and wondering what kind of dress I’m going to wear?”

He chuckles, something deep and husky, and she knows that he’s going to lean forward to kiss her nose before he does it. And she knows that his hand is going to find a spot on her waist too, nails tracing nonsense patterns.

“I’m thinking after I film Life After and in a courthouse. We’ll both wear jeans and those ugly Christmas sweaters.” “I’m not wearing a Christmas sweater when I marry you.”

“Why not? It’d be very fitting.”

“This is true, but I do kind of want a nice dress. Not necessarily a gown. I might feel ridiculous in one of those. I don’t know. I kind of like this courthouse idea, though. Or maybe on the beach at your house in LA. Is that too cheesy?”

“All weddings are kind of cheesy.” “True. It’s not like we’re getting married in our swimsuits or anything.” “It’d make for easier access.”

“Shut up,” she laughs, reaching over to hit his shoulder, which only makes his face crinkle up more as he smiles. “I’m going to miss you when you’re living in Toronto this spring.”

It’s the first time she’s said those words. She hasn’t wanted to, not wanting to make him feel guilty about having to leave for filming when he should never have to feel guilty. But it felt right to tell him that now, especially as they make all of these hypothetical plans for their very real future.

“And I you, love,” he promises, and her heart pangs for a moment. “But I’ll fly home when I can. You’ll come to visit. We’ll get back to facetiming like we used to. That’s not something we have to worry about now, though. We’ve got a holiday to celebrate.”

And they do. She and Killian both hurry and get ready, going through their morning routines while they can hear all of the chatter and life going on outside, all of Killian’s family very obviously already awake. She thought the time difference would have them sleeping in, but she guesses that Elsa and Liam have a baby who most likely does not know what sleeping in is. So before she can even bother to have her coffee, she’s bombarded with “good mornings” and conversation from four different people, all of the talking about how excited they are for today and if there’s anything they can do to help before her friends come over. She knows that even if she said no, they’d help anyways.

They’re good people, and she loves them. She’s going to be a bit sad when they go home. But that’s not something that she thinks about as Kris and Killian start cooking the chicken while Liam and Elsa set up the table. Anna helps her wrap a few last minute presents, and by the time the Nolans and Ruby show up at one, absolutely everything is set up for them to celebrate Christmas. It’s most definitely the biggest celebration she’s ever been a part of, even if it’s not quite Christmas yet. Her life is so damn full that she’s getting a little emotional over having Mary Margaret be chatting with Liam about gardening.

It doesn’t get any better when they finish eating, her stomach hurting from laughter, and they all move to the living room, most of the presents under the tree dispersed to everyone.

Most everyone in this room is an adult with the exception of Leo, Aiden, and Brody, so she knows that tearing through gifts isn’t something that’s really going to happen. They’re going to go slowly, take their time, possibly even try to salvage the wrapping paper (Who does that? You would have to be entirely sure that you’re going to be wrapping something the exact same size or something smaller for it to even work, but whatever. Recycling is good.) and keep it for a later day, maybe even tomorrow. She’d fully expect Ruby to be doing some last minute gift wrapping for her grandmother. Or possibly even Dorothy even though she’s in Kansas. Hell, she wouldn’t be surprised if Ruby took the paper her gifts are in and wrapped a present that she’s going to get when she finally gets to her small pile of goods from her friends since they’ll all be off spending time with their other loved ones tomorrow.

She was a kid who used to spend Christmas wondering why Santa didn’t come to visit her and who had holidays pretty tainted for her. Now she has more family than she knows what to do with.

She’s good with that.

She’s great with that.

She’s also great with waiting for Ruby to get to the small box that’s sitting next to her on the floor. Killian had quirked his brow when she told him she knew just the way for them to tell all of their friends that they’re engaged. If anyone’d asked her five years ago if she’d ever be this excited to make a commitment to another person and then want to make a bit of a show about telling other people she was doing that, she’d have laughed in their face. That’s not her. And maybe it’s still not. She likes for things to be private, for her personal life to be personal, especially with learning to deal with Killian’s job and the complications that come with that, but some things she does like to share.

Why would she not?

There’s a lump in her throat that she has to swallow, a happy sob threatening to escape her and ruin all of her plans. She’s decidedly sentimental lately. She’s been sentimental for awhile now. It’s different, but being different, changing isn’t always a bad thing. Some changes are bad, are painful. They pull you back instead of propelling you forward. Others, well, others are good.

Changing in a good way is called growing.

Growing is a damn good thing.

Growing means that she doesn’t always have to have a tough exterior, that she doesn’t always have to be act like she’s okay. Growing means allowing herself to be vulnerable even when it hurts. Especially when it hurts.

Growing means knowing that instead of stopping at an obstacle, that she can climb over it.

Growing means that she can allow another set of hands to help her climb.

So she’s decidedly sentimental, and definitely a little bit cheesy, but she’s happy. And she’s not going to bemoan something that makes her happy.

“You’ve got a bit of a starry-eyed look there, love,” Killian whispers in her ear, nipping at the lobe and making her squirm a bit. Cheeky bastard. “Is there something on your mind?”

“Nah,” she sighs, walking her fingers up from his knee to his thigh, comfortably placing her hand there while she feels Killian tapping against her shoulder, a habit he’s taken up lately. She doesn’t think he even knows that he’s doing it. “I’m just…happy. It still surprises me sometimes.”

“Aye, me too.”

She twists her head and smiles at him, looking up into the blue of his eyes before she presses up and kisses the corner of his lips, waiting for him to meet her halfway.

He does.

He always does.

(Except when it comes to leaving shoes lying around or dishes unwashed, but that’s not the end of the world even when it feels like it.)

“Are you sure this little plan of yours is going to work?”

She nods her head, quickly kissing him again before pulling back and looking over to Ruby who is holding up a pair of earrings that Mary Margaret and David must have bought her.

“Yeah, I’m sure. Just wait. She’s going to figure it out.”

She squeezes his thigh for reassurance before she rests her head on his shoulder. She can feel Elsa’s eyes looking at her, the icy blue stare a familiar one even if it’s not from Elsa herself, but she doesn’t say anything. Elsa likely already knows. Not because of anything she’s done but because she knows that Killian told Liam he was planning to propose. And if she knows anything about Elsa, it’s that they’re kindred spirits in knowing when a Jones brother is holding something back.

Except she kind of failed at for the past few months.

She can’t always be batting a thousand.

Or homeruns.

Grand slams maybe.

What the hell? They all work. She knows her baseball terminology.

And there’s absolutely no way that she’s letting someone else break the news when she thinks that her idea for announcing it is absolutely brilliant.

She’s not an assistant public relations manager for nothing. She knows how to get people talking.

Finally, after what feels like ages, Ruby starts opening the small package they’ve given her. She feels Killian’s breath catch, the air stopping for the slightest moment, and she swears that her heart ticks up a few too many beats than should be humanly possible.

“Ems,” Ruby laughs, twisting to turn to look at her with a vibrant smile on her face, her lips practically reaching her eyes, “why in the world did you give me a photograph of you and Killian in these ugly sweaters? Did anyone else get these?”

“I didn’t.”

“No.”

“Nope.”

“I don’t know. Maybe we haven’t gotten to them yet.”

“Because,” Killian starts for her, his fingers pressing into her bicep with a little bit more force. She can feel the vibration with every word she speaks. Or maybe that’s an earthquake. It’s definitely not an earthquake. That’s how it feels right now though. If she were to look under the sleeves of her sweater, she knows her arms would be covered in gooseflesh. “Those are the awful sweaters Emma and I wore in those videos from last year, and one of your gifts is a way to thank you for helping us meet.”

“Even though I still think that it’s fundamentally unfair for you to have made me adhere to a bet made while drunk. That would have gotten any contract dismissed in court.”

“Are you really complaining right now? And using legalities? I feel like you should be eternally grateful for me. After all, I’m the reason you get to have se – the reason you get to do the horizontal tango so often. Plus, you know, have constant companion who loves you or whatever.”

“Open the damn present, Ruby.”

“Language,” Mary Margaret and Anna yell at the same time.

Ruby waves them all away before she’s digging into the box and pulling out a small ornament in the shape of a boat.

“What in the world is this? Why are you giving me a boat ornament? I don’t own a boat. I’m a freaking therapist. I can’t afford that. And why does it say ‘The Love Boat’ on it? That doesn’t even make any sense and – oh my God.”

She doesn’t even have time to prepare herself before Ruby is up off the ground, squealing so loudly that her eardrums might burst, and then tackling her into the couch, taking Killian down with her. Everyone is staring at them. She can’t see, but she knows, can hear the confusion, can hear Leo wanting to know what Aunt Ruby is doing to Aunt Emma. But right now she’s so goddamn happy that it’s out there, that someone knows, and that her best friend is excited.

“Are you for real?” Ruby asks when she pulls back, looking into her eyes before she glances over to Killian, cupping his cheeks and squishing them together. “Is she for real? You guys are engaged?”

“She’s for real.”

“Engaged?” Mary Margaret shrieks, the pitch rivaling Ruby’s.

Or maybe that was Anna’s shriek mixing in. Elsa’s too. Maybe it was Aiden or Leo joining in.

It definitely wasn’t David, Liam, or Kris, but they all let out some kind of noise too, the room suddenly roaring with conversation so loud that she can barely think. But it’s the good kind of roar and the good kind of deafness.

It might not be the good kind of having some sort of internal organ squished by Ruby, but she thinks whatever it is will be okay.

It takes a long time for everyone to calm down, for the squealing and smothering to stop so that she can explain to everyone that Ruby sent her a text the night after she and Killian met saying she wanted a boat named “The Love Boat” if she and Killian ever got married. Technically they’re not married yet, but it works. Everyone laughs at the story, especially when both Mary Margaret and Anna are reduced to blubbering messes, their emotions becoming a little too much. All of it is absolutely insane, but it only gets worse when she finally gets to put the ring back on her finger, right where it belongs.

She’s okay with this kind of hysteria, though. It’s part of that whole growth thing. And absolutely nothing is going to make this day any less wonderful or special or so goddamn festive that she can’t stomach it.

She’d bet on it.

Her bets seem to have pretty good end results.

#betting on the bullseye #cs fic #cs ff #captain swan fic

[rosesgonerogue]

Let the Sunshine In Chapter 5

A/N: Sorry for the wait everyone, my professors have decided we’re capable of doing twice the amount of work than we usually do. I hope everyone’s doing well, and I hope you enjoy the latest chapter! 

AO3

******************************

When Alya opened the door, she was alarmed to hear a gross sobbing from the guest bedroom. Dropping her bags, she rushed back. “Marinette, you okay girl?” 

Marinette emerged, hands shaking, holding a packet of papers. “Alya, it’s terrible,” she sobbed, flinging her arms around her best friend.” 

“Are you okay? What happened, are you hurt?” Alya asked, pulling back to check her friend over. 

“I’m fine, I’m fine. This is what’s wrong,” she said, violently shaking the packet of papers. “It was mailed to my MDC mailbox with no return address and enough money to pay for five normal commissions.” 

“That’s… definitely strange,” Alya said slowly.

“That means I can’t deny the request!” Marinette wailed. “Just look at it!” 

Alya carefully took the paper Marinette thrust at her. On it was a crudely sketched design with broken French describing certain specifications. “...Wow.” 

“It’s hideous,” Marinette moaned. “And it’s supposed to be bulletproof! I’ve never worked with bulletproof material before, I don’t even know if my sewing machine can handle bulletproof material.” 

“How is he supposed to get his order if there’s no return address?” Alya asked. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from the design. Was that supposed to be a helmet? It looked like a pill capsule, and the suit… It was enough to put most akuma to shame. 

“I’m supposed to ‘stuff them behind the second trash can on the west side of the Louvre,’” Marinette read from another paper. “Who would even think of that? And I can’t just stuff the refusal there, what if someone saw and stole the money? At least no one would actually want that abomination. And I can’t deny a commission just because it’s hideous and weird, it’s unethical.” 

Alya definitely felt for Marinette, but this was somehow… refreshing. She felt like she hadn’t seen this marinette for a few years. The frantic overreactions were something she hadn’t seen since high school, and it was strangely nostalgic. 

“Well, I guess that answers my question of why you would need this much kevlar,” Alya said with a smile. She deliberated a few moments - this was usually when she took her leave, and she did have plans with Nino that night, but…

“If I make it a little slimmer here, he might not notice, and it would be less likely to make children cry…” Marinette murmured, sketching out her own version of the commission. 

That cemented her resolve. Alya sent Nino a quick text, cancelling their plans for that night - they could go to the movies any night. 

“Hey girl, mind if I hang around tonight? Nino and I had to rain check our plans tonight, and it’s been too long since we’ve hung out together.” 

Marinette finally looked up from her sketching. Blinking a few times, she said, “Oh, yeah! That sounds like fun! I should probably take a break anyway.” 

If she hadn’t been sure before, now Alya knew she had at least some piece of her best friend back. There was a light in Marinette’s eyes that had been missing for a while. A thought popped into her head and Alya bit her lip, unsure if she should press her luck. Shaking her head, she decided to go for it. 

“By the way, Marinette, I was thinking about getting everyone together on Friday for a movie night or something. Are you in?” 

“That sounds great, just text me the details!” Marinette said brightly, heading to the kitchen. “Does quiche sound good to you? It’s what I was planning to make, but I can always do something else.” 

“Quiche sounds great!” Alya said, distracted by her furious texting.

Alya: Everyone clear your schedules, we’re getting together on Friday. It’s mandatory. 

Rose: I’m free! What are we doing?

Alix: I have plans already.

Alya: CANCELLED

Adrien: I also have a photoshoot, and I have no idea how long it will take.

Alya: I will personally make sure it ends on time if I have to. Marinette agreed to get out and do something with us.

Kim: NO

Max: What?!

Alix: WHY DIDN’T YOU LEAD WITH THAT?!

Luka: Jagged can find a different guitarist for a night. Actually, Jagged might try to come himself. 

Nino: I don’t know how you did it babe, but cancel as many dates as you need to. 

Mylene: Ivan and I can come home for a weekend. 

Alya was pulled away from the group chat by Marinette saying something. “What was that, girl? I didn’t hear you.” 

“I was asking what you wanted in the quiche,” she repeated, poking her head out of the kitchen.

“Oh, whatever sounds good to you. You’ve never made anything I didn’t like.” 

She hadn’t known how much she missed it, but lightheartedly laughing with Marinette made Alya feel like she had come home again.

“So tell me girl, did something good happen to you?” Alya finally asked. 

Marinette paused. “What do you mean?” 

“Be real with me, Marinette. You haven’t been yourself for a while. We didn’t want to pry, especially since Hawkmoth is kind of wearing everyone down. Did something good happen?” 

“Oh, I hadn’t realized I’d been acting so differently.” 

“Are you serious, Marinette? You skipped out on everything you possibly could, have just to stay at home and work on commissions. We didn’t want to push the issue, so we gave you space. It just ended up lasting a few years,” Alya said, patting her hand. “You don’t have to tell me what happened, then or now, I was just curious.” 

“I… I met someone,” she said hesitantly. “I know what you’re thinking, and it’s not like that. There wasn’t a chance for it to be like that.” 

“Then what was it?” 

“He was lost, in more ways than one.” Marinette had a faraway look in her eyes, and an slight smile graced her lips. “I felt like I knew him, even though that’s impossible. Even though he was only here for a couple days, it somehow reminded me that I’m alive, and that it should be a wonderful thing.” 

Alya couldn’t hold herself back from embracing her best friend, her arms nearly a vice. After a few moments, she couldn’t help but giggle to herself. “Well, you rediscovered your enthusiasm for life just in time to make the most hideous outfit in history. Are you sure he wasn’t one of the Greek muses?”

“Not if he sent me this!”  

A few miles away, Jason sneezed. It was getting colder outside, but he refused to go stay in Bruce’s safehouse. It was probably petty, but Jason refused to act like he was Bruce’s child anymore, not with the way things had ended. So he was in and out like a thief in the night, stealing what he needed and leaving the connection to Bruce behind.

Jason wasn’t sure what to do. Uncertainty and anger churned in his stomach, and little else. He found himself lurking on the fringes of society. Whether it was to save the civilians or himself, he had no idea. The anger he felt, it scared him. When he’d woken up, he’d been its slave, a mindless vessel for rage. Now he was fully conscious, but he felt unstable, like it might overwhelm him at any moment.

Collapsing in a dirty alleyway, Jason curled in on himself. He was scared. How was he alive? Why was he alive? Could he even say he was still Jason Todd? He felt inhuman, and distanced from himself. 

It had only been a few days, but Marinette felt like a passing dream that had never been his in the first place. Anger, only anger burned within him. So far he’d done his best to direct that anger, but he didn’t know how long that would hold out.

Taglist: 

@cravethosecrazysquares @krispydefendorpolice @thesunanditsangel @sonif50 @kris-pines04 @persephonebutkore @tbehartoo @corabeth11 @caffeinetheory @drarryismylife101 @bluerosette23 @weird-pale-blonde-person @mystery-5-5 @heaven428 @thethirdwheelfriend @thetinymoonflower @interobanginyourmom @chocolate1721 @akana-sama @skyel0ve @katiegardneriscoolerthanyou @theatreandcomicfreak @jardimazul @karategirl119 @thewondersoflebanon @tbehartoo @shizukiryuu @northernbluetongue @moonlightstar64 @naoryllis @throneoffirebreathingbitchqueen @saphiraazure2708 @yokizu @jeminiikrystal @chocolatecatstheron @you-will-never-know-how-i-think @zalladane @slytherinsheashire @bran-thecreeper-stark @otaku4312 @emotionalsupportginger @dorkus-minimus @18-fandoms-unite-08 @tired-butterfly @bamagirl513 @pauliestorylover @alenee13 @ladybug-182 @senpaiweird @kalligraphic @jessigurl-design @emeraldpuffguide @veunnotvuen @storyteller-d @g-arya @unabashedlyswimmingtimemachine @procrastinatingrightnow @sturchling @dast218 @trashystar420 @indecisive-mess-named-me @awesome-starfish-and-tacos @kittycatwowmeow  @zebrabaker @mycupisbroken @jeminiikrystal @miraculous-simmer7 @iloontjeboontje @thepeacetea @lulutheawkwardess @fusser90

#jasonette #maribat #let the sunshine in #LtSI

[debbiechanclub]

Best Two Out of Three, Part 9

Okay. So, listen. I’m obsessed with the Hangman/FTR dynamic going on right now. And I told this to @what-does-mine-say and I previously talked myself out of adding said dynamic to this fic. But, listen. I can’t talk myself out of it anymore. And that’s all I’m gonna say.

But I think you’ll like it? *runs away*

Best Two Out of Three

Part: 9/26

Pairing: Kenny Omega x OFC x Cash Wheeler and Adam Page x OFC

Warnings: Angst

Word Count: 3.4k

Catch up on previous parts here.

Alex went down early to her usual ringside spot for the AEW Dark taping the next day. She wanted to be alone and, at the moment, that was about the only place she could go to get some peace and quiet.

Kenny had known she was upset from the moment she’d walked back through the door last night. He’d tried his best to get her to talk about it, but she hadn’t wanted to. What could she have possibly said? “Your tag team partner doesn’t approve of us because he assumes you’re just going to hurt me again”? That would have gone over like a lead balloon. So instead, she’d let Kenny take her mind off of it. It had worked—until it was time to go to sleep. Worry and anxiety had haunted her brain all night, keeping her from rest. By her best guess, she’d gotten five hours, tops.

Chief amongst those worries and anxieties was Adam. Alex didn’t understand why he seemed to be so against her and Kenny. She understood that he’d experienced her unhappiness from a front row seat the last time around; she appreciated that he didn’t want her to go through that again. But Kenny was his friend, too. Didn’t he want to at least give him a second chance to prove himself? She did. Why wasn’t that good enough for Adam?

But her confusion over Adam’s attitude was far from the only thing that had kept her awake; Chuck and his alleged feelings were a close second. Like she’d told Kenny when she’d broken down to him after the match yesterday, Alex had never taken Chuck’s drunken profession of love too seriously. She just didn’t think of him in that way. He was Chuck. He was literally her best friend in the entire world; him and the other two morons. But, admittedly, the moron who’d yelled at her in the locker room yesterday had hit the nail on the head. She had flirted with Chuck because she’d known he’d give her the attention Kenny wouldn’t—and she hadn’t stopped to consider how that might have made Chuck feel. And that made Alex feel like the shittiest person on planet Earth.

She heard the shuffle of feet on the entrance ramp and looked up. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat when she saw who it was. Trent.

He came to a stop a few feet away. “Hey. I hope you don’t mind; Kris said I could find you here.”

She looked up at him, a curious expression on her face. His hands were behind his back; it was obvious he was holding something. “What do you have?” she cautiously asked.

“A peace offering,” he said, and he pulled his hands from behind his back to reveal a bag of candy. The biggest bag of Sour Patch Kids that Alex had ever seen, to be specific. “I figured it’s like the commercial,” he explained. “I was sour yesterday, and now I’m sweet. Plus I know they’re your favorite, so…”

He awkwardly trailed off. Alex had to actively bite back a grin. “Well, jury’s still out on you being sweet, but thank you. Really.” She accepted the candy as he sat down next to her. “This is the second peace offering I’ve gotten in less than twenty-four hours,” she mused.

He sent her a curious look. “Really?”

She nodded. “Yeah. Adam bought me a drink last night. He apologized about the match. Said he let his emotions get the best of him.”

Trent pursed his lips. But if he had something smart to say about Adam, he kept it to himself. Instead, he looked sheepishly down at the floor. “I’m sorry about what I said yesterday. I was upset and trying to stick up for Chuck… but I crossed a line.”

Alex frowned. She didn’t want to drag this out any longer than it needed to be. “I know,” she said. “You did cross a line… but I forgive you. I know it was said in the heat of the moment. Besides… you weren’t exactly wrong about me flirting with Chuck.”

Trent’s expression mirrored hers. “You should talk to him,” he said. “I don’t think he slept last night.”

She ran a tired hand through her hair. “I didn’t, either. God, this whole thing is such a mess. I was already under enough stress with Adam and Callie without throwing my personal life into the mix too.”

“Not to mention we’re fighting Adam and Kenny for the tag titles,” Trent added. She sent him a look.

“Trust me, I haven’t forgotten.”

He gave a wry laugh, but it faded fast as his expression grew somber again. “Can I say something without you getting upset?”

Alex blinked. “If you need to preface it like that, it means it’s probably gonna upset me, Trent.”

“I know, but just hear me out, alright?”

Something about the earnest look on his face gave her pause. “Okay,” she agreed.

Trent nodded. He looked out at the empty ring as he spoke. “I’ve known Kenny a long time. Longer than you or Adam have. And I can say without a shadow of a doubt that he’s a commitment-phobe. And it’s not that he’s a player or anything like that… he’s just married to his work. Wrestling has always been and probably always will be his number one priority, and so even when he actually tries to have a relationship, it inevitably falls apart because he always ends up neglecting it in favor of work. I mean, correct me if I’m wrong… but isn’t that why you two didn’t work out last time?”

Alex frowned again. No, he wasn’t wrong; that was exactly why she and Kenny hadn’t worked out last time. He’d made work the priority and, as a result, she’d constantly felt like an afterthought. But she’d chalked it up to the fact that he was an EVP and AEW had only just gotten off the ground at the time; they hadn’t even started the TV show yet. But if Trent was telling her that Kenny had always been that way… it would be a lie to say it didn’t worry her.

“I’m not trying to convince you that Kenny’s a bad guy. He’s not,” Trent added, as if he was worried that was what she thought he was trying to do. “I just think you deserve better than what he can probably give you.”

Trent looked back down at the floor, his piece said, and Alex did the same. But then she put the bag of candy down and pulled him into a tight hug. “It means a lot that you think that,” she said. “But you know only I can decide what’s best for me, Trent.”

“I know,” he said as he squeezed her back. “But I want the best for you, too.”

They hugged a few seconds longer before Alex pulled back. “Truce?” she asked.

He smirked. “Truce. I really don’t like fighting with you. You’re vicious.”

Her mouth dropped in mock-offense. “What?”

“Come on,” he flatly returned. “You didn’t need to throw out that comment about me trying it with you.”

“Well, you did,” she returned. “At New Year’s. Remember?”

“Yeah, I know what you were referring to,” he said with a roll of his eyes. “You looked hot that night, sue me.”

She smirked. “Aw, thanks, Trenty.”

“Shut up,” he muttered; but he was smirking, too. “Now are you gonna share those, or what?” He nodded at the Sour Patch Kids. “It’s a two-pound bag.”

Alex genially rolled her eyes as she picked up the bag and ripped it open. “You’re lucky I’m feeling generous,” she said as she offered it to him, happy to have resolved at least one of her anxieties.

* * * * * * * * * *

Meanwhile in catering, Callie sat at a table with Britt and Allie; and, unsurprisingly, it didn’t take long for conversation to turn to Alex.

“You should ask for a rematch ASAP,” Britt said. “Ask Cody—he’ll be impartial.”

“Ban everyone from ringside, too,” Allie added. “Even Adam, if I were you.”

“Trust me, I want everyone banned,” Callie assured. “I want no DQ, too.”

Britt rolled her eyes. “I can’t believe you got disqualified like that. Terrible refereeing. And then the way Kenny took Alex’s side over yours?” She scoffed. “Rude.”

Callie glanced between them. She’d been sitting on a juicy piece of gossip all day, and now seemed like the perfect time to unleash it. “You know she slept in his room last night?”

“What?” Britt let out a scandalized gasp. “No. Really?”

Callie nodded. “Adam met Alex at the hotel bar last night because he wanted to make amends,” she explained with a roll of her eyes. “When he came back up to our room, he told me she’d said she was staying with Kenny.”

Allie arched a conspiratorial brow. “That’s interesting. Because I just saw Alex looking pretty cozy with Trent down at ringside.”

If possible, Britt’s eyes went even bigger. “And she was all over Cash at my party last week?” She shook her head. “I mean, good for her, I guess. I hope she’s using protection.”

Callie rolled her eyes. Adam had also told her that Alex was only staying in Kenny’s room because she’d gotten in a huge fight with Trent after their match. Knowing that, maybe Allie hadn’t seen what she’d thought she had. But Callie kept that information to herself. She’d let Allie and Britt believe whatever they wanted to about Alex.

“Hey, baby.” Adam suddenly joined them at the table. “Can I talk you?” He glanced at Britt and Allie. “Alone?”

Britt pursed her lips. “Fine.”

Callie smirked at the dramatic expression on Britt’s face as she and Allie got up to leave. Once they were gone, she turned and smiled at Adam. “What’s up? Where’ve you been?” she asked as she placed a hand on his thigh. “I looked for you in the dressing room before I came here, but you weren’t there.”

“Yeah, I was talking to FTR,” he explained. “And while we were talking I got an idea, and I wanted to run it by you.”

She arched a curious brow. “Okay…” she started; but Adam went on before she could even ask.

“So you know I’ve known them for a while, right? Well, we started talking about how we need to get together and catch up now that they’re in AEW. And I thought, fuck it, it’s been a while since we threw a party, and they said they’d be willing to come up. So, long story short, we’re having a cookout on Saturday and Cash and Dax are coming.”

He finally stopped to take a breath. Callie couldn’t help the grin that broke out over her face. He was obviously very excited about this cookout. “Okay. I think that sounds fun; it’ll be good for you all to catch up.”

“Yeah, and I want to invite Alex, too.”

Callie’s face fell. “What?”

“Just hear me out,” he asked. When she didn’t protest, he went on. “I know you haven’t had much reason to like her. But Alex’s friendship is important to me, Cal. Not as important as us, obviously; but important, nonetheless. And I would really, really appreciate it if you two could at least try to get along.”

He stared at her with those blue puppy dog eyes of his, and Callie worried at her lip. Did she like the idea of Alex getting drunk at their house this weekend? No; absolutely not. But there was no possible way she could deny Adam when he looked at her like that. “Fine,” she relented. “I’ll try. But it’s a two-way street, Adam.”

He held up his hands. “I know, I know. I’ll say the same to her,” he said. But then Callie had a thought.

“What about Kenny? Are you inviting him too since he and Alex are… whatever they are?”

Adam hesitated. And then he said, “I don’t think Kenny can this weekend. He’s filming a commercial, or something.”

Callie nodded, quietly relieved to hear it. She didn’t think she could handle Alex and Kenny both being at their house. “Okay. Well, I hope you know I’m only going along with this because I love you.”

He grinned at her. “I know. I love you too,” he said, and he pulled her into a kiss. When they broke apart, he jumped up from the table. “Alright, I’m gonna go find Alex.”

Callie rolled her eyes as he hurried out of catering. She really hoped she wouldn’t regret agreeing to this.

* * * * * * * * * *

“What?”

Alex gaped up at Adam, the two-pound bag of Sour Patch Kids cradled in her arm. He’d intercepted her on the way to back to the locker room after she’d finished talking with Trent—and he’d asked her something ridiculous.

“That’s the exact same reaction Callie had,” Adam said. “See, you two already have more in common than you think.”

She pursed her lips at his smirk. It wasn’t funny. “So, just to reiterate,” she started. “You want me to come to a cookout at your house where Callie also lives, and where FTR will also be?”

He nodded. “That’s what I said, yeah.”

She gave him a blank look. “Adam, I love you. You’re one of my dearest friends. But on the scale of terrible ideas, that ranks somewhere between recipe for disaster and dumpster fire.”

“What?” He looked to the ceiling in frustration. “Alex, come on. You just said last night that you missed the way things used to be between us. Well, this is me trying to fix that.”

Alex fidgeted anxiously under his gaze and looked off into the distance. Truth be told, she appreciated what he was trying to do. But the prospect of hanging out with Callie wasn’t the only reason she was hesitant to accept the invitation. “I don’t know. I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to hang out with Cash like that.”

Adam gave her a look like she’d grown a second head. “What? Why?”

“Because,” she breathed. “I was all over him at the party last week, and now that Kenny and I are together it just doesn’t seem like a good idea.”

His brow furrowed with confusion when she said that. “Wait. You’re together-together? Last night you said you were taking things slow, whatever the hell that means.”              

She rolled her eyes. “We are taking things slow,” she insisted. “And I didn’t mean together-together I just meant… you know what I meant.”

“Actually, no. I don’t,” he returned. “And besides, if Kenny has an issue with you hanging out with a guy you drunkenly flirted with once before you’ve even figured out what you two are… then you probably shouldn’t be with him, anyway.”

Alex glared up at him. If that was the argument he was going to make, she didn’t want to hear it. “Well, speaking of your tag team partner, I was on my way to find him before you stopped me.”

She pushed past him. He called after her as she walked away. “Would you at least think about it?”

She rolled her eyes. “Fine!” she said just to get him to shut up, and she marched down the hall without a second glance. She wanted to drop the candy off with her things and then go talk to Kenny. She hadn’t seen him since they’d gotten to the arena… and after what Trent had said, she could use some reassurance. But as she rounded the corner to the area where the locker rooms were located, she slowed to a stop. Kenny was standing in the hallway talking to Hikaru Shida in Japanese. Hikaru let out a cutesy laugh and touched his arm. Alex froze—but before she could think too much of it, Hikaru spotted her and gave an excited wave.

“Oh—hi, Alex!”

She gave her a genuine smile as Kenny turned to look at her. Their eyes met, but only briefly. “Hi, Hikaru,” she greeted.

“I like your outfit!” she complimented. “It’s very… stylish!” She smiled again, proud of herself for thinking of the right word. That time, Alex couldn’t help but return her grin.

“Oh, thanks,” she said as she looked down at her oversized crop tee and cutoff shorts. “It’s pretty comfy, too.” She paused and looked between them. “I’m not interrupting, am I?”  

“Oh, no,” Kenny shook his head. “We were just talking about some things coming down the pipe, but I think we’re good, right?”

He looked back at Hikaru. She nodded. “Oh, yeah! Do you need to talk?”

Alex’s brow furrowed. “If you don’t mind.”

She shook her head. “No problem!” She looked back at Kenny and said something else in Japanese, and then she waved goodbye and walked off down the hall.

“Her English has gotten a lot better,” Alex commented.

“Yeah, she’s been working really hard at it,” Kenny said as he looked after her. Alex felt an unexpected twinge of jealousy in her gut—but then he turned to face her. “What’s up?” He smiled quizzically at the bag of Sour Patch Kids. “Where’d you get that?”

“Trent,” she answered. “It was a peace offering.”

His eyebrows arched in surprise. “So you talked him?”

She nodded. “He came to talk to me, actually. He apologized for what he said.” She looked down at her Chucks. “I guess you didn’t talk to him?”

Kenny’s face fell. “No. I’m sorry, baby. I’ve been nonstop busy since we got here.” He reached out and gently gripped her arm. She looked back up. “But it looks like I don’t need to. I’m glad you two worked it out.”

She nodded again and flashed a stiff smile. “Yeah. I guess Chuck is next.”

“I’m sure that conversation won’t be as difficult as you think,” Kenny encouraged. “He’s your best friend. He’ll understand.”

Alex frowned. She hoped he was right. But just as she was about to say so, Kenny checked his watch. “I hate to cut this short, but I have a meeting with Cody in ten minutes.”

She blinked. “Oh. Okay.”

“I know, I’m sorry. Today’s just been insane.” He took her by the arms and looked her in the eyes. “I’ll make it up to you tonight, alright?”

Her brow furrowed. “Aren’t you filming stuff for BTE tonight?”

“Yeah, but that shouldn’t take that long.” He kissed her on the forehead; Alex couldn’t help but feel like he’d done it just to keep her from arguing. “Go talk to Chuck; you’ll feel better afterward, I’m sure,” he said, and with a with a final apologetic look he turned and walked off down the hall, leaving Alex standing there with an overwhelming sense of déjà vu.

* * * * * * * * * *

Later that night, Alex packed up her things alongside Trent, Chuck, and James in the Best Friends locker room. Despite Kenny’s suggestion, she still hadn’t talked to Chuck—after their interaction, she just hadn’t been up for having that conversation. But bless his little heart, Chuck had acted like there wasn’t anything wrong at all throughout the entire Dark taping. It had cheered Alex up. Watching wrestling with him and Trent at ringside like they did every week had been just what she’d needed.

“Are you guys ready?” Trent asked as he zipped up his bag.

“Yeah,” Chuck said as James nodded. But Alex suddenly realized she was missing something.

“What’re you looking for?” Chuck asked as she rifled through her things.

“My phone,” she returned—but then she stopped in realization. “I think I left it under the seat at ringside.” She stood and moved toward the door. “I’ll meet you guys at the car,” she said, and she pushed her way out of the locker room without waiting for a response.

She hurried back through the halls, hoping she was right about where she’d left her phone—and that no one had picked it up. She was in such a rush that she cut around a corner hard and suddenly and unexpectedly collided with someone.

“Whoa!” The other person grabbed her by the arms to steady her. It was Cash, she realized. “You alright?” he asked.

Alex’s face flushed. She hadn’t seen Cash since the party last week… the party where she’d spent the entire night suggestively flirting with and practically flashing him. Needless to say, it was a bit embarrassing to literally run into him now, stone-cold sober. “Yeah,” she nodded. “Sorry… I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

“No worries,” he assured. “I’m glad I ran into you, actually.”

She smirked. “Literally?”

He grinned and awkwardly scratched the back of his head. “Yeah. So did Adam mention this weekend to you?”

Alex blinked. She hadn’t been expecting that. “About the cookout? Yeah. It’ll be nice for you guys to catch up.”

“Yeah...” he trailed off as he gave her a curious look. And then he asked, “He invited you too, didn’t he?”

She awkwardly bit her lip. “Yeah, he did. But um… I don’t know if I’m gonna go.”

“Oh,” he said. Alex froze. Was that… disappointment on his face? But if it was, it was gone as soon as it appeared. “Sure, I get it. You and Callie aren’t exactly friends.”

Her eyebrows arched. “No,” she smirked. “We’re not.”

He gave a short laugh. “Well, I’m not gonna try to convince you to go because that’s not my place. But, for what it’s worth… I hope you’ll be there.”

He gave her a crooked grin. Alex felt her stomach do a pleasant flip. It caught her completely off-guard. “Well, I’ll think about,” she suddenly found herself saying. “Adam only lives two hours from me so… it’s not a big deal.”

Cash nodded. “Cool. Well, hopefully I’ll see you Saturday, then.” And with that he backpedaled away from her, not breaking eye contact until he turned to round the corner. And after he’d gone, Alex remained standing there in the hall, flustered and confused by the butterflies in her stomach.

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[bthenoise]

Prom Stories: Here’s 14 Tales Of The Dance Floor From Some Of Your Favorite Bands

With this year’s prom most likely cancelled for all high schoolers across the nation (super sad, we know), we didn’t want to leave you in dark for what can be a pretty memorable night -- both good and bad.

So, in an attempt to help you both experience prom and also realize that missing it might not be the end of the world after all, we’ve collected some pretty interesting stories from some of your favorite bands.  

To check out how members of This Wild Life, Grayscale, Beach Bunny, Broadside and more spent their "My Chemical Slow Dance,” be sure to see below. Afterward, make sure to enjoy our prom-inspired playlist here. 

Kevin Jordan - This Wild Life

I was too nervous to ask a girl to prom so instead I made a huge banner and hung it on the side of the tallest building at our school that said, “Ashley Debry, Prom? - Kevin Jordan.” She was the cheerleader captain and proceeded to break her shoulder and arm tumbling or some shit but she was a good sport and attended in a lace-adorned sling. It went better than my buddy Kris though, his Ford Falcon’s hood flew up on the freeway on the way there and he couldn’t see the road. Had to pull over and [his date] asked to go home.

Lili Trifilio - Beach Bunny

I went to prom like five times because I was obsessed with school dances but nothing beats the time my date ditched me, made me buy him Chipotle, then tried to hang out again later. This guy was different from the rest of my prom dates because I was secretly in love with him. He accepted my invite but then “forgot” to pick me up so my dad had to bring me to the photo portion, which was super embarrassing and a bad start to the night. Then, when the slow song came on at the dance, I was like “Yes, this is my shot!” When he approached me, I assumed he was going to ask me to dance. Instead he told me he was gonna leave with this other girl and left me in complete shock. Luckily, one of my guy friends saw me crying and asked me to dance so that I wouldn’t be a complete mess. Then, this boy has the audacity to text me in the morning asking me to see his new motorcycle?! Keep in mind, we were all in the same friend group and hung out every weekend but after that night I never talked to him again -- at the time, I didn’t know this, but he sure as hell didn’t deserve me and I definitely dodged a bullet.

Nick Ventimiglia - Grayscale 

To be honest, none of us in Grayscale ever went to prom. BUT I did go to a few homecomings. I actually won homecoming prince in 10th grade and then homecoming king my senior year. Here’s the catch: I went to private school and there was only like 36 kids in my graduating class, so what can you do? One time that actually sticks out was when I went to my girlfriend’s (at the time) snow-coming, which is essentially a winter version of homecoming. She actually won queen for her class and they didn’t end up nominating anyone for king of her grade, so by default, I won king of her class. I didn’t even go to her school. I was just on stage, with a sash, standing there smiling and it rocked. Come to find out, they cut me out of the yearbook because I didn’t go to the school, so I have no hard evidence. Here are some songs from 2007 that we most likely danced our asses off to while we were buzzing off trash Burnetts Vodka: T.I. - “You Know What It Is” Soulja Boy - “Crank That” Bird Man, Lil Wayne - “Pop Bottles” Fabolous, T-Pain - “Baby Don’t Go” 50 Cent, Justin Timberlake, Timbaland - “Ayo Technology” Unk, OutKast, Jim Jones - “Walk It Out” Shop Boyz - “Party Like A Rock Star” DJ Khaled, Akon, T.I. - “We Takin’ Over” Kanye West - “Good Life” Playa Circle, Lil Wayne - “Duffle Bag Boy”

Broadside

Ollie Baxxter

My prom coincided with my first real breakup. One week before we were meant to go together my date/girlfriend bailed. I was working two jobs at the time and already rented my tux so I just decided to go with my group of friends as the “solo heartbroken guy at prom.” When I got to the dance, the music was terrible and either my loneliness consumed me or I was just a horny teenager but all my classmates looked beautiful. Eventually my ex showed up with a mutual friend and my friend group tried their best to keep me distracted but eventually we met face to face in a hallway on the way to the bathroom. She went to say something and I think I just tried my best to hold back the shame and tears. I left the prom and spent the rest of the night skating with my friends in a parking lot somewhere. Being young is hard. 

Jeff Nichols

I only went to prom one year when I was in high school. I was a sophomore and my girlfriend at the time was a junior. I wore a tux with an all-white jacket and my date wore an all-white dress to match. I don’t remember too much since it’s been awhile but I remember it was like an “Under the Sea” type theme, which a lot of us thought was lame but we all still felt like we had to go. We danced some but all ended up leaving early to go bowling then hit Waffle House after. I only went to prom once and I don’t really regret missing the other years. During this time of quarantine, it is sad that a lot of kids don’t get the experience their prom due to closures but if you spend a bunch of money renting an outfit then take a bunch of awkward photos and dance to “Cupid Shuffle” or whatever the equivalent would be now, you pretty much got the main experience of prom. 

Dom Reid

My prom night was lackluster, to say the least. I think the new Alice In Wonderland movie had recently come out so that was our “theme” for decorations and what that turned out to be was like a large poster a student had made outside in the hall and then absolutely no decorations inside. I was one of those kids who dated a girl from a different school so it was nice to finally prove she was real. The dance floor was ruled by Lady Gaga and The Black Eyed Peas but someone did manage to get 30 seconds of “Downfall Of Us All” by A Day To Remember played. My date and I left early, grabbed some sushi on the way home. My life truthfully would be the same if I never went to prom. I do feel bad for the kids who don’t at least have the option to go to theirs this year, but I’m sure after a night of recreating TikTok dances in their bedroom, they will be just as fulfilled. 

Pat Diaz

I went to prom my junior and senior years, both with the same girl. From what I can remember (because my memory is horrendous, not because I was on the juice), it wasn’t all that fun. Senior year, I was basically stuck in a relationship (for reasons I won’t discuss) and really didn’t want to be there. The highlight of my night was getting breakfast at Perkins at 3:30am. Society puts so much unnecessary significance on prom for no reason other than “if you wanna be cool and fit in.” Sure, you’ll be bummed it’s not happening but I’m pretty sure you’ll be fine knowing that you’re not missing much. If you really want the “prom experience”, drink an energy drink, put on some music and start dancing in your room until 2am then go get McDonalds or something. Same same.

The Wrecks

Nick Anderson 

I showed up to prom pictures late because I was playing a show with my high school cover band. I wore my white prom tux on stage during the performance because I literally didn't have time to get changed before racing over to where the pictures were being taken. My date was very unhappy but the disappointment did not end there. Because of the rush, I didn't have time to eat dinner. So on the way to prom, I made my prom date pull her 2005 Volkswagen Beetle through the Burger King drive-thru so I could enjoy a Double STACKER KING with extra bacon. She stood outside of prom for 15 minutes while I ate fast food off the hood of her car. We didn't hang out much after prom. 

Aaron Kelley 

Nothing classier than a tuxedo t-shirt, black skinny jeans and a DeLorean. I’m sorry for everyone who missed their prom this year but I promise you there’ll be many more opportunities for you to have a tuxedo t-shirt night. <3 

Jade Castello - Picturesque

It’s been a year or two since I was in high school but I went to a couple different proms throughout my high school years with my previous girlfriend(s). If my memory serves me correctly, the radio hits at the time were artists such as Jason Derulo and Panic! at the Disco. I might not have won prom king but I did close out the night of my senior prom with a dance-off competition by busting out a backflip to “Let’s Go” by Trick Daddy. Everyone jumping up and down chanting my name was something straight out of a movie ha. Prom was a great experience but missing out on that night isn’t the end of the world. Once we’ve all moved on from high school, you’ll realize that one night doesn’t define your “high school experience.” You have much more to offer this world than how sick you were back in high school.

Nick Zawisa - Breakup Shoes

Senior prom… what a trip. The year was 2014: I was wearing a three-piece suit in like 95 degree weather (cuz, you know, Arizona) driving my Hyundai into downtown Phoenix with one of my best friends (still to this day!)… and I’ve gotta say, that’s about all I remember. I had always thought prom would be this extraordinary experience like how it’s romanticized in the movies but it turned out to just be an awkward ballroom packed with sweaty people I don't even like trying to dance in heels or suits to the all-time worst playlist of 2010s pop music. All that to say, my feelings on the night could be summed up into “Prom: an experience to forget.”

Dead Lakes

Cody Hurd

For me, prom was pretty overrated. I was voted prom king, but to be fair, our class only had like 70 people in it voting. I had to awkwardly go on stage and accept my royalty with people I didn't really know because my date was unfortunately not voted prom queen. The rest of the prom I basically spent sitting at a table waiting to just hang out with my friends afterwards. So [if you’re missing prom this year], just spend a night dressing up and FaceTime with your friends. Have some “non-alcoholic” drinks (responsibly of course) and blast some music and dance your hearts out. You won't miss a thing.

Chon Adam

Man, I haven’t thought about prom since basically when it happened. We had our prom at the Space Needle in Seattle with Drake playin’ in the background. Half the people were way too into prom and the other half didn’t care at all. I was definitely in the latter category, so I didn’t have a great time. But most people don’t go to prom to have fun at prom. They go to kick it at parties afterward. Definitely not something that even remotely defined that year for me. So if you’re missing it this year, I promise you you’ll be alright!

House & Home

Joey went to prom and ended up talking to the teachers more than the students. The best part was for sure watching the wrestling coach absolutely lose it to a Vanilla Ice song. Pat went his junior year and decided to sit out his senior year. The best prom related memory from his high school career was when he played the afterparty with his high school band at Dave and Buster’s. Prom was never really anything any of us really looked forward to or made a big deal of much in high school. It’s always fun to look back at the memories, though.

#Prom Stories #This Wild Life #Beach Bunny #Grayscale #Broadside #House & Home #Breakup Shoes #Dead Lakes #Picturesque #The Wrecks #interview

[wardencommanderrodimiss]

I think this is nominally incomplete, but it’s from October and I’m never going to finish it, but I reread it and still enjoy some of the jokes in it so.... I figured other people might get some enjoyment out of it.

Summary: Some defense attorneys, prosecutors, and detectives get together and while drinking make poor conversational choices that vacillate wildly between commiserating over personal trauma and making bad jokes. So, the usual.

-

“You know,” Kay says, frowning in concentration as she attempts to affix a fourth paper umbrella in her hair, “what always bums me out about these big get-togethers is I always start thinking we should play some super-fun drinking games and then I realize that would be terrible, because, like, ‘Never Have I Ever’ always turns into weird sexscepade confessions and that’d be horrible enough if Mr. Edgeworth was just our boss, but he’s like, our dad, so we can’t do that.”

Everyone takes twenty seconds to absorb what she has said. “There are things I don’t want to know about any of you,” Apollo says. “Especially not Mr. Wright.”

“Because he’s our dad,” Athena adds. She is lying on the floor with her chin propped up on her arms. “Also it’d be mean to play drinking games with me here not being able to.” Her glare turns from Phoenix to Simon. “American drinking laws are stupid.”

“You say to a room full of prosecutors and detectives,” Apollo says.

“No no, she’s right,” Klavier says. “I got my badge in Europe and then came back and they would let me stand in court and prosecute a trial but not buy a beer.”

“Franziska complained all the time about that,” Edgeworth says, with a small smile that is almost fond as he contemplates the dregs at the bottom of his wine glass. “In the interest of full disclosure, she complained about everything in America. She still does, actually.”

“I can see why she would,” Athena says. “I liked Germany. I didn’t actually drink a lot there, though.”

“You are smarter than I,” Klavier says. “I lost about a month somewhere in Germany.”

Phoenix coughs and sets down his glass, which is pint-sized but filled with wine. The only condolence for Apollo, and from the expression on his face, Edgeworth as well, is that he isn’t drinking straight from a bottle. “A month?” he repeats incredulously.

Klavier nods. “I had just taken the bar; I had nothing to do but wait for my results. What else was I supposed to do?”

“Not that?” Phoenix asks. He looks somewhere between impressed and horrified, which is strange for Apollo to realize; he can’t usually read his boss’ emotions from his face. “Anything but that?”

Klavier shrugs. “Ja ja, but I never got arrested or woke up anywhere unfamiliar, so I think I did fine.”

“Did you wake up with that horrible accent, though?” Blackquill asks, smirking slightly, and without looking bats Athena’s hand away from his drink.

“Ooh!” Athena says, pushing herself up into a sitting position. “You know, that’s actually happened! There’s been cases where after a traumatic brain injury, a person has recovered to speak with an entirely different accent that they never had before. So you could have--”

“I’m sorry to dampen your excitement, Fraulien, but I have never had any traumatic brain injuries.” Ema mutters something and Klavier, staring at the glass in his hands, says, “Ach, we’ll pretend I didn’t hear that, and I will amend my statement to ‘not that I know’ because Kris could have dropped me down the stairs when we were young and I can never know for sure now, because what I am sure of is that even if the answer is no, if I asked him now, he would say he did.”

“You know, Kay, that this is realistically where ‘Never Have I Ever’ would end up,” Ema says. “The personal trauma shit, like ‘never have I ever had someone close to me turn out to be a murdering bastard.’” She doesn’t meet anyone’s eyes and instead stares at the floor. “Ah shit I can’t even say that. That one’s happened to me too. Fuck it.” She throws her head back and drains a third of her glass.

“Would that be a shot for each murdering bastard, or just one for all of them?” Klavier asks.

“At that point you just start drinking and don’t stop,” Phoenix says without lowering his glass from his lips, apparently taking his own advice.

“Define ‘close’,” Apollo says.

“We’re lawyers,” Sebastian says. “Why don’t we just all argue about the definition and never get anywhere with it?”

“He was your boss,” Klavier says brusquely. “That’s fuckin’ close enough.” The harshness of the words doesn’t match the way Klavier’s weight leans against Apollo’s shoulder or how his hand shakes just slightly, knuckles too white curled around his shot glass.

“Is ‘close’ in this case simply to be understood as figuratively referring to emotional connection,” Blackquill says, “or would a literal meaning as in physical proximity at length apply as well?”

“When you’re splitting hairs like that just join the rest of us in being drunk and depressed,” Ema says.

“Are we actually playing now?” Kay asks. “Because this is like a super fucked up way to play if we are.”

“Let’s not even bother with the ‘never have I ever had someone I loved be murdered’,” Apollo says. He hadn’t wanted to get drunk tonight, and instead just sit back and watch whatever unfolded, but he’s thinking he might want to change those plans.

“Everyone loses on that one,” Kay says, reaching over and gently patting Apollo’s head, which he thinks is a gesture of sympathy as best as she, pink-cheeked with unfocused eyes, can manage. And he thinks he is just tipsy enough that it actually feels like a comfort. “And the grand prize, ‘never have I ever had someone I loved be murdered by someone I was close to’, because that’s like… aw shit that��s me isn’t it.”

“Depending on how you define your proximity to Ms. Yew, or Shih-na, or whatever you should like to call her,” Edgeworth says, and it’s probably not coincidence that he is now finishing off his wine, after Kay has said those words. Everyone knows the story of von Karma.

“Again,” Blackquill says, his chin resting on his hands, his elbows on his knees, “how are we agreeing to define ‘close’ and does it apply retroactively, in that they only came in close literal proximity to you long after they committed the murder of that particular--” This time he is not quick enough to stop Athena from snatching away his glass and draining the contents.

“Gross!” Widget cries, and Athena sets the glass back in front of Blackquill with an expression of profound disgust twisting her features. “What the hell is that, anyway?” she asks.

“You were duly warned,” Blackquill replies.

“No,” Athena says. “You told me it was illegal, not that it was disgusting.”

Phoenix is laughing at her, his glass untouched on the floor for the past minute. Kay raises an eyebrow. “What, the unluckiest man in the world can’t drink to that?”

“I can’t, actually,” he says, “though not for lack of trying on my ex-girlfriend’s part.”

“Is trauma crossing over with sexscepades now?” Ema asks. “I’m gonna need to be super more drunk if it is.”

“Me too,” Apollo says, staring at the empty glass in front of him. He hadn’t wanted to refill. Now he thinks he needs it. Klavier offers him the remains of his drink. Apollo accepts it.

“It was not a… a…” Phoenix props his chin up on his hands. “Well, depends on how you’re defining it, and whether ‘my college girlfriend was actually twins, one of whom was evil and wanted me dead and tried to frame me for murder when her good twin, who’s a sweetheart other than having a dire blind spot where her sister is concerned, spent eight months trying to convince her not to kill me’ counts as such.”

“Wait,” Ema says, reaching for Kay’s drink, as Edgeworth stands and leaves the room, “you were dating both twins, and you thought they were the same person?”

“They fully intended to convince me they were the same person,” Phoenix says. “And it took me six years and an attempt on my best friend’s life to find out otherwise.”

“Why’d she -- they -- whoever -- try to kill Edgeworth?” Sebastian asks.

Phoenix coughs. “Erm -- my other best friend, Maya. It’s a long fucked-up story that’s incoherent enough when I try to tell it sober but it ended with me cross-examining a dead woman and the prosecution indicted on the murder charges that had been leveled against my client.”

“What,” Athena says.

“I was there and can corroborate,” Edgeworth says, reentering with a new glass of wine.

“Wait,” Klavier says. “When was this?”

“It’s…” Phoenix frowns, staring at Edgeworth. “It was February, so… nine years now.”

“Was that prosecutor Coffee Dude?” Klavier asks.

“Coffee dude?” Apollo repeats. Klavier’s accent has been slipping in and out all night but hearing him utter the word dude is still absolutely jarring.

“Eloquent as ever, Gavin-dono,” Blackquill says dryly.

“I don’t remember his name because I was a self-absorbed piece of shit who’d just joined the office but: Eine, I remember the news article, and Zwei, I remember him taking the pot out of the coffee machine in the break room and drinking directly from the pot.”

“Oh yeah that’d be him,” Phoenix says.

Blackquill frowns. “This prosecutor you speak of -- about my height, white hair, blind, and able to be convinced to punch another inmate for the price of half a cup of sludgewater prison coffee?”

“Oh my god,” Phoenix says.

“Simon,” Athena sighs.

“I did not say that it was I who convinced him to do such. For all you know I may have been the victim of the punching. You assume the worst of me, Athena.”

Apollo snorts at that. Phoenix is rolling his eyes and Edgeworth coughs.

“You met him in prison?” Edgeworth asks, sitting back down next to Phoenix. “I suppose you must have, if you know him, because he was arrested in February and you joined the office in -- May?”

“April,” Athena corrects.

“Right when everything went to shit,” Klavier says.

“In February a prosecutor was arraigned on charges of murder; in March, another prosecutor committed murder in the office, and the chairman of the Investigatorial Committee was convicted on counts of murder and forging evidence since he was Chief Prosecutor -- you forget, again, that in no point in our lifetimes has ours been a functioning legal system.”

Something about the way Blackquill says it, and the way that Klavier responds with “Bleh,” makes Apollo think it’s a conversation they’ve had before.

Sebastian is staring at his hands.

“And that’s when Mr. Edgeworth gave up his badge for two days and I fell off a building and got amnesia,” Kay adds. “And then we caused another international incident. Not totally in that order.”

“What,” Apollo says.

“Oh god I remember half of that,” Ema says.

“You left out the part with the assassins,” Sebastian says.

“I’ve always believed if you’re not in court it’s sometimes better to leave out details in the retellings, and nothing here is dissuading me of this notion,” Phoenix says.

“So what did you leave out of your little sexscepade story?” Kay asks

“Kay,” Sebastian says, “I am begging you to stop saying that word. I will pay you.”

“Hey Chief, I think that’s Prosecutor Debeste saying I should get a salary raise.”

Edgeworth places his face in his hands.

“I left out the part where I fell off a bridge, my murderous ex-girlfriend was my best friend’s cousin, and Edgeworth --”

“Continue leaving out any further part of this involving me,” Edgeworth interrupts.

“Fine.”

“Boss, how are you still alive?” Athena asks.

“That’s a case that’s going to go forever unsolved,” Phoenix replies.

“Can we do ‘never have I ever had a near-death experience’?” Athena says. “Or any significant physical injury on the job. How many shots would you have to take for that one, Boss?” Phoenix is muttering under his breath as he starts counting on his fingers. Apollo can’t make out the words but Athena almost immediately objects -- “Wait, did you say tazed?”

“Tazed, blunt force head trauma from a fire extinguisher, fell off a bridge, that one thing from before I was a lawyer doesn’t count because you said ‘on the job’, hit by a car doesn’t really count under that definition either -- I think that’s it.” He stares absently into space. “Actually, no, it was sort of related to the job so in hindsight, add ‘getting smashed with the man who got me disbarred’.”

“Take another shot for tonight, then,” Klavier says.

Phoenix rolls his eyes. “Klavier, shut up,” he says, and Klavier recoils in surprise, blinking a few times. “I mean the one with ill intentions and a penchant for poisoning people. God there’s so many ways that could’ve ended with me dead over a bowl of borscht in that hell restaurant.” His eyes go unfocused staring at some point over Apollo’s head. “You know what’s another one of the super fucked up parts about that?” He doesn’t wait for anyone to ask before he continues, “I don’t even like borscht.”

Klavier coughs, or at least Apollo thinks it’s a cough, but it also sounds like a laugh and a sob intermingled.

“You exasperate me,” Edgeworth says to Phoenix. Phoenix flops over into his lap like a particularly boneless cat.

“Here’s ‘take a shot if your older sibling is or has ever been in jail,” Ema says dryly, emptying her glass and then laying backwards on the floor. “Welcome to the shit club, boys.”

“I think Herr Samurai and I need more alcohol for this one,” Klavier says.

“Then go get us some,” Blackquill says.

“Sometimes I feel like I am the only one doing the work in this relationship,” Klavier says.

Athena chokes on air.

Edgeworth sighs. “You both know what I am going to say.”

The response comes in near-unison from the three other prosecutors and two detectives. “Dollar in the jar!”

#roddy fanfics #ace attorney bullshit tag #i've been trying to get writing again after spending the past week with schoolwork and some of that was just me looking at old stuff #and then i found this......absolute disaster of a fic #i think the catalyst for this was me realizing how many traumas everyone broad-strokes has in common #and deciding that they should discuss it but with the worst framing device being a game of 'never have i ever' #so i wrote it because when you're a writer you can do whatever you want

[roseyturtles]

Good Morning Lads

I just thought of a possible plot to Deltarune’s full story and broke my own heart.

The demo? Monday. You go to the dark world every day until Friday. Every day you take a new companion from the classroom with you; Tuesday it will probably be Noelle, Wednesday it might be Jockington or Berdly or that cat on her phone whose name I can’t remember off the top of my head, and so on and so forth. Every time you bring in a new party member the Dark World will have changed drastically and will present you with a series of challenges that ultimately have symbolic relevance to your lightener party member’s life. For example, if Noelle joins your team, it’s likely the Queen will arrive to fight at the end of it all, which addresses the fact that Noelle has a lot of trouble with her mother. Unlike the King, however, the Queen will likely be more reasonable, and it will probably be something Noelle says that finally dissuades her of her crusade. Then, yadda yadda yadda, everyone cheers and breaks open champagne bottles, the day is saved once again, you seal up the fountain, you go home.

Of course, all the while, you’re gathering little bits and pieces about Dark World lore. Why are the kings so alright with being locked away? Why does the dark world change so much? What exactly were the darkeners supposed to do for the lighteners? Is there a reason the dark world presents itself only to those desperately in need of a turn around in their life? You can explore as far as being right next to the answers, but not quite having them. In all your investigation you find out that there’s someone pulling the strings behind it all. Someone who exists between worlds...

But Kris doesn’t care. And a word about Kris---they and Ralsei are the only constants in The Dark World. Of course, we all know exactly why that is: Kris is having problems without Asriel around, lashing out in strange and frightening ways. Ralsei is a temporary substitute for Asriel. He doesn’t come close to the real thing: No, never; but he’s the best Kris can have for a companion. Each time Kris goes to the dark world Ralsei helps them become more and more independent in their life without Asriel.

In all this complicated mess there’s only one thing that remains simple: Your daily playdates with a little skeleton called Papyrus. He’s younger than Kris in this game, young enough to be in Toriel’s class (Though he’s probably just a year away from graduating into Alphys’s class.) Every day you go over to Sans and Papyrus’s house and you play superheroes or racecars or spaceman with him, and all the while you talk about your favorite foods, your favorite games, your family...your memories. And you get just the barest impression that maybe, just maybe, these skeletons aren’t as happy as they’re letting on.

Finally Friday rolls around, the big pompous grand finale. You guide the final classmate through the dark world, they work out whatever personal issues they’re going through, the day is saved, the fountain is sealed, the world is safe forever and ever. Even Ralsei says something to the effect of “We’re okay now. The time of heroes is coming to an end. I’m sorry we couldn’t spend more time together, but...I think you’re ready to go on without me, Kris.” And it’s all one big emotionally satisfying moment, because you know the inhabitants of the dark world are safe. If you were playing as Frisk or Chara, they would be fine with this ending. They saved the world, they can go home happy...but then, you’re not, are you? You’re playing as Kris. The one who knows exactly what it feels like to be pulled by puppet strings. Yes, the inhabitants of the dark world are safe. But they are not yet free.

So comes Saturday. Picture this for a moment with me: Kris wakes up far, far too early. 5am, perhaps. It’s storming outside. The orange leaves on the trees are nearly fallen off to give way to black bark. The town is silent. Empty. ...abandoned. Kris makes their way to the school without any input from the player, and with three strong hits, they break the locked doors wide open. You regain control of Kris for a moment, and you can go to each of the classrooms one last time for some extra dialogue, but ultimately you know what must be done. With no hesitation, Kris goes into the Janitor’s closet, and, as if practiced, jumps down.

The dark world, too, is far too empty and quiet. The areas you went through on each day now seem to have...melted together? A horrible amalgamation, a corruption of what was once pure and good, as if the entire place is screaming “You should not be here.” Finally you reach the castle, the final sanctity of sanity, and at the top floor you face your foe...

...

Papyrus?

No. No, this can’t be right.

Even Kris is taken back by the little boy’s presence. When he turns around, he looks tense, and not a little bit scared. Instantly you’re in a fight with him. The most difficult fight you’ve had so far. He’s silent all throughout. Kris ACTs over and over again, trying to get him to explain why he’s here, what he’s doing, is he the puppet master?! ...after several rounds he finally says something.

“...THIS IS ALL JUST A GAME. THAT’S ALL IT’S EVER BEEN. YOU KNOW THIS.”

“MY DAD...HE KNOWS THIS BETTER THAN ANYONE. HE’S THE ONE WHO MAKES ALL THESE GAMES AFTER ALL.”

“DON’T YOU SEE? IF I DON’T KEEP PLAYING ALONG, HE’LL RESET EVERYTHING.”

“HE’LL CRUMBLE UP THIS WORLD LIKE PAPER AND THROW IT IN THE TRASH, AND THEN HE’LL JUST DRAW A NEW ONE. LIKE THIS ONE DIDN’T EVEN EXIST.”

“...AND WE’LL BE ALL ALONE AGAIN. ALL ALONE WITHOUT YOU, KRIS.”

“AND THAT’S NOT ALL---KRIS, HE’LL GO AFTER YOUR FAMILY TOO!”

“HE’LL GO AFTER YOUR DAD AND YOUR MOM, A-AND...AND ASRIEL, TOO. HE’LL DO SOMETHING TERRIBLE TO ASRIEL IN THE NEW WORLD.”

“SO JUST GO!!!”

“LEAVE!!!”

“...”

“PLEASE, KRIS...YOU’RE THE FIRST PERSON WHO’S EVER LISTENED TO ME.”

“YOU’RE THE FIRST PERSON WHO’S EVER PLAYED WITH ME.”

“I DON’T WANT TO LOSE YOU...”

“PLEASE...I DON’T WANT TO BE ALONE AGAIN...”

His attacks get weaker and weaker as he starts to break down, until finally he collapses. Kris, without any input from the player, goes up to Papyrus and hugs him. They stay like that for a little while, then the little skeleton pulls away and wipes his face. Kris and Papyrus both agree to stand up to the people controlling them, together. So this time, instead of sealing the dark fountain, you actually step inside of it.

From there you’re transported to a completely black room. You have to wander around for a little while before you find a computer---just an ordinary computer, at first, but when you interact with it---

The world turns off.

The world turns back on.

Dr. W.D. Gaster stands in front of you instead.

Of course from here you have a battle, and I’m sure Gaster does a lot of infodumping on why exactly he resets world after world and all that, and Papyrus stands up to him and says why this isn’t right, but even if I knew the Good Doctor’s motives, I wouldn’t want to spoil them, nor do I really have the energy to even really do so right now. All I know is, during the fight, your control over Kris gets weaker and weaker as they start to take their body back. Your choices from there are to try and keep controlling Kris, or to take a step back and let them have their freedom. Either way, Kris eventually wins out. Naturally, depending on how hard you fought, what Kris says to you afterwards changes, but after all is said and done, both you and Gaster are pulled away from the strings. Kris then releases you, the SOUL, to go off into the wild blue yonder...

The final cutscene shows how each of your companions are changing their world in little ways. Things aren’t perfect, not by a long shot, but nothing is ever completely perfect. Susie is shown in some nicer clothes, eating a ham sandwich with Noelle by her side. Noelle and Rudolph are shown talking to Noelle’s mother. (I’m not sure who the other companions will be but whatever they are and their issues are we’ll yadda yadda them.) Papyrus is shown playing superheroes with other kids his age while Sans watches on the stairs. Kris gets the most screentime, of course. They’re sharing a pie with Toriel when there’s a knock on the door---it’s Asgore. Toriel reluctantly lets him in. Asgore apologizes for harassing her before and thanks her for letting him visit. She sighs and says something to the effect of “Yes, well. We both love Kris. One visit on their behalf is not so bad I suppose. But I do expect you to stop sending flowers.” They share pie a little longer, and there’s another knock on the door. “I wonder who that could be...? Kris, do you mind answering it?”

A few beats as Kris goes to answer the door. When it opens...Asriel stands there.

“Hey, mom. Hey, dad. Hey, Kris. Am I too late for pie?”

Roll credits.

#deltarune #whew #this took a lot longer than I anticipated #but i hope you like my ideas anyways

[lloydskywalkers]

terrorize y’all’s neighborhood

I can’t write short fics, you guys. I tried. 

Anyways, I know DOTD is the canon Ninjago-Halloween-equivalent thing, but I wanted to write about the ninja having a normal holiday, because in what world would Lloyd not love an opportunity to dress up and eat all the candy he wants?

(And the title is completely stolen from Thriller. Completely.)

Hope you guys are having a great holiday!

"Kai."

"Kai, look."

Kai rolls his eyes, glancing skyward briefly before turning.

Sure enough, Lloyd is holding a bloodied, rubber eyeball up to his own tightly closed one, his face screwed up in a grotesque expression. "Agh, my eye fell out!"

Kai leans one arm against the shopping cart, the other on his hip. "What did I tell you about picking stuff up we aren't gonna buy?" he says, even as he suppresses a snort.

Lloyd's expression falls, and he sticks his tongue out at him. "You're not fun," he grouses.

"I'm lots of fun," Kai says. "I'm just trying not to raise the Green Ninja to be a corrupt child criminal who steals bloody eyeballs from Walmart."

"I'm not stealing," Lloyd protests. "Look, I got it from the Halloween section, it's right there!"

Kai looks up and realizes that he has, indeed, made the crucial error of wandering into the Halloween section with Lloyd in tow, when they're only supposed to be getting a few groceries.

"Oops," he mutters.

"Oooh, look at all the fake blood they have…"

Kai quickly makes to drag Lloyd away before he's forever swallowed by aisles of plastic skeletons and cheap ghoul masks. "C'mon, bud, we've still gotta get stuff for meals," he says, as he tugs a reluctant Lloyd toward the food aisles. "We can't all eat rubber eyeballs for dinner."

"Aw, but they have so much cool stuff," Lloyd pouts, watching the Halloween aisle disappear forlornly. "What's the point of Halloween if you guys aren't even gonna let me celebrate it?"

Kai is only half-listening what Lloyd is saying, too intent on the scrawled shopping list he's got in his hand. He brings it closer to his face, squinting. Why do they keep letting Nya write the shopping lists? Her hand-writing is terrible, they should just appoint Zane as secretary from now on.

"-and that's why Halloween is clearly the best holiday in the entire world," Lloyd is still rattling on. "It's way better than those other dumb holidays, kris-ness, or whatever-"

"You mean Christmas?" Kai gapes at him. He shakes his head. "Boy, we're gonna have to change your mind on that one…"

Lloyd shakes his head. "Halloween is definitely the best, because you get to dress up and scare people, but most importantly you get-" He stops abruptly, eyes going wide as Kai desperately tries to drag them to the next aisle.

"Candy, Kai, can we stop, please, please please-"

"Lloyd, I told you, we're only here for groceries."

Lloyd groans, hanging off the shopping cart as Kai struggles to push it forward, kicking at Lloyd with his leg. "Just some of the mini snickers bars? The ones with little ghosts on them?"

"Lloyd-"

"I'll die without them."

"You've been hanging out with Jay too much," Kai huffs, dragging Lloyd up by his arm. "Look, if you're good, maybe I'll buy you a candy bar at the check-out."

Lloyd brightens immediately at that. "Okay!" He says. "What's next? Do we need cereal? 'Cause the cereal's right here. Can we get Froot Loops?"

Kai rolls his eyes, but he can't help but grin at Lloyd's enthusiasm as he practically tears down the aisle, the sleeves of Jay's old hoodie (that's still way too large for him) flopping over his hands again as he does.

The grin slides off his face as Kai glances back down at the shopping list, highly conscious of the tiny numbers Nya's scrawled at the bottom of the page. Those are painfully legible. He drags a hand over his face. They're not scrapped for money, per say, but after everything - the loss of basically all their belongings on the Bounty to the Devourer, the cost of keeping up with rent - they really do need to be keeping an eye on things, financially. They aren't terrible, but it reminds Kai uncannily of the days he spent struggling to support himself and Nya on the blacksmith shop.

It also means he can't buy Lloyd anything he wants - not even cheap little bloody eyeballs.

Kai glances over the list again, chewing on the inside of his cheek. They can't not get ibuprofen, that's a big no-go. Basic medical supplies are a must, obviously, and he can't skimp on the milk or Zane'll kill him. They could maybe skip the anxiety meds this time, but then Kai would feel awful if anyone had trouble-

"What's wrong?" Lloyd says, craning his head over Kai's arm. "Do we not have enough money? Do you owe some to somebody? Are we in trouble with the mob?"

"Are we - what?" Kai blinks. "The mob - no, Lloyd, geez. How do you even know about that?"

"Gene had an uncle in it! He said they would go yank people off the street, then they would like, steal their kidneys an' stuff if they couldn't pay you back," Lloyd says, gleefully.

Kai stares at him, mentally despairing. He finally decides to let this particular one go. "No, Lloyd," he sighs, wearily. "We're not in trouble with the mob. We're just…a little tight on stuff, right now."

Kai winces. How is he supposed to explain their financial woes to a kid? "Sorry kiddo, we probably won't be able to get those snickers today."

"It's okay," Lloyd says, with surprising nonchalance. "I know we're not super rich or anything. Stuff cost a lot. Before I was with you guys, back when I was on my own, I would try to buy food and stuff, sometimes? But it cost so much. Who even has that much money, anyways?"

Kai winces even harder, feeling the same frustrating mix of pained anger he does whenever Lloyd brings up his childhood thus far.

"-anyways, the point is, I totally get why people become bank robbers, because imagine if you had that much money, you could buy, like, so much candy-!"

"And that's our cue to check out," Kai says, a hand on Lloyd's back as he ushers him past the employee eyeing them suspiciously. "Didn't I say we were trying not to turn you into a corrupt child criminal?" he hisses.

"It was just a joke! You're never fun, geez-"

They get through the check-out line mercifully quick, and Kai's total ends up being slightly under budget, so he caves and buys them a snickers bar to split. Lloyd is seemingly pacified, so Kai decides it's a good time to bring something back up.

"Anyways, back to the whole 'we're tyrants who won't let you celebrate Halloween' thing," Kai says, as they pile the now-bagged groceries back into the shopping cart. "Where'd you get that idea? We're obviously going to celebrate. You can even go trick-or-treating with the other kids in Ninjago City, if you want. Or we can hit up Jamanaki, or Cole's hometown, I guess."

Whatever place is safest at the moment, Kai decides, as they head out of the store.

Lloyd, to his surprise, doesn't exactly look thrilled with that idea. "I dunno," he says, dully. "I don't really wanna hang out with the other kids. Can we just watch scary movies at the apartment?"

"What's wrong with the other kids?" Kai says, frowning. Lloyd isn't usually shy - maybe a little quiet around new people, but he's definitely not one to shy away from any opportunity to get candy, regardless of who's around.

Lloyd shrugs, looking down as he toes a scuff on the linoleum floor. "There's nothing wrong with them," he mutters. "It's more kinda...me."

Kai blinks, coming to a halt. "What?"

Lloyd gives a jerky little shrug. He grins up at him, a toothy one that shows his slightly too-sharp teeth, his red eyes flashing. "'Cause I'm the spawn of evil, duh, they all fear me!"

He says it brightly, still grinning fiercely, but Kai catches the slight waver in his voice, the fake edge in his smile.

Oh. Kai's heart twists.

He opens his mouth to give a rebuttal, fully prepared to insist to Lloyd that nobody even notices those things - and stops. Kai hesitates, thinking back to their trip in the store so far. You'd think, living in a place where literal snake people ran around constantly, red eyes wouldn't draw much attention. But living in a place where Garmadon is relatively well-known…

There'd been that shopper passing by who had done a double-take at Lloyd, her eyes quickly skirting away from his. Kai had shot her a death glare, and Lloyd thankfully hadn't noticed, but…still.

Kai's jaw tightens, and he feels about ready to bare his own teeth.

"You just…you just gotta show 'em it's nothing," he opts instead, trying to sound encouraging. Cole is usually much better at this positivity stuff. Or Zane. Or Jay, really, just anyone other than Kai. "Just be yourself," he finally says. "Once they actually meet you, they'll like you, no sweat."

"Just be yourself? What kind of stupid advice is that?" Lloyd glares. "You didn't even like me when you met me."

"Wha- that's not true," Kai says, frowning. "I-"

"You guys hung me from a roof!"

Kai cringes. "Ah, yeah…um….look, in hindsight, that was super uncool-"

"And then you all hated me for like, a month, until you found out I was the Green Ninja-"

"Hey, woah, now that's not true," Kai says, grabbing Lloyd's shoulders firmly, forcing him to look at him. "We definitely liked you before then, and you know it. But c'mon, Lloyd - you acted like a total brat, you know that, right?"

Lloyd huffs, but he nods, looking sour. "Yeah, yeah," he mutters. His expression falls a bit. "But…you guys are different. No one else has ever liked me. All the kids at Darkley's hated my guts."

Kai is dying, just a bit, on the inside. Like the I-Need-To-Light-Someone-On-Fire-For-This kind of dying, the kind where he goes out and does something stupid-

"Except for maybe Brad," Lloyd mutters, hand on his chin. "I think he sorta liked me, a little bit…"

Kai finally cuts in, his voice only mildly venomous. "Well, the kids at Darkley's were all little assholes-"

"Nya says you're not supposed to use that word," Lloyd says, suddenly very serious. He'd taken his "language learned at Darkley's is not acceptable language if you want dessert tonight" lecture very seriously, it appears.

Kai huffs. "Okay, those little jerks - they don't know what they're talking about. They're a bunch of brainless rock heads."

Lloyd gives a slightly happier giggle at that. "Like Cole?"

Kai gives him a side eye. "Be nice."

"Cole is way cooler than anyone at Darkley's, anyways," Lloyd amends.

"How about this," Kai says. "We all go trick-or-treating together, so if anyone decides to mess with you, I light them on fire."

Lloyd lights up brighter than the flashing electronic pumpkins next to them, and Kai mentally congratulates himself.

"For real?" Lloyd says. "You'll dress up and everything?"

"Cross my heart," Kai draws an x across his chest. "Now hop on," he says, patting the shopping cart handle. "I'll run and push us across the parking lot."

Lloyd whoops, hopping up on the cart.

"Okay," he says, as Kai puts one foot up. "I lied. You're sometimes fun."

"Oh, just sometimes, huh," Kai grins.

"On weekends, and holidays, and-"

Kai never does learn when else he's fun, because Lloyd is too busy laughing as they careen down the parking lot, shopping cart rattling loudly in their wake.

******

Nya thinks them all trick-or-treating a great idea, and she claims that she can make fake blood all on her own - so by the time Zane agrees with her, nobody stands a snowball's chance in hell of saying no to that particular team-up of puppy eyes.

Cole tries arguing that they don't have costumes, until Jay wickedly reminds him that they've still got the pirate outfits from the whole thing with Captain Soto and his men - but by that point, Cole isn't resisting much anyways. Lloyd's excitement is infectious, and it's fun to celebrate holidays with a family this big.

It's something none of them are quite used to, but it's welcome nonetheless.

"We're only sticking to this neighborhood, okay?" Cole tells them, for the hundredth time. "It'll gonna be crowded enough that I doubt anyone will notice it's us, and they're running a haunted house in the middle, so-"

"A haunted house?" Lloyd says, looking up from where he's finishing off the blood splatters on his own costume. "Can I take back what I said about Ninjago City being lame? This is awesome."

Lloyd, economically, has decided to as a ghost, which only requires Nya's old bedsheet, eyeholes, and a good deal of homemade fake blood splattered over it.

"I've gotta be a scary ghost," Lloyd tells Jay, seriously. "The more blood, the better."

"You got it, kid," Jay says, who's getting pretty liberal with the blood himself.

"You're a pirate, Jay, not a zombie," Zane says, ducking the drops of red paint that go flying.

"A zombie pirate," Kai offers.

"A zirate," Jay grins. Cole groans.

Nya's the last to dress up, and she's ended up going as a vampire, to Lloyd's eternal delight.

"You look like me!" he says excitedly, as Nya gives him a sharp-toothed grin.

"Yup," she says, running her tongue over the plastic fangs and making a face. "They feel kinda weird, because they're just lame fakes, but they look super cool, right?"

Lloyd's own fangs (which is a generous term) are tiny in comparison, of course, so they really look absolutely nothing like each other, but the megawatt grin he's got on - Nya's playing the long game here, and Kai has to respect her for that.

This means he's gotta get those snickers bars with the little ghosts on them later, though.

******

Trick-or-treating ends up being a lot more fun than Kai had been expecting - then again, he's never really been himself that he can remember, so maybe it's a new experience for all of them.

Well, except Jay and Cole. They're both far too invested in making sure they hit every single house possible.

Kai grins as he watches them head back from their latest house - Lloyd makes the cutest little terror of a ghost he's ever seen, swamped in the sheet as he is. Albeit a very bloody ghost, fake blood dripped gruesomely all over him. But he seems happy enough, flapping his sheet-covered arms around at anyone who dares get near them.

Well, he had been. Lloyd had discovered, much to his dismay, that it's almost impossible to eat candy with a sheet draped over his face - though there were an amusing few minutes where he had tried vainly to shove several Starbursts through the eyeholes at once. He's finally given up and shoved the sheet back over his head, where it drapes over him like a very bloody cape as he surveys his bag of candy. He's beaten them all by a ridiculously large margin, but that's just because they're all suckers who are slipping half their own candy into his bag the entire night.

"Hey, you got any chocolate you wanna share?" Cole says, reaching his hand toward Lloyd's bag.

Lloyd opens his mouth and snaps his teeth together. "I'll bite you," he threatens. "Like a shark."

"Ooh, Lloyd the Fangfish," Cole pretends to shudder. "Watch out, he's got rabies."

"I do not," Lloyd huffs, but he grudgingly hands Cole one of his Kit-Kats.

"Don't eat too much in one go," Zane reminds him. "You don't want to make yourself sick."

"Aw, c'mon Zane, it's Halloween," Jay says, through a mouthful of his own candy. "Lighten up."

"Hey, Zane can't help being such a mom," Kai says, slinging his arm around him. Zane shrugs at him good-naturedly, not hard enough to actually shake him off. "One of us has to be."

Zane rolls his eyes long-sufferingly. The moon dips behind a cluster of clouds, darkening the streets a bit, and Kai's about to suggest they head home - when a voice echoes across the street.

"Lloyd - hey, Lloyd!"

Lloyd's head snaps up. "Brad?" he says, almost incredulously, as the boy runs up to them, tugging on the hood of his own costume.

Kai stiffens, and he's distinctly aware of Nya giving the kid the stink-eye where she stands off to the side. Sure, Lloyd kind-of made-up with his friends after they lured them all to Darkley's and tried to re-evil-brainwash him, but years of being demon brats don't just go away (look at Lloyd). That, and Lloyd's words from earlier are still pretty fresh in his mind.

Kai narrows his own eyes. Lloyd can handle himself against one little tyke, but just in case…Kai isn't too opposed to shoving some kids in a trash can tonight.

Lloyd and Brad have gone quiet, carefully eyeing each other. Kai holds his breath as they size each other up. Brad was the one Lloyd said might have liked him, right? Maybe this can work in his favor, then. If Lloyd can just be chill for five seconds, then maybe-

"Your fake blood is lame," Lloyd finally says. Nya smacks a hand against her head.

Apparently, it's the right thing to say when you're an ex-evil hellion of a kid, though, because Brad immediately relaxes, jutting his lip out in a half-pouting scowl.

"Is not. Where'd you get yours, anyways?" He gives the ninja a wide-eyed glance. "Did you get it from somebody they killed?" he whispers.

Zane sputters as Cole claps a hand over his mouth, holding back snickers. Lloyd rolls his eyes.

"Nah, they'd never actually kill somebody. They're good guys, remember? Nya - that's Nya, by the way! - she made it."

"Cool," Brad says, looking a little less nervous. "Hey, Gene's over at the playground - wanna help scare him? We still owe him for the fake spider thing, right?"

"Oh - uh, yeah, obviously," Lloyd says, and Kai almost snorts at the gleam in his eye. Gee, you spend all this time trying to reform a kid.

The two fall into easy conversation - mostly plotting an unfortunate Gene's demise - as if they'd never been strained at all, and Kai watches as Lloyd runs off with him to the other kids, feeling a little abandoned and a lot protective.

"Just one little hair," he says to Nya. "I'll just singe one off."

"Kai, he's his friend, look," Nya sighs, gesturing at Lloyd and Brad where they're now tearing around the playground with several other kids (who are, no doubt, equal hellions). "They're just having fun."

"Yeah, well, I don't trust 'em."

"Well, Lloyd can always blast them across town with an energy burst, if they give him any trouble," Jay says, tossing a chocolate bar at Cole.

Zane frowns at him. "That's…not exactly the use of power we should be teaching him."

"What, you don't want Lloyd to protect himself from bullies?"

Zane considers the point. "Perhaps, if the situation called for it…"

"Great!" Jay stands up, linking his arm with Zane. "Then who's up for the haunted house with me?"

Cole takes a step back. "Nuh-uh, you know how I am with creepy houses. I don't do that kind of stuff-"

"You do with us!" Nya says cheerfully, grabbing one arm while Kai wrestles the other. Cole sputters indignantly as they drag him along. "Come on, let's see if Lloyd and his little demon gang wanna join."

******

"Welp!" Jay throws the door open with unnecessary dramatics as they pile back into the apartment. "We're banned for life. I hope you guys are happy."

"Hey, I wasn't the one who drop-kicked the chainsaw actor," Kai mutters.

Cole flushes. "I'm a ninja, I can't help it - it was reflex!""

"Was the high-pitched screaming reflex?" Jay says. Cole elbows him in the gut, and Jay snatches the candy bar from his hand in retaliation. Cole gives an indignant yelp.

"Hey! That was my last chocolate bar!"

Nya roll her eyes as she squeezes past Jay, who's loudly chewing Cole's candy bar in his face. Lloyd totters in behind her, half-buried in the pile of candy he's amassed in his bag. He's giggling manically, and the look in his eyes is genuinely more terrifying than anything Kai's ever seen.

"Pace yourself on that candy, alright?" Kai says, eyeing him. "I don't wanna wake up to you puking your guts out tonight."

"Nuh-uh," Lloyd says, through a mouthful of taffy. "I don' ge' sick from candy. S'impossible."

"That's what you said the last time," Cole says, snatching the bag from Lloyd's hand and ignoring his cry of displeasure. "That's enough for tonight. You can eat yourself sick again in the morning."

Nya strides by them, falling onto the couch next to Kai with a a thwump. Kai watches in amusement as she rubs a hand across her eye, smearing mascara and eyeliner across her cheek in a raccoon-like smudge. Nya notices his stare, glancing at her hand and huffing.

"Remind me not to wear costume makeup again," she mutters, as Kai snorts. "At least I didn't ruin it for the picture."

She digs into her bag, pulling out a slightly-rumpled but still glossy photograph.

"Not that it matters," Nya continues. "This is the worst picture of us I've ever seen." She makes a face, staring at the picture the workers at the haunted house had snapped of them before they went in.

Kai shifts on the couch so he's looking over Nya's shoulder, squinting at the photo. "Is that supposed to be Zane?" he says, pointing at the blurry figure on the right.

"May…be?" Nya says. "At least you turned out alright."

Kai grins at where he's taking up half the picture, Lloyd wrapped in a chokehold around his neck that could be considered a hug if generous, both of them grinning wildly.

"Someone's gotta bring the beautiful," Kai says. He looks up to where Lloyd is being accosted by Cole, having somehow gotten his hands on yet another chocolate bar.

"Lloyd, I said that's enough. Lloyd, don't - no! Stop!"

Lloyd's hand stills, the chocolate bar hovering inches from his mouth.

"Put it down," Cole hisses. The chocolate bar moves half an inch closer. "Lloyd! No!"

Lloyd shoves the chocolate in his mouth before Cole can blink. "Lloyd!"

Lloyd springs from the chair, cackling wildly as he runs. Cole tears after him, seething. "I'll use you as a toothbrush for the Ultradragon, you pint-sized punk-"

"I'm surprised Sensei Wu hasn't come in and killed us yet," Jay says, flopping down on the rug below Kai and Nya, fumbling with the remote.

"He went out for the evening," Zane says. "Which means you can scream as loudly as you want over the movie."

Jay chucks a wrapper at Zane's head. He snatches it easily, tossing it back at Jay. Their worn TV finally flickers to life just as Cole and Lloyd finally wind down, Lloyd looking a lot less gleeful with his decision.

"O-oh, too much candy," Lloyd moans, clambering onto the couch next to Kai.

"You puke on me, I'm tossing you off the roof," Kai says, but he wraps an arm around him nonetheless, pulling Lloyd against his side.

"No you won't," Lloyd yawns, eyelids already fluttering as the movie starts. "You'd miss me too much. Wouldn't ever have any fun without me."

"Oh, I wouldn't?"

"Nope. I gotta…keep you from getting boring."

"No worries on that one," Kai says, grinning. He bites back his own yawn, settling further into the couch as Lloyd nods off, curling up against his side. "No worries at all."

Lloyd is soundly asleep against his side in seconds, snoring softly. Kai's getting all sorts of looks from Jay and Cole, but he masterfully ignores them - for now. Nya's taken to nodding off on his other side, so he's kinda sibling-sandwiched at the moment. Upsetting them isn't worth putting Jay in a headlock tonight.

"Here," Nya suddenly whispers over the movie, waving the picture up at him from where she's using his shoulder as a pillow. "Wanna put it in your modeling portfolio?"

Kai maturely sticks his tongue out at her, but he still snatches the picture. "Nah, but I'll keep it as a reminder of what massive dorks you all are."

They settle back to watching the movie, and he glances at the picture again. It's a pretty cute one - not that he's gonna admit that. It's a keeper, at least. They really don't have a lot of pictures of their team, and hardly any at all with Lloyd and his disaster-haired self.

Ah well. He can take more later. They've got plenty of time.

#my fic #ninjago #taking a break from your regularly scheduled angst to bring you gross fluff #casually hops on the lloyd-with-fangs train

[crimsintea]

WS: Heartstrings II.

   Chanyeol After lunch, Chanyeol had expected Suho to tell them who was on duty like he always did. But instead Suho's exact words were, 'You all know the usual schedule'. Then he walked off to the infirmary. And as they say, curiosity killed the cat; or in Chanyeol's case, wolf.

"Really?!" Suho's voice echoed out of the infirmary as Chanyeol stepped closer. "Mhm.. I've never been outside of my house. My father always told me that there were bad people who would come after me to get to him." Her voice was quiet but as smooth as honey.

"Well your father is right, you can't just trust anyone." Luhan's voice echoed. It was when Chanyeol stood in front of the door looking into the infirmary; that was when he noticed almost all of them except four were inside just lounging around. They were all in their own world but still focused on the girl.

"Oh, Chanyeol!" Chen shouted from the back of the room as he looked up from his phone and waved Chanyeol over. Chanyeol stayed quiet as he glared at his friend and shook his head.

"I can't get past this level, the car keeps skidding and flipping over. I die every single time I make the fifth turn!" Chen tells him while he stayed out of sight from her.

"Help me out?" Chen asked and and Chanyeol sighed and nodded, which made him grin and jump up from his seat. "I call shotgun!!" Kai shouted as they all seemed to be focused on the single couch Chen once sat on.

And before Chen could mutter 'don't you dare' the said kid bolted to his spot and grinned. "I wanted to sit there!" Baekhyun growled as he tried to shove Kai off.

"Too late, Baek!" Kai tells him as he fought Baekhyun off with his feet. "Hey, put that down! It smells weird!" Kyungsoo hissed as he swatted at his friend's own feet.

~~~~~~~~~~🐺~~~~~~~~~~

   Hyeri They're funny. And each had their own characteristics. Hyeri thought to herself while she enjoyed their company. "Have you seen the video I sent you earlier?" Chen asked Chanyeol.

"I saw it this morning." Chanyeol had a deep voice. But for an odd reason, it made Hyeri get a strange feeling that she wasn't familiar with.

"What do you think? Maybe we can convince Sehun to try and make that flavor? We haven't been out and he hasn't used any of the new mixes we bought for him.!" Chen said as he held his hand out and took the phone back.

"The kid gave us food poisoning the last time he even attempted to make boba tea. I wouldn't put my stomach or life in his palms again when it comes to that." Chanyeol said and laughter broke out through the room.

"Right! I forgot about that incident! Tao and Baek thought they were going to die!" Kai joked and Baekhyun punched his arm.

"I was sweating like a pig and looked like I had come out of the shower!" Baekhyun said as he pulled his shoe right off his foot and swung it at Jongin's head.

"Baek!?" Yixing shouted with his mouth hanging open but then a shoe flew to Baekhyun's back and he swung to face the door, and so did everyone in the room.

"He did it!" Chen tattled while pointing to Chanyeol. "Stop being brats, you're teaching our guest bad things." He hissed and Chen snickered along with someone behind him.

"Chanyeol! What's going on?" Tao, whom Hyeri first called Color Pencil guy, bounced in from outside the room. "They we're fighting over Chen's spot but now on a debate about Sehun's bubble tea from hell." Suho, who was sitting beside Hyeri, spoke as he got up and signaled Yixing for another ivy bag.

"That wasn't bubble tea from hell, it was our own personal made poison! He's trying to kill us all!" Tao hissed and then looked over at Hyeri. "Is Chanyeol here to finally visit you?" He asked Hyeri and she shrugged.

"Save it, Tao.. Chanyeol is probably only here to be a creeper, and if so, then he is terrible at it." Kai teased and growl echoed the halls and room.

"I'm going to pound you into the ground later! Then send you into a grave and bury you and after that, I'm going to stomp on your grave smiling knowing you're losing air supply." The deep voice growled out as it got deeper and deeper each sentence.

His words were mean but Hyeri still felt drawn to the person. "Hey, kid, stop messing with him and go grab extra ivy bags in the storage fridge." Suho commanded Kai as he was hooking the new and last ivy bag onto the hook against the wall.

"Why me? Shouldn't Chanyeol be the one? All he's been doing is sleeping and creeping around like some kind of fake ninja!" Kai whined while slouching off the couch.

"He's right, Suho." Yixing said then looked towards the door. "Chanyeol, can you get the ivy bags and a few extra bandages?" He asked then smiled as grumbling and almost silent whining was heard going down the halls.

"That guy... Who does he think we are? He should be taking care of Hyeri.." Baekhyun muttered out loud then suddenly went wide eyed at his sentence.

"Not that we don't enjoy taking care of you! But Chanyeol should be your nurse- I mean- I meant to say- Ah shit never mind. I'll just leave now." He quickly covered it up then scurried out of the room.

"It's okay, I get what you mean. I'm leaving soon anyways." Hyeri reminds the others in the room as she looked down at the book that she had borrowed from Kris earlier in the morning. "But I thought you changed your mind?" Suho asked as he sat back in his seat.

'Chanyeol was the one who brought you here after we found you.. But because he had a bad breakup in the past.. He doesn't know what he really wants now and days.' Suho's words rung in my mind.

Hyeri don't really understand what he meant or why that would matter on who is taking care of her. Hyeri shrugged then spoke again.

"I'm not wanted here, and my father is probably looking for me." Hyeri explain as she glanced back up at him. "You can call him, let him know what happen." Baekhyun said as he sat back into his seat.

But then he would never let me out again. Hyeri thought to herself then sighed and shook her head. "My father would never let me out of his sight again if I did that." She tells them then went back to reading.

~~~~~~~~~~🐺~~~~~~~~~~

Chanyeol

"Hyung, guess who I saw today!" Chanyeol heard Sehun as he walked up the stairs to the storage room. "Your old girlfriend?" Luhan teased and got a growl in return. "She wasn't my girlfriend and I hated her!" Sehun growled back.

"Whatever you say Sehun." Luhan teased again as Chanyeol got to the top of the stairs and saw the two walking his way. "I saw Maeli." Sehun said and Luhan froze.

"I told you never to mention that name to me!" He hissed to Sehun, who was grinning. "And I said to everyone not to say Hae was my girlfriend." Sehun teased then sprinted back down the hall.

"Avoiding fate again, Lu?" Chanyeol asked as he walked towards Luhan. "No. I just don't like the girl, period." Luhan scoffed as he nodded to the ivy bags that Chanyeol was holding.

"Finally helping out?" He asked but then held up a finger. "Technically, we're the ones helping YOU out." He smirked at Chanyeol, who growled at him.

"I was told to fetch these. You know how Yixing can get if we don't do as told when it comes to medical business." Chanyeol reminded him and Luhan chuckled.

"He would have your head if you hadn't retrieved those. Come on, I'll follow you back. I also have a new book for Hyeri to read since she is almost done with Kris's own." Luhan says and Chanyeol nodded.

~~~~~~~~~~🐺~~~~~~~~~~

Hyeri "Rock, paper, scissors!" Baekhyun said as the four swung their fist around. "Four to one.. Baek, just give up!" Kai teased as he held the scissor symbol up and Baekhyun held up paper.

"You cheated! Again!" Baekhyun hissed and Kai just chuckled and nodded. "Call it, Tao!" Baekhyun commanded. "Ready?" Tao asked and from the corner of her eyes, Hyeri saw Luhan walk in with someone. "Go!" Tao shouted and the two were at it again.

"What are you two idiots doing again?" The familiar deep voice echoed the room and caught Hyeri's attention and turned her head to the new person in the room. She looked up at the guy and then looked to the three chanting.

"Baekhyun doesn't want to help Kyungsoo in the kitchen, so he is attempting to challenge Kai. Again." Kris lazily explained then went back to playing a game on his phone.

"Ah! Hyeri-ah, this is Chanyeol!" Luhan said as he pointed his thumb behind him as he walked to sit beside Xiumin, who was playing on his phone as well.