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forcefullyawake · 3 years

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This is for @cupcake-rogue’s like a virgin collab!

Denki x F! Reader

Warnings: None, tooth rotting fluff, and a suggestive ending.

Summary: Sometimes the right person runs into you. Literally. Other times it’s a hero who’s not watching where he’s going.

WC: 1.9k

Denki Kaminari doesn’t do being nervous.

He’s a hero, a pro, top ten. He worked his ass off during UA, his internships, did everything right, shed his jokester ways, and in the first hero rankings he was in? He placed higher thank even Bakugo. He’s impressive, he thinks, tall and blonde, having grown into himself after those first few awkward years. The point is he’s not nervous around women anymore, doesn’t stutter over his words or make inappropriate comments. He’s cool, mature, a catch for any woman.

Until, that is, he quite literally runs into you.

“I’m fucking late,” Denki announces to nobody- it’s not like anybody stayed over the night before. It’s a true testament to who he is now that his morning routine can be essentially cut in half and almost nothing goes wrong during it. His hero costume is not only easy to get on, but something that works well with his usual wardrobe, so that he can be out the door in under twenty minutes for times like these.

“Shit, shit, shit,” He mutters to himself, finally getting all the buttons into place right when the elevator opens up to the ground floor. It’s impressive, actually, that he manages to run into you. With a quirk like his, he’s learned to be constantly aware of his surroundings so nobody gets shocked accidentally. Today, however, he’s not thinking straight and runs directly into you, knocking you (and your paperwork) to the ground.

He stops dead in his tracks, wanting more than anything to start apologizing, helping you pick things up. You know, things any normal person or hero would do but he finds himself stuck in place. You’re… hot, for lack of a better word. He’ll think of some later. He can’t put his finger on it, but there’s something about you that has him immediately bewitched- mind, body, and soul, just like that. You’re standing now, a scowl on your face and- hey you’re snapping your fingers for some reason, maybe he should listen in.

“Hello? Is anybody any there?” Your voice is understandably irritated, looking him up and down quickly before huffing. “Whatever. Watch where you’re going next time, jerk.” You spin away from him, taking his hopes and dreams right with you. But you walk into his apartment building, and through the glass doors that stand between you he sees you walk to the manager- so you’re either gonna live there or work there. Either way he has a second chance.

His phone buzzes incessantly in his pocket, and a quick glance tells him it’s Mineta, demanding to know where he is- is he okay? Was there a villain attack? Denki shoots off a quick text saying he’s just overslept before hurrying on his way.

It’s not until later, when he’s finally in his office, that Denki realizes how he was feeling.

For the first time, in a very long time, Denki Kaminari was nervous. All because of you.

“Stupid hero, not watching where he was stupidly going,” You mutter under your breathe before plastering on a smile when your new apartment manager steps into view. God, this place is so nice. You can’t wait to move in. You have to dropped off the signed leasing forms and then give the place one last look around before the moving trucks start coming in.

The meeting goes smoothly, which helps ease whatever leftover tension you have from the morning. The keys are in your hands, the boxes are piling up, and your neighbor is out for the day it looks like so you can play music as loudly as you dare. Your day goes just about as well as a moving day can. You get the important things set up first- bed, tv, coffee maker. The creature comforts for when you’re inevitably exhausted tomorrow. You hear movement in the other apartment, frowning at the shared wall with how clearly you can. Hm, that might be annoying. Still, you don’t plan on turning down the music unless asked.

Almost like clockwork you hear a knock on your door. You pause to lower the volume to a more acceptable level before opening the door, ready to introduce yourself and apologize, make a good first impression and all that only to see-

“You!” You raise an accusatory finger- at the hero who knocked you over and did nothing this morning. “You can’t be my neighbor!”

“I-” He starts, having the good sense to at least look a little sheepish now. “I’m sorry?” His hand comes up to scratch at the back of his head, making him look even more nervous but you can see his eyes looking over your shoulder to peer into your apartment.

“Yeah, you should have said that this morning,” It holds less venom than you want, especially when you get distract by the muscles his actions put on display. Huh. Your new neighbor is incredibly built. You shake your head, trying to clear your thoughts. “Again, whatever. I turned the music down. Goodnight.” You go to close the door but his voice stops you.

“Hold on, I wasn’t going to ask you to turn it down,” He starts, finally looking away from your apartment, “I liked it. And maybe you can play it for me now? I could help you put stuff away? Make up for this morning?”

You should say no. You’re already getting tired, you have stuff beyond packing to do tomorrow, and it’s stupid to let a complete stranger into your house. Even if he’s a pro hero. And even if he’s cute. You should tell him to get lost. Instead, you open your mouth to hear yourself say,

“Sure, come on in.”

Denki can’t believe his luck when you open your door a little wider to let him in.

He was so sure you were going to say no- hell, even you looked a little confused when yes came out of your mouth, but he wasn’t going to question it too much. Your place already looked a lot cozier than his, with decorations half in the boxes, even. You have photos up on the walls already, pictures of people who look like you too and people who look like your friends. His own apartment is pretty sparse, just a place he can sleep and eat in.

“Could you help me in the kitchen?” Your voice carries through the space, having left him behind. “I have some stuff that need to go onto the top shelf.” He follows blindly, biting down so hard on his lower lip it almost bleed when he sees you. You’re not doing anything scandalous, just putting dishes away but the way your arms are raised over your head have given him a glimpse at your skin where your shirt has ridden up. He can feel the blood rush south in his body, embarrassingly.

“Stop ogling and start helping,” You snap over your shoulder, frowning at him. That snaps him out of his daze, not wanting to leave too soon despite having another early morning shift. He grabs the box you point at, and starts to place the mugs on the top shelf. They look like gifts, he thinks, all of them printed with far too many places for one person to have visited.

“Your friends get you these?” He asks, trying to sound casually interested, not too desperate, “Or a boyfriend?” You snort at him.

“Friends, mostly, and some family,” You wait a long moment before continuing, “No boyfriends, though.” Denki internally heaves a sigh of relief.

“I don’t get out much, with my job. But I like to pretend I do,” You say, eyeing the mugs wistfully. “How about you? You travel a lot?”

“That requires taking time off,” Denki says, frowning a little as he tries to remember his last actually relaxing day off. “But you know what they say- if you love your job, you’ll never work a day in your life!”

“Oh, bullshit,” You snort out, abandoning the box you’ve been unpacking all together. “I love my job, a lot, but I have worked some days.” The tension is broken after that, with Denki asking you to elaborate and you trying to play coy until the rants just burst out of you. It’s not until your stomach gives a loud grumble that you realize neither of you have been unpacking but just talking for the past hour and a half.

It’s just late enough that a normal dinner is out of the question, but maybe you could order something in?

“I know a good ramen place that delivers here,” Denki volunteers, grinning sheepishly.

“Are you sure your quirk isn’t mind reading?” You tease him, just to watch him laugh. He’s pretty hot when he laughs, you think, then immediately try to squash the thought. Dinner first, crushing on a hero later.

Dinner is ordered.

Denki’s right, the ramen is good and it comes quick. The two of you slurp your soup in silence, the awkwardness returning from before. Denki seems almost unable to look at you now, for some reason. He focuses in so hard on his bowl you’re surprised it doesn’t go up in smoke. You want to ask him about it but you can’t figure out how to phrase the question.

For his part, Denki is having an internal meltdown. When you lean forward to take a sip of the broth your shirt pulls forward just enough that he can see the swell of your breasts. It shouldn’t affect him this much, he’s been around enough, but there’s something about the white of your bra that makes his head spin, makes him feel like a virgin all over again.

“Are you okay?” You ask him the same moment he blurts out-

“I can see your bra, I’m sorry, don’t kick me out,” All in one breath. You’re silent for a moment, and then another, and another, and Denki regrets every choice he’s made in his life until now that brought him here. You keep not saying anything and a million and one scenarios run through his head, each one worse than the next. Oh my god, what if you tell people? He’ll be known as the pervert hero, he won’t be able to work in Japan anymore, he’ll have to someplace like America or-

“Would you like to see more of it?” Your voice is soft, shy as your hands twist in the bottom of your shirt, looking at him with wide eyes. He’s sure he’s misheard you because there’s no way you’re offering what he thinks you are.

“More?” He manages to croak out. You don’t reply, but your shirt keeps going upwards. Your shirt continues upwards until it’s off of you and Denki’s brain has finally, truly short circuited.

You’re not sure what’s possessing you to be so bold- maybe the conversation, maybe the way the food has made you comfortably warm and a little drowsy, maybe you just wanna see what he’ll do next. It’s cute, endearing even, how his eyes can’t figure out where to look. He can’t decide if he wants to throw himself at you or away from you.

“More,” You agree, moving closer to him on the couch, taking the bowl from his hands to set on the table in front of you. Denki stops breathing as you move even closer to him, your face swimming in front of his eyes. “Tell me if I should stop?”

“Never,” He breathes, pressing his lips to yours, tasting like a promise, sending a shiver down your spine. It’s so easy to fall into him, like you’ve known him forever, like this is as easy as breathing.

It’s sunrise, somehow. Denki is still there, blissfully unaware as you watch him sleep. Maybe it was a good thing he didn’t watch where he was going the previous morning.

Now, though, you wouldn’t mind running into him again.

#denki x reader #denki kaminari x reader #denki x female reader #denki fluff #denki kaminari fluff

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twilightfan02 · 4 years

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The Storm Coming In / Jasper Hale Imagine

A/N - Hi everyone! This is the first imagine I have posted and I am very excited! Don’t be afraid to send in any requests for Twilight characters. I would love to see them.

Jasper leaves with family when Edward leaves, reader struggles to stick to a routine. Jasper shows up to watch her sing in a diner after a month and they figure out how to go on from there.

Word Count- 4.2k

Warnings- Cursing

Enjoy!

It had been almost a month since any trace of your boyfriend Jasper disappeared with the rest of the Cullen's and as much as you would love to remain in your bed for the rest of your days, you saw the world changing around you, you knew you had to adapt to survive. You didn’t seem to know what adapting meant at this point, but you knew you couldn’t keep doing what you were doing. You finally found yourself being able to stand in the outside world and you knew that you had a show tonight at the diner in your hometown of Forks. You could not have called out of this again. Ever since you were little you’d find yourself on the small, dinky stage at the secluded diner, performing every Saturday night. You had always loved to sing, nothing had ever intervened with your love of performing before, Jasper seemed to have taken your passion with him when he left. There was not a show you had done since meeting the boy that hadn’t had a song dedicated to the love of your life since you met him, he hadn’t missed one yet, neither of you ever thought he really would. You shook your head trying to void yourself of any thoughts of the guilt-ridden empath. It was currently 4pm and you had to be at the diner by 6:45pm to do a quick mic check before the show would start at 7pm. It seemed that everyone in town had known what had happened to you. Everyone had thought you and Jasper would be together for the rest of your lives, it wasn’t a question. You think people expected you to act differently, you had spent your whole life making sure your reputation stayed squeaky clean and no one thought it would be easy for you to get over this, no one expected you to completely shut down as you did.

You stepped into the shower and you let the scalding water pour over you, you stood there for as long as you could before going on with your normal show routine. Everything in your life had a routine. You never realized how controlled to the clock you were before a month of forcing yourself into isolation, it almost made you laugh. You couldn’t care less anymore. Once you finished, you stepped out of the shower, towel drying your hair and body before getting dressed. You wore a simple white knit sweater, black mom jeans and your favorite pair of doc martens. After your hair finished drying you french braided the (Y/H/C) pieces into a low curled ponytail. You put on just enough makeup so you didn’t look completely dead and called it quits. You couldn’t eat on show days. No matter how many times you had performed, nervous or not, you couldn’t bring yourself to eat anything. You knew the sweet owners of the diner, Don and Barb, would have a to-go box waiting for you once you had finished. Barb had texted you a few days after word had gotten around that the Cullens had left telling you to take your time, to call in if you needed and she had dropped off your favorite soup at least twice throughout every week of him being gone. When you had asked to take a month off from your Saturday nights at the diner, she had been so kind and when you told her you were ready to come back she was more than ecstatic. You walked past your mother when exiting your house towards your car, who informed you that she and your father would be there tonight to support your first night back. You bid a quick thank you and continued the walk to your car. Your parents had been so amazing through this break-up, they followed your lead the best they could. Neither of them had expected this either, they had nothing, but love for yours and Jaspers relationship. Your mother was so heart-broken that this was how you were doomed to spend your junior year, she didn’t know how you would come back from this. They knew that Jasper was the one for you, your father had done his best to get a hold of Carlisle who didn’t offer much of an explanation at all. No one knew what to tell you anymore. No one knew how to comfort you or how to approach you when you ate lunch alone at the Cullens table. The people around you really struggled when it came to seeing you so down and out, you were a walking ray of human sunshine, seeing you upset was never something they had prepared themselves for.

You drove the familiar road to the small diner and you were there in under ten minutes, you sat in the car for a little while, preparing to go into the public willingly again. You made sure you had all of your stuff, checked your reflection quickly, took a deep breath and proceeded to leave the safety of your car. You walked through the doors and began your path to the little sound system next to the small stage. As you were walking, you caught Barb's eye as she was putting some money in the register, she looked up and sent you a wave and a smile. She shook her finger at you signaling that she would be over there in a second, you sent her a tight lipped smile and a nod in response. Once you arrived at the stage you pulled up the karaoke playlist you had made earlier that day to make your transitions between songs easier. Before you knew it you had been spun around and pulled into a firm hug. The familiar scent of Barb and apple pie filled your nose and for the first time in a while you had a genuine smile.

“Oh my dear, it is so good to have you back,” You could tell she was being honest.

“It is good to be back, I have a good set list tonight. I am bringing back some old stuff, I have something new too that I really think will be fun.” You were trying your best to carry on a normal conversation.

“I am so glad to hear that. How are you doing? Have you heard from him at all?” There it was. The inevitable Jasper question. The second you heard it your mouth went dry, you shook your head and gave a quick answer, obviously trying to end this portion of the conversation.

“I am so sorry, love. We sure will miss seeing the two of you around here.”

“I will miss it too, I just wish I knew anything at all. I have no way to gain closure and I feel like I am just stuck in this weird limbo.” This may have been the most open statement you had made about the situation so far. You and Bella had spent a lot of time trying to figure out why they had left, Bella knows Edward left to protect her from Victoria, but that doesn’t explain why Jas would leave you with no explanation. You had tried to text and call him nearly everyday, but it was radio silence. Eventually you and Bella fell out of touch, you were painful reminders of each other's missing half. You knew her father, Charlie and her would be at the diner tonight. Everyone was trying to be as supportive as they could.

Barbra interrupted your thoughts after letting the information you gave her sink in for a short while, “I am sorry, dear. I should not have brought it up.”

You responded honestly, “I have to talk about it eventually.” You didn't mean to sound as bitter as you did when you said this, but the poison behind your words were a given when discussing him.

Barb shifted a bit before saying, “Well, it's seven. Are you ready to start?” You took a deep breath and muttered a “Yes, of course.” Barb made her way up the steps of the hip-length, black stage, she took the mic in her hand and gave it a quick tap, gaining the attention of the usual Saturday customers, lots of which came for your little shows. It was as close as they could get to a concert in a town like Forks, seeing as the diner was a teen hangout it tended to be pretty packed on nights like this. You saw the door open and you caught Bella’s eye as she walked in with Charlie following behind her. You sent a quick wave and she sent one back.

“Hey! How is everyone doing?” Barb spoke clearly into the microphone as everyone gave a small cheer. She continued, “We are so blessed to have our own (Y/N) back to sing for us after a small break! I do not have to tell any of you new-comers how amazing this girl is, the turn out every Saturday night and her voice speaks for themselves. Give her a warm welcome everyone,” You walked up the steps taking this time to look into the crowd and register who was here You saw quite a few people from school, you saw your parents smiling wide as ever, you caught sight of your best friend Paul and the rest of his pack, you sent him a small smile which he returned with a bigger one and two thumbs up.

One you reached Barb, she handed you the mic and you sent her a grateful look, you loved her introductions. “Hey everyone! I have missed this a lot, I am so glad to go back at it again. For those of you who don’t know, I have sung here almost every Saturday night since I was 8 years old and it is my favorite thing to do,” You weren’t lying, but you sure as hell aren't telling the whole truth. Your first night out after Jasper leaving was becoming a little overwhelming, but you had to push through.

“I am going to throw it back with some of my old favorites to perform and then we will try some new stuff, does that sound alright with you?” The small crowd sent out a quick cheer and you smiled back at them.

“Alright! Here is, I Got Stripes by Johnny Cash!” You tried to do music to please the crowd which led you to do a mix of music that was older.

The music starts up and you see your dads head start bopping, this was always his favorite to hear you sing.

“I hear the train coming

Its rolling round the bend

And I aint seen the sunshine since, I don’t know when

I’ve been stuck in Folsom Prison and time keeps dragging on,”

You do your best to connect with people in the audience throughout your set, but all your mind could keep going back to was the Cullen family. You had always told yourself that your art would come first and if your 10 year-old self could see you right now she would slap the shit out of you. You were letting your career be interrupted for a boy, but you couldn’t help it. You felt completely numb, you couldn’t enjoy what you were doing at all. You thought back to seeing Jasper after every show. He always let you see everyone else first and then he would meet you in your guys booth in the back with a quick kiss and a bouquet of flowers. You always told him he didn’t have to do that. You’ve performed so many times that it wasn’t anything special anymore. He would always reply with a smug smile and say “Anything you do is special, Sugar.” That boy made you weak in the knees, but he was gone. He left you, with no explanation, after three years together. You knew all of his secrets, his family's secrets. He knew yours. You tried to push the thought of him out of your head again. Eventually you found yourself at the last song of your set, this was always a song you would dedicate to Jasper, you found your heart in your throat as you spoke.

“You have been such a wonderful audience, I am so happy to be back up here. The last song of the night is one I never thought I would perform. This song has always been my safe space and something that meant a lot to someone who I loved dearly. Hopefully you love it as much as I do. Here is Maybe This Time from Cabaret.” The second you finished speaking you saw the back door of the diner open and a man in a hoodie slide into the booth closest to the door. The second the music started you saw him stiffen and you knew immediately who it was. You wanted to stop the music, start a scene, but you knew you couldn’t do that. You had the wind knocked out of you as you saw Paul rise and slowly saunter to the booth that Jasper was sitting in, you had almost missed your entrance to the song, but quickly picked it back up in order to keep the audience's eyes on you and not on the back of the diner. You didn’t know what Paul would do to Jasper. You and Paul had grown up together, from chubby little toddlers in diapers to teen with intense hormonal acne, he had done his best to be there for you once Jasper had left, but between you pushing him away and the duties of the pack he couldn’t do much. You opened up your mouth and for some reason the words came out,

“Maybe this time, I'll be lucky

Maybe this time he’ll stay

Maybe this time, for the first time, love won't hurry away

He will hold me fast, I’ll be home at last

Not a loser anymore, like the last time and the time before,”

You finally brought your eyes up off the ground and looked at everyone except him, you couldn’t look at him and sing this song. You loved musical theatre, Jasper did his best to tolerate it. The only show he ever really loved was Cabaret, he would never tell you why when you asked. You just reminded him so much of Sally Bowles. She was a performer, hopeful, loud and opinionated, he loved that about you. When you had sung this song for him, it was the first time he had ever heard you sing. You were sitting in his bedroom and were playing Truth or Dare. He had asked if you had any talents and you said you could sing a bit, when he asked you to sing for him you clammed up. You loved to sing so much, but you had a huge crush on the boy and did not want to embarrass yourself. You were supposed to save this song for the weekend at the diner, but he loved it so much you never wanted to share it with anyone else. This song showed exactly how he felt towards you. He wanted to stay so badly, but he was always scared as to what would happen if he did. He thought, maybe this time, it would be different and he could. You found yourself reaching the end of the song and at this point you had looked at everyone except Jasper. When you finally willed yourself to look at him you saw Paul sitting next to him, completely, maybe he was trying to keep him from leaving, maybe he was trying to make sure he stayed close so he could kick his ass after they left the diner, you had no idea. Jasper looked up and you willed yourself to move your eyes off of Paul and onto Jasper. Meeting his eyes took everything out of you, every bit of energy and willingness to go on that you had in you completely disappeared.

“All the odds are, they're in my favor

Something's bound to begin

It's gotta happen, happen sometime

Maybe this time I'll win

Cause everybody, they love a winner

So nobody loved me

'Lady Peaceful', 'Lady Happy'

That's what I long to be

Well, all the odds are, they're in my favor

Something's bound to begin

It's gotta happen, happen sometime

Maybe this time

Maybe this time I'll win,” once you finished the last word everyone in the diner was on their feet. You stood, forcing a smile, glaring a hole into Jasper's head. Jasper stopped making eye contact with you towards the very end of the song. He could feel what you were feeling, he felt it over everyone else in the small space. Your pain was loud, it wanted to be felt. Your anguish nearly took him off his feet, he didn’t know how you were standing and smiling, even as unconvincingly as you were. You gave the audience a quick wave and walked down the steps after you thanked everyone for coming out tonight, the second you got down the stairs you were saying your hellos as fast as you could so you could leave immediately. You loved Jasper more than anything, but you weren’t ready for this, it was all too much. You finally got in your car, after Barb forced a to-go box on you. The second you got in your car you lost it, sobbing harder than ever into your hands. Why was this all so overwhelming? You knew Bella had Jasper hostage questioning him about Edward and such. He was grateful that you hadn't been pulling the stuff that Bella had been pulling, the dangerous stunts to get a glimpse of him. He didn’t know what he would have done if you were trying to injure yourself. He left to prevent that, he knew he was in the wrong , but he had the right intentions. The Cullens had come up to collect the last of their things when Jasper caught a glimpse of you through the window of the diner. It was almost eight so he knew you would be about finished, but he wanted to see you perform for the last time. He needed it, and when he heard you singing your guy's song, he knew he had made a mistake. When he felt what you had felt, he knew he had to stay. He couldn’t leave you feeling like this. He thought you would be okay, even better without him. You would find someone who could give you a good normal life, a normal marriage, four kids playing in the backyard, you could have grandchildren, and grow old and grey with whoever you honored with that job. He knew you were it for him, he had one great love and he was determined to do what was best for you even though it was slowly killing him. It seemed that he had underestimated your love for him, he would never make that mistake again. You were right that Bella had found him and begun to question him to death, what you didn’t know was that she had dragged him outside of the diner to interrogate him. You wiped your eyes with your sleeve before fumbling to find your keys to start your car, as soon as you had put your key in the ignition you made eye contact with him. The love of your life standing twenty feet away from you and all you could do was put your car in reverse and exit the parking lot, or at least try, but before you could even attempt it, Jasper was standing beside your car window tapping lightly. You could see that his mouth was moving, but you couldn’t register a sound that came out. You were blank, before you were pulled out of it by hearing Paul's voice, booming like thunder.

“Jasper, she obviously doesn’t want to talk to you. I told you I’d let you try. She’s not re-” You couldn’t hear the rest of it. You sped out of the parking lot nearly knocking Jasper over in the process. You turned off everything you were feeling and you just drove. You drove for hours it seemed, you didn’t go anywhere, you just drove in circles. Once you started to come to reality again, you took a brief look at the clock, and you genuinely laughed so hard you had to pull over. You had been driving for hours, 3 hours to be exact. It was almost 11:30. You laughed until you couldn’t anymore and that’s when the tears came. Stupid Jasper. Stupid Cullens. Stupid diner. Stupid Bella. Stupid Edward. Stupid you. You let yourself cry it out until the tears stopped, you saw Barb closing down the diner through the window as it approached midnight. You knew you had to go home, your parents were easy on you as you grieved this lost relationship, but there was no way they would be okay with you missing curfew.

After you went home, you heated up to go box from the diner as you hadn’t eaten at all today resulting in a nasty headache. As you ate your food you checked your phone for the first time in hours. You had quite a few messages from people who were at the diner, congratulating you on a stellar show. You had a message from Bella wanting to check in, and you had at least ten messages from Paul asking where you were and letting you know that he “dealt with the Cullen problem,” you found yourself overwhelmed again especially when you heard the voicemail that Jasper had left. You could hear the pain in his voice,

“(Y/N), I know what I did was horrible. I am so sorry Darlin’. I wish I could take it back, I wish I never left and that you never had to feel the way that you do. Paul told me everything about how bad it was and I am so sorry. I don’t think I’ll ever forgive myself for making you feel that way. I’m going to stay, we are all going to stay. Edward needs a little more time, but we are back. Please let me make this up to you, I will do anythi-,” His voice cut out as you stopped the voicemail. You couldn’t handle anymore. You turned your phone off, walked up to your room, took your make-up off, undressed, redressed in pajamas, laid down and lit your favorite candle, you were a robot. You were stuck in your routine, letting the clock rule you again. You were doing the only thing you knew how to do anymore. Everything else had gone to shit, but you could save your routine. You had done everything so effortlessly you forced yourself to check out. You were only brought back again by the loud thump of something landing on the side of your house. You hear your window open and you hear the sounds of Jasper entering. You felt the bed dip next to you and you felt his hand rub the side of your face. You kept your eyes closed the whole time. You both knew you weren’t asleep, but neither of you were ready for this moment to be interrupted by the reality that he had left you. The love of your life had left you without so much as a goodbye and here he was stroking your face.

“I am so sorry,” he choked out

“I don’t know what happened, I don’t know why it happened and I don’t know what you were thinking. I don't want to know right now. I just can’t talk about this tonight. I love you, Jasper. I love you so much and I don’t know how I will continue to breathe if you ever pull this shit again. I swear to God, I will kill you. For right now I just want to lay here. I want you to hold me and I want to talk about the weather, I want to talk about school, I want to talk about our families and our siblings and homework, but I will not talk about you leaving me, you understand? We can start rebuilding in the morning. We can fix this, it’ll just take time. I need time. Are you in or are you out?” Neither of you had expected you to say that much or speak at all. All of the words came out before you even knew what you were doing. He looked at you with wide eyes and nodded. He sat himself down and wiggled his body so it was slightly underneath yours, You rolled over to put your head on his chest and his arm fell into place on your back. It was as if nothing had changed.

“So, how are you enjoying the rain?” The pale boy spoke with a hint of his accent peaking through. You could hear the smile on his face when he talked. You softly replied,

“It isn’t too bad, I am a bit worried about the storm that’s coming through.”

#twilight #twilight imagine #imagine twilight #jasper hale #jasper whitlock #jasper whitlock hale #jasper cullen #jasper hale x reader #jasper whitlock x reader #jasper cullen x reader #x reader #twilight eclipse #bella swan #paul lahote #edward cullen

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j0ebay · 4 years

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Kiss Me Goodbye... Chapter 7

Warning(s): swearing, this is probably trash tbh

Word Count: 3891

A/N: At long long last this chapter is hecking done!!! I’m really super duper sorry this took 5ever to come out. BUT I’m really stoked this chapter is finally out so enjoy and feedback is deeply appreciated!! 💙

series masterlist

add yourself to my taglist!!

chapter 6 chapter 8

an extra thank you to @starksmile for the amazing moodboard!!

“Now he’s gone. I don’t know why and to this day sometimes I cry. He didn’t even say goodbye. He didn’t take the time to lie.” -Nancy Sinatra

The following morning, Lindsey wakes up with arms wrapped around her. She looks down and smiles to see the same bandaged hands from last night meeting together at her hip. She lightly chuckles- Harrison was always a cuddler. Lindsey slowly pries his hands off her and makes her way down the stairs to the kitchen. Treks over to the fridge, passing a distracted Harry Holland, sitting at the kitchen table, typing away on his laptop.

“Did you eat?” She asks, breaking the brunette from his trance.

“Nah,” He mumbles, still deep in concentration.

“Well I’m gonna make some eggs ‘n toast. Should I add you to the order?” She asks in a soft tone.

Harry scoffs.

“You really are a fuckin waitress aren’t you?” He looks up from his laptop. “Sounds great, Linds. Thank you,” He adds sincerely.

Lindsey lets out a breathy chuckle.

“Gimme a break, Holland. You guys stole me from my job,” Earning another laugh from Harry.

There's a few minutes of comfortable silence before Lindsey walks over to him with another cup of tea and the plate of food.

“Am I allowed to know what you’re so diligently searching?” She asks.

Harry lets out a sigh before taking a sip of tea and shoveling eggs into his mouth.

“How long have you been up anyway?” She questions, softly.

“Too long” He responds, mouth full of food.

Harry swallows and takes another sip of tea.

“And to answer your first question, it's nothing too drastic. But, if it’s one thing Gideon Fuller made me promise him, it’s not to involve you in anything until you’re ready for it.”

Lindsey lets out a heavy sigh and nods.

“If it's one thing my dad was, it’s stubborn.”

Harry scowls at the image on his computer. Chad Powell. He recognized the picture as the man who dropped you off last night. No criminal record, no blatant mafia affiliation, squeaky clean but still acting suspicious based on what he heard about the date the night prior.

“Lindsey?” Harry asks, closing his laptop slightly, shielding Lindsey from the screen.

The woman raises her eyebrows with a mouth full of eggs and toast, prompting Harry to go on.

“Do you think you’re going to keep seeing Chad?” He asks her, voice dropping a few octaves and decibels.

“Your tone concerns me, Mr. Holland,” She responds, “Please continue”

Harry sighs.

“I mean, what ever happened with Harrison? Last time I checked, you were, like, madly in love with him. And, granted the last time I checked was high school but it still seems like it.”

“I wouldn’t call it madly in love with him. And what? You don’t like him?” She asks, eyebrow quirked.

She wasn’t about to admit to someone she saw as her younger brother and also one of Harrison’s best friends, that seeing her old flame of sorts, especially now, ignited a fire in her that she hadn’t felt with anyone else. Now, thinking about it, that feeling seemed to fill the gap in her life she didn’t know she wanted filled. But, she wasn’t about to admit that.

Harry opens up.

“To be honest Lindsey, I don't. I don’t know what it is but something doesn’t seem right. He seemed kind of sketchy when I met him,”

Lindsey scoffs.

“Did you maybe think that he seemed sketchy when you met him because he was, I don’t know, nervous?”

Harry clenches his jaw.

“You said he checked his phone every 30 minutes or so to send updates right? Lindsey, we do that when we’re doing meetings and things with other bosses. I can’t imagine why he would do that other than that reason”

“Harry, I don’t know if it’s because he’s making me happy for the first time in a while, or because it’s not Haz. But, I like this guy a lot and it’s really shitty of you to not only dictate who I go out with but try to justify it by him being shady, WHICH HE IS NOT BY THE WAY”

Lindsey sighs and pinches her nose.

“I-I just don’t know. Everything is just too much right now”

Harry meets her gaze.

“Do you still love him?” He murmurs, barely above earshot.

“What’s too much?” Asks the gravelly, sleep ridden voice of Harrison Osterfield.

Lindsey and Harry whip their heads around. There they see the sweatshirt clad, wispy haired man, standing at the open refrigerator.

“Juice?” He turns around and asks the two at the table.

“I’m good- I thought you were still sleeping?” Lindsey deflects.

Harrison sighs, sets down his glass of orange juice to the right of Lindsey and wraps his arms around her sitting figure.

“The bed got cold” He mutters into her neck.

Harry raises his eyebrows at the girl and she rolls her eyes at him.

“So complete 180” Lindsey starts as Harrison sits down.

Tom struts into the room already dressed and makes himself a cup of tea.

“180 from what, darling?”” He asks.

“Okay great you’re all here cause I’ve been sitting on something ever since,” She pauses to gesticulate in the air.

“Since I found out about your, uh-”

“-Business?” Tom asks, playfully.

Lindsey stifles her laughter.

“So um, you guys are saying I’m in danger and I have no clue what the hell my dad made you promise to him for you guys to swoop back into my life and play knights in shining armor. Which I’m grateful for, don't get me wrong, thank you so much for all of this. To put it bluntly, do you guys have any idea how long I’ll be staying here?”

All the boys smiles’ drop. Harrison reaches for her hand.

“I dunno Linds,” Tom sighs.

Harry chimes in.

“We’ve started to narrow things down, but it’s just been the usual suspects in the pool” He mutters, running his fingers through his curly hair.

“Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing” Harrison chimes in.

“How?” Lindsey scoffs.

Harrison bites the inside of his cheek, contemplating if he should go on or not.

“Please someone tell me how this isn’t terrible?” She asks barely above a whisper, rubbing her thumb across his hand.

Harrison squeezes her hand in response.

“I-It’s just, we haven’t heard anything about you in our, well, work community. So it’s not a bad thing that no one’s actively targeting you. But it’s also a matter of ‘Are people keeping their plans about you under wraps? Do they really not know about you? Was whoever was following you that night just some John who liked what they saw and we’re all just being paranoid?’ Y’know?”

Lindsey nods, thoughtfully.

“So it’s going to be a while isn’t it?” Lindsey asks, feeling everything in her chest sink to her feet.

“Probably” Tom responds somberly.

He tries to find the glimmer of hope he always finds in her eyes, but he just can’t.

“W-What about my job? Do I at least get to call them and say ‘Hey something’s come up and I can’t be coming in for a while’? Do I get to say goodbye to my kids? Do I get to wish them luck on the show they’re working so diligently on? Or am I just gonna have someone from your “mob” following me constantly like a protective detail?” Lindsey questions on the brink of tears.

“We’ll take care of it, darling. Don’t worry everything will be taken care of” Harrison soothes, squeezing her hand again.

“Well can I at least go get the rest of my stuff? I only have stuff for the week that you guys got” Lindsey asks.

Maybe if she could just go home she could feel more at peace with the situation.

“That Chris guy knew exactly where you lived. It's a public record. The last thing any of us needs is some guy surprising you when you’re alone in your room” Tom exhales, rubbing his temples.

Lindsey’s heart drops as she feels tears well in her eyes.

“Linds I’ll take you shopping or something. It’ll be great. We could talk about literally anything. Plus, you always talked about the joys of retail therapy” Harry adds, trying to take her mind off of things.

While Harry and Lindsey leave to go shopping, Harrison is tasked with making sure everyone’s paying up on time, everything is in order and that his best mob boss friend isn’t carrying too much work on his shoulders. He knocks on the door with the gold plate reading “Tom Holland” and enters.

“How’s it going man?” Harrison asks the brown eyed mobster.

Tom nods and responds.

“Pretty good, I guess. Nothing is outright troublesome other than the stuff we already know about. Everything in your field normal?”

Harrison nods.

“Good, good,” Tom mutters.

“Maybe all the douchebags and lowlifes decided to take the day off” Harrison suggests, prompting the two men to laugh.

“So,” Tom starts, breaking the silence.

“So?” Harrison asks in response.

“You’re getting pretty close with Lindsey, there”

Harrison raises his eyebrows “And?”

Tom runs a hand through his hair.

“Is this going to be a repeat of high school?”

Harrison eyebrows snap together.

“What do you mean?” “Mate, you wouldn’t shut up about her. Both of you wouldn’t shut up about each other, in fact. And none of you would make real moves on each other” Tom chuckles.

“Anyway,” Harrison says just a little too quickly. “Any headway on who was trying to get into your parents’ stuff?”

Tom lets out a heavy sigh and shakes his head

“Ten bucks says it’s one of Harding’s guys. But, there’s nothing to actually back that up so until then...,” he trails off and shrugs.

Harrison nods as Tom continues.

“I mean, my main concern is Lindsey. Like don’t get me wrong, my parents are fine, my dad’s still got some tricks up his sleeve and they’re the ones with the dog. But Linds on the other hand-”

“She only has us and no knowledge of protocol whatsoever” Harrison interjects.

“I mean don’t get me wrong she has all the self defense stuff she learned from Gideon. But, my main concern is, will it be enough to keep her all safe ‘n feisty if and when she gets affiliated with us?” Tom asks.

Harrison’s eyebrows knit together.

“Do you think she’ll be a long term partner?” Harrison asks, directing his gaze upwards at Tom.

He sighs and shrugs his shoulders

“I honestly don’t know. She seemed pretty horrified when she found out about us. But now, she seems to be warming up to it. She just seemed more concerned about our safety than anything else. I guess it all depends on when you get a ring on that girl’s finger” Tom chuckles at his own joke.

Harrison shoots Tom a knowing glance and flips him off.

“So, nothing else on your end you need help with?”

Harry and Lindsey sit in the food court of the crowded mall, indulging in their lunches.

“So what kinda shit do you need anyway?” Harry yells to Lindsey, trying to speak over the loads of people surrounding them.

“It depends,” Lindsey responds following a heavy sigh.

Harry has a puzzled look written all over his face. Anyone can read that man like a book. “On what?” He questions.

“Well,” Lindsey trails off, trying to contain her laughter.

“How comfortable are you going into Victoria’s Secret?”

Harry chokes on his food.

“What could you possibly need from Victoria’s Secret?”

Lindsey finally cracks up in hysterical laughter.

“Lingerie for Harrison, duh” Lindsey jokes between laughs.

Harry covers his ears.

“TMI TMI TMI lalalalala I can’t hear you” Harry partially yells.

Lindsey laughs even harder than before.

“Harry, you know I’m kidding. I just need the basic bras, panties, that kinda thing. Which, in all honesty if you’re not cool with going in there or if we get kicked out, I’m one million percent okay with going somewhere else” She explains.

Harry lets out a small chuckle. He can’t believe he forgot how conscious and caring for other people Lindsey is.

“I’m fine going in there but I can’t promise we’ll be in there for very long. But, then again, I have no idea- You alright, Linds?”

That last sentence was a blur. All Lindsey could feel was tingles in the back of her neck while only hearing the nagging of her subconscious.

“Turn around. Someone’s watching you”

“Turn over your right shoulder. There’s someone watching you. You’re in danger. Danger. Danger”

“Lindsey?” Harry asks.

Lindsey whips her head back around to face her friend.

“What?” She questioned, clearly zoned out of the conversation.

Harry sighs.

“You know he can’t hurt you anymore”

Lindsey nods, still distant.

“Linds, repeat after me. Chris Maxwell is dead. He can’t get to you anymore” Harry insists.

He hates seeing his friend like this. “Then why do I still feel eyes on me?” She mutters taking a look around the food court once more.

Harry scans the room, trying to see if anyone is being blatant about watching her.

“I don’t see anyone, Lindsey. C’mon let's go grab some more things you need, yeah? I know Tom said no apartment but maybe I can run and grab some things for ya if you want” He encourages.

Lindsey’s eyes light up.

“Really? Cause there was this super cute silver bodycon dress that I totally left there and if this whole thing clears up or maybe if I end up going out with Chad again I could wear that”

Harry chuckles.

“You’re really into this Chad guy huh?”

Lindsey sighs and clears her burgundy hair out of her face.

“I dunno, Har. Like I love Haz ‘n all but there’s no real moves made y’know. It’s all sweet words and cuddles with him. But it’s hard to gauge if he actually feels, or I guess felt, things for me or if that’s just how he expresses friendship. Chad on the other hand, is actually making moves and expressing things, y’know?.”

Harry nods, understanding. She pauses and checks her phone.

“Especially now,” She adds, “Because he just asked me to dinner tonight”

Harry’s eyes widen.

“Dang”

He pulls out his phone and writes out a text to Harrison.

Harry Holland() Mate, I have no idea wtf is going on between you and Linds. But if you still feel things for her you gotta make real moves and fast cause she just thinks its friendly shit

“Alright. Where next m’lady?”

Harry asks, offering his hand to a giggling Lindsey.

Harry was a good distraction for her. That was obvious. But somehow somewhere, Lindsey was still hearing her subconscious whisper

“Look over your left shoulder. Someone’s got their eyes on you. Just turn, turn, turn” And once again, she obliges to her thoughts.

Harrison looks at his phone and sighs. Harry has just confirmed what has been nagging in the back of his mind ever since he saw her for the first time in the diner. He turns his head around when he heard the front door open and shut.

“Hello?” He hears the angelic voice of Lindsey grace the household.

“What did you get, love?” Harrison asks, looking at the bags in her hand.

“I think I have successfully traumatized the big, scary mobster, Harry Holland” She giggles as his cheeks turn a bright crimson.

Harrison’s eyebrows snap together in confusion.

“Whadya mean?”

Lindsey says nothing and holds up the square Victoria’s Secret bag. Harrison mouth forms into a silent “Oh”

She giggles and runs upstairs with her things.

“How is she?” Harrison asks with a quirked eyebrow.

“As expected, I guess” Harry murmurs.

“What do you mean?” Harrison asks, voice full of concern.

“She still keeps looking over her shoulder. She’s convinced that someone’s following her” Harry sighs.

“Well, this isn't necessarily cause she ‘has me in her pocket’,” Harrison starts, making air quotes.

“But, is it really that irrational of a thing to think of? I mean, need I remind you that someone tried to find information on Gideon Fuller’s whole family? Not just Gideon but Denise and Lindsey as well”

Harry’s eyebrows raise.

“You think it’s the same person?”

“It could very much be” Harrison responds, eyes wide like saucers in realization that he was onto something.

“You go take care of her, I’ll fill Tom in,” Harry says and speeds off to his brother’s office.

The unidentified brunette man sits in his hotel room, fresh out of the shower. Hair wet, towel on his waist, he decides to get himself into some clothes. Now clad in a black v neck, fitting his muscles perfectly and some plaid pajama pants, the man haphazardly dries his hair and looks over the files sitting on the polished table. He’s pulled out of his concentrated state by the familiar sound of his ringtone.

“Yeah,” he answers, voice raspy as he hadn't had much to say.

“Yeah I have eyes on her,” He confirms, smirking at the master plan.

“No, boss, they have no idea,” The man reassures with whoever is on the other line.

“The only one posing a somewhat threat to the plan is the right hand, Osterfeld” He briefs the person as well as going through it for himself.

“Problem? No. Definitely not. I can easily neutralize him,” He boasts

“Yeah,” He confirms.

“The second he gets in my way he’s getting taken out. This information on Fuller is too good to pass up”

As Lindsey goes on her date, Harrison is in Tom’s office, plotting. Tom glances over at his right hand man to see him gazing off into the distance. Harrison can’t stop thinking of Lindsey, his Lindsey, looking absolutely stunning on the dress Harry brought for her. Her burgundy hair was straight, her makeup was done, she looked flawless as per usual. But, she’s always flawless. Chad probably doesn’t see that. Chad doesn’t deserve a beauty like her. Who does he even think he is?

“Harrison,” Tom says, snapping him out of his trance.

Harrison trains his bright blue eyes on his best friend and right away Tom knows something’s up. “Alright, man. Spill. Where’s your head at?”

Harrison sighs and runs a hand through his hair.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy she’s happy. But what did this Chad guy even do to deserve to go out with her? She’s so gorgeous and funny and perfect. And Harry texted me earlier and basically said I needed to make my move because she was teetering between me and him. Tom, what if I’m too late?” He pauses as he starts to feel himself choke up.

“W-what if this is the man she’s gonna marry and I’m left high and dry? I know there have been girls in the past and like you always say there’s women throwing themselves at us being ‘dangerous sexy mobsters’ or whatever. But I don’t want anyone else. I want her”

In all the years of friendship and partnership between Harrison and Tom, Tom has never seen Harrison get choked up like this. Tom lets out a sigh, breaking the silence.

“I mean,” He begins, pausing to wet his lips and find the correct words to console his friend with.

“It’s clear she loves you. Whether it's seen as platonic love or more than that, that’s up to you two. However, as much as it hurts, it’s not up to you to decide who she dates and this Chad guy seems to make her pretty happy. But, then again, so do you. It’s kind of a rough process trying to decipher this, man. Try not to think about it too much,”

Harrison nods and sniffles.

“What do I do?” He inquires his best friend.

“If it were me, I would come clean to her. Tell her everything you just told me. Because, if it’s one thing I know about Lindsey Fuller’s feelings about you, it’s confusion. She doesn’t know if all the PDA you guys do is platonic or something else. But, it’s not me, it’s you. So, it’s not my place to tell you how to go about this,”

The blue eyed man nods to Tom.

“But,” Tom continues, “Right now, we can’t change that she’s on her date. So, good that we got all her feeling out but let's figure out who’s meddling in our crime family”

Harrison makes his way up to his bedroom. He had heard Lindsey enter the house, but, he was so caught up in the work he and Tom had started. This is it. Harrison is going to confess what has been eating at him since he first saw her. As he walks up the stairs to his room, he gives himself a small pep talk.

“You got this, Osterfield,” He thinks to himself.

“Tom said she’s into you, Harry insists she’s into you. Why would she not be into you?”

He opens the door to his bedroom, the gateway of so many sweet and caring memories between the two of them, only to see Lindsey... packing her things?

“Hey” He greets her, voice unintentionally giving hints of confusion and startling her from her mind.

“Oh! Hey” Lindsey gasps.

“You scared me!” She giggles brushing stray hairs out of her face.

“How was the date?” Harrison asks gently, not wanting to startle her any more.

Lindsey smiles that sweet smile making Harrson’s knees weak every single time.

“It was really good actually,” She beams before continuing “How’s everything here?” Lindsey asks him.

“Ugh it’s full of work. But, it’s good work, y’know? We do the shit law enforcement won’t- What are you doing?” Harrison asks as she continues to pack her things.

“Oh sorry, I’m still listening, don't worry! I’m just packing up” She answers pausing to bashfully scratch the back of her neck.

“Why, darling?” Harrison queries, walking over to grab both her hands

“I’m-uh, I think I’m gonna stay in the guest room from now on, Haz” Lindsey mumbles, finding a new fascination with the floor.

“Any reason why you’re moving out of here?” Harrison questions, trying and failing to find her gaze.

“Yeah I just- I just don’t want to be weighing you down by staying in your room and um...” She trails off.

Harrison brings his index finger to her chin and lifts her head up to meet his gaze.

“And what, love?” He asks, ocean eyes full of concern.

“Haz,” She whispers, while moving away from him and shaking her head.

“We can’t do this anymore, Harrison” She murmurs, shakily.

Harrison feels a hard pang in his chest like his heart is causing him physical pain. His head feels like it’s spinning and all he wants to do is wake up with his girl next to him “W-Why?” He asks, barely above a whisper.

“Harrison, Chad and I are a thing now. And, all the PDA stuff we do, I-I just I don’t wanna piss him off or offend him y’know?” She explains.

All Harrison can do is nod as Lindsey continues.

“You know I love you, Hazza and everything we do for each other. But, that stuff can be easily misinterpreted”

Harrison nods again.

“I hope he makes you happy” He chokes out, voice cracking just a little.

And with that, the girl of his dreams leaves his bedroom, confirming his worst nightmare has become a reality.

TAGLIST

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Everything

@were-all-gay-down-here @saturn-aka-six @theasexualbunny@marvelismylifffe @Spiderdudeparker @summertime-acoustic @39-seas-of-rhye

Hollands & Haz

@sincerelygmg @nishanki1 @babyplutoszx2

Kiss Me Goodbye

@tomshufflepuff

Groupchat

@lamptracker @girl-in-the-chair @casualprincess77 @musiclover1263 @sendspidermanpics @babiexarmy

#harrison osterfield #mob au #mob!au #mob!haz #mob!harrison #mob!harrison osterfield #kiss me goodbye #harrison osterfield x oc #harrison osterfield x reader

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suicidalalarmclock · 5 years

Text

Prompt: Emma is a rebellious princess whose nighttime patrolling adventures bring her face to face with the probable love of her life.

Emma Elizabeth Charming was dramatically beautiful as most princesses are assumed to be, but rarely ever are. She was slightly above average height with a delicate slender build. Her complexion held a milky white irradiance that gave lead into the monotonous sheltered life style of palace living. The more pale the complexion, the more royal the subject. Another way of saying that she was never allowed outside without at least a parasol and elbow length gloves. Her blonde hair was thick and so long that many of the popular braided styles took hours to complete. She’d threatened her mother to cut it off on more than one occasion, though it may have been the only empty threat she’d ever repeated. Emma’s slanted green eyes balanced evenly upon high cheeks bones and her fine lips were colored the most feminine shade of pink.

For all her apparent femininity, and her mother’s insistence on extensive etiquette and decorum training, Princess Swan (a nick name given to her by her father for his daughter's obsession with the animals as a child) cared little about being a princess. In fact, she resented the title completely. The tedious lessons in embroidery. The arduous classes in arranging cut flowers. The boring balls she was forced to attend in order to find a proper suitor before her age became undesirable, made her feel as if she was being held captive in a world founded on traditions of which she was an alien.

She was educated well over all of her female peers and had taken to reading at a very early age. She was most beguiled with mystery novels, ever entertained with ascertaining hidden clues and piecing them together. It was an honest gift that she began training with her readings. She started striving to solve the mystery before the novels end. Emma had gotten so good that she’d soon surpassed the most cunning of authors. With that her rebellious side could no longer be fulfilled living upon the pages of fantasy. She needed some real action.

She’d started solving petty disputes amongst the palace staff. Who took what from whom and who did what with what. Her parents were never ones to stifle gifts, but to include their daughter’s gifts in their day to day lives would mean to put her in more danger than they would ever allow.

Sitting up high on her vantage point atop her four poster bed Emma could see that the chamber maidens had retired for the night. She stealthily slid out of bed pulling her unruly locks into a high ponytail and dressed quickly in an all-black riding ensemble that was borrowed from the stable boy and her good friend Daniel the night prior. She finished the look with a dark hooded cape before sneaking out under the cover of night.

“You’re going to get yourself killed.” Daniel chastised after listening to Emma’s latest plan for adventure.

“Geez Daniel. Lighten up.”

“You do remember what happened last time?”

Emma cut her eyes up from the blade of hay she’d been worrying between her fingers.

“Don’t look at me like that! You broke your arm! Who knows what would have happened if the Blue Fairy hadn’t been in residence.”

“I would have healed like a normal person.”

“You think this will play out like one of your books Swan? These are real people with real secrets and real weapons. What happens if you get caught? You’re the princess!”

“I am more than proficient with a bow and arrow thanks to my mother and I can wield a sword as gracefully as a knight thanks to good old dad. No one will guess that I am the princess.” Emma made a stern face as to stress her point. She was a woman desperate to be useful and this mission required her specific skill set.

“But Emma! It’s not as if you can do magic!”

Daniel’s instance irritated her. Of course she couldn’t do magic. Her parents would never allow it. The Enchanted forest was more of a misnomer at this day an age.

“Look will you stop? I don’t care about that.What I do care about are the children that keep disappearing from Ginger village!”

“Why not tell your father and have the knights investigate?”

If Daniel only knew that she’d in fact overheard the information from a Knight as she eavesdropped on a round table briefing. Her father’s plan had them doing everything honorably or, more accurately, his plan had them doing everything obviously.

“Because they’ll do everything by the “code of ethics” and give themselves up before they even start!”

“Fine, since you insist.” He begrudgingly acquiesced, “but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Daniel had prepared her most trusted steed for the excursion. A jet black stallion she affectionately called, Twilight.

“Good evening Twilight.” Emma greeted the horse in a hushed voice and Twilight huffed back mutely. He was just as excited as Emma and smart enough to know that they were on a clandestine mission so he was trying his best to be quite.

The ride was made clear by the fullness of the moon. The journey wouldn’t have been possible without its light. As she finally made it past the palace walls to the outskirts of the Enchanted forest she noticed movement out of the corner of her eye. A figure hid behind the first row of trees, the moon casting the person’s lanky shadow across the ground. Emma’s heart skipped a beat and her hand reached back over her shoulder for her bow.

“Pst. Put that down! Come on, before the guards see you.” Emma relaxed instantly. It was only Daniel. “Don’t tell me you thought I was going to let you go off alone?”

Emma smiled from ear to ear very pleased by this. She would never admit to anything as pedestrian as nerves, but it was obvious that she had been having second thoughts. Daniel ascended Twilight with the trained ease of an equestrian while still allowing Emma to hold the reigns.

“So Swan, how would you feel about tackling two good deeds in one night?”

Emma was more than keen to add onto their roster. This was the first time she’d ridden cross saddle in months and the first time she’d been in the Enchanted forest without an entourage in over a year.

“Duh, what did you have in mind?

“I’ve been seeing someone.”

“Hun?”

“I’ve been seeing someone.” He repeated with a bit more volume.

“Do you hear this Twilight? He’s finally admitting to it!” Twilight made a neighing sound that was eerily close to a chuckle.

“You knew?” Daniel seemed genuinely shocked.

“You’re my best friend Daniel. Of course I knew something was going on. You never miss our rides and this month alone you missed three.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. She is very private . . . a royal.”

“Royal?” Emma wasn’t sure if she should be offended. “That’s why you waited so long to tell me? Do I know her? Not Anastasia? Oh! Don’t tell me it’s Elsa . . . I know she is very pretty and all, but I promise she’s nuts.”

“Swan stop. You do not know her . . . not really. And I know all about you and Elsa. From where I stand you deserved it.”

Emma’s cheeks became hot and she elbowed Daniel in the ribs indignantly.

“Don’t try to change the subject! Who is she?”

“The daughter of the Former King Henry . . .”

Emma’s eyes went wide and she was happy to not have been facing her friend as she had a moment to compose herself.

“You don’t mean former King Henry’s daughter.”

“Yes , I’ve been seeing the Princess Regina.”

XXX

Princess Regina pulled her traveling cloak tightly around her waist to stave off the cold night air. She was agitated. Looking at the position of the moon she counted just after 1 in the morning and there was still no sign of Daniel.

In the realm of the Enchanted Kingdom the truth of Princess Regina is little known, though the gossip surrounding her title is known all too well. The story of a jealous princess from a foreign land across the great sea, who plotted to overthrow the throne from her mother and failed miserably. The cause of her rebellion was a hot topic for speculation, but it was generally agreed upon that Regina used magic and that was enough to make her undesirable. Many had no clue as to why King Charming and Queen Snow allowed the woman and her father asylum amongst the Enchanted Kingdom. If only they knew the real story.

An oppressed and emotionally abused princess found the strength to right the wrongs of her mother’s evil practices. Regina had been prepared to die for her cause, using a spell that had very high risks. Her mother had anticipated her final moves and instead of killing her she decided to banish her instead. Finding it far more of a punishment to make a mockery of the former King and his treacherous daughter.

Now her father now forbade all magic. So where better a place to make a new life than the Enchanted forest.

Magic was one of the only things Regina and her mother had in common and even with that they both practiced so differently. Regina had been born into magic. It was essential to her being. If they didn’t want her to practice in this land than so be it. But to have had her magic physically ripped from her body was cruel. She felt weak and empty on the inside and was desperate to have them back.

The sound of hooves trotting caught her attention and she fell back into the cover of the brush not sure who was approaching.

"Regina?"

She released a breath. It was Daniel. She quickly uncovered her hiding spot only to come face to face with the most striking pair of green eyes she'd ever seen. It threw her off completely while Daniel slid down off of the back of the same horse obscuring her view.

He then bent to kiss her lips, but she pushed him away toward her cheek.

“You’re late.” She admonished. “I’ve been waiting for over an hour.”

“I am sorry.” Regina watched his blue eyes contort under the stress of having annoyed her. “It was this one’s fault.” He pointed back up to the woman with the striking eyes giving Regina a chance at a second look.

"Regina, this is Emma."

Emma? She took a moment to apply the name to the figure before her as Daniel stepped aside so the two women could properly meet.

The rumors of the princess’ beauty were not exaggerated, but she was wary to admit that. Regina pushed her shoulders back in a show of confidence though she really had none.

"Miss. Swan." She acknowledged with a slight bow of the head.

Emma took her time to look Regina over carefully. Her doll like features were quite impassive and after a painfully long silence she responded.

“You would do well to call me Princess.”

Regina’s cheeks colored. She’d put the Miss to be polite, but of course a princess would be offended by another princess not acknowledging the title.

“I didn't mean to offend you.” She tried her best to sound sincere for she truly was. Regina rarely apologized, but felt her faux pas called for further explanation. “Daniel simply calls you Swan and I did not want to seem familiar, Princess.” This time she added a curtsy.

Daniel was back at her side in an instant.

“Swan hates being called Princess.” Regina watched the other woman’s face, she visibly bristled at Daniel coming to her defense. “What’s gotten into you Swan?”

“Well it’s clear she’s gotten into you.” Emma retorted haughtily. Her face still stone cold while Regina’s face fell in shock. Namely because she and Daniel’s relationship had yet to progress that far, also it was completely none of her business. And here she was trying to be civil.

“Princess, there’s no reason to feel . . .” she searched for the right word. Jealous would be too presumptuous and she’d rather not be gauche. “intimidated by my relationship with Daniel. I know you two are close.”

It gave her great pleasure as she now watched Emma’s mouth drop wide open.

“Intimidated? You and Daniel? No!” Emma quickly defended before jumping down off of the horse to bow her head down in a formal gesture. “I’m being an asshole & I don’t know why . . . I never get to meet new people and another princess nonetheless. You’re beautiful *cough* I-I think I’m in shock. Please call me Emma.”

The sudden change in tone had Regina on alert as it was currently she trusted no one. Though Daniel was very kind to her. He said he loved her, but love was too much to ask of her at the moment. It shouldn’t matter that this woman found her beautiful, but for some reason it did. Steeling herself against the sudden wave of emotion she fixed her face in a look of practiced modesty.

She appraised Emma again. Taking a bit more time to carefully map out her features. Her hair fell out of the side of her hood in a tangle of dense glimmering ringlets slipping free from her bun. She bowed before her at the waist as if she were a gentleman. Regina’s eyes then fell to the ill fitting low male cut of her pants and the ornately expensive sword hooked expertly upon her belt. This princess Emma was a tomboy.

“Princess Emma Swan,” Regina tried again. “Are you always this rude?”

The question caught Emma off guard and she fumbled a little before her smile brightened immensely.

“Me rude?” She exaggerated “Hardly ever.”

Regina managed to smile at that. Her brown eyes softening around the edges. She felt Daniel grip her waist tighter in an encouraging manor. Happy his two favorite people were playing nice. He knew first hand that royalty had a hard time socializing, but never thought that Emma could be classified as real royal.

“Well that could’ve gone better.” Daniel began awkwardly as he let go of Regina and stepped in front of the two women. “But now that everyone knows each other let’s move along. We have very little time before daylight.”

This seemed to put Emma back on track.

“Great. Are you ready to finally tell me why you dragged my ass two hours opposite the direction of Ginger Village? Besides meeting your new girlfriend?”

Regina could barely roll her eyes before Daniel spoke again.

“ Regina knows how to use magic.”

Emma paused in her tracks before turning around again to face the fallen princess. Her lips curled to one side as she spoke.

“That explains your lack of weaponry. I was afraid you’d left Daniel’s sorry ass to defend you.”

“Cool it Swan. I’m trying to impress this one. She’s kidding by the way.”

“Sure I am.” Regina watched as Emma shot Daniel a teasing glance before gracefully mounting her steed. “And little good that will do you here. If you haven’t heard the Enchanted forest isn’t so enchanted.”

“Well, that is where you come in Swan.”

“Not sure I’m following.” Emma uttered a tad distracted. She seemed to be counting something which in turn made Regina realize the same thing.

“Dear, why didn’t you tell me to bring a horse?”

“I was supposed to have Radiance, but the King requested him last minute.”

“Dad asked for Radiance?” Emma looked properly vexed by this for a moment before seeming to drop it completely. Her eyes cut to Regina’s again for the third time that night and still all Regina could think about was how it made her feel something. Good or bad she still wasn’t sure. Her gaze was so heavy it almost felt intrusive.

“I vote Daniel walks, and you princess Regina, would you like to ride with me?”

XXX

#enchanted forest #swanqween #emma swan #regina mills #excerpts of stories #writers be like #fanfic #once upon a time #writing on tumblr #young love

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stroni-bomb · 5 years

Text

Siren!Taeil: Eye of the Beholder {1}

CHAPTER ONE // NEXT

❃ Taeil didn’t know which was worse: being a male in a family of purely female sirens or being a rare phenomenon in a group of ‘normals’. He never had it easy growing up and going against everything which makes a siren didn’t make it any easier. He would always be thankful for that fateful day when Angel!Taeyong saved him. However when a certain individual puts all of N City on their toes as they’re a risk to another citizen’s life, why can’t Taeil feel nothing except sympathy towards her instead of the hatred the other’s hold? ❃

؂۵‗✩⑈

"Taeil," Taeyong gently shook the older brother and gave him a warm smile as his tired eyelids fluttered open. "You can go to bed now. Y/N's asleep, I've got everything under control."

He quickly checked on your sleeping figure in the infirmary bed. He didn't know how long he was out but he was certain that you were awake the last time he saw you. Slowly he stood up, giving a small thanks to Taeyong before leaving the infirmary room. He wouldn't go to bed, he didn't need to, all he did need was some fresh air and thinking time.

Quietly, avoiding waking up any of the other residents, he made his way through the dimly lit corridors until finding the back door. Sliding it open carefully he tiptoed out, allowing the cool midnight breeze to blow on his face. It was a quick walk to the lake. Well it was more of a stream really.

As he reached the water's edge he finally sat down with the grass underneath him, occasionally the wind would move the grass in such a way that it'd dance in between his fingers, lightly tickling him. He had an urge to shift into his siren form but decided against it, knowing the younger boys they're probably spying on him right now from their bedroom windows.

He brought his head down to the grass and lay there, silently. The grass moulded underneath him, leaving his temporary mark into the land. He could hear the lake gently lapping against the bed, running further and further upstream. There was probably a river somewhere nearby, acting out as a branch into the wide and vast ocean.

Ocean. That word alone reminded him of...home. Could he really call it a home though?

It always surprised him how he even managed to survive. No one had realised he was different until he was six, when sirens get their human form. His once loving family turned on him just like that. Why? He was a young boy, not a girl.

He had loved where he lived. The small, grassy cove reached out onto the beach. The grass had a different feel to the one that grew at N City, it was more...rough. Pretty much summed up his whole childhood. At first it'd start with the girls his age, pushing and shoving. As soon as Taeil retaliated though that's when the older sirens began to torture him.

They left scars but they were easy to hide with clothes, he couldn't say the same for his siren form. That's why he refuses unless necessary, he doesn't need his friends to see him like that.

"Taeil hyung!" A young voice yelled out, his feet flattening the grass beneath each stride. This was someone who didn't care if he woke others. Donghyuck. "What are you doing out here?"

Taeil quickly wiped a stray tear and lifted himself up from the ground. Donghyuck bounded into him, wrapping his arms around his elder brother. He awkwardly returned the affection, he himself wasn't much of a skinship person.

"It's cold out here," Hyuck shivered as he pulled away. Taeil noticed he was barefoot and only wearing shorts with a thin, white shirt.

There was a moment of silence between the two. A chilling breeze blew passed them both, pinching their revealed skin. Hyuck quickly brought his hands to his upper arms and rubbed in a sad attempt to warm himself up.

"You didn't need to come out," Taeil eventually smiled and brought an arm around Hyuck's shoulders. "I was just getting some air before going to bed but let's get inside now. You're right, it's freezing."

Maneuvering back into the mansion Hyuck looked up in awe at Taeil. He didn't say anything, he knew Taeil wouldn't talk about this stuff with him but he had so much hurt in his eyes, so much pain, yet kept it inside and kept being his jokey self. Much like himself. He admired Taeil for that.

After walking Hyuck back up to his room which he shared with Jaemin and Renjun Taeil finally collapsed into his bed. He had to resist the urge not to run back to your infirmary room and go to bed in the chair again, just so he could be there for her when she woke up. Maybe he was being too attentive though so he decided against it, he didn't want to give others the wrong idea.

Settling down under his duvet and forcing his past memories out of his mind Taeil was finally able to sleep. Before he was completely gone a small smile sketched onto his features as a quick image of you fluttered through his mind. You were sleeping, safe and sound in the infirmary two floors below him, a smile which mirrored his own blessing your delicate features.

؂۵‗✩⑈

"TAEIL GET UP WE NEED YOU!" A series of knocks hammered at his door as various voices yelled his name. As of yet he was in no real hurry to get up, usually when this happened -and it tended to happen a lot in a house with the devil himself in it- there ended up being no real threat but instead a cream pie waiting to smack him in the face.

"TAEIL IT'S Y/N!"

Now he was up. If his fate did end up being a cream pie then he can bet that whoever the pranker was would soon become the prankee.

Dashing into your infirmary room with a sense of urgency he immediately went to your side. You were out cold, pale and seemingly unresponsive.

Taeil's eyes scanned the faces which accompanied him in the room: Taeyong, Doyoung, Jaehyun and ... Mingcheng. Quickly doing a body scan of the latter he released a sigh of relief- she was carrying no weapons and she didn't seem triumphant. Always a good sign.

"Taeyong what happened? How did her vitals drop so drastically you told me she was doing fine!" Taeil questioned, he knew he should have never left your side, screw the attentive nonsense he would've been there for you when you needed him most.

"Her heart and breathing rate dropped after another... episode. We've put her on oxygen but we aren't medics Taeil, this type of healing is beyond my powers. I heal bones. Not curses," Taeyong said sternly, not appreciating Taeil's seemingly ungrateful tone.

He took note of the oxygen mask and evaluated your chest movements, not quite how he'd like it but assumed it was an improvement.

Suddenly a pang of realisation hit him, how he had forgotten the most important piece of information he didn't know. "Episode? Is Nev okay, what happened?"

"About time grandpa. She's fine, shaken up but fine. Your little friend here tried to kill her she's lucky she-"

"She tried to kill her Taeyong? But I thought she was bed ridden," it was more of a observation than a question, although he failed to observe the very obvious glares which Mingcheng was shooting through him.

"Did he just interrupt me?" She hissed to her mate, Jaehyun, evidently pissed off.

"He's on edge babe-" "He'll be on the edge of my foo-"

"Jaehyun. Mingcheng. Please go check on Nev and Leon, shoot I should really check on Leon...Taeil, could you give me a second? Come on you two," Taeil just nodded, not watching the three of them leave and not giving Doyoung much of his attention either. His full focus was on you, this wasn't the secure figure he pictured last night, no this was the exact opposite.

There was a gentle silence which occasionally was interrupted by the sound of the heart monitor. Every time a sharp 'beep' pierced through the air Taeil would look up and check your heart rate, noting down if there was an improvement or not every time mainly for his own sanity. He was so absorbed in...You, that he forgot about Doyoung who was sat on the chair opposite the bed, checking out his older brother's behaviour and gentleness regarding you.

"Why do you like her so much?" He suddenly questioned, cocking on eyebrow in a way which Taeil couldn't stand, as if Doyoung had just figured out his entire life story by watching him for five minutes.

"I have no clue what you're on about," Taeil dismissed by shaking his head. "Who's Leon?"

"Just some Lion girl who's been stabbed or shot can't remember the exact details, brought some half wolf dude with her or something too. Now answer my question." Doyoung leaned back in his chair now, his long legs outstretched across the floor.

"You should really pay attention to the people Taeyong saves. Maybe then people will like you?" Taeil sniped back, mimicking his younger brother's actions as he leant back in his chair. Debating whether to stretch out his legs too he decided against it, he was much smaller than Doyoung and didn't need to prove it.

"What's the point? They looked like a total mad show anyway. I don't waste my breath on obviously crazy people."

"Yet you ended up living with sixteen of them, now more if you count the mates. You should loosen up, you're stressed," Taeil smiled as Doyoung chuckled to himself. He had got him there, the residents at N CITY were far from sane.

"I should say the same for you hyung, you should let us in and not push us away when we ask you stuff," now Doyoung had evened out the score. Taeil couldn't think of a reply and the sharp 'beep' of your machine left him unable to think straight anyway as he quickly noted down the results.

"I'm gonna check on Lion Girl and Wolf Boy, call us if anything happens okay?"

Taeil just nodded in response, "see you wizard boy," he smirked as the door clicked behind Doyoung as he left him by himself with you by his side.

He liked the thought of that, you standing by his side, just the thought of you standing without needing support made him happy.

He wanted you to be happy but this was just the sympathy talking... right?

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

That's chapter one guys 🤪 hoped you enjoyed and give my boy Taeil some love 💝 -Stroni-

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jademarine · 5 years

Text

Unexpected life Part 2

Just between you and me, the level is way too hard in the absynth.

* *

I reached my office in a bad mood. After this night spent watching the mad girl from the infirmary here I was, engaging with even worse : the lessons to the best of the best of my recruits. And, if I had the choice, I’d run back to comfort the hysterical freak instead of seeing this bunch of hypocrites in my laboratory. This gifted class of five fuckers was the most pathetic thing I had ever come to see. Between them, nothing seemed prohibited to win a tiny bit of affection in my heart. Which was frankly useless as I hated them all from the bottom of my guts. I had already told Miiko I’d pick anybody in the bottom of the absynth gard before to see one of them as my successor, but she had insisted. For the appearances at least, she had told. Well, since it was only for the appearances, I had decided to have a bit of fun.

Today, I declared as I entered my lab, I put in the lead the first one to bring me something to eat.

Immediately, the five head-slaps threw themselves in the stairs in a almost-suicidal rush, and I sighed slightly to see them making it out alive. Less than one minute after they were back with, for most of them, their honey ration. Kayvin only, maybe because he had already used his, brought me a cup of coffee.

- Kayvin, one point for originality, I said while taking a first sip of the hot liquid. Half a point for everybody else.

And, as I loved to see the deception on their faces, I finally decided to take back half a point to all of them. On this day, I kept them busy with a project requiring several years of intense study, I choose to digest and to catch up with my sleep at the same time. Vera, the most shameless suck-up, was the one to wake me up by letting a test piece down.

- Vera, rear of the field, I groaned, batting my eyes. It’s over for today, you’re way too stupid for me to stand you any longer.

In an instant, it was another race to scurry away the fastest possible, and five students (with one on the verge of crying) bumped into Ewelein when she tried to enter the lab.

- Well well well. Looks like they have a hard time.

I laughed, bringing back their exercises, and I took a look at them to check if the level was suitable. None of them would deserve more than one or two points, and my grin stretched up.

It was perfect.

- Look at this, I said, holding up one of the sheets to my nurse. It’s not that hard.

She mumbled something when she read the first statement, and gave it back to me.

- I don’t see anything the unit law couldn’t solve.

- Excellent. You should think about joining my deepening lessons. I’d give you five points to encourage you.

- There’s no way in hell I’ll join, Ezarel.

Smiling, I let myself sink in my seat.

- If you’re not here for my precious lessons, you must be in need of a potion. Which one ?

She came to my desk and played a few moments with a bright-orange filled flask. When she smelled it, though, she put it back in place immediately.

- I wanted to see you about Laure, she started, but I was at a loss already.

- Who’re you talking about ?

- Laure, the witch you’ve looked after yesterday.

- Oh. How is doing PTSD ?

Even if she frowned, Ewelein said nothing. She didn’t mind me mocking everybody, but her patients was the holy limit I shouldn’t cross, which of course reinforce my desire to trample it vehemently.

- Actually, she’s asking for you. I don’t know what you told her but it was effective. She refuses to talk to anybody but you.

I had to really work myself not to burst in laughter at her face. I had been obnoxious, and if that poor girl wanted to see me so bad, her mental health was even worse than what I expected.

- As you can see, I raised my arms to embrace the empty room, I’m really busy. My students need my training, you know.

- I’m just asking for a little time, Ewelein sighed. Just to make her eat and you’ll be free.

- You’re telling me she’s on a hunger strike ?

I complained and grunted, but finally ended up by following my employee. I was determined to shorten this damn encounter with the crazy patient and to enjoy my calm afternoon with my books. At least, they ad something clever to say, compared to most of the people around me.

At the infirmary, I discovered the young patient still firmly tied to her bed, this time in a sitting position. Even if her eyes still gave me this feeling of contained hysterical, at least she seemed slightly calmer than the day before. When she saw me, a light in her gaze made her look almost normal.

- You wanted to see me ? I asked, sitting on the same chair I used last time.

- Yes, I’m happy to see you doctor.

- Don’t call me like that.

- Like what, then ?

Praying to finish this quickly, I raised my shoulders.

- Ezarel.

- Oh, okay. My... my name’s Laure.

There was something ridiculous in this weak statement. That girl was handcuffed to the bed, but she was introducing herself like anybody. As I always been found of these crazy people, I smiled.

- Well, Laure, why did you want to see me ?

Her face suddenly lost her gladness and in a second she was sserious again.

- You talked to me yesterday. About... me.

- Yes indeed. Do you remember everything ?

She bit her lip and shook her head like a little girl. Somebody must have brushed her hair because they looked almost neat.

- I do, I remember. You told me things... did you mean it ?

- When I said I was going to silence you ?

- Oh yes, every word.

- No, no, she said really seriously. When you talked about my captors. And about me. Were you saying that just to calm me down ?

- No, of course not. You’ll get used to the idea. It’s the truth.

In her way to look at me, I could see she wanted to believe me, but she was still too much confused to trust me completely.

- Can I ask you questions ? She finally asked. To see if my memories are correct.

- I don’t know every details of this case.

- You’ll just answer what you know.

Eventually, I accepted. It was the fastest way to go back to my lab ridden of any troublemakers.

- Okay, she whispered slowly, as if she was going to do a surgical move. First thing, when have I been kidnapped ?

- One year ago.

Or at least this is how the story had been told to me. Everybody was talking about it, in the HQ, but I gave no credits to gossips.

- And has my family asked you to find me ?

- I can’t answer this one. Maybe we can find somebody on charge of your case...

This time, Laure’s face lost its sanity. She widened her eyes like a scared child.

- No ! No I don’t want anybody !

Worried, I sat back slowly, not to scare her any further. I had chosen alchemy to avoid people, and I here I was, playing the babysitter. There was a reason if I asked Ewelein to be in charge of the infirmary.

- Okay, I breathed. We’re not calling anybody. Keep on.

She seemed relieved, and leant back on her cushions.

- That’s better, she muttered. I don’t want to see them.

- You’re talking about...

- My family.

- Why don’t you want to see them ?

She looked hesitant, and I raised my eyebrows softly to indulge her to answer. She fell for it instantly, patients were always fragile enough to believe the first nice gesture. It was pretty sad, but I wasn’t really one to think about it in the first place.

- I think they sold me, but I’m not sure if it’s a false memory or not.

- Is there something else you doubt ?

I saw her little body tensing, and I jumped back when she suddenly pulled on her arm so strongly I thought she was going to break it. Exactly as yesterday, she started crying without warning, and I immediately noticed the blood tainting her inner lips. I got it in a second, and I was on my feet as quickly.

- Ewelein ! I yelled. Tranquilizers, now ! She’s bitting her lips !

#ezarel #eldarya #original female character #ezarel eldarya #writting #big trouble coming

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prettywitchiusaka · 6 years

Text

FMA One-shot: Can’t Control Who You Love

Couple: Roy Mustang/Riza Hawkeye

Rating: T

Word Count: 2,257

Summary: After a long day of work, Roy asks Riza to come in with him for a few drinks and to let loose. Takes place after Episode 25 of the original series.

Other Notes

This is a semi-sequel to my one-shot "Not Tonight", so there's a little bit of romance and callbacks to what happened in that story, but it mostly focuses on Roy and Riza's friendship.

That being said, BRING ON DRUNK RIZA HAWKEYE!!!

“Colonel, we’re here.”

Roy Mustang turned to his First Lieutenant, Riza Hawkeye and noticed two things; the car was parked, and they were across the road from a little pub called “Richie’s”.

He smiled inwardly. He used to come here with Riza and their friend Maes all the time when they were cadets, and later soldiers. But that was years ago when they were younger.

Okay, they were still young. But a lot had happened since then. Ishbal came and went, they’d gotten older, and their workload got a lot heavier. With so little downtime on their way to the top, they eventually stopped going altogether. Riza was often tired after a long day of work. And Roy? Well, the less said about that, the better. Let’s just say he preferred to drink alone if he could these days.

And right now was a pretty good indication, at least to him, that he was in need of some hard liquor. He’d been so lost in thought he hadn’t even noticed they’d come to a stop.

“Oh. Okay,” Roy said, he unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the door. Roy went to get out of the car but stopped when he heard a grunt. He turned to stare at his subordinate and noticed how on edge she looked. Her eyebrows were furrowed, and she was massaging her temple, no doubt doing her best to nurse an oncoming headache.

Roy didn’t need to think twice about his next move. “Wanna come in with me?”

And just like that, Riza gasped and her amber eyes widened in surprise. There was still a bit of suspicion in her gaze, though, which Roy couldn’t help smirking at.

“Sir?” she asked.

“I’m asking if you’d like to come in and have a drink with me, Lieutenant,” he replied.

Her eyes softened a bit as she listened to him…and then she turned away from his gaze. “I really don’t think that’s a good idea,” she said.

“I don’t mind driving you home if you get a little tipsy.”

“That’s not what I meant, Colonel,” she said. Her cheeks were uncharacteristically rosy, he noticed. “You know what I’m like when I’m drunk.”

His dark eyes widened like he’d just gotten hit by a freight train. How could he have been so stupid, he thought!?

Yes, Riza Hawkeye was a diligent, loyal, no-nonsense woman who could shoot circles around even the best assassins. But give her a couple of beers, and all bets were off! She became childish, clumsy, and she had a really bad habit of acting on impulses and expressing emotions she’d normally keep to herself.

Roy should know because he found that out the hard way. A few months ago, Riza got drunk at a party he was holding for the higher-ups when they were still stationed in East City. He’d let his guard down when he asked her to dance and she complied. Roy eventually caught on to his superiors staring at them in disapproval and tried to get Riza to stop…and that’s when she tried seducing him into bed with her.

It almost worked, too. And he had no one to blame but himself for that one.

“I know,” he said. “But it might do you some good to let loose for an hour.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Let loose?”

“Come on, Hawkeye. I know you’ve been stressed out at work the last few days, it might be a good idea to air out your grievances.”

He wasn’t too far off the mark, either. Their recent transfer back to Central ensured that there’d be an increase in paperwork and general office duties, which there were, but she’d also become his sole confidant in the wake of Hughes’s murder. Add in having to nag him about completing his paperwork and helping him look for ways to get promoted, and the Lieutenant was usually here till ten, sometimes eleven at night. She never complained about it, but he knew how exhausted she was.

And then there was his day off. She hadn’t said anything, but he knew from her constant yawning, the bags under her eyes, and how irritable she’d been with their team all day, especially Lieutenants Havoc and Breda, that something went down yesterday.

But hell would freeze over before she ever admitted it…Unless he brought it up to her, that is.

Mind you, he understood her concerns, he had them too. But Riza was only human; she worked harder than anyone he’d ever known and never asked for anything in return. The least he could do was buy her a drink and help her relax like they used to do.

As long as he kept her at arm’s length, they should be okay.

Before Roy could even say anything, though, he heard her sigh and said: “You’re lucky you’re so damn charming.”

He smirks.

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

………………………………………..

Thirty Minutes Later

“So after I get him to calm down, I tell Kain where, uh…where he can go get a working transistor for the radio! Of course, I made the stupid mistake of letting Havoc and Breda go with him!”

Riza took another gulp from her beer mug and wiped her mouth clean, making Roy chuckle. It was a very un-Riza like thing for her to do the more he thought about it, which is probably why he found it so amusing. It was like she didn’t care how sloppy she looked right now, and for that he was grateful.

Roy took a sip of his scotch, keeping an eye on his Lieutenant at all times.

It hadn’t taken long for her to get drunk, maybe ten minutes at most. The second the bartender came to the booth with their drinks she started chugging hers down, confirming his suspicions that she did, in fact, need a drink. And now that she was on her third beer, her inebriation was starting to show. Her cheeks were flushed, and every other word out of her mouth was slurred.

No attempts to seduce him, thankfully. Which meant his plan was working like a charm.

Roy swirled the glass around in his hand and smiled at his friend. “Is that so?” he asked.

“Yeah!” she replied. She placed her mug on the table with a loud thud. “Long story short, I ended up having to stay till at least midnight helping them clean up the storage room!”

Roy put his drink down. “So that’s why you were so tired today.”

“Uh-huh!” Riza slurred. “It’s also why I was so snippy towards Havoc and Breda!” She takes another long sip of beer.

“But not Feury.” He smirks. “Sure you’re not biased?”

“Oh, how can I be!? Kain’s still new at his job, those two numbskulls have been in the military as long as you and I have, they should know better by now! I mean don’t get me wrong, I love Jean and Heymans very much. But they can be such idiots sometimes!”

Roy chuckles. “You don’t have to tell me twice.”

“Oh, you like them!”

“I do, but it’s hard to argue that point,” he said as he took another sip of his scotch. He felt a bit weird having to nurse his drink, but he seemed to be adjusting to it so it’s not like he could really complain.

“Yeah…,” Riza said. “I like this…”

Roy raised an eyebrow. “Like what?”

“This,” she replied. “Just…you and me hanging out…listening to each other’s problems. Like old times.”

Roy is surprised to hear that, but his surprise quickly turns to joy as he gives her a smile. When Maes was still alive, they’d go out all the time and chat about their problems over some beer. Even more so than he used to do with Riza.

But Maes was gone now.

Killed in the prime of his life only months ago, leaving friends and family to grieve, and a guilt-ridden hole in Roy’s heart.

But he wasn’t alone; Riza was still here. She’d stayed by him no matter what he did, and she would continue to do so. This woman who protected and supported him, this woman who pushed him forward when she didn’t have to, this woman he loved and felt comfortable talking to about anything.

“Yeah, me too.”

She shied her eyes away, blushing bit. He chuckled.

“I wish we could do this more often.”

“Maybe when we get to the top, we can.”

Next thing Roy knew, he was watching Riza’s eyes widen and her mouth form into a big, bright smile. “I’ll hold you to that, then!” she said.

Roy blushed a bit while his heart skipped a beat at the sight of her smile, something only she seemed capable of doing to him. He quickly shooed any romantic thoughts away and flashed her a smile as they clanked their drinks together.

…………................................

One Hour Later

Roy helped Riza up the last step and onto the solid wood floor of her home in the barracks. He hooked her arm over his shoulder and slowly walked Riza to her apartment, trying his best to keep her steady and upright. Of course, that was easier said than done when she was stumbling over her feet.

“You didn’t have ta’ walk me upstairs, you know?”

“If I didn’t, you would’ve planted face first into the floor.”

Riza giggled like a little school girl.

When they reached the front door, she sloppily fished her apartment key out of her pocket and placed it in the lock. Or at least tried to. She was so inebriated now, Roy had to grab her hand and help her put the key in the lock.

She opened the door and Roy walked her in. They were greeted by a dark, moonlit room and the happy whirlwind of black and white fur that was Riza’s dog, Black Hayate.

She collapsed to her knees. “Hi, Hayate!” He jumped into her lap and Riza pet him, she even let him lick her continuously on the cheeks, something she’d never let him do if she were sober. “Did you miss mommy!?”

“Okay, I think you need to go to bed now,” said Roy. He pulled Riza up by her elbow and walked her over to the bed.

“But Hayate needs to go outside-”

“I’ll do that. You lay down and get some sleep before you collapse.”

Riza turns to face him. “You don’t have to do that!”

“If I don’t, who else will?” he said, wanting to place his hands on her shoulders. He only stopped after remembering his last encounter with his drunk subordinate. “Now lie down and get

some rest, Lieutenant.”

She giggles. “Okay.”

Riza sat down on the bed and started removing her boots. Roy turned around and saw Hayate at his feet. Tail wagging, tongue hanging out, it made him smirk at the puppy. He bent down and rubbed the top of Hayate’s head, watching his little tail get faster.

Roy got up and went to look for the leash, but he stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Riza laying down in bed. Her hair was down, the blanket covered her entire body, and there was a big dumb smile on her face.

For some reason, seeing her like that put a smile on his face. He walks over to her, like his feet have minds of their own, and crouched down to look at her.

“Sleep well, Lieutenant. I’ll see you, tomorrow.”

Riza opened her eyes and gave him a smile. “Thank you for tonight.”

“No problem,” he said.

And he just…stared at her for the longest time. Looking into her eyes like they were the only two people in the world. That is until he finally went to get up.

“Roy.”

He looked at her again and saw she was still smiling.

“What?” he asked softly.

“I love you.”

Roy’s eyes widen a bit before he stares at her sadly. He knew from the sweet look in her eyes, and how casually she’d confessed her feeling to him that it wasn’t a mistake. She meant every word of that sentence.

It wasn’t the first time, either. She’d confessed to him the night she tried getting into his pants. And yet both times she’d said those three words to him, he felt like he was cheating her.

“You could do better than me.”

She shrugs. “Can’t control who you love, Roy.”

Roy doesn’t say anything. Instead, he continues to watch Riza’s smiling face and peaceful demeanour. As much as he hated admitting it, seeing her like this reminds him just how contradictory his words were.

“No, I suppose you can’t. Can you?” he asks out loud.

Without thinking it over, Roy caresses her face in his hand, leans in and kisses her forehead. He waits a moment before he moves inches away from her ear and whispers “I love you, Riza.” He paused. “Even though I know I shouldn’t…”

“I know…,” she replies.

Roy can’t help but smile. Somehow, having her know he returns her feelings is good enough for him, at least for now.

Before he leaves, he puts Hayate on a leash and takes him outside. Tomorrow, things would go back to normal. He would be the arrogant, ambitious Colonel, her the overworked, disgruntled assistant. But that’s okay.

No matter what Roy thought of himself, he knew a day would come where they wouldn’t need to pretend anymore. And honestly? He was looking forward to it.

The End

#FMA 2003 #Fullmetal Alchemist #Royai #royai fanfiction #royai fic #Roy Mustang #Riza Hawkeye

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amiandthechaos · 6 years

Text

Title: 40ºC Is The Temperature Of Love

Pairing: Neville x Astoria

Words: 1.4k

Dedicated to @merflk <3

Neville opened his eyes and had to stifle a gasp. For a while during the night he had thought that what had happened the evening before had all been a dream, but apparently it wasn’t, because Astoria was there, sleeping soundly next to him with her dark hair covering most of her face messily as her hands clung to the sheets.

Perhaps this was the dream.

It took him a while to remember that he had actually been on four dates with her so far, and this was the second time he woke up next to her. Sometimes he focused so much in the present and how strange it was to be completely satisfied with it that he forgot how he got there in the first place.

Astoria stirred and rolled onto her back and Neville’s felt shivers running down his spine. He covered himself more with the sheets but continued looking at her. Every small movement that she made had his heart beating wildly and he couldn’t help but stare, however creepy he feared it might seem, he couldn’t help it. She was just ridiculously beautiful to the point where Neville was certain she had ruined him for all other people out there. To boot, she was one of the nicest people he had ever known, but also so sharp and clever that it was a little scary. And unbelievably exciting.

Astoria started waking up, with slow little stretches that looked so mundane, so her that Neville wanted to burn them into his memory to forever remember what it’s like in a normal day with Astoria. More chills ran down his body.

She finally noticed him and smiled. Neville felt suddenly dizzy; she was even more beautiful than he remembered.

“Hello,” she said groggily, pulling some of the sheets away to she could stretch her arms out. “Did you sleep well?”

Neville nodded, but he found it difficult to speak, as if something was bothering him but he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what. Perhaps he was just too overwhelmed with feelings, and it’s not as if he was ever particularly good with words.

Astoria frowned, her dark eyebrows furrowing with confusion. She looked lovely. “Are you cold?”

Neville nodded again and felt himself shiver once more. He didn’t think he had ever felt so strongly for someone that his body physically reacted to it, but now even though his throat was protesting him speaking, he had an overwhelming urge to tell her exactly how he felt about her.

Before he could do anything, though, Astoria reached a hand towards him and placed her palm over his forehead. She was very soft and delicate, but also very cold. He didn’t care, though, he was just happy she wanted to touch him.

“Dear Merlin, you’re burning up!” she exclaimed, her eyes widening slightly.

Astoria sat up, and it reminded Neville that she was wearing one of his t-shirts and nothing else. His heart hammered even more now and Neville attempted to sit up too, but his back felt stiff and weirdly heavy.

“Don’t,” she said and pushed him back down gently. “You’re running a fever, Neville. Don’t you feel bad?”

Neville wasn’t sure that he understood her. How could he feel bad? He was waking up in bed with her after spending one of the most memorable evening of his life. However, he did feel sort of odd and his head was swimming now, but he wouldn’t be surprised if this was just the effect she had on him.

“I’m okay,” he managed through a voice that didn’t sound like his own. And then he coughed.

Astoria smiled again, and even though Neville was seeing through a haze that he thought was due to falling in love with her, he could see the affection in her eyes.

“You’re not. But that’s okay because conveniently, I’m a Healer.” She ran a hand softly through his hair and Neville closed his eyes with how good it felt.

When he opened his eyes again, Astoria was getting to her feet and walking away. He didn’t want her to leave the bed, but he knew she’d come back. He trusted her.

“Let’s see how bad it is,” he heard her say as she approached again, holding something strange in her hand. She waved the clock-like instrument over Neville's body and then looked at it. Her eyebrows rose. “Oh Neville… With this temperature you might even start to hallucinate.”

Neville was sure that wouldn't happen. There was nothing that his brain- however disturbed by sickness- would want to see.

Astoria started rummaging through the sheets and pillows on her side of the bed. “Where's my wand?”

Neville reached under his pillow where he knew his wand was, and he held it out to her. “You can use mine,” he said weakly to her, and Astoria stared at him, her big dark eyes shining with surprise. Neville realized that it was a gesture of extreme trust to offer someone your wand, but it didn't feel strange at all. Four dates wasn't much, but Neville thought that he would have offered her his wand the second after he walked in St Mungo’s emergency room and met her last month.

“Thank you,” she said earnestly, her hand covering his for a second before she took a hold of his wand. “No one's offered me their wand before.”

“That's because you're a Slytherin,” Neville said with the cheekiest smile he could manage. He remembered all the teasing about Slytherins and Gryffindors they had done the night before after two glasses of wine.

Astoria narrowed her eyes and smirked.

“You Gryffindors trust anyone. Even a snake like me.” She pointed Neville's wand towards the living room “Accio purse.”

Her purse came flying rapidly into the room and Astoria caught it before she started looking through it. “I think I have something for the fever here. But I'll need to go and buy something for your sore throat.”

“If you're a snake, you're the prettiest snake I've ever seen,” Neville rasped before coughing again. He hoped he didn't sound as pathetic as he thought.

“Well, now you're definitely hallucinating,” she said, but Neville saw the blush on her cheeks. “Will you be okay while I buy he potions? I can also get us breakfast.”

Neville nodded. “I survived a Venomous Tentacula before. As long as you come back like you did then, I'll be alright.”

Astoria laughed and the sound made Neville feel again as if he was dreaming. “I count that as our first date, you know.”

“That means last night was our fifth.” Neville closed his eyes and sighed. He liked the sound of that.

“That's right.” Astoria trailed her fingers down his temple. “You still have time to back out of this.”

Neville eyes snapped opened. They hurt a little. “Back out? Do you want to back out?”

Astoria's answer was the way she leaned down, her hand cradling his face. Neville's heart felt lighter than ever, and he wanted nothing more than to kiss her, but he stopped her before that happened. Her eyes showed the tiniest bit of hurt that made Neville's insides squirm with guilt.

“I don't want you to get sick,” he said quickly and her expression softened.

“You should,” she whispered, her breath tickling his skin. “That way I can stay in bed with you all week instead of going back to work.”

Neville couldn't resist, he closed the distance between them and finally remembered what her lips felt like, and it was as if nothing could ever compare. Just like with everything else, she was soft but with an edge that made Neville's mind spin, and she knew how yo demand more from him while also understanding him like no one else had.

When she pulled away slightly, she took his breath with her. But Neville didn't need much breath anyway. “You're a damn good-looking lion.” She held up a small vial with a pink liquid sloshing inside. “Now open up.”

Neville did as he was told and tilted his head back slightly as Astoria brought the vial to his mouth. It tasted absolutely revolting compared to her lips, but then again, everything would.

As soon as he swallowed the potion, he shivered and his eyelids started feeling unusually heavy. He heard Astoria huffing a small laugh.

“You can handle your liquor, but not your medications.”

Neville tried to come up with something witty to say, thinking that Astoria would be used to some pretty clever banter, but his brain was quickly shutting off, drowning in a sea of warmth, comfort, and her.

He heard himself utter something that would later embarrass him immensely, but that would also become a milestone in their week-long, flu-ridden sixth date.

“I love you, snake.”

#neville longbottom #astoria greengrass #neville x astoria #hprarepairnet #drabble #mine #i really liked doing this pairing #pure fluff #nothing warms my heart like snakes and lions falling in love #nevillesource

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beccarefford · 6 years

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pelvic fracture: a healing timeline for antsy people

After getting run over by a truck and shattering my pelvis, all I wanted to know was when I’d be back on my feet. Googling endless combinations of phrases like, ‘how long to heal pelvic fracture’ was turning up medical results, but I wanted to hear from real people. So I thought I’d share my own healing timeline in the hopes that it’ll help others with the same question.

me, my accident, and my injuries

First off, I’m an extremely active 24 year old lady, a pretty healthy specimen, and try to have a big, positive attitude which doctors often credit my quick recovery to.

Two weeks before Christmas of 2017, I was riding my bike through Philly to a doctor’s appointment. Though I was using the bike lane correctly and had the green light, as I approached the intersection, a delivery truck that had ridden up from behind me jabbed a sharp right without signaling - directly in front of my path. I swore at it, and with almost no time to react, attempted to propel my body and my bike faaaar away from it by pushing off its side. But it was too late - I hadn’t pushed myself far enough. My body was swept under the carriage, and I could feel his double tires beginning to crunch over my lower body. I yelled and yelled and yelled.

People are so good. Strangers who had heard my cries and watched the accident happen from the sidewalk rushed to my side. One older gentleman held my hand until I was lifted away and didn’t say much else. I was fully lucid, fully in shock. I started wishing I hadn’t scheduled a doctor’s appointment for that morning, wishing I hadn’t taken the day off of work, wishing I hadn’t taken that route. I tried to wiggle my toes. They were working! I wasn’t paralyzed. I had an overwhelmingly calm feeling about the whole thing - it’s as if my body knew, something knew, in no uncertain terms - I wasn’t going to die right now.

Luckily my accident happened about five minutes from one of the best hospitals in the city for busted bones, Jefferson Hospital. I was rushed to the trauma unit, poked, prodded, put through MRIs, loaded up with pain medicine, and even drilled through (orthopedic traction is a wild thing.) And while I didn’t know this until much later, I was in very, very unstable condition. My body wouldn’t stop bleeding, and no one could figure out why.

A very kind E.R. doctor (who I will never forget) told me that he couldn’t promise that I wouldn’t die, but laid out what they had found so far in terms of my injuries:

Compound pelvic fracture

Sacrum fracture

Broken foot (lisfranc injury)

Multiple broken ribs

After a few scary nights, lots of transfusions, and multiple tests to find the source of the bleeding, my body decided to heal itself. From this point there was no doubt I’d be OK, it would just take time to get back to normal again. This is where my healing process started.

first month: bed rest

Bed rest means bed-ridden. Pelvic fractures are in such an annoying place - it’s not like you can throw a cast around your waist. So this means you’re 110% stuck in bed, unable to do anything until your pelvis heals. I was told that this would take anywhere from 4-7 weeks, and in my experience, that estimate was pretty dead on - my accident happened on December 15, 2017, and by January 15, 2017 (almost exactly four weeks later), I was taking my first feeble steps.

During this first month, you’re not going to be able to do much for yourself.

You can’t roll over in bed without pain.

You can’t use the toilet. In its place I had to use a bed pan. This was probably the worst part of this whole process - not only did it hurt like hell to roll over to get the thing under you, the gross factor of having your family handle your business was pretty weird.

You can’t bathe yourself in a bath or a shower. I was getting sponge baths daily (or “bird baths” as a nurse so adorably called them!) As someone who showers nearly twice a day, this was a rough adjustment! Sponge baths never got you as clean, were freezing cold, and again, that gross factor of having to ask someone to clean waaaay in your butt was a little bizarre. But at this point you’ve lost all shame so it’s whatever.

You can’t get food, water, or objects easily. Dropped your phone off your bed onto the floor? Need to call someone. Blanket slide down, leaving your chilly toes in the wide open air? Need to call someone.

You can’t stand up, at all. I spent an entire month laying down. They say that you lose 10-20% of muscle strength per week of bed rest, so after four weeks, my muscles were nearly 50% gone. Insane.

month two: arm strength and wheels

At this point, your pelvis should be healed enough to shift around, but not enough to support your full body weight. This is when your arms come into play. I had an occupational therapist who, during our first visit, told me I should start lifting weights to strengthen my arms - and that I’d thank her later. She was so. right.

Leaving bed for the first time is scary (and exhausting - I surprised myself with how weak I had gotten.) Obviously, you can’t put any weight on your legs to wiggle out of bed, so here comes that arm strength! You’ll essentially be monkey-knuckle-dragging your entire body to the side of your bed. From there, you’ll transfer from your bed to a wheelchair, using what’s called a wheelchair transfer. Wheelchair transfers are techniques used to move in and out of a wheelchair without the use of the legs, whether onto a bed, a toilet, whatever. They are so incredibly useful, and there are so many of them - it was just a matter of working with my nurses and therapists to figure out which one was right for me. But man, do they require some upper body strength! I swear my arms are buffer than they’ve ever been in my life.

It’s going to be a difficult process getting in and out of your bed for a while, but getting yourself into the wheelchair is so worth it. The ability to wheel around offers a totally new kind of independence. And at this point, you might even start being able to transfer into a commode in the same way you do your wheelchair, which gets rid of those awful bed pans. I couldn’t wait to throw those things away.

(I should mention: at this point, two months in, I had attempted to stand and walk with a walker. It didn’t last long, but I can’t even TELL you how excited I was to stand for the first time, I laughed so hard and so long I think my therapist thought I was losing it. I hope your first time is just as exciting.)

month three: walking! and all the therapies!

This is where this whole process starts to speed up exponentially.

I was lucky enough to jump start my walking at an inpatient rehab, where I made the transition from wheelchair to walker. It took about two weeks of daily, intensive physical and occupational therapy, but by the time I left the rehab center (late February, two and a half months from my accident), I was walking with a walker.

Keep in mind that walking will not happen fast. You will expect to be weak, but you will be even weaker than that. I started with small goals - 10 feet, 20 feet, then 50 feet, all with a walker. Much past that would completely wind me - I’d be out of breath, heart rate flying, and definitely aching the next day. After I left the rehab I still spent a good amount of time in my chair, using my walker only to hobble to the bathroom or the kitchen to grab snacks.

From here, I started seeing an in-home physical therapist who focused on muscle strengthening. Muscle strengthening is key at this point - your body can’t walk properly because you’re weak! Remember, you’ve lost half or more of your muscle strength, so it’s going to take time to get it back. Don’t rush it, but DO. YOUR. EXERCISES. Push yourself. This is where you’ll start to fly. I’ve progressed from chair, to walker, to cane, to free walking in a month using only about 30 different exercises. Insane. Physical therapy is actual magic.

Occupational therapy is huge here, too. Every task that you couldn’t do before? It’s going to feel awesome to get it back. I’m still thrilled I can put on my stupid socks. Challenge yourself with everyday tasks - making coffee, standing at the sink to wash your face, cooking an egg - and see how quickly you pick it all up again.

and beyond: maintenance, maintenance, maintenance

At the time of writing this - almost four months after my accident - I’m walking without assistance.

My walk still isn’t the prettiest, stairs are still a challenge, and getting on a bike still seems really far away, but I’m confident I’ll get there. My pain has almost completely leveled off, and I can do more and more reps of my exercises every day. My body still looks a little weird - it completely pancaked from being in bed for a month! - but it’s starting to get its shape back the more I exercise and awaken those muscles. I have a (sort of) butt again! I still get winded after walking more than a few city blocks at a time (my stamina took a hit, too.) The pimp limp also persists.

It’s probably going to take another year until I’m back to 190% again. But.... time. Time’s gonna heal you and me. I’ll get better, and I hope you will too. I also hope you found this helpful! Love you.

#pelvic fracture #healing timeline #bicycle accident #broken pelvis #broken pelvis healing time #pelvic fracture healing time

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sprnklersplashes · 7 years

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I Can Be Your Hero (2/?)

AO3

After the fires were completely out, Emma managed to get back to West Co in next to no time at all, which pushed her to the limits. Sure, flight was just like riding a bike, but like you hadn’t ridden in years and were thrown into the Tour de France. She quickly scrubbed the worst of the ash and dirt and swear off in the bathroom.

Then of course the minute she reappeared (with everyone so glued to her antics on the TV they had hardly noticed her gone), Zelena started demanding for pictures, scoops, stories, anything to give an insight into this mysterious woman. The sports writers dropped their football scores and beauty columnists stopped writing about blush and ran to the scene to get interviews. Luckily, Miss Mills wanted Emma to stay in the office and run errands for her. Which sounded like heaven, sitting at her desk and casually sorting through e-mails with a coffee, but in reality had her running up and down stairs to collect stories and letters from various departments.

With the running and fetching and carrying on top of the strain she had already put her body through, Emma found herself sagging against a wall, letting the metal cool her fiery cheeks. Her legs began shaking and she groaned softly. The last thing she needed was to pass out at work.

“Snow?” Killian asked from behind her. She groaned again, louder this time, and forced her eyes open. Killian was standing with the corner of his mouth quirked up but concern in his eyes and his good hand ready to catch her if she fell.

She heaved herself off the wall, hoping the heat on her face didn’t mean she was blushing.

“I’m fine,” she muttered.

“You don’t look fine. In the nicest possible way.” He moved to hold her but thought better of it and stepped back. “Zelena giving you a rough time?”

“You could say that.” She started heading towards the office and he fell into step with her. “You don’t need to do this.”

“I do, actually.” She raised an eyebrow at him. “Not in that way, Emma. I have to see Zelena about a few things.”

“Oh.” They fell into a slightly awkward silence as they began ascending the stairs, the only sound being Emma’s breathing that slowly but surely got worse until Killian stopped.

“Are you sure you’re all right?” he asked. She let out a sigh but refused to stop walking.

“Just a little tired,” she admitted, knowing full well that ‘little’ was an understatement. All she felt like doing was going home and collapsing into bed.

“Anything I can get you?” he asked. Emma laughed and shook her head, wincing as it started to hurt. “I have pain killers in my office, I can run them up to you.”

“Thanks but I don’t need painkillers,” she said as they reached her floor. “Just need to get through today.”

Killian nodded and let her go to her desk while he headed for Zelena’s office.

“Hey, Kill,” Graham greeted absent mindedly, catching Emma off guard completely. “Still hiding out downstairs?”

“Hey Graham, still slaving at a computer?” Killian asked, giving a cheeky smirk before strolling into Zelena’s office.

“You know him?” Emma asked. Her legs were still sore but it was a relief to sit down for once.

“Friend of mine, we knew each other in college,” he explained. “Then he showed up here.”

“What’s he like?”

“He’s fun. Bit of a laugh. Can’t take anything seriously.” Graham swung his chair round to face her. “Do you like him?”

“No. Barely know him.”

Then about half an hour later, Emma had gone down to one of the lower floors and returned to find a takeaway cup of tea, a pack of cookies, some bottled water and painkillers sitting on her desk with a note scribbled on a pink post-it.

Just in case you need it-K.

*****

When Emma returned home, all she wanted to do was run herself a nice hot bath and slip in, but unfortunately she was too exhausted to even put herself through the effort. Instead she tossed her ripped shirt in the trash and wriggled out of her trousers and slipped into her softest sweatpants and favourite loose t-shirt before flopping on the sofa and turning on the TV.

And what else would be on the TV but her. Well, a blurry shot of her flying around the building taken from a cellphone.

“It was amazing,” a woman being interviewed said. “She was flying, and she put out the fires with her breath-her breath- and then she put them all out and got us out!”

“She lifted my daughter down from that building,” an emotional looking man said as he held the girl who Emma recognised as the girl she first saved. She was coughing a bit and clinging to her father for dear life, but she smiled. “She lifted her down and saved her. God knows what I would have done if she hadn’t shown up when she did.”

“Sir if you could tell this woman something, what would you tell her?”

“I’d tell her she is amazing. And I’d thank her a million times over.”

The program kept going but Emma was no longer listening. She kept replaying the words ‘she is amazing’ over and over in her mind.

For the first time in a while she felt amazing. She felt powerful, strong. She felt helpful and needed. She felt like she had done something right. Something that she was always meant to do. She had made a difference in other people’s lives.

Unable to contain herself, Emma jumped up and danced for joy (despite her previous exhaustion), a high pitched squeal and laugh coming out of her as she did so.

Her celebration was interrupted by a knock at the door. Emma stopped and composed herself, fixing her hair in the mirror, before running to the door and opening it to find Elsa.

Growing up, Emma and Elsa had been joined at the hip. Maybe it was because Elsa felt as if she had responsibility for Emma-she did find her after all-or maybe it was because Elsa found her that the two shared a heartfelt connection, making them best friends as well as sisters. Maybe it was just how they turned out; having lived in the same home, shared a room, bathroom, meals and even clothes, for years.

In any case, Emma and Elsa had become so close that they only needed a look to see what the other was thinking.

And given the look on Elsa’s face when Emma opened her apartment door, Emma saw she was in for a lecture. Or three.

“Okay, Elsa please don’t freak out,” Emma begged as her sister swept into the room with such grace and poise she practically screamed ‘I work in a high ranking university and my car probably cost more than you could dream of’. “I know it was a stupid idea-”

“Emma, what were you thinking?” she asked. “Seriously what were you thinking? Showing dozens, probably hundreds of people who you are?”

“No one saw me,” she assured her. “Trust me I’ve seen the footage. That could be anyone.”

“Any tall, pretty blonde in the city?”

“There are plenty of tall pretty blondes!”

“Emma,” Elsa sighed, placing her hands on her shoulders. “You could have been hurt.”

“But I wasn’t,” she replied. “Don’t you see? I saved them. I helped so many people, Elsa.”

“Your parents sent you here so you could be protected, Emma.” Emma couldn’t help but feel guilt then. “So you could be safe. Not so you could expose yourself. That is the worst way to keep yourself safe.”

“People needed help,” Emma insisted. “And that is what my parents would have wanted. They wanted me to help people. That’s all they did. Why shouldn’t I do that too?”

“I am not saying that,” she sighed. “I am saying you should not be out there, risking your life-”

“Why not?” Emma asked. “If I can do these amazing, extraordinary things, why shouldn’t I use them to help people?” Elsa opened her mouth but Emma held up a hand to stop her. “Elsa, I love you. I love you and Anna and Ingrid more than anyone on this planet. But you’re wrong. I had to hide this part of myself for my whole life. Do you know how that felt?” Tears sprung up in Emma’s eyes.

“You know that I do.” Elsa whispered. After realising she was asexual and a lesbian at fifteen she hid it from Ingrid and confided only in Emma until last year. If anyone knew about what it was like to hide a part of yourself, it was her.

“Elsa as much as I love you I am not one of you. I’m not human. Shouldn’t I be allowed to embrace that?” Elsa wiped her sister’s tears. “I don’t want to hide anymore. For the first time in a long time I have felt like I was doing something right. Like I was doing…..”

“What your parents wanted?” Emma nodded and Elsa pulled her into a hug. “Emma, I-”

“I felt like I had to. I had to help them because I could.” Elsa turned and looked at the TV, where the same man was still talking.

“And I think that this woman is most definitely not human. But I don’t care. Because she is brilliant. And anyone who was going to risk her life for my daughter is ok in my books.”

“There’s no talking you out of this is there?” Elsa asked. Emma smiled and shook her head. “Then I’m with you on this.”

“Thanks.”

“Ingrid is going to kill you.”

*****

Emma arrived at work the next day feeling much better; after her talk with Elsa, she took a long hot bath and spent the rest of the night with a hot cocoa and her sister by her side, listening to her jokes and complaints until she finally fell asleep.

And maybe it was the afterglow of last night but she found herself a lot more content than she normally was. She smiled as she picked up Miss West’s usual order in an overly crowded coffee shop, nor did she get irritated when a text from Miss West popped up on her phone to pick up some columns from the sports section and that she needed photocopies of several different articles on her desk before she arrived.

“Someone’s chipper,” Graham remarked as Emma entered.

“Well, you know, the sun is up, the birds are singing, what’s not to smile about?” Graham raised his eyebrows at her.

“Are you feeling okay?” he asked. “Do you need me to call someone?” Emma rolled her eyes, still smiling, and walked into Zelena’s office to place the photocopies on her desk.

“Turn the news on!” Isaac Heller asked from the back of the room as Emma came back. “I want to see if that woman is still on!”

Graham lifted the remote and flipped to the news. Sure enough, the anchor was talking about Emma’s adventure the previous day and the blurry photo of her flying next to the building. Emma looked down, hoping no one would see the proud smile on her face.

“Well would you look at that?” Graham sighed. “What do you think?”

“She’s….. she’s cool I guess.” Emma shrugged off her jacket. “I mean, the flying and all, that’s cool.”

“She’s more than cool, she’s brilliant,” Graham remarked. “And only a little scary.”

“Scary?” Emma asked, flinching when she realised how loud she was being. “How so?”

“Just, she flies around, she breathes out ice,” he said, shrugging. “I just hope she stays on our side.”

“She will. At least I think, I hope, why would she not?” Thankfully, the glass doors swung open before she could dig herself into a deeper hole.

“Morning all,” Killian greeted as he entered, carrying a plastic wallet.

“Killian, what do we owe the pleasure?” Graham asked, but he was smiling. “Come to join us lowly writers?”

“Alas, I am her strictly on business. Looking for Miss West’s personal assistant.” He flashed Emma a smile and she responded by rolling her eyes only slightly.

“What can I help you with, Mr Jones?” she asked. He handed her over the wallet. “Just some photos for the next issue that she wanted. Emma lifted one out; it was a photo of the Wonderland apartments just after she’d left it. And another for the girl she had saved, posing with her father.

“When did you go down there?” she asked.

“Soon after I spoke to you yesterday,” he replied. “Miss West wanted some for the article.”

“They’re good,” she said. Killian smiled before turning to look at the TV screen.

“What did I tell you, Snow?” he said. “Big big universe.”

“You think she’s an alien?” Emma asked, willing her voice to drop in pitch. “Why?”

“Well, how many humans do you know can fly and shoot snow out of their mouths?” he asked. He laughed when he saw her face. “Nothing against aliens, Snow. I just hope she’s the friendly kind.”

“That’s what I was saying,” Graham commented. “Emma seems to be on her side.”

Killian checked his watch.

“And I should get back to work. See you later Graham, Snow.”

“Right, Kill,” Graham said, going back to his desk as Killian left. Emma pondered for a few minutes before running after him.

“Killian!” she called. “Killian, wait.” He turned and looked at her expectantly. “I just wanted to say thanks. For the painkillers and stuff. It did help.”

“Well, I’m glad to hear that,” he chuckled. “Nothing too serious, I hope.”

“No, just….. long day,” she sighed. “Thanks.” He gave her a smile before walking off down the hall. She stood for longer than a second to watch him leave.

Graham had his eyes back on the TV screen when she returned. She sat at her desk and saw multi millionare businessman Mr Gold onscreen, talking to some reporter.

“What a jackass,” Graham muttered.

“Well I don’t care who she saved, she could have done a lot of damage. What if someone had been hit with that ice breath?”

Emma’s blood started boiling. She gripped her arm so tightly that her nails were digging into it. Her lips were pressed into a tight line.

“Emma, you okay?” Graham asked. Emma let out a deep breath and adjusted her glasses.

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine.”

“This man is an ass, Emma,” he assured her. “Nothing he says matters.”

“Yes except he is a very rich and powerful ass with over 40 million Twitter followers,” Emma pointed out.

Who does this man think he is? Zelena said in the elevator.

“Miss West,” Emma alerted them. As usual, Miss West was greeted by her employees standing to greet her. Emma scurried after her into her office.

“Who does that weasel in a suit think he is?” she snapped to no one in particular as she paced the room. “No really, who does the think he is to talk about her like that?”

“Who, Mr Gold?” Emma asked.

“As if he has ever done anything useful in his sad, lonely and bitter life and is now raging on a superhero!”

“You think that woman is a superhero?” Emma asked, unable to keep the smile off her face. Gold’s comments from earlier melted away. She had never seen Miss West praise anyone, let alone calling someone a superhero. Zelena stopped pacing and looked at her curiously.

“Does it matter what I think?” Zelena asked. “The general public seems to think she’s a hero. And heroes sell, and that is exactly what is going to sell our magazines.” She strode over to her desk, perched on her chair and began typing. “We’re marketing her as a superhero, a beacon of hope, a role model-”

“Is that what you think she is?” Emma managed to blurt out. Her boss looked up at her, clearly surprised. Probably because that was the most she had ever heard Emma say in her presence that was not work related.

“I think she has the potential to be that,” she sighed. “And I am not wasting a second in getting here there. Hope, positivity, that rubbish sells, Jemma. Now what appointments do I have today?”

“Oh, um…” Emma ran out, lifted the organiser from her desk and ran back in, much to Miss West’s annoyance. “You have a meeting with Fiona Black at six thirty…..”

“Oh God no.” Zelena rolled her eyes. “That noir coloured nit and her condescendingly irritating proposals will put me in an early grave.”

“Should I cancel it?” Emma asked. Zelena shook her head.

“No, no I have to deal with it sooner or later. I’ve sent these columns down to the colour printer, go pick them up for me?”

And just like that, Emma was normal again.

On her lunch break, while sitting in the cafeteria with Graham, Emma received a text from Elsa.

Anna thinks she knows. What do I tell her?-Elsa.

Emma didn’t even hesitate. Anna deserved to know just as much as Elsa did.

Just tell her.

“Who’s that?” Graham asked through a mouthful of noodles.

“Elsa,” Emma replied, angling her phone slightly away from him. “Just wanting to know how I’m doing.”

I did. She’s screaming.-Elsa.

Emma chuckled softly. She wouldn’t have her messed up family any other way.

That evening, Emma found herself escorting Fiona Black to Miss West’s office. Fiona was the head of a radio station that, despite her less than perfect relationship (in both public and private) with Miss West, maintained a partnership with West Co. She was almost as fierce as Zelena was. Her voice was has strong as steel, her eyes could make even the strongest person squirm and she almost always got her way.

The exception was negotiating with Zelena of course.

All eyes were on her as she stalked into her office, where Zelena sat waiting like a queen on her throne. Emma was dismissed with the wave of a hand and could not get back to her desk fast enough.

“She didn’t want you to take notes?” Graham asked, raising an eyebrow.

“She specifically said not to,” Emma replied. “Meaning this is going to get messy.”

“I give them half an hour before they blow,” he said. Emma shook her head.

“Longer.”

“Ten dollars says I’m right.”

Forty-five minutes later, Fiona was storming out of Zelena’s office, fury etched onto her face. Zelena stood in the doorway with a triumphant smirk. Through the glass door of Zelena’s office, Emma could see them fighting. Well, Fiona was fighting, Zelena was conversing with a wide smile.

Graham sighed and handed Emma over a ten dollar bill.

“Jemma,” she called, her tone too sweet to be anything but a jab at Fiona. “Take Miss Black out to her car, please. Wouldn’t want her out alone in that strom.”

“No need,” Fiona snapped. “I can make my own way without your assistant’s help.” Fiona straightened her jacket as if to preserve what little dignity she may have possessed. “Goodbye Miss West.” Zelena chuckled as she watched her storm into the lift.

“And my personal lift too,” Zelena huffed. “The nerve. Jemma, in here.” Emma let out a long sigh, rolled her eyes at Graham and followed Zelena into the office.

“Yes, Miss West?”

“Scrap the piece about new communications.”

“The one that specifically sites Miss Black as a leading woman in media?” Emma asked. This was a new level of petty, even for Zelena.

“Yes. If she needs us to bring people to her glorified blog I’d say she was going downhill anyway.”

“So the partnership with GoldenRadio?”

“Is off, Jemma, yes,” Zelena sighed. “Now unless you want our partnership to finish as well, go get rid of those articles.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Emma sighed as she left.

*****

Emma had just changed out of her work clothes, damp from the walk home in the rainm and into her sweatpants and was heating up a mac and cheese for dinner when there was a knock on the door.

“Anna?” Her younger sister stood on the other side, her brown hair still in two pigtails (which she somehow managed to pull off without looking like a complete idiot), nestled under a green knitted hat and wearing a purple overcoat. “Come on in.”

Anna smiled and bounced into her apartment.

“Elsa told me that she told you,” Emma said, smirking. Anna grabbed her and pulled her into a slightly too tight embrace.

“Emma I’m so proud of you,” she squealed. “You’re like a superhero. A real life superhero. Like….. Wonder Man.”

“I think you’re getting your heroes mixed up,” she chuckled. “But thank you. You really think I’m doing the right thing?”

“I know you are,” Anna insisted. “If the world gets into trouble who better to save it than my sister?” Emma squeezed Anna’s hand in gratitude.

“Means a lot, Anna.”

“And that’s why I’m here. If you’re going to be a superhero, you’ll need a costume.”

“A costume?” Visions of leotards and tights sprung up in Emma’s mind.

“Well, think of it as a disguise. After all you can’t have people knowing you’re you, right?” Emma nodded, she did have a point. Anna lifted a sketchbook out of her bag, flipped a few pages and handed it to her. “I designed this on my lunch break. What do you think?”

It was a short, above the knee dress with a pleated skirt and elbow length sleeves. Anna had added a belt, knee high boots and-because of course-a cape.

“You designed this for me?” Emma whispered. Anna nodded.

“Well I thought I had to do something to help.” Touched, Emma wrapped her arm around Anna’s waist. “I figured you might need a little more cover up, but then again, you’re bullet proof.”

“I think it’s great. I just need to make one little adjustment.” She picked up a pencil from the counter and sketched something onto the top; bird with a curved neck so that it resembled an S.

“A swan?” Anna asked.

“No. It’s the symbol of my home planet. Of Storybrooke.” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “I feel like if I’m going to go into battle saving this planet I should have a reminder of my old one.” Anna wiped her sister’s tears away.

“I get it. And I can have all of this made.”

“How? The closest thing you’ve come to making clothes is designing costumes for your school’s drama department!”

“And we had the best looking Cinderella to ever grace a stage. Just give me a week, okay?”

Emma looked back at the costume and imagined herself in it. She could see herself

“Okay.”

*****

A week later, Emma stood in her bedroom, windows locked and curtains drawn, staring at herself in the mirror. The all-white dress hugged her figure tightly but left plenty of room for movement. The skirt fell just to her knees, leaving a lot of room to kick (she’d tried). Despite the short sleeves it was warm, which would very much come in handy. The whole thing was secured with a gold belt around her waist. The cape stopped just below her knees and was-according to Anna-fire retardant. The boots reached up to her knees. She had pulled her hair out of its bun and let it fall loosely across her shoulders and taken off her glasses. Finally, her planet’s symbol stood out proudly on her chest.

She certainly looked the part of a hero.

“Emma?” Elsa crept into the room, startling her. “Sorry, I just worried.” Anna stood behind Elsa and her face lit up upon seeing her handiwork. “You look amazing.”

“You think so?” Emma asked. Putting the costume on made her feel different. She wasn’t just Emma Snow, she was the protector of this planet. And the legacy of her own one.

“Definitely. Very empowering,” Anna added. “And if I’m correct, and I probably am, the whole thing is pretty durable, so it shouldn’t wear and tear. Even when flying.”

“Only one way to find out.” Before either of them could ask what she meant, Emma ran to the fire escape and flew into the night.

She sped around the city, too high for anyone to see her. The wind tangled in her hair and the altitude was making her heart race and the only sound she could hear was the wind in her ears.

It was exhilarating to say the least.

She stopped on top of one of the towers, smiling from ear to ear. And sure enough, not a tear on her outfit.

Emma looked up to the stars and touched the logo on her chest. It was the closest she would get to holding her mother’s hand again.

*****

One week earlier, after Zelena and Fiona’s meeting

Fiona Black slammed the door of her Porsche as she got out. To say she was ‘fuming’ would be an understatement. No way in hell would she let that witch have the last laugh. Let her start to tear down everything she had built up after years of scraping herself up from nothing.

“Over my dead body,” she exclaimed.

It seemed the world took her literally. Not ten seconds after she said that, a lightning bolt struck her car, which in turn sent the electric shock right to her.

Fiona grunted as white hot pain flooded her. Her arms and legs twitched uncontrollably as lightning made its way through her body, making every inch of her body, down to the fingertips, sting like never before. Her legs gave out and she felt herself fall to her knees and then her face hitting the gravel as the pulses of pain slowed to a steady rhythm.

Just before she gave in and let herself go, accepting death only because it was surely less painful, she felt something roll her over and lift her up.

When Fiona awoke, she realised she was still in pain. Her hands were hot and stinging. She made to move but quickly realised that she was stuck. She managed to raise her head slightly and saw that her wrists and ankles were strapped to a table with some kind of metal.

“Hey!” she called out into the dimly lit room. “Hey, where am I?” She struggled against the bonds but it was no use. “Hey let me out!”

She heard a door slide open and the sounds of high-heeled footsteps come towards her. Up until then, Fiona had been sceptical but in that moment, her first thought was ‘aliens’. She closed her eyes and braced herself for what came next; she expected something to puncture her skin.

Instead, the lights came up and her bonds were undone. She felt hands on her shoulders helping her into a sitting position and opened her eyes to see a woman with pale skin and black hair smiling at her.

“Who are you?” she asked, her tone both fearful and angry. “Where am I? What have you done?”

The moment she said ‘done’, a bolt of lightning flew from her hand and scorched the floor. Terrified, Fiona pulled her hand to her chest.

“Think of me as your guardian angel,” the woman purred. “And I am here to help. If it wasn’t for me you’d be dead.”

“Dead?” she echoed. “The lightning…..”

“Lucky I happened by when I did,” she said.

“Am I in a hospital? My son, did you contact him?” The woman’s face fell and she caressed Fiona’s face with a gentle, cold hand.

“I’m sorry, I wasn’t aware you had any family. You see this isn’t a hospital. This is a spaceship.”

“Spaceship?” she said, half laughing. “No, you’re wrong. I’m dreaming.”

“I assure you this is quite real. Come.” The woman made to help her stand but Fiona flinched back. “I don’t bite, I promise.” She guided Fiona to her feet and helped her walk, unsteadily, to the wall. After pressing a button on the wall, a section opened to reveal a window, with Earth far below. Fiona’s knees buckled at the sight of everything she had ever known so far below her.

“Are you an alien?” she whispered.

“Yes.” Her eyes widened. “But I won’t hurt you, I promise. Come, let me sit you down.” Once Fiona was seated, the woman perched at the edge of her bed, a good distance from her. “I’ve come to help you. If you do something for me.”

“What could I possibly do for you?”

“Well, let me explain. The lightning that could have killed you? After I saved you I bonded it to your DNA. Hence the lightning bolt you shot from your hand.”

“You mean….. I have powers? Like some sort of mutant?”

“Oh mutant is such a harsh word. Why not try ‘hero’? No one in the world can do what you do, Fiona. I didn’t just save your life, I elevated it.”

“No!” she protested, beginning to cry. “No. I can never go back now. I can’t go back to my son and shoot lightning at him. You didn’t save me, you destroyed me!” Another bolt of lightning shot from her hand and she jumped back.

“No, no, no. You can learn to control it.” Fiona slowed down and looked at her. “Aboard this ship I have state of the art facilities to help people such as yourself. I have met species with such abilities as your own. After some time with me you will bend these new gifts to your will.”

“And then help you?” she asked. “How?”

“As I understand it, you are angry with someone. A Miss West, correct?” The very name of that woman brought Fiona’s earlier rage back and lightning flew from both her hands and scorched the wall. “You could use these powers to get to her. And by getting to her, you could well be helping me get to someone I need to find.”

The pain in Fiona’s hand stopped. It was still warm, but the sensation now thrilled her, painting a smile on her face. And that smile would only broaden once she destroyed Zelena West. Finally, the witch would get her lesson.

And maybe a few others who had wronged her could learn too.

“When do we begin?” she asked.

#captain swan #cs ff #ouat #fic: i can be your hero #otp: a happy beginning

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avengerdragoness · 7 years

Text

“You’re?” [Jason Todd x Reader]

Requested by anon: “Could you do one where Jason and reader were best friends when he was robin and them reuniting after he comes back to life”

A/n: Okay so I’m diving back into my requests finally. I’m hoping this is going to be the start of me getting back into a normal rhythm again and I appreciate you guys all hanging in there with me. I hope you enjoy this. I wasn’t sure how to take after they reunite but I wanted fluff so I give fluff lol. Thanks guys! <3

There’s a large portion in italics that’s a flash back.

______

A sigh escaped your lips as you walked down the cold Gotham street. Your hands were shoved deep in your jacket pockets as you watched your breath form in front of you. Walking the streets was a habit when sleep didn’t come to you. The streets didn’t scare you the way they do most. You’ve been trained to defend yourself by the big bad bat himself. How? Well Jason Todd was your best friend when he was Robin. That was until the Joker took him from you, from life.

A lot of times you’d remember favorite memories with Jason on these walks, like when you first met. Your childhood apartment had a balcony and often times you’d sneak out there at night to look at the city. Though it was a surprise when Robin landed on your balcony with a thud one night.

You smiled at the memory. The way he laughed at the way you yelped, but apologized after. Explaining how he had misjudged the distance of a jump and came tumbling onto your balcony. Little did you know at the time, you would learn his identity and become the best of friends. Also that you would end up learning some hand to hand from the big bad bat himself. Saying having learned who they were, you should know how to protect yourself.

Internally you thank them for that, it makes you not scared to walk the streets at night. “Oh Jason” muttering as your steps stay in their rhythm. It’s not often you don’t feel the pain of missing your best friend. He was so very important in your life, he always knew what you were thinking and you him. No matter what the problem he had your back, so many people thought you were bound to be a couple. Often you both would laugh at the idea, though now being older it didn’t sound so silly.

Another sigh escaped your lips as you continued to walk, rounding the last corner that led to you apartment. This time a different memory came to your mind. Before Jason had went to that warehouse, he came to you first. You remember is like it was just the other day:

Laying in bed you flipped the page of a new book you had gotten. It had you completely enthralled and your attention until a light knock came from your window. Setting it down you opened the curtains to see Jason smiling at you in his Robin uniform.

Pushing the window open you asked, “What are you doing here?” He easily slipped in the window. “[F/n] I think my mother’s alive.” Your eyes widened at the statement, “What makes you say that?”

“I got this tip that she’s in Ethiopia, but [F/n] this is my real mother. I guess I was adopted, I have to go find her.” He said with a hopeful tone to his voice. You knew of his past and the hardships he’s endured. “But Jason, what if this is a trap? A lot of people want to hurt you, how can you be sure?” Trying to reason with the idea only made him angry with you. “I thought you of all people would support me on this.” He grumbled while pushing past you to go back to the open window.

“Jason wait” Grabbing his hand you stopped him. “I do support you I just worry too, you’re my best friend, I don’t want anything to happen to you.” His demeanor slackened. “I know, and nothing is going to happen. I’ll be back, I promise.” Saying as he pulled you in for a hug, though he seemed to linger a bit before pulling away and heading out the window. “Stay safe Jason”

That hug was the last memory you had of him. The next thing you remember involving Jason was Dick coming to you to explain to you what happened. After that everything got a lot harder. At school people treated you like glass, at home you didn’t leave your room.

Things got a little easier over time, easy enough for you to go to college. Gotham University to be exact. After all those night helping with injuries, you decided you want to help people and took up Emergency Medicine. A rather hard field but that’s what you want to do. At this point you knew quite a bit of the medical field.

Walking up to the doors of your apartment building, your phone rang. Looking at the screen it showed a caller ID you had not seen in years. ‘Bruce Wayne’

Quickly clicking the answer button you brought the phone to your ear. “Hello?”

“[F/n], we have an emergency and I need your help.” You were shocked at the statement but you couldn’t tell him no. “Oh, um, of course Mr. Wayne. How can I help?”

“I need you at the manor now. Someone’s hurt and Alfred isn’t here at the moment. I know you’ve been studying medicine. We need you.” You could tell he’s desperate. You haven’t talked to him and the rest of them in years. “I’m on my way.”

Hurriedly you grabbed your keys out of your purse and ran to where your car was parked. During the drive to the manor you may or may not have broken a few traffic laws, but you’re only in trouble if you get caught. As soon as your call pulled up Dick was waiting at the door for you.

Rushing out of the car he waved for you to hurry. “What happened? Who’s hurt?” Asking as he ushered you into the house. “No time to explain. Just three bullet wounds, one to the shoulder, another to the thigh, but the one we’re worried about is one to the abdomen. Also shrapnel from an explosion.” He explained as you both rushed down the stairs of the cave. “What the hell were you doing tonight?”

“Long story just hurry.” Dick led you down into the cave, hurrying you to the medical bay of it.

On a medical bed you saw the Red Hood lying there out cold. His helmet was cracked and his armour cut off his chest. Tim was applying pressure to the bullet wound on his abdomen

“Okay, I don’t know how he’s still alive but I need morphine, sterile needles and thread, tweezers, and a lot of sterile towels.” Ordering as Dick nodded and ran to get the things you needed. Tim backed away as you took over. As soon as Dick came back you went to work, the wounds on his shoulder and thigh were through and through, something Bruce stitched up as you worked on the more fatal injury. Having had to locate the bullet and remove it, before repairing the damage to the tissue and skin. After that you went to work on removing the shrapnel Dick had mentioned, luckily none of it was to the chest, only to his arm and leg. It took a few hours but you got him stable leaving the others grateful.

“Can I count this toward my schooling as extra credit or something. Saving the life of a vigilante?” Asking while peeling off your medical gloves. Dick and Tim chuckle as Bruce allowed a smile. Turning back to the masked man you noticed his cracked helmet. “You should let me check his face, make sure nothing there is hurt. No broken nose or anything.”

“Oh, uh, maybe when he comes to. You understand that--” Dick began but you cut him off. “it isn’t your secret to give up. Yeah, I understand” Remembering how Jason used those same words when you questioned who Nightwing and Batman were. Though you eventually put the pieces together on your own.

“Coffee?” Dick offered, gesturing upstairs. Nodding you followed him and Tim but Bruce hung beside in the cave.

Bruce sighed as he sat beside Jason. They were on better terms at this point but they still didn’t quite see eye to eye. Though Bruce felt guilty because Jason almost lost his life again tonight. Thank goodness he had been keeping tabs on you and knew of your studies.

As you chatted upstairs Bruce contemplated whether to tell you or not about Jason being right here in front of him. Jason had said he wanted to see you again but didn’t want to make you affiliate with what he had become. Though Bruce knows that he’s just making excuses as to not have to face you. After he promised to come back but never did. Also Bruce knew about Jason’s newfound feelings toward you.

It had been about 2 hours until Jason began to come to. In those two hours the four of you took shifts staying down in the cave with him. Though you sat down there the longest knowing the three of them deserved some well needed sleep. His groan in was caught your attention.

Noticing him trying to sit up you met his bed side. “Take it easy, you’re pretty torn up.” Saying in a calm voice as he looked at you. Jason couldn’t believe his eyes. It was you, a more mature you, but it was still you. He wouldn’t forget your voice or eyes anywhere.

“[F/n]” He breathed out, not realizing how you didn’t know how he knew you. “How do you know my name?” You let out a small laugh. “Oh um, never mind. Did you?” He asked gesturing to his bandage ridden form. Nodding you replied, “I did”

He seemed to stare at you from behind his mask and you cleared your voice, “Um, if you don’t mind. I should check to make sure nothing on your face is broken.” Saying with a certain nervousness.

“Oh uh, no I-I can’t.” He stumbled over his words but stopped when you placed a hand on his arm. “I won’t tell anyone. I know everyone’s identities, I was even friends with the Robin that took up the mantle after Nightwing. You can trust me.

Jason was having a battle with himself on the inside. Should he tell you or not? Though he didn’t think when he nodded. Smiling you reached to remove the helmet. He forgot how much he loved your smile. How much he loved your voice and your eyes. How much he loved you. Though he didn’t realize it before he left to go to Ethiopia. He realized it when his last thought was you.

Gently removing the helmet you were soon met with very familiar cerulean eyes, along with a familiar but face and his raven black hair gained a white streak through it. Voice catching in your throat as you realized who it was. “You’re?”

“It’s me [F/n]” Tears welled up in your eyes as you covered your mouth. “You’re alive” crying while wrapping your arms around him. He winced a little but wrapped his arms around you. “I’m so sorry. I-I should’ve came and found you as soon as I came back.”

“Back from where? I thought you died Jason.” Asking while pulling away, he wiped your tears away. “I did, but I was revived by the Lazarus Pit. I’m so sorry [F/n], I promised you I’d be okay and would come back. But the Joker he..” Jason trailed off. You shook your head, “I’m just so happy you’re back. I missed you so much Jason.”

He smiled while pushing your hair out of your face. “[F/n], I have to tell you something. I realized this right before I died and I’m so sorry I didn’t realize sooner.”

“What is it?” You questioned while wiping the tears from your cheeks.

He hesitated before saying, “I love you.”

Your heart stopped when he said those words. Eyes staring into his you didn’t know what to say, “What?”

“I love you [F/n], I’ve loved you for so long but I was too immature to see it.” He shook his head and took your hands. “Jason I..”

His expression fell slightly, “I understand if you don’t feel the same.” You shook your head, “No, no it’s not that. It’s just sudden.” He nodded, beginning to believe he had made you uncomfortable. “But, I do care for you in that way and I’ve been on my way to falling in love with you Jason.” Saying as you took his face in your hands, a smile having taken over your features. His demeanor turning into a joyful one once more.

Before you could do anything he leaned forward and connected his lips to yours in a sweet meaningful kiss. Pulling away he grinned a wide dorky grin that matched your own. “Yes, I’m on the trail to falling in love with you.”

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velvetcovered-brick · 7 years

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What I Read This Week: July 9 to August 5 BONUS EDITION PART 2

Part TWO of What I Read in the last month. You can find PART ONE HERE.

Nerve Endings by Phyona When Yuuri moves in with Victor in St. Petersburg, they have to work through Yuuri's anxiety and Victor's secrets to find their balance.

Puppy Love by Phyona When Yuuri gets turned into a dog, the last place he expects to end up is Victor Nikiforov's apartment. He learns quickly that the only thing worse than being his idol's pet, is watching him pine for someone else.Warning: Makkachin has recently passed away at the start of this story.

Венера by Saniika On how Yuuri travels to Egypt, Phichit makes everything complicated and they all meet a Sheikh. Yuuri catches Sheikh's eye and suddenly the stay in Egypt is a lot longer than planned...“I made the camel drunk.”And that's how it all starts...

Met by Accident by paxton1976 Viktor is having the worst day of his life, oversleeping and late for work. To make things even better, he rear ended the car in front of him. His attitude quickly changes when he lays eyes on the other driver.“I'm so sorry!” the other driver said when he reached Viktor.He held a hand up to him, silently asking him to wait. The receptionist finally answered the phone and directed his call to his boss. Once he informed her he'd be late and no, he didn't know what time he'd be in, he hung up and turned his attention to the other driver.Well, well, what do we have here?The man was shorter than him by a few inches, jet black hair that was slicked back with a bit of gel. His glasses left something to be desired, but Viktor admired those large chocolate brown eyes. His lightly tanned skin was unblemished and looked so soft that Viktor wanted to run his hand along his cheek. His body looked enticing as well, but it was hard to tell from the overcoat he was wearing.Simply put, he was fucking gorgeous.

we are lost, but we are not gone by persephoneggsy The Dollhouse deals in fantasy, but Victor Nikiforov just needs one night.At least, until he finds himself wanting more. And it's all because of Eros, the beautiful Active that's consumed his every thought.

Shape of You by ViktorBunny Yuri is moving to St. Petersburg and Victor is far too excited to show him everything and spoil his Katsudon on his home turf.

Fighting for Eros by MerWhoLocked There is a rumor floating around that Yuuri killed his husband. As an omega, Yuuri’s life had been mandated the moment he presented. His dream of becoming a competitive figure skater had been put on permanent hiatus and his life revolved around finding an eligible Alpha to settle down with and marry. After the mysterious circumstances of his husband’s death, Yuuri is suddenly on the market again but his prospects don't look so good. Most consider him to be undesirable, chastity soiled and past suitable marrying age. That and the rumors of his contribution to his husband’s death and his inability to bear children after four years of marriage keep the suitors at bay.In town for the World Championship after winning his fifth consecutive gold at the Grand Prix Finals and rethinking his whole career, Victor is worried he’s missed out on the chance to find love. Until he decided to take a spontaneous trip to a ninja castle on a southwestern island of Kyushu and finds the omega of his dreams. He’d only seen him once and already he could see himself settling down with him. Even the dark rumors surrounding this mysterious omega don’t dissuade him… much.

Crazy for a Sharp Dressed Man by Caeseria Victor loves watching Yuuri when he's wearing a suit. He loves peeling it, layer by layer, from Yuuri's body at the end of the evening. But first, he's got to make it through Yuuri's first sporting awards ceremony, and it promises to be the longest evening of his life to date.

Freshly Cleared Browsing History by Garden_Beast In retrospect, Yuuri hadn't really thought that clicking the wrong video on a porn site would change his life. Then again, Victor Nikiforov always had a way of surprising him.

Sixty-Nine Degrees of Heat by paxton1976 Collection of situations involving Yuuri's and Viktor's sexual appetite for the other, their encounters growing more frequent and more audacious.“Pretty much. We stick to a pretty grueling routine since we’re training for Worlds,” Yuuri stated.“Walk me through a normal day.”“I’m sure you’ll find it very boring,” he said.“Inquiring minds want to know,” she teased.If you only knew…

Of Bright Stars and Burning Hearts by Reiya Viktor doesn’t remember the first time he met Yuuri Katsuki.This however, is what Viktor does remember…Part 2 of the Rivals series and companion fic to ‘Until My Feet Bleed and My Heart Aches’. One small change alters the course of both Viktor and Yuuri’s entire lives, throwing them into a bitter rivalry that spans across many years and creates a world where they both tell a very different side to the story.

Ridden Hard and Put Away Wet by Farasha Yuuri Katsuki's stamina is inhuman.Victor will just need to resort to inhuman help to wear him out.

A Study in Possession by Farasha NIKIFOROV DRESSES LEFT: KATSUKI FATALE AND HIS SEDUCTION GAMESTMZ catches a dick outline at the kiss & cry in Beijing, after Yuuri has skated Eros. Yuuri helps Victor with his self-control problem.Or, Victor learns just how possessive Yuuri is of their intimacy.

Seaside by Farasha Of all the clichés to happen to Yuri in Japan, he didn't expect a real, live tentacle monster.Maybe he should have.

Sleeping Beauty by Farasha Victor is too tired for sex after long days of practice at the rink. Yuuri isn't, though, and Victor is more than okay with that.

Strawberry Wine by Farasha Yuuri does very well at the Junior GPF when he's fourteen. He very nearly takes the gold, but ends up with a satisfying silver. Victor thinks he's amazing, and comes to talk with him about training with Yakov in St. Petersburg.He didn't expect to overhear Yuuri fantasizing about him, but he's not going to let an opportunity slip by him.

The Selection by Galloping_Monroe Returning home on the tail end of an injury that ends his dancing career, Yuri Katsuki is trying to find his future again. As a Five, he knows his options are limited, but when he finds an invitation to Crown Prince Victor Nikiforov's Selection, he is convinced by a friend to apply.He never thought he'd be Selected.When he is, he finds that his world is changed forever, and that the Crown Prince is not exactly what he'd expected.

Twingenuity by Caeseria Victor arrives in Hasetsu, completely unaware that Yuuri has an identical, overly affectionate, twin brother. The resulting temptation might actually kill him before he gets Yuuri to the GPF like he promised.

Winter Song by proantagonist The set of Yuuri’s mouth softened into a private smile as Victor squeezed his knee beneath the table. His hands were bare, free from the gloves he so often wore when they were together on the rink, and the heat of his palm burned straight through the denim of Yuuri’s jeans. He slipped his own hand beneath the table and found Victor’s. Hidden from sight, their fingers began to flirt and play. A secret conversation all their own that needed no words.Yuuri was aware that at some point—a moment in time he couldn’t quite place—Victor had become his boyfriend.There wasn’t a single instant when it happened. It was a slow awareness, as if Victor had silently been asking the question for months now, and Yuuri had been giving him the answer a little more with each passing day.

sick day by wbtrashking (fan_nerd) Victor is the first to get sick, and Yuuri responsibly makes soup. The next day, both of them text Yuri Plisetsky to let him know that they are dying.Later, Yuuri coughs and manages to send the teenager an SOS message. We need crackers and nail polish remover. I will give you 600 rubles. You're our only hope.When Yuri finally makes it to their place, face mask secured on his ears, he chokes at the scent of death inside and rolls his eyes at the sight of the two skaters groaning, albeit with gloriously lacquered nails.

Always My Soulmate by Watermelonsmellinfellon Compilation of Yuuri/Victor Soulmate AU oneshots.

A Natural Trajectory by basilique “I don't know exactly what we are to each other right now, Yuuri. But I think it is our natural trajectory to become lovers."

take me higher by jinlian Victor stares at Yuuri. He wonders if he looks as confused as he feels; and he already looks at least a bit of a mess with his hair mussed from how he’d carefully styled it, his costume twisted and his jacket unzipped. Yuuri stares back. They’re both trying to find something in each other’s faces, searching and asking without words until one of them provides the answer.“What,” Victor finally demands, “does winning have to do with our getting married?”Post-season one. Victor's past and the things he lacked, and his present with the things he's gained.

Blackbird by sixpences The year is 1942, and Europe is at war. Captain Victor Nikiforov, an intelligence operative for the NKVD, has been trapped in Berlin by the German invasion of the USSR. Posing as a Nazi industrialist, his days are spent charming information out of Axis diplomats to try and keep the Red Army fighting another day.Yuuri Katsuki, a foreign-educated bureaucrat in the Japanese Embassy, has secrets of his own concealed beneath his unremarkable demeanour. When he uncovers Victor’s real identity, it will alter the course of both of their lives forever.

Laundry Day by cryingoverspilledvodka, lucycamui The Katsuki-Nikiforov household takes a morning off to do laundry. Living together, it's not just the bed that needs breaking in.

Move a Heart to Wake by Farasha Yuri Plisetsky has been suppressing his first heat since he hit puberty. It can come at any time, which is why he's cautious. But even modern medicine has its limits, and when he goes into heat unexpectedly, he drags Victor into heat with him. It's a good thing Yuuri has so much stamina.

Our Future Comes First by nagoyadelay There’s only one downside to being in an established relationship with Yuuri Katsuki - given his incredible stamina, it’s impossible to have a quickie with him.Or so Victor thought, until…

The Bulge (Don't Bring a Weapon to a Public Beach) bynagoyadelay Victor posts a photo of Yuuri on instagram without realizing that it’s somewhat suggestive.A thirsty skating fandom collectively loses their shit.

Sugar High by arekushia, ryoseirui Yuuri Katsuki is a college student struggling to pay rent, tuition, and just about everything else. When he sets up an account for a sugar daddy dating app, he doesn't expect anything to come out of it. Instead, he meets Victor Nikiforov, and so begins their walk on the fine line between their physical relationship and something more.

Head-Turner by Farasha Five times someone jerked off to fantasies of Yuuri Katsuki (and one time Yuuri gets to watch).

Care and Feeding by Farasha Victor likes being Yuuri's. Yuuri likes taking care of him. It comes together unexpectedly, but Yuuri is happy to indulge Victor - and finds that it's not much of an indulgence when he enjoys it too.

Use your words to surrender by Farasha The confrontation between Victor and Yuri at the end of episode 10 goes a little differently, as Victor decides it's time for Yuri to own up to the things he says to people.Yuri thought the worst part about having a stupid crush on both his mentor and his idol-slash-rival was watching them get lost together in their own little world. Then he thought the worst part was standing at the edge of that, too afraid to ask if he was welcome.Yuuri and Victor show him the best part can happen when you learn to ask for what you want.

Not an inch of you I didn't cling to by Farasha Yuuri returns to Hasetsu after the Rostelecom Cup, and Victor is there waiting to take care of him. They discover some things about what they like along the way.

Falling by Kizuna_Auri When a person stands at the edge of a cliff side, looking down, there's a part of the brain that demands safety, security. It demands a step back from the edge. Yuuri Katsuki doesn't have that part.OR: Anxiety is a bitch.

Strangers to Love by threerings Victor takes on the responsibility of watching out for the stunningly beautiful drunk Japanese skater at the Sochi Grand Prix Final Banquet. But he wasn't counting on falling in love. Now he only has one night to try and catch Yuuri's attention as much as Yuuri has already caught his.

Learning You in Three Dimensions by threerings Victor Nikiforov thought he was used to the frustration that came from dealing with Yuuri Katsuki. Since his arrival in Hasetsu he’d adjusted his expectations. Yuuri was a much different person than Victor had expected from their previous interaction. Victor thought he’d accepted the fact that his time with Yuuri involved much less sex than he would prefer.And then. And then he’d caught a glimpse of Yuuri’s dick.

Panta Rhei by Kashoku This was a mistake. Viktor needed to somehow pry Yuuri off of him and leave the room immediately. Viktor was drunk, and Yuuri was so far beyond gone that there wasn’t even a word for it. But the alpha in Viktor was having an incredibly difficult time resisting the pungent scent of cherry blossoms and ocean that filled his nose. Viktor snapped.They had been reckless.

Art of Seduction by Viktuurio Viktor is attracted to pudgy thighs, stomach, chest, chubby cheeks and love handles. Yuuri is attracted to muscled arms and legs, a strong jaw and rocking abs. In other words they are perfect for each other, not just emotionally.In which they’re both retired and while Viktor continues to work out and keep his body sculpted, Yuuri is growing softer every month, which only gets nudged along with Viktor’s great cooking.

PHEW. That’s everything since August 5th. Hopefully I’ll remember to do this this weekend for this week now.

#yuri on ice #yoi fanfic #wirtw #what i read this week #wirtw july 27 to august 5

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aliciagaliano · 4 years

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Crossed Roads, chapter 4

youtube

Disclaimer: Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs belongs to Sony Pictures Animations.

The respective OC's belongs to me.

...

Are you a sleeper or a mortal soul? Are you the devil with a heart of gold? You and I got the right stuff

The Right Stuff - Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds

...

"Why can't you leave me alone...?"

*clank!*

A giant sword almost got her, getting stuck against a rocky wall behind her, having got the blade of it grinding her neck, her gaze was fixated to the front, showing fear in her eyes as tears were rolling down her cheeks, she swallowed hard, completely frozen with her arms and against the rock behind, she was on the ground, staring at a tall, dark figure in front of her... all what could be distinguished was a couple of bright yellow orbs as eyes with a torn pupil, apparently the long and thick weapon was being held by the mysterious being.

"Why should I leave alone a pathetic and filthy weakling like you...?" A male voice asked coming from the dark and tall shadow, "When you are something I want to get ridden of to fulfill my vendetta against them..." A hand reached out from the darkness, grabbing the neck of her shirt as she got lifted up like nothing, getting stomped against the rocky wall hardly. Her body was shaking terribly...

"Please... just let me go..." She whimpered.

In a sudden moment, the grip of her shirt passed to her face as she got stomped against the wall behind, to then her her face grind at top speed against the surface, leaving a trace of it until she reached the end, rolling several times on the ground, she didn't move once she stopped, feeling too weak to move an inch, and her face did burn a bit of way too much, leaving large scratches all over her face.

She made an attempt to stand up, to then feel a kick on her chest that sent her flying a few meters away from her previous spot, spinning in the air violently, at the moment she was going to fall again, the process was repeated as she was kicked away once again, and the process was repeated one, two, five times in total until her body heavily fell again, making her groan... there she felt a foot on her back crushing her against the hard soil making her whimper more, "Come on little princess, are you tired already?" The man asked again with venom in his voice, "Come on! Fight me! Or are you a coward?!"

"I don't... wanna fight anymore..." She said in a low voice, feeling way too tired to raise her voice, "Please... I just wanna go home..." The man raised up his sword, holding it upside down to impale it on her, in a sudden movement she barely avoided it, yet getting a cut on a side. Not too deep, but it needed to get a good treatment and some points to get healed, "Leave me alone... just leave me alone..." In any moment she didn't sob, just tear up uncontrollably because of the fear she had.

Most part of time the desire of ending with her life was bigger than anything in the universe...

Sometimes, she just wanted to live a peaceful life again...

This time was the second thing...

"Such a whiny little piece of shit..." The man hissed again, clenching his teeth apparently, there he grabbed her from an arm and raised her up, "And you call yourself a–"

"I'm not like them..." She said looking down tiredly, "I hate to be related to them... because that's my only sin... I'm only paying for the broken plates..." There she looked straight to his eyes, "You are not strong enough to fight him... and you're downloading your rage upon me..." A sudden sharp pain crossed her face, having received a heavy punch.

"I'm not a weakling like you, stupid little princess!" He exclaimed, there was a hand on her neck as they went up to the sky straight to outer space, with the man covered in a white aura, "Come on! Fight! Struggle! I don't fucking care but do something!" He shouted, she didn't reply, which just brought out an angry groan, "Ah! You're so pity! Tell me what's your purpose in this life!" Again there was no reply as he stopped somewhere in the outer space again, holding her neck tight and making her look to his eyes. "What is your true purpose in this meaningless life?!"

"What do you mean... with that...?"

"Who you fucking are! Why are you still alive and why are you still fucking fighting me! You have none asides of the natural instinct of living, and that's so pathetic and pity that only makes me feel angry!"

She had none... again she lacked an answer to him, with a drifted off gaze. The man gave a spin and tossed her away towards the void of the cold space, to then raise a hand towards her... a burning feeling got her body as she was dragged away. For moments she only felt pain and didn't hear anything...

Then...

*splash*

Alice suddenly woke up gasping for air, sweating and tearing up uncontrollably, clenching her bed sheets just like Flint the day before, the only difference is that she found herself alone in the room... it was just a nightmare... she flopped back again breathing heavily, to then take Newt the bear and hug it tight trying to calm herself down, she closed her eyes and repeated herself that everything was alright and nothing was going to happen, "Bones, sinking like stones and all that we've fought for..." She sang in a low voice, "Homes, places we've grown, all of us are done for..." Slowly her breathing started to regulate once again as she kept singing softly, finding peace in music... slowly her anxiety started to decrease, still her hug against Newt was tight...

Once she finally managed to fully calm down, she stood up and went to the bathroom to clean her face and brush her teeth, then come back and have a change of clothes plus breakfast. Some corn flakes with milk was enough for the morning though... there was a deep sigh from her part, unable to keep thinking that she was abusing of their kindness as Tim pretty much went to spent whatever he had of money to get some normal stuff for her asides of the sardines and even some of the clothes she was using in that moment, they just did it like nothing while she was still out so... she couldn't actually complain...

Right?

Done with breakfast, she did all the dishes and placed them back in their places, clearly she was alone there in the house and Flint was in his lab for sure, which meant, too, that the old fisherman was in his shop or somewhere at the high-seas. Getting in front of the sliding door to the backyard, she looked outside as she leaned against the glass, sticking her face against it, the climate seemed perfect to take a walk again, with fluffy white clouds riding the sky making it seem that a storm was far away from there, and probably it'd remain like that for a few more days, the ambient of the town was something she also liked a lot, it felt so quiet, yet sad, yet still quiet and peaceful which was suitable for someone who was wanting some peace...

It was better to tell him about– "No, no!" She mumbled to herself, shaking her head, "He would stop talking to me and get angry... he will hate me... he will think I'm a monster..." He's probably the kindest person she met in a long time, and as much she knew how interested he was in her past, she had certain attachment to him now, "Oh Gee... why did I ask him that...?" She whimpered slightly in reference to her petition of two days ago, "It's for the best I suppose..." Or that's what she wanted to think?

She still could take a boat one night and– no, no... she couldn't do that either, although if she apologized them with a note explaining her situation, that'd be way too rude as they treated her so nicely. Sighing deeply she got back to the inside, giving a small glance towards the laboratory, when she was getting away from there she heard the voice of the scientist screaming in pain, which quickly made her run upstairs worriedly. "Flint!" She called out, running through the pink tunnel and reaching the inside of the lab.

There he saw him sitting on his rooking chair holding his arm with a rag, not using his lab coat, she noticed the piece of cloth stained with a crimson liquid that was easily identified as blood, she let out a panicked squeal as she got closer to him, getting stopped by him, "Hey, morning Alice..." He said with a smile, not looking actually concerned at all yet seeming like it did hurt, "How are you?"

"W-what happened?" She asked rushed, "You're bleeding!" He felt so guilty for worrying her like that.

"It's alright Alice, it was just a cut though." Nothing he couldn't handle; the girl seemed genuinely and really worried, which kept making him feel guilty, "Can you help me to cover it? I may need some help..." The girl nodded and quickly went for the first-aid kit in the bathroom of the lab, to then come back with bandages and gauze, this time he wasn't surprised anymore that she actually knew how to treat his wound, he didn't give her any indications about how to treat it, at least the wound wasn't deep, but as it got a muscle the bleeding was more than usual, there a couple of minutes later it was completely covered and secured...

"Are you okay...?" She asked sounding slightly anxious, as if he just completely scared the hell out of her, receiving a nod as an answer, she proceeded to hug him tight as a scared child. Alice felt his hand caressing the back of her head softly, making her calm down as her hug tightened like she didn't want to let go.

"I am, Alice, don't worry that much..." He said with a smile, "It was just an accident though..." She looked at him straight to his eyes wanting an explanation, "It's nothing, just got distracted a bit, that's all." He held a piece of glass stained with blood and tossed it to a side, to then make it fall in a trash can. Nailed it.

"Are you sure...?" Still he felt guilty for worrying her like that a lot, seeing that she actually cared a lot for him to not be concerned, she didn't let him go yet, just hugging tight as he kept caressing the back of her head. His hand drifted to the middle of her back, rubbing it softly, then it went down until he felt part of her skin exposed. A sudden feeling of her slipping down made him quickly press the arm near the base of her back and pull her up, which made her cuddle in a ball upon his lap like seeking for comfort and protection as he managed to find a comfortable position upon his chair...

It was curious how she still could get his soft spot that easily, probably because she couldn't stop looking so shy and fearful about pretty much everything... and as much he could actually see, there's been a large progress between them, with her being a bit more open to him in terms of affection, from being completely shy and talk just when she had to, to show her affection a bit more than before...

Probably it was a constant struggle on open up to him and remain retreated in herself, wanting hard to befriend him properly at the same time she wanted to keep her stuff for herself and not share a possible heavy load with anyone... in any case, he liked to make her feel safe...

And there they remained for at least ten minutes before they had to move again, with him caressing her back which apparently was something that was making her feel comfortable with the contact they were having, at the point that she looked like a toddler seeking for some affection from someone, it was adorable, he would take a picture of her like that if he could... there she moved, sitting on his lap seeming red for what she just did, which took out a giggle from him for it. Indeed he found it oddly adorable, "I already told you, I'm alright." She smiled a bit.

"I'm glad you are..." She said jumping down his lap, "I just got scared when I heard you screaming..." He gave her a patient smile in response, "So I came up here and..."

"I understand..." He said, caressing her hair again, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you..."

"It's alright... don't worry..." He chuckled a bit, then asked if she wanted to do something, "Actually... I wanna take a walk again..." She said, "But I wanna go alone..." He first seemed surprised, "I'll be alright, don't worry. I can take care of myself too..." In her mind was just the fact that she didn't want him to expose himself against those bullies again, she preferred him to stay in the lab and do whatever he got to do instead of seeing them about to punch him. "It'll be alright, I promise..."

There was concern reflected on the inventor's bright blue eyes, seeming reluctant to let her go alone, although, there wasn't really anything to fear about out there now the mayor was still in the States. As much as he knew, he'd be away for another week at least so they had nothing to fear at all in the meantime, and he didn't think that Brent and his peers would be that stupid to harm a young girl even if she whacked them with a fishing rod. He didn't give her an instant reply about it, thinking about other things... maybe she could find kids of her age to play with... there was a sigh, then an "Alright" as a response, she gave him a smile and a tight hug in return.

One condition: if there were any problems with someone (mostly referring to the bullies), she had to run away back home or hide, or both if it was possible. She nodded in agreement when she realized the concern of the inventor growing, knowing that what happened the day before had something to do there; she then, gave him a tight hug to calm him down and let him know that everything would be alright, taking out a wider smile from him...

A while later...

Somewhere else in the town in a front yard, we can see Cal Devereaux (also known as Earl's little angel as he uses to refer him) with a good friend of him, a girl of around his age with light brown hair, hazel eyes, slightly chubby wearing a blue shirt, shorts and slippers. It seemed like they were going to do something... mischievous... why to say that? A golf stick, with their respective balls.

"Are you sure about this, Calvin?" The girl asked confused, "I mean, we might get into trouble you know..."

"Calm down, Cassie," He said placing a ball on the grass, "It'll be okay." If there's not a broken glass in the process of course.

The girl now identified as Cassie seemed unsure about it, not a bit but a complete lot. It didn't matter that his father was the cop of the town, right now anything could just mean troubles, and no, they weren't playing just mini-golf or something – at least with her knowing her friend, it wasn't just a regular mini-golf play, not coming from Cal at least... the kid got ready to hit the ball, preparing a soft swing towards a plastic cup. He got ready once... two... "Ball!" He shouted as he did a powerful swing that sent the ball flying away.

It first hit the fence, a wall, a garden gnome, the mailbox, almost getting them twice, traveling then in the gutter of the house and falling into the tube to then fly away... "Ouch!" they heard near there, making them flinch a bit as the boy got a glance from his friend, shrugging nervously and going to check on what did the ball hit... to then stumble upon a new face in the town after so long... Alice was holding the ball as she rubbed her head with her fingertips... probably Earl's 'little angel' just started to feel a tiny little crush on her as she looked quite pretty...

"Hello!" Cassie said to Alice, "You must be new at the island. I'm Cassie, and you?"

She looked at them a bit confused, then shyly, smiling a bit as she rubbed the back of her head, "I'm Alice... nice to meet you too, Cassie..." She passed her hand to the hazel-eyed girl, who was too around her age and took it with a smile.

"I'm Cal Devereaux, nice to meet you too Alice." He said confidently and playing it cool, passing out his hand to her too, she shyly took it too with a small smile.

"Nice to meet you too... I met your father yesterday..." She said, he looked surprised that she did already and even seemed to be looking for a positive commentary... she found Earl quite... uh... well she didn't like him that much because of what he said about Flint of being a huge weirdo and how she should stay away from him, but she couldn't say a thing out loud either. Contrary about meeting some of the adults of the town, she felt slightly more confident with them.

"Now I think about it..." The boy said, "Aren't you the girl staying with the Lockwood family?" He asked curious, she blushed a bit and stepped back a bit in surprise, "Then you are! My dad told me that you were found in the ocean and they took you to their home. He even went to visit you later that day," No one actually told that, "But Flint stopped him from bothering you," She smiled a bit with it, "Isn't he a weirdo?"

Her smile vanished to an angry glare, "He's not a weirdo!" She exclaimed angrily, clenching her fists tight, "He's actually one of the nicest persons I've met in my life..." Added in a low voice caressing her arm a bit, yet she meant every single word she said because it was true. He was a really nice person and she cared much more than she thought about him.

In that moment she thought that probably her relation with Flint would bring her some sort of problems with the others as he was the outcast of the town, which in her honest opinion enraged her pretty much a lot, but just didn't show it in order to keep herself calmed down, but have all of the hostility of the people looking at them and mostly at him in a strange way, like expecting already one of his inventions that could still destroy the island by accident was something that didn't pass up her head in any single moment the day before.

And again she felt dumb for having asked him to not get attached to her while she already did the same for him. Of course she should've expected a few days to pass before deciding to ask him that, but she didn't want to tell him to forget that either because there were so many things she was unable to explain him... in any case... she sighed deeply and bit her cheeks when she realized their curious stare on her, like wanting an explanation in her words or something. "I told this kid over here that Flint Lockwood was just eccentric," Cassie said with a smile, "I did have a couple of interactions with him, and he seems to be a nice person." A smile curved again on Alice's face when she finally heard somebody not talking trash about him, "I'd like to ask him for some help with science but I'm unsure about asking..."

"I'm sure he'd like to give you some help..." Alice said still smiling a bit, with her shyness slowly drifting away, "I don't think he'd mind to take a pause and explain something related to what he likes to someone..." In her thoughts were also the idea of him being a science teacher and anything related if he wasn't inventing all the time, which seemed accurate his whole self, "He even taught me some glassmaking a couple of days ago..." Which she also used to give him a crystal heart... thinking about it she didn't know why she did it, but probably it was to repair his kindness.

The hazel-eyed girl grinned when she heard that and looked to her friend once again, who just rolled eyes like saying 'whatever' even if he seemed slightly interested now, with her looking curious to know more and making the Latin-American girl step back a bit showing again her shyness, she just smiled and told her a couple of things from the last day, not talking about Brent and his peers about to beat the hell out of him or do any harm, preferring to avoid think in that affair again or else she'd just like to whack them again with an iron stick at least. Then she passed them their golf ball, Cal apologized her for hitting her head with it, "Hey, don't you want to play golf with us?" He asked.

"In fact is mini golf..." Cassie said, "Someone just likes to hit the ball way too hard!" She received a nervous grin mixed with an 'angel face' from her friend, making her roll eyes and making their new friend giggle a bit, "Anyway, are you coming?"

There was silence for a moment, as if she was thinking her answer wisely, then smiled a bit to them and nodded. On the bright side they haven't asked her how she ended up somewhere in the ocean out of sudden, something she didn't want to explain to anyone... then Cal stopped, he seemed to be thinking on something or that's what they thought, they looked at him for a while... then...

Achoo!

Well... highly unimpressive... quite expected probably. In any case the girls of the new small group gave a giggle to it, receiving a smile from part of the boy and go back to Cassie's front yard. They asked Alice if she ever played mini-golf, receiving a negative answer but saying that she saw people playing it so... it couldn't be hard, right? Well she didn't have to swing that hard (or else she'd end up hitting somebody else on the head), just enough to make the ball move towards the cup.

First of all she gave a glance to the stick, looking every single thing of it... "This isn't even for a mini-golf game, you know?" She said, "This one is for a long shot, if you're not careful enough you may break something fragile after hitting the ball, and..." She then got ready to hit from her right, the stick was one for an adult so, it wouldn't be a surprise if any of them ended up blaming it for a mistake, she got ready to make a swing, but didn't hit the ball at all. "Who's left-handed here?"

"I told to Calvin all of what you said, and my dad is left-handed." Cassie said, one second, two seconds, "Wait, you said you never played golf..."

"I haven't..." She said, "I just have a good eye for some things though..." They looked at her for a moment, then smiled.

"No wonder why you two are friends now." The hazel-eyed girl said with a giggle that made Alice blush a bit more and clear her throat, taking out another giggle from the couple of friends, "We're just teasing you, don't worry."

Sometimes she felt out of tune whenever came up with human interaction, most part of the time she could interact, but sometimes she felt quite lost whenever it came to some things like a friendly teasing, it didn't make a lot of difference from a real tease in her opinion asides of the friendly-like tone... she got... unused to some things... clearing her throat she got to her left side getting ready to hit the ball, maybe she wasn't left-handed...

One...

Two...

Three...

*crack!*

"That wasn't me..." Alice said, with the stick right about to hit the ball, looking to the other two to know what was that, "Guys...?" The sound came from somewhere near, a couple of houses away in fact, they went to see what happened and saw a broken window and a group of kids coming with baseball stuff. That made sense... and at the same time it also scared her a bit because of the sound. The group of three people met the other group of (around) seven kids, then looked to the broken glass... it was the classic creepy old house from those series with the creepy old neighbor, the only thing was that...

"Uh oh..." One of the kids from the larger group said concerned, "That's the McHale house..."

Curiously enough, even if there was a sunny ambient with the white fluffy clouds still riding the sky, when they all looked again to the house, the sky was black and a lightning crossed among the clouds in a very, very dramatic way causing to most part of them shiver down and take a step back... minus Alice, who was the one who was looking with curiosity in her eyes. There they realized she was the new girl hanging out with the oddball of the town, but this time she didn't actually mind their words, just concentrated in the old creepy house... it seemed that actually no one placed a foot there in years...

There was a disturbing aura coming from there as much as her senses were telling her, as if something horrible happened there years ago, why she could tell that? It was like a sixth sense she had... she looked then to the group of children around her and saw them mumbling stuff about the house, who could get into there without being a wuss and some others just saying that they already lost the ball there... she actually wanted to ask, but when she opened her mouth no words came out like feeling unsure to ask...

Paying more attention to her surroundings, her ears started to catch some fragments of their different conversations, hearing stuff like 'there's not such a thing as ghosts', slightly arguing about who had enough courage to get there and gather the ball which of course no one had... there she felt the gazes of pretty much everyone upon her, something she tried to pass up as if she didn't realize their intentions... for some reason she didn't actually feel surprised for what the decision of some kids was: the new girl in the town had to get there... gladly enough, she wasn't the only one who didn't notice that.

Cassie immediately defended her from the larger group saying that if they wanted to get their ball back one of them should get in instead of sending her, it was their fault they got their toy lost and it wasn't fair to involve the new girl into their stupidity as if she got something to do there. At the same time she understood that it could just be a tradition where the new kid uses to do the stuff that the others doesn't wants to and didn't really mind that, "I was going to do it anyways..." She said, receiving a curious glance from the two friends whose names started with C.

"What? No! You don't have to do it!" Cal said and looked to the other group, "They should do it themselves!" She smiled a bit to them, like saying that there wasn't a problem on accepting their petition to add a bigger surprise to all of them... funny how a girl had more courage than any of the group of kids, or maybe she was being foolish. Even if she ignored what could've happened in there or what could be wrong, surely her curiosity already got her deep enough to take a decision.

"It's alright, you can wait for me here if you want..." There wasn't any problem, "I've been through worse anyways..." She groaned a bit when she said that, squinting slightly and then smile at bit. It was alright anyways, she really didn't mind to get into a quick adventure into an abandoned old creepy house.

One of the kids gave her the baseball bat just in case, thing she grabbed and placed the body against her shoulder feeling ready to go, her two new friends looked to each other twice and shouted a "Wait!" to stop her, making her turn around curious towards them, there was a silence for a couple of seconds until Cassie, under the shocked expression of her friend said "We're going with you!"

"Hell no!" Devereaux shouted, "There's no way I'm going in with you two!"

"Why am I even here...?"

They waited around an hour to get their way into the abandoned/haunted/mysterious house/whatever it was and get themselves ready for whatever could happen there, with Alice armed with the baseball bat, Cassie with a golf stick (not a large one but a kids' one and also a cross under her shirt) and Calvin with a cricket bat (as his father was 100% fitness and incredibly right-handed for sports so he had pretty much a lot of stuff storage in the attic) and a backpack to carry some important objects like a few lanterns.

It wouldn't be hard to get in unnoticed, they spotted an entrance from an emergency exit located on the backyard that leads to the basement secured with chains and a big, old rusty lock. There were two options: find a hammer or something heavy enough to break it, or try to force it with a wire which seemed safer, it wouldn't leave notorious traces of someone breaking in so they'd go for the best. Again for their surprise (and what could probably be for the dismay of Flint), she managed to open the lock with a wire in a few seconds, then retired the chains slowly to not bring other people's attention, placing it down among the tall grass. "Hey, I'm being serious..." Alice said, "You don't have to come with me..."

Perfect excuse for the boy in the group to leave them, turning around about to leave, only to get turned back towards Alice by the hazel-eyed girl he had as friend, "Don't you always say that you would like to have an interesting adventure, Calvin?" She asked curious with a smile, not receiving any sort of response from her friend asides of rolling eyes.

"I do, but I didn't have this in mind..." He admitted, "I'm curious to know what's inside though, I just don't want my dad to get angry at me..." In any way, Earl getting actually angry at him would be like see a shooting star, a rare, very rare case, they didn't actually think he would get angry for more than two or three minutes, "Do you think the lines are still there? Or the stains?" The question made her shiver down a bit of too much, causing her to get goose bumps, "Are you scared?"

And their new friend just stared at them as they had a slight argument about what could probably be found inside, awaiting for them to stop and take a decision before she decided to get in by herself and leave them outside to wait or something, for her there was actually not a lot of difference anyways... it felt like the same, with the difference being just someone to talk with. Slowly she just opened the heavy wooden trap door making a soft creaking noise that reached out the attention of the other two friends making them snap and focus on their "mission" (which was a complete stupidity, but at the same time there wasn't any more options due the conditions of the town and stuff) of recovering the stupid toy.

Looking into the stairs, it was covered with dust as the sides were full of white spiderwebs, evidencing the lack of human activity in the house, taking out the lanterns they got ready to get in, with Alice at the front, Cassie in the middle and Cal at the end trying to avoid as much as possible the webs all over the way down. Once they all got in, they closed the door to the basement to not drag too much attention, turning on their lanterns as the way down felt creepier without lights, without sounds, possibly with rats living among the abandoned stuff there... they kept themselves as close as possible from their new friend.

The place indeed seemed to not had been used for nearly a decade or even more, needing a good hand of cleaning (and the assistance of a vacuum cleaner of course). The basement was full of old, rusty and dusty stuff that probably also belonged to an previous family (someone never knows); there were a few metallic (and also rusty like pretty much every thing down there) shelves with moldy boxes. Some seemed to have a better shape, others well, others didn't have the same luck.

The humidity in the air was heavy, showing up that the place didn't get open for a similar amount of time of the closed house or even longer. Their lights were darting to every corner of the place, hoping to not have bats down there because they were quite scary, and their backs against each other in a triangle-like formation so they wouldn't get too surprised if anything comes out of nowhere to scare the heck out of them and make them leave. Interesting place? Yes? Scary? Hell yes, at least they were alone between the three so, what could possibly go wrong down there?

*squeak!*

The hazel-eyed girl and her friend directed their lanterns towards the source of the squeaky noise that belonged to a rat that managed to hide around as fast as the rodent made its noise, seeming so nervous for whatever could be roaming around... pff, as if a monster would be hiding down there... in any case...

"This place is so quiet and scary..." Admitted Cal, keeping his back as close as possible from the other two girls.

"Don't even remind us that, please..." His good old friend said, holding on her golf stick tight in one hand, "The only thing we should get across with is with a ghost..."

The sound of steps there upstairs made the couple yelp and hug a not-even-close-to-look-scared Alice, who just stopped and looked at them with a curious glare, "How can't you be afraid down here?!" The two friends asked to her surprised for the glance they were having, she just shrugged in response with a serene face that just got them intrigued, "Why...?" They asked again at the same time.

"I don't feel like it..." She said plainly, with an unsettling calm coming from someone who sounded quite mature-ish (?) than them as if she already dealt with that kind of situations in the past, as if she already was in an abandoned building before and alone, "There's nothing wrong with feel fear either, I just think that it's quite pointless to feel it in an empty place like this..." Well, they were more unsettled because of the heavy ambient around the abandoned house, still the sentence of their new friend was quite deep, "Although, it feels so heavy here... or is it just me...?"

They agreed with her.

The sound of footsteps upstairs made the three of them stop and freeze in their place, as much as the two young citizens of the town knew, no one lives in that house and they didn't really know why in their honest opinions... now it felt terrifying for real, but at the same time Alice remained serene to the noises even if they got her by surprise too; just looking up to the ceiling with curiosity. "Holy Christ this place is haunted!" Cassie said.

"Do you really think that ghosts are real?" Cal asked to her, "It could've been a rat too."

"A rat isn't big enough to make the sound of human footsteps," Alice said quietly, "There's probably somebody else in here..." However, she didn't feel like that was the case, the only reason to say it was to calm them down at least a bit, or as much as possible... pretty much enough to not get her nerves or something at least.

Silently they kept their way back upstairs, going up the stone-like stairs (good thing to not hear the creaky and unsettling noise of those old wooden stairs that could get broken in any moment because of the mold and humidity) until reached a slightly open door that took them to a hallway from where the daylight was filtering. Once there they became more careful to not drag anybody's attention of whoever could be roaming the old house; the newest of the group took a peek outside and check that there were no moors on the coast... everything seemed less creepier than before, yet, still unsettling.

The door made a creaky noise when she pushed it, needing a good hand of oil in its hinges, to then pass to the hallway... the walls were painted in a faded marmalade color that now were covered either with mold, or had humidity around, or were down on the floor, which was also covered with dust and completely neglected. In her honest opinion, the house was quite similar to Flint's but adding the basement entrance to it (although, it wouldn't be a bad idea ask if they had one though... or maybe they didn't, otherwise the inventor would be using it as his laboratory as much her logic could tell).

On the bright side there was a bit more of light in there than downstairs, the windows were closed yet some broken at points, letting the air flow around the house taking away a lot of the heavy sensation of claustrophobia down in the basement. As much Alice could tell, the kids from before weren't the only ones who lost their toys there, and possibly they were the only ones with enough courage (or probably stupidity) to retrieve their stuff... then on the other hand, the ambient still felt unsettling, as if there was something wrong, but she felt unable to tell what could it actually be...

"Well, the ball is supposed to be in the living room," The boy of the group said, "So we should be heading there now."

But, curiosity was there too, and at least the new girl was the one who wanted to explore a bit even if she knew that wandering was a terrible sin (1), even more in an abandoned house. She couldn't help it that much to be honest, it was better to cope with them instead of leaving them alone; at the same time there was a chance that they would just follow her around as she was the only among them who didn't seem scared at all... without saying a word they walked to where the living room was, feeling the ambient becoming heavier again.

Weird, was the one word that crossed Alice's mind for a moment, there, it felt like the temperature dropped a few Fahrenheit even if there was an air flow around, letting the warm air of the outside get in...

"This place is still unsettling..." The hazel-eyed girl said, "I mean... it feels like we're not alone at all..."

"Are you thinking that ghosts are real again?" Her friend asked, "That's not possible..."

The sound of steps around made them freeze and hug Alice once again, raising up their guard and looking to every single corner where they were coming from...

It became silent again...

Both Cassie and Cal remained close to Alice, looking to every single part of the house scared as she started to move again, this time she looked a bit tense, but not as much as they were in that moment, being able to handle her nerves from whatever the hell was happening. It could actually be a good scene for Paranormal Activity but with three kids roaming in an abandoned house because of a lost toy that wasn't even theirs. They wanted to take a peek in the rooms so they would see if they would be able to say who used to live there and if they knew them or not... and somehow they managed to hold on their curiosity to focus.

Then in the living room things felt more unsettling for some reason... as if there was something... completely wrong...

This time they split as they were already there, searching for the ball, the hazel-eyed girl went to the window where the baseball ball got through, and it was nowhere to be seen. Maybe it rolled under the couches... but there wasn't a trail, right? "Uh, guys...?" They heard Cal say looking to certain spot in a corner next to the chimney, looking pale... "I-I th-think you should s-see this..." His friends attended there...

On the floor there was white tape showing that it was a crime scene, the floor and the wall up to it was stained in a faded red showing that it was blood, and that wasn't the only spot as next to it there was another spot marked... "Murder..." Alice mumbled, "Of course..." Thinking on what Flint told her about the death of his mother, of course not everything was quiet around the island... probably there were more secrets around, some that shouldn't actually see the light.

"Does this means we're in a haunted house?!" The other girl exclaimed afraid as hell, with the boy of the group hushing her, "Don't hush at me Calvin!" She said nervously, "We're in a haunted house!"

"There's nothing that can actually assure us that this place is haunted," Alice said, "The permanence of a spirit depends on how bad and long their agony was. Not everyone remains, stays because of some unfinished business, others because they don't wanna go to the Afterlife..."

"How do you know about this?" They both asked.

"I'm just a curious eye at some topics..." She gave a smile to them to calm them down at least a little bit, "Well, let's find the ball and get outta here before we get into more t–" Her new friends raised up an eyebrow as she suddenly became completely tense, with the hairs of her body (including her hair) raised up like a threatened animal against its predator, passing her hands on her arms to calm down, to then turn around to the entrance of the hallway nervous.

"Alice...?" They asked, "Are you–?"

The two of them froze when they heard steps around the living room, it wasn't just of one person but of two...

Surely, the victims of the murder didn't leave, and they were around now. In fact their step stopped in the same place, as if the two spirits were now together again; Alice had her eyes wide open and her view towards the spot in front of the chimney, realizing in that moment how close they actually were... none of them could move, feeling the temperature dropped again and their bodies frozen, but none of them knew if it was because of the cold or because the fear they were feeling. How creepier could it become?

"W-we're sorry!" Their new friend exclaimed and bowed down, "We didn't mean to get here like this... we're just looking for our baseball ball..." There she got straight again, seeming nervous, panting slightly like trying to keep herself together, "Yes, I can hear you... but I can't see you..." Okay, they weren't sure if she was already trying to play an obnoxious prank on them or if it was true because they couldn't hear anyone talking. She was still with most part of all the hairs of her body up, but apparently less tense, like listening closely to whatever was speaking; then she looked to Cal, "He's Earl's son... you know him?" She asked, then said "Oh..."

"What?" He asked.

"She said she was a good friend of your mother, even if they didn't know for that long..." There she seemed to listen again, "And that she'd like to see her again someday..." Again she seemed to listen to them, "Fran Lockwood? I-I don't know her personally but... she... passed a years ago..." There was silence for a moment, "Her son is a friend of mine... he saved my life a few days ago... he's really nice..." Her new friends were silently freaking the hell out, unable to understand properly what the heck was actually happening and if it was really just a prank or if she was being serious, "Oh... I understand... it must be sad for you to be here all by your own..." There was a sad smile on her face for it, lowering her head a bit as a sign of empathy, her two friends were very curious though about what were they talking even if it could be a prank. "Uh... I'll see what I can do... you're the nicest ghosts I've met until now... I wouldn't have any problems to come back honestly..." Okay that actually sounded like a complete joke. No one in their minds would ever come back to a haunted place!

The thing that completely got them out of their minds again was to hear the steps again and see the baseball bat floating towards them. That was already insane at the point they could blame the heavy ambient inside for causing them hallucinations; the ball floated towards their friend's extended hand and landed upon it, as if someone was giving it directly to her – which was the actual case even if crazy as hell the situation was. There they noticed that her hair was becoming messy, as if someone was ruffling her head; their friend then said goodbye to them and said that they were going to get out through the basement again as she didn't want them to get into some sort of troubles with Earl, they heard footsteps again, going to different sides of the house to not be heard again after...

Everything still felt way too surreal to be true...

Later that day...

The hours passed and Flint was way too concerned about Alice, despite the fact he was sure she would be able to handle herself alone he couldn't stop caring about her safety, and he haven't got any news about her in the whole day either... was she in troubles and no one was whiling to tell him the truth? Surely enough if something already happened he would've gotten a call hours ago, he knew Earl, he would notify anything to them in the right moment if it was something important related to them so...

There he heard his elevator going up, he ran to the pink tunnel to receive her, and once she got out there, he couldn't help but give her a tight hug. "Oh my God Alice!" He exclaimed, "I thought something happened to you..."

"I'm good Flint... I've made some friends..." She said returning the hug to her, smiling a bit to him and walk into the lab. The smell of coffee was filling the air, which meant he was making some, "How's been your day?"

"It's been fine, I've been still busy with the broken stuff..." It was still a long and tedious process, so he couldn't help it but have a ton of patience to get everything settled back, "What were you doing?" He asked, taking a cup from his desktop full of hot black coffee, "Want some?"

She shook her head in response, "No, I don't actually like coffee..."

"Oh... alright then..." He sat on his rooking chair ready to get some stuff done at his computer, to then look at her again curious, "Who did you meet today?" He asked her with a wide smile, she then told him what they did around but not mentioning the affair of the haunted house; her friend seemed like a proud older brother to his younger sibling, listening to her story. "Well at least you befriended them, and being my friend wasn't an impediment..." She could feel the bittersweetness in his voice, aware of why he said that...

It really hurt her inside... "Hey... it's alright Flint..." She said, "You're a nice person... and I really like you for it..." He looked at her like trying to believe it, she gave him a patient smile, looking straight to his eyes to prove she was saying the truth. He scratched his nose and sniffed a bit, to then look away from her apparently happy or something like that, to then feel her giving him a tight hug that he returned affectionately.

"Don't get too... attached to me... because I'll only make you suffer..."

It was too late, and the memory of the request made him hug her tighter, pulling her close to him not wanting to let go... how come she got his heart that easily honestly? It felt quite surreal, but maybe because she was quite different from the others? Hard to tell, maybe was her shyness, her loyalty as she haven't ran away after having being told about the things he does and because she defended him from the bullies... it was just hard to tell... it was just that small part of his heart that felt like needing something to love maybe... whatever it was, it was hard to tell.

She didn't complain nor anything for his sudden move, but get a more comfortable position and cuddle against his chest, allowing him to place his chin upon her head and hug more, feeling once again like an older brother protecting his younger sibling; it just felt so nice actually, he couldn't think on anything else asides the fact of feeling loved after so long... and the warmth in his heart was unexplained, only knowing that probably that was the same feeling his mother used to have for him when she was alive, a feeling he was having for her now, a small yet mysterious girl who was being way too sweet in his opinion.

Ah... so many feelings...

"Heh... you asked me to not get attached to you... but you seem to have become attached to me..." He said with a small smile, still leaning his chin upon her head, "Why...? Why did you ask me that...?"

There was silence for a moment, as if she was thinking for an answer...

"You know...? Forget what I said..." She said, hiding her face against his chest, "I wasn't thinking properly there..." She was afraid of him, that was for sure, "I... I promise I'll talk to you... but not today... just give me time..." There was a brief pause, "It's not like I don't trust you yet... just give me my time... I don't feel ready to tell you some things... I'll tell you anything you want soon..." He felt her hiding more on his chest as if shame was taking over, or probably was still fear for whatever she had to tell, "Just not today..."

"I understand..." He said. There was something else he's been thinking to tell her but he's been reluctant to it... it was something he never told anyone for such a long time, something he'd like to share with someone because no one else knew what happened... "I understand..."

Sighing deeply she moved again, kissing her forehead a bit again making her blush, yet taking out a smile from her. "Flint... can I ask you something?" She received a nod from him, "Well, uh... I've seen this... abandoned house when I was playing today..." She wasn't going to say that she got into there and met the former owners of the house, "And I wanted to know if you know who used to live there..."

There was a silence for a moment, as if he seemed unsure to tell her; a glance straight to his eyes to make him say the truth was enough to take out a sigh from him, close his eyes for a moment and get his mind straight... then bit his cheeks a bit with a serious stare, as if the topic was quite delicate for a young mind like her. Hesitation for another moment, until he finally spoke:

"Well it happened uh... around eight years ago, some time before the fire at the factory that killed my mom... they were killed one night and nobody realized that until a few days ago..." His voice seemed to tremble slightly with the story, tapping his fingers upon his thighs like trying to find a way to continue and explain better, "I-I mean it's because gunshots kinda sounds like when a plastic container explodes inside a microwave... I heard the gunshots from the kitchen... I-I even told mom about that... I heard them... and well she was... convinced that it was just plastic..."

But he wasn't convinced at all about that. Things were just completely bizarre back in second grade when he was already nine, with Brent having arrived near him at lunch sitting next to him; of course the young inventor back then was expecting a tease or something, even the kids around turned towards them to see what was going to happen at the point time seemed to have frozen because a heavy silence fell in the cafeteria...

Nothing happened.

He just took his lunchbox and placed it on the table and opened it, there was a lone sardine sandwich there, which was usually accompanied by a red bright apple, there he looked at him and into his lunchbox to the same sandwich, to then just say, "Be careful out there, Flint..." with trembling lips and voice and leave the place with a tear rolling down his face. Then at the end of the day he just saw him dragging his backpack and leaving the school alone, which was weird because his parents always used to pick him up...

There she understood...

"They were..."

"James and Lucy McHale... they were Brent's parents once upon a time..." He said with a now dry voice, "A few days later my mom went to see them. They've known each other since childhood and were all close friends, she was quite worried as she haven't heard anything for a long while, so she went to see them and have some tea...” He took a brief pause, she noticed how nervous he was, “She said when she arrived everything was dead silent, everything felt so cold and the front door was open... getting in expecting to find them, she found her lifetime friends on the floor, and the furniture was covered in blood..." Stains that remained right where were left, "And besides them there was even a note saying when it happened. It was the same night of the loud noises..."

Woah... no wonder why neither Cassie nor Cal nor any of the others knew about it, asides of think it as just an old, creepy abandoned house.

Indeed there was something that come up to her mind with it: it wasn't just probably the problems happening nowdays at the small town there, but something muddy was going on under everything.

"There's something else under the crime..." She mumbled quietly, "If they left a note, it was for a reason..."

"I have a theory but I don't have solid proofs... I mean, I don’t have proof, neither doubts. I think the mayor sent an assassin back then and killed them... I wouldn't be surprised if he personally did it. The McHales were kind people even if they had a lot of money because they had part of the royalties of the cannery, they always used to make a lot of contributions to the town and keep places like the local school full of the necessary elements to keep on with a good grade of education here..." There was a pause, "Shelbourne's always been greedy and amazingly obscure when it comes to get something he wants, he won't repair on the damage done to anyone even if that means to get ridden of them. He won't hesitate to kill anyone if they disobey..."

The fact that he took a deep breath as he seemed to flinch by raising up his back and driving his hand to his mouth meant that he actually knew that first-handed, with his eyes filling with tears and his face growing red like a tomato, Alice quickly gave him a hug trying to comfort him as much as she could, being hugged back again by the young inventor, who tried to keep her as close from to his body as possible in order to calm down... "It's alright Flint..." She said, "He will get what he deserves in the end..." At least she believed in a Divine Justice, also known as Karma, someday all the damage done would go back like a boomerang, not in the exact same way of course, but in a way he would regret for everything he did in his life probably.

Just like early that day they remained cuddled for a good while until they decided to break away, he cleaned his face with the sleeve of his coat, to then go to wash it at the bathroom, coming back a couple of minutes later seeming to be better; receiving a smile from her and a question about his arm. "Oh, it's alright," He said, "It kinda itches but it's alright." There he received another hug from her, "Have you got something to eat yet? I can make you something to eat if there's anything at the fridge."

"It's alright Flint... I can do it myself..." She said with a smile, "I'll be right back."

Then she headed to the elevator and got down. The inventor for a moment remained silent, to then decide to spy on her by using the camera of the porta-potty; he saw her walking to the house, but stopped when he saw Cal popping up the fence calling out her name, she smiled at him and used some of the metallic junk to get at his height. "Hey Al!" He said in a friendly manner, making the inventor smile, "Can I make you one question? Did you...? You know... hear... uh... voices in there...?" The question made him raise an eyebrow, "It just... felt so... weird..."

"I did..." She replied, biting her cheeks a bit, "It were a couple, a man and a woman... she had a slightly obnoxious voice though, like you know, those people who talks with their nose, but she didn't sound hostile at all... the other was a man... I asked Flint if he knew who lived there, he said it was Brent's family... they sounded... very lonely..." She seemed nervous from releasing the information, the inventor was far more surprised now, realizing she omitted some information.

"I saw you getting all nervous out of sudden in there, when we heard the footsteps closer..."

"It's because I heard the woman say...: Look love, we have some company, when they came in..." Her friends listened closely, "Of course when they moved you could hear that too, they realized we could and got closer to us, that's when I apologized for breaking in without invitation..."

"Wait... can you hear us...?” The man asked, “I replied that I could... but that I couldn't see them..." She kept explaining, "Who's the boy with you? Isn't he Regina's child?” Once again the man asked, with the girl having given a positive response from her at the house.

"Oh my God... it's been a long time since we had contact with her... it's a shame we weren't that close when all of this happened..." That was the woman, Lucy, speaking.

"They knew me..." He said, "They also knew my mom..." Alice nodded, Flint was intrigued.

"Do you know Fran Lockwood?" She reminded the woman asked again to her, with the inventor again surprised for what she could hear in case it was true, there is where Alice gave them the news about her departure years ago, some time after their deaths, to then add she knew her son, “But you know her son, right? His name is Flint..." In that moment the young inventor felt brand more curious, hearing also that she gave them a possitive answer and how he saved her life, "We know, he's always been a sweet child... quite eccentric, imaginative, yet always kind..." There then was a slight silence...

"It's been so long since we heard something about what's happening in the outside world..." The man said with a sad tone, "It's so lonely to be here alone by our own... it's been also a long time ago since somebody has come here..." It was hard to not feel empathy for them in their honest opinion, even if they were ghosts, they didn't lose their humanity at all. "I'm sorry for asking you this but... can you ever come back...? I know you probably wouldn't want to, but you're the only one who's been able to hear us since we died... and it'd be nice to have someone to talk with and... keep us updated with the outside world..."

"That's why you told them that you'd see what you can do..." Cal said starting to understand, "Are you sure you'd like to go back there?" He just received a smile in response, "Wow, you're crazy..." A chuckle was another response he got, "Anyways, I'll see you tomorrow I guess. You're pretty cool honestly."

The kids said goodbye to each other and got down the fence, with Flint seeing Alice walking into the house again... for a good while his curiosity went off, but now it came back stronger than before... in the first place, there wasn't a possible way in his opinion as a man of science for phantoms to be real, but he didn't actually know anymore... it wasn't a secret that she was aware of the muddy stuff going on in the town in an underground level...

Turning off the screen he took a sip of his coffee, squinting sadly and worried... with the many things going on there was something that crossed his mind for a brief moment, he shook his head to wear those thoughts away...

"Everything's going to be alright..." He mumbled with concern filling his voice and squinting his eyes still with a deep kind of concern, "It won't happen again Lockwood..."

It shouldn't ever happen again...

Because he wouldn't be able to handle it anymore.

...

(1): Sorry for the Bendy and the Ink Machine reference but I just felt like I had to do it.

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