#this has quickly turned into Gush Hour with Ellie

[hollow-prey]

What a perfect night to snuggle up with my f/os and kiss them as much as I want for as long as I want and know that they enjoy every minute they spend with me. To be held by them in a hug or while cuddling in bed and they’re happy to stay like that, holding me for however long, without them pulling away first and cutting the contact short before I’m ready to let go. For them to murmur little statements and confessions that make me smile or make me blush. They won’t find me or my requests for affection annoying, they won’t make me feel embarrassed or insecure about my size, they won’t give me a hard time about my anxiety and other weird mental health fluctuations, they won’t interrupt or speak over me like other people in my life like to do sometimes and will actually listen to what I have to say. 

What a perfect night to be overwhelmed with love and emotion for my f/os to the point that I can’t even put into words how much I love them and just hoping that they somehow know, and hoping that somehow they can feel it too. What a perfect night to know that they can, in fact, feel how much I love them, and for me to know that they do, in fact, love me just as much. They love and accept me for who I am and that’s a real nice change of pace for me after so many years of self loathing 

#dumb #this has quickly turned into Gush Hour with Ellie #self ship musings #ellie rambles

[negasonicimagines]

Revelation; Part Two (NSFW)

All the warnings and details you'll need are in part one. Enjoy!

As soon as they return to the mansion, Yukio and Ellie immediately go to their room. Wade gets up from where he was sitting on the floor, slowly stepping aside. The girls rush in to comfort you but a wall of scent leaves them dizzy with pheromones.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so glad you’re here,” you weep. The scent of your slick seems more intense, but maybe you’re just more aware of how turned on you are. The girls strip off their super-suits, joining you on the bed.

You practically tackle Ellie, burying your face in her neck.

“Mm, even better than I imagined…” you moan, starting to roll your hips so your soaking cunt can get the friction it needs on her thigh. Ellie carefully pushes you off of her, and you recline in the position you were before.

“Easy, sharpshooter. What the fuck happened? How are you in heat?”

“S-suppressants, not antidepressants, fake father, Wade,” you slur, explaining as best as you can.

“Wade,” Ellie and Yukio realize in unison.

“So, right now, you’re having not only your first heat, but a heat after years of taking suppressants,” Ellie fills in the blanks, and both she and Yukio look horrified.

“Mhm,” you confirm, “Need you. Both of you.”

“Of course, baby,” Yukio accepts, looking over you. Neither of them have seen you this stripped down before.

“Wait,” Ellie stops her, and you. “How do we know you actually want this? You’ve been really uncomfortable with the idea of sex until now, what if it’s just the heat? You literally said you don’t want to have sex today, like, two hours ago.”

“You don’t trust me?” You question, looking absolutely devastated.

“Y/N,” Ellie groans. “Of course I trust you, I just don’t want to hurt you. I love you. We love you.”

“It hurts. Please love me, Alpha,” you beg.

“Look at her, Ellie. She needs us,” Yukio adds.

“Fine. But we start out slow. Very slow. And if I get even a whiff of doubt or discomfort, we stop. Understand?”

“I need…” you whimper, clutching at your stomach as it continues to twist in pain.

“What is it, baby?” Yukio asks.

“I don’t know,” you sob, burying your face in your hands and squeezing your thighs together. “Just need it so bad, please.”

Both girls quickly shed their underwear, like the urgency of the situation is finally hitting them.

“So, the roses I smelled earlier…” Ellie trails off, feeling even worse. Not only is it not some other omega, it’s your heightened state of emotion, a sign of how much you want her and Yukio both.

Yukio gasps.

“Oh, Ellie, we can finally…” Yukio trails off.

“You’re gonna have to give a little more detail than that, Yukes. We’ve been looking forward to a lot of different things.”

Yukio whispers in Ellie’s ear, and the girl turns red before nodding.

“What are you gonna do to me?” you wonder.

“Well, if you want, we could both use our mouths on you at the same time,” Ellie reveals.

“Please,” you try to convince them to give you what you need. “Please.”

“Since you asked so nicely…” Yukio teases, like it’s not taking all her strength not to knot you right where you lay, propped wide open for the taking. It’d be so easy, and she could even try to have you to herself all week, and even though it’s probably impossible, you might have a baby. Oh, they’d be just the cutest, the perfect combination of her and you. What if you had twins? Or triplets? She’d never be able to tell them no once they flashed her your signature puppy eyes.

“Yukio,” Ellie snarls. “You’re panting. And drooling. She’s mine, too, remember?”

“Trust me, I remember,” Yukio snaps back.

“Alphas,” you whimper, and it’s like a switch flips. Their tongues battle for dominion over your most sensitive place, and your hips roll forward, desperate for more.

Ellie eventually concedes, giving your inner thigh some special attention that makes you squirm while Yukio devours you. The completely new sensations cause a tension to build in your stomach that you’ve only heard of.

“Oh my gosh, Ellie, Yuki- Ah! Ellie, Yuki- Ah! Ellie, Yuki- Oh, oh, oh!” you moan, embarrassed at how quickly you come undone.

“Oh, wow,” Ellie says. Yukio continues to lick up, well, everything, making the aftershock even more intense. “I- I didn’t realize you’d be that sensitive.”

“Never, ever, um, even by myself, ‘cause I never had any interest, because suppressants, so…”

“So, Yukio got to give you your first… Ever,” Ellie clarifies.

“U- Um,” you stutter, feeling a bit guilty for not making that clearer.

“You’re so adorable...” Yukio sounds almost reverent, and you taste yourself on her lips when they meet yours. You moan into the kiss, face burning under Ellie’s gaze and Yukio’s touch.

Ellie’s gaze turns into a glare as the kiss draws on, and soon that glare is joined by a growl that makes you gush. You pull back from the kiss, panting.

Yukio growls back, and your arousal intensifies even further, distracting the girls from their beginning turf war. You can’t help but wonder how many hickies you’re going to get in the next week.

“You really are an omega,” Ellie taunts.

“You like it when we growl?” Yukio adds.

They look like they’re ready to tear you to shreds in the best way.

“I guess it’s your turn,” Yukio remarks, sitting down next to you. “It’s still her first time, even if it won’t be the first time she-“

“Shut up,” Ellie snarls before going in for the kill, using her tongue to make you squirm and moan. She holds your hips down and your legs thrash around her, making you look the part of prey even more.

“Calm down,” Yukio suggests to you, stroking your hair. “It’s not like it’s ever gonna stop.”

“Oh fuck,” you whine, bucking your hips despite Ellie’s grip on them.

“That’s a good girl, fuck her face,” Yukio praises, taking one of your hands and putting it on Ellie’s head, holding the other. “She really likes having her hair pulled,” Yukio whispers in your ear. You get chills, but you do as she says.

Ellie groans into you, and at this point you really are fucking her face, your other hand having found its way into her hair.

“Oh my gosh, fuck, Daddy, I’m gonna cum,” you whine before unraveling again, hips still rolling like your life depends on it.

“Fucking called it.” Ellie grins proudly. “And she called me it. I think I win.”

“Oh, whichever way you slice it, I’m the one that ate our brave little be- omega first and made her fucking weep slick, so… Whatever small victories you can find, I suppose,” Yukio giggles.

“Yeah, but I’ll be the one to fuck her first,” Ellie counters.

“You really think so? I think it depends on who can get a condom on faster,” Yukio retorts.

“You trust me to pull out, don’t you, omega?” Ellie wonders, winking at Yukio.

“O-Of course. I mean, with the suppressants, even if you didn’t, it’s a one in a billion chance,” you remind her.

“Can I use my fingers to help you get ready?” Ellie asks.

“Uh-huh,” you agree, nodding as she slides one in, pumping, followed by another. Your breathing gets heavy again as she hits that divine spot over and over.

“Imagine my fucking cock hitting right there,” she breathes to you.

“Don’t wanna imagine, wanna feel it,” you plead. She adds a third finger. “S-so full, alpha…”

Yukio hands trail along your body carefully, as if you’re a priceless artifact she’s trying to appraise. She seems okay with letting Ellie have this, despite the fight she put up before. It’s probably the best compromise, you all know, because your first orgasm is something Yukio has that Ellie can never, now.

“Is this still okay?” Ellie wonders as she slips her fingers out of you, sliding them into Yukio’s mouth. The girl moans, cleaning them off eagerly.

“Yes, I promise,” you agree, and Ellie positions herself, unintentionally teasing your entrance. “Ellie, please.”

Her hips snap forward, but she’s careful not to push her rather swollen knot in. It throbs every time it presses against your entrance, where every nerve in her body is begging her to shove it in.

The two of you sync up so quickly it’s almost romantic, you meet her thrusts perfectly and her cock does feel amazing when it pushes up against that spot deep inside. She’s practically got you folded in half as you whine and whimper and moan.

You instinctively start to rub your clit, but Yukio pulls your hands up and away.

“You’ve had your turn, let us have ours,” she tells you rather calmly.

“B-but it’s too good, I need…” you weep.

“Oh- Oh f-“ A strangled noise catches in Ellie’s throat and you feel her cum spurt into you as she hastily pulls out. “Uh- Oh. Oh, wow.”

Yukio moves around you to get a look at whatever Ellie’s blushing over.

“You should be ashamed,” Yukio teases, playfully popping Ellie’s shoulder. “Giving our innocent little omega a creampie her first time. She looks really cute with you dripping out of her, though. Almost good enough to eat. Almost.”

Yukio pulls out her own member, and you watch her stroke herself, Ellie mouthing at her neck between their passionate kisses. Her strokes speed up gradually until ribbons of her orgasm splatter right onto where you’re starting to feel neglected, with a soft little moan from her that makes you throb even more.

“Fuck, it’s so pretty. Sit up, Y/N, look,” Ellie encourages. Her cum has mostly flowed out of you and onto the sheets, while Yukio’s paints you. Speaking of Yukio, she trails a finger up your tarnished slit, sliding it into your mouth. You taste the salty sweetness of all your juices combined and give a pleased hum, almost not wanting to let her finger go.

“Hmm… Now it looks good enough to eat,” Yukio confirms. “Wanna try to share again?”

“Absolutely,” Ellie agrees. The two girls lick up the mixture of their cum and your arousal as you tremble, squeaking and whining more than you actually moan, too sensitive to do much of anything other than lie there and take whatever they want to give.

Your teeth sink into your bottom lip and your toes curl as you’re finally allowed release once more, but they don’t stop, despite your shaking.

“A-Alphas, what are you… What… I… Oh, oh, please,” you weakly implore them, so far gone that you’re not even sure if you’re asking them to stop or keep going.

After another orgasm, they come back up to check on you.

“So- So much,” you say, in response to “Are you okay?”

“So, I’m gonna go with water break time,” Ellie chuckles, opening up a bottle before opening your mouth with her hand. You let her help you drink.

“Good girl,” she praises, and you blush as Yukio stares you down.

“You should have a bath, too,” she suggests. “We can all take it together.” The jacuzzi sounds great for your aching muscles.

“Can you walk?” Ellie asks. She wasn’t particularly rough with you, but considering nothing that big’s ever been up there before…

You nod, already starting to feel normal, or, well, at least at what’s probably the baseline of this whole heat thing. You get up from the bed and immediately collapse into a heap on the ground, knees having turned to actual jelly at some point over the past hour.

The girls can’t help but snicker before helping you back into bed.

“I’ll go draw the bath. Your cuddle time got cut off earlier,” Yukio remembers.

“You’re doing amazing,” Ellie praises you once more, fingers running through your hair and stroking your face. “Such a good girl. Such a good omega. My omega.”

“My alpha,” you whisper back, before burying your nose in her neck. Ellie tightens her embrace.

“Thank you for letting us take care of you like this. You’re being so brave, sharpshooter, I- I know you were really nervous. I want you to know, y’know, as happy as I am you’re an omega— And that’s really, really happy, by the way. —I’d be just as happy right now if you were a beta. I love you. We love you, and we’re so grateful you trusted us with this.”

“Thank you. You smell good and I love you,” you tell her, not able to articulate much beyond that.

“You too,” she chuckles.

Yukio emerges from the bathroom, and Ellie helps you hobble over, both girls giggling and giddy at your stumbling.

“So, we’re probably gonna have to take another week off, huh?” Yukio notes, trying to sound sympathetic, but both girls can’t help their proud grins at how they’ve already fucked you to pieces and they’ve barely even started. This week is gonna be great, and so will the next, blissful and full of aftercare.

“Mhm,” you whimper. The girls help you into the bath, stripping off their remaining undergarments before joining you.

The warm water is such a comfort that your eyes involuntarily slip shut. Its embrace soothes your sore muscles, and your breathing slows. Yukio starts carefully scrubbing your arm with a lathered up loofah, holding your wrist like it’s the most fragile, priceless thing in the world.

“Hm?” You open your eyes, but Ellie slides your eyelids down with two fingers, stroking your cheek after.

“Shh… Just let us take care of you, okay? You’re always protecting us, keeping the den tidy, and you took us so well… Just relax, now.”

You do as you’re told and relax.

Ellie joins in washing you while Yukio hums softly.

“You’re so fucking pretty…” Ellie murmurs, the soft washcloth she’s using drifting down from your sensitive neck to your far more sensitive chest. You give a shallow, shaky sigh as each girl cleanses a breast, chills spreading throughout your body. Your heart flutters when Ellie’s washcloth meets your inner thigh under the water.

Yukio’s hand rests against your stomach, more specifically, your uterus.

“Yukes…” you sigh.

“I know,” she says quietly. “I was just thinking.”

It’s a bittersweet moment, but Yukio ends it before the bitter overcomes the sweet by gently washing your stomach with the loofah she was holding before. The girls switch positions and you whine needily. Your infertility can be discussed later, when tensions aren’t quite so high.

“Oh, sweetpea, are we doing something wrong?” Yukio questions teasingly.

“N- No,” you admit, brows furrowing. “I just- I-“

You’re already too blissed out to string together a coherent sentence, but you need more.

“Yeah, we can do that,” Ellie understands. You keep your eyes closed as fingers slip up and down your slit, leaning into the touch. The steam of the bath blends yours and your alphas’ scents, clouding your perception of where each girl is. You try to get a peek, but Ellie quickly, gently reminds you: “Eyes closed.”

Your chest is slowly, sensually massaged, the palms of whichever girl is doing so rubbing up against your nipples perfectly.

The alpha who was teasing you below the water before now slides her fingers inside you, making you gasp softly.

“Hmm… Good omega,” Yukio murmurs, closer to your ear than you thought she was, before nipping at it. You yelp in surprise, but the sensation has you feeling even tinglier. You lean towards Yukio, wanting to obey their limitation of your sight, but needing the comfort of knowing where each of them is. You cling to her arm, she’s now only massaging one breast and using the other hand to stroke your face.

The fingers inside you, which you’ve determined by process of elimination are Ellie’s, curl into that spot, hard, and you moan before you can quiet yourself.

“I think someone’s starting to feel ignored…” Yukio jeers, and you hear an indignant “Hmph!” from Ellie. “How about this?”

Yukio pries you off of her, and you hear movement in the water. Soon after, she pulls your back to her chest, allowing you to recline. The feeling of the alpha’s skin against yours is heavenly. She starts to massage your chest again, and Ellie resumes her activities as well, now from in between your legs.

“This is perfect,” Ellie agrees. “You are. Both of you.”

“Thank you,” you and Yukio both sigh.

You start to get restless as the girls continue to stimulate you, letting out little whimpers that sound more like impatience than pleasure.

“What is it, love?” Yukio wonders, so close to your ear again. You shudder before answering.

“Want, um… Um… Y-you… You know.”

“To cum?” Ellie asks.

“Y-yeah, but…” You rock against Yukio’s hardness, which is pressed against your back.

“Ngh, oh, okay, yeah,” Yukio agrees. “Lean back.”

You lean back, moving up and bracing yourself against the rim of the jacuzzi before sliding down onto Yukio’s dick, eyes rolling back as you’re filled by an alpha once more.

“W-wait, with this position, we could…” Ellie trails off, and you can sense Yukio’s smirk.

“I know.”

“W- What is it?”

“Well, uh, if you’re okay with it, Yukio and I could try to fit inside you at the same time,” Ellie suggests.

“That sounds nice, but…”

“But?”

“First time having Yukio,” you quietly say.

“Oh… Okay, babe, that makes sense. Maybe later?”

You nod eagerly, and Yukio starts to move a little, hooking her hands under your knees to maintain more control over you.

“E- Ellie.”

Yukio growls.

“N- No, I just… Ellie, could you rub my-“ You’re cut off by a moan that’s a mix of pleasure and pain as Yukio thrusts harder, resenting the lack of attention. “A- Alpha, I’m yours. I’m yours.”

“I- I know, sorry. Such a good omega,” Yukio quickly apologizes, sprinkling kisses all over your neck and shoulders as she takes it down a notch. Ellie summons the courage to touch you despite Yukio’s possessive burst, and you’re on cloud nine once again. “You feel so good.”

Eyes still closed, you’re caught off guard when Ellie kisses you, but you respond quickly, tangling your fingers in her hair and moaning into her mouth.

“Love you,” Ellie whispers against your lips before kissing you some more.

“El, go faster, I think she’s close,” Yukio tells your shared lover, and she obeys. Your moans rise in pitch and volume but due to your position there’s not much you can do other than take what you’re given.

“Yukio, Yukio, Yukio,” you whine in sync with her thrusts, squirming in an attempt to meet both Yukio’s motions and Ellie’s hand.

You don’t last much longer, and the way you tighten around Yukio causes her to finish as well, burying her face in your neck and groaning; likely resenting the fact that she can’t bury her teeth there, not yet.

“Well, so much for gentle aftercare,” Ellie chuckles, stroking your cheek, which honestly feels as sensitive as the rest of you.

“S-sorry, couldn’t help myself.”

Ellie helps you off of Yukio, and you nuzzle into her, embracing her.

“You two are the best alphas ever,” you mumble, eyes growing heavy again.

“We’re the only alphas you’ve had,” Ellie skeptically responds. You whimper at the perceived rejection. “Oh, but thank you. You’re sweet.”

“More than just sweet,” Yukio argues, pulling the plug on the jacuzzi. Ellie holds you as the tub drains, so you don’t get too cold, while Yukio hunts down some towels and your robes. Pink satin for her, black flannel for Ellie, and a plush F/C one is yours.

The girls assist you as you get out of the tub, wrapping you in your robe and helping you to bed before equipping theirs.

Being bundled between them is enough to keep the worst of your heat pains at bay.

“Can I open my eyes now?” You wonder, and the girls chuckle endearingly.

“Yes, Y/N,” Ellie permits, but it seems as though you could’ve done so or at least asked much sooner, based on her tone. “I said yes.”

Your eyes stay closed, so heavy that you don’t even wanna bother yet.

“Babe, stay awake. We need to talk,” Ellie insists.

“About what?” Yukio asks curiously.

“The, uh.. The thing Wade stopped her from doing.”

“Jus’ thinking about it,” you correct.

“And the Supreme Court is ‘just thinking’ about overturning Roe v. Wade. It’s still a fucking problem,” Ellie argues.

You shake your head.

“I have real medicine now, I’ll be fine.”

“You still hid it from us,” Yukio says softly, tearfully. “We- We failed you. You didn’t feel like you could tell us, your alphas.”

“Being my alphas is what made me not want to tell you. Because you can’t- Because- Because I knew it would be torture for you both if I had a problem you couldn’t fix; a need you couldn’t provide. I just wanted to protect you.”

“Sharpshooter…” Ellie looks heartbroken, and the devastation that both girls reek of makes you want to lock yourself away (or worse) so that you’ll never hurt them again.

“I’m- I’m sorry. I never meant for you to find out.”

“That’s not the problem here,” Ellie disagrees.

“Isn’t it? If you two never found out, you wouldn’t be unhappy about anything right now. I ruined this.”

“No,” Yukio snarls, wrapping her arms tighter around you, as if they can protect you from yourself. “You’re good. We… I told you, we were the ones who made you feel like it wasn’t safe to be honest with us. We’re proving you right the longer we talk about this before you’re ready to. Don’t you agree, Ellie?”

Ellie nods, seeming to finally understand.

“Can you at least promise that if there’s any other time you feel like you did then, you’ll talk to someone you trust, even if it’s not us?” Ellie requests.

“I can do that,” you concede.

“Thank you,” both girls reply, and Ellie moves a little closer, maneuvering her arms so that she’s embracing both you and Yukio, who’s spooning you.

Between the drowsy scent of petrichor, the nostalgic scent of a campfire, and your own relaxing lavender aroma, the three of you are finally soothed, and able to rest before continuing to contend with your first heat.

The next week is nothing short of an absolute fuckfest. Sure, you all take breaks for food, water, showers, et cetera. But, on what should be the final night of your heat, something causes you to stir.

The absolute need that came with your heat had waned over the week, but now it seems to be back with full force. You squirm in your half-sleep, trying to ignore it, but sense that your girls are already awake.

“Baby,” one of your alphas whispers. You’re draped across them both, all of you naked and entangled. You’re not even sure where you end and they begin right now, let alone which is which.

“Can we touch you?”

“Mhm,” you agree sleepily.

Their hands wander comfortingly, making it easier for the sandman to lure you back into his arms, but one of the alphas is bold enough to slip her fingers inside of you, sliding them right back out for some reason.

“Wow…”

“That is… A lot of slick.”

Oh.

You whine, spreading your legs for whichever one of them will touch you, it really doesn’t matter. You’re guided into one of their laps, whoever it is feels huge with no prep.

“Please just knot me so we can sleep, s’not like I can get pregnant anyways,” you request.

“Mmkay, sharpshooter, if that’s what you want.” So, it’s Ellie fucking you. That’s nice. Hers is a little shorter than Yukio’s, but she’s thicker. You fidget around, adjusting to her girth before finding that perfect angle and just bouncing.

“You look so pretty riding our alpha like that,” Yukio quietly praises, making you shiver. She plays with your nipples, hardened in the cool night air, while she touches herself. You resent your current position for limiting your sight of the other alpha, but you wouldn’t trade Ellie’s embrace for anything. “Touch that clit for us, won’t you? Cum all over her cock. Maybe you’ll even squirt again. That angle is normally what does it for you, isn’t it?”

“Oh, Daddy,” you sigh, obeying.

“No, baby, Ellie’s your daddy. I’m your mommy.”

“M-Mommy,” you whimper, continuing to squeak and moan for your two lovers as you clench harder and harder around Ellie, sinking your teeth into her scent gland as you three finish, nails digging into her already scratched-up back. When you relax, Ellie pushes her knot in. “S-Sorry, I didn’t mean to without asking,” you apologize, pulling away with a mouth full of blood that both girls are just dying to taste.

“No, babe, you know I wanted you to do that.” Ellie kisses your lips, cleaning them. “Don’t worry. Can you bite Yukio, too?”

“Of course! But, um, how am I gonna get to her?”

“Don’t worry, I can wait,” Yukio reassures you both.

“But- But you’re mine, too,” you insist. “I’m yours, remember?”

“Baby, of course I remember. Maybe- Maybe I could just bite you for now, and then you can bite me and Ellie can bite you in the morning? That way everyone has a turn.”

“When are you two gonna bite each other?”

“We can do that in the morning, too,” Yukio explains. In her drowsiness, she’d forgotten that part. “Are you ready?”

“Y-Yes, Alpha,” you stutter, because while you’re ready, you’re still nervous. Yukio picks a spot with her teeth, gently pressing, as if to ask you and Ellie, ‘Right here?’

You nod.

“That’s good, Yukes,” Ellie agrees, and the other girl sinks her teeth in deep.

You moan in pleasurable pain, and Ellie’s hands grab at your hips, feeling you flutter around her.

“Fuck,” she snarls, tensing up with you until Yukio’s no longer clamped down on your neck. The pink-haired girl licks up the blood, and you start to writhe, turned on all over again.

“One more time?” you request meekly, like Ellie’s dick isn’t literally locked inside of you.

“Of course,” Ellie consents, needing it just as much as you do.

Despite your now-limited range of motion, you carefully gyrate your hips. Yukio presses against you from behind, embracing you but also letting a hand slip down, fingers rubbing circles on your clit.

“That’s it, ride that knot like a good little omega,” Yukio taunts you, and you can feel her touching herself again.

“Your good little omega,” you moan.

“Ours indeed,” Ellie reminds you both, fucking up into you as you continue. Your breathing deepens and you clutch Ellie’s shoulders tighter, burying your face in the crook of her neck once more. “Close, sharpshooter?”

“Mhm,” you whimper, the three of you entangled once again as Yukio strokes her cock and your clit, the heat radiating off of all of you intensifying your scents. “So close, wanna cum so bad,” you beg.

“Come on, baby, you can do it,” Yukio encourages. “Cum all over her.”

You whine as Yukio’s strokes become quicker for the both of you. Feeling the hand she’s using to get herself off brush against you turns you on even more, just knowing she’s getting off on this makes it even better. You can feel Ellie pulse inside you as her breathing also becomes labored.

“Cum with me, omega, please,” Yukio murmurs against the back of your neck, and you shudder, finally finishing. “Good girl… Good omega… Good girl…” Yukio sighs praise as she comes undone as well, Ellie’s orgasm falling somewhere in between yours and Yukio’s.

Ellie reclines with you on top of her, with Yukio nestled between her arm and her body. Both alphas embrace you, and the three of you finally fall back asleep.

#a/b/o #yukisonic #yukisonic x reader #yukio x reader #ellie phimister x reader #negasonic teenage lesbian #negasonic teenage warhead x reader #yukio imagine #yukisonic imagine #negasonic teenage warhead imagine #ellie phimister imagine #poly x reader #poly imagine #wlw x reader #wlw imagine #omega!reader

[tempesrature]

Communication Degree

Pairing: Ride or Die | Ellie x Logan

Summary: Ellie has never been good with properly communicating her negative emotions. So Logan is there to help her out.

(A very loose continuation of the Dedicated Emotion: Logan Series but you really don’t need to read the series to understand this.)

Word Count: 2,059

Warnings: PG-13 (cursing) 

A/N: I’ve always character analyzed Ellie as the type to bottle up her feelings due to her dad being overprotective (people who grew up with overprotective parents and ended up being an emotional wreck because you’re scared to say anything bad to anyone but eventually learned that saying no and voicing your negative emotions is part of self-love and self-respect gang, rise up). 

~*~

Logan perches his legs on the coffee table as he leans back on the couch with one arm behind his head while he scrolls through his phone.

He’s currently reading up on some job postings that he’s interested in—car mechanic, car salesman, car…exhibitionist? (He’s pretty sure it’s some kind of sex thing)—and let’s the hum of normalcy settle into the space.

It’s been a three months or so since Ellie and Logan decided to move in together in a small apartment near Langston. Three months since he made the decision to live a life that will never take him away from the girl he loves ever again. Three months since he’s been borrowing money from Vaughn to help pay off the apartment bills—he winces at the last thought. Logan knows that getting a job with a record on his file isn’t going to be easy but so far it’s been almost impossible. Not that it’s going to discourage him. Logan is nothing if not tenacious and he’s confident that he’s going to find one soon. In fact, he already has some interviews lined up for the week.

But he really wishes he would land one soon. Other than paying Vaughn back, he wants to take Ellie out on dates other that just driving around the Devore, going to isolated cliff sides to watch the stars and hanging out in the park. Although she never complains (practically looks forward to them she would gush), he wants to do something nice for her. Maybe a surprise dinner date in a fancy restaurant or a trip further away in a cabin by a lake—something romantic and unexpected that will make her as happy as she makes him.

Logan sighs and exits the website he was scrolling through and opts to open his Pictagram account instead, feeling a little strange and happy at all the new comments and hearts he seems to be getting from his latest picture of Ellie sitting in the Devore in a pretty yellow dress. That’s the one thing Logan found extremely strange. When Ellie convinced him to make an account (so she could tag him memes, she reasoned) he was hesitant at first. The primary reason as to why he never bothered with social media in the first place was because he just can’t have his identity floating around in the internet when he was a wanted criminal. But now that he isn’t…he decided to give it a try and he’s been pleasantly surprised by how much he likes it. One of the best parts, he figured out later on, is the fact that he can scroll through years and years worth of Ellie’s life in her account which gives him the opportunity to ask questions and listen to stories of moments and memories he missed. That way, even if he wasn’t there, he’d have something to brag about his girlfriend to his future coworkers.

Logan hears the front door slam open and he quickly pulls his legs from the coffee table, trying to look innocent, as he turns to the direction of the door with a beaming smile. His smile falters for a moment when he sees the irritated and angry look on Ellie’s face as she throws her backpack on the couch beside him.

“Hey Trouble—” Ellie turns away from him, stalks to the bathroom, yanks it open and slams it shut behind her with a loud bang. “—maker…”

Logan frowns. That’s not good.

One thing that Logan learned about Ellie and living together in the past three months, blissful and happy as they were, is that there is a certain…science…to living with someone else. He’s always lived by himself, never having to take care or be mindful of anyone’s space other than his own, so the past three months have been a big adjustment for him. But Ellie has always been patient with him. Letting him make mistakes and helping him learn the intricacies of not pissing each other off every time one of them forgets to wash the dishes. So it’s definitely not good if she comes in the apartment and immediately ignores him in favor of locking herself in the bathroom. But he tries not to let it unnerve him as he pushes himself off of the couch and heads to the bathroom door.

He takes a deep breathe, leaning on the wall beside the door and tentatively knocks three times.

“Everything alright, trouble?”

He hears rustling and the toilet lid slamming down.

“Go away Logan. I’m angry right now.”

Logan’s heart picks up, his mind running through his memories to see if that anger was directed at him somehow (had he left his dirty laundry on the floor again?). Finding nothing, he decides to confront it head on. 

“Angry at me?”

A loud exasperated sigh. “No, not at you.”

Logan lets out a sigh of relief before he drops himself to the wooden floor and leans against the door. 

“Want to talk about it El?”

A sniff. “It’s stupid Logan. Just let me deal with it and I’ll be fine in an hour.”

Well. He isn’t going to do that if she’s crying behind the door. That’s one more thing that Logan learned about his girlfriend. Ellie likes to pick her battles. Which is admirable if she didn’t also end up bottling all of her frustration and anger until she explodes. Although Logan has never been the target of it (so far) he’s noticed in the past few months the little rituals she does to distract herself from her anger and annoyance. Such as suddenly wanting to clean their (already pretty clean) bedroom or start aggressively cooking scrambled eggs. With his least favorite being shutting him out completely.

Like right now.

When it first happened, Logan was totally at lost on how to deal with this new aspect of their relationship and just did whatever she asked from him—which was to let her “deal with it” on her own. But Logan hated the feeling of being so useless, that he couldn’t be there for her when she’s always been there for him. So with a little googling and a few anonymous questions on internet forums, he has now gained the necessary advice to be able to properly help her in times like this.

“You know El,” He starts, trying to tick off the mental list he created for this situation. “I really love you.”

A short pause, her voice heavy with confusion. “…I love you too Logan…?”

“Mm, I know,” He replies, a small smile tugging on his lips. “Because I love you and you love me, I’d really like to work together so we can figure out how to make you not angry anymore.”

A sniff then a whimper. “…But it’s really stupid…”

“Did you think it was stupid when I asked for your help on writing my resumé?”

“No…”

Logan smile widens when he hears the resolve in her voice weakening. “Exactly. There’s no such thing as ‘stupid’ between us, El. Even if you just want to talk about what’s making you angry. We don’t need a solution right now,” He pauses for a moment, his tone teasing and playful. “I’ll even let you drive the Devore if it makes you feel better.”

Logan grins at the soft and easy laughter that floats behind the door, momentarily thanking LostThrowaway43 for his brilliant advice of making small jokes to lighten the mood and make her laugh.

He hears the lock click open and he pushes his back away from the door. Ellie slowly opens the door and looks down at him gratefully, her eyes puffy with tears. Logan merely grins and pats the space beside him while she closes the door behind her and drops down to sit beside him. She leans her head on his shoulder and Logan easily fits his arm around her waist before she starts her outpour of emotions.

About how a certain professor has been a hardass and has been giving her a hard time, about how he constantly nitpicks on her work while the same mistake from her classmates get a pass and about how she wants to drop the class but can’t because it will leave a mark on her record.

And Logan listens to it all, only interjecting a few times to ask questions and affirming how much of an asshat the professor is. By the end of it, Logan can tell that Ellie looks a lot better and lighter. Sure, she’s still pissed at the professor (and he’s now pissed at the professor too) but he considers it as a win that he was able to coax her out of the bathroom and got her to talk.

Ellie sighs, the anger in her seeming to flow out in the past hour or so, as she fits her hand in his and gives it a grateful squeeze. “Thanks Logan. I actually feel a lot better now.”

Logan grins, turning to place a soft kiss on her head. “Glad to hear it trouble. What do you want to eat for dinner tonight?”

“Let’s go out,” She turns to him, a teasing smile on her lips. “You did say I could drive the Devore.”

Logan looks down at her with a grin as he raises an eyebrow. “Nuh uh. You just said you feel better now, the Devore was an if option. You can’t have it both, troublemaker.”

Ellie laughs before she takes his face into her hands and gives him a sweet and loving kiss. He responds easily, wrapping his arms around her waist to pull her closer. Eventually, she breaks the kiss and swipes her thumb over his lips, taking away the pink lipstick stain she’s left, as she gazes into his loving and amused eyes with a teasing smile.

“Next time, I’m driving the Devore before I start word vomiting.”   

Logan pretends to groan as he shakes his head, his heart so full at the affection and gratitude directed at him.

“You’re lucky I love you.”

Ellie softens, her eyes misting when she nods. She knows that he’s teasing, all in an effort to make her feel better but she’s struck, once again, with the realization that he doesn’t even know how right he is. That yeah, she really is lucky. That if it was anyone else other than Logan on the other side of that door, she would’ve never even opened it.

She gives him a small peck on the lips before she untangles herself from his limbs and picks herself off of the floor. She offers him a hand and he easily fits his hand into hers before she pulls him up with a small huff.

Logan quickly dusts off his jeans before he intertwines his hand in hers and gently tugs her to the door. Their conversation easily, almost naturally, transitioning to light hearted topics about his job hunting and their plans for the weekend.

~*~

Logan perches his legs on the coffee table as he leans back on the couch with one arm behind his head while he scrolls through his phone at the memes his coworkers have tagged him in Pictagram. He snickers at a particularly funny one about how some costumers angrily demand high quality and expensive car parts but their budget can barely get them a meal at McDonald’s. He taps his phone twice, giving it a heart, before he hears the front door slam open.

He quickly pulls his legs from the coffee table, trying to look innocent, as he turns to the direction of the door with a beaming smile. His smile falters for a moment when he once again sees the irritated and angry look on Ellie’s face as she throws her backpack on the coffee table with a huff…and promptly takes a seat right next to him.

“I cannot believe the grade he gave me!” Ellie shouts, crossing her arms and leaning back on the couch with a scowl. “All because the PowerPoint was in a color that hurt his eyes?! Unbelievable!”

Logan secretly smiles, leaning forward to place his phone on the coffee table, before he angles his body towards her. He reaches out to tuck a stray hair behind her ear, his eyes lighting up with affection.

“Tell me all about it troublemaker.”

#rod #loganxmc #logan x ellie #choices #playchoices #my writing #thank you for reading #choices rod

[whump-tr0pes]

“Honor Bound” is a possible title. I’m still brainstorming. 

Part 5 of Isaac, Gavin, and Sam’s story. Start here. Previous chapter here.

AO3

One of Gavin’s thugs drove while the other sat in the back seat with Isaac, his gun trained on his heart. It was the second time in six hours Isaac had had a gun pointed at him. Gavin was babbling away in the passenger seat, happy to the point of ecstasy.

“I can’t believe, I seriously just cannot believe you came to me. Here I was, thinking I’d be dragging Sam with me back to base, but instead I have you! You just…you can’t know how excited this makes me,” Gavin gushed. “I mean, I’ve been making a habit of torturing people for a long time. Fun as it is, it kinda loses its appeal after a while with the same weak people. But with you -”

“Sam’s not weak.” Isaac’s voice cracked like a whip.

Gavin paused, a smile drifting across his face. “…oh?”

“They’re not weak.”

Gavin laughed. “I beg to differ. You’ve seen them at their best, maybe at their worst too. But I’ve seen them at their lowest.” His voice dropped to a low, suggestive murmur. “I made them scream. I made them beg. I’d challenge you to tell me you’ve seen them in such a vulnerable position. At the rate I was going, they would have given me their damned mother’s social security number if I asked it. You have no idea how weak they are. They let you come to me in their place, didn’t they?”

Isaac didn’t care about the gun pointed at him. He launched himself across the car, his bound hands reaching for Gavin’s throat. Before his fingers could close around his neck, the thug with the gun slammed one arm across Isaac’s chest and knocked him back against his seat. The thug threw his weight on top of Isaac and pressed the gun to the side of his head. Isaac gritted his teeth, bracing for the shot.

“No no no!” Gavin screamed. “I swear to god James, if you shoot him I will fire you.”

After a moment, James grunted and pulled his gun away from Isaac’s head. He settled himself back in his own seat, staring Isaac down with a glower.

“James, if you shoot him, I will be so…” Gavin squeezed his hands together like he was crushing an imaginary windpipe. “Did you not just hear me say I was looking forward to this one?”

“Sorry, boss,” came the unapologetic reply.

Isaac glared at Gavin, his eyes shooting daggers across the car – from a safe distance for Gavin. “Sam is not weak. They tried to stop me. They tried to go to you. They tried not to let me take their place. So how…dare you…”

“And yet you still came. They must not have tried very hard.”

Isaac swallowed his hatred and sat still, shaking. “Sam has more courage in their little finger than you do in your entire life.”

Gavin snorted. “I adore your loyalty to your little team. It’s cute, it really is. You’re so…protective. Is that why you came in Sam’s place? Wanted to protect your little team?”

Isaac swallowed hard. His voice was barely above a whisper. “It should have been me. I messed up on the raid. Left them unprotected. You should have taken me.”

“And now you’re punishing yourself for your mistake. Adorable. I assure you, though…” His voice became ominous. “By the time I’m done with you, you’ll wish you had let them come to me. I only had them for, what, two days? Three? But you I’ll have for a long, long time.”

“You had them for 63 hours,” Isaac said, his jaw tight. “And when will you be done with me? What exactly do you have in mind here? You just gonna…” He tried to conceal the shaking in his voice. “…torture me forever?”

Gavin grinned. “Yeah, something like that.”

Isaac fell back a little more into his seat. I just have to make it…maybe…eight hours. Long enough for the tracker to leave Sam’s system. Then I can think of escape.

“Still think you made the right decision?” Gavin’s tone was mocking.

This is how I keep them safe. “Yes.”

The car pulled off the highway and turned onto a county road that stretched as far into the horizon as Isaac could see. Gavin seemed to watch his thought process. “What? I couldn’t very well take you back to the same compound. I’m taking you back to my base. I have more…facilities there.” He giggled. “Your team didn’t manage to find this one too, did they?” Isaac shook his head stiffly. “Thought not.”

Isaac tried to look directly in front of him, nowhere else. We only found his other compound because one of his thugs made a mistake. Didn’t check to see if they had a tail. How is the team going to find me at this place? Then, with a chill, are they even going to come after me? He swallowed hard. Doesn’t matter. This is how I keep them safe.

He closed his eyes and rested his head back against the headrest. He really was exhausted. He wasn’t too worried about Gavin killing him while he rested since he had already shown he wanted Isaac alive. Isaac had only gotten to sleep for about two hours after the team had brought Sam back to the safehouse. It was a long 63 hours. Patrols, searches, waiting for one of Gavin’s thugs to move and hopefully lead them to Sam. The worrying. The guilt. It should have been me.

His mind began to wander to his team. Vera, with her nervous tics and intensity under pressure. Gray, with their nurturing and strong presence. Finn, their medic, always chomping at the bit to be in the thick of things with the others. Finn’s partner Ellis, sarcastic and guarded. They’re my family and I’d do anything for them. He shuddered as he pictured the look of the bruises across Sam’s chest and back as the team lifted their shirt. Anything.

He drooped in his seat, exhaustion taking him. He didn’t know how long he drifted.

“Wakey wakey!”

He jolted awake, throwing his hands in front of his face at the sound of Gavin’s voice. He remembered in one horrifying moment that they were bound, and why.

The car was stopped. Gavin was staring at him with an irritated and expectant look on his face.

“Wha…?”

“We’re here! Home sweet home.”

Isaac looked out the window at an industrial-looking building in the middle of nowhere. “This is your base?”

“Yup!” Isaac detected a hint of pride in Gavin’s voice. “To the outside eye it looks like a warehouse, although why there would be a warehouse out here is beyond me.” Gavin winked at Isaac. “Kinda conceals the several underground floors, don’t ya think?”

Isaac drew in a deep breath. “Sure.”

Gavin jumped out of the car and motioned to his thugs. “Come on, get him out.”

Isaac pulled at the door handle with his bound hands, groaning as his body unfolded after being in the car so long. “I can get out myself, thanks.” The two thugs quickly closed on him and grabbed both his arms. “How long was I asleep?”

“About three hours.” Gavin raised his arms theatrically. “You ready to get this show on the road? Or do you want me to go grab Sam instead? You can totally leave, if you want.” He paused and glared at his thugs. “You can leave if you want.” He motioned them away from him with one hand and rolled his eyes in mock annoyance as they stepped away from him. “Final offer, though. Once we pass those doors, you’re mine forever and Sam’s free. What do you think? Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?”

Isaac cast a look behind him, the way they had come. He couldn’t see anything but the road stretching into the horizon. He turned to look at the imposing structure into which he was about to disappear, maybe forever. He flexed his wrists, feeling the rope tight on his skin. He drew in a deep, slow breath and met Gavin’s gaze.

“Let’s do this.”

Next chapter

@untilthepainstarts, @womping-grounds, @blue-flare10, @free-2bmee, @quirkykayleetam, @walkingchemicalfire, @inpainandsuffering, @redwingedwhump

#whump #self-sacrifice #take me instead #threat of torture #captured #prisoner #honor bound #my oc: Isaac #my oc: Gavin #my oc: Sam

[angrylizardjacket]

insufferable {Joe Mazzello}

Summary: Joe is the star of the college musical you’re lighting, and all he seems to care about it goofing off, which irritates you to no end. Maybe he’s just an asshole for asshole’s sake... maybe not.

A/N: 2390 words. College AU. No pronouns for reader. Friends, show week fortnight is OVER, so many things in my life have changed in the past two weeks, I have a 3000 word essay due tomorrow, and this literally took me over a week. I’m sorry it took so long, I hope you enjoy it. As always, feedback is appreciated!! Also @sitonmyhot-seatoflove, @cosmicsskies, and  @borhapbxtch 😘

Joseph Mazzello III (or as you liked to refer to him as; Junior, The Second) was the lead of the musical one of your friends had written. For your part, lighting an original, college musical wasn’t exactly how you wanted to spend two weeks of your life, but a promise is a promise, one that you were rapidly regretting with every moment you spent in that little theatre.

The most irritating thing about Joe wasn’t the fact that he could never seem to find his light, or that he liked touching the buttons on the fog machine, or that the director seemed to adore him, it was that he was genuinely talented. The second most irritating thing about him was that he couldn’t seem to shut up for five minutes.

You’d met him at the first script reading; Ellie, the director and another friend of yours, had gathered the whole cast and crew at her little shoebox apartment for dinner, and to familiarize everyone with the script. Joe had caught your eye where he was tucked up against one end of the sofa, eating party pies like his life depended on it. He’s pretty, has a certain aura about him like he’s got some sort of magnetism about him, and everyone speaks fondly about and to him. When he smiles, something about it has your heart beating unexpectedly faster. 

And then he starts speaking.

That’s not to say he’s annoying first off, actually he’s quite funny and charming. He’s the leading man, and with good reason. He gives a good cold read, humming along when Ellie pulls out her guitar to give demos of the songs she’d written, and bantering easily with the other cast members every so often if it fits the scene. He’s warmhearted, well-spoken, and completely affable.

But he also turns out to be a fucking pain to work with.

Maybe it’s that he’s too good with people. You adored watching him in rehearsals, loved hearing him sing along with the band, and enjoyed his company well enough when you hung out with the group. 

But right now, it’s six at night, you’re only halfway through the lighting plot after an already long day, and he’s got the stage manager on his shoulders, chicken fighting his costar, who’s got the AV designer on her shoulders. This is the fourth time you have had to break out the God Mic in the last hour; Ellie is too tired to reprimand her cast and crew for their behavior, not that she would, she hates playing the bad guy.

“I’m sorry,” your voice is absolutely harmless and sweet as you death glare the cast and crew from bio-box where you’re operating the lights from, “am I interrupting you?” You ask, tone sharp, eyes tired.

Joe’s actually the first to look to where you were, and is quick to lower the stage manager back to the ground.

“No, you’re fine Y/N,” he says with a laugh, and that boyish smile that you’re too irritated to enjoy right now, “we were probably interrupting you-”

“Joe,” you cut him off, lips against the microphone for emphasis, “that’s the joke.” You tell him absolutely humourlessly. He obligingly shuts up. For about five minutes.

It’s the most painful lighting plot you’ve ever done; between Joe and the rest of the cast goofing off, the stage manager not writing down cues and having to borrow your copy of the script at the end of the session, and the director not knowing exactly what she wanted but that she’d know it when she saw it (which she didn’t, she just liked whatever you did, and made indecisive noises whenever you asked her opinion), you needed a damn drink.

It seems the rest of the cast and crew have the same idea, however, and they invite you along. You don’t want to seem rude and say no, but if Joe doesn’t shut his damn mouth you’re gonna punch him. He’s not even talking about anything irritating, you’re just sick of hearing his voice.

You found yourself coming to hate Joe professionally, and it seemed that that was starting to bleed into your personal opinions of him too. You made sure to stay well away from him at the bar you all headed to, a few blocks away from campus and within reasonable walking distance of your home.

It's a nice enough night, all of you excitedly discussing the development of the show, all crammed together in a little booth at the back of a poorly lit pub. You've got the director on one side, and you're practically falling out of the booth on the other, but you don't mind too much. Joe, from where he's sitting in the middle of the seat opposite you, will occasionally give you a scrutinizing look when he thinks no-one else is looking, and he's always quick to look away, crack a joke, when you catch him.

Call time for the actors for the tech run the following day is ten. You're there at nine, your phone plugged into the aux cord and blasting your favourite album through the speakers as you refocus a light diligently. It's where you feel most at home, on top of a ladder, on top of the world. 

“You really know what you’re doing up there, don’t you?” There’s something almost awed in the voice that greets you, though it comes as a surprise, and you have to grab the bar you’re rigging the light on to steady yourself when you jump. It’s Joe, leaning on the stage, bag slung over one shoulder. You bite back the first sarcastic response that comes to mind, and you smile, tired.

“Of course, that’s why they pay me,” you laugh, a little put out for being thrown off your rhythm, despite the music still playing.

“We’re not- you know we’re not getting paid, right?” He asks, a little confused. You roll your eyes.

“It’s a joke,” you replied, going back to your work.

“I feel like we have different definitions of joke.” 

“Why are you here so early?” You were quickly losing patience with him, pulling the gates of the light by the bulb out to widen the beam of the light. There’s a moment of silence, of hesitation, and when you look to Joe, he’s looking over the set. “No reason?” You prompted, and it snapped him out of his thoughts enough to look at you.

“Came to go over choreography before the run,” he admitted. That does get you to smile a little, he’s nothing if not diligent. “You?”

“Just fixing a light.”

He’s stretching and warming up, earphones in while you struggle to put the ladder away, and that quiet moment in which you thought he was diligent evaporates.

“I will fade to black in the middle of his solo.” You growl, sitting by the window of the on-campus cafe, watching the steam rise from your drink on the morning of opening night.

“Please do not,” Ellie sighs around her mouthful of granola. You make a face, but she holds up her hand for silence, chewing and swallowing before she speaks again, “listen, if you two could stop bitching about each other for five minutes you’d see that-”

“He’s bitching about me? I’m just doing my job!” You cried, and Ellie looked like she regretted even opening her mouth, not that you really cared; it felt as though your blood was boiling. “I’ll cut the lights before he comes out for his bows, I don’t give a fu-”

“I know you’re joking, but honestly I don’t have the energy to talk you out of it,” Ellie tells you, and she leans back, out of the conversation, her gaze turning to the window as you fume quietly. She’s right, you wouldn’t actually do anything to jeopardize the show, but something about Joe just got on your nerves.

Each show goes off without much of a hitch, and for the sake of the sound operator and stage manager, who are sharing comms with you, you keep your complaints to yourself and focus on your job and enjoying the show. For the record, it’s very easy to enjoy the show; Joe’s even entertaining enough on stage that you forget how much he irritates you. He’s a wonderful singer, an exuberant performer, and the crowd and the rest of the crew love him.

But then comes the afterparty.

You’ve been drinking. He’s been drinking. You’ve had to listen to drunk, emotional Ellie gushing about how he ‘saved the production’. It’s more malicious than you intended, when you spit that he’s an entitled asshole.

“He’s not an asshole! That’s why people love him, okay?” Ellie fires back, expression defiant. She won’t remember this.

“Is that why you’re constantly defending him? Because you wanna bang?” You asked, scowling. Ellie’s expression fell, avoiding your gaze; she’s picking at the label on her cider, because she hates beer.

“I’m defending him because he’s transferring to this course next year, and I don’t want you scarring him off.”

Oh.

You find him by the bonfire, poking at it with a stick, expression contemplative. He doesn’t acknowledge your presence as you stand opposite him, by the fire.

“How was your first show with us?” 

“Do you mean like, with the course?” He asks, frowning, “You’re not even in it, though.” He wasn’t even pretending like he wanted to make small talk with you.

“Yeah,” you forced a smile, “but the course is good, from what I hear, and I just-”

“You don’t need to make small talk, you can tell Ellie and the rest of them that I’m still joining the course. I know you don’t like me.” He added, and your mouth snaps closed, tone turning defensive.

“I don’t not like you-” but you’re cut off by his gentle laugh.

“Dude, do you think I’m an idiot?” He doesn’t let you answer, which your drunk brain wants to. He drops his stick into the fire and finally looks at you. “Don’t answer that; I know you don’t like me; that’s no skin off my nose. The show’s over.” 

Silence hangs between the two of you; his gaze is so intense in the firelight, and for a moment you remember how handsome you’d thought he was at that first table read, before you’d known him.

“You’re talented, but disrespectful.” Tumbles from your lips.

“I’m fun, you’re just too uptight.” He laughs, but he doesn’t look particularly hurt by your words. In fact, he’s smiling. “You know this isn’t a professional show, right?”

“I- I’m used to-”

“No, I know,” he nodded, with a smirk, “I can tell. The way you hold yourself- you know you sound demanding when you’re working, right? Like you expect everyone to be on the same wavelength as you without even trying. They’re not. I’m not. This is fun; we’re not getting paid. We’re just trying to have fun.” He shrugs, before picking up the bottle of spirits he had by his feet that you hadn’t been able to see. “You should learn to have a little more fun.” He muses, before taking a swig of the alcohol, and offering it to you.

“I am fun,” you huff, taking the bottle from him and having a swig. It’s rum, cheap rum, and it burns, but you swallow it.

“Oh, I’m sure you are,” he nods with a faux seriousness that makes it clear that he does not believe you in the slightest. You scowl, but take another sip.

“See, you’re still being an asshole.”

“You’re fun to rile up.” He shrugged, before grinning, “but I don’t mean to be an asshole... mostly. You just don’t like me, so everything I say-”

“I did like you, but then I had to work with you.” You pass back the bottle, and Joe actually laughs, and it’s such a genuine and lovely sound.

“Well then, maybe we shouldn’t work together again,” his smile now is much more genuine, and you feel your cheeks heat up, which you can’t entirely blame on the fire, “because I don’t like having you hate me.” He’s making his way around the fire now, standing beside you, looking at the flames as they’re beginning to die down.

“I don’t hate you.” You admit, bumping your shoulder against him. Joe laughs.

“I know.”

“God you’re cocky-” you scoff, turning to look at him, but he’s looking back at you, expectant grin on his lips.

“Yeah, but I’ve seen how you look at me.”

“With loathing?” You deadpan.

“Sometimes.” He agrees, laughing a little. Your heart beats a little faster, with the endeared way he’s smiling at you. “It’s so hard to make you smile when you’re in like, work mode, you know?” He muses, ���you just think I’m an asshole.” That you have to agree with. “But when, like, a light hits just right, or someone mentions how hard they’ve been working, or-” he actually flushes a little as he ducks his head, “someone comes in early to practice, say, choreography on their own time? You smile so big, so damn big.” And the fact that he’d noticed, your expression turns surprised. 

Oh. Everything he’s said or done over the past three months suddenly shines in a new light.

“You like me? That’s what all this was about?” You can’t help but laugh, wrapping an arm around him, and Joe snickers, nodding a little sheepishly. “Wait, does Ellie know? Is that why-?”

“Unfortunately she has had to listen to me complain about every time you give me a dirty look in rehearsals,” he sighed, and you feel embarrassment well up within you.

“No wonder she was so ready to go to bat for you,” you murmured, a little horrified with yourself, before turning to Joe, looking both mortified and apologetic. “We can never work together again.” And he’s never agreed to something faster. “I really did - do - like you, I just thought you were being-”

“I know, I know; you’re too professional for your own good, and I’m a fan of goofing off, and that just doesn’t mesh well. Professionally.” He clarified, and then paused, finally looking back at you.

“Professionally.” You agreed, quietly. Your smile is genuine and wide as you lean in to press your lips to his.

#joe mazzello #joe mazzello x reader #joe mazzello imagine #bohemian rhapsody #bohemian rhapsody imagine #BoRhap cast #borhap cast imagine #the angry lizard writes

[nuggets-and-french-fries]

Taron Egerton: This I Promise You.

Note: This is for @sarahegerton96. I hope that you like this. Excuse the mistakes please.

Enjoy!

===

In the days leading up to Nova and Taron’s daddy daughter date, the Egerton family were yet to announce to their families, that a new addition would be arriving soon. First on the list of people to tell were Taron’s mum and step-father along with his two sisters, Rosie and Mari. It was Christmas morning and everyone had opened their gifts and had a beautifully cooked hot breakfast thanks to Taron. After breakfast, the girls went upstairs to get dressed and ready for the trip to Wales. “Girls, let’s go.” Sarah called from the bottom of the staircase.

 “Coming mum.” Nova called as the girls dressed themselves in the shirts Sarah had gotten them to wear when they told their families about Gary. Nova came running downstairs with her big sister shirt on. She smiled in excitement when she saw her father walk out of the front door with bags of presents. “Ellie you coming down?” Nova called this time. “I’m stuck.” She called back frantically. Nova laughed and ran back up to help her. She found her sister trying to shove her head through the arm hole of her own big sister shirt. “You look like an idiot.” Nova laughed. “Help me?” Ellie whimpered. The oldest Egerton helped her sister and soon enough, Ellie was in her shirt properly. 

Both girls bolted for the stairs as Taron packed the car. “You girls ready to go?” Taron asked as he walked back in. “Yup, let’s go.” Sarah said as they made their way to the car headed off for Wales. Unfortunately, three hours into the trip, Ellie started feeling ill. “Daddy.” Ellie said as she tried to get her father’s attention. “Hang on a minute sweetheart, I’m speaking to mummy.” Taron said. “But daddy.” Ellie tried again. “Ellie I said hang on a minute. Please don’t be rude.” Taron said with frustration. “But daddy, I don’t feel well.” Ellie explained as her tummy churned. “What’s wrong my little elf?” Taron asked with concern as he felt the guilt setting in because of getting cross with her. “I think I’m going to be sick.” She replied as she hastily covered her mouth. Taron pulled the car over as fast as he could and just as he opened her car door, Ellie started to throw up. Thankfully, he was able to step back in time.  

As Ellie was getting sick, Nova rubbed her back in comfort. When Nova turned to ask her mother for a tissue, she saw that Sarah was sitting there with her hand over her mouth and had her eyes closed as she herself tried to resist the urge to throw up due to hearing her daughter’s distress. “Mummy, are you ok? You don’t look so good.” Nova said as she speaks up. Taron snaps his head up in the direction of his wife. “Are you sure you’re ok?” Taron mouths. Sarah nods quickly. “I’m fine. Just look after Ellie.” She says as she turns her face to look out of her window. “Here Ellie.” Nova says as she hands her sister a tissue to wipe her mouth. “Do you want some water?” Nova asks Ellie. Ellie nods and smiles. “Thank you.” Ellie says as Taron lifts her out of the car. Ellie rinsed her mouth out with her father’s help and sits down on a tree stump as she caught her breath. Taron went around to Sarah’s side of the car to make sure that she was ok. “Are you sure you are ok babe?” Taron asked. “Yeah. Just make sure Ellie’s ok.” Sarah replied as Taron kissed her forehead. “Alright. I’m just going to go across the road and grab some water and crackers ok? Call if you need me for anything, I shouldn’t be too long though.” Taron said as he kissed his wife and walked across the road.

“Would you happen to have any plastic bags? My family and I are traveling and still have about an hour left and one of my daughters just got sick.” Taron explained to the man behind the counter. The man nodded and gave Taron a few bags and some tissues just incase. “Thank you so much. Merry Christmas.” Taron said as he and the man said goodbye. Taron walked back across the road to see Ellie sitting on the tree stump with her eyes closed. “You alright sweetheart?” Taron asked as he went to clean the car as some of the sick had gotten on the car mat that sat under Ellie. “Yeah.” Ellie replied with a slight smile. Taron stopped what he was doing and walked over to the child. “Come here my Tiny Dancer.” Taron said as he bent down to hug her. “I’m sorry I got cross with you. You did the right thing in telling me.” Taron said as they broke apart. “It’s ok daddy. I love you so much.” Ellie smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck again. “I love you so much too my little elf. I think there’s a park near by, what do you say we head over there and you can get some crackers and water into you?” Taron suggested. “Yes please.” Ellie replied excitedly as her father chuckled. “Alrighty then. Let’s get you back into the car and we will head over there.” He said as he and Ellie got back into the car.

A few minutes later, Taron pulled into a parking lot and told the girls to go and stretch their legs while he talked with Sarah. In the few minutes that he had driven to the park, he noticed that Sarah kept cringing. “Want to tell me what’s going on with you?” Taron asked as the couple watched their children chase each other around whilst laughing happily. “Just having Braxton Hicks. That’s all.” Sarah said simply. Panic started to set up camp in Taron’s stomach as he looked at his wife. “This isn’t preterm labour is it?” He asked with concern. “No my darling it’s not. I just need to relax and have some water and they will go away.” Sarah said as she grabbed her husband’s hand and kissed it. “Are you sure? We can always drop the girls off with mum and go to the hospital.” Taron replied, not feeling convinced. Sarah let go of his hand and let her thumbs brush gently along his cheekbones. “I’m fine my darling. This is not my first rodeo ok? You need to breathe and calm down.” Sarah said softly before giving him a sweet kiss. “If you change your mind, please tell me.” Taron mumbled against her lips. Sarah smiled. “I promise.” She said finally. Before the family got back in the car, they all snacked on the crackers that Taron had bought and they had water along with that and of course Ellie also got travel sickness medicine. 

An hour later, Taron was the only one awake and was just pulling into his parents driveway. “Sarah. We’re here my angel.” Taron said as he gently shook her awake. Sarah opened her eyes sleepily and smiled at her husband. “You go say hi to your mum and I’ll wake the girls.” Sarah said as Taron nodded and walked to the front door. “Nova, Ellie, we’re here.” Sarah whispered as she shook them awake softly. “Put your jumpers ok. We don’t want grandma Tina to know yet.” Sarah said as she helped the girls put them on and thankfully, Sarah had just pulled Nova’s jumper down as Tina ran happily toward the three girls. “Look how big you’ve grown my darlings.” Tina gushed as she gave them each a huge hug. Sarah and Taron chuckled at the sight and Tina walked inside with Nova and Ellie. Sarah helped Taron with the bags of Christmas gifts. “Taron!” Rosie and Mari hollered as they ran to the front door to greet the husband and wife. “Look how big you girls have grown.” Taron gushed as he set the bag down and hugged each of them. Next the girls hugged their sister-in-law. “Merry Christmas you two.” Sarah giggled as they ran off. Taron and Sarah walked to the Christmas tree to put the gifts under it. “Sarah and Taron, would you both like some tea?” Tina offered. “That sounds lovely. Thank you.” Sarah replied as she followed the woman to the kitchen, leaving Taron with the tree. 

For the next hour, Sarah, Taron, Tina and Guy sat at the kitchen table talking and drinking tea. “So, the girls are growing beautifully.” Tina said with a warm smile. Taron smiled sadly and Sarah just laughed. “Thank you Tina. It’s been an adventure, right babe?” Sarah teased. Tina and Guy looked between the two with curiosity. “Basically Taron is still finding hard to come to terms that Nova is no longer his little girl.” Sarah said as Tina and Guy looked at them with smiles. “Let me guess, she got her period.” Tina smirked and Taron nodded sadly. “Taron honey, it’s not the end of the world. She will always be your little girl, I promise.” Tina said comfortingly. “Did you give her the talk?” Guy asked. Sarah and Taron burst out laughing. “We did, well Sarah did, I just sat there with my face in my hands.” Taron explained. “The first time she didn’t understand so I put it in a way that she could and needless to say, I think I may have scarred the poor kid.” Sarah piped up. “Oh, what did you say?” Tina asked with intrigue. “I explained to her that it was like making pizza buns. I told her that the mummy is the oven and has dough inside and the daddy is the pepperoni and cheese and he puts his ingredients into the dough and then you put the dough in the oven and it rises, it’s the same as being pregnant. She was mortified and kept looking at T really weirdly.” Sarah explained and Tina and Guy burst out laughing. “That’s a really good analogy.” Tina praised. “Thank you. Unfortunately, she came down later that night to get something for her cramps and caught us goofing around on the sofa. She ran off pretty quick.” Taron added. “Oh no, that poor girl. At least she didn’t see you drunk and falling out of her treehouse window.” Tina said as she pointed at her son. Taron laughed and nodded. The conversation continued until the four girls came back inside from building their snowman family. 

After dinner, everyone gathered in the living room and sat around the fire. Taron passed out the gifts for everyone. “You didn’t have to do this.” Guy said as the gifts were waiting to be opened. “It’s Christmas, of course we did.” Taron said as he sat back down. The gifts that Taron, Sarah, Nova and Ellie picked out were to do with the news of Gary. “Can we open them now?” Mari asked as she looked at her brother. “Go for it.” Taron said as he and his girls waited for Tina, Guy, Rosie and Mari’s reactions. Tina was the first to reach her gift and she just about screamed the house down. “Oh my god you two. I’m so happy.” Tina cried as she got up to hug her son and his wife. “What’s going on?” Mari asked, confused as to why her mother was acting the way she was. “Sarah’s having a baby.” Tina replied with a beaming smile that matched Taron’s. it was clear to see where Taron had gotten his smile. “Tina, look at the shirt better.” Guy said as he got up to hug the other couple and of course their girls. “It’s a boy?!” Tina shrieked in question. “Yes it is.” Sarah responded joyously. “Are you girls excited?” Tina asked her granddaughters. “Ellie nodded vigorously, clearly feeling better and Nova, knowing where babies come from and who decides the gender, cringed a little but nodded with a slight smile. Tina laughed at Nova’s reaction but hugged the girls. “We also got you an ornament.” Sarah said as she handed Tina the box. “Awww, bump’s first Christmas. That’s sweet.” The woman gushed. 

“How far along are you?” Tina asked as she sat back down. “I’m about 26 weeks I think.” Sarah replied. “What?” Guy asked, surprised. “You don’t look like you’re very far along.” Tina added. Sarah chuckled and stood up to show her mother-in-law her now more prominent bump. Tina put her hand over her heart and smiled warmly. “I’m so excited for all four of you. This little boy is a blessing for sure.” Tina cooed. The rest of the night went off without a hitch and pretty soon, the house grew quiet as everyone drifted off to dreamland. 

(The image below are the gifts.)

The next morning Tina went out early to get Sarah and Taron some gag gifts. When Tina’s eyes landed on what she was looking for, she snatched them up and made her way home to wrap them before they got up. She looked at the shirts and smiled and giggled to herself. She hoped that it would get a rise out her oldest grandchild.

A couple minutes later, the gifts were wrapped and Tina could hear both Taron and Sarah come down the stairs. “Good morning my lovelies. Taron there is coffee in the pot and Sarah I made you some tea.” Tina said as she flitted about the kitchen. “Thank you mum.” Taron said as he and Sarah got their drinks and sat at the table with Tina who had their gifts. “I popped out this morning to get these for you two.” Tina said nonchalantly as she took a sip of her tea. “Open them now and wear them. I really want to see Nova’s reaction.” Tina begged. Taron and Sarah opened their packages and laughed. “I think she’ll definitely hate us now for telling you Tina.” Sarah said through her laughter. The couple raced upstairs to get ready before their girls got up. Tina chuckled as Taron and Sarah raced each other upstairs, laughing.

It had been a couple hours since everyone had gotten up and had breakfast and Nov had yet to notice her parents shirts. “Daddy, what does your shirt say?” Ellie asked as she saw the pizza slice on it. Taron looked at Sarah and his mum and step-father. “My shirt says pizza maker and mummy’s says pizza in the oven.” Taron said loud enough for Nova to hear as well. “Why do you have them?” Ellie asked. “I bought them for your mummy and daddy.” Tina replied. Nova glared at her father. “You told her?” Nova asked through gritted teeth. Taron just wiggled his brows at the girl and Nova wanted to cry. She got up from her seat and ran off. 

(This is the look that Taron gives his oldest daughter.)

“Maybe this was a bad idea.” Tina said, feeling bad. “No it’s fine mum. I’ll go and talk to her.” Taron replied as he walked out of the room to find Nova. “Honey, can you open the door?” Taron asked as he knocked on the guest bedroom door. “Go away!” Nova shouted at him. “Please.” Taron tried again. “No. Leave me alone.” Nova spat back. Taron opened the door and walked in. Nova had her back to the door and refused to look at her father. “Nova honey, we were just teasing you.” He said as he sat beside her. Nova turned her head away from him as the tears fell silently down her cheeks. Taron reached out to put his hand on her shoulder but she dodged it. “Why did you tell grandma?” Nova asked with anger in her voice. “Because she asked how you were and what were we supposed to say?” Taron said as he looked down at his hands. “You had no right to tell her. She should have asked me, not you.” Nova said as she sniffed. Taron knew that their teasing had embarrassed her to the point of tears. “I’m sorry sweetheart.” Taron responded as nova shook her head and kept her face away from him. “Go away. I don’t want to see you or mum.” Nova said as she buried her face into the pillow. Taron breathed out and stood up. “I love you Nova.” Taron said as he kissed her head. “If you did, you’d respect my privacy.” Nova cried as she pushed him away from her. Taron walked out of the room and shut the door. He leaned against the door as he felt the tears grow in his eyes.

After calming down, Taron walked downstairs to join the others. “Is she ok?” Sarah asked. Taron shook his head. “Where are the girls?” He asked as he sat on the sofa. “They went out with Guy to get hot chocolate.” Sarah explained as she saw the tears behind Taron’s eyes. “Taron, what happened up there?” Sarah asked softly. “She’s crying for one thing. I think she’s embarrassed that we told mum about the talk we had with her and with the fact that we told mum that she got her period. I told her that I loved her and she told me to go away and pushed me away when I kissed her.” Taron explained as Tina entered the room. “It’s ok son. She just needs time to herself. She’ll come around.” Tina consoled her oldest. “She’s right Taron. Nova just needs some time. I will say that the brow raising on your part was probably not the smartest though.” Sarah agreed. Taron put his face in his eyes and sniffed. “She hates me now.” He cried. Sarah rubbed his back and kissed his shoulder. “She doesn’t hate you Taron, she’s just embarrassed. That’s all.” Sarah responded. Taron leaned into his wife’s touch and cried. 

Eventually Guy and the girls came back and Taron was no longer crying. nova still hadn’t shown her fact and that’s when Ellie went upstairs to talk with her sister. “Nova can I come in?” Ellie asked as she stood at the door waiting. Nova didn’t answer. “I bought you a doughnut.” Ellie said cutely as she bit her lip, rocking on her feet. Nova opened the door and as soon as Ellie was in the room, Nova slammed the door shut again. Ellie proudly handed her the doughnut she had bought for her sister. “Thanks Ellie.” Nova smiled. “You’re welcome.” Ellie said as she sprawled out on her bed. “Do you think I should apologize to dad?” Nova asked her sister after a few minutes. “Maybe. I think he cried again. He always cries.” Ellie noted. Nova chuckled breathlessly. “That he does.” Nova agreed. “Can you go and ask grandma to come up here Ellie?” Nova asked. “You got it sugar pop.” Ellie replied dramatically sassy. Nova laughed at the hand gestures the eight year old just made. “I love you Ellie.” Nova said as she hugged the young girl. “I love you too sissy.” Ellie replied as she hugged Nova back. Ellie walked back downstairs to find her grandmother in the kitchen. “Grandma, Nova wants you to go upstairs.” Ellie said as she climbed on to the stool at the breakfast bar. “Thank you for letting me know my sweet.” Tina said as Taron walked around the corner. “You’re welcome.” The little girl called. “Hello my Tiny Dancer.” Taron greeted as he kissed his youngest’s head. “Where did you get off to?” He asked. “Narnia.” Ellie said with sass. Taron chuckled.

Tina knocked on the door and waited for Nova to open the door. “Come in.” Nova said. Tina walked in and sat on the bed. “Why didn’t you just ask me how I was or if anything new happened?” Nova asked shyly. Tina smile warmly at the girl. “I’m sorry darling. You’re right, I should have asked you. Is there anything I can do to make up for it?” Tina asked and Nova thought. “Can I choose what we have for lunch?” She asked hopefully. “Of course you can. What would you like?” Tina asked as her granddaughter moved to lean into her grandmother. “Christmas sandwiches.” Nova replied quickly. “That sounds perfect. Want to help me?” Tina questioned. Nova nodded. “I need to talk to dad first though.” The girl said. “Want me to send him up here?” The grandmother asked. “Thanks grandma.” Nova said as she hugged the woman and kissed her cheek. “You’re welcome my precious Nova.” Tina said as she made her way downstairs to talk to her son. 

“Taron honey, someone wants to talk to you.” Tina smiled as she pat his shoulder. Taron jumped up and practically ran upstairs. “Hello Cariad.” Taron said and Nova smiled at the nickname. “Come sit down.” Nova said as she motioned for him to join her. “Look, I’m sorry I acted that way but I really didn’t appreciate that.” Nova explained and Taron nodded his head. “I know that now my darling and I’m sorry. Your mother and I didn’t think you’d mind if we told your grandparents. Am I forgiven?” Taron asked with hope. “Let’s just move on from that.” Nova said as she threw her arms around his neck. “I love you daddy.” She said as she kissed his cheek. “Even if I push you away.” Nova continued as they both giggled. They talked for a few more minutes before they joined the others.

=

At 38 weeks pregnant, Sarah was growing more uncomfortable by the minute and nothing she did could help.The day of Taron and Nova’s date was now upon them and While Ellie was at school, Nova and Sarah had gone to get their nails done. Sarah and Taron decided to let Nova stay home so that she could feel special and spend the day with her mother one on one. “That was fun. Thanks for this mum.” Nova said as she admired her nails. They weren’t extravagant but they were enough to make her feel pretty and make her feel special. “Want to get some lunch at home or should we go to a coffee shop?” Sarah asked as she drove. “Can we go to a coffee shop?” Nova asked. “Absolutely. This brother of yours is needing a toastie.” Sarah said while smiling. “You do or does Gary?” Nova asked, giving her mother some side eye and a smile. “You are a beautiful young woman. You look so much like your father and that’s the best thing about you, along with your kind heart and strong personality.” Sarah said as she teared up. “Mum don’t cry. I love you too.” Nova said as she took hold of her mother’s hand. The mother and daughter arrived at the coffee shop and proceeded to have a nice lunch.

While the girls were out, Taron was busy setting up for the date and one of the things he wanted to do was buy Nova a new dress. One that he knew that she would like. He had raced home and set the dress box on Nova’s bed, so that when she walked into her room, she’d see her gift. Taron also left a special note for her.

‘My precious Nova,

From the moment you were born, I knew that our bond would be a strong one. The first time I held you in my arms, I promised your mother that I would protect you with everything in me. You made me a father and you taught me how to love selflessly and for that I thank you. It has been an honour to watch you grow into the young woman that you are now and I really look forward to spending the night with you. You are my pride and joy and no matter what happens, I will always be your knight in shining armour. 

I love you so much Cariad, I will see you tonight.

Love Always,

Dad.’

Taron read over the note to make sure that it sounded ok and when he was happy with it, he placed it against the dress box. After everything was placed in her room, he left the house again to go to Richard’s and finish setting up for the night. Sarah and Nova got home not too long after. “Mum do we have time to watch a movie?” Nova asked as her mother sat in the living room. Sarah looked at her phone. “Why don’t you run up and shower and then when you’re done, we can watch a movie.” Sarah said and Nova nodded and ran off. As soon as the girl disappeared, Taron called his wife. “How is everything?” Sarah asked with a smile. “Great but I’m in the car across the road right now and I need you to do me a favour.” Taron responded. “What’s that?” Sarah questioned as she sat there rubbing her belly as Gary decided to karate chop and drop kick his mother in her ribs. “Are you able to go into Nova’s room and see if I left my wallet in there?” He asked whilst biting his lip slightly. “Just a second. Your son is abusing my insides right now.” Sarah replied as she felt Gary flip sharply. Taron chuckled. “Ok, I’ll have a look. But hang on a second, why would it be in there?” Sarah asked as she waddled to the staircase. “Is she around?” Taron asked. “No, she’s in the shower.” Sarah said simply. “Ok good.” Taron replied and Sarah raised her brow. “This was just to get me to go upstairs wasn’t it?” Sarah whined. “It may have been.” Taron said as he shrugged his shoulders. “Can you go into our room and go to my side of the closet and in the black bag next to my shoes, there is another box in there. Open it.” Taron explained. Sarah did as she was told and was met with what he was talking about. “Are you looking at it?” Taron wondered out loud. “Yes.” She said. “Ok run it downstairs and meet me at the front door.” Taron said as he quickly hung up. Sarah looked at her phone with raised brows. “I love you too.” Sarah remarked as she turned her phone off and went downstairs before Nova got out. 

“Thanks for hanging up on me Taron.” Sarah mumbled. He smiled at her and gave her a quick kiss. “Thank you my angel.” Taron said as he grabbed what he needed. “You’re welcome. Now get out before she comes down and sees you here.” Sarah said as she practically pushed her husband out of the door. “Kiss me.” Taron said. Sarah rolled her eyes and gave him a quick but sweet kiss. “I love you baby.” Taron said as he ran to his car and drove off. “Mum who was that?” Nova asked as she walked around the corner in her house coat. “Someone wanting to sell something. What movie do you want to watch?” Sarah asked as she quickly changed the subject. “Can we watch cartoons instead?” Nova asked. “Sounds great. I’m going to get the ice-cream, do you want some?” Sarah questioned. Nova ran ahead of her mother and pulled everything out. About an hour or so later, Taron was just putting the finishing touches on what he had set up. “This looks amazing mate.” Richard said as he looked around the room. “Think she’ll like it?” Taron asked nervously. Richard chuckled at his friend. “Taron, if she’s anything like Sarah, she will love it. I guarantee it.” Richard said. Taron smiled. “I hope so.” Taron said as he looked at his watch. “We should get going if we want to get the car.” Taron said as he put his shoes on. “Let’s go.” Richard said enthusiastically. The men raced each other to Taron’s car. Eventually they reached the vintage car rental place. “Here are the keys, I hope you enjoy.” The elderly man said as he passed Taron the keys. Taron beamed as he thought about Nova’s reaction. He knew that she liked vintage cars and especially the make and model that he had just rented. 

At 4:30, Sarah was just finishing up doing Nova’s hair. Sarah had left it down and put loose waves in her hair. After that, Sarah applied just a little bit of make up to Nova’s features. “You look really pretty.” Ellie said as she sat on the edge of the tub watching her mother do her sister’s hair. Nova smiled. “Thank you Ellie.” Nova said gratefully. “I don’t have anything to wear though.” Nova said half heartedly. “That’s not true.” Sarah said as she secured the last bobby pin. Nova looked at her mother through the mirror with confusion. “Go look in your room.” Sarah said as Nova and Ellie ran to Nova’s room. Nova’s eyes landed on a black dress box that was wrapped in a turquoise ribbon with the special note attached to it. 

Nova smiled as big as she could and in that moment, Sarah could see just how much she resembled her father. Nova opened the box and the girl’s eyes fell upon a beautiful red dress. Nova gasped in surprise and Ellie and Sarah smiled. Sarah because she was touched that her husband would do that for Nova and Ellie smiled because she knew what the gift was but was sworn to secrecy with the promise of kitten if she kept quiet. “Go put it on.” Sarah instructed softly. “Can you help me mum?” Nova asked shyly. Sarah chuckled. “Of course my beautiful.” She replied as she told Ellie to go downstairs and wait. After Nova had stepped into the dress and pulled up on to her body, Sarah gently tugged the zipper up and Nova turned around. Sarah beamed with pride and joy. A tear rolled down Sarah’s cheek and thankfully she was able to wipe it away before her daughter could see. “How do I look?” Nova asked nervously. “You look so grown up baby girl.” Sarah gushed as she hugged her daughter. “Thank you for helping me get ready.” Nova said as they broke apart upon hearing the doorbell ring. 

“Ellie, can you get that please?” Sarah asked as she helped Nova put her converse and jacket. Ellie answered the door gasped and her jaw dropped. “Daddy, you look so handsome.” Ellie said enthusiastically. “Thank you sweetheart.” Taron replied as he gave her a hug with his free arm and a kiss on her head. Upon hearing the commotion, Sarah and Nova turn around to face him. “You look absolutely breathtaking princess.” Taron said as he took in how grown up Nova looked in that moment. “Thank you daddy. You look handsome.” Nova smiled. “Thank you my darling.” Taron replied with a smile matching his daughter’s. “These are for you.” Taron said as he pulled the flowers out from behind his back. “Thank you daddy, they’re so beautiful.” Nova said as she took them from him. “I’ll put them in some water.” Sarah said as Nova passed her the flowers. While Sarah was filling up a vase, she looked over at Taron and Nova and felt her heart soar at just how cute they were. She bit her lip as her eyes traveled down her husband’s body and all she wanted to do was jump him and fuck him. “Nova sweetie, would you like me to put the flowers on your night stand or would you like them left downstairs?” Sarah asked as she walked back to the pair with tears in her eyes. “On my night stand please. That way I can have something to make me smile in the morning.” Nova said politely. Sarah nodded and took out her phone so that she could take a photo of the pair and send it to his mum.

“Ready to be wined and dined my sweetheart?” Taron asked as he looked down at Nova. “Yup, I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.” Nova replied with excitement. As they turned around to leave, Sarah tapped her husband’s shoulder and h turned to face her. She threw her arms around his neck in a hug. “You dare to be any less dressed then what you are now when you come home, I promise I’ll make you regret it.” Sarah whispered into his ear as she moans loud enough for only him to hear whilst discreetly squeezing his ass, making sure neither daughter sees it. Taron bit his lower lip in response. “Oh don’t you worry. I won’t be but you better not be as dressed.” He winks and takes Nova’s hand, leading her to her second surprise, the vintage car.

(The Picture of the girl in the dress, jacket and shoes is what I’m using to show the outfit together. Please picture her hair down and in loose beach waves.)

Nova’s jaw hit the ground and then a huge smile appeared on her lips. “Where did you find this?” Nova asked as her father helped her into the car. He walked around to his side and got in. “That’s for me to know.” He winked and drove off toward Richard’s house. “Can I know where we are going?” Nova asked as she looked at her father. “It’s a surprise.” He said as he raised his brow at her. Nova giggled and looked out of her window.

When they arrived at Richard’s Nova looked at her father confused. “Why are we at uncle Richie’s?” She asked as Taron helped her out of the car. “You’ll see my sassy.” Taron said as Nova linked her arm in his. They walked to the front door and knocked on the door.  When Richard opened the door, his eyes landed on the father and daughter. Richard smiled as he stood to the side to let Nova enter first and then Taron. “You scrub up really nice uncle Rich.” Nova said as she looked at the man before her. “Thank you my wee lass.” He said as he hugged her. “You look so much like your father. Maybe when your done with that pretty dress, you could lend it to him.” Richard teased as he and Nova laughed. Taron glared at Richard. “I think the dress would look nicer on you.” Taron teased back. “Alright, alright.” Richard said as he held his hands up in surrender. “Can I take your coat lassie?” Richard asked and Nova nodded. Richard took her coat and hung it up. Taron and Nova link arms again and Taron led them to the dimly lit sitting room. 

There was a beautifully set dark wood table and a warm fire lit in the fireplace. Taron pulled the chair out for his daughter and helped her get comfortable. “Why thank you kind sir. I see why mummy fell in love with you.”  Nova smiled. Taron chuckled. “That’s how all queens and princesses should be treated.” Taron as he sat down in his own chair. “Nova, darling. I want you to know that I love you and your sister very much and that just because there is a new baby on the way, doesn’t mean mummy and I love you and Ellie any less.” Taron explained. “I know daddy, it’s just a bit of a shock. It’s just been me and Ellie for so long.” Nova replied. “I know it’s hard sweetheart but sometimes these things are out of mummy and daddy’s control.” He explained. “How is it out of your control? Maybe you and mum shouldn’t have a special hug. If you don’t put the dough in mum’s oven, your problem is solved.” Nova sassed. “Sometimes sweetheart, when mummies and daddies love each other very much, they get this warm tingly feeling inside and it’s so overwhelming they just  have to express just how much they love each other.” Taron explains as he takes a drink of his water. “You mean you get horny?” Nova blurts out and Taron chokes on his water. “Who told you that?” Taron said once he caught his breath. “Google did.” Nova replied as she shrugged her shoulders. “Why did you google that?” Taron asked with surprise still laced in his voice. “Because after you and mummy told me how babies are made, I still had questions but was too embarrassed to ask.” Nova explained. Taron made a mental note to put a parental block on her tablet.

“What? Honey you can’t be looking those kinds of things up. There are some things that are too inappropriate for your eyes because you are still too young.” Taron chided. “Then why did you and mum tell me how babies are made if I’m too young?” Nova wondered out loud. “Mummy and I only told you the basics because of you becoming a woman. We didn’t tell you anything else because there are things out there that way too inappropriate for your eyes.”  Taron explained. “Like you and uncle Richard in Rocketman?” Nova asked and as soon as Richard heard that, he walked toward the pair with their entrees. Richard put the plates down on the table. “What’s that?” Nova asked with curiosity. “It’s little balls of melon.” Richard replied with a smile. Nova starts laughing and both men look at each other and look back at her. “What’s so funny?” Taron asked with amusement. “I don’t know. It just sounded funny how uncle Rich said it.” Nova replied as she calmed down a little. Richard walked off and Taron and Nova started eating. “Dad, how did you break your arm?” Nova asked suddenly. “Well, I was showing mummy the treehouse when it was finished and she tripped and when I went to catch her, I fell out the window and landed on my arm.” Taron explained as he left out the dirty details. Nova raised her brow at him, not convinced. “Are you sure that’s what happened because I heard grandma Tina telling Granddad that you and mummy needed to keep your shenanigans on the ground. So, what were you doing?” Nova asked and Taron mentally facepalmed himself and made another note tell his mother to be careful what she says with the girls when they are around. “What exactly were you doing listening to mine and Grandma’s conversation?” Taron asked as he avoided the question. “It’s not my fault grandma talks so loud.” Nova muttered as Taron gave his daughter a stern look. “Sorry daddy.” Nova said softly as she looked down at her food. “Just don’t let it happen again. Alright sweetheart?” Taron replied as Nova’s smile returned.

After the pair finish eating their last course, Richard collected the plates and walks back to the kitchen. “Dad, what made you agree to take me on a date?” Nova asked. Taron smiled warmly at her. “Well my darling, it’s because I wanted to show you how a man should treat his woman and for you not to accept anything less than a gentleman.” Taron explained as Nova nodded. “Oh ok. What exactly is a gentleman?” Nova asked as she looked at her father. “A gentleman is someone who will stop at nothing to make you feel loved and respected and treat you like a queen. It doesn’t mean that he has to always take you on extravagant dates, it could be as simple as opening a door for you, pulling out a chair for you, give you a compliment or even giving you his coat when you are cold. It’s how a man presents himself and sometimes it’s about the little or grand gestures he does for you.” Taron farther explained as Nova smiled at him. “Oh ok. It’s like how you are with mummy.” Nova questioned. “Exactly. Which is why when I make breakfast for mummy in the morning, I will sing to her or when I say she looks beautiful and it makes her smile. It’s all about making mummy feel good.” Taron said warmly. “It’s like when you gave me the flowers and told me I was breathtaking?” Nova asked as her father nodded. “Exactly sweetheart. Just like that.” He said as music started playing. Nova looked at him as he stood up and walked toward her. Taron held out his hand for her to take. “May I have this dance m’ lady?” Taron asks with a cheeky smile and Nova chuckles. “Yes you may kind sir.” Nova replied with the same cheeky smile as she stood up and followed Taron to where he had set up a make shift dancefloor. He spun her around, causing her to giggle. “Daddy, you’re not really a good dancer. You have two left feet.” Nova said as she laughed. Taron joined in her laughter. After their dance, they went outside where Taron had another surprise.

Taron led Nova outside and to a spot where she could look around at what he and Richard had set up. Her eyes landed on a blanket that was surrounded by pillows and cushions. Fairy lights had been set up sporadically and another fire had been lit in the outside fireplace. Nova turned to face her father. “Daddy?” She asked when she saw him down on one knee with a ring box in his hand. “Nova, from the moment that you were born, I knew that our bond would be strong. You taught me how to love selflessly and you taught me what it meant to be a father. Being able to watch you grow has been the greatest honour I’ve been blessed with. My darling, if you accept this ring, I promise to always be there for you, to always protect you, to love you unconditionally and I promise to always be your knight in shining armour. You are my greatest joy and if you trust me, I promise I will spend the rest of my life making sure that you grow into the beautiful woman I know that you are meant to be. And I will give you my full blessing when the right man comes into your life. Will you accept this ring?” Taron asked as he held his daughter’s left hand. Nova could feel the tears in her eyes. Nova nodded and Taron pulled the ring out and slid it on to Nova’s left ring finger as a symbol of his love for her. Nova threw her arms around his neck and cried into him.

(It’s the North star.)

“There is one more thing I want you to remember.” Taron said as Nova pulled away from him and wiped her tears away. Taron took her left hand again. “When you look down at this ring, not only do I want you to be reminded of the promises made here tonight, I want you to remember that if you ever get lost or you feel like you can’t face this world alone, to look down at this ring and know that it will lead you home.” Taron explained as Nova nodded and kissed his cheek. “I love you so much daddy. Thank you for making tonight so special.” Nova replied as her father wiped away the rest of her tears. “I love you too baby girl. You don’t need to thank me.” He said as he stood up and led Nova to the blanket. “What’s this for?” Nova asked as they sat down. “Lay back and you’ll see.” Taron replied softly as he laid back himself. Nova did as she was told and was met with a stunning sight. The stars embraced the night sky as they danced and sparkled as if they were putting a show for Nova and her father. While they were star gazing, Richard sent the video of Taron making his promise to Nova to Sarah but told her that she had to wait for Taron to come home so that they could watch it together. Eventually, Nova could feel her eyes begin to get heavy, so she laid her head on her father’s strong chest and listened to the sound of his heart beating. Taron wrapped his arms around her and smiled. “Can you sing to me daddy?” She asked quietly. “Of course princess.” Taron replied as he started singing ‘Your Song’ by Elton john. As he sang, his fingers softly combed through her hair. “I love you so much dad.” Nova said as she allowed her eyes to close as she felt safe and protected in his arms. “I love you too my sweet Nova Rae.” He replied as he kissed her head.

=

“Sarah, can you help me?” Taron asked as he quickly ran to the living room. “What’s wrong?” Sarah replied with concern. “Nova fell asleep in the car. I’m carrying her to bed but I will need your help to get her changed.” He explained. Both parents got their oldest to bed without waking her. Once they were sure she wasn’t going to budge, they made their way to their room. Sarah laid on the bed and rubbed her ever growing belly. “Did you both have a good time?” Sarah asked as she watched her husband walk to the closet. “What are you doing?” Sarah asked when she saw her husband pull out a bag. “I know that you’ve been feeling uncomfortable lately and I bought some things for you that will hopefully help.” Taron said with a mischievous glint in his eye. “ Taron David, what the hell did you buy?” Sarah questioned with warning. He chuckled and pulled out a box. “Open it.” He said as he pushed the box toward her. Sarah did and she gasped and rolled her eyes when her eyes landed on the plethora of sex toys he had bought. “Taron, I know I said earlier that we would fuck when you got home but I really feel gross right now. I mean look at me.” Sarah whined as she motioned to her body. Taron smiled and sat next to her on the bed. “You are the most incredible woman I have ever scene. You have given me the best gift and no matter how gross and uncomfortable you may feel, to me, it shows me just how strong you are and how much you love me for being willing to protect our baby. The whole thing for me is a major turn on and when you are pregnant, your sex appeal flies through the roof.” Taron explained as he leaned down to kiss Sarah’s lips in a hungry and needy kiss. “Tonight is all about you. Let me show you how beautiful you really are.” He said as he stood up with his eyes dark with lust. 

Taron spent the rest of the night pleasuring his wife in ways she didn’t think possible and needless to say, she woke up feeling indescribably beautiful.

===

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#taronegerton #taronegertononeshot #dad!taron #taronegertonimagines #taronegertonxreader #taronegertonsmut #taron egerton fluff #taronegertonblurb #fanfic #imagines

[jchb32273]

Fictober 2019 - Day 4

Fanfiction - Dragon Age AO3 Link

Slight trigger warning for language 

I know it’s a bit late... this one turned out a bit longer than the previous days!

Hope you enjoy!

I know you didn’t ask for this

~~~~~

It was 3 pm on Friday and I was glad the weekend was here. I was walking back towards my dorm with Leliana when I heard my name being called.

“Kylara!”

I turned to see Alistair running up to me, looking a bit flustered.

“Hello, Alistair. What’s going on?”

He paused for a moment to catch his breath, then said, “Maric is hosting one of his ‘oh so important dinners’ at his house tonight… and I had almost forgotten about it!”

I blinked a few times. “Why are you telling me this?” I asked, genuinely curious.

“Ah… well, it is sort of required for me to… bring someone.” He rubbed the back of his neck in an awkward gesture. “I know it’s last minute… and I totally understand if you have other plans…”

“Of course she’d love to go,” Leliana piped up as she elbowed me in the ribs. “Wouldn’t you?”

“Well, um… I guess?” My cheeks were pink. “I mean… I don’t… have any other… plans.”

“Great!” He leaned over and gave me a peck on the cheek. “You are a lifesaver, Kylara! I’ll pick you up at seven, okay?” He then ran off.

I groaned. “Leliana! What have you done?! I don’t have the first clue how to act at one of those type of dinners! I don’t even have anything fancy to wear!”

“Well, it is a good thing I just got my paycheck! Let’s go shopping!”

Two hours later, we were back in our dorm room with several bags worth of items. Leli had dragged me from store to store to look at dresses, shoes, undergarments (to my utter embarrassment), and makeup. After making all the purchases, I blanched at what she’d just spent on me.

“How am I going to pay you back for all this, Leliana! This is so much stuff!”

“Don’t worry about that now! You have a date we must get you ready for!! Oh, this is SO exciting!” She unwrapped the burgundy satin dress from the thin, clear plastic bag the salesclerk had wrapped it in. “You and Alistair have become quite close, no?” She giggled. “And to think you didn’t want to go to that party two months ago! Now, look at you!”

“I have only seen him a handful of times since the party. We are… friends. Sort of… Nothing more!”

“Friends, hmm?” She gave me a sly smile. “Well, I happened to hear from Morrigan, who got it from Fenris, who was told directly from Bull, that you were alone at his place about two weeks ago? Hmm? You also came back into our room quite late that same night, if I remember correctly.”

“I was there to study for my biochemistry test… and then he took me out to dinner afterwards.”

“Ooh! Dinner?! I bet it was really romantic! Alistair just strikes me as that type of man…”

I thought back to that night. What had started as a simple study session, then ended with a stupid fight (that I had started) over grilled cheese sandwiches… After helping Alistair put out a fire in his condo, he had taken me to a very romantic restaurant. It was completely innocent though, my inner-voice justified. Just cheese fondue… and wine… My cheeks felt hot. “I think I should just get ready,” I mumbled.

“Yes, yes,” Leliana gushed. “We have much to do to get you beautiful!”

After a half-hour practicing walking in the high heeled shoes Leli has insisted on, I was not falling down anymore… but I was still wobbling quite a bit.

“Do I have to wear these ridiculous shoes? I am going to make a fool of myself, I just know it!”

“But all you have are sneakers, Kylara! You can’t wear sneakers with a gown!” she admonished.

“Don’t you have any flats I can wear?”

“I wear a size smaller than you, Kylara, so I don’t think that would work.” She sighed. “Look, once you are in the house, you will probably be sitting down to eat. You’ll be fine!” She glanced at her watch. “Look, it’s almost seven. Let’s get out to the lobby of the dorm.

Heads turned as I walked (wobbled) out into the dorm common room. I heard people talking behind my back. Most of the whispers had people wondering what I was so dressed up for, and there were several cruel comments about my pale skin and chubby body.

“Ignore them,” Leliana said as she saw me taking a slight step backwards. “I think you look lovely.”

Just then, the front door opened and Alistair walked in dressed in a full, form-fitting tuxedo.

Maker’s Breath but he is stunning!

My knees were shaking and I was sure my face was bright red. Alistair saw Leli and me and walked over to us, a huge smile on his face.

“Kylara, you look… beautiful.”

Now the comments behind me took on an angrier tone.

What is she doing with him?

How did that fat geek get a date with the single most handsome man in Denerim?!

What the fuck does he see in her?

She’s gotta be sleeping with him, otherwise, why would he bother?

Alistair must have heard a few of these comments because he glared around the room and all grew quiet. Smiling at me again, he took my arm into his and said, “I’ll take it from here, Leliana. Thank you.”

“Have fun, you two!” Leli grinned and blew kisses at us both.

We walked outside the dorm and a blast of cold winter air hit me. “Oh, it’s freezing out here! I don’t have a coat!”

“Don’t worry,” Alistair said. “The car is right here and the heater is already on.”

I glanced up to see a stretch limo parked on the street and my mouth gaped open. As soon as he saw us, the driver quickly got out and opened the door for us.

“Thanks, Blackwall.” Alistair assisted me in the car, then slid in beside me. Blackwall shut the door, then got behind the wheel.

“Y-you hired a limousine for tonight?” I squeaked out.

Alistair smirked. “No, it’s Maric’s car. I would have driven my own, but he’s all about impressing people at these dinners… so he insisted I use the limo to come and pick you up.”

“Oh,” was all I could manage to say. “Ah, what does he know about me?”

“I haven’t had the time to tell him much. He knows that you are a year behind me and that you go to the same school. I also told him you are very smart and pretty.”

I looked down at the floor of the car. “Alistair, I am not pretty.”

He turned in the butter-soft leather seat to face me, then used his fingers to gently tilt my head back up. “Yes, you are. You should stop doubting yourself.” He smiled at me. “Is that a new dress?”

“Um… yes. Leli took me shopping after you… invited me.”

“The color is striking on you. I noticed right away when I picked you up tonight. However, we might want to…” He reached up and gave a tug on something on the shoulder strap. I heard a muffled snap and then he held out the price tag of the dress to me.

Mortified, I took the tag and quickly stuffed it into the handbag that Leli had loaned me for tonight.

Alistair put a gentle hand on my shoulder. “Don’t fret over it, Kylara. Stuff like that happens more often than you think, even amongst the wealthy.”

Perhaps, I thought bitterly. But I am sure they pay a lot more than 75 sovereigns for a dress.

Just then the limo pulled up to a massive mansion. Nauseous butterflies fluttered in my stomach. Ohh… what have I gotten myself into?! Blackwall opened the door and Alistair exited first, then held out his hand to me… an encouraging smile on his face.

I carefully stepped out of the limo, but my ankle wobbled in the heels again and I stumbled a bit. Alistair quickly scooped his arm around my waist and steadied me. I saw what I assumed to be disapproving frowns on other dinner guests who were slowly making their way to the front doors of the mansion, and my face flamed red again.

“Come on now,” Alistair linked his arm with mine. “Let’s head on in.”

At the front doors, there was a huge qunari standing there, nodding and greeting guests as they arrived. He didn’t have horns on his head like Bull, but he still looked very stern and serious.

“Evening Sten,” Alistair greeted him.

Sten nodded once and then said, “Your father is waiting for you in his study. I was told to tell you to report to him as soon as you arrived.”

“Very well, thank you.”

Sten nodded once again and then turned to face the next arriving guests.

Alistair took a deep breath, then said, “Well, let’s get this over with.”

At the study doors, Alistair knocked once, then twice. The doors were opened by a very handsome, tall, blond-haired man. His blue eyes twinkled. He quickly grabbed Alistair’s hand, pulled him into a quick bear-hug, and gave him a thump on the back.

“Al, you little devil. How are you this evening!”

Alistair gave a half-smile. “Cailan.” He then took my hand and led me up to his half-brother. “May I present my half-brother, Cailan. Cailan may I introduce my companion for the evening, Kylara Amell.”

“Pleasure to meet you, young lady,” Cailan said with a wide grin as he shook my hand. “Though I’ll admit, Al hasn’t said much about you. How long have you been together?”

“Oh… um… We aren’t. Together, I mean. We’re just friends… from school.”

“Just friends?” Cailan eyed Alistair with curiosity. “I was sure that after the incident with Ellie Cousland that you’d get right back into- ”

Alistair shook his head. “Now isn’t the time to discuss that, Cailan. Please, just drop it.”

Another set of doors in the office then opened and another tall, blond-haired man strode out – though his hair was greying at the temples. The air of authority he had around him made me take a few steps behind Alistair for protection.

“Then when will be the time, son?”

“Maric.”

Maric immediately frowned and I saw Alistair wince. “I’ve told you repeatedly not to call me by my given name.”

“Fine…” Alistair gritted out. “Father.”

“That’s better.” Maric then looked behind Alistair, where I was trying not to cower, but failing. “And who is this young lady here? Is she the one you told me about this afternoon?”

“Yes… father. This is my companion for this evening, Kylara Amell.” He gently tugged my hand to bring me closer. “Kylara, may I present my father, Maric Theirin.”

Maric took my hand and gave it a squeeze. His eyes raked coolly over me and in that moment I knew I had been judged… and deemed unworthy. He let go of my hand and then said without looking at me a second time said, “Nice to meet you.” He then gave what I figured to be a curious glance at Alistair before quickly changing the subject. “There are a lot of influential people here tonight, Alistair. I hope you make the most of it and greet them all.”

I saw Alistair give a faint nod. “Yes, sir.”

“All right, let’s all head down for cocktails. Dinner will be at 8:30 sharp.”

Maric quickly strode off. Cailan followed but briefly turned around to me. “Nice to have met you, Miss Kylara. Do enjoy yourself this evening.” He then turned back and jogged a few steps to catch up to his father.

Alistair sagged slightly against the nearby wall.

“Are you okay?” I asked quietly.

He took a quick breath, stood back up straight and muttered, “Fine. Just dandy.” He caught my concerned look and then gave a weak smile. “Come,” he said and took my arm. “I think I could use a good stiff drink right about now.”

Back downstairs, the bartender asked what I’d like.

“Sex on the Beach,” I said quickly.

“I beg your pardon!” he exclaimed.

Alistair chuckled. “Ah, how about a Sidecar for the lady, and I’ll take a Whiskey Sour.”

“Yes, sir. Very good, sir.”

Our drinks were quickly made and handed to us. Alistair then gently led me away from the bar. I took a sip of what he ordered for me. It wasn’t too bad. Then I glanced up at him. “Did I do something wrong back there?”

He smiled and said, “This isn’t like a club or a college bar, so a lot of drinks you may be used to aren’t going to be available. Mar- ” he paused for a brief second. “My… father… only carries the high-end spirits and liquors.” He leaned in close and whispered in my ear, “I don’t think Maric would know what Peach Schnapps was if it came and bit him in the ass.”

I giggled at his comment but quickly stopped when I saw disapproving stares from some of the other guests.

Alistair lead me around the room as people mingled and chatted quietly. He gently pointed out several high profile people.

“That man over there,” he indicated a dwarf with a very hairy chest and wearing gold chains on his neck, “is Varric Tethras. He is an accomplished author renowned throughout Thedas. Most of his stories concern themselves with outcasts and tragic mistakes. Have you read any of his books?”

I shook my head, but said, “I know Leliana has both ‘Hard in Hightown’ and ‘Swords and Shields’. Maybe I’ll borrow them from her now.”

“Over there,” he carefully pointed at a stern woman with cropped black hair and a scar on her left cheek, “is Cassandra Allegra Portia Calogera Filomena Pentaghast.”

“So many names?” I commented quietly.

“She is, or was Nevarran royalty. Now she is Right Hand of the Divine and Seeker for the Chantry.”

“Oh.” I wasn’t really sure what all of that meant, so I just nodded slightly.

Alistair also pointed out both Empress Celene and Duke Gaspard, both from Orlais, and the Prime Minister herself, Anora.

So many powerful people in the room, my head began to spin. So many things I could possibly say or do that could easily offend any one of these people. My legs began to tremble. I really don’t belong here…

Alistair noticed my discomfort. “Are you all right, Kylara? You look a bit pale.”

“I… I think I just need to sit down… for a bit.”

He nodded and began escorting me to some chairs in the corner of the room. Just then, a thin, tanned elf with blond hair tied back in a queue came up to us.

“Zevran,” Alistair said with mild surprise. “I thought your business with Maric had been completed already.”

Zevran gave an oily smile. “What can I say? My services are apparently in high demand.” His eyes then drifted over me. “Ah, and who is your charming companion this evening?”

Keeping one arm around my waist to hold me steady, he quietly said, “This is Kylara. Kylara, Zevran is a… business associate… of my father’s.”

Zevran picked up my hand and kissed it, though his eyes didn’t leave my face. “Zevran Arainai, at your service, dulce doncella.”

His accent had me curious. “Where are you from, Mr. Arainai?”

He flashed a bright grin at me. “Oh, no Mr. Arainai. That is far too formal for me, yes? Just call me… Zev.”

“Zev?”

Alistair quickly spoke up. “Zevran will be just fine.”

Zevran gave a short laugh. “As you wish. As for your earlier question, I hail from Antiva. Antiva City, to be precise.”

My mouth formed a small ‘o’, then I asked, “Isn’t that the country that has that secretive organization, The Crows?”

Zevran’s eyes glinted, “Oh? And what exactly do you know of such things?”

Alistair stepped in. “Probably nothing more than what local tabloids and gossip magazines have spread, right, Kylara?” He gave my waist a slight squeeze, but I saw Zevran’s eyes dart down and then back up to us.

“Uh… y-yes. Just gossip magazines,” I mumbled.

“I see.” Zevran’s lips were thin, but one corner curled mischievously. “It was nice to have met you, Kylara. Alistair? Give your father my regards.” He bowed once, then left us.

Alistair let out a soft breath. Making sure that Zevran was out of earshot, he then muttered, “I really don’t trust him.”

As we continued our way to the chairs, I trembled again. “I made another mistake, didn’t I?”

We sat down together on a small setteé. “There are rumors,” he began, speaking very softly, “that Zevran is a high ranking person in The Crows.”

Aghast, I whispered, “They don’t really assassinate people anymore… do they?”

“I don’t know. But I would definitely not mention it any more this night.”

Fearfully, I nodded.

“I am going to get us another drink. Will you be all right here by yourself?”

“I… should be.” Alistair got up, but I caught his wrist. “Please, hurry back, okay?”

He smiled and nodded, then left.

Suddenly, Zevran reappeared and swiftly sat down next to me. I tried to remember to breathe.

“You would do well to heed this advice, Kylara.” The way he said my name gave me chills. “You are out of your league here. You should go back to your dorm and put any more thoughts about Alistair Theirin out of your pretty little head. He is not for you.”

Trembling, I managed to stutter out, “W-we’re just fr-friends. That’s all.”

Zevran put his arm around my shoulders and leaned in closer. “Ah, but you see, that is just the thing. Friends can become much more. So were I you, I’d find some reason to tell him you are no longer interested in being ‘friends’… or better yet, perhaps you should consider changing schools, yes?” He got up, graceful and fluid, then before my eyes, vanished into the shadows.

I glanced all around the room. No one else had apparently seen this. Had I just imagined that whole scenario? I then noticed I was clenching something in my hand. I carefully opened it… to reveal a tiny origami crow.

Alistair returned shortly and handed me a large glass of red wine. After the scenario with Zevran and finding the tiny paper crow, I had stuffed it into the crevice of the setteé. I took a few deep calming breaths to try and settle my jangling nerves. Can’t let him know that anything is amiss. Just need to get through the rest of this evening… then I can work out what I will do.

“You are doing better?” he asked.

I took a sip of the wine and replied, “I’m fine.”

“Well, that is good.” He held out his hand and helped me to stand. “Come now, it is time for dinner.”

Dinner was an utter disaster. For one thing, I wasn’t seated next to Alistair, but all the way at the opposite end of the table. I could barely see him at the far end, seated near Maric and Cailan. Secondly, I looked at the place settings and wondered why there were so many utensils on the table.

I grabbed a piece of bread out of a basket and began nibbling on it, trying to calm myself again, only to get frowns of disapproval from the high-end guests seated near me. It was then that I noticed that no one was eating anything yet. They were patiently waiting for Maric to begin.

I tried to slowly set the roll back on my plate but accidentally dropped it. It bounced off my lap and onto the floor somewhere under my chair.

A few moments later, the first dish was now being served. A covered plate was placed in front of me and then opened to reveal some type of shellfish, still in its shell, with a green sauce covering it. I grabbed the nearest fork to me and stabbed it into the shell, not realizing that they were all sitting on a bed of coarse salt. Salt granules scattered off of my plate and went all over the table.

“What do you think you are doing?” It was the woman Alistair had introduced as Cassandra. Her Nevarran accent thick, she scowled. “Have you no manners?!”

Mortified, I put the big fork down, then realized that all the guests were using the smallest fork that had been at the end of the lineup of utensils. I murmured quietly, “I-I’ve just never been to a dinner… such as this.”

Her voice dripped with disdain. “That much is obvious.”

I wanted to vanish, but instead decided I’d be better off just trying to get this meal over with as soon as possible. I picked up the delicate fork and this time carefully pierced the meat. I had never eaten anything like it before, but since everyone else seemed to be enjoying it, I figured I should at least try it. It tasted salty and rich. I chewed carefully then swallowed. Deciding I didn’t care for it, I set the tiny fork down and decided to wait for the next course.

Several minutes later the shellfish plates were cleared and the next covered dish was set in front of me. The lid was lifted and what I saw made me blanch. It was clearly raw meat, and on top of that was a tiny uncooked egg yolk.

“Um…” I tugged on the sleeve of one of the men serving. “I think my dish wasn’t cooked?”

“Mademoiselle, that is steak tartare. It is supposed to be raw.”

Raw fish I could handle, as I loved sushi… but raw beef? My stomach churned. As the other guests were eating the meal and I saw the egg yolk running down the plate, I knew it was too much. I quickly got up, but in my haste, I knocked over my wine glass.

“My dress!” Cassandra cried. “You clumsy girl!”

I could take no more. I stumbled away from the table. My high heel pierced the dinner roll that had been under my chair, causing me to trip. But I managed to get away and to the bathroom before I vomited on the floor.

From the other end of the table, Alistair saw what had happened and tried to get up.

“Sit… down,” Maric commanded.

“But… I need to see if she is all right.”

“You don’t need to do anything but stay right here.”

Alistair glared at his father. He put his napkin down, pushed his chair back and stood up. “Please accept my apologies, everyone,” he said crisply to the guests. Then he got up and walked off.

I heard a knock on the bathroom door. From outside Alistair spoke, “Kylara? Are you all right?” There was a pause and then, “May I come in?”

Weakly, I replied, “Yes.”

The door opened slowly and Alistair walked in. He saw me sitting on the floor of the bathroom. Red splotches covered my skin.

Alistair knelt down next to me. “Oh! W-what happened!”

“I… I think I am allergic to whatever that shellfish was.”

“Oysters. They were oysters.” He held my hand. “Will you be okay?” “I think so… I only ate one.” I didn’t mention that I had thrown it up. “I have antihistamines back at the dorm.”

He stood up and then helped me up. “Let’s get you back home then.”

We rode back to the college in the limo in silence, then I finally said, “I’m sorry I ruined your fancy dinner.”

“You didn’t ruin it. After we left, I am sure that they continued on as if nothing had even happened.”

“But… I ruined Cassandra’s dress. She will probably insist I buy her a new one!”

“No. She won’t. I’m sure Maric will have already taken care of it.”

I held back a sob. “Your father doesn’t like me, does he?”

Alistair scoffed. “Maric doesn’t like anyone much. Don’t worry about what he thinks. I still like you, Kylara. Very much.”

I turned to look at the scenery blurring by the limo windows. I wiped a tear off of my cheek. “Why?” I asked quietly, “What is so special about me?”

“You are not like any other girl I have ever known. You are quiet, sweet, smart. You are also fiery, passionate about what you believe in…”

I smiled a little, even as another tear fell. “Even when I argue about the perfect grilled cheese?”

He chuckled. “Especially then.” He was silent for a moment, then said, “I want to continue being your friend.”

I thought back to what had happened with Zevran and the threat he had delivered. I shivered. “I… I don’t think it is a good idea, Alistair.”

“What? Why?” He sounded surprised… and a little hurt.

“I know you didn’t ask for this, but you were born into privilege… and with that comes specific obligations.” I let out a sigh. “I am not like the people who were there at the party tonight. I made a fool of myself in front of them all. We are two very different individuals, Alistair… and I don’t belong.” My chest felt heavy. “Not with them… and not with you.”

The limo pulled to a stop outside of my dorm. Without waiting for Blackwall to open it, I got out and began slowly walking to the side entrance to the dorm. I didn’t want to face anyone who might still be in the lobby. Suddenly my ankle wobbled and I fell to my knees. “Curse these fucking shoes!” I took them off and threw them into a nearby bush. Then I began to cry.

A moment later, I felt Alistair place his tux jacket on my shoulders. “Come on now, Kylara. Let me help you up.” Weakly, I accepted his hands as he pulled me to my feet. He walked me to the door, then finally asked, “Kylara, please. I know you think we have nothing in common, but I don’t want to lose you as a friend. I will give you some space for the moment, but I hope that you will reconsider.” He leaned down and gave me a gentle kiss on my cheek. “Give me a call or text whenever you feel ready, all right?”

I could only nod in silence. I then scanned my student id on the door panel and walked into the building. The lights were off in the hallway and when the glass door closed, I could see Alistair standing there with his hand on the door. Then he turned and slowly walked away with his shoulders slumped.

Fortunately, Leli was not in our room to cross-examine me about tonight. I sat down on the edge of my bed and it was then that I realized I still had Alistair’s tux jacket on my shoulders. I carefully took it off and then cradled it in my arms. When I held it up, I could smell his scent on it. I held it close to my nose and inhaled, then hugged it to my chest as fresh tears began to fall.

#fictober19 #dragon age #alternate universe #modern thedas #fancy dress party #socially awkward #angsty feels #minor language

[jazy3]

Thoughts on Grey’s Anatomy: 15X3

Owen and Amelia are back together again. I don't love them together, but I no longer hate it either. They actually seem happy together and non-abusive for once so that’s something.

Bailey clearly didn't think through what giving up being Chief of Surgery would mean and that really shone through in this episode. When Link thought Koracick was the new Interim Chief oh boy. Link is not getting on Alex’s good side at all. But his idea was pretty neat! We also learned that Fellows have a lounge on three and that Nico comes to the Interns Locker Room to be around Glasses. They’re so cute!

Welcome Jo Karev! I love this storyline. Krista and the new writers for Season 14 and 15 have taken Jo from being a character I couldn’t stand to one I am rooting for. I felt so bad for her in this episode. She got totally shafted because of Bailey’s snap decision. She made the best of it because she’s awesome, but that doesn’t make it okay. She fought to stay in Seattle and now Bailey is pushing her aside.

I liked that this episode included part of the scenes they filmed in Seattle! I felt bad for the cast and crew wearing fall clothing in summer heat, but they looked good and pulled it off! DeLuca did look awfully good on that bike!

Maggie trying to encourage Amelia to date DeLuca because of Teddy was both hilarious and heartbreaking at the same time. Then watching her try to set Amelia up with Link was just funny and ridiculous. At least Amelia took it in stride. Post-tumour I actually like her. Post-tumour Amelia is focusing on what’s important. She’s actually there for Maggie and Meredith and is genuinely supportive and strong.

One of the biggest revelations of this episode is that Jackson took a leave of absence and didn’t tell Maggie! He told everyone else via mass email. Maggie later picks up a voicemail from him that explains very little and which the audience doesn’t get to hear which is highly suspicious. A friend and I were discussing this after the fact and she had an excellent point. Usually if the actor is available we hear the voicemail or the other end of the phone call. The only times we don’t are when the actor is unavailable or has left the show.

There was no indication prior to this that Jesse Williams would be leaving which leaves the following possibilities in my mind. One, the actor has taken ill temporarily or had a personal issue arise so they had to write him out of a few episodes so that he could recover or deal with the problem. Two, the actor has become part of another project that now needs more of his time or has signed onto a new project and he can’t do both at the same time due to time constraints.

Three, the actor asked for some time off this season for family or personal reasons. Four, the actor is being written off the show in order to pursue other projects or they have decided to write him off for creative reasons. There’s no other information available at this time (that I could find) so we’ll just have to wait and see. However, Jackson doesn’t appear to be in the next episode so that doesn’t bode well.

I like the way Maggie’s character is being written so far this season. They’ve made her more likable, less totally awful, and I can actually relate to her character now. I like that Maggie and Meredith’s relationship is improving. That’s the whole reason she’s in Seattle so the whole ‘Maggie is a terrible sister and Meredith has to put up with all of her crap’ storyline made no effing sense.

I knew from the moment that the nose bleed patient appeared on screen and Vik blew him off that it was going to come back to haunt him. I didn’t realize just how bad it would be though. I liked that we got to see Koracick actually practice medicine! Before this all we had seen was him treat Amelia’s brain tumour but very quickly and from then on he’s being doing research. Roy was once again good for absolutely nothing.

In this episode we get some wise words from Koracick. “A nose bleed that brings a person to the ER is never just a nose bleed.” Very true. Also holds true for any kind of uncontrolled bleeding or persistent reaction as that means your blood isn’t clotting and and there’s some kind of underlining issue that needs to be addressed.

We also get some more information about Koracick here. His scrub cap has ace playing cards on it. A scrub cap is a very personalized item in the show so this means he has an affinity for gambling or playing cards or poker or that it’s literally lucky or it’s meant as a joke as he’s a neurosurgeon. When Vik defied orders to stop compressions and then refused to call the time of death and then literally threw his hands up in the air, threw a tantrum like a five year old, and literally ran out of the OR with two attendings calling after him I was so mad.

His line, “I’m just an intern” made it even worse. Yes you are an intern, but that doesn’t you don’t take responsibility for your actions or that you get to blame everything on inexperience. It’s a teaching hospital you are there to learn not place blame and literally run away screaming. If that’s your reaction under pressure that you can’t do the job. Period. You aren’t cut out for that line of work. Most people aren’t.

That’s why it’s hard and you have to go to school for a long time to work in health care at any level. The attendings take responsibility for the patient too and they talk to the family because they have more experience with it and so that the hospital hopefully doesn't get sued and the family doesn’t press charges. It is meant as a way to save the hospital from the wrath of upset family members not deflect responsibility.

I was happy when Alex FINALLY fired Roy! He so deserves it! There’s no chance of him coming back now. He got out of it the first time by claiming wrongful dismissal because of interaction he shouldn’t have had with marijuana. Webber reprimanded him for not stepping back when he told him to, but didn’t fire him because he was injured and it could be chalked up to a misunderstanding as Vik didn’t know that it was hairspray and it was going to ignite. But this time, as Alex said, Vik lied about treating a patient. He left the patient who had a persistent nose bleed that was gushing blood in the ER for five hours without ever doing a physical exam or ordering labs or alerting the nursing staff to check on them.

As are result of his actions and inactions the patient died. The patient was ignored so it can be presumed that their family wasn’t notified of their admittance and they don’t seem to even have a full name and they have no medical history. Which means they have to track down this person’s name and contact information and then identify their next of kin and contact their family. At which point they will have to inform them that their family member who they didn’t even know was sick has died. They don’t have a choice about firing Vik.

If they don't the patient’s family will most likely come after the hospital for malpractice or come after Vik and have him charged. It’s what we’d all do if someone treated our loved one this way. And no lawyer, no matter how good, is going to be able to argue their mistreated family member back to life. I loved that smirk at the end there! Alex finally did something right that everyone’s been wanting to do.

The shop accident was gnarly! I had to look away for most of it. Webber made treating the shop teacher WAY too personal. That was super problematic. What he did really borders on intimidation. And the patient turns out to have Auto brewery system. It was the jello! Webber was testing a theory, but that doesn’t make it right what he did.

I LOVED the scene between Meredith and Alex. It was classic Grey’s and perfectly encapsulates why they are such good friends. They get each other and are there for each other and inspire each other. And Alex is totally right. Mer has earned the right to pick and choose who she lets in and even if she hasn’t we all deserve to have our wishes and privacy respected in the way that we choose.

I loved Meredith’s interactions with CeeCee. Too funny! And I adored CeeCee’s shopping idea! She understands what Meredith is saying (or not saying) now. Work from the outside in. I really like the dynamic they have created. The scene at the end with Maggie and Meredith with Zola, Bailey, and Ellis stole my heart! So precious! FASHION SHOW! I like that they are including the kids more this season and they are clearly listening to the criticisms of the past few seasons where the kids were MIA and it was super obvious and ridiculous.

Annnnd that’s a wrap! I liked this week’s episode. I’m looking forward to seeing Meredith go on her blind date next week!

Till next time!

#grey's anatomy #Meredith Grey #thomas koracick #alex karev #jo karev #Miranda Bailey #ceecee #zola grey shepherd #bailey shepherd #ellis shepherd #Maggie Pierce #jackson avery #richard webber #Vik Roy #glasses #levi schmitt #Dr. Nico Kim #amelia shepherd #Owen Hunt #dr. link #atticus lincoln

[latetothegreysparty]

Enough Part 8

Well, I finally managed to finish up this chapter of Enough that has been sitting partially finished in my documents for weeks now. If you need a refresher because it’s been forever since I updated, links to the previous chapters can be found in my master post.

Enough Part 8

Amelia pulled the door to her apartment open and had Maggie enveloped in her arms before Maggie even realized what had happened. “Thank you so much for watching him while I go in today,” Amelia gushed. “I technically don’t have to go in, but DeLuca made it sound like the sky was falling, and I’d rather my department not be on fire when I get back.”

Maggie smiled as she pulled back out of Amelia’s arms. “Don’t mention it. I’m off today, but Jackson’s working, so I have nothing else to do. Besides, I’ve barely gotten to see Teddy at all. I wouldn’t turn down an opportunity to hang out with one of my favorite nephews.”

“Don’t get too attached, Mags, this is just until he finds a more permanent home.”

Maggie scoffed. “Well aren’t you just a ray of sunshine? Now can you show me where his stuff is so you can get going?”

10 minutes later, Amelia and Maggie were emerging from the nursery. “Oh, and there are extra clothes for him in the dryer that are clean. I just haven’t gotten around to folding them yet. You shouldn’t need them, but you never know with Teddy. Some days he’s a spit up machine.”

Maggie gave Amelia a gentle shove in the direction of the door. “Go,” she said firmly. “I’ve watched babies before. I have some idea what I’m doing. We’ll be fine for a couple hours. Do what you need to do, and don’t worry about us.”

Amelia pulled open the door, stepped through it, and smiled back at Maggie. “Thank you so much. I owe you.”

Maggie laughed. “Yes you do. For this and many other things.” Amelia didn’t even bother responding. Instead, she stepped through the door, walked out to her car, and headed down the road toward Grey-Sloan.

Amelia was pleasantly surprised by the state of affairs in the department of neurosurgery. After her phone call with DeLuca, she had been expecting them to be preparing for a dressing down from Bailey. After reviewing the stuff that needed her attention, though, Amelia found that the bumps in the road they’d encountered were minor. She had been able to handle everything in an hour, and now she was ready to leave the hospital. Well, she was ready to leave the hospital until she encountered Meredith.

“There you are!” Meredith called loudly from across the hall. Amelia waved and crossed the hall to talk to Meredith. “What’s going on, Amelia?” Meredith prodded, though her smile told Amelia she wasn’t actually upset. “You didn’t show up to work for three weeks, and then Maggie came home one night and told me you had a baby living in your house. Is this your version of a mid-life crisis? Because this is weird, Amelia. People who are having a mid-life crisis quit their jobs or buy sports cars. They don’t disappear from the face of the earth and acquire a baby. That’s weird.”

Amelia didn’t even know which part of that rant she should address. She figured she’d start with the easiest point to address. “It’s not a mid-life crisis,” she argued. “I’m too young for that.”

Meredith rolled her eyes. “Whatever. So were you ever going to tell me about this baby? Or was it just Maggie’s big mouth that gave you away?”

Amelia winced. “I told her to tell you. I meant to tell you myself, but then things got crazy. You wouldn’t believe how wild things can get when you’re by yourself with a newborn.”

Meredith raised an eyebrow. “Really, you think I wouldn’t?”

Once again, Amelia found herself wincing. “Oh, right, Ellis. I guess you would.”

“Maggie says you’ve only had him for a week or two, but you’ve been off work for three weeks. That means you must have known for a little while before you got him. Why didn’t you tell us?”

“Because I was afraid you all would judge me!” Amelia said far more emphatically than she had meant to. “I knew if I told everyone all I would hear was, ‘There goes Amelia again. She’s already tried drugs and moving around the country a few times, so I guess she was due for a different kind of craziness to spice things up a bit.’ I was freaked out enough, I didn’t need all of you people jumping down my throat.”

To her surprise, Meredith smiled kindly. “Do you know the story of how we got Zola?” Meredith asked.

Amelia nodded slowly, not entirely sure where this was going. “Yeah, she was a patient at the hospital and then you and Derek adopted her. Why, what does that have to do with anything?”

Meredith laughed. “That’s not the full story, though. Derek fell in love with her the first day he met her. That’s when he decided that he wanted to adopt her. Then he convinced me, and all of a sudden Zola was in our house. I couldn’t really judge you for taking in a baby so quickly when Derek and I did the same thing.” Amelia smiled at Meredith’s admission, but Meredith wasn’t done yet. “So I guess what I’m trying to say is that it’s just a Shepherd thing to see a random kid in the hospital and decide to take them home. You come by your craziness honestly.” Amelia had to laugh at that. It wouldn’t have felt like an honest conversation with Meredith if it didn’t include some sort of teasingly sarcastic remark in an attempt to diffuse an emotional situation.

“Thanks for understanding,” Amelia said quietly.

“Yeah, you’re welcome, just don’t ask me to hug you now,” Meredith said warily, but the tiny smirk she wore belied her bemusement.

“Of course not,” Amelia agreed. “Anyway, I should probably get going. Maggie’s on baby duty for me right now, but I’ve asked her for so many favors lately that I’ve lost count, so getting home promptly is probably the least I could do.” With one last smile and goodbye, the two parted ways and set out in opposite directions down the hallway.

Amelia was about to pull out her phone and text DeLuca about a few last minute thoughts when she noticed a familiar redhead coming in her direction. “Owen!” she called. He looked up from his phone and made eye contact. She noticed immediately that his eyes widened and he had the beginnings of a blush. She picked up her pace before he could run away from her like he had the last couple of times she’d seen him. “Can we chat for a minute?” she asked as she approached him.

He looked like he wanted so badly to decline her offer and head for the hills, but he sighed softly and replied: “Sure.”

“Great,” she said with rather forced enthusiasm. For whatever reason, he didn’t want to talk to her. This conversation was likely to be uncomfortable. She glanced around the area until her eyes landed on an empty bench. “Do you want to go sit on that bench?” she asked, gesturing to the seating she’d spotted.

“Sure,” he replied again. Apparently he wasn’t just acting awkward, he was also far from talkative. This conversation was likely to be very uncomfortable.

Once she’d situated herself on the bench next to Owen, Amelia turned to face him. She regarded him silently for a moment while she decided how to open the conversation. Given that he didn’t seem inclined to be overly communicative, she decided that being frank and to the point had the best chance of getting him to engage with her. “Why are you avoiding me?” she asked without preamble.

Once again, his eyes widened and a blush overtook his cheeks. “I’m not avoiding you,” he replied far too quickly and effusively to be convincing. “I’m just, um, really busy right now.”

She laughed softly. “You don’t have a poker face, Owen. Every time I run into you, you look like you’re about to shit your pants. Why are you avoiding me? Did I do something?”

He sighed. “You’re stressed,” he began. “You have a lot on your plate right now, I’m sure you’re really tired, and you’re stressed. You don’t need to have this conversation right now.”

She huffed in frustration. “Your evasion is adding to my stress,” she snapped. “So if you’re so concerned about my stress, would you please just tell me what in the hell is going on?”

He exhaled heavily, defeated. “All of this is very difficult for me,” he said quietly.

Despite her attempts to abate it, the frustration was building inside of her. His answers were short and clipped, and she couldn’t make heads or tails of any of it. “All of what?” she asked with a bit more exasperation than she’d meant to.

He stared off ahead, eyes glossing over with an emotion she couldn’t identify. “You starting a family,” he replied, his voice barely audible. He didn’t turn to look at her, but he could see in the corner of his line of vision that her mouth had dropped open slightly. She was getting ready to respond, so he start speaking again quickly so that he could explain. “When we were married, you told me you wanted a family. That was the most perfect thing you ever could have said because I wanted one more than anything. Then you thought you were pregnant, you freaked out, and you left my home. You left our home. You didn’t explain anything, you just left.”

He turned to face her now, and he could see that her back had gone rigid. He could tell she was feeling defensive. He’d fully expected that. Once again, he rushed to continue his explanation in the interest of getting it all out at once. “I know you’ve had problems before with motherhood, Amelia. I’m not angry that you struggled with that when we were married. But you left our home, you wouldn’t talk to me about any of it, and I had to hang in limbo until the next crisis came along and put our pregnancy issues on the back burner. To this day, I still don’t know what happened. And that’s okay. I’m not asking for an explanation. You were right when we talked before: we’re not married anymore, and you don’t owe me an explanation.”

Her face was softening a bit, but he still had more to say, so he forged onward. “But that doesn’t mean you don’t owe me anything. You know how much I’ve always wanted a family. You know how much it hurt me when you changed your mind and moved out. So you must understand how hard it is to watch you take in a baby when the ink is barely dry on our divorce papers. This is what I’ve always wanted, Amelia, more than anything. When we hit that rough patch in our marriage, I thought that you had changed your mind and didn’t want a family anymore. That hurt a lot, and it wasn’t easy to accept, but I was working on it. What’s killing me right now is realizing that you do want a family, but apparently you just don’t want one with me.”

She flinched as if she’d been slapped, and then the tears started flowing without her consent. She didn’t know if she’d ever felt so awful in her life. When she’d gotten high and said terrible things to the people she loved, she at least had the consolation that the drugs had changed her and caused her to say things that she never would have said sober. But what was her excuse here? “Owen, no,” she said, voice cracking through her tears. “The issues I had with having a baby when we were married had nothing to do with you. You can’t think that.”

Now a few stray tears were beginning to collect in Owen’s eyes as well. This was every bit as painful as he’d thought it would be. “How could I not think that?” he whispered. “How could I watch you finally decide to start a family right after we’d just gotten divorced and not think that?”

The pain in his voice sent a fresh wave of anguish ripping through Amelia, and she scrambled to come up with something to say. “I really didn’t think I was ready to start a family. Honestly. I thought I’d never get past the pain of my son. Then everything with Teddy slid into place before my eyes, and he was coming home with me before I knew it. I never meant for this to happen; it just did. And I really wish that it had happened when we’d still been married because Teddy deserves a man like you to love him.”

Owen studied Amelia. It really felt like she was telling him the truth, and he wanted so badly to believe what she was saying, but he couldn’t get rid of the pain he felt at seeing her with that perfect little baby. He had no idea where to go from here. “I believe you, I really do,” he said softly, “but I need you to understand how much this hurts. This isn’t something I can get past overnight. It hurts to watch you with him, and it will probably be that way for a while. I need you to give me some time and some space.”

She drew in a shaky breath. It wasn’t what she wanted to hear. She didn’t want the man she cared most about to be hurt when he saw her with the little boy who had wormed his way into her heart. She wanted him to be there to laugh at the face Teddy made when he was hungry and take advantage of how cuddly Teddy got when he was tired. She didn’t want this piece of her life that was filling so many holes inside of her to be carving holes into him.

Nonetheless, his explanation had made sense. She’d been too caught up in her own issues to stop and think about how this would affect him, but after listening to what he’d said, it all made sense. Though she wanted so badly for Owen to want to spend time with her and Teddy, she knew it wasn’t fair to ask that of him. “I understand,” she whispered, a few tears still lingering in her eyes. “I’ll, uh, I’ll try to keep my distance for a little while if you think that will help.”

He reached for her hand and squeezed it gently. “Thank you,” he said softly.

She nodded her acknowledgement. She stared at the wall across from her for a few long moments before speaking up again. “Owen?”

“Hmm?” he answered, her voice having jarred him from his own thoughts.

“I’m sorry all of this hurt you. I never meant for that to happen.”

He nodded. “I know.”

Those two words comforted her and broke her heart all at once. Unsure what else there was to say here, she stood up from the bench. “I should be going,” she said, already tossing her handbag over her shoulder. She was about to walk away, but something made her turn back toward him and open her arms. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly to his chest. “I really am sorry,” she whispered softly.

“Me too,” came his barely audible response. Another few tears leaked from her eyes. She stepped back out of his arms before she could really begin to cry in earnest. She stared intently at him, two sad pairs of blue eyes holding each other captive before she finally turned and began to head toward the doors.

Amelia struggled mightily the entire way home to quell the tears that continued to flow down her face, but they just kept coming. This kind of despair was something she’d never felt before. Sure, she’d felt hurt and guilty and angry with herself before, but this was entirely new. She couldn’t recall ever having hurt someone so badly without having any idea what she was doing while she was doing it. The anguish and self-loathing made her want to crawl out of her skin. Try as she might to pull herself out of her own swirling thoughts as she walked up to her apartment, her conversation with Owen seemed to have a relentless hold on her mind and heart. She was mentally and emotionally exhausted by the time she opened the door and trudged back into her apartment, still wiping tears from her eyes as she shut the door behind her.

Maggie immediately emerged from the nursery with a crying Teddy in her arms. “I’m glad you’re home, Mama, because this little one is not in a good mood,” Maggie mused, her attention solely focused down on Teddy’s red, distressed face as she carried him toward the entryway. When Maggie came to a stop, she finally brought her eyes up to regard Amelia. “Oh my God, Amelia, what happened?” Maggie asked with a forlorn, questioning look on her face.

The sympathy in Maggie’s voice cut Amelia in a way she hadn’t expected. She didn’t deserve sympathy right now. Not after what she’d unintentionally done to Owen. Beyond that, she was far too exhausted to even consider the notion of explaining this whole mess to Maggie. “Nothing,” was all she could bring herself to whisper in response to Maggie’s question.

Maggie cocked an eyebrow. “The tears and red face don’t exactly look like nothing.”

The frustration and fatigue won out, and Amelia was snapping back before she had a chance to stop herself. “Well it is nothing, so I’d appreciate if you’d hand me back my little boy so I can get him settled.”

Maggie’s reaction was immediate. She jerked her head backward, clearly startled and hurt, before recovering and nodding. “Of course. Here you go,” she whispered as she held Teddy out.

“Thank you,” Amelia bit out, pulling the baby to her chest as she walked to the kitchen to heat up a bottle for Teddy. She didn’t even turn to watch as Maggie slipped out the door. After the bottle had finished warming, Amelia offered it to Teddy, but he shoved it away and continued to wail, so she set it down on the counter with a frustrated sigh and carried him back to the nursery.

“Do you need a new diaper? Is that what you want?” A quick trip to the changing table told Amelia that wasn’t it either. As she picked Teddy up and carried him to the rocking chair, the tears that had largely faded returned to Amelia’s eyes. “Well, I just found out that I broke my best friend’s heart without even trying, and then I came home and yelled at my sister for no good reason. That, and I’m tired and confused,” she explained, looking directly into Teddy’s face as she spoke. “So that’s why I’m a crying mess. What’s your deal, buddy? What has you so upset?”

Teddy’s only response was to add a bit of kicking and squirming to his cries. In her current state, this compounded her emotions. “I’m sorry, little bear,” she vented, her frustration showing a bit in her tone. “I know you deserve somebody who’s stable and knows what you need when you’re upset. You don’t deserve a weepy crazy lady. But I’m all there is right now because the world sucks and people are too scared of a child not being perfect to take a chance on a beautiful little boy who has so much love to give. So for right now, you’re just going to have to make due, okay?”

She pulled him in close and rested his tear-stained, scrunched up face against her shoulder. She began to rock the crying, squirming child, all the while doing her best to keep her own tears from running down into the soft hair that was beginning to grow on his head. Amelia couldn’t recall the last time she had felt as inadequate as she did in this moment. It seemed like what she had to offer wasn’t enough for any of the people who were closest to her heart. Nonetheless, this was all she knew to do. With defeated resignation, she continued to rock her crying foster son, crying right alongside him until they both gave way to their exhaustion and drifted off to sleep in the rocking chair.

#omelia #omeliafic #omeliafanfic #amelia shepherd #owen hunt #maggie pierce #meredith grey #grey's anatomy #greys anatomy

[pofcroyalfanfiction]

Chapter Fifty Four - Somebody Elses Party

Soon the garden was packed with guests, all dressed in their summer finery. Her birthday party had become one of the Queen’s palace garden parties, except it was even more exclusive. Where were the casual outfits? Where’s the rocking music and kids running around? Most importantly, where were any of her friends from Marlborough?

Ellie tried to be as polite as possible with everyone who spoke to her, grateful for their time and efforts in their charities, now without Charlotte to help keep conversations going, but all the while she was on constant lookout trying to spot at least one girl from her dormitory. It had been at least two hours and she’d had no luck, even Taylor Swift had been swept away by the grownups.

She would know a thing or two about best friends.

At least the family was still here, tactically dispersed throughout the garden to talk to as many people as possible and push the royal brand. Savannah and Isla were there, hiding by the bushes with the other teenagers and kids, keeping to themselves. They beckoned Ellie over, noticing her discomfort in the middle of the crowd, the center of attention, but as soon as she made a move to reach them, she was swept aside by her grandmother, Camilla.

“Eleanor, darling, are you enjoying your party?” she asked sweetly.

“Yes, granny, it’s lovely.” Ellie lied. Half lied. Mostly lied.

“It’s a wonderful gathering, so many bright minds come to see you. You should feel very special.”

She hated being told how she should feel, but felt bad for feeling anything but special.

“I do granny, I do.” Ellie reassured her, feeling even more guilty.

It’s not that I’m not grateful for them, I can be charitable, I’m a nice person. I just… don’t want them here. Shit, that sounds terrible.

“Have you seen any of my school friends?” Ellie asked hopefully, even though she knew her grandmother had no clue who her friends were. As sweet as she was, Camilla still thought she liked Take That, even though they were before her time.

“School friends, dear? Camilla seemed confused. “This isn’t really the right place for that sort, is it?”

“That sort?” Ellie pressed her. Thankfully she was well practiced in disguising her irritation. Camilla didn’t pick up on it.

“Yes, the rowdy sort. I imagine your school friends are rather less refined than yourself. Marlborough has been going downhill for years. I did argue for you to be sent to Queen’s Gate and then Mon Fertile, but your mother insisted on Marlborough.”

Ellie ignored that jab. Camilla had always been clear, either outright stating it or via a veiled remark, that she felt Ellie had had too much of a ‘common’ upbringing that was not fitting of a future queen. This was no different.

“It is where she went, granny.” Ellie reminded her.

“I know, I know, it’s a family thing. I still feel you would have done better at Queen’s Gate, at least then you would have made friends we could actually invite.”

“What does that mean?” Ellie was now struggling to hide her anger.

“Darling, did you honestly expect your mother to send any invitations to Marlborough? This was always going to be a formal event, although between you and me, this seems far too casual.”

Ellie was seething. She turned away from Camilla and watched the party, soaking it all in. The party atmosphere had vanished and all she could see was money. The posh and the wealthy, the upper class. She was growing more and more uncomfortable by the second. Why would her mother let this happen?

This isn’t me. She knows this isn’t me.

Camilla seemed to pick up on her frustration, “Don’t worry dear, it’ll get more formal as you get older.”

“I’ll speak to you later granny. Thank you for coming.” Ellie kissed her on the cheek and made a quick escape before Camilla started talking about bringing back the 60’s and arranging her debutante ball.

Ellie made her way through the crowd, thanking everyone for coming. She briefly shook hands with Idris Elba and talked about his new film, then he introduced her to even more acting pals. Ellie remained polite throughout, but kept trying to navigate her way to her mother who was holding court in the middle of the garden, with George and Charlotte holding onto her legs.

“Mum, can we talk?” Ellie asked quietly.

“In a minute sweetheart, you need to meet Danielle and Willa here.” Kate put her hand on the small of her back and ushered her towards the two women.

It stayed that way for the next hour, being introduced to practically every guest present by her mother, who kept her hand on her back throughout as if she was showing her daughter off. Ellie felt like a piece of meat, being auctioned off to various charities that wanted her to become a patron. Kate was trying to get her to show an interest, tactically introducing her to charities she thought Ellie would be interested in.

The trouble was that Ellie wasn’t interested in any of them, not strongly enough to pick one as her first ever patronage. She liked horses, yes, but hadn’t had much time to ride whilst at school. Music was great, but the most musical related thinking she’d done recently was what to add to her studying playlist on Spotify.

It’s not like I’ve been allowed to go to a concert before, either.

She was only fifteen, and yet she was expected to be strongly supportive of a cause close to her heart, but what?

She’d tried to ask her mother about her friends, but all the talk of her future had drained her energy.

“Mum, I need to pee.” She whispered in her mother’s ear.

Kate gave her a squeeze and kissed her on the forehead. “All right, come right back poppet. Lots more people I want you to meet.”

Instead Ellie snuck her way out of the party, using the same arch way that her great grandparents had used hours before when they arrived. She knew that all eyes were on her anyway, including the cameras, so there wasn’t much point in sneaking, but she did so anyway. It wasn’t like anyone was going to stop her.

The atmosphere was much quieter outside the garden, with no guests milling around and just the caterers and staff busy carrying trays in and out of the party. They all gave her space, and didn’t complain when she picked a few cocktail sausages from a plate and dipped them in tomato sauce. She hadn’t eaten in hours and the hunger pains were hitting hard, only noticeable now that her anxiety had been lifted.

“We can get you a sandwich if you’d like, ma’am.” A freckle faced young woman told her. She was one of the masses of staff that had been hired to cater the party, and someone who seemed just as tired of the guests as Ellie was.

“Oh please! That’d be amazing.” Ellie gushed, wiping her mouth with her hand. Etiquette be damned, she just wanted to eat.

Ellie told the woman what she’d like, and while the other caterers gave her shifty looks, she quickly prepared a cheese toastie especially for Ellie.

“This feels like my first birthday present.” Ellie spoke with her mouth full, savouring the flavour. She’d almost forgotten what the whole party was for.

The woman frowned at her. Ellie immediately worried about how that came across, and so to not sound like a spoiled little girl she continued. “Fourteen birthdays before this, none have been as formal as this.”

Nice, Ellie.

The woman appeared slightly uncomfortable, unsure what to say. She smiled at Ellie as she enjoyed the sandwich, then finally spoke. “To be fair, this doesn’t feel like a fifteen-year old’s birthday party.”

“It doesn’t?” asked Ellie, wanting to hear the answer from somebody else.

“Nah, I’ve worked those too. Nothing like this.”

“What does this one feel like?”

“Kinda posh.” She spoke with a thick Geordie accent. “Fanciest gathering that I’ve worked.”

One of the woman’s colleagues came over, curtsied to Ellie, and took the woman aside. Ellie listened to their whispering, apparently the other servers thought that the woman was avoiding work to chat with celebs.

“I should get back.” The woman said, grabbing a tray of freshly cooked sausage rolls and rushing off.

“Thanks for the toastie!” Ellie yelled after her.

So, this is what her life had become. No longer having fun, joy filled birthday parties with friends and family. Instead having quiet, respectful ‘gatherings’ with a bunch of unfamiliar faces, which would get even more tightly controlled if Camilla was to be believed.

Ellie retreated further, wandering behind the catering trucks, past the hustle and bustle of the staff and guests that were leaving early. Occasionally she’d pass by a few guests she didn’t know who had left to find more secluded spots to escape the party, just as Ellie was doing. They bowed to her, tried to apologise and said they were “just about to head back inside.”

They all seemed to think she’d come out there to ruin their escape plans, and she rushed to reassure each one of them that that was not the case. They didn’t really believe her.

“We’re sorry, Your Highness.”

“Happy birthday, Your Highness.”

Grumpier than ever, she found her secret spot. It was a little space between the hedges that nobody knew about, just next to the woods and not far from the nearest river. It was the perfect place to hide from everyone at the party, even her family, all except the cameras. It was a good spot to have one of the CCTV cameras as, from up high, it offered a view of the whole garden. Ben also happened to know it was one of her spots.

She bent down, her knees rubbing in the dirt and no doubt muddying her dress. With a little testing of the hedges, she found the spot where the twigs weren’t so dense and pushed them aside, revealing a hole in the hedge that she could crawl through.

She made more noise than she normally did getting through the hole, all the twigs and leaves rustling as she squirmed past, a sad reminder that she wasn’t a little girl anymore. The sound of the party was still dominating her ears, yet even when she stopped moving to remove a branch that had caught on the sash of her dress, the rustling of bushes continued. Ellie listened closer, the sound wasn’t from anything she was touching. It was coming from her hiding spot.

She crawled faster, doing her best to be sneaky. The noise of the party helped mask her movements as the rustling up ahead hadn’t stopped, but now she could hear new noises. Soppy and sucking sounds, like two wet fruits being grinded and slapped against each other.

“Eugh” Ellie whispered. She watched as two guests sucked face in her favourite hiding spot, forever tainting it. This made her even more grumpy, but at the same time she couldn’t help but watch them.

Their faces were obscured, but the two sparkly dresses and sets of high heels made sure that whoever they were, it was going to be controversial. Ellie couldn’t stop herself from audibly gasping and interrupting the pair when one of them finally turned towards the light.

“Your Highness, uh, we’re so sorry.” Hailee Steinfeld said to her, blushing a deep crimson as she tried to fix her lipstick with one finger.

Dakota Fanning just smiled awkwardly, hiding her hands behind her back and bowing her head slightly. She let out a nervous giggle.

The two women towered over Ellie in their heels, but having them both nervous around her, seemingly unable to leave, was unsettling. Two of the biggest actresses in Hollywood caught making out in front of her, grown women, and yet they were apparently waiting for Ellie to relieve them.

“It’s okay.” Ellie finally said, remembering to say something. The two women visibly relaxed.

The last thing Ellie wanted to be in that moment was a Princess. She wanted to gossip. This was huge. An utter scandal, and at her own birthday party! Hailee was supposed to be with Jason from the Bass Boys, Dakota was apparently sworn off relationships forever.

Both women apologised again and made their escapes quickly. As soon as they were gone Ellie spun around, completely blown away by what she’d seen. She wanted to tell her friends, to laugh, to theorise, but nobody was there. She spun around again and then collapsed onto the floor, breathing heavily and realising how much she’d tightened up in front of them.

“That was huge!”

Ellie shot back up to her feet. Taylor Swift appeared from behind the hedges.

Is everyone sneaking through these hedges now? And is this why Taylor is always making headlines? Because she’s hiding behind the bushes during all the big scandals?

“You scared me.” Ellie clutched her chest, slowing down her breathing.

“Sorry, Your Highness.”

She’d had enough. Ellie’s mask slipped.

“Please don’t call me that. I don’t want to be called that. Not today” The words stuck in her throat.

Taylor stood there, watching for a moment while Ellie sat back down again. After a long awkward silence in which she could tell Taylor was debating whether to stay or go, her idol finally sat down next to her.

Ellie couldn’t speak, stunned by how surreal everything was. Sitting in seclusion, stars starting to appear in the sky whilst the party droned on behind them. Not to mention that star studded make out session. She had no doubt it was these sorts of moments that inspired a lot of Taylor’s songs.

Oh God. “You’re not going to write a song about this, are you?” Ellie asked.

Taylor laughed. “No, probably not. Hailee’s a friend.”

“You haven’t written about friends before?” Ellie probed.

“Well yeah, just not by name. Didn’t you ever listen to Bad Blood?”

“It’s one of my faves, I listened to it a lot when Alex stole one of my games.”

They both giggled. “That’s a valid reason.” Taylor nudged her arm.

“Cause now we got baaaaad blood, it used to be maaaaad love!” They sang it together.

The awkward silence came back as they sat together, listening to the party.

Taylor leaned back, her hands in the grass. Ellie could feel her eyeing her up from behind. “So, what do I call you, if not Your Highness? Gotta say I’m used to your cronies telling me to stick to the titles.”

“They’d also tell you to curtsey.” Ellie added.

“Do you want me to curtsey?” Taylor asked, moving to stand up.

“No, please don’t.” Ellie quickly put her hand on Taylor’s knee. A curtsey from her would ruin the day even more.

“All right.” Taylor sat back down, then edged closer to her. “So what can I call you?”

“Ellie’s fine.”

“Ellie, then.”

More awkward silence. Taylor watched her closely, then started rubbing her back in a caring, motherly sort of way. Ellie was in dreamland. Surely this was every Swifty’s dream.

“Do you wanna talk about it?” Taylor asked.

Ellie could feel her emotions boiling over, tears gathering in her eyes. With all the fear and anxiety the party had caused her, now to top it all off was embarrassment. To be so emotional in front of a stranger was so foreign to her, so unbelievably different to how she normally was.

“I hate that I’m crying.” Ellie felt her skin warm up as she said the words.

“It’s okay to cry.” Taylor soothed her.

This is so weird.

“I just wanted a normal birthday party, okay.” Ellie struggled to explain herself, stuck between wanting help and not wanting to sound spoilt. “Instead this happened.”

“Not what you expected?”

“Sometimes a celebrity will be there, but its normally just friends and family. It’s never about work.”

“Nobody wants to work on their birthday.” Taylor gave her a comforting squeeze. “You know, I remember coming to your sixth birthday party a few years ago. You were adorable.”

“You were at my birthday?” Ellie asked, blown away once more.

“Yea-aaah.” Taylor told her, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Your dad and I did some karaoke together. He’s not a bad singer.”

“Ugh, don’t tell him that. He’ll be singing for days.”

They laughed together, making the tears roll down her cheeks. Ellie went to wipe them away but Taylor did it first. “Ellie, we’re friends, right?”

Ellie nodded eagerly. Yes, yes, yes!

“I know our lives are so, so… different, and the amount of pressure you must be under is just… insane. I see you every day in the news and you handle it so well, it’s inspiring.”

“Stop, you’ll make me cry even more.” Ellie pleaded.

Taylor pressed on. “I feel like I’ve gone through some of what you’re experiencing. This expectation to be someone for everyone, it’s tough to keep up. You’ve gotta have time to be yourself, have friends you can be yourself around.”

“They weren’t invited. Not classy enough.” Ellie said bitterly.

“I don’t believe that for a second.”

“It’s true, Mum didn’t invite them.” Ellie looked around, aiming to glare at her mother before realising that a dozen hedges blocked the way.

“The Kate I know wouldn’t do that.” Taylor told her, her eyebrow raised.

Ellie just shrugged and didn’t respond, her mood turning sour once more.

“When I was a lot younger, just starting out, I had to go to a lot of parties like this. Ones where I had to impress strangers, practically sell myself. It was stressful as hell and sometimes I just wanted to run away.”

“Sounds familiar.” Ellie said sarcastically.

“Sometimes I did run away.” Taylor shook her slightly, gazing intently at her. “Right out the front door. Just walked down the street for a bit, or found a nice place to sit and zone out. It was the best feeling in the world.”

Taylor stood up, then turned to Ellie and grabbed her hands to lift her up onto her feet as well. “I hear there’s a nice little river nearby.”

“Yeah, just through the woods.” Ellie pointed into the thick woodland, away from the party.

“Go on then.” Taylor urged her, a beaming smile on her face.

“Go on? What?” Ellie just stared at her, wide eyed.

“You need this Ellie, I’m looking out for you.” Taylor dragged her up to the edge of the woods.

“You’re serious?”

“I am!”

Ellie bounced on her heels, getting excited. Should she really do it? Just leave just like that?

And never come back?

Taylor kept urging her on, turning her to face the forest every time Ellie spun around in circles.

“Just go be yourself for a bit, breathe, have a nice walk. You’ll feel so much better.” Taylor nudged her forwards with a hand on the small of her back. “I promise.”

Ellie stood frozen as she felt Taylor step away, moving back towards the party. It was so exciting! She couldn’t think straight, her hands were trembling, her feet itching to move. She could sense Taylor a few steps behind her, watching, waiting.

Her ears perked up, a strange whirring noise high up above her brought her out of her reverie. She looked up, following the sound all the way up to the camera. It was staring right down at her, following her every move.

Fuck.

Ellie stared up at the camera, knowing exactly who was watching her. She could feel them politely asking her to return to the party, in that way that sounded like a suggestion but was most definitely an order. Ellie didn’t move. She felt guilty, but she wanted this, she needed this.

She mouthed the word please, then desperately looked to the woods, to freedom. The camera kept watching her, as if it was waiting her out. Expecting her to back down, but she didn’t want to.

“Please Ben.” She whispered. Surely he’d understand. He’d know she’d stay safe. Staying at the party was the more dangerous option.

#royal fanfiction #fanfiction #kate middleton #prince william #pofcroyalfanfiction #royals #british royal family #emma watson #creative #royalfanficcollection #royalfanficcentral

[feywildrp]

Welcome to Feywild’s sixth event!

It’s An Fidchell! What some humans have been training a whole year—or their whole lives—for. It’s time for the high stakes game of the fey to happen on the summer solstice. Unlike the training, which happens at Goldhide Hall in the Seelie Court or Barebone Hall in the Unseelie Court, the annual An Fidchell event gathers every and all fey to the neutral and sacred area of Tara in An Sídalann to watch. It takes place in a round, open-air arena (see above, center) not unlike a gladiatorial setup. 

Unfortunately, unaligned humans cannot attend, but don’t worry—they’ll have somewhere else to be shortly...

For timeline purposes, the event is timestamped for June 21st at sunset. There is tailgating prior, so you’re welcome to write threads before sunset. This is a two part event; it just got too lengthy, so this part is setting the scene and exposition of important information. Details of what happens next is coming in an hour or two! Our next event will be on July 27th.

THE STORY

The weather in Tara is a beautiful, temperate 53 degrees, clear and sunny, with a gentle but not disruptive breeze—not unlike the weather in Ireland right now. Everyone will have been filing in all afternoon, jockeying for the best seats, sharing elixirs and drinking and laughing, some even tailgating the event while others hold their spots. As the sun gets lower in the sky and the shadows get taller, the fey and their aligned humans will filter into the arena.

Everyone stands until the King of the Seelie and the Queen of the Unseelie enter, at the same time, from different side hallways and walk to meet one another in the royal box that overlooks the center of the board. On this special occasion, even the royal Staves make an appearance, one in the hand of each Court. Only once the rulers are seated do the rest sit. Then Lark steps out of the center hallway and to the center of the board, her feet light across the checkers of gold and bone white, and she sings Glory and Gore to the delight of the cheering, onlooking crowd. She rallies their excitement and their allegiance before retiring to her chosen, choice seat.

As the reigning champions from the year prior, the Seelie enter first. Forest begins the line as the Overseer; he says, “Nature’s first green is gold,” the Seelie motto—pausing for a roaring cheer and the stomping of feet—before continuing, “May I present to you the Seelie Elite 5 of 2018: Rachel, Michael, Davey, Guilia, and Scott!” And the Players enter in behind him, dressed in their sleek gold uniforms so that the blood falls clean off and leaves them unblemished. As each name is called, the Player removes their veil—for the Seelie, a gold lace embellished with swarovski sun rays—to show their faces. Should they die, the veil will become their shroud.

After the Seelie Players receive a standing ovation, Ivy, as the Unseelie Overseer, enters from the opposing hallway—where the Queen had entered from—and she says, “Blood is bright but bone endures!” causing mayhem to erupt on the side of the arena housing the most Unseelie, hooting and hollering, until the Queen makes a regal gesture with her open palm held up to ask for quiet. Ivy continues, “May I present to you the Unseelie Elite 5 of 2018: Celine, Alexander, Elise, Roberto, and John!” And the Players enter in behind her, dressed in their supple white leather uniforms so that by the end, each uniform will be drenched in and proudly display the blood of their opponents. As each name is called, the Player removes their veil—for the Unseelie, a black lace embellished with swarovski icicles—to show their faces.

It is then that the Overseers go to their sides of the board and the Players take their starting positions on it, with two in the back and three in the front, with the most adaptable—or expectedly so—as those front three. In fidchell lingo, the front three positions are called branches, while the back two are called roots. Then, all eyes turn to the royal box, awaiting their announcements and commencements. Each royal is in their finery today, accompanied in their box by their Archfey: Garnet, Oleander, Cobalt, Camellia, Malachite, and Rowan. Each face is composed into intensity or into excitement, or both.

King Adare speaks first: “Welcome to the 413th annual An Fidchell game!” and the crowd goes wild once more. They had played fidchell before that fateful summer, but 1605 was the midsummer that the fey set the same date and protocols every year and made it into the formal game it is known as today. “I would like to take this time to proclaim that the Seelie Court has known its first birth in nearly sixty years! Hail the future heir, my son, Prince Ossian!” And he gestures to where Freesia sits—not in the royal box because she had declined the invitation, but nearby—and some applause goes through the Seelie, though it is elation mixed with tension.

He goes on to say, “In the event that the Seelie should lose this year, I have wagered to name the mother of my baseborn children, Marigold and Jasmine, and I will keep this vow.” After this, Adare again takes his seat, and the Queen stands, continuing, “In the event that the Unseelie should lose this year, I have wagered to name the father of my heir, Princess Camellia, and I will keep this vow.” There is a small pause, almost a hesitation but not long enough to be one, before she continues, “And with this statement of wagers, let the battle of Gold versus Bone begin!” Queen Lacha commanded before retaking her seat.

As the underdogs, the Unseelie get to make the first move, and so Ivy starts, telling Celine to move diagonal right...

THE LAST MATCH

Trigger warning for violence, gore, blood, and character death. Written by Ellie @daveyventura with consent from Amoux @elise-senfuit

This was a nightmare Davey’d had before, but he’d gotten the details wrong.

The blood staining his hands was warmer than he’d expected; bones cracked and crumbled under his steel bat with sickening ease; death came so much more quickly than he’d anticipated, the light leaving each fallen Player’s eyes in an instant.

With each death on his hands he felt neither relief nor guilt; he just felt farther away, until he was aware of only his hands and his bat and the ache in his chest that begged for this day to be over.

Two of them left, and this also was just like his nightmares. Some nights it was Danica he stood opposite. Sometimes Kaitlin. Today, Elise.

But this time he wasn’t dreaming his friend standing opposite him, looking every bit as weary as he felt—and every bit as heartbroken, and every bit as determined. There were no friends on the fidchell board, there were no people, there were only killers and victims.

Weren’t they all victims, really?

Davey’s eyes held Elise’s, a moment of shared understanding. They’d still been teenagers when they met, living on their own for the first time, going out with friends and goofing off and talking about their dreams late into the night. How could either of them have known, then, that this was how their friendship was to end?

Davey didn’t want to fight Elise, and he had to believe that she didn’t want to fight him either. But here they stood.

The moment passed, and in an instant everything shifted.

This was it. This was the moment he’d been waiting for. Bottom of the ninth. Bases loaded. And fiery as Elise was, as far as she’d gotten herself in this game, Davey had to believe he could take her. This game was his to lose—and he’d always performed well under pressure.

He let her make the first move just as he’d anticipated she would, Elise lunging at him with her knife and Davey grabbing at her wrist with his free hand, stopping the blow and sweeping his bat at her legs, knocking her to the ground. But she was as quick as he was, rolling out of the way of his next blow and using her own leg to mimic his first move and knock him to the ground as well. Before he could get to his feet she was on top of him, her knife plunging toward his neck.

It was all he could do to lift his right arm to block her. He hissed in pain as the blade sliced deep through skin and muscle, his fingers reflexively dropping his bat. First blood. This was the point in training where the fight would stop, with Davey declared the loser. But this wasn’t training.

Adrenaline kicked in and Davey’s left hand shot out to wrap around Elise’s wrist. She was surprisingly strong, Davey had to give her that—but he was stronger. He twisted until she let out a cry and dropped the knife, then he forced her off of him. Davey turned over, blood spilling hot and heavy from the cut on his arm. They both scrambled for the knife that had skittered a few feet away from them, a mess of arms and legs and shoving and scratching until finally his fingers connected with the knife’s hilt and he twisted to strike at her without thinking. 

The blade plunged into her side too easily and he scrambled backwards, reaching toward his bat until he realized she hadn’t moved. No —she’d crumpled to the ground, a hand clutching at her side as blood gushed from the wound he’d just inflicted.

No.

It wasn’t supposed to happen this fast.

All at once the guilt he’s been waiting for all day swelled up inside him and brought him to his knees beside her. “Elise.” Her name left his lips a broken whisper, the varied cheers and murmurs and cries of despair from the audience lost to him as he pulled his friend into his arms.

This wasn’t what he wanted.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, frantic eyes searching hers. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I—”

“Davey,” a frail hand reached for his and he squeezed as tightly as he dared, afraid of making this moment any more painful for her than it had to be. “Stop freaking out.” A strangled noise that was more a sob than a laugh bubbled out of his throat and he managed a small nod, his free hand smoothing her hair gently. “I’m not mad,” she whispered, sounding farther away now and he had to blink back the tears pooling in his eyes so he could give her a watery smile. It didn’t matter that she forgave him, though there were no words to express how touched he was that this was how she was spending her last few breaths. “Just… promise you won’t forget me.”

This time Davey couldn’t stop the tears spilling down his cheeks. “I promise, Elise. Never.” Even as she spoke the words he was struck by the weight of his lie, by the weight of the wish he’d just killed her to make. But she’d been his friend before all of this; she wouldn’t be forgotten, even if this moment would be. “I promise,” he whispered again, mustering up another smile because if his was the last face she saw, he wanted to be smiling for her. “You did so good, ‘Lise, ya damn firecracker.”

She smiled back, opened her mouth to speak—and then she was gone, her body limp in his arms as a final breath escaped her. Davey didn’t hold back his sob this time. He pulled her close and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered one more time.

And then he looked up, aware of the crowd for the first time since the fighting began. It was over. He’d won. And Bette was still gone, forever asleep in the ground beneath his feet, with nine new bodies to join hers.

His eyes found Forest’s first, a new understanding of what his Overseer carried with him. “Thank you,” he mouthed to his coach, before he scanned the crowd for Kaitlin, right up front and sporting his Yankees cap. It was hard to meet her eyes now, with the weight of what he’d done and the weight of what he was about to wish freshly on his shoulders, but he forced himself to give her a small, sad smile. “Come find me,” he mouthed to her. Only then did he lay Elise gently on the ground and pull himself to his feet to face the King.

THE CURADMÍR

Often disputed violently, just as in An Fidchell, the Curadmír or Champion's Portion was an ancient custom referred to in early Irish literature, whereby the warrior acknowledged as the bravest present at a feast was given precedence and awarded the choicest cut of meat. And so Davey walks off of the fidchell board and toward his King, knowing it is his right to ask for a wish, knowing the deep cost, and knowing that it would be granted.

Knowing it isn’t the one he’d started with.

With pain in his eyes and an exhaustion that went into the dark crevasse of his soul, a newly cleaved section only just discovered drenched in blood, Davey waits for the King to arrive. After Davey’s win, a few things happen: Queen Lacha’s face changes, only for a moment, before becoming recomposed. King Adare leaves the royal box, but Rowan does too—heading to take Gale to the Unseelie hallway on the command of the Queen. King Adare is radiant and nearly glowing as he descends to Davey on the fidchell board.

He raises Davey’s hand into the air in a winning stance he has seen humans performing, declaring, “Behold! The 2018 An Fidchell Champion!” as the entire arena gives him a standing ovation. Even those Unseelie who hated to lose, they understand the ferocity of the battle and offer him a modicum of respect. “Davey Ventura, what is your wish?” the King asks, his Stave out for all to see, ready to perform a rare magic that even he could not do alone.

“I wish to be free, and to forget everything about the fey and Fidchell. And if ya could get me back on the Yankees too, that'd be real awesome,” he replied, dead eyes earnest. Some laughter moves through the arena.

The King laughs, too, and replies, “Only one wish, but I imagine you can get back onto the Yankees yourself,” gesturing to the bat that was Davey’s trademark weapon in this event. Adare closes his eyes and seeks the seams of Tara, touching them with the Stave, and willing that Danu would grant him this as he and others had been granted the ability to do before: the art of the wish.

And so, just as the bodies are beginning to be covered with their jeweled shrouds and moved underground, through the hollow tree and down the stone stairway and across a river to Hybrasil and its fields of poppies—just as this is happening, so is Davey’s mind being wiped, all traces and memories of the fey and their lore and their world—anything that could remind him or lead him back—is utterly removed. For the expanse of the year he’s lost, false, foggy memories are placed, memories of grieving over the loss of his sister. The King opens a portal and pushes Davey into Manhattan, free of them.

And that’s when all hell breaks loose in the arena.

#event #event 006 #feywildrp #an fidchell 18 #long post #long post is long

[weascleys]

Baby Steps: Chapter 14

Chapter Title: Apologies  Pairing: George Weasley/Donella Stirling (Original Character) Warning(s): none Words: 1366

Chapter Summary: Fred and George attempt to apologize to Ella over breakfast. 

When Ella completely ignored them that night Fred and George decided that did not like it when Ella was that upset with them. They had to figure out how to get right with her because they both knew deep down that they were in the wrong. They sat together in the common room, secluded in a corner with their heads together like they often did.

“How are we going to make this up to her?” George wondered aloud.

“I dunno,” Fred said, “she’s your girlfriend.”

George smacked Fred on the shoulder. “She is not my girlfriend! She’s my friend, and she’s your friend too. You should be just as sorry as I am, if not more.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You went way harder on her than I did! You just had to go on about her ‘perfect’ family and all. That’s probably what set her off!”

“You said something first!”

George sat back in his chair and blew out a huge breath, rubbing his temples. “Alright, alright, fine. We both messed up, let’s leave it at that.”

“Agreed,” Fred sighed and also leaned back. “So what are we gonna do?”

“I dunno. We could buy her some candies and stuff on the next Hogsmeade trip?”

“But we’ve already done that so many times.”

“You got any better ideas?”

“Yeah,” Fred said with a smirk, “You could propose.”

“Oh, sod off! You’re the worst.”

“I know. But anyways, the next Hogsmeade trip isn’t for like two weeks and we need to get right with her now.” But George had a blank expression on his face that Fred had figured out meant that George was not listening. Then he snatched a piece of parchment off a nearby table and a quill and began to write furiously on it. “What is it, Georgie? What’ve you got?”

“I’m writing to Mum,” George mumbled and continued to scribble on his piece of parchment for a considerably long time. “Go up and grab the map, we have to send this by tonight,” George said, sealing up the letter and signing it.

Fred dashed off to get the map and came back in under a minute, and they set off to the Owlery. George explained the rather simple yet incredibly sweet plan that he had hatched on the way there and Fred had no doubt in his mind that it would definitely get them back on Ella’s good side. Upon their arrival at the owlery, they chose one of the owls that would have their letter delivered within a few short hours, so hopefully, their mother would send them a package in return when the morning came.

The morning after Ella’s fight with the twins, Sunday morning, Ella found herself eating breakfast with Juni, Katie, and Cho at the Ravenclaw table again. Everyone was a little tentative to conversate with Ella today, she was even snappier than she had been the previous day.

“Are you still refusing to speak to them?” Katie asked her quietly.

“Yes,” Ella said through gritted teeth. “If they want to speak with me then they can apologize. I’m not the one who was in the wrong.”

“Okay,” Juni said, “but you yelled at them too. I think you all have some apologizing to do.” And Ella gave him that look that she did when she knew that Juni was right, but she wasn’t happy about it, nor would admit it. Especially not when she was in such a sour mood.

“Cho,” Ella snapped, “would you please stop staring at Jackson? It’s not going to happen! Besides, he has it for Angelina. So you might as well stop while you’re ahead.”

“Oh,” Cho said dejectedly, “right. Sorry, Ella.”

Ella sighed and slowly ran her hands through her red hair and tugged. “No, I’m sorry, Cho. I didn’t mean to snap at you. I’m just in a bad mood.”

“Really?” Juni said. “I never would have been able to tell.” Ella kicked him under the table.

And then Katie Bell saw Fred and George heading over to them, George holding a decently sized parcel. “Uh oh,” Katie said and nudged Ella to warn her.

Fred and George approached the table and Ella paid them no attention. Fred cleared his throat and still, nothing. The two twins exchanged looks. Apparently, they had thought it would be easier than this.

“Good morning, Ella,” George said brightly. Ella barely even moved her head in acknowledgment.

“We’d like to talk to you, Ella,” Fred said. “Alone,” he added, eyeing the other two girls and Juni. The three of them cleared out quickly despite Ella’s warning don’t-you-dare-leave-me glares. When they were gone, Fred and George sat down on either side of her and Ella’s shifted uncomfortably. They placed the parcel in front of her.

“And what’s this?” Ella said haughtily, pushing her glasses up on her nose.

“A peace offering,” Fred said, offering her a big smile.

“A peace offering? That’s all I get? A peace offering? You’re not going to apologize or —”

“Yes, we are,” George said, cutting her off before she could go on another rampage. “Ella, we are deeply sorry for what we said to you and we hope, from the bottom of our hearts, that you will forgive us.” Ella gave him one of the most irritated expressions he had ever seen her make. “We’re serious this time.”

“We really are sorry,” Fred added. “We were really big prats...especially me, and we wanted to make it up to you,” he nudged the box towards her, “so we got you this.”

Ella eyed them suspiciously but reached to unwrap the gift anyways. As she removed the wrappings, her eyes brightened. What she found was a plethora of Fizzing Whizbees, her favorite, and big black jumper with a light pink “E” worked into the front of it. Her eyes shone with tears, but not angry tears this time. She cursed herself for having such a wild emotions. One minute she was ready to rip their heads off, the next, she was moments away from crying because she was happy, a trait she got from her mother. “What’s this?” She asked them.

“We wrote Mum last night and told her we needed her to make this for you immediately. We figured you would like it,” Fred said. "And Mum would basically do anything for you."

“Yeah, besides,” George said smiling hugely at Ella, “who said you aren’t a Weasley?”

“Oh!” Ella said in a fit of emotion and wrapped her arms so tightly around George’s neck that she almost knocked him off the bench. Fred watched with amused eyes and winked at his brother. “I’m sorry too!” Ella said, but it was muffled by George’s shoulder. She pressed a loud kiss to his cheek and then did the same to George.

“I really am sorry that I yelled at you guys...and that I called you jerks,” Ella said blushing. “It wasn’t your fault that you didn’t know about my dad and stuff, I mean, how could you? I never told you.”

Fred shrugged. “It’s not big deal, we’re over it. Aren’t we, Georgie?”

George nodded, but he seemed more concerned about Ella’s burly seventh year brother, Jackson, strolling towards them looking rather unhappy. Before Ella and the twins had become close friends, Jackson had adored the twins. But in the last two years, he had become very overprotective of Ella and rarely ever regarded the twins with more than a glare.

“What d’you have there, Ellie?” Jackson asked, leaning over her shoulder.

Ella rolled her eyes and decided to play it up, just to annoy her older brother. “Fred and George’s mum made me this jumper! Isn’t it lovely, Jackie?” She gushed, making very certain to call him by his childhood nickname.

Jackson turned red and pursed his lips to keep from yelling at his little sister. She had just embarrassed the daylights out of him, but he didn’t want to lash out at her, she had had a rough weekend. “Yeah, well,” Jackson grumbled, looking rather defeated, “I’m taking some of these.” And he took a box the Fizzing Whizbees, Ella and the twins sniggering as they watched him walk away.

#hp #harry potter #hp fanfiction #harry potter fanfiction #george weasley #george weasley fanfiction #baby steps #baby steps chapter #baby steps fanfiction #mine #weascleys writings #strictly weascleys writings #oc #donella stirling #juniper kyeong #fred weasley #katie bell #cho chang #jackson stirling

[aubreyskade]

Picture Perfect(29)

I came awake when I felt the bed shift, and I automatically reached out for Selena. Turning my head, I saw her sitting  on the edge of the mattress.

"Morning, baby," I smiled at her.

"Good morning," she said, leaning over to kiss me, "You know, you make it impossible to surprise you with breakfast in bed when you wake up before I want you to."

I threw an arm around her before she could pull away. "Since I'm awake now, I can think of much better things to do in bed." I grinned and wiggled my eyebrows.

Selena kissed me again, "You're the worst."

"You know you love it," I laughed.

"I do," she admitted, "but we have a lot to do, what with it being your birthday and all. So, here's what we're gonna do. We're going to make out for a while. Then you are going to shower while I make breakfast. Then, maybe, we'll make out some more. After that we can plan out the day. Deal?"

I pulled Selena closer. "Deal," I agreed against her lips before kissing her.

As I put the breakfast dishes in the sink we began to plan. "We have your dads' house first, of course." Selena said, "Then I thought we could go to my parents' house. After that we can get lunch at that diner you love. We can go to Shay and Toryn's place next, then Mike's. This way we end the day with dinner at your mom's. How's that sound?"

"That sounds perfect," I told her.

"Great!" Selena walked over to me, "Now, let's make out some more before we get started."

"Happy birthday!" My dads called and pulled us both in to a tight hug as we walked through the door.

"Thanks, Dad. Thanks, Daddy." I kissed both their cheeks before stepping back.

"Should we assume you've already eaten?" Dad asked, ushering us to the living room.

Selena laughed at the same thing he asked every year. "Yes, I made her favorite this morning." Dad laughed too at Selena's typical response.

Just then Daddy walked in with coffee for everyone and placed a gift on my lap. "I thought we should do this now, and then we can just spend some time together."

"Before you open that," my hands froze at Dad's words, "we should explain something. A bunch of us talked, mostly through Selena, and together we decided to do a theme for your presents this year. 'Then and Now.' We all had to find one of our earliest pictures with you, and one of our most recent."

I smiled, "That's really cool."

Daddy put his hand in Dad's and nodded at the gift for me to continue opening it.

Under the wrapping paper was a black metal dual frame. Inside the first frame was a shot of Dad standing behind Daddy, who was holding baby me. Dad's arms were wrapped around us both. The second frame held a shot of the three of us from last Christmas, our arms around each other, Santa hats on our heads, giant grins pointed at the camera.

"I love it!" I gushed, getting up and hugging my dads to me, "I love them so much. Thank you."

"You're welcome," they both said, hugging me back.

"These are so cute," Selena smiled, sitting on the arm of the chair I was in.

I wrapped an arm around her waist, "I really am." I grinned up at her.

"And oh so modest," she laughed, leaning down to quickly kiss me.

We chatted for a couple hours before moving on.

The visit to Selena's parents' house was much like my dads'. Their gift came in two small wooden frames. Since we didn't have many pictures together, their "Then" photo was one Selena's mom, Jane, had taken. Selena, Toryn, and I were in a blanket fort we'd built in their living room. I was laying on the floor, Toryn was laying on my back, and Selena was laying on Tor, we were all laughing.

Their "Now" photo was of Selena and I asleep last Thanksgiving. I had worked a long early shift, then came home and helped Selena, who had spent all day getting the house and food ready for company. We were both exhausted. I had stretched out on the couch, already half asleep by the time Selena laid on top of me. I was awake just long enough to kiss her forehead and wrap my arms around her. Selena's father, William, had then put a blanket over our legs and snapped a picture.

We spent some time with them, and I thanked them repeatedly, before heading to lunch then on to Toryn and Shayla's.

Shayla immediately dragged Selena inside and kissed her, then turned and kissed my cheek without letting go of Selena.

Toryn put her arm around my shoulders and led me away. "Let's give them some time," she indicated Selena and Shayla, who were wrapped in each others' arms.

"Since they'll probably be distracted a while, I'll give you the present myself." Toryn directed me to her room, where she opened a drawer and pulled out two photo strips. The first one was from when Tor and I dated, filled with typical date pictures. The second one was the four of us from a couple weeks ago, they alternated sweet and goofy.

"Technically, the 'Now' strip is already yours. You forgot it when we went our separate ways. The 'Then' strip I found the other day, I assumed you wouldn't still have your copy."

"I lost mine years ago, I was devastated when I realized," I admitted, "So, thank you, so much, Tor. This means a lot to me." I hugged her tightly and kissed her before letting go.

We left the room to find Selena and Shayla had made it out of the doorway and to the couch.

"Did you give her the gift, babe?" Shay asked when she saw us. Tor nodded and kissed her.

"What'd you get, my love?" Selena asked. I sat on her lap and handed over the pictures.

Toryn handed me a beer and we played video games until it was time to go.

Ellis had plans so we couldn't stay long. His gift consisted of two Polaroids. One was us at one of his high school parties, standing on a pool table, sword fighting with pool sticks. The second one was us on the couch at his house with controllers in our hands, my legs stretched along the couch, feet in Ellis' lap.

We stayed long enough for me to get the pictures, hug him quickly, and threaten to steal his Polaroid camera.

"Mom, we're here!" I called out when we walked in her house. Her dog greeted us at the door then went back to his bed.

Mom came out of the kitchen carrying a tray with coffees and my favorite cookies.

I hugged her when she put the tray down then immediately grabbed a cookie.

"These are so good!" I fawned around a mouthful of cookie.

"Thank you, dear," Mom laughed when I grabbed several more cookies before sitting down. Selena handed me a napkin to put the extra cookies on then handed me my coffee.

"These really are amazing, Jackie," Selena agreed after taking a cookie from my pile .

"Thank you, Selena," Mom said, "I remember Kai mentioned they were her favorite, so I thought I'd give it a try."

After catching up for a bit Mom said, "As you know by now, we all decided on a theme for your presents."

"It was actually your mom who started the whole thing," Selena admitted.

Mom smiled at her before continuing, "I did come up with the idea for your gift, and everyone liked it, so we all agreed to do it together."

"It's such a great idea," I told her, "It's been so cool to see all the different pictures."

Mom smiled again and gave me two gifts. Inside one was a silver Mother/Daughter frame with a picture of Mom hugging me during one of our last visits. The second one was a cheap frame, but the picture inside brought tears to my eyes. A younger version of Mom was in a hospital bed cradling newborn me to her chest, while a man I recognized as my biological father, Ryan Tanner, pressed his forehead against hers. They were both smiling down at me.

Mom sniffled before explaining, "I thought about getting a nicer frame, but that particular frame is the very first decoration Ryan and I bought for our house. That picture was the first thing we ever put up."

"I can't take this!" I exclaimed, "It's too important to you."

Mom wrapped her hands over mine around the frame. "Yes, you can," she insisted, "I have another copy of the picture and I know you'll treasure that as much as I do. So, please, keep it."

I nodded, ignoring the tears threatening to fall, as I stood up and we held each other tightly.

Over dinner Mom told us more stories about Ryan, and I told her more stories about my childhood.

"Good birthday?" Selena questioned when we were back home.

"The best," I told her, "Thank you for putting the whole thing together."

Selena kissed me then handed me two frames. One held a picture I took of us kissing on the swing in Ellis' yard, just days after we started dating. The second picture, which I didn't remember, was nearly identical, but only a couple of days old.

"When I saw that old picture I knew we needed to recreate it for the 'Now' picture. That's why I convinced you we had to go sit on the swing."

I laughed and kissed her again, "I love it. And I love you. Thank you, again, for doing all this. Today has been amazing."

"You are very welcome," Selena smiled and maneuvered so were both stretched across the couch with her laying on top of me.

I pulled the blanket off the back of the couch to cover us, and wrapped my arms around her, already drifting off.

The last thing I was aware of was the shutter sound of the camera on Selena's phone as she took a picture of us. I really liked this "Now".

Aubrey Skade 01/02/2017

#Kai and Selena #short stories #my writing

[jchb32273]

Fictober 2019 - Day 1

A little late in posting today, but here is Day 1 - Trust me, it will be fun!

Fanfiction - Dragon Age

AO3 Link

~~~~~

“Kylara?” I heard knocking on our bathroom door. “You can’t hide in there forever! I can pick the lock, you know!”

I groaned, knowing my roommate, Leliana was all too serious. The last time she’d been caught, she got fined for breaking school property. It still didn’t stop her though… “All right! I’m coming out now!” I looked at my reflection and thought, I look ridiculous!

I opened the door, just as Leli was pulling out her picks. She gasped in surprise. “Oh, you look so pretty!!” She grabbed my hand and pulled me into the bedroom of our dorm. “Now go on and put on the rest of your costume! You’ve already made us a half-hour late!”

“I still don’t know why you are making me go to this Halloween party. I don’t know anyone there!”

“Which is why you need to go, Kylara! You need to get out more! Socialize!” Leli stood there in her sparkling black cat costume and frowned a bit. “I will not let you sequester yourself in the library or the dorm room for the entire year! College is about having fun!”

“College is about working hard, getting good grades, and hopefully a meaningful career,” I countered. “Especially when you are on a scholarship like I am.”

“That doesn’t mean you need to stay cooped up all the time! Come on now, it will be fun, trust me!”

I sighed as I pulled on the silly mouse costume she had bought me. I am going to look so stupid in this… “The Theirin’s are the ones hosting! I bet there will be nothing but a bunch of rich kids with bank accounts bursting at the seams. I won’t know anyone there!”

Leliana came over and put her hand on my arm. “This isn’t some high-end social gathering by Maric or Cailan. Alistair is hosting this party. Also, you know me, and that guy you know from your science class… Cullen? He’ll be there. Morrigan is also going.”

“The goth girl from your poetry club?” I asked, curious. “Why would she even consider going to such a soiree?”

Leli giggled. “She said she was curious about how the other half lived.”

“I’m sure that isn’t her real reason.”

“Probably not, but it’s what she told me. Actually, I think she knows someone who might be there and she was hoping to meet him.”

“Who?”

“The bass player in Alistair’s band.” she replied.

“With all the money his family has – and their precious reputation – you’d think they wouldn’t let him have such a hobby… or host wild parties.”

Leli shrugged. “He’s always been the black sheep of the family and was only recently ‘brought back into the fold’, from what I’ve heard. So I guess as long as he doesn’t do anything to embarrass them…”

I tried to think back on what little I knew of the Theirins. Maric was the CEO of a huge business here in Denerim. His wife had died some years ago and his legitimate son, Cailan, was already vice-president of the firm. The scandal of the family was that shortly before his wife had died, Maric had had an affair. That was where the second son, Alistair, fit in. Initially, Alistair had been sent off to live with some distant relatives, but now that he was in his third year here at Denerim University (and doing really well), Maric had apparently decided to claim Alistair as his actual son. There was probably more to the story, but I didn’t thrive on social gossip like so many others in my classes.

All I knew was that just about every female (and some males) around the campus gushed about how handsome Alistair was and how they were going to do everything in their power to get him to notice them… now that Cailan was engaged to some high-end socialite. Stupid of them, really. Last I heard, Alistair was heavily involved with another wealthy girl, Ellie Cousland, I think? Who cares… I am here at this school to focus on my education… not play games to win the affections of some spoiled rich brat.

I sighed again. “Just promise me you won’t leave me alone… and we won’t stay for long, all right, Leli?” I looked at myself in the floor-length mirror in the room. The mouse costume was tight and hugged every curve on my somewhat voluptuous body. The glittery, grey makeup on my face brought out the blue in my eyes (so Leli said), but it also forced me to wear my contacts rather than my glasses. I hated the contacts… they made my eyes feel dry.

“Don’t forget your cheese, little mouse!” Leliana laughed and handed me the stuffed cheese plush.

I rolled my eyes. “You know, mice don’t really eat cheese.”

“Tell that to anyone who has ever watched classic cat and mouse cartoons. Now come on! We are already so late! Let’s go!”

We arrived at a really large gated community on the outskirts of the city. Cars were parked all up and down the streets. Leliana found a spot on a side street about three blocks from the house where the party was being held.

The party was already in full swing by the time we got there. Despite my telling her to not leave me by myself, Leliana was greeted by several members of her poetry club, including Morrigan (who looked just as thrilled as I was to be here). They pulled her away from “the bookish nerd” (I heard one girl call me) and over to the stage where Alistair’s band was playing.

The music was obnoxiously loud, though I had to admit it did have a nice beat to it. Though I tended to prefer classical music, I still tried to keep up with what was popular on campus. I knew Alistair’s band, The Griffons, were quite the rage. I even knew who was who on stage. Fenris was the bassist. He was a broody elf with odd glowing tattoos on his brown skin. So that is who Morrigan likes, hmm? Interesting. The drummer was a huge qunari who went by the moniker of “The Iron Bull” on campus. With the pair of massive horns on his head, I could see why. The keyboardist was a guy I had only heard about from others. I only knew his name was Dorian and that he was originally from Tevinter. The second guitarist was named Anders and while he was quite the looker, he paled in comparison to the frontman.

I had seen pictures of Alistair in the school newspaper and in social gossip magazines at the store, but seeing him in person for the first time was quite a different experience.

I can see why women fall for him… I thought. He is very handsome. Under the lights of the stage, it was difficult to tell the true shade of his hair, but it seemed to be a rich auburn. His dark brown eyes radiated warmth and compassion. His voice was deep and melodious… it gave me chills as I heard him sing.

“Hey Kylara! Good to see you!” I heard a man shout next to me. I turned to see Cullen, who was dressed as a lion. He handed me a beer and I thanked him.

I nodded. “I have never heard him live… Leliana has some of his CDs, but it isn’t the same.”

“He is pretty amazing. I’ve known him for quite a while,” Cullen spoke loud so I could hear him.

“Really?”

“Sure! I can introduce you if you want to meet him.”

“Why would I? He’s handsome and popular… not exactly the kind of guy who’d be interested in someone like me.”

Cullen seemed surprised. “You never struck me as someone who judges others at first appearance, ‘Lara.”

I blushed (though it probably didn’t show through the makeup on my face). “I-I’m not… I mean… I’m sorry. You’re right, Cullen. But still, why should I meet him? Isn’t he already dating someone?”

“He broke up with her last night.” Cullen said. “Turns out she was cheating on him.”

“Oh, that’s terrible.” I could hear the song was nearing its end. “But again, Cullen. Why should I meet him? What do you think he’d see in someone like me?”

“Al is a real friendly guy… and he loves having people around him. However, it is always the same kind of people. I know he’s been getting really bored of it all. You, Kylara, are a sweet, quiet girl. You are smart and not at all like the women who throw themselves at his feet. I think Al might find that a bit refreshing.” The song finished just then and Alistair told the crowd he was going to take a ten-minute break. “Come on,” Cullen said and took my free hand. I put the beer down and grabbed my cheese plush. “Let’s go.”

Cullen pulled me through the crowd towards the stage so quickly that I didn’t see the large clown shoes in front of me until it was too late. I fell to the floor with a crash. People all around me started laughing… hard. Mortified, I got up and before Cullen could say anything, I quickly ran out a side door and out into the back yard.

I don’t know how long I was out there, but the cool autumn air was beginning to give me goosebumps. I had contemplated just going back to Leliana’s car, but I couldn’t remember where she had parked. So in the end, I sat out in the yard on an old swing someone had left tied to a huge tree.

Just then I heard footsteps behind me. A soft, but deep voice asked with concern, “Are you all right?”

I turned in the swing, twisting the rope, to see who had spoken. To my utter shock, it was Alistair! I quickly turned the swing back around as my face heated up. Cullen must have told him what happened! I suppose he needs to know if I am okay… so there are no lawsuits to sully the Theirin name. “I’m fine,” I mumbled. “I… just want to be alo- ” The old rope holding the swing chose that very moment to snap and for the second time that night, I fell to the ground. I wanted to cry, I was so humiliated.

Alistair knelt down and offered me his hand. “Please, let me help you up.”

At first, I just wanted to shout that I was fine and for him to leave me alone, but then I noticed his eyes were not haughty, but genuinely concerned. I gingerly gave him my hand and with a strong pull, he helped me to my feet.

“Are you hurt?” he then asked.

I sighed. “Only my dignity.”

Alistair smiled. “Well, I suppose that is good to hear. I hear dignity is easy to fix… if you know the right people.” He then leaned close and whispered, “I heard they even sell it in the back alleys of Orzammar sometimes…”

I couldn’t help it, I snickered.

“See now, that’s much better. A pretty smile from a pretty woman.” Alistair smiled and then asked, “So, what is your name?”

“Kylara.”

“Well, Kylara, it is very nice to meet you. I really like your costume, by the way.”

“Really? Why?”

He held out the cheese plush I had dropped earlier. “Well, for one, I do have a certain minor obsession with cheese…”

#fictober19 #no trigger warnings this chapter #Dragon Age #halloween party #friends #introductions #alternate universe #modern thedas