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#whiskers yelling
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What is it with me and blue haired anime bois...
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90% of people I simp for has blue hair...
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moonlight-drawings · 2 years
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25 posts!
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domesticangel · 22 days
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gosh your selkies having full-face seal whiskers is such a brilliant design choice, i love it so much!! do you mind if that's a thing others give their own selkie ocs? totally understand if not!
I don’t mind at all omg I’m just glad you appreciate their wheeskers CRIES🥺🥺🥺 PLEEEAAASSEEE give ur selkies whiskers, absolutely underrated part of seals’ funny little faces BUT TOGETHER WE CAN CHANGE THIS😤❤️
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wispstalk · 2 months
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i'm fishing for ideas to name Seadnha's crows and i gotta level with you, chatgpt. these are stupid as fuck
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loveisinthebat · 2 years
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Small scream friend
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selineram3421 · 2 months
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can I make a request for an Alastor x reader? Where y/n is Husk's sibling and Alastor won't stop flirting with y/n and Husk is just not having it? (And the rest of the HH crew are just in the background shipping Alastor and y/n)
*swipes up* Cat Demon Reader!!!! FUCK YEAH!
Hissy Kitty
Prologue
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Alastor X Reader
Warnings⚠
⚠ cussing, protective older brother Husk, Alastor loves annoying your brother, italics = thoughts ⚠
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Husk was very protective of you and made sure you were taken care of. In Living and afterlife, he kept you out of his "business" to keep you safe.
Of course you surprise him by showing up at the hotel.
"What the fuck are you doing here!?"
"Surprise!", you cheered and gave your older brother a hug.
He didn't want you anywhere near his work. It was too risky. You would have been made a target. He didn't want HIM to know about you.
"Answer the question.", he grumbled but hugged you back.
"I haven't seen you in a while and I just wanted to-", you began, pulling back a bit from the hug, taking a look around the hotel lobby that was behind him.
"Look, I'll call you and tell you all about it but you need to go before-", he tried to get you to leave quickly.
"Husker!"
Shit.
He was pissed that he was too late.
"What are you doing trying to chase a guest out?", the demon in red walked over and pulled you into the hotel. "We are trying to invite them in."
"This one ain't looking to stay in the hotel!", your brother hissed and tried to pull you away from the red dressed demon.
You were suddenly spun and dipped by the man in red. It shocked you so much that you held onto the red demon tightly.
"Welcome to the Hazbin Hotel! I am Alastor the facility manager.", Alastor grinned as he gazed down at you. "And who might you be?"
Such an adorable thing. He thought when seeing your ears pinned back and eyes having turned into slits, his grin widening when he noticed Husk getting angrier.
"Um..can you let me up now? This is a very weird way of greeting..", you squirmed, your tail flicking in annoyance.
After letting you go, Alastor took note of how bristled up the fur of his acquaintance was.
How interesting..
"Forgive me dear, I can get quite theatrical.", he laughed and fixed his bowtie. "And your name?"
"I'm-"
"Not staying.", Husk cut in. "They only came to see me, now back off."
"What the hell, can't I greet a demon?", you huffed.
Your brother pulls you away to speak in private.
"Not this one! This prick is someone I don't want you hanging around with.", he whispered growled, putting his hands on your shoulders. "Go home, put some wards or some shit for protection and don't come back here again!"
"Damn it Husk!", you slapped his hands away. "I came here to check up on you!"
Alastor stays where he is to enjoy the show. Glancing to the side when seeing Angel step into the lobby.
"Its been years! I haven't heard from you until two weeks ago about this place. Where have you been!? Do you know how worried I was!?"
"Psst! Smiles! Who the fuck is kitty whiskers?", the spider asks.
"Haven't the faintest idea but this argument is getting amusing.", he responds.
"I told you that I moved! That should be enough!", Husk gestured to the hotel.
"Yeah, its nice to know you're alive but you could have at least told me how you've been! Did you make any new friends? Did you drink until you blacked out again? Something else for fucks sake!", you yelled.
"I'm alive!", your brother yelled back. "I drank yesterday!", he pushed you towards the door. "I don't have friends!", he opened the door. "Now leave!"
"Tsk tsk!", Alastor tutted and used his shadows to pull you away from the door, moving you into his hold. "They are our guest, even if they are just visiting Husker~"
The Radio Demon's smile growing bigger when he saw the cat clench his fists.
"You are welcome to visit anytime to see this-", the red demon gestures to your brother. "-hissy kitty that you know."
"Ha!", you quickly covered your mouth to keep your laugh silent.
"A smile! Finally!", Alastor leaned closer to you. "I'd like to see it if you don't mind."
"Back off!", Husk pushed the red dressed demon away and took your hand. "Come on, I'll show you around."
"I can stay!?", you asked your brother.
"Only for a few hours!", he replied.
You stayed longer than a few hours.
Charlie had caught wind and was excited to meet you.
Husk drank from his bottle, watching as you talked to the Princess and Vaggie. The two were hooked on whatever story you were telling.
"So Husky~", Angel slid over.
"Don't you fucking call me that ever again.", the cat grumbled before continuing to drink.
"Who's the new cat strolling about?", the spider asked. "I've never seen you so pushy with someone before~ Are they an ex?"
"None of your business and ew. Fuck no.", Husk wiped his mouth after he finished the bottle. "Forget about them. They need to leave anyway.", he said before walking over to you.
.
"Hi Husk!", you waved as you entered the hotel.
"Fucking shit. What did you not understand about staying away!?"
You had a smug grin and pranced over to him.
"Can't really stay away from where I work~", you said and showed your employment papers.
"What.", your brother growled.
"While I was talking to the Princess during the tour, you stepped out for a bit and I told her I wanted to work here!", you beamed, cat tail swaying calmly. "So now I can't leave! Yay!"
"Are you fucking stupid!?", Husk yelled.
"Now Husker.", Alastor appeared from the shadows behind you, placing a hand on your shoulder. "That is no way to talk to your fellow coworker."
The Radio Demon smiled cheekily when seeing the cat demon's fur bristle in anger.
"Let's show you all of the staff rooms!", he said suddenly and turned you towards the stairs. "There are quite a few closets littered about for cleaning supplies! For now that is what you'll do with Niffty until the Princess can think of where to put you."
"Is there any cleaning supplies?", you asked a little suspicious.
"Haven't a clue! But let's find out!"
You were near Alastor most of the day.
Husk actually followed you both until the "tour" ended.
"And that is all of the cleaning closets so far!", the red man grinned.
All of you were now standing in one of the many hallways. The fourth floor if you remember.
"Thank you for pointing them out.", you removed his hand from your shoulder. "Little less of that if you don't mind."
"Oh! I didn't even notice.", Alastor held his hands behind his back. "Do remind me if I slip again."
Husk quickly took you away from the red demon and walked you towards the lobby.
"Look, I'm glad you're here. Really. But its not safe for you to be around that smiling asshole.", your brother hissed.
"Husk, I'm not as clueless as you think I am.", you sigh and shook his arm off. "I'll keep myself safe.", you finish and walk away.
The cat demon stayed behind, groaning as he slides his hand down his face, feeling on edge, tired, and annoyed all at once.
"I've never seen you around a demon like them~", Alastor appears from the shadows. "And you're so protective!", he walks in front of the cat demon. "What a good older brother you are.", he leans back and spins his head to look at the demon.
"Don't you fucking try anything!", Husk threatens.
The Radio Demon laughs and stands up straight. "We'll have to go over our deal again!", he says while fixing his coat. "I hope you added their protection in."
"You piece of shit-!", Husk extends his claws and opens his wings up.
"I must be off! Who knows what trouble the guests have gotten into already!", Alastor walks away from the angry cat.
The Radio Demon hummed as he walked down the hallway, a slight skip in his step as his smile grew wider.
Oh how entertaining~
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I love cats💕 Also this is turning into a short story because Husk is gonna be hella pissed.
~Seline, the person.
Part 1
Taglist@
@ducky-died-inside @scary-noodlesblog @c4rved-pumpk1n @stolas-thebirb @naelys-the-aster @biromanticboba @kiraisastay @pooplyface1423 @lbcreations-blog @gallantys @+?
ML for Alastor🎙 | ChL for HK😾
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shitsncraps · 1 year
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i think i could be hairier
in f act i should and the fact that im not, with the genes i have been made with, is a crime and im taking it up against my own anatomy
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clanslist · 10 months
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Warrior Cats Name Generator in 2023
FIRST LETTER OF FIRST NAME:
A - Aster
B - Blank
C - Cone
D - Dreary
E - Ebony
F - Flint
G - Gull
H - Hay
I - Ice
J - Jackdaw
K - Kite
L - Little
M - Moose
N - Newt
O - Olive
P - Pasture
Q - Quill
R - Rising
S - Soot
T - Trail
U - Ucinia
V - Veil
W - Whittle
X - Xylosma
Y - Yelling
Z - Zap
ZODIAC (SUN) SIGN:
Aries - dapple
Taurus - stomp
Gemini - eye
Cancer - feather
Leo - scream
Virgo - patch
Libra - heart
Scorpio - thorn
Sagittarius - fur
Capricorn - muzzle
Aquarius - storm
Pisces - whisker
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rileyslibrary · 1 year
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“You need to.”
“Need is a strong word, soldier; I need water, food, and sleep.” He states and points at the bunny costume you’re holding. “Now, this, I don’t need to do.”
“Come on, Lt., do it for the kids!” You beg.
He looks out the window at the funfair outside. Christmas, Easter, and Halloween festivities are held yearly at the local park, and the military base is expected to contribute somehow. Things like cooking and baking for example, or helping with the construction of the rides, and assisting with the general operations, were a few of the tasks you had to undertake. Apart from the famous egg hunt, the community has organized a variety of other activities this year, including egg and spoon races, potato sack races, and pony rides.
“Why don’t you put it on then if you care so much about the kids?”
“I’m on face-painting duty.”
“Why can’t I do the face-painting?” He asks, pointing at his black-painted, camouflaged eyes.
“We talked about this, Lt.,” you say and extend the costume to him, “you were the chosen one.”
The phrase ‘the chosen one’ was an exaggerated one but, in some ways, accurate. A few days before such events, the base held a raffle to determine who would perform as Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny. This year’s ‘lucky’ winner happened to be Ghost. You never did that for Halloween though, since there wasn’t an official ‘mascot’ apart from the pumpkins, and according to the Captain, “you were all monsters anyway.”
“I bet Soap planned all this,” he snaps, pointing to the fair outside, “I bet he rigged the raffle and wrote my name on every single ticket: Riley, Riley, Riley, Ri-”
He stops upon hearing your long sigh. “Soap would never do something like that,” you shake your head.
“Oh, yeah?” he asks, peering out the window again. “Where is he anyway?”
“He’s helping the kids at the shooting gallery,” you admit and quickly regret it.
“I’d be great at teaching kids how to aim!” he yells, raising both hands, “why does he get to do that?”
“You’d be the star of the show, Ghost!” you encourage him as you wiggle the suit. “The Easter Bunny!”
“I don’t want to be a star, soldier,” he snaps, shooing the costume away, “plus, I hate dressing up.”
“Um, Lt., sir?”
“Hm?”
“You’re wearing a mask with a skull on.” You murmur, raising your brows.
“That’s for a different reason, and you know it.” He stiffens and narrows his eyes at you.
You must come up with a solution quickly. There’s no way to persuade an grown ass man, especially a frightening one like Ghost, to dress up in a fluffy costume and cosplay as an imaginary character if he doesn’t want to.
“You can’t go outside with that cover of yours, especially on Easter,” you explain. “Now, this, on the other hand, comes with a full mask on...” You say and lift the bunny costume by the shoulders.
He groans and rolls his eyes. That’s his way of contemplating the idea.
You shrug and look at the costume. “I’d consider it a deal, to be honest.”
He looks at the costume, then back at you, takes the costume from your hands without saying a word, and goes to the toilet to get changed.
A short while later, he returns, this time in the form of a 6.5-foot-tall, fluffy, white bunny with pink ears. His hands—or rather, his paws—are hidden in the costume’s pockets, and he diverts his masked face away from you.
You swallow your laughter and nod vigorously in response.
“So, what do I do now?” he asks defensively. 
“Just act like the Easter Bunny.”
His ears and whiskers wiggle as he turns to face you. “How does the Easter Bunny act, soldier?”
That’s an excellent question. See, the Easter Bunny is cheerful and quite energetic. Ghost, on the other hand... well, let’s just say he’s doing a pretty good job on Halloween at the House of Horrors.
“J-just wave at the kids, Lt.,”  you shrug and hand him a basket full of Cadbury creme eggs, “and blow the occasional kiss.”
“Like this?” he asks naively and pats the mask’s buck teeth with his paw.
“Yes sir,” you reply, looking down at the floor to hide your smile, “exactly like this.”
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senawashere · 1 month
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Let me come home,cause home is wherever when i am with you..
A/n: i am soo in love with this one. It is inspired from the song "Home" by Edith Whiskers.
Bob floyd × fem!reader
Summary: Bringing the newest member of your family home.
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Everything felt so unreal. Like a dream.
It was so quiet.
And it was so peaceful.
After everything that happened that morning.
Screamings,cryings,yellings,and tears of joy.
The room was as silent as the color white.
The soft beeping sounds of machines could be heard every few minutes, but other than that, it was a void.
Compared to a few hours ago, it was peaceful now. The sounds of a crying newborn and a suffering mother were gone. Both of them were in a deep sleep, immersed in the world of dreams.
The only things visible when tiredness took over was happiness
However, sleep would have to wait since someone gently started poking your shoulder. You could tell it was Bob from the softness of the hands. His hands felt bare, except for one, due to the rings, and it was a rare and strange sight. Normally, he would even sleep with his rings on, but covering them with placenta and blood was not exactly what he wanted so he took off it and put it on his wallet,right next to your wedding polaroid.
"Baby? Sweetheart? Wake up." There was no softness in his words; he didn't want to alarm you.
As you opened your eyes, you had to squint a few times to sharpen the image. The light was quite dazzling, but it was only because you had just woken up. As always, you first focused on Bob and couldn't help but smile at his sleepy face. You knew that the smile was filled with pride and love.
"Where is he?" Even though Bob was the first thing you saw, this was the first thing on your mind.
Newest member to your little family.
All you could think of was the little bundle of love. Your greatest achievement and your greatest love. Your little birdie - as Bob called him.
Harrison Grant Floyd was born at 2:07 in the morning, weighing 3.48 kilograms. Although the pain from severe blood loss was almost as excruciating as coming out of an armed conflict, if you had to hold Harrison in your arms, you would do it all over again.
Your little birdie was born prematurely,around 4 weeks earlier, so he was smaller than most babies. He was, as both you and Bob accepted, the most delicate and delightful creature you had ever laid eyes on.
He was your creation, the most perfect thing created by both of you.
The moment he was brought to your arms, he immediately calmed down as if by magic and softened his body in your embrace. Bob watched both of you in awe, shedding tears at how strong you both were.
He was in love with both of you.
He never thought he would fall in love with you again but at that moment,he did.
And he didn't thought he would fall in love with someone else rather than you but at that moment,he did.
He was indeed a father.
The little birdie was here, and he was completely in love with him.
He was made for him.
He would give him everything he wanted.
Whenever he needed him, he would be there.
For any broken heart he suffered, he would be there to fix it.
He would always be by his side.
He would always support him.
He was in love with him…
"Sleeping over there." Bob pointed to the warm and cozy incubator that kept the newborn birdie asleep.
"Are you okay?" Wondering why he woke you up, you took his hand in yours.
With a protective stance, he stood over you, and as his forehead began to stick to your forehead, he parted your hair. His other hand was in yours, and you had never felt so safe.
When you caught the tears streaming down your cheeks, you saw the bouquet of happiness fly away as soon as you saw him running away. But he couldn't run away.
He was bound to both of you forever, and it was more than gratitude.
He couldn't leave you and your birdie; he didn't have the strength to do that because he had fallen in love with both of you again.
"Yes, my love. The doctors said we could take him home after tomorrow if we want to, but they recommend keeping him here a little longer. It's up to us." Bob looked at you with love. You couldn't help but gaze into those blue eyes that melted your heart years ago.
"I don't want to risk anything. If it's okay for you, can we keep him here a little longer?" You asked gently.
"Of course, honey. No problem. I just want what's best for him and you, okay?" He bent down to kiss your forehead and answered with a soft murmur before returning to his seat besides your bed.
...
Your dad was a complete mess.
A few hours after you woke up, your parents and Bob's parents came to the hospital to see your newborn birdie, and your mother had taken you into a relentless frenzy—she managed to do so when Bob's mother came and succeeded in getting her away from you.
Your dad had gone straight to the sleeping Harrison and stood at the head of the incubator.
He would sacrifice his life for him.
Probably everyone would.
It didn't take long for him to realize that he had the world in his hands. Harrison cried so loudly that you could swear Bob’s heart split in two—he hated that. Still, Bob came to save him and picked him up from the crib, calming him down with his lullabies.
"That's enough, my birdie. I'm here." He whispered softly, feeling his fatherly instincts kick in.
Then, Harrison was in your dad's arms, gazing at him with innocent eyes, his cries turning into quiet whimpers.
And at that moment, your father was a goner.
"Hey,man. What do you think about being a grandfather?" Bob's father, Bill, patted your father's back, trying to bring him back to reality.
"Wow. We have a birdie in the family now." Your mother commented with tears in her eyes.
"I can't believe I'm a grandmother." Bill’s wife, Tamara, was smiling from ear to ear.
Bob’s mother, Tamara, approached you and Bob with a big happy smile.
"He's beautiful, isn't he?" Sarah said, looking at Harrison in Bob's arms.
"He's perfect, just like her mother." Bob replied, exchanging a loving glance with you.
"Don't flatter me Ms.Floyd" you laughed.
....
The next few days were like a dream.
You, Bob, and Harrison spent few days in the hospital room, surrounded by the love and joy of your families. The room was filled with laughter, stories, and the occasional baby talk.
Even the whole squad came for a visit.
Bob’s parents and your parents took turns visiting, bringing gifts and expressing their excitement about the new addition to the family. They all took turns holding Harrsion, marveling at his tiny features and cooing at his cuteness.
As the days passed, Harrison’s health improved, and the doctors were pleased with his progress. The time finally came when they said you could take him home.
Bob swore he couldn't be more happy. You and Harrison being by his side and being happy.
...
Four days later, you could swear that Harrison was almost the size of a watermelon.
Okay, maybe he wasn't that big, but he was growing faster than you'd ever want to admit. He wasn't a chubby baby like both you and Bob were. He was a bundle of sweet little joy.
Last night, you fully realized that your life was about to change indefinitely, and you couldn't be more excited to take your new family home.
Both your families and Bob's had returned to your home to take care of small things for you. For example, your mom had cooked enough lasagna, pies, and curry to last you two weeks, so you and Bob didn't have to worry about cooking dinner yet. His mom had baked plenty of cakes and cleaned the house. Your dad had watered the garden and planted new flowers in pots. They were the greatest support team you could ever ask for.
Bob was currently talking about the adventures he would have with Harrison while dressing him in a blue onesie. First, he would take him home and show him his beautiful blue room and then he was already planning to take him to the base.
He would teach him how to crawl, walk, talk, swim, and run. He even added, "And no breaking hearts" looking at him with a serious face, but Harrison seemed unfazed.
"Bob!" You raised your eyebrows, he was overly protective, but oh, you loved him.
"Don't say that," you laughed to yourself while putting on the hoodie he brought for you. Getting out of that ugly hospital gown and back into your own clothes felt good. Your pregnant leggings fit you perfectly and made you feel strong. Bob couldn't keep his hands off you, so you handed him the task of dressing your son to keep him out of trouble. You were busy preparing the baby travel bag to leave.
"Stop waving your arms like that, sweetheart! Your dad is doing his best, but you're not helping, my love." Bob chattered to your son, who was attempting to put his hands in his mouth. You could already tell he would be curious about everything and anything. Whether alone or as a family, he would love life - you were sure of it.
You smiled as you watched their interaction. The perfect family. Your perfect family.
Collecting the bags, you went over to Bob, who attacked you when he saw you.
"For God's sake, drop these damn bags on the floor right now! Oh, woman, stop doing something and just rest." Bob made you put the bags next to the door, and you chose to join him in his stress.
"First, shut up," you said sternly to him, not liking the idea of him thinking you were helpless just because you gave birth. "And second, would you calm down?" You finally chuckled as you finished dressing your son. How adorable they looked, indescribable. So cute and soft. Just too innocent.
You looked at him with so much love as he looked at your son. You hoped the universe could contain all the love for him,as it wasn't big enough, it was infinite.
"Okay, I'm sorry." Bob sighed, slumping his shoulders slightly.
"Hey, talk to me. What's up?" You asked him, going to him and leaning your head against his chest. Often, near his chest, buried in his neck, even within you, was where she found the most comfort, he would say.
"He's just perfect. I don't want to mess things up," he admitted, holding you closer.
"You can't ruin anything. There's no rule for parenting. As long as you love him, keep him safe, and let him be happy, he'll know you're the best dad. You were born for this. Still, I know you are," you reassured him. You told him that your birdie was watching him. You knew Bob was watching him - how could he not? He was everything to him.
"I'm so glad I found you," Bob thanked you by kissing the top of your head. Whatever the situation, he always knew how to handle it.
Muttering in response, you pulled him a little closer. Both of you, unexpectedly, witnessed your baby boy-wrapped sneeze the quietest sneeze.
The first time.
Many firsts.
Even if he had a wet nose and hands now, this sight made your eyes watery. Harrison looked at both of you, confused about what just happened.
"Bless you!" You laughed at him, wiping him nose and hands on your sweater sleeve.
"Did you just sneeze, sweetheart? Did you do that?" Bob asked rhetorically, with a tired expression on his face. You saw him wipe his arm on his face, clearly being as teary as you were. He saw you looking at him and blushed.
"Shut your mouth." He told you what he had said to himself.
Every moment was so beautiful...
Car ride to home was quite but peaceful.
Fresh flowers filled the air.
A few days ago, when you rushed to the hospital, the house didn't look the same as you left it. Now, it was covered in flowers, cards,ballons and gifts. Notes from everyone,your friends,whole squad,some relatives,bob's frienfs collegues and some other people.
Roses bloomed on the bushes in the garden. Tulips in various colors wrapped in brown paper adorned every inch of your kitchen counter. Lavish vases that looked extravagantly expensive stood in your living and dining rooms. Yet, the only flowers in your bedroom were the ones Bob brought for you. He had taken them this morning before you came home, claiming that he was proud of you and proud to call you his.
The whole house smelled like a botanical garden. This morning, in addition to that, there were the scents of freshly baked pastries your mom had made for you before you came home. Croissants and cakes waited proudly on the kitchen side.
Passing through the front door of your house, you hadn't felt this grateful for being home. Everyone had left; it was just you, Bob, and your baby boy heading home together.
Before leaving, they insisted on all of you spending a few days and nights together. It was crucial for all of you to bond comfortably in the comfort of your own home. The next few days would be tough, but you hoped that being together would help you get through it.
Getting out of the car with Bob carrying the bags, you went to the front door and opened it carefully. After entering, he turned to close the door tightly behind him, but before he could go too far down the hallway, you had to cough to get his attention.
"Did we forget something?" You looked at him as if he were a madman.
"What?" Ethan stared at you in confusion, furrowing his brows until lines appeared on his forehead.
"Maybe our 4-day-old son is behind our car?" You asked him rhetorically, wondering how he could forget so quickly - dad brain.
"Right. Yes. Our son." Bob muttered to himself as he turned to open the front door and went outside to fetch your precious birdie.
"My baby,my baby!" You burst into laughter at his shoutsas he went. He returned with a beaming smile, holding Harrison who was hiding in his car seat, sleeping as peacefully as a bug in a rug.
"Thanks, Mr. Floyd." You teased, thinking how if you had married Joe from high school instead of Bob, you would never have so many gifts and flowers. Or this much love.
Still, you wouldn't want anyone else but him. He was perfect. He was more than enough. In fact, he was more.
"Yeah, what can I say? I'm a damn good dad now!" He inflated his ego, but a swift hit to his upper arm quickly deflated it.
"I'll do more than hit your arm if you curse in front of our son again," you warned, not wanting your son's first word to be a bad one - even if it meant months of silence from him.
"Yes, ma'am." He nodded sternly, grinning at the turn of events, acknowledging your newfound authority. He left the room before getting into more trouble, announcing that he was heading to Harrison's crib in the living room.
You sighed as you looked around the room. Tonight, you didn't want to deal with it, so you turned around, left the room, and followed Bob's footsteps. He had already knelt beside the crib, tucking your precious little birdie under a blanket carefully knitted by Penny.
Bob's mom had knitted a hat and gloves for him to wear outside in the winter. For now, he would sleep safely under your roof until he was ready for the world to see him.
"I want him to be ours forever," you whispered to bob, kneeling beside him and leaning over, bending your knees towards the floor.
"Me too, love." He pulled you closer, wrapping his arm around your shoulder. The two of you watched him, as quiet as he slept.
He was an angel in its truest form.
He was your blessing.
"I love him so much." You told Bob and in return, you received a sigh of contentment.
He was trying so hard to hold back tears, but seeing your little boy sleeping so peacefully, he couldn't be strong enough to withhold the tears.
Then silence enveloped you again.
There was no need for words between you two; both of you knew what you were thinking:
How lucky you both were.
Having each other was a miracle, but having him was another thing entirely. He was everything. All soft and delicate, but even at a few days old, heartbreakingly beautiful. He was everything you and Bob had ever wanted. All the tears, morning sickness, and pains were worth it for this moment - and all the moments after.
"Do you still think he's breathing?" Bob broke the silence, and as you followed him, he did seem to be not breathing.
Though as still as a statue, you could see his tiny chest rising and falling, up and down. His little hands were by hishead, as if he were trying to cheer himself up, and his face was tilted to the side, looking at both of you. Even though he looked lifeless, you could see her efforts.
"Shut your mouth, you're scaring me!" You laughed at his ridiculous comment. Tears of happiness. Tears of relief and joy.
Family life had just begun, and you were so ready for it…
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Thank you for reading💙💙
I'm tagging people who might be interested:@ohtobeleah @sebsxphia @callsigns-haze @sailor-aviator @sorchathered @greenorangevioletgrass @teacupsandtopgun @roosterforme @floydsglasses @lyn-js @seresinsbrat @torchflies @its-dee-lovely @its-the-pilot @friedchips94 @bradshawsbaby @hardballoonlove @perfectprettypisces @topguncortez @hangmanapologist @bradshawsbaddie @shanimallina87 @djs8891 @themusingofagothicsoul @the-romanian-is-bae @mamachasesmayhem @jessicab1991 @iefitzgerald-blog @charcole-grey @waterriseslew @desert-fern
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kneelingshadowsalome · 2 months
Note
Suddenly I’m a sheep baa
You have such a way with words!!! I love the image of konig sitting down, cooing at his flock, while reader stands to the side, watching… does he even know? Does he know the effect he has on you? Would he even care, if he knew that you’re completely ruined over watching him work… (would he treat you the same, one hand gripping your legs and hands out of his way, tucked up against his chest as his other hand wanders down your chest and against your cunt,,,)
Ahem
Baa.
Baa!!! YEAH I can see it happening in bed as soon as he gets his freak on. It's purely subconscious too! But then I was also thinking how König must be a total softie with all animals... Treating everyone gently and lovingly while reader is pouting & looking from the sidewalks like a third wheel :( Time to pull out the big guns!
CW: Pet play (attempted), dom/sub undertones (implied)
You see him feeding apples to horses, watch how they burrow their muzzles under his arm, he’s always gentle with each and every individual as long as they’re animal and not human... Even the old farm cat gets more love and attention than you :(
He nearly trips on it one morning because it’s purring and meowing at his feet – if a human were to do that they would get slurs and yelling and spit landing on their face... This furry little beast only earns a soft rumble and a low, affectionate “You naughty little devil,” as thanks for showing this bitter cruel man some love.
You even see him pet the cat absentmindedly when he’s doing some paperwork in his office, the loud purrs of the animal making you absurdly jealous. Hearing the roaring content of this cat as a broad, sturdy hand softly pets it from head to tail stirs emotions in you that are wildly inappropriate. You would kill to get this man to pet you, these animals don’t even know how lucky they are...
And maybe he doesn’t even know what he’s missing, seeing only men and animals here at the farm. The only woman, namely, you, is always walking around in rubber boots and dirty oversized overalls. He avoids you like the plague, and treats you more harshly than the young rascals sent here by the state... Men are visual creatures, so perhaps it’s no wonder that he takes no interest in you, some weak miss farmhand who always looks like she came from feeding the pigs... Which is your job here, actually, because König never allows you near his precious horses, let alone the delicate sheep.
So one day, you sneak inside his office and climb on his desk in nothing but your black sheen underwear, now with the addition of a black cat’s tail attached to the bum, with your make up done and wearing a pair of cute little cat ears. This must be the silliest thing I’ve ever done, you think as you push your tits invitingly together while propping yourself on the table like a spoiled house cat would, with your “paws” prettily together and your butt ready to lift from some good petting you fervently wish you’re about to get.
Heavy boots echo in the hall like doom just as you start to shiver from cold. Your heart nearly shoots out of your chest and your tits threaten to spill out of your too small bra, your rival is nowhere to be seen and all the sheep have been sheared so you hope you’ll finally spark this man’s interest in some intimate fun with an actual woman...
He walks in, comes to an instant halt on the door when he sees you, and from the looks of it, the poor man suffers a silent heart attack from seeing a half naked woman on his desk. He freezes right there on the spot, draws air so sharply you can hear it all the way to where you're sitting – all over his papers, innocently like a naughty feline would.
He looks both shocked and furious, but not a word of warning comes out – and how could he be mad at a pretty little thing like you? Donning your silly outfit consisting of black underwear, black cat tail and black cat ears, you even drew yourself some thin whiskers with your black eyeliner...
Your eyes are shy but accusing, they simply ask, why haven't you paid attention to me? Why haven't you played with me, turned me around in your lap any way you like? Where are the soft gazes and shushed praises that belong to me?
And while you were invisible to this man before, you now have his full attention.
His eyes fly to your tits first, then to your tail, they caress the dip and swell of your waist, rise to adore your rib cage and the fluttering pulse at the hollow of your throat, they steal a peek at your cute little ears... There's an endearing flash on softness in his eyes, and when he meets your stare again, he swallows so arduously that the sound of it is audible and thick. A chill runs down your spine as you realize this might not only be the first time in a while that he's seen a half naked woman... This might be the first time he's seen a half naked woman ever.
You give him your most demure gaze, bat your lashes slowly like cats tend to do when they see someone they appreciate and trust, and whisper:
“...Meow?”
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Note
Oh it’s totally fine that you didn’t want to write for nozel. I thought you blocked me💀 Can I request the same thing but with souya instead? If you don’t remember I asked for reader giving him physical affection but he pretends not to like it at first but then he wants more? I barely remember lol
Ok ✨ I love little angry blue berry so much
✨ just something a bit short....
Cuddles please
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Omega!Souya x Alpha!Reader
---------------------------
“Hmm...?” you hummed as Souya pressed his face into your neck, purring quietly. You chuckled lightly, rubbing his head.
“You want cuddles...?” you muttered. Souya jumped and pulled away, crossing his arms over his chest with a huff.
“No, of course not...!” Souya growled, turning away from you. Souya never wanted to cuddle, he would nuzzle his nose into you but he always acted like he didn't like cuddles.
“Are you sure...?” you smiled at him, Souya looked away and huffed. He didn't respond to your question and just sat beside you on the couch.
“Fine....” you huffed, messing with the tv. You set the tv onto a random channel the movie Titanic was playing.
The movie was nearing the end now, when you heard faint sniffling coming from Souya.
“That was so sad...” Souya whined, hugging you tightly. He nuzzled into your chest, breathing in your scent.
“So much for not liking physical touch...” you smiled, making him blush with embarrassment. He looked up at your sheepishly.
“I don't like it!” Souya growled, looking away again. You smirked.
“Ok...” You teased, pushing him off your lap and back on the couch. Souya protested and crawled back into your lap.
“N–No! I want you to hold me...” Souya muttered, curling up in your lap and hugging you.
“Alright...” You smiled, wrapping your arms around Souya's smaller body.
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princessconsuela120 · 2 months
Text
☾ Padfoot vs Prongs ☾
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— ☾
Summary: A pregnancy in 7th year isn't exactly ideal...neither is your best friend and brothers annoying antics.
Warnings: pregnancy, fluff
Author's Note: just a shorty drabble i had sitting in my drafts. ill be posting requests soon!
— ☾
“Whisky!” James shouted, barreling into the room with Sirius a close foot behind. You rolled your eyes at the nickname, looking up from the book that had been occupying you for the past half hour. Ever since the boys had discovered your animagus was a cat, your brother James had deemed you the nickname Whiskers. Ironic that Fire Whisky had also been your favorite and dearly missed drink since the start of your pregnancy.
“Can I help you bozos?” You asked, raising an eyebrow at the two boys who had wide smiles adorning their faces.
“Who has better hair, me or Padfoot.” James asked, causing you to roll your eyes.
“I’m not doing this you guys.” You replied quickly, shifting in your spot as the boys appeared from behind the couch.
“Come on just tell us.” James asked, stomping his foot slightly like a child.
“I said I’m not doing this, where’s Moony he needs to help me up.” You grumbled, still trying to get up from your spot and failing.
“He’s out.” Sirius said, a smirk on his face as you groaned, rolling your eyes.
“And you can’t get up and walk away without our help so, answer the question.” James teased, making you groan even louder, throwing your head back with frustration.
“I hate you both.” You hissed, making James hold his Chet with fake hurt as Sirius smirked.
“We love you too. But that wasn’t the question.” Sirius said, causing you to hold your hands out with anger,
“Please just help me up.” You mumbled, struggling to stand with your large bump in the way.
“No.” 
“Oh come on.” You whined, flailing around slightly with frustration.
“Not until you answer us.”
“I am not answering you, this is ridiculous!” You shouted, letting your head fall back angrily, as the door gently swung open, catching everyone’s attention. Your face couldn’t help but light up with a smile when your boyfriend, Remus, appeared at the doorway, his hands full of bags from Hogsmead.
“Okay, I’ve brought you the new chocolates from Hogsmeade. Not only are they delicious but Honeydukes swears by it’s healing power.” He explained, walking over to hand you a box.
“Remus, thank god, come help me up.” You said eagerly, before Remus shook his head.
“Nope.” He said quickly, sitting beside you. You stared at him for a moment in shock.
“What?” “Ha!”
You and the boys yelled in unison, causing Remus to sigh.
“Sorry love, but you’re on bed rest. Can’t risk hurting you or our little moon.” Remus explained, rubbing your bump gently with a kind smile on his face. You couldn’t even be mad at the sweetness of it.
“This is a travesty.” You sighed, burying your face in his shoulder.
“Perfect, now you can’t move, and you need to answer our question.” Sirius teased, causing Remus to perk up slightly with interest.
“What’s the question?” He asked, making James smile proudly.
“Which one of us has the better hair, me or Padfoot?” He asked.
Remus turned to face you, a nervous look on his face as you raised an eyebrow at him.
“Alright come on, to the common room we go.” Remus said, helping you get up as you cheered to yourself.
“Hey!”
“She just didn’t wanna hurt your feelings cause you’re her best friend.” James said angrily, shaking his head as Sirius shoved him.
“You’re her brother! She’d wanna protect your feelings more!” He argued, before you appeared quickly in the doorway.
“For the record, the answer was Padfoot.” You said quickly, before gesturing to Remus to hurry up and help you out the room.
“Hey!” James shouted, about to come run after you before he noticed you had taken his invisibility cloak from his desk.
“Yes!” Sirius cheered, looking at himself in your mirror proudly, shaping his face, and his ego.
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alexiela73 · 1 year
Note
ok so i was wondering if you could do something that evolves around the idea that the reader is pregant and genji or hanzo not knowing yet while the noodles find out and are more protective of her
Hell Yes. Someone even sent another request that feels like a great part 2 to this.
Genji:
Out of nowhere, you started to wake up with Soba standing over your pillow
The little green dragon usually preferred to sleep on her perch at the window, instead of watching with the usually intimate displays of affection in the bed- in fact, she avoided the bed altogether usually
At first you thought maybe you’d made a strange noise in your sleep and she was just worried
But more and more you’d wake to her eyes above you, staring intensely down at you from the headboard
One night Genji got home from a mission, and you woke to the sound of him yelling, and a rippling snarl coming from a growing dragon blocking the door out of the room
Genji was stuck in the hall, and for the life of you, neither of you could get Soba to change or stop her from preventing him from coming in your shared room
That next morning, a wave of nausea hit and you were sent to the bathroom in a great hurry. The nausea remained even as the contents of your stomach were emptied, and you sat beside the toilet, holding your hair back
A soft touch made you open your eyes- Soba was rubbing her little whiskers on your stomach, booping her nose above your belly button and purring
You stared down at her in confusion, before a thought hit you. When was your last period, you thought?
“Genji-,” you called. “I think we need to go to a doctors office!”
Soba sat smugly in your lap the entire way home from the doctors.
Hanzo:
In a way Hanzo described as disgraceful, the noodles always had an incredible soft spot for you
They adored you, and often left their spiritual tattoo to get snuggles in your arms and blem their little tongues out of their mouth
You spoiled them- how could you not? You’d never had a pet before, and you often liked to think that as they were a part of Hanzo, that maybe they were the physical form of his intense love for you
The noodles, as Hanzo begged you to stop calling them, usually weren’t so bad mannered as to not obey Hanzo when called- but for the first time, in the heat of battle no less, the dragons did not appear
Hanzo had no way of knowing that the noodles were following you throughout the day
You didn’t even know till the evening- they had snuck in your car and gone grocery shopping with you, had followed you into the bank and perhaps robbed a woman of their purse dog, and nearly made it through the day without you finding out
Until a loud dog across the street started barking. And when you looked, two dragons the size of cars were starting to walk across the street and snarl
“No! Guys, come here!” you called, a bit frantic.
Its like the two sensed your panic, instantly racing to you and becoming the side of german shepherds. The two wrapped around you, rubbing their cheeks on your sides
At first you thought Hanzo was home, but when you called he let out a loud, angry huff. “That’s where they are? Outrageous. I’m on my way home!” he had said.
You knew though something was up-the intensity in their gaze, the way they couldn’t look away from you...
“What’s up with you, guys?” you’d asked, and rubbed their snouts.
They just snorted, and when you finally went and sat they curled up on your lap.
It wasn’t for another two months almost before you found out you were pregnant- and suddenly, the noodles continuously odd and rather nerve-wracking behavior made sense
“They are protecting our family,” Hanzo had said softly, putting a hand over your stomach in awe. “Thank you....noodles,” he’d said.
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ichorai · 2 months
Text
hell, yeah ; roman roy ; part six.
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pairing ; roman roy x f!reader
synopsis ; pain was an old friend for the both of you.
words ; 13.8k
themes ; angst, fluff, drama, slowburn, childhood friends to lovers
warnings / includes ; depictions of mental and physical abuse, major character death, heavy angsty shit, sexual jokes and general foul language, business talk, roman is so in love, connor gets a bit of spotlight for this chapter </3
a/n ; sorry i'm taking so so so long w this series! uni keeps getting in the way of my writing HAHA but i hope you guys enjoy :)
series masterlist. main masterlist.
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Bidding wars had never really been fun for you. It was always emails upon emails, calls after calls, Logan yelling, Gerri scrambling, negotiations, bargains, deals—it was all too much.
But this… even you had to admit, this was fun. 
Maybe because it was the first time you were working against Logan and not for him. And being around the Roy siblings reminded you of your childhood—a time where the four of you got along for the most part, even with the bloody noses and scraped knees and the yankings of hair.
Buying Pierce had been something you were starkly against while you were working in Waystar, but with this new thing that the Roy siblings were crafting, you had complete faith that Shiv, Kendall—hell, even Roman, would keep the news station’s values in check.
And, though you weren’t entirely proud of it, there was a thrill, a rush of adrenaline, when the four of you raised your bidding price to a healthy ten billion as a closing offer, knowing there was no way Logan could ever consider outbidding that.
Nan Pierce accepted with little pushback, much to Logan’s fury.
Your godfather yelled at the four of you through the phone later that day, but there was no fear sitting within your stomach, like there usually was when he got angry. No, you were laughing. Kendall and Shiv and Roman—they were stifling their own smiles down at the screen, too.
That night, you stood on your balcony, a lit cigarette loosely balanced between your fingers. You weren’t at all a smoker—in fact, you hadn’t had one ever since you joined Waystar. It was an unprofessional look, in a sense. Not something you wanted to be associated with. 
The goddaughter that smelled of cheap cigarettes. Wasn’t that an unattractive thought?
But you didn’t have to worry about that anymore, did you? Honestly, you weren’t quite sure yourself. You’d just assumed you were no longer part of the company, but knowing Logan…
He always had something up his sleeve. Maybe he’d wait until the siblings lowered their guards to snipe you in the back of the head. Or lure you back with meaty bait. 
You took a short drag, faint grey wisps falling past your lips as you breathed out. 
“You smoking now? Doing a little smokey smokes?” came Roman’s voice from behind you, making you turn your head with a slight grin. “Since when?”
“First one since I was a little baby teenager, I think,” you replied. Roman leaned onto the balcony railing beside you, shoulder pressing flush against yours. “They taste disgusting. Here—”
You took a drag—a longer one, this time—leaned forward until your lips were just a whisker away from his, and blew the smoke into him. He inhaled deep before jerking forward to kiss you, nose nudging yours in his fervor.
“Yeah. Fucking disgusting,” he mumbled against your lips, as if wanting to propel you into something more than just kisses. 
Your eyes lit up with amusement, but you pulled away, leaving a lingering kiss on the side of Roman’s nose. The cigarette wasn’t at all used up, but you put it out on a small ashtray you had taken with you. 
“I just wanted to try,” you said. “Was wondering if I’d like it after all this time, now that I have the freedom to.”
There was a curious glint to Roman’s molten eyes. “And do you?”
“Nah. Like I said—they taste disgusting.”
“Some people like disgusting,” he off-handedly said, and you shot him a pointed look.
A breezy laugh, lost to the wind. “Yeah. I might know someone.”
“You’re a goody two-shoes, you know that?” he commented snidely, but his eyes were far too soft for his words to strike harsh. “But it’s good. We need someone like that. The company, I mean.”
“I know,” you whispered back. “I’m glad we’re doing this.”
“Yeah,” Roman said, his hand lacing with yours. He began tugging you back inside. “Me too.”
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Connor wanted the four of you to come to his wedding rehearsal at a fancy restaurant downtown—he texted you multiple different addresses, each text telling you to disregard the last one. Then, he called you (called Shiv first, but she was on the phone, passive-aggressively bickering with Tom), and told you exactly where he was. Apparently Willa wasn’t very happy with the venues they’d booked. He sounded sad—it was always easy to tell when he was sad.
And so the four of you set off for him, though not without Roman’s constant complaints. Spending some quality time with their eldest brother was the last thing the Roy siblings wanted to do—they had far more pressing matters at hand. 
Sandi and Stewy, for one. They wanted to veto the acquisition for more dollars squeezed from Matsson’s hand. Roman was starkly against the idea, not wanting to blow more bullets into his father. Shiv and Kendall were far more willing to listen, though Kendall eventually backed down. It was appealing, you had to admit, especially because you hated Matsson’s guts, but you wanted to put business aside for the moment. Spend some time with Connor—after all, he was going to get married soon. If that ever ended up happening, that is.
Once inside the restaurant’s halls, you caught sight of Willa hurrying down the wide staircase by the entrance, looking a bit frazzled. 
“Oh, hi!” she said, slightly breathless. “So you’re here now, huh?”
“Hi, Willa,” you greeted, embracing her with a loose hug before stepping back. “Are you… going somewhere?”
“You standing up my big bro?” Roman quipped from right behind you. He was joking, but Willa only frowned. “Are you okay? Did something happen?” 
There was a nervous laugh from both parties.
“Oh, yeah! Yeah, yeah, I’m just—I’m having a little drink. Away.” 
Both you and Roman spared each other confused glances.
“Is the dinner rehearsal thing over? He still up there?” Roman asked.
The blonde fiddled with her phone, nearly dropping it. “Oh, uh, the rehearsal isn’t—it’s not done, no.”
“You’re leaving your own wedding rehearsal?” you gently questioned.
She smiled, though it came off only sad and tired. “I think they can manage. I’m not vital from here.”
Roman squinted at her. “Yeah, well… I mean, normally the bride is generally considered—correct me if I’m wrong—I think the bride is pretty vital in a wedding. Don’t you think?” 
“Well! Yeah, but… I should go, though. Have a think about it all. I’m in a bit of a fuzz.” She laughed again, though it looked like she wanted to cry. 
Nodding, you said, “Take care of yourself, Willa. Let us know if you need anything.”
She pursed her lips, eyes soft with appreciation. The two of you had never been quite close, but there was a mutual understanding between you. To be the pedestals of Roy men, the unnamed crutch, the woman on the arm. 
With that, she hurried away. 
“Fairy tale wedding, huh?” Shiv said, eyebrows raised. “Should we even go up? Seems like the rehearsal is over.”
“She said it wasn’t,” you replied, shrugging. “We should go see Con.”
Roman crossed his arms. “Yeah, Shiv, we really should. Why? You got something better to do than see your own brother before his wedding?”
“No, it’s just—we’ve got quite a lot to discuss, that’s all.”
It was Kendall’s turn to query, “What? Sandi and Stewy? They’re baiting us. Just let it go, Shiv.”
“I think they could really help us! We overpromised on Pierce!” she hotly defended.
“It’s a mind game,” Roman agreed with Kendall. “Just—fuck ‘em, okay?”
The redhead looked at you, but you shook your head. “Let’s just go see Connor, okay? We can hash it out after making sure he hasn’t got a gun barrel in his mouth.”
“Sure. Fine,” Shiv said, though it didn’t seem all that fine to her, judging from her pinched expression.
The four of you traipsed up the stairs, spotting Connor instantly—alone, surrounded by near-untouched platters of expensive food.
“Found him,” Roman sarcastically commented, pointing a finger at his oldest brother, who cracked a fond smile.
“Finally,” Connor said. “Took you guys long enough.”
Roman gave him an embrace from the side, saying, “Hey, bro. Hugsy.”
To the other side, Kendall patted his shoulder, another hand thumping on his chest. Shiv only barely leaned down to hug him, telling him, “Dad screwed us.”
“Yeah,” the eldest said. “I heard. But look at you guys—the Rebel Alliance.”
You were last to give Connor a hug, squeezing him tight, pressing a chaste kiss to his cheek. “How’s the rehearsal been?”
A non-committal noise slipped past his lips. “Been good. It’s been okay.”
Roman made a strange, wincing sound, sucking air through his teeth. “Sure. Yeah, I believe you.”
Keen to change the subject, Connor surveyed his siblings—and you—with narrowed eyes. “So this is how it is, huh? Battle royale. Me and Dad on one side, you guys on the other?”
Strange, you hadn’t quite recalled Connor being so in with his father’s business plans. And… the fact that Logan hadn’t shown up to the wedding rehearsal at all.
“You okay, man?” Roman queried, genuine concern slipping over his features. He was always one to wear his heart on his sleeve. “We bumped into Willa on the way in. She seemed all…” He drew up his hands to his face and shook his fingers about.
Pointedly, Connor dropped his gaze down to the table. Untouched food left and right.  “Yeah. It’s alright. I think it’s fine.”
“You sure, Con?” you asked, slipping into the seat beside him, Roman on your other side. 
“Yeah, well, I guess she just—she stood up to do her speech, and then she froze. Said that she couldn’t do it.” There was a laugh, dry and unpleasant and somber. “Then she went to the bathroom for forty minutes with her so-called friends.”
Roman wrinkled his nose and squinted his eyes at nothing in particular. “Oh, no, no, that’s—that’s totally fine. Don’t you worry about that. Just toss her another ten grand—or a snowmobile. Teeth-whitening vouchers.”
Unhappy with the meaning behind his brother’s words, Connor pushed himself away from the table, heading off to speak to Willa’s mom. 
Tossing a glare in Roman’s direction, you sighed out, “Was that really necessary?”
“What? It’s the truth, isn’t it?”
Slumping into the chair across from you, Kendall huffed out, “This is so fucking weird.”
“Do we regroup at my place?” Shiv asked, still standing, impatient to leave even though they’d just gotten there.
Tilting his head, Roman incredulously said, “Shiv. Come on. He’s… he’s looking a little rough. Don’t you think?”
“Well, sure. I’m sorry that Dad fucked us and I’m sorry that we’re late. But we do need to decide fast.” 
“The Sandi and Stewy deal?” you queried.
Shiv let out a frustrated exhale. “Yeah.”
“Well, I think we’re already decided, no?” Kendall said, lifting a shoulder in half a shrug. Roman nodded in agreement.
“Are we, though? They made some pretty compelling arguments.” Shiv tapped her foot against the hardwood floors impatiently.
Glancing over at Connor, who was trying his best to console Willa’s mother, you bobbed your head, hesitant. “It could potentially ruin Matsson. The deal. I’d like to see it.”
Groaning a little too loudly, Roman said, “Sandy’s just a greedy little bitch. She’s got her hand up the ass of the carcass of her dad, and Stewy’s just coming along for the ride. Can we not do this right now? It’s a fucking—it’s a packet of horseshit.”
Trying her best to stay calm, Shiv perched herself on the edge of the seat next to Kendall. “Okay. And what if I want to talk it through? This would help us.”
Kendall arched a brow. “I think we should just rise above it.”
“Yeah, okay, but maybe Dad is not on it like he used to be—and maybe he’s underplayed his hand, and the board are all just hand-fucking-picked Japanese plastic cats just waving it through,” Shiv argued.
“It doesn’t hurt to try,” you added, trying your best to sway Roman by nudging him gently. He merely rolled his eyes and prodded you back, but said nothing more.
It was then that Connor came hurrying back, carding a hand through his hair. He tiredly sank back down into his seat. “No luck. Still incommunicado. I just really hope she’s okay.”
“I’m sure she is,” you told him, rubbing a hand over his shoulder. “She just needs space, is all.”
“Yeah.” As if he’d flipped a switch, Connor straightened and plastered on a smile. “So, what do you guys say? A little bit of karaoke?”
All three siblings grimaced. 
“Or would it be possible,” Roman began, scratching at his jaw, “to do anything other than that, in the entire universe?”
“I think karaoke sounds nice,” you offered. Honestly, you weren’t too keen on doing karaoke when your mind was abuzz with a million other things at the moment, but it was Connor, and he seemed so down about Willa at his own wedding rehearsal, and you just couldn’t bring yourself to say no to him. It was like kicking at an already-wounded puppy.
Connor grinned. “Nice! One in the bag. Come on, you guys. Don’t leave us hanging.”
Shiv looked near ready to bash her head against the table. Kendall was glancing down at his phone—texting someone.
Roman rolled his eyes and groaned again, even louder than before. “Ugh. Fine! We can drink, though, right? I’m not listening to you sing sober.”
Clearing her throat, Shiv said, “Well, I just, we kind of have—other engagements right now—”
“Oh, sure. Everybody’s busy,” Connor crooned. Though, if you looked close enough, you’d see the unmistakable hurt in his eyes. Why didn’t his baby sister want to spend time with him?
“Come on,” Kendall said with an urgent hand slanting over Shiv’s shoulder, phone gone for now. “Let’s give him a drink.”
Clapping his hands, Connor stood up again. “Great! But—not any of your stupid places. Somewhere fun and real and—away from all the fancy dance. A real bar with, uh, with chicks, and guys who work with their hands in grease—sweat dripping down their backs and blood all over their hair.”
“I don’t like these guys. They sound like a medical experiment gone wrong,” Roman piped up, slinging an arm over your shoulder.
“Sounds hot,” you said with a genuine laugh. “Let’s go.”
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The bar itself was atmospherically ambient, the lights warm and unharsh, the chatter light and friendly, the television playing a football match at a soft volume. You smiled—it’d been a while since you stepped foot into an actual bar full of people who weren’t aristocratic assholes.
Normal people doing normal things. What was that like?
Roman, on the other hand, looked particularly uncomfortable, shoulders stiff and expression taut. He was only here for his big brother, but his saint-like kindness only wore so thin.
Kendall ordered drinks for the lot of you—whiskey on the rocks for himself, a sealed soda for Shiv since she didn’t trust anything from the bar’s “tainted” nozzles, a fancy beer for Connor, a vodka tonic for Roman, and a strawberry margarita for you. He snorted when you asked for it, rolling his eyes to the side. 
“You and your strawberries,” Kendall said, before heading off to call the bartender. You weren’t quite sure if his expression was fond or derisive. Perhaps both.
You sat beside Connor, peering over his shoulder, where he was staring at the screen with heavily knitted brows.
“Is that—is that Willa?” you asked, eyes widening upon seeing him zoomed onto a map with a tiny blue dot. “Are you tracking her?”
“Jesus, Con,” said Roman, laughing his high-pitched laugh. “That’s low, even for you.”
“What? I have her location shared,” the older brother said, earning quizzical looks from the three of you. “It’s a factory setting.”
Shiv made a noise of amusement. “It’s not.”
“Well…” Connor’s eyes darted back down to his screen, zooming in impossibly closer. “I’m reassured she’s definitely not on her way to Cuba.”
From his other side, Kendall appeared, hands shoved deep into his pockets. “Well, her phone isn’t.”
Connor decided to ignore the comment. “She stopped moving, so… I guess she found a spot she likes.”
“Sure!” crooned Roman. “On another man’s dick.”
The rest of you sighed, and you shook your head. 
“On a much bigger, nicer, harder, younger dick, is all I’m saying,” Roman reassured his eldest brother, patting his shoulders.
“Can we not?” Connor softly said, though he was smiling down at Rome. Even though his words hurt, just the fact that he was there for him cheered him up just a little bit. “Okay? I’m feeling—I’m having certain anxieties, alright? I want to have a good time!”
Once Roman muttered a quick apology, you bumped him off to the side so you can press up next to Connor again, staring down at the blue dot, still unmoving. “I’m sure she just needs a breather. It’s a big deal, y’know. Marriage.”
“I know,” said Con, sucking in a deep breath. There was a profound sort of loneliness to his eyes. “I just thought—I thought it was enough. All of it. It was enough for her.”
“It will be,” you said, nudging him. “Eventually. Just give her time.”
The drinks came then, and you hummed contentedly after taking your first sip. “Fuck. Why don’t they ever have shit like this at the fancy events we go to?”
“Because it’s diabetes in a cup,” Roman replied, but he plucked the glass from your fingers to snag a sip for himself. “It’s literal sugar water. Barely any alcohol in here.”
“Well, I’m not looking to get wasted,” you said, before snatching it back, shooting him a half-hearted glare. “You drank so much!”
“Nuh-uh, there was barely anything in there to begin with!”
“Roman, it was filled to the brim two seconds ago, what are you talking about?”
Before the two of you could divulge into a round of childish bickering, Connor abruptly straightened in his seat. “Her dot is at an aquarium supply retailer. That doesn’t make sense—is that a drug thing?”
Kendall cleared his throat. “No, I don’t think so.”
“You sure?”
Roman snickered. “It is. It’s a drug thing.”
“Maybe she’s getting a pet fish,” you unhelpfully supplied. “A little pre-wedding gift for the two of you?”
Frowning, Connor said, “Now she’s at a dry cleaner’s.”
“Probably getting her panties cleaned from the new dick’s cum,” quipped Roman. The absurdity of the statement made you laugh unexpectedly, but you quickly quietened when Connor stared at the two of you in horror. 
“What’s wrong with you?” he asked, as if he were a parent scolding a naughty toddler. 
“I’m not saying it’s your cum! Your cum, I’m sure, is very washable.” Roman droned on to an incredulous Connor some more, but your attention was drawn to Kendall, whose phone began to ring, and he quietly excused himself from the bar to take the call, face twisted into unmistakeable dread. You briefly wondered who he looked so anxious to talk to, but the thought was quick to banish from your mind entirely when Connor prodded Roman in the shoulder and said your name.
“Okay, that’s enough from you. Y/N, can you tell him to stop? Tell him to stop.”
“Stop it, Roman. Don’t talk about your brother’s cum, you weirdo.”
Rubbing his palms together, Roman shrugged the matter away entirely. “I’m starving. Anything to eat in this shit shack, or what?”
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By the time Kendall came back, the rest of you were crowded into a small booth with a dingy little light hanging a little too low over the table. There was a platter of cheesy nachos in the center, which Shiv eyed with distaste. Roman was still looking over the menus, sarcastically wondering aloud from which creature they’d clipped the wings off of.
“Who were you talking to, Ken?” you asked. “It wasn’t Frank again, was it?” 
Kendall’s eyes darted from your face down to the floor. “Uh… no. No, it was—it was Stewy.” 
Something about his demeanor screamed that he wasn’t telling the entire truth, but you kept quiet, watching him with just barely narrowed eyes. 
“Oh, great. What the fuck does he want now?” Roman hissed, peering over the crinkled lamination of the menu he was holding. 
Kendall leaned forward slightly, regarding Shiv with a pointed stare. “Actually, guys, can I… can I show you something? On the comparables. It’s actually pretty fucking intriguing.” 
Your eyebrows rose a fraction. Just a few moments ago, Kendall wasn’t at all interested in Sandi and Stewy’s pitching. What changed his mind?
Nodding in satisfaction, Shiv added, “Yeah, see? It makes you think. Maybe Dad isn’t on it like he used to be. You know, he’s being pushed around by Matsson—hell, even by Kerry. Giving shows to his girlfriend? That’s just—it’s an embarrassment!”
Loudly, Connor exclaimed, “Fuck, she’s in the East River now! She’s in the—oh. Wait, no, she’s just on the bridge.” You popped a nacho in your mouth and glanced over at Connor, who was squinting down at his phone.
“Looks like she’s going on a little trip,” you hummed. “She’ll be fine.”
“Yeah, okay, not to be dicks, Con, but is it okay if we do a little breakout chat, just the four of us? We won’t be long, like—two minutes max,” Shiv said, expression serious and unyielding.
Rolling his eyes, Roman gestured to his oldest brother. “Hey, just—fuck it. Why don’t we fold Con in?” 
“Well, he’s not on the board, so—”
“Yeah, but he has a share. If the deal falls, he loses his payout.”
An incredulous frown pulled at his lips. “Excuse me?” Connor said.
“Oh, okay, so Shiv wants to get us mixed up in some drug deal that will fuck the vote tomorrow,” Roman told him, pursing his lips in an exaggerated fashion.
Holding her hands out, Shiv shook her head. “Uh, no. All we’re aiming for is a small delay. We all want the deal to go through.”
“Right,” you said with an amused snort. “Sure.”
“I, uh… I think I agree,” said Kendall.
Roman’s eyes widened. “Oh, what the fuck? Seriously?”
 “It’s just—looking at the numbers… it’s compelling.”
With a grand scoff, Roman shook his head. “It’s compelling? Wow. You’d find a bag of peanuts more compelling, Kendall.”
You placed a hand over Roman’s jolting knee. “Rome, why don’t we just hear them out?” His eyes met yours, hesitant and conflicted. “And think—wouldn’t it be fun? Fucking Matsson in the ass?”
“Yeah, I bet you’d like that, you freak,” he scoffed, crossing his arms.
“So you guys are just gonna force Dad to grovel?” Connor asked, mouth parted in surprise. “Oh, man. How long will a renegotiation take?”
Shiv’s lips twisted downwards, though it was more of a smile than a frown. “It’s a play. More money is more money, and that’s all there is to it.”
It was then that Roman’s phone, facing upwards on the chipped table, vibrated thrice. The screen lit up with a text notification. 
Dad.
All the siblings had seen it, and Shiv rushed to angle the phone towards her. Roman slapped her hand away, yanking his phone towards his chest. Hiding it.
“What the fuck?” Shiv asked, wary. “The fuck is Dad messaging you for?”
Roman stood frozen, reminiscent of a deer in headlights. “Uh, I don’t know. Why don’t you ask him? Stupid question, Shivvy.”
Kendall stared at his younger brother blankly. “You’re not gonna read it?”
There was a brief pause. “Yeah, I’ll—I’ll read the damn thing. Sure.” A swipe of his phone, a kink to his brows. “It’s just a check-in.”
“Oh, yeah?” Shiv said, skeptical. “A check-in? Oh, yeah. Classic Dad. He just loves to check in on us, see how we’re doing.” 
Backing down, Roman fessed up, “Okay, fine, I sent him a text on his birthday. Just saying, you know, happy birthday, sorry we missed it—”
“I’m sorry, wait a minute!” Shiv exclaimed. “You texted him first?”
Roman frowned. “It was his birthday, yeah.”
“We said no contact until he apologizes!” she angrily pointed out.
“Okay, so then never?” Roman shot back, scowling.
With a tilt of your head, you said, “It was just a simple happy birthday, right? That’s harmless. Right, Roman?” You pressed your foot over his, enough so he could feel the pressure, but not enough to hurt him.
“Yeah. That was it.”
“Nuh-uh. I want to see your phone,” said the red-head. 
A flicker of panic flashed across Roman’s eyes. “Oh, really? Show me yours, then! World’s biggest WhatsApp group of people sharing pictures of your snatch. No, thank you. Fuck off, fuck you.”
“Roman, come on,” Kendall said. “We have to trust each other.”
Memories of Kendall forcefully taking Roman’s phone from you in Hungary briefly crossed your mind. You pursed your lips. He’d been hiding things from you then, who was to say he wasn’t hiding things from you now?
Relenting, Roman tossed his phone onto the table, almost hitting the platter of nachos. He was growing angrier by the second, frustrated by his siblings' shoes pressing against his spine. “Fine, take a good look. I don’t give a shit. It’s just dick pics, anyway. He’s got a real taste for ‘em now.”
You leaned over to read along with Shiv and Kendall. It looked fine to you—since it was just a simple birthday wish, but they seemed much more harsh in their critique.
“This is more than one text, Roman.” There was a crease between Shiv’s brows.
“Okay. What is it? Two, three?”
Kendall rubbed the faint stubble over his jaw. “It’s a bit warm.”
“Warm? Why, what did I say?”
“Take care.”
Scoffing, Roman’s eyes rolled up to the dingy, low-hanging light. “What was I supposed to say? Happy birthday, hope you fall down a flight of stairs, shithead!”
“I feel a little bit weird about this betrayal, if I’m being honest,” Shiv said in a steely tone. 
“Betrayal?” Roman parroted, almost offensively. “The betrayal of happy birthday, Dad. Take care!” 
“You know what?” Kendall chimed in. “I’m feeling a bit betrayed, too.”
Upset, Roman just about slammed his phone back down on the tabletop. “Wow. Great. Fucking family guilt-trip fest.”
“It wasn’t that bad,” you said, pinching the space between your brows. “It’s not illegal to say happy birthday, guys. Relax, okay?”
Connor nodded. “It’s hard. It’s been hard on everybody.”
The five of you sat in silence for a bit longer. Has it been hard? Or did it just feel like it because all of you had been so accustomed to getting everything handed over on a silver platter? 
Finally, Shiv swallowed heavily and said, “You know that he advised Tom on the divorce? Gave him a Dad trick—went and spoke to every pit bull in Manhattan and tied them up. I got Mommed.”
You frowned. So much had happened in the past few months, you’d sort of even forgotten Shiv and Tom were heading for divorce. “Tom did that? Jeez… I’m sorry, Shiv.”
Roman blew out a breath, mildly relieved that the heat was taken off of him for a moment. “I mean, there’s probably one more horrible motherfucker lawyer around somewhere, but, uhm… that sucks. I’m sorry.”
Shiv refused to meet either of your gazes. She didn’t want to be reduced to… Tom’s ex-wife. A shadow of her mother. 
“Guys, I just feel like we need to stick together,” Kendall said, firm. We should push back, and we should all be on board. We squeeze them.”
Equally level, Roman placed his hands on the table. “Okay, but, we want to do Pierce, right? We want an out?”
“Yes. But just with a bit more money,” Kendall agreed. 
“Yeah, that’s the thing—I don’t think Matsson will go up in price,” Roman argued. “He won’t! I know this, because I’ve spoken to him. I really think he might walk.”
 Good, you wanted to say, but you bit down on your tongue.
Both Shiv and Kendall began poking fun at him for not calling Matsson’s bluff.
Exasperated, Roman rubbed his knuckles along his hairline. “Okay, it just sounded like he meant it.” He didn’t look happy with the prospect of blocking the deal. He wanted to be a traitor to his Dad without being a traitor. To have his cake and eat it, too.
Shiv and Roman fell into another argument about whether or not Roman cared over conflict—that he was scared of his own Dad and wanted to back down like a coward.
Quelling his riled-up siblings, Kendall motioned for them to quiet down. “Honestly, though, guys. I think going with Sandi and Stewy is the best thing for us to do. As a team.”
Shiv nodded in agreement. “It’s a play. Buys us a couple weeks and more money.”
“He’ll get it,” Kendall said, trying to sway Rome. “It’s what Dad would do in his prime.”
And was that the goal? To try and imitate the beast to scare him off? A moth with false eyes to ward away predators?
Roman squinted at nothing in particular. Then, he angled his face to look at you. You hadn’t at all realized that your features were immobilized in uncertainty. 
“What?” Roman asked, knee knocking against yours.
“Your Dad’s going to hate us if we pull this.”
Roman laughed, high and nervous. The idea made him nauseous. “Seems like he already does.”
“No, he… he loves you. All of you. But this is… he’ll hate that he loves you, sure, that’s always been the case. But this time… he’ll hate you if you’re the reason he can’t win.”
Something sick twisted within Roman’s gut. He seemed to go all pale and wide-eyed. 
“It’s just a play, though,” Shiv said. 
“Just a play,” Roman echoed, sounding unsure. “It isn’t real?”
Kendall nodded. Shiv, too.
“Fine. Yeah, fuck it. I’m in.” Roman caved, and the two smiled at him. You squeezed his knee. 
With a sharp exhale, Connor huffed, “God damn it. God fucking damn it! You ruined it. You ruined it all.”
Roman apologized, but it seemed to fall upon deaf ears. Kendall tried to calm him down by asking his brother what he wanted to do. After all… it was supposed to be his big night before the big day.
“I wanted to get married tomorrow,” he said, cross. “I wanted to spend tonight with my family and tomorrow with Dad. I wanted to get my fucking money out. But you guys fucked it!”
Feeling mildly guilty, your other hand came up to rub Connor’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, really. You’re an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire. What can we do to make you feel better, Con?”
Several moments passed by in silence as Connor thought about it. What did he want? A giant bowl of ice cream so large you couldn’t see around it? A perfectly-tailored suit from the most expensive store he could find? A vintage bottle of whiskey and a nice book to sit with? They all sounded appealing to him.
“I would…” he finally started, “I’d like to sing one fucking song at karaoke because I’ve seen it in the movies, and nobody ever wants to go.”
Roman just about banged his head on the table. You flicked at his ear, before turning back to Connor. “Karaoke. Yeah, we can do that, Con.”
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The room was illuminated with hazy shades of purples and blues, the lights hidden behind indents in the wall. It looked modern and sleek—an upscale to what was typically seen in the movies. Connor didn’t hesitate to make a beeline for the karaoke machine, fiddling with buttons and remotes and smiling to himself when he managed to get it up and working without asking for help. Shiv and Kendall wandered around cautiously. Roman was quick to toss himself onto the long, spacious couch, hanging off of the seats as if he were melting. You curled up beside him with a pleased hum, nose brushing over his lower cheek, scratchy with barely-there stubble.
There was a bit more dilly-dallying—Connor was concerned about Willa’s blue dot disappearing completely. The siblings were quick to brush him off, reassure him, tell him he wasn’t going to ever do better than Willa. The usual.
You sipped on a glass of champagne that Kendall handed you. There was more chatter—amicable and light and teasing. You poked fun at Kendall’s lame hat whilst Shiv plainly told Roman that his shoes were a size too large for his feet. That his feet were small and dainty and he would fall over if they were any smaller. More drinks, more giggling, more stories. You learned that fresh-faced college Kendall once puked on Stewy’s bed and cried at the foot of it after drinking too much. You told the siblings that you once slept with Angelina from accounting during your first year at the company, to which they responded with shocked snorts. There was a point where Roman grabbed your face and kissed you and kissed you until the rest of the siblings began faux-gagging, and Connor complained that it was like watching his siblings make out. Goddaughter-and-son incest, he’d said. 
It was fun, maybe. The closest to fun you could have with Roy siblings.
And it was gone in a second, like a candle snuffed in a hurricane. 
Logan was coming. Connor invited him because he loved him and he loved all of you and—
It hurt. Simple as that. It hurt to see the people he loved so… so torn.
The smiles melted away, and the laughter buzzed down. It was tense again. Family turned business once more. Connor finally put on a song to sing while he waited for his father to come, but your ears rang with white noise, so you didn’t quite register which song he was brokenly following along.
You were scared, you realized. Scared to face the man with the knife in his back. Roman worked his jaw and he complained some more. Not that you really heard what he said.
At some point, his phone began to ring, vibrating in his pants, pressed up against your leg. You raised a brow and scooched back so he could take it out to check. 
Logan. Dad. Of course. Roman’s hands shook, but only a little bit. Enough for you to see. Shiv grabbed it and hung up for him, not liking how long he hesitated. You stared at the black screen for a bit longer, your own fingers twitching.
Connor continued to sing. He finished three songs—maybe four—until the door creaked open. No knocks.
Colin came in first, then your godfather, then Kerry. He nodded, almost polite, with a casual greeting hanging in the air. It was eternally strange, the way Logan smiled at you. Warm, maybe. You didn’t know.
“Shit,” Roman said, almost amused, mostly… unprepared.
Chancing a glance to Shiv and Kendall, you noticed their stiff upper lips, their frozen postures. 
“Can we go somewhere else?” Logan asked, glancing around the large room. “These lights, er…”
Shiv shook her head in exasperation. A roll of her eyes. “We’re not going anywhere.”
There was little resistance to Logan. “Fine,” he easily acquiesced. With that, he took a seat in a velvet black chair, across all the siblings and you. Kerry jerked to sit next to him, which made Shiv recoil with a sneer.
“We won’t be needing you, Kerry. Thanks.”
Roman nodded. “Yeah, this here is a family fuck-fuck.”
There were a few glances around, Logan and Kerry looked at each other but neither moved. 
“Let’s get this figured out, and I can let you get back to your fun,” said Logan, ignoring them.
“Might be a wasted trip,” Kendall sardonically replied, tongue sharp. “Wanna give us a blast of New York, New York and fuck off?”
“I wanted to say something,” their father said.
Shiv retorted something else, and Kendall snickered under his breath. The buzzing in your ears grew louder.
“I guess I just wanted you there, a bit,” Logan said. “At my party.”
It was a play. Was it? Yes, of course. But if it wasn’t… 
But it was.
“Holy shit,” Kendall crooned. “Did Dad just say a feeling?”
“Well, you know. I thought maybe it would be nice,” said Logan. 
With exaggerated motions of his hands, Kendall exclaimed, “Oh, fuck! Now it’s all coming out! Oh, my God, Mr. Melodrama here! It’s like a fucking telenovela!”
Connor gestured between Kendall and his dad. “Come on, guys. He’s trying.”
Logan smiled, calm. “Y/N, dear,” he began. Your eyes snapped up to meet his and your spine seemed to grow rigid. “I had a lovely chat with your father. He was… surprised that you’re no longer holding Waystar together. Wouldn’t it be a shame, considering all the money he’s invested into the company? You’re setting millions on fire.”
The siblings all looked at you, curious. You swallowed, finding your throat painfully dry, despite all the champagne you’d been sipping prior to Logan’s arrival.
“If they expected me to stay at Waystar my entire life, they were always bound to be disappointed,” you responded, careful. “I won’t be tied down.”
A twitch of the old man’s mouth. Down or up or perhaps it hadn’t moved at all. “A shame. You worked so hard to compose acquisition branch details on Pierce just under a year ago. So much paperwork.” He shook his head. “And all of you—you knew I wanted Pierce ever since then. When I lost out, it wasn’t a good feeling.”
Fed up, Shiv finally leaned forward and hissed out, “I’m sorry, can we just cut the shit? It’s obvious why you’re here, Dad!”
Unsuspectingly, Kerry chimed, “Your father wanted to address the personal stuff and not just launch into business.”
Shiv’s jaw clicked. “Well, see, this isn’t personal, Dad. This is a business decision. This is about the money.”
Logan bobbed his head. “Look, you’re smart to ask about the money. You are. But Matsson—he won’t go there. You haven’t been around this, but I’ve got done a good deal and you’ll get enough to do whatever you want. I do ATN, you do Pierce. It’ll be a fresh start for all of us. It’ll make things better, and it starts there. All you have to do is… vote yes and support the deal.”
There was an uneasy shift next to you—Roman looked torn.
“You can separate the personal from the business,” Kerry offered. “Reset your dynamic as a family.”
Shiv snorted. “Oh, super! It’s gonna be just like how it used to—summer vacay and road trip musicals!” 
Hesitant, Roman supplied, “It just… it may be more complicated than that, dad.”
“I guess you’re still in the honeymoon phase,” Shiv told Kerry, cold and sarcastic. “Getting your own show on TV… amazing.”
The dark-haired woman glanced around, seeming to shrink further into her seat.
“No?” Roman asked, his attention piqued. Anything to latch onto to make everything feel less—tortuous. “You’re not going to be on TV now?”
Shiv laughed. “Has he fucked you on that?” 
Kendall nodded. “That’ll happen. The fucking. But congrats on losing your betrayal cherry—”
“Enough!” Logan said. It wasn’t loud, but heavy with finality. Your pulse skipped a beat, scratching down your ribcage almost painfully. Logan looked tired. “I though you’d be interested in an apology, but that’s enough.”
Incredulous, Shiv held a hand out. “Wait, what? An apology? We missed that, I think.”
Logan fixed an intense stare over all his children. “Look, I don’t do apologies. But if it means so much to you, then… sorry.”
In all your years of living, you’re not sure you’ve ever heard Logan apologize before. Was it genuine? Was it real? There was a long, terse silence. Roman stared at his father with his mouth slightly agape. You wrapped your arms around your stomach and stared at the door. Connor was looking down at his shoes. Kendall aimlessly observed Logan, finding that the apology he’d yearned for so many years of his life seemed to fall incredibly flat.
Shiv just about glared at her father in a challenging fashion, lips pursing tight. “There is nothing you could say to me now that I would ever believe.”
“This deal push could be worth a hundred mil to us, Dad,” said Kendall. “How many sorrys do we get for that?”
Kerry was starting to say something, but Roman butted in, looking incredibly troubled. “What are you actually sorry for, Dad? Are we actually doing this? Because I think, you know… seriously, what fucked all of this was when… it all happened with Mom in Italy.”
Logan averted his gaze to the carpeted ground. “Yeah, okay. I’ve had certain thoughts about that. With the best of intentions, I got the structure of the holding company, and the ownership structure of the family trust. There is a lack of clarity, and maybe you got a—”
“Amazing,” Shiv deadpanned, cutting her father off. “You sure you’re not having a seizure?”
For the first time in a very long time, Connor raised his voice at his baby sister. “He’s trying, Shiv! You said you were interested in an apology!”
Shiv glared at her father again. In a less harsh tone, she asked, “Anything else, Dad?”
There was a long pause. You wondered if Logan was haggling for words. 
“Come on, Dad,” Kendall goaded. “What are you sorry for?”
It felt like bullying, almost. In a severely twisted way. 
Kendall continued on, “Are you sorry for fucking ignoring Connor his whole life?”
“Bit strong,” protested Connor.
“Hitting Rome when he was a kid?” Kendall pointed at Roman, who shrugged.
“Oh, no—I mean, everyone hit me. I’m fucking annoying.” 
You frowned at Roman’s words, wrapping an arm around his waist. 
“Having Connor’s mom locked up?” Kendall continued on. 
Something twisted in the eldest Roy sibling’s expression. “Can we not do a whole show trial here?”
Finally, Shiv hissed out, “Okay, what about advising Tom on my divorce? Yeah? I mean, that took effort. That was above and beyond.”
“Tom asked me for advice,” said Logan. It didn’t go past everyone’s notice how he ignored all the rest of the hurtled accusations. “I recommended someone he could speak to. You weren’t around. If you’d been around, I would’ve offered you the same advice. But I can’t help you if you don’t see me.”
Shiv was hurt. It was clear as day, even if she refused to show it. She built up a wall, a front, brick by brick, and spun her hurt feelings into a low-flamed fury.
“Bottom line is, if we ask for more money, Matsson walks. I know that.”
“No!” Shiv asserted. There was something firmer in her tone this time. Angrier. “You don’t know that! You don’t know him! You don’t fucking know everything! Just because you say it doesn’t make it true! Everyone just fucking agrees with you and believes you so it becomes true—and then you can turn around and say oh! You see? I was right! But that’s just—that’s not how it is. You’re a human fucking gaslight!”
The silence that stretched across the room was thin. You were afraid to breathe, and so you bit down on your tongue.
Logan nodded and nodded. The brothers were quiet.
And so you felt compelled to say something. Sick with nerves, but compelled nonetheless. “Matsson has been fucking the company since the very start of negotiations. It’s only fair if you… bite him back.”
Logan watched you. There was something in his eyes that seemed to soften, but it was near imperceptible. Maybe you were simply seeing what you wanted to see. “I can’t take that risk,” he finally said. “Look, I just wanted to get us all together. What you kids don’t realize… this is a good deal. The world likes it. It makes sense. But deals have a habit of disappearing because pricks like Matsson get pissed off or snubbed. This… this is fucking real.”
You turned your head away and stared at the door once more. You wanted to leave. Crawl into bed and stop thinking about it all. Beside you, Roman was biting down on his thumb. A nervous habit.
“Okay, I think I can speak for everyone when I say this… go ask him for more money, Dad.” Shiv narrowed her eyes at her father.
“Why?” Logan asked. Are you not satisfied with what you already have? was the unsaid, lingering question hanging in the air.
Kendall tilted his head up. “Just good business sense. Gotta make our own pile. Right, Dad?” 
“Yeah, I just have to listen to my gut. I just gotta go with what my gut says,” Shiv piled on.
“Oh, come on. Jesus.” Logan pulled at his face, tired. In a span of five, maybe ten minutes… he seemed to age a decade. Finally, finally, the nice mask slipped. He leaned back in the velvet seat and spat out, “You’re such fucking dopes.”
Roman’s nose twitched and he shifted so he could lean further into you. You let him.
“You are not serious figures,” Logan went on. “I love you… but you are not serious people.”
His eyes were glassy for a second, but you weren’t exactly sure, because he stood up and hurriedly strode out of the karaoke room the very next second. No goodbyes. Kerry followed close behind him.
The hazy purple lights were beginning to make you nauseous. 
Everybody sat in silence for a little while longer. Let the conversation marinate. Shiv poured herself a drink and smiled into the rim, expression victorious.
“How was it for you guys?” she asked the group. “Fucking Dad, that is.”
“Amazing. Just over too soon. I could’ve kept going,” Kendall admitted.
Roman abruptly stood up, scratching the back of his head uncomfortably. He made a noise of disgust.
“Rome, we’re kidding, man,” Kendall said.
He began to pace around, like a caged animal. “No, I know. It’s fine. It’s cool.”
Connor also stood up, shrugging on his jacket. “Well… I’m going home. ‘M tired.” 
“G’night, Con,” you said. He reached over the couch to give you a one-armed hug from behind. “She’ll come home. Willa.”
“It’s fine,” Connor said. 
Kendall arched a brow. “Really?”
“Yeah.” There was a nod and a tap of his shoe. “The good thing about having a family that doesn’t love you is that you learn to live without it.”
Shiv’s face crumpled. “What? Con, that’s not—”
With a shake of his head, Connor scoffed. “You’re all chasing after Dad saying, “Oh, please, love me, love me, I need love, I need attention!””
“I think that’s the opposite of what just happened,” Shiv argued. 
“You’re needy love sponges,” Connor pressed. “And I’m a plant that grows on rocks and lives off insects that die inside of me.”
Shiv laughed, Roman huffed, and Kendall stayed silent. 
“If Willa doesn’t come back, that’s fine. ‘Cause I don’t need love. It’s like a superpower,” he said. “And if she comes back and doesn’t love me, that’s okay too. I don’t need it. Thanks for the party.” With that, he stepped out of the karaoke room.
You jolted out of your seat, ignoring Roman’s questions as to where you were going. You rushed out the door after Connor, nearly tripping over your own feet in your haste.
“Connor!” you called out. The older man halted in the middle of the dimly lit hallway.
“What? I’m not looking for pity, Y/N—”
You shuffled forward the last few steps and put your hand on his elbow. “Con, I just… I wanted to say—” You shook your head and wrapped your arms around him. “You’re my brother. I know you are. And… even if you don’t need love or whatever you were on about in there… I’ll still love you anyway. Okay? I don’t need you to need my love. You’ll have it.”
There was a momentary pause before Connor jerkily moved to pat your back and hug you back. Loose, but solid.
“You’re just a kid. A kid with my kid brother,” he said once he pulled away, rubbing his palms up and down your forearms. His eyes seemed to be watery and tired, but he laughed right from his belly. “I love you, too, kid.”
“Yeah?”
“Of course.”
The two of you grinned at each other. 
“G’night, Con.” He let you go when you stepped back. “Big day tomorrow.”
“Yeah…”  Connor nodded. “Big day.”
He walked off, and you watched him go. When you heard the door open, you turned to see Roman peeking his head out.
“Hey, Rome,” you greeted. “I love you, you know that?”
His eyes roamed over your face, and he smiled back. It was lopsided and slight. “Mmkay. Yeah, me too, fuckface. You feeling okay?” 
“Yeah. Should get home.” You craned your neck to lean forward, affectionately pecking his cheek. “You coming with?”
He shifted his weight from foot to foot. Eyes to the ground, then to the walls. Not on you. 
“Not… not yet. I’ll come in a bit. Just need to grab something from my place first.”
His place was barren. Everything in his place, you had in yours. You probably had more of his clothes in your closet than his own. You regarded him with a curious look, but decided not to press further.
“Okay, Rome. You have the key. Just don’t jostle me awake when you climb into bed.”
He guffawed. “I’ll sleep on the floor then, your royal majesty.” 
“Thank you.”
“I was joking. Just so you know. You prick.”
“I know. I wouldn’t want you to sleep on the floor, anyway. A waste of body heat.”
He kissed you then, surging forward to chase after your lips. You hummed in pleasant surprise, but kissed him back with just as much vigor. His lips were a darker shade of pink when he pulled away.
“See you at home, Roman.” After a final pat on his cheek, it was your turn to walk off. 
Roman wrung his hands nervously. There’d been a text to his phone while you were out talking to Connor—from his Dad. He glanced back at the door, where Shiv and Kendall were still speaking to each other inside. He rolled his shoulders and began to slowly walk out of the building, careful not to bump into you.
He was going to go pay his father a visit.
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The top spot at ATN. Was it a tempting offer in it of itself or was it just tempting because his father was goading him to lick off the silver platter?
When he told you, and of course he told you, you just about blew up—in the most professional, stick-in-ass way possible—warning him not to take the offer with a strained voice and wide eyes. Not even consider it. ATN wasn’t where he wanted to be. His father was offering him a cyanide pill, obscured by a layer of fucking strawberries and cream.
The next morning, he numbly got dressed for Connor’s wedding. Got into the car after you, pinching your thigh once he clambered in next to you. His father called him on the way there, much to your dismay, telling him to come with him to meet Matsson, despite Connor’s wedding being literal hours away.
Roman turned him down. But he didn’t turn Logan away when he told Roman to fire Gerri since, apparently, he was beginning to lose faith in her. 
You were pretending not to listen to their conversation, but he knew you were. He could tell by the way your jaw seemed to twitch at the prospect of cutting Gerri loose. 
“Shit,” he breathed out once Logan hung up on him. “That’s fucking… bullshit.”
You drew your eyes away from the window, regarding him with narrowed eyes. “Don’t do it, Rome.”
Everything felt crowded and tense all of a sudden. Roman squared his shoulders defensively. There was a stinging quip on the tip of his tongue, but nothing seemed to come out other than a rather passive, “Mmh.” 
The rest of the drive to the wedding venue was silent. But your hand came to lace with his, and that made him feel just a bit better. 
Once there, about half a dozen cameras swarmed the two of you coming out of the car, taking several candid shots, much to your irritation. It was only expected, what with Connor being in the run for president and the whole wedding being a PR move, anyway. But you gave them a smile nonetheless, made a show of kissing Roman’s cheek and walked off to greet other work acquaintances and wedding guests. From the corner of your eye, you could see Roman trying to talk to Gerri with a rather terse look on his face. You tried not to pay him any mind. He was digging his own grave.
Half an hour later, the wedding planner announced for family and friends to start boarding the boat. The few businesswomen you were chatting to kissed you on the cheek and told you they’d see you soon. You waved them goodbye and made your way onto the boat. Kissed and hugged and congratulated Willa. She looked beautiful in her wedding dress, even if she didn’t appear all too happy wearing it. After a short conversation, you moved on into the boat.
It was lavishly decorated, screaming luxury and American patriotism. There was a concerning amount of blue and red strewn everywhere. They weren’t being very subtle, were they?
You made your way onto the second floor, greeted by Kendall in a pair of sunglasses.
“Hey, loser,” he said, nudging you in the side. “You look nice.”
“Thanks,” you replied, giving him a quick once over. “You look shitty. Hiding your terrible eyebags behind those shades, are you? Not doing a very good job, by the way.”
He seemed unfazed by your jab. “You excited for the wedding?”
“Neither Connor nor Willa seem too hot about it,” you told him with a mild grimace. On your way to the boat, you heard Connor yelling at his wedding planner about the cake being inadequate.
Kendall shrugged and pulled a nonchalant expression. “It’ll blow over. They’ll be fine.”
“I know. It just feels so… fake. All of it.” You jerked your head toward a frilly blue, red, and white banner. 
“Yeah, well, yours won’t be,” he said, scrutinizing you behind those ridiculous shades of his. “With Rome, I mean.”
“Wow! Yeah, well, we aren’t quite there yet, I think.” You laughed and rolled your eyes to the ceiling. “Besides, I can’t guarantee that you’re even invited to this hypothetical wedding. Who knows? I can never tell with you guys. You’re always five minutes away from ruining each other’s lives or being best friends.”
“I’ll crash your wedding if I’m not invited. It’s my baby brother, dude. I have to be there,” he said. You couldn’t tell if it was a joke or not. 
“Good to know,” came your lighthearted retort. “I’ll be sure to save a slice of cake for you.”
With that, you bumped your fist into his bicep and walked off. Then, you spotted Roman out on deck, phone in his hand. You stepped out just in time to hear him bark out, “Don’t listen to this if you don’t want to—but I’m not… I’m not, uh, totally okay with… are you kinda just being shitty with me, Dad? ‘Cause… your son is getting married, and you can’t fucking just keep expecting me to bend over for you and being cunty, so I’m just asking. Yeah—that’s the question, actually. Are you a cunt? Okay. Give me a buzz.”
There were a few seconds of silence after he hung up. You approached him from behind and slung both your arms around his waist, resting your chin on his shoulder. 
“Hey, fuckface,” he said. He sounded tired. Distressed.
“Hey,” you quietly said in reply. “I’m proud of you.”
“For calling Dad a cunt?”
“Yeah.” You huffed out a laugh. “I really am proud of you.”
Roman leaned back against you and hummed. “I just got on this boat and I already want to fucking leave.”
“That’ll break Connor’s heart.” 
“I know. I’m his favorite brother.”
“I think Shiv is his favorite brother, actually.”
The two of you laughed, and he didn’t bother arguing back. 
“Come on. I think Kendall and Shiv are looking for you,” you said, tugging him inside.
The two of you greeted the three other Roy siblings, where Connor was giving a rundown of his plan for Logan. 
“Okay, so the idea is that Dad will pop by, be dockside, and you guys will just be up here. I think that’s cleanest,” Connor told all of you.
Shiv pursed her lips and tilted her head. “Oh… okay. You really think he’s going to pop by?”
“I spoke with Kerry,” Connor said with a smile, crossing his fingers. “He’s hoping.”
With a nod of thanks, he gave you and Roman both a quick hug, before rushing back downstairs to be with his wife-to-be. 
“Well, someone’s gotta tell him,” said Shiv. “We should tell him.”
“We should,” Kendall agreed. Both you and Roman nodded. 
“Well, Shiv, you are his favorite,” you offered. 
The woman’s face regarded you as if you’d just stabbed her in the back. “No, come on—really?”
“He likes you,” Kendall insisted.
“Fine,” she sighed with slitted eyes. “I’ll be the wedding Grinch. Fuck you.”
The three of you watched her go with muted snickers. 
Then, Roman’s phone began to buzz. He fished it out of his pocket and let out an annoyed groan upon seeing Tom’s caller ID. 
“Oh my—ugh,” Roman hastily pressed on the green answer button, “Hello? Fucky-sucky brigade, how can I help you? Yeah?” 
You leaned onto the fancy leather couches next to Kendall, who was staring out the window, watching the gentle waves roil over the surface of the harbor. “Hey, Ken?”
“Mmh?”
“I’d invite you, you know.” 
Kendall’s eyes left the waters to look at you. “What?”
“To my wedding. Before I said I couldn’t guarantee you a spot—but I’d want you there.”
Something akin to gratitude flashed across his face. Before he could say anything, Roman’s panicked voice echoed over, and the both of you snapped your heads towards him.
“What?” he said into the phone. “Tom, what are you—?”
“What?” Kendall asked, immediately on his feet. “What’s happening?”
You followed suit, the two of you hovering over Roman’s sides. 
His palms grew white over the phone. “It’s—uh, Tom. Apparently Dad’s sick. Uh, what do you mean he’s sick? Sick, like—Tom? What’s going on? Are you still there?” 
“Where is he now?” you asked, brows furrowed. Roman could only shake his head, equally clueless, pulling the phone away so he could put it on speaker.
“Is he okay?” Kendall immediately asked. “Who’s with him?”
There was a lot of rustling and rummaging. It felt as if your heart had crawled its way into your throat. 
“It—it seems bad. Very, very bad. I’m so sorry to call you like this,” Tom’s voice crackled through.
“What?” you croaked. “What is it, though? Like, a fever?”
“Can you put him on the phone?” Roman asked. His voice shook and his brows were pulled tightly together. 
Again, Kendall asked the same questions, “Who’s there? Tom, what’s going on? What happened?”
“Ah—” You could practically see Tom scratching at his head. “He was short of breath and he went into the bathroom. And, well, uh, someone heard something and we were concerned, and they went in there.”
Kendall used his hands to gesticulate to nobody in particular. “They broke in?”
“They broke in, yeah. They had the key and they got in, but he’s not responsive.”
“Not responsive?” you parroted, eyes widening. This was far worse than just… sick. “Like—is he conscious?”
The brothers started to blurt out a multitude of questions, concerns exponentially heightened. 
“Is he talking? Can he talk?” Kendall asked.
“Is he breathing?” Roman’s shoulders were hunched over, as if he was trying to shrink in on himself. 
There was a brief pause. Uncomfortable and festered with fear. 
“They’re doing chest compressions,” Tom’s voice pierced through.
Your lungs seemed to contract in panic at his words. The room felt all the smaller. 
“Oh!” Roman exclaimed in a mixture of both shock and anguish. “Fuck.”
Kendall only pressed on with his queries. “Has his heart stopped?”
“I don’t know.”
“Do you guys have the machine on board? The heart thing?” Roman asked.
“The defibrillator,” you said, clutching both your anxious, wringing hands to your chest. 
How had the day turned on its head so quickly?
“Is Siobhan there?” Tom’s voice was patchy and unclear. It was hard to hear over Kendall’s barrage of frustration.
“No, she’s not,” said Roman.
“Karl said that maybe he’s breathing,” Tom claimed.
Leaning forward, you hissed out, “Karl isn’t a medical professional, Tom. Who’s trained in there?”
“The, uh, the people. The attendant. I’ll put you on speaker—here’s, uh, Karl, here—”
The older man’s voice buzzed through, “That captain has been informed. The cabin staff are receiving medical advice from their service.”
Both Kendall and Roman barked questions over each other. Faintly, you heard an additional third voice in the back of the call.
“Is that Frank?” you asked. 
Tom cleared his throat. “Yeah, so—Frank thinks you guys should speak to him.  And I can—I can hold the phone near him if you’d like.”
Roman bit down on his tongue, angry. “Why does Frank think that, Tom?”
“I guess if it’s a last chance, you know. I think it’s the last chance.”
A shudder and a glare from Roman to the phone. “What the fuck do you mean, Tom?”
“You think he’s gonna die?” you whispered, eyes stinging as you stared down at the screen, watching the seconds of the call tick by.
“He’s… he’s not in good shape. They’re doing chest compressions.”
“Well, should they be doing that?” Roman just about yelled at the phone. You placed a hand on his hunched shoulder.
Frank began talking again, “They’re getting advice, they know what they’re doing. But I think you should talk to him. I’m not sure he’s breathing.”
The two both spluttered angrily. In denial, in frustration, in utter devastation.
“We just heard that he was breathing two seconds ago, Frank. You shouldn’t be doing CPR on someone who’s heart is still going! What the fuck is going on, Frank?” Kendall gritted out.
“I’ll put you by his ear,” Tom said. “I’ll put you right by him. He’ll be able to hear you if—if he can.”
If you hadn’t been so hyperfocused on the call, you would’ve realized that your entire body began to simultaneously tremble and tense, like a plank of wood caught in a hurricane. 
“Uh, you might wanna get Shiv, so she can—” 
“Yeah, we’ll—we’ll get her,” said Roman.
“Okay, I’ll put you by him now.”
“Is he okay?”
“No, Rome, he’s not okay.”
“You can speak now. Go ahead.”
There was a blistering silence. Roman gestured for Kendall to take the phone first, but he shook his head. He turned to you, but you weren’t even looking in his direction, clamoring for your own phone to try and contact Karolina. Your hands seemed not to work in coordination with your mind, because you struggled getting your phone to unlock, and then struggled even more to open up the right app to get to your contacts list.
This left Roman to speak to his maybe-dead dad on his own. He hurried around the room, as if there was going to be a corner on this wretched yacht that would make this somewhat easier to say. He ended up crouching by the end of the leather couch. 
“Hey, Dad. I, uh, hope you’re okay. You’re okay. You’re going to be okay.” Was he reassuring himself or his father? “Because you’re a—you’re a monster, and you’re going to win. ‘Cause you just—you just win. That’s what you do. And you’re, uh… you’re a good man. You’re a good dad. A very good dad. Uh… you did a good job. No—no. I’m sorry, I don’t know how to do that.”
With that, Roman unceremoniously stood up and shoved his phone right into your palms, tugging away your own. “It’s your turn.”
Your shaking grew all the worse, but you put on a brave face and held it up to your face.
“Oh, uhm—hi, Uncle Logan. You, uhm… oh—I wasn’t prepared or this, you know, I would’ve… I would’ve, if I’d known, I wouldn’t have…”
It occurred to you that you managed to say absolutely nothing in the precious few seconds he had left. This sent you spiraling into another bout of anxious trembling. You only barely registered Roman’s own shaking hand on your side.
“You were so—such a big role in my life. So important. And—and, and, I really couldn’t have done anything without your help. Thank you. For everything. I… I love you, Uncle Lo. Really, I do. And I love your kids like my own siblings, and—and Rome, I’m—I love him. I promise I’ll, uh, I’ll take care of him. I just—uhm, I can’t really, there are just so many things you…”
Your nails scratched over your chest as you heaved out a shuddering breath. Realizing you couldn’t finish, you made your way over to Kendall and handed the phone to him with teary eyes.
“Okay,” Kendall said with the phone by his nose, blinking helplessly at the ground. “Hang in there. Yeah? Uhm…”
“It’ll be okay,” Roman softly whispered to him.
“It’ll be okay,” Kendall repeated into the phone. “We love you, Dad. Okay? We love you. I love you, Dad. I do. I love you, okay? Uh—and… it’s okay. Even though you fucking… I don’t know. I can’t—I can’t forgive you.”
You sniffled and wiped a stray tear with the sleeve of your dress. 
After a few final words, Kendall handed the phone back to Roman. Tom’s voice crackled through again, asking for Shiv. 
“Ken’s gonna get Shiv,” Roman said, voice small and child-like. Kendall nodded and staggered his way out of the room.
There was more commotion on the other end of the line. 
“What’s going on now?” Roman asked. 
“I, uhm—there’s, I’m not so sure—” Tom’s glitchy voice replied. “I think he’s gone, Roman.”
“What?” you asked.
“I think—I don’t know, I think there might not be a pulse, they’re not—”
A few seconds passed, with only scuffling noises on the other end. Shiv and Kendall appeared through the doorway just a minute later.
“They think he’s gone,” Roman told his sister as he handed the phone to her. “They think he’s dead.”
“What?” Shiv asked, her eyes welling up almost instantaneously. “No! I… I can’t have that.”
Tom spoke a few words to his wife, telling her that he was putting the phone back by Logan’s ear. Shiv strode away to ramble to her father in a semi-panicked fashion. She called him Dad at first, which spiraled into whisper-cries of Daddy, and angry curses intermingled with a multitude of I love yous.
You tugged at your face, aching with all the tension you were carrying. Roman’s hand was on your arm, but he left your side half a minute later to take the phone away from Shiv, who seized up with incoherent noises through blurred tears. He hugged her, but she didn’t return it, frozen on the spot.
The siblings all asked him more questions. 
“Is he okay at all?” Kendall asked.
“He’s not okay, no,” replied Tom. “He’s not.”
Shiv sucked in a shaky breath. “Is he gone? Tom?”
A brief pause.
“They say his heart stopped and his breathing stopped, too. For a while, maybe.”
“Okay, but that doesn’t mean he’s dead, medically!” Roman asserted. “Right?”
You didn’t have the heart to tell him that it did mean exactly that.
“I don’t know,” came Tom’s calm voice. “They’re still doing chest compressions.”
Kendall began to order Tom around, then Frank, then Jess. Something about getting the best doctor in the world. The best airplane medicine expert, whatever that meant. He disappeared out of the room to go up to the deck. You took a seat on the couch and sank your face into your palms.
When Kendall returned, his face was solemn and set in stone. “Frank thinks he’s gone,” he said.
Roman sank down on the ground, right by your feet. Shiv took a seat next to you.
“Why didn’t you come and get me?” Shiv sniffled, looking up at her big brother. 
“I—Shiv, I did. We did,” Kendall said.
“No, but I was right out there. How long was it happening before?”
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I’m—I wasn’t thinking—” Kendall shook his head.
Roman drew in a sharp breath. “There was no time. I promise you, there was no time at all.”
Kendall took his little sister’s hand and repeated his apologies. The sight made more tears spill over your cheeks.
“I’m sorry, guys,” you hoarsely said. “He’s not even my dad.”
“No, it’s…” Roman patted your knee. “He was. He is. Kind of.”
“It’s just—on the phone Tom said that Kerry spoke to him. Quite a bit,” Shiv said, voice bitter.
“I don’t know,” said Kendall. “I don’t—we don’t know if he could hear us.”
Another sniffle. Shiv nodded a bit. “Yeah. I’m just sad, I guess.”
Roman shifted uncomfortably, looking up at his siblings and you with large, worried eyes. “Uh—do we know if he was on his phone at all? Like, if he checked his messages or anything?”
Faintly, you recalled Roman leaving a voice message for him. Right. Roman had called his father a cunt. And you’d said you were proud of him for it. Nausea pressed fervently against the inside of your stomach. Roman drew in a sharp, stressful breath.
“Rome, it’s okay,” Kendall assured him. “We’re okay. You did good.”
The words didn’t sit with you well. You did good—as if it were one last performance before the curtains closed. The circus monkey and the ringleader. 
“Yeah, I know,” he quickly replied. Roman’s expression crumpled. “I don’t know if—I just don’t know. Like, if I said… I just feel like I didn’t—did I even say I loved him?”
Kendall nodded. “I think so, yeah.”
“I’m pretty sure I didn’t,” Roman asserted. The grip he had on your knee tightened. “Do you know?”
“Ro, hon, I’m—” The words lodged in your throat as you reached out to brush your knuckles over his cheekbone. “He knows.”
“No, but I really don’t think I did—” Roman jerked away to lean closer to the phone Tom was calling through. “Tom, could you put me back to his ear for—ergh, fuck it. Never mind. I don’t know. Maybe just keep the line open.”
If Tom replied, you didn’t hear.
Instead, you glanced out the doorway, where you saw Connor speaking to some other wedding guests. He didn’t know.
“Oh, fuck. We need to get Connor. We need to tell him,” Roman said, following your gaze. “Can you do it, Ken? I don’t think I can. I mean, I could, I definitely could, I just—”
Kendall nodded solemnly, and stood up. Shiv offered to go with him, rising to her feet and drawing in a deep breath in a fruitless attempt to maintain her long-gone composure. 
“Thank you,” Roman said from the ground. He crossed his legs and leaned against the side of your shins. In turn, you placed your hands on his shoulders and squeezed reassuringly.
“I don’t remember the last thing I said to him,” you mumbled, voice filled with irritating tremors and warbles. “In that karaoke room. I don’t remember any of it, and I wasn’t even drunk or anything, I just—”
Roman pressed his cheek against your thigh, shutting his eyes. “I think you were okay. I don’t know. Maybe he heard us. And you have such a nice voice, y’know? Maybe it was good for him. If he heard it.”
The two of you sat in stuffy silence for a few minutes more. 
The three other siblings came to fetch the two of you sooner than you would’ve liked—whisking all of you upstairs to a more secluded room. Connor had tears in his eyes when all of you filed in, face wrought with anguish. “What happened?” he asked, sounding utterly devastated.
Roman apologized over and over again, but made no attempts to explain to him. Instead, he reached forward to grab at his oldest brother’s arm in a strange sort of semi-hug as Kendall filled Connor in on what happened.
“Well, actually, we don’t really know that he’s gone,” Roman asserted to the rest of you, drawing away from them. 
Both Kendall and Shiv began to clamor over the likelihood of Logan’s death. They seemed surprised that Roman was clinging onto such hope that he was alive. You watched Roman with such sad eyes that when he looked at you, he found himself growing even more upset.
“What?” he asked you crossly, brows drawing together. “Why are you looking at me like that? He—he could still fucking be alive! We don’t know! Are you going to trust, what, like, fucking Frank and Karl’s word on it? Don’t look at me like I’m crazy!”
“Right, well, you sound delusional, Rome,” Shiv tried telling him. You could tell she was trying to lay it easy on him and be nice, but it didn’t quite sound that way.
The siblings argued some more. Roman kept denying that Logan was dead, while Shiv gritted out that he’s gone. 
“All I’m saying is that we don’t know for sure. And—and until we do know, it’s just not a very nice thing to say, is it? So just fucking stop!” Roman yelled the last word out, and it ricocheted across the room like a bullet would. 
They all fell silent for a moment.
“Okay,” Shiv said. She looked to be on the verge of crying again. With quiet, reassuring words, Connor wrapped an arm around his little sister and let her lean against him.
“Roman,” you said, making his eyes snap to you. They were red and looked so tired. You were sure yours looked just the same. When you spread your arms as a non-verbal invite, he surged forward and buried himself into your embrace. The two of you held onto each other as if you were both lifeboats for one another in this vast sea of fucking nothing.
Kendall, disillusioned, went back to staring out the window.
“He didn’t want us together,” Roman choked out, forehead drooped onto your sternum. “He fucking—he told me to end it, and I didn’t listen, and I just never listened to him…”
Both your hands rubbed up and down his back. “I know. I know, Rome. I love you even if he didn’t want me to.”
Your words made Roman’s shoulders curl closer to his chest. Closer to you. “Fuck. Me, too, okay? Me, too.”
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Half an hour later, the boat began moving away from the dock, much to all of your chagrin. 
Hugo had also come into the room, acting as a liaison. He told the lot of you that the plane-folk were starting to draft a statement to release to the news. The siblings angrily called them to ask what was going on—which did little to sway them.
Not too long after, Gerri came in to offer her condolences. Her presence made Roman all the more turbulent, and he lashed out at her, telling her to fuck off. 
Shiv asked her godmother if maybe they could stay up in the air a bit longer to give everyone some more time to think—and Roman told her to fuck off, too. At that point, you stepped in to say that it’s probably best not to delay the inevitable. Thankfully, Roman didn’t tell you to fuck off at that.
“Just to say,” Kendall said once both Hugo and Gerri hurried off to answer calls and get more information, “every single thing we say and do today… it’s all going in the memoirs, going in the fucking congressional record, it’s coming up at board meetings, it’s going in SEC filings.”
“God, Kendall,” you said, pinching the space between your brows. “Your grief is not a fucking spectacle, okay? It’s not—none of this is meant to be a performance. You can… you can be a fucking human being for once, okay?”
“No, but, listen, I’m agreeing with you,” he said, holding out a hand. “If we tell them to circle the plane around to buy us time, then some fucking rumors start up, and we get crucified for being cold-hearted, or—I don’t even know. We’re highly liable to misinterpretation right now. What we do today will always be what we did the day our father died. So I’m agreeing with you, Y/N. We shouldn’t delay the inevitable.”
Nose flaring, Shiv shook her head in a frustrated manner.
“So, you know, let’s grieve and whatever,” Kendall continued on, “but not do anything that restricts our future freedom of movement.”
“Okay,” you whispered, nodding in agreement. “Okay, Kendall. We’ll be careful.”
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The siblings stepped out to discuss drafting statements themself, and you told them you’d arrange transport off the boat to the airport, where they’d be landing. 
Before you reconvened with them, however, you dropped by to see Connor one last time.
“I’m sorry,” you whispered with a frown that felt strangely childish, enveloping him in a hug. “I’m sorry your dad died, and I’m sorry I won’t be here to see you get married. Everything’s gone to shit and I hate that I can’t do anything about it.”
“It’s okay,” Connor said, rubbing your back comfortingly, not unsimilar to what you did with Roman. “It’s okay, kiddo. I appreciate you coming here to tell me.”
You pulled away, using the back of your palm to brush away your tears. “I got you, uhm—as a wedding present, I got you an oil painting kit. It’s not much, but I thought it’d be fun to try it out with you one day. I guess I just didn’t think—I thought I’d be able to give it to you after the ceremony, but… I don’t think I’ll be around. I’m sorry.”
Connor nodded, and smiled at you sadly. “It’s like you haven’t changed at all in twenty years, you know that? I feel so fuckin’ old.”
“Have a happy wedding, Con,” you told him. With that, you turned on your heel and headed off, breathing out a sigh of relief upon seeing a smaller boat right by the one you were on, ready to take you back to land.
One boat ride, one helicopter flight, and one private car later, you arrived at Teterboro Airport, where their plane touched down. Logan was announced dead at arrival. Roman balked and nearly puked up what little he’d eaten on the boat—you rubbed his back and told him everything was okay as he dry-retched nothing in the airport bathroom. There were already dozens of news reporters and journalists flooding the entrance-way for the impromptu press conference the Roy siblings were holding.
Before the sun was down, the news was spilled at the hands of Shiv. It was short and concise, over in no more than a minute. Questions, questions, and more questions—none of which were answered.
“Are we going to go see him?” Roman asked once it was all over. The plane was in view.
“Do we have to?” Kendall replied.
“I mean, he’s not going to be angry if we don’t,” Shiv replied. The rest of you smiled in silence.
Then, Kendall opened his arms, and the four of you leaned into a brief group hug. You kissed Shiv’s cheek and told her to get home safe. She nodded and took her leave. 
Roman jutted his head in the direction of the plane. “I’m gonna go see him. You coming, Kendall?” 
The oldest scuffed his shoe into the concrete pathway. “I’m gonna—I’ll watch him come down from here.”
“Okay,” said Roman. There was no surprise in his tone, but it lacked any sort of harsh judgment. 
“I’ll come with you,” you told Roman, taking his hand. “If you’re going to go see him, I’ll come with you.”
“Didn’t expect anything less,” he replied, eyes soft and sad. 
With a nod of goodbye at Kendall, the two of you left him to stand by the airport exit. 
“Do you think he would’ve been okay with us being together eventually, though?” Roman asked after a while, growing increasingly nervous as you neared the plane. Even now that his father was dead, he was still grasping for his approval.
There was a moment of contemplative silence. You wondered if you truly knew the answer to that, or if you were simply feeding into the kind-hearted caricature of a man Logan often didn’t live up to. 
“I think so,” you replied. Roman squeezed your hand. “I think he would’ve been proud of us for sticking together, even if he didn’t want us to at first. He would’ve respected you for it, eventually, because you didn’t take his shit.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.” You beckoned to the stairs leading up into the plane’s cabin. “You ready?”
“No.” Roman’s jaw squared. “I’m scared, I think. But I have to go see him. You don’t have to come, you know. You don't have to be so fucking good all the time. You can just leave if you want to.”
With a contemplative hum, you nodded once after barely giving his words any thought. “I know I don’t have to be here. I know it all, Rome. But I’ll come with you anyway. Anywhere you go.”
Roman raised your conjoined hands, kissed your knuckles in an appreciative manner, and led the way inside.
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elexaria · 2 months
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cw — dubcon, mean ol’ johnny :(
johnny is one jealous son of a bitch. can’t handle it when he sees you talking to any man that isnt him. white knuckled grip on his pint glass when you chat to simon, joking around and laughing. he sees red when your hand gently brushes up against his arm, and gaz clears his throat, his eyes flitting down to the pint glass. “careful, you’re gonna end up shatterin’ that if you don’t calm down.” he says, an eyebrow raised as he watches johnny continue to stare daggers into you.
you’re clearly an idiot, he thinks to himself as he ignores you the next day. hell, he even gives simon the silent treatment. fucker, he shouldn’t entertain your happiness! he knows that johnny’s head over heels for you! whatever, fuck ‘em both. he huffs around base, begrudgingly and sparingly choosing limited words when it comes to drills.
the moping around is ridiculous, absolutely pathetic. simon glares down at johnny in the mess, hands on his hips. “grow up, we were just joking around.” he grumbles out, just audible enough for only johnny to hear— but everyone knows, the tension is fucking palpable and it makes you feel nauseous. all because of one stupid joke? that harmless touch of simon’s arm.
“he’s like the brother i never had, john.” you yell at him when, finally, after what felt like half an hour of banging at his quarters door, johnny lets you in. he grimaces, shaking his head as his eyes spark a dangerous expression. “no, ye just don’t get it, dae ye?” he growls, his fingers rasping against the scruffy brown whiskers around his lips. “yer a fuckin’ bimbo, of course ye don’t fuckin’ see it—“
you feel your heart sink, eyebrows furrowing. he’s such a prick.
“let me tell ye somethin’ about blokes, lass.” he says, pushing himself off of his desk. he’s not the tallest man on base, but his large physique still manages to make you feel small. one hand harshly grips onto your small wrist, the other grasping your chin with a possessive touch. “we’re all the same, ye ken? and i— i fuckin’ get what’s goin’ on in their heads when they look at ye. and i don’t like it.” he growls, his voice dangerously low and gritty as his breath skirts against the shell of your ear. “yer mine, bonnie. whether ye like it or not.”
he’s such a mean bastard.
folding you in half, thighs smushed up against his hairy chest, the backs of your knees propped up over his shoulders. each harsh thrust inside of you, each growl and snarl— he’s reinforcing the notion that you belong to him. body and soul. “fuckin’ say it, lass. tell ‘em yer all mine!” he barks out, his large hand grasping harshly at your pudgy tear-stained cheeks. you comply, voice shakily crying out a weak “‘m all yours, ser— sergeant mactavish—!” as your second orgasm begins to crest.
yeah, they all know it. especially when a calm, relaxed johnny leans back in his seat in the rec room, a shit eating grin on his lips as you sheepishly limp into the doorway, avoiding eye contact with everyone :(
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