#[ the bit about rupert had me fucking crying ]
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Learning the Truth Chapter 2
AKA Rupert fucking loses it? Maybe?
Either way, with Rupert missing, he's wandering the streets of West Mesa, and Charles and Henry have to look for him. Will they be able to find him? And more importantly, will Rupert finally understand himself a little more?
Nothing serious in the TW department. A mention of alcoholism, but that's about it
Rupert woke with a start, finding himself on a park bench near a playground. Had he been asleep all night? He grazed his shoulder as he felt the heavy weight of the blanket on him and felt a bit happy that someone had at least taken pity on him and given him something to keep warm. Not that it mattered much in this heat. He shook off the blanket to give to the next person and stood up, looking over the playground and trying to think about the fond memories he had here.
At one point when he was two years old…
“It’s not that scary is it?” Terrence glanced at Rupert, who looked at him with a bit of uncertainty as he whimpered softly, making soft babbling noises as Reginald smiled.
“Rupert, if you want, I’ll go down with you. I don’t mind,” Reginald said. Rupert stared at Reginald blankly before shaking his head, climbing up the slides steps before looking down at the ramp below. Terrence followed closely behind, being ready to grab Rupert if he started to cry. Which he would, usually, but this time, he felt particularly brave.
Every time he’d ever done this, he had been with his mom. She would always tell him that he can do it and how strong of a boy he was and oh goodness this looks a lot steeper then he thought, maybe he should bail-
“Hey Rupert…” He heard Terrence say. He glanced over at him, the sparkling flecks of gold in his hazel eyes somewhat shimmering.
“It’s OK if you can’t do it you know. There’s no shame in admitting that you can’t slide down,” Terrence said, “Otherwise I can give you a push.”
“Terry!” Reginald shouted, “That’s not the answer and you know it!”
“No!” Rupert shouted. It was probably his favorite word when he was this age. Rupert glanced down at the slope, feeling determined before sliding down. He fell forward and his face hit the soft dirt below as Reginald shouted, running towards him.
“RUPERT! Rupert are you alright?” Reginald said.
“Reg, stop worrying, you’re gonna scare him!” Terrence said, “Well little dude, was that so bad?” Rupert thought about it for a second. It did feel kinda scary at first, but it also felt kinda good.
“No,” Rupert said, smiling at them. Reginald let out a sigh of relief as Terrence gave him a flashy grin.
Rupert didn’t really understand the memory, nor why it had come to him, but what was it supposed to prove? Sure, Terrence was a bit of trouble for the government forces from what he had heard and he couldn’t even begin to describe the fight he had to even pin Reginald down when he was arrested (he was bitten at least a couple of times), but remembering this made him feel like he was seeing a different side to them.
Why did he hate this feeling so much? He was so conflicted it wasn’t even funny anymore. And remembering all this wasn’t helping. Feeling overwhelmed, he headed out of the park and out into the streets, hoping to look for something else to distract him.
But he kept remembering it.
Big strong arms, a soft smile underneath a perfectly coiffed mustache and goatee, one red and one blue eye looking at him with such pride and love…
He leaned against the wall before sitting down, feeling a burning in his chest.
No… you’re the bad guy… I can’t miss you…
- - - - -
GlitterToppatGirl: Rupert’s missing?!
xXBold_Action_ManXx: Yeah, pretty much. He basically ran away after I had an awful fight with him. I should have worked things before going to bed, but he called me a FUCKING MACHINE.
GlitterToppatGirl: Oh well you have every right to be angry then.
Look, no need to message the rest of the Toppats, I’ll let my dad know and we’ll try to get as much ground covered as we can.
You said you were in West Mesa, right?
xXBold_Action_ManXx: Yeah
GlitterToppatGirl: Alright, I’ll try to get dad to help out. If Rupert is important to Miss Price, then I wanna make sure he’s safe too.
Even if he is the enemy.
xXBold_Action_ManXx: Thank you so much for this Amelia. I really do appreciate it.
And
I know I’m basically signing my soul away, but I basically owe you one.
GlitterToppatGirl: I can take payments of your soul in installments 🤭
xXBold_Action_ManXx: Now’s not the time to joke but I appreciate the gesture…
Charles suddenly heard a ping in another message box as he wished Amelia farewell and opened it up.
N00BSLAYER2006: I’m coming out there to help you.
xXBold_Action_ManXx: You don’t have to
N00BSLAYER2006: I need to.
xXBold_Action_ManXx: You just wanna rub this in his face next time you see him don’t you?
N00BSLAYER2006: No, I wanna make sure he’s alright, because I know what it’s like to feel like you’re losing bits and pieces of yourself.
xXBold_Action_ManXx: Uh? Where did you get that?
N00BSLAYER2006: Never mind
I’ll be there in an hour. Meet me at the train station.
Before Charles could object any further, Henry logged off, leaving him a bit dazed as he looked up to see Minerva at the door.
“I asked everyone in the neighborhood I knew. They said they haven’t seen him at all…” Minerva put her head in her hands as she sat on the bed, shaking a bit as Charles pat her back in reassurance. He couldn’t leave her behind, but at the same time, he couldn’t miss Henry. Henry was offline right now and he couldn’t let him know that they should meet at Minerva’s house.
“You need to go,” Minerva said softly, “I’ll be fine, don’t worry.”
“Alcohol?” Minerva glanced at Charles warily for a second before shaking her head.
“Threw it all out don’t worry. I don’t think I even have it in me to grab anything to drink anyway,” Minerva said softly. Charles was conflicted. He had to meet Henry at the train station, but he didn’t want to leave Minerva all by herself, where she could potentially inflict harm upon herself if given the chance. Suddenly he heard another ping in his messenger.
ToppatKingReg: Charles, I heard about what happened with Amelia. I’m going to send out a couple of Toppats to look around the West Mesa area so they can find him. If there’s anything else you need, let me know.
xXBold_Action_ManXx: Uh, actually, do you think you could send someone to look after Minerva? She’s kind of in a state and
I have meet with Henry soon. I don’t want to leave her alone.
ToppatKingReg: I understand.
I’ll send someone right away.
Charles breathed a sigh of relief as he headed downstairs, looking to see Minerva sitting on the couch in silence before sitting next to her, leaning on her as she put her arm around his shoulder.
“You don’t have to stick around. And you don’t have to get anybody to come look after me. I’m not a child,” Minerva said.
“I’m still worried about you. I want you to be safe, just as much as I want your son to be safe. I love both you so much and I would hate for anything to happen to you two,” Charles said. Minerva sniffled as she nuzzled his forehead.
“Thank you, Charlie. I really appreciate it. I guess if you two do end up tying the knot, then I’ll be more then happy to give my blessing,” Minerva said.
“Blessing? For playing with rope?” Charles asked as Minerva chuckled.
“I’ll tell you about it later,” Minerva said.
After about twenty minutes of waiting, they heard a knock on the door as Charles went to answer it. He opened it and saw Burt standing there, twirling his cane a bit. Charles almost thought he looked a bit awkward without his usual top hat/headphone combo, which he had replaced with a beanie of sorts. A bit strange, considering how hot it was outside.
“Hey Chuck,” Burt said, “Who am I looking after?”
“I keep telling you not to call me that. Follow me,” Charles said. Burt chuckled.
“Whatever you say, Chuck,” Burt teased as he followed Charles into the house and Burt looked to see Minerva sitting on the couch.
“Hello. You’re a Toppat, aren’t ya?” Minerva said.
“I’m not wearing my top hat today, but I am indeed a Toppat. You’ve never met me, but I’m Burt Curtis,” Burt said, introducing himself.
“Well, Burt, tell Reg I’m glad he’s concerned about me, but he has no need to send someone to look after me,” Minerva said.
“Wow, I wish I could leave! But I’m afraid you’re stuck with me. I’m under direct orders,” Burt said.
“Ah, I see…” Minerva said softly.
“Thank you, Bertram, I’ll be on my way then,” Charles said as he headed out the door.
“Hey, don’t call me that!” Burt said.
“Don’t call me Chuck.”
“Hm… nah.” Charles rolled his eyes as he exited the house and glanced at his internal clock. He could make it if he ran. So he ran with all his might.
After about thirty minutes, he finally reached the train station, looking around as he tried to spot Henry.
Maybe he’s on the platform.
He headed over towards the train platform, glancing around as he gazed over the platform and saw Henry, gazing at him with his deep blue eyes. Just as he was about to call to him, a train suddenly passed by, coming to stop just a few feet away. He waited for the train to pass before seeing that Henry was no longer there.
“Henry?” Charles said softly.
“Charles.”
Charles jumped as he saw Henry standing not too far from him, his eyes filled with determination as Charles breathed a sigh of relief.
“Henry… geez, I can’t believe that you’re here. I don’t know what-”
DON’T WORRY ABOUT THAT RIGHT NOW, Henry signed before he motioned for Charles to follow him. Charles’ eyes widened as he headed behind him, Henry taking out his scooter as he beckoned for Charles to hop on. Charles obeyed, hanging onto Henry tightly as they headed back into town.
“Where to first?” Charles shouted as Henry revved up his engine.
“Park,” Henry said as he sped down the road.
- - - - -
Rupert felt a bit dizzy. He hadn’t really eaten since last night and even then it wasn’t much. He sighed as he entered a restaurant and ordered something, sitting down at one of the tables to think. Come to think of it, as he ate, this kind of reminded him of something…
“RooRoo…” Jaques said softly as Rupert stared at the plate in front of him.
“NO!” Rupert shouted, slamming his tiny hands on the table.
“Rupert, if you wanna be big and strong like your uncle, you’d better eat your broccoli,” Minerva scolded. Rupert shook his head. He must have been three at the time, still not a big talker. But he still liked saying “No” a lot.
“Rupert, you shouldn’t be so picky. If you don’t eat your broccoli, you’ll be so tiny that you’ll have to use a step stool every time you want to use the sink!” Jaques said. Rupert still shook his head, which made Minerva glance at Jaques worriedly.
“Hmmm, I recall your mother talking about ordering an ice cream if all the vegetables on your plate were gone. But, she didn’t say who it would go to, so I guess since you don’t want wanna eat them, I’ll eat them for you,” Jaques said.
“OK!” Rupert said, pushing his plate towards his uncle.
“And then I get to have your ice cream too!” Jaques said mischievously, already spearing one of the little pieces.
“NO! NO WAIT!” Rupert shouted, pulling the plate back towards him. Jaques smiled humorously as he saw Rupert debating his options at this point, trying to figure out if it was worth it. Finally he took his fork and carefully speared one of the pieces of broccoli before putting it in his mouth, making a face as he chewed. This continued for a few minutes before he looked up at his mom hopefully, before she shook her head with a soft smile.
“Alright, alright, you’ve made your point. Jaques has to pay for the ice cream though,” Minerva said.
“Huh? Really?” Jaques said.
“Oh please, quit acting like you’re not made of money from that ‘job’ you brag about so much. It’s not like ice cream is that expensive,” Minerva told him. Jaques chuckled as he glanced at the menu once again.
“Alright, fine. I’ll order for everyone. What flavor do you want, RooRoo?”
Rupert’s eyes lit up as he smiled really big.
“CHOCOLATE!” he shouted. Jaques beamed back at him, a warm sweet smile.
Rupert snapped out of it as he felt tears springing in his eyes. No… Jaques was the bad guy right? But why did every memory he think of feel so warm?
He had to push this out of his mind. Maybe he should blow off steam somewhere. A place he used to go when he was very young. He finished his lunch and headed out the door.
“EXCUSE ME YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT!” someone shouted. Rupert pursed his lips before he bolted, realizing he had left his wallet at home.
“STOP! THIEF! Someone stop him!” the waiter shouted as Rupert ran down the street as fast as he could, his blood turning cold as ice as he hid in an alleyway. He breathed out a sigh of relief, trying not to concentrate on the fact that he just did a dine and dash.
It was only one time. You’re not a bad person. You’re not a bad person.
- - - - -
Charles paced around the park as he looked around with his various visions. He found that Rupert had been there recently as Henry eyed the playground nearby.
“Rupert has been here…” Charles said, “I think we missed him though.” Henry only shrugged as Charles gave him a hard look. However, he couldn’t exactly criticize Henry’s apathy towards the situation. Rupert had always given him a hard time due to his past, so it was only fair that Henry wasn’t too keen on finding him that easily.
“So are we going on a wild goose chase for nothing. I don’t want Rupert to get hurt,” Charles said.
WHO KNOWS, Henry said, MAYBE WE’LL FIND A CLUE HERE, MAYBE WE WON’T. ALL I KNOW IS THAT RUPERT ISN’T GOING TO BE HIMSELF FOR MUCH LONGER. Charles felt himself turn a little cold as he turned towards Henry.
“What do you mean? Is he… is he going to-”
HE’S NOT GOING TO HURT HIMSELF. LET’S JUST SAY IF WE KEEP GOING DOWN THE PATH WE’RE GOING RIGHT NOW… Henry hesitated for a second before shaking his head.
NEVER MIND. WE’D BETTER KEEP GOING. LET’S LOOK AROUND THE PARK SOME MORE. MAYBE SOMEONE HAS SEEN HIM.
“Hello again, Stickmin.”
Charles and Henry turned to see Johnny Panzer himself, a sort of determined look on his face as he glanced at Charles.
“And if it isn’t the oh so important government pilot,” Johnny said.
“Former government pilot. I got kicked out,” Charles said.
“How’d you manage that?” Johnny laughed.
“Does it really matter to you?” Charles hissed at him as Johnny backed off.
“Take it easy! Actually, you guys tend to hang around him more; have you guys seen Rupert?”
“Funny thing, we’re actually looking for him ourselves. I thought Minerva would have told you he ran off after last night,” Charles said.
“What? I’m not here because of Ms. Price. I’m trying to arrest him.”
“WHAT?!” Even Henry shouted with Charles as both their eyes went wide as Johnny shrugged.
“It’s the strangest thing! Apparently he was involved in a dine and dash just a few minutes ago. I don’t know what came over him. He was always a bit of a troublemaker and he often liked to bend the rules, but breaking the rules? That doesn’t seem like him…” Johnny shook his head.
“Rupert committed a crime?” Charles whispered.
IT’S NOT THAT IMPRESSIVE. HE’D HAVE TO DO SOMETHING REALLY RECKLESS TO IMPRESS ME, Henry said.
“Well, that’s all the more reason to find him! I’m not saying that he’s becoming a bad person, I’m one to talk, but he can’t lose himself like that! C’mon Henry we have to go!” Charles shouted as Henry ran off towards his locked scooter.
“Just be careful! And let me know if you do see him!” Johnny shouted.
Charles gripped onto Henry tightly as he revved up his scooter and began to speed off.
“Where else could he have gone?” Charles said, “No one in the park has seen him…” Charles began to wrack his brain as he suddenly got an idea. He opened up his messenger and started to text Minerva.
xXBold_Action_ManXx: Minerva?
MinniePrice3: Yes, what’s wrong?
xXBold_Action_ManXx: You said that Rupert would often sneak out to hang out with friends when he was younger. Do you know where he might have gone?
MinniePrice3: Oh dear, he could have gone anywhere. Most of his old haunts are pretty much buildings now.
There was old abandoned building he used to run around when he was younger. It’s only Hatcher Street, but I wouldn’t be shocked if he made his way out there.
The question is if it’s still there.
xXBold_Action_ManXx: Well either way it helps. Thank you.
“Henry, do you know where Hatcher Street is?”
“Duh. I used to live here,” Henry responded.
“Minerva said that Rupert might be out there. Let’s see if we can’t corner him!” Charles said.
“That’s halfway across town. I don’t know if we’ll make it on this thing.”
“We have to try!” Henry let out a small sigh before nodding his head, speeding along the streets. Maybe he could catch him. He did know a shortcut.
Meanwhile, Rupert was getting kicked out of a cab after admitting that he didn’t have a wallet, being called a lowlife as the cab sped away. It wasn’t too far of a walk to Hatcher Street, but he desperately need money and he needed it badly. Suddenly, he saw something. There were two Toppats, talking to each other… and pointing at a bank.
Man, that made his blood boil, just seeing two criminals out in the open and of course, no one was going to catch them or do anything about them. They would just steal and steal and never do anything good or-
“HEY!” One of the Toppats shouted at him. Rupert jumped a bit as he glared at the Toppats, who approached him.
“Yeah, I think this is him…” he said.
“Who?” Rupert said softly, backing away.
“Hey, we don’t want any trouble. We were asked to look for you, but we got a bit sidetracked.” The Toppat knelt his head towards the bank as Rupert glared at him.
“Look, I don’t care what you guys do in your spare time, stealing is wrong and you know that!” Rupert shouted.
“Whatever floats your boat, goody-two-shoes,” the Toppat said, “C’mon, you need to come with us.”
“No, I don’t want to go anywhere with you!” Rupert shouted.
“Look your mom is super worried about you,” the other Toppat claimed, “I don’t think Reg will take too kindly to you running off.”
“And we weren’t exactly asked to be gentle…” the Toppat said.
“WAIT!” Rupert shouted. He suddenly had an idea. A very morally bankrupt one, but it was better then nothing, “Is robbing a bank… really that fun?” The two of them exchanged glances before one of them shot him a grin.
“We could show you if you like,” the grinning Toppat said.
“But you have to stick with us the entire time, even if you get caught,” the other said, “Do you promise that?” Rupert gulped. He hoped this was enough of a distraction.
“Sure, why not?” Rupert said softly. The Toppats motioned for Rupert to follow them as he tried desperately not to be seen. He looked and saw one of them pull out a phone and start typing while the other asked him to follow him.
“Rash is getting the map of this bank right now. It’s very important. Now you should go in just as normal customer. There shouldn’t be too big of a line, but if you just sit at one of those couches and read a magazine, you should be fine. You’ll serve as a look out. Once you get a good idea of the security, message me-” he pulled out his own phone, “-And I’ll cause a distraction. Then you slip away and follow Rash’s instructions, OK?” Rupert gulped as he nodded his head.
So he went through with the plan. He entered the bank, trying to act as nonchalant as possible as he sat on the couch and grabbed one of the financial magazines, thumbing through it as he looked around, trying to see if anything was off. There was a security guard that was stationed at the door, a few security cameras here and there, but nothing more really. Guess they don’t usually expect too many robberies.
He pulled out his phone, positioning it just behind his magazine and messaged the Toppat outside that there was no one else in the bank besides one security guard.
Crasher9000: PERFECT! I’ll be in in just a second!
Rupert felt his mouth go dry as Crash ran inside with a weapon, shouting as the teller started to shout, locking up their windows as the security guard rushed him. Luckily, Crash was able to incapacitate him long enough for Rupert to escape and head around the building as Rash smiled.
“This is the good part. Follow me.” Rash led Rupert to another door on the other side as he picked the lock, opening the door and gesturing for Rupert to follow him inside. As they passed through the small hallway, they heard the teller crying out as Rupert felt sick to his stomach. But now was his chance. Maybe if he could slip away…
“Where do you think you’re going?” Rash said, grabbing Rupert’s arm, “I need your help carrying this!” Rupert felt a bit nauseated as he was passed a couple of bags of cash.
“Take these and meet me outside. And let Crash know we’ve got the loot while you’re at it.” Rupert nodded his head as he ran outside with four big bags of money, heading out the door and dropping them on the ground before messaging Crash. Suddenly he heard sirens. Oh no…
Rupert tried to flee, but Rash managed to grab him before then.
“C’mon newbie, you’re fleeing with us whether you like it or not!” Rash shouted.
“NO!” Rupert shouted, kicking him in the leg. Not enough to hurt him, but at least enough to keep him from grabbing him again as he ran right out of the alleyway into another police car.
Part of him wanted to give away the location of his robber “buddies” as the officers sat in the car, their mouths agape, but Rupert winced as he ran the other way as fast as he could, running farther and faster then he had ever run before.
He finally stopped and looked around, realizing he was far off from Hatcher Street then he thought.
He found an old abandoned building and lay low in it, trying to breathe as he found it more difficult to do so. His vision was turning pink again…
Why? Why did this have to happen and now?!
Rupert felt the room spinning around him as he tried to keep his feelings under control, try to find some ground, but he felt himself floating in the air as he clenched his fists.
“FREEZE!” Rupert turned and in his faint vision he could see a police officer had his gun pointed at him.
“Price… I’m sorry to say this but you’re under arrest!” the officer said. Rupert squinted his eyes at him.
“No…”
Suddenly a blast of energy caused the officer to be launched backwards. He wasn’t too hurt, but he felt like the wind was knocked out of him as Rupert began to walk away, feeling sick to his stomach.
I really am the bad guy now…
- - - - -
Charles and Henry must have searched the entirety of Hatcher Street for at least an hour and a half. The two of them finally met up, letting out a small sigh as Henry shrugged.
“Henry, what if we never find him? I never got a chance to apologize to him. I… I was hurt by what he said, but honestly, I love him so much, I’d forgive if he was right in front of me right now…” Charles said, choking up a bit as tear drops displayed on his eyes. Henry patted his shoulder as he tried to reassure him before they were suddenly approached by an officer.
“Excuse me, sirs. We’re looking for a suspect in a bank robbery. Two Toppats were assisted by a civilian in robbing the bank over on Shatter Road not too far from here,” the officer said, “We were wondering if you knew anything?” Henry and Charles exchanged worried glances as Henry signed at the officer:
WHAT DID THE SUSPECT LOOK LIKE?
“Well, that’s the funny part. A lot of people are saying that it was Price! I can’t believe it. I thought he went into the government forces, not into crime!” Charles felt a strange feeling his stomach as he smiled.
“Ah, well, I hate to say it, but we haven’t seen him at all,” Charles told him.
“That’s funny. Panzer said that you guys were looking for him earlier,” the officer said, a sort of cold look in his eyes.
“Well that’s because we were looking for him because he ran away! Not because he was committing crimes!” Charles said, “I didn’t think he had it in him…”
ME NEITHER, Henry signed, clearly impressed. Suddenly the officer’s radio went off as he listened closely before nodding his head.
“On it. Sorry, but I have to take this. Apparently, they found those two Toppats over on the other side of Hatcher Street. Maybe Price is there as well. Maybe we can talk some sense into him.” The officer ran off before Henry turned towards Charles.
“What are we going to do? I feel like we’ve explored this entire street and there’s still no sign of him…” Charles said.
THE BEST THING WE CAN DO NOW IS HOPE WE CAN FIND HIM HERE, Henry signed, glancing around the street a bit
“I don’t know if he’d stick around if he knew he was in trouble,” Charles said, “Let’s start by going down Hatcher Street and seeing what lies beyond. Maybe we can see where he went from there…”
Henry nodded his head in agreement as they both got on the scooter and started heading down the road once again, their minds racing.
Rupert was in an abandoned factory on Juniper Street, not too far from Hatcher Street as he tried to keep himself calm. Things were really starting to fall apart. It was almost as if it felt natural, breaking into a bank, dine and dashing, resisting arrest, and assaulting an officer… he was in pretty deep now. Even if he could come back from all this…
Nothing could compare to the fact that he finally understood why the government forces had kept him under such a tight microscope. Not to put pressure on him now that he seemed qualified for the position, but to make sure he didn’t slip up, he didn’t regress.
He didn’t become a Toppat…
But then again, what was so bad about being a Toppat? He thought about what Charles had said last night. That despite how bad they were, they were also very strong. Maybe, just maybe...
No he couldn’t be! He couldn’t seriously be thinking about becoming a Toppat. He thought about today’s events and considered it. Coming back from all that was going to take a lot of hard work. He wouldn’t be surprised if he was demoted or worse: kicked out.
Just like Charles.
Maybe that wasn’t so bad. He reflected on his childhood, finding places like this and hanging out with his friends until he got kicked out, usually by police officers. Why was he such a trouble maker back then? It wasn’t like he had a troubled childhood. Maybe it was because he wanted to blow off some steam.
He had two fathers, one who had helped conceive him but ran away and one who was jackass from when his mom married him to when they finally moved out here. What the heck was she thinking? What the heck were any of them thinking?
Maybe he should try again. A long time ago, his friend had convinced him to steal a couple of things from a convenience store. While the rush of stealing something felt good, he couldn’t help but feel bad about the paycheck cuts the store clerk might have suffered. Still it was just a few bags of chips and a soda. So whatever.
Maybe he should go bigger…
As he walked further down the street, he spotted a jewelry store, obviously the most modern building on the street. He strolled past it, eyeing the jewels inside and feeling a strange rush go over him. What was going on? Why did he feel like this now? He never felt like this before…
He felt a surge of energy rush through him. If only this dumb glass window wasn’t in the way… if only he could reach inside and just grab what he wanted…
Another flash of pink in his vision and suddenly the window shattered, causing an alarm to go off. He gasped as he glanced around, wondering if anyone saw him before he jumped into the store, grabbing an expensive looking bracelet before running in the other direction as fast as he could, trying to keep his face hidden as he felt his heart pounding in his throat.
Eventually, he ducked back into the abandoned factory as he inspected his new prize. It was a beautiful bracelet, a small thin gold chain with a beautiful turquoise gemstone embedded within it. He wanted to feel bad, he really did. But some reason, he couldn’t find it in himself to feel bad anymore. A wicked smile crossed his face as he began to laugh, feeling invigorated for the first time in a while.
He had already committed so many crimes.
What was one more?
#the henry stickmin collection#rupert price#charles calvin#henry stickmin#the narrators stories#fan fic#fanfiction
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It is the second time I've seen this particular Ted Lasso take online, and it's bothering me just as much as the first time, so I had to make this post: I do not understand how anyone can put Nate and Rupert in the same category. Nate has shown moments of schadenfreude (but he is not the only beloved Ted Lasso character to have done that!), and he's made mistakes and hurt people. But we have seen so many moments of kindness and empathy from Nate that I just don't see how he comes anywhere close to Rupert's level of vengeful cruelty.
Nate could certainly become a Rupert if he continues down the path he's going, but I feel like it's pretty clear that Rupert is the exemplar for being the worst version of yourself and that Nate is going to have to make a choice at some point, once he's faced with the realization of what kind of man he's joined up with. Rupert has pretty much exclusively demonstrated terrible behaviour, actively and continuously looking for new ways to make Rebecca suffer because he enjoys that, having power and control over her. It's not a coincidence to me that he's ensnared Nate, someone who feels powerless and desperate for a sense of control. It makes sense that their stories are intertwined because the contrast between them, and therefore the danger that Nate could go down that road, to me at least, is intentional.
I just don't see how the many examples of Nate's capacity for good have been so disregarded to the point that he's seen by some people as on par with Rupert. The guy who apologized to Ted for his dream crow-self? The guy who, during the first unofficial Diamond Dogs session, shared, "I must say that this is lovely. Ever since I was little, I always used to dream about sitting down with a bunch of mates, talking about the complex dynamics between men and women." He's how old, and he hasn't had that dream fulfilled until that moment? I cry! This is not a character on the same level as the man who publicly shamed Rebecca in the Crown and Anchor: “I know she’s always been a bit randy, but I never thought she would fuck over an entire team.” Nate is categorically not on Rupert’s level, not when Rupert sought Rebecca out to gleefully tell her he was having a baby after denying her that throughout their marriage.
They are not the same.
#tl meta#ted lasso#nate shelley#fuck off and die rupert#this is my fourth post defending nate#can't imagine it'll be my last
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I think I'm gonna come on here and spew my thoughts and feelings about each episode rather than on Twitter. I think I'll also say more about each episode here than over there...
Anyway!
I'll keep everything under a cut just in case. Although it's been a while since the episode dropped, I just wanna be safe!
Episode 1 - Smells Like Mean Spirit
Here we go!
Oo scruffy Ted!! 😍
Why is she in his phone as 'Michelle Lasso'? I don't have anyone I really know in my phone with their full name. SHE IS THE MOTHER OF YOUR CHILD!!!
Still with the 'Ted has feelings for his ex' thing I see...
Henry's cute
Henry's been in London for 6 weeks and we saw none of it?! RUDE!
He still talks to Sharon! I love that
LEGO NELSON ROAD!!
OMG these Lego characters are brilliant!! And Ted & Rebecca next to each other 👀
It looks like they had fun whilst he was there...
EXCUSE ME why the same shower scene from season 1?!
So this season is going to be about Ted thinking about where he belongs then?
BRENDAN HUNT'S PARTNER AND SON!!! He is one cute baby!!
Earl Greyhound Training Facility. Nice.
Sharon Fieldstone! You cheeky bitch!! I love her
YYEEEAAAAHHH!!!!
Angry Rebecca is back. I'm in love
Hannah, looking delicious as ever 🥵
Something's wrong because he didn't rhyme? So true haha
I'm so fucking excited to see more Rupert this season!!
Ooo she's struggling with this, huh
She swears ALL THE TIME! Why did that one shock Higgins so much!?
Howdy & Yo. And then she nearly walked into the door frame. Amazing.
I need Dani's optimism
And Jamie's confidence haha
Roy & Beard's friendship is my favourite
FIFA reference, of course
His tiny car with those super cars is a great visual
Hello West Ham's Higgins
KEELEY!!!
'Fuck you, Joe Rogan' Exactly.
'Angel, Mentor, Guru Rebecca' How fucking cute are they!! 🥰
It's Katy Wix!! Love her!
Keeley's office looks like a fun place... 🫣
Their friendship is gorgeous. I love this gossip dynamic
Rebecca's reaction to Keeley just throwing her coat 😂 Amazing.
Yikes?! Where did she pick that up, I wonder...
Don't cry Keeley!!
Aww, mumma Rebecca to the rescue 🥹 She's so maternal
We must protect Dani at all costs!!
I love spotting Will in the background, he's always doing something fun
Of course their driver was a cult leader
EVERYONE RUN EXCEPT ROY!!
'Like an orgasm for the soul' You sure have a way with words, Rebecca
Gotta let Ted be Ted. Too right!
I KNEW that 'legend' bit was edited in the preview clip!
Loving uncomfortable, awkward Rebecca
And of course Keeley sees no problem is spending £200 on flowers because they look and smell nice
SHE SEEMS FUN!! Great Beard call back! 😂
Corporate Flying Object. Please never change Keeley!
She's eating meat again...👀 Hmm, okay
I can't wait for more Keeley & Rebecca bonding. It's my favourite
Fucking dumb-dumb line. Nathan is vile. Nick is brillaint.
They named him Disco purely for that line. Tell me I'm wrong
RUPERT! In his cartoon villain lair! Complete contrast to Rebecca's office
I fucking LOVE Anthony Head. He plays slimy so well
We're getting to see how Rupert charms his way onto people, interesting.
'Roy Kent, that you?' 'Get fucked' I just love him, guys!
'Why are you dressed like an umlaut?' Why ask if you have a matching one, Leslie??
MY GOD does Hannah looking FUCKING FIT in this episode. Only thought in my head every time she's on screen
Field trip to a fucking sewer! Let's go, boys!
Of course Henry asked to tour the sewer system because he watched IT and got scared. It is fucking smart, well said Roy!
'Twat' Well said Rebecca
Rupert is going to keep saying 'Wonder Kid' isn't he, because he knows it gets to Nate 👀
West Ham's press room isn't as fun as Richmond's
Oooo a King & I reference... okay, okay
I really wish spitting wasn't his 'thing'. It's gross. I know it makes sense, I still hate it.
LESLIE HIGGINS IS EATING HER BISCUIT AND SHE'S SO FOCUSED SHE DIDN'T REALISE!!! wow
Of course Jamie says poopy and not shit
I love how these boys trust Ted so much that they just went into a sewer, then asked why when they were down there
She's gonna break that laptop one day
Jamie being the one to reiterate the lesson they just learnt? Boys growing up!! AND HE'S RHYMING!!
Oooo she's angry 🥵
Rupert is laughing at me, Ted 🥺 ouch
And I am begging you, please, fight back OMFG 😭😭
I love how they highlight how different the press rooms are. They're all friends at Richmond, press included
And the contrast between Nate saying vile stuff and Ted saying encouraging stuff. Beautiful.
I'm kinda surprised though that Rebecca looks worried and doesn't trust him
But of course she's the only one who catches his baseball reference
Did Brett get in a Twin Peaks reference? Good for him!!
They're really highlighting the fact that kindness & comedy win, huh?
Ooo Rupert buying Nathan fancy gifts... so it begins!
Roy & Keeley not saying the same thing is very telling, I think
Firstly, why did it take them 6 weeks to tell Phoebe? And secondly, did they not actually discuss it themselves?Nobody knows what's going on!
Phoebe is so grown up! Asking the important questions
'Can I say a bad word? I think you're being stupid' I love her
Another conversation about why he's still in London? This really is going to be the theme of this season, I guess
Is moving that Lego Nate foreshadowing him coming back???
'Mommy's friend' 👀 uh oh
And that's episode 1 done!!
Yes, I probably will be watching it on repeat until next Wednesday, thanks for asking.
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It occurs to me that one thing I’m really looking forward to/hoping for is more of a role for Bex next season.
I feel like it’s possible! With Nate over on Rupert’s team, we’re likely to get the occasional glimpse of its inner workings. There’s a good opportunity to explore Rupert’s home life as well.
And mostly, as a female adjacent person who has rewatched both Diamond Dogs and No Weddings and a Funeral probably a bit too often, I really just want to get the poor girl out of there.
We don’t know Bex very well yet. We know that she wasn’t one of Rupert’s paramours when he and Rebecca were still married, because they met in For the Children. She was Jamie’s second plus one, but very politely and nicely gave way to Keeley, when Keeley wanted to talk to him.
She was perfectly pleasant in Diamond Dogs, if seemingly oblivious to Rupert’s very unpleasant undercurrents. But her dialogue with regard to Rupert was really disturbing! She hasn’t even paid off her student loans and he has her buying (with his money) part of a football club! He’s outright telling Rebecca in front of Bex that he has no intention of letting Bex get away with any of “his” money the way Rebecca did. And then he calls her TO HER FACE, a “lovely consolation prize.”
I’d have thrown a drink at him for that.
She showed some interesting eccentricities in No Weddings and a Funeral. Definitely very focused on her child. But aside from being there at all (and god knows what Rupert told her about his and Paul’s relationship), she didn’t do anything wrong. (Breastfeeding is perfectly fine. I think everyone would prefer a nourished baby to a crying one. And given that no one else had the same reaction that Colin did, I’m assuming his reaction was a HIM thing, not a general judgment thing.) Again, she seemed perfectly pleasant. I really HOPE she had some input on Rupert giving away HER shares. I doubt it though.
I think what I’d REALLY like to see as a plot is to have Nate see how Rupert treats Bex and Diane, and then do what he can to help get them the fuck out of there. Maybe they can go to Rebecca for help, which would lead to a hopefully more mature Nate coming to terms with, and apologizing for, what he’s done. And then the two Rebeccas teaming up to take Rupert the fuck DOWN.
#ted lasso speculation#ted lasso#bex mannion#rebecca welton#nate shelley#ted lasso wishlist#ted lasso spoilers
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your last snippet made me cry! That ending 🥹😭
So from the list of prompts, this one caught my eye: “you caught me doing something dangerous and flipped out”
But against popular belief, I think, Rebecca is the one doing something dangerous… 💜
Thank you so much for the prompt!! So this got wildly out of control through no fault of my own and now is Proper Fic Length so I put it on AO3. Hope that's okay, and I hope you like it! <3
TW: violence (fist fight), blood, canon-typical references to suicide, panic attacks.
--
and all this devotion was rushing out of me
They lose.
Not badly, but they lose—it’s a brutal, dirty game and no matter what they try, what new plays they enact, Nate seems to know everything. They score one goal and West Ham score two and it’s over before they have time to get their feet under them.
The locker room is mostly silent, a stirring of disappointment, and anger at the way Ted had reached out for Nate’s hand, and Nate slapped it away. It’s not a good look for anyone, either team, but there’s the added twisting of a knife, Rupert crowing somewhere on television, and it hurts.
He doesn’t blame the team, mostly himself, but then Rebecca is there, gives a short but heartfelt speech about how proud she is of everyone and how well they played and how it isn’t over—it’s one loss, and yes, a hard one, but they still have time to win the whole damn thing and show the world what they can do. What she knows they’re all capable of.
Ted smiles, proud of her, for how far she’s come, when she looks the team over and says, “Right. No moping. We’re going out and drinks are on me,” and then the team start talking again, congratulating each other on good plays and heading for showers, and Rebecca pauses a moment to look at Ted, to give him a small smile and a nod.
Later, when they’re alone, he knows they’ll have to process, but they’ll do it together the way they’ve done everything else and that warms him somewhat.
They find a club nearby, not one of their usual haunts, and after the first round of drinks he can tell the boys are lighter. Feel less weighted. They talk about everything and nothing and there’s karaoke and Colin butchers My Heart Will Go On so badly (and, Ted thinks, on purpose, because he knows Colin can actually sing) that it becomes comical, everyone laughing together. It feels good, and the drinks keep coming and a few kind folks come up to him and say it was a rough game and they did great and fuck West Ham, and that makes him feel good, too. A bit guilty, but it’s nice to know there are fans in their corner.
And, if Rebecca sticks close to him all night, her hand on his leg under the table, that helps, too.
He’d wanted to win so badly, win it for her, but there’s no trace of disappointment in her eyes, just pride, and a love for him he’s only just starting to accept, starting to realize isn’t conditional.
They’ve been together six months, quietly, only the team and their friends know and today is not the day to announce it to anyone else, but he’s fine with that. Fine with their quiet little bubble. The way he knows they’ll go home together and hold each other and in the morning it’ll all look brighter because they’re together.
They sit at a back table with Keeley and Roy and Beard, chatting over the music, Rebecca’s thigh pressed to his. They spend a few hours just wandering from topic to topic, everything light and teasing. Roy seems tense still, however, so he isn’t surprised when Keeley finally nudges him out the booth, saying something about taking Oscar the Grouch home for a bath and “maybe a blowjob” and Ted chokes a bit on his whisky and Beard raises one eyebrow and Rebecca laughs at the way Roy’s ears, even in the darkness of the club, are obviously red.
“You’re a fucking menace,” he grumbles to Keeley, who just smirks and kisses his cheek and drags him away.
Rebecca looks at their drinks and decides refills are in order, and squeezes Ted’s knee before she slips out of the booth, and he watches her, sees her lay a hand on Isaac’s shoulder at the bar, knows she’ll be fine for a moment. With a nod to Beard, he slips out the back door.
He just needs a moment of quiet, space to breathe. His chest still feels a bit tight, and though he isn’t anxious, he quickly realizes maybe alone isn’t the best place for him right now.
So he’s grateful when Beard steps out behind him, listens as he rambles for a moment about missing stars and club smells and then admits,
“I wanted to win it for her.”
continued on ao3
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Rupert and Sanoh (Lemon)
Rating: Explicit
Relationship: Female Kobold/Male Human, Female Half-Elf/Male Tielfling
Additional Tags: Exophilia, Tiefling, Elf, D&D, Dungeons & Dragons, Kobold, Half-Elf
Content Warning: Sex, Rough Sex, Biting, Marking, Group Sex, Dom/Sub, Breath Play
Words: 3349
A story with DuMont’s friends, Rupert and Sanoh! Rupert and Sanoh are having sexy fun in a bath when Kharis and DuMont enter the room. Not willing to stop, they try to be stealthy. It doesn't work. Please reblog and leave feedback!
The Traveler’s Masterlist
“Why do wererats always have to live in sewers?” Kharis grumped. “Every time we get contracted to kill rodents of any kind, I just know we’re going to have to go somewhere gross.”
Kharis, DuMont, Rupert, Sanoh, and Norman all pulled themselves out of the sewers of one of the larger towns west of the capitol. People had been going missing, and the mayor of the town realized that the rats in town were multiplying at an incredible rate, even with preventative measures. It was a clear indication that wererats were responsible.
“It wasn’t all that bad,” Sanoh said. “The humidity down there was good for my scales. They’re so itchy.”
“It may have been good for your scales, but it definitely wasn’t good for your clothes,” Kharis remarked. “That stink isn’t coming out. You might as well burn that shit.”
“Yeah, that’s true,” Sanoh said with a sigh. Her dancer’s outfit, which she always wore regardless of the situation, was torn and it’s bright red hue was now dark brown. “I really liked this one, too.”
Rupert seemed even more miserable that Kharis. “Can we please find a bathhouse? I haven’t been this filthy in years.”
“You’re one to talk, look at poor DuMont!” Kharis said, pointing at her giant lover. DuMont, the mountain of a tiefling that he was, was splattered head to toe in muck and grime and rat guts. His large church-bell bludgeon that he had slung over his shoulder was absolutely caked in blood and gore. “He’s not even complaining!”
“That’s because he doesn’t know how to complain,” Sanoh said. “He takes the phrase ‘roll with the punches’ far too literally.”
“Is that wrong?” DuMont asked, his cavernously deep voice echoing through the city streets, causing many who weren’t already staring at the group to spin in surprise.
“Of course not, love,” Kharis said, patting his arm as he walked on all fours. “I much prefer silent temperance to someone who does nothing but complain.” She looked pointedly at Rupert.
“Norman complains more than I do!” Rupert retorted.
“I haven’t said a word!” Norman protested. “Don’t pick on me because you’re a whiner.”
“Oh, my god, everyone shut up!” Sanoh said, rubbing her forehead. “There’s a bathhouse one block over, so will you all just please stop bitching.”
“I’m not bitching,” DuMont said in an undertone. “But I am hungry.”
“I’ll order you a rack of lamb and a sack of potatoes when we get to the inn, hon,” Kharis said. “Get cleaned up first. You don’t want to eat when you’re that dirty or you’ll get sick.”
“I’ve never been sick.” DuMont countered.
“Even still, you should be clean…er. And I don’t want you to drop pieces of food in the bath, either. It’ll feel like we’re all sitting in a stew.”
“You weirdos can sit in the stew, I’m getting a private bath,” Norman said.
“Why do you do that?” Rupert asked. “You always get your own instead of bathing with us, even though private baths are so much more expensive. It’s no wonder why you never have any money.”
“I’m not trying to get head by a paid companion in front of you lot,” He said sniffily.
“Suit yourself, but I bet that’d be fun to watch,” Kharis said playfully.
Norman snorted. “You would think that, you pervert.”
“You’ve become so shy since we started traveling, Norman,” Kharis said. “You used to be a nice, relatable pervert, just like the rest of us.”
“Maybe being with you people has made me see the error in my ways,” Norman remarked.
“Pssh, there isn’t anything wrong with being a pervert. Besides, I think DuMont balances me out. He can be such a prude sometimes.”
“I imagine being raised by a priest in a church will have that effect on a person,” Sanoh said.
“You are a pervert, Kharis,” DuMont said, as if in agreement with Norman.
“Does me being a pervert bother you?” Kharis asked him, grinning.
He looked at her and cocked his head as he walked, considering her, looking like a massively oversized dog, as he always did when thinking.
“No,” He said eventually.
“See? He likes it.”
“Now, I didn’t say that,” He said. His face wasn’t built to smile, but Rupert thought he could hear laughter in his voice, and Rupert grinned.
“We would be the ones to pick brazen, sex-crazed women, wouldn’t be, big guy?” Rupert said, smacking DuMont’s broad shoulder in solidarity.
DuMont grunted in a way that could have been mistaken for a chuckle.
DuMont had been very taciturn since they had met him nearly a year ago, but his personality was slowly beginning to emerge as the five of them spent more time together on the road, doing jobs. Rupert was glad he finally felt comfortable enough with the group to try joking with them.
The bathhouse came into view shortly afterward. It catered to adventuring sorts, so it wasn’t necessarily a high-end place, and the five of them tended to frequent it often. The staff there barely batted an eye at DuMont anymore. The laundresses despised the sight of them, however, since they always arrived splattered with all manner of filth, much of which was hard to wash out.
“Hey, can we get the big tub, please?” Sanoh called out as soon as they entered the place. “We’ll pay extra to reserve the whole thing, though I doubt many people will want to come in after us.”
The woman at the front desk curled up her lip at them as they entered, but said, “Yes, of course. You’re usual packages?”
“Yes,” Norman said. “Private room for me, please. Do you have any companions available?”
“Derek is available.”
“Ugh, no, not him. What about Vincent?”
“Vincent is away visiting family. Connor?”
Norman nodded. “Connor will do. Just make sure he brings the right massage oils this time.”
“That costs extra,” The woman reminded him.
“I’m aware,” Normal said, starting toward the private baths.
“I’m beginning to think Norman is too fancy for us,” Sanoh said. “We can’t afford him.” She walked up to the counter. “Do you have any scale oil?”
“We don’t have any specifically for scales, but there are plenty for skin and hair.”
“Hmm…” Sanoh said. “Give me the hair oil, then. It tends to be thicker. What scents have you got?”
Kharis snorted. “Come on, let’s get these clothes off before they stick to us. She may be at this for a while.”
Dumont and Rupert followed her to one of the larger public baths, one with a door, and closed it behind them. Now that they had been together for a long time, they were less shy about bathing together as they had been. Even DuMont had stopped blushing when he saw them all nude in the same bath.
“Kharis, I’m hungry,” DuMont said insistently. The only time DuMont ever seemed to get grumpy was when he needed a meal.
“Let me at least scrub you down once and we’ll go get some food,” She told him, pushing him into the bath still wearing his loincloth. The robes and towels weren’t nearly large enough to cover him, so they just had taken to washing him in the bath, clothes and all. They usually did him first, drained the bath, and refilled it for the rest of them.
Once Rupert helped Kharis give DuMont a once over, getting him clean enough to go into the tavern, they left to get something to eat and Rupert and Sanoh waited for the tub to be refilled. When that was done, the fresh water was nice and hot, and Sanoh arrived with her purchased oils. They both stripped down and got in with a satisfied sigh.
“Oh, gods, this is nice,” Sanoh said.
“Mmm,” Rupert agreed. “I think this is the first time in a month that my shoulders have relaxed.”
“My scales were starting to get so brittle. Will you get my scale brush and scrub the oils into my back? I can feel them flaking.”
“Sure, just a second,” He said, getting out with a splash and grabbing her back. She had a special boars-hair brush she used to clean and sharpen her scales and horns. Her favorite thing in the world was laying out and letting him groom her tiny body all over. It often got her in a frisky mood.
Sure enough, after only scrubbing her back for fifteen minutes, she started to wiggle in his lap, rutting her hips backward into him. He began to harden immediately. Sanoh seemed to revel in getting him aroused in dangerously public places, but it always caused Rupert anxiety.
“What are you doing?” Rupert said. “Kharis and DuMont will be back any minute.”
“Then let’s be quick,” She said, looking back at him over her shoulder.
She lifted up in the water and slowly sank her swollen lips down onto him. He gripped her hips and groaned, his head falling back, trying to keep his voice down. There really was no arguing when she was in a mood like this. He began to thrust up into her, sloshing the water around them.
She laughed breathlessly. “Good boy.” She thrust back into him as he moved inside her. Before long, he picked her up and lay her over the side of the bath, slamming himself into her hard enough to make her thighs ripple. She began to moan loudly.
“Shh!” He hissed. “You’re going to get us thrown out.”
“But it feels so good,” She whimpered. “Norman has sex in the baths all the time, don’t worry about it.”
“Don’t make me gag you,” He said, panting.
“You can try,” She said, laughing, before crying out against the tile. He put his hand over her mouth, but she bit him. He let go, inspecting his hand, and when he found she hadn’t broken the skin, he instead grabbed her throat, squeezing.
“Oh, fuck,” She wheezed, her eyes going glassy. As bossy as she was, she loved it when he was rough and took charge.
“Shut up!” He snarled in her ear. “You started it. Be quiet and take it.”
“I will,” She simpered, and he squeezed harder.
“I said, shut up!” He slammed hard into her, and she squeaked against his grip on her neck, her body trembling in excitement. She came suddenly, gushing down her legs, but he didn’t relent, crushing his body against hers, breathing down her neck and spine, moving at a frenzied pace.
“Fuck, I’m going to cum,” He said through his gritted teeth. “Stand still, don’t fucking move.”
Before he got the chance, however, he heard the far door open and Kharis’s voice drift through.
“Shit!” He exclaimed, pulling out suddenly and ducking under the water to hide himself. His cock was throbbing with the unfulfilled promise of climax, but there was little he could do about it now. He was just going to have to sit there and suffer in silence.
Until Sanoh sat back down onto him, spearing him inside her, her inner walls still quivering from the orgasm.
“Now what are you doing?!” He asked frantically.
“Just act natural,” She replied in an undertone.
“They’re going to know!”
“Not if you don’t make a big deal about it! Lay your head back and pretend you’re sleeping!
“Sanoh!”
“Just do it!”
Rupert lay his head back against the tile on the edge of the bath with Sanoh in his lap just as Kharis and DuMont re-entered the bathing area, stripping down to join them.
“Well, DuMont cleaned out the tavern, so if you want food, you’re going to have to find a vendor somewhere,” Kharis said.
“Not surprising,” Sanoh said, stealthily riding Rupert’s cock under the water, pretending to be washing her arms to cover the movement.
“What’s with him?” Kharis asked, nodding at Rupert.
“He conked out almost immediately after you left. I’m just keeping his lap warm,” She said smoothly.
Kharis snorted and said, “I wish I could fall asleep as easily as he can. DuMont’s like that too,” She reclined on the large red tiefling. “He can fall asleep mid-sentence.”
“A gift and a curse,” Sanoh said in agreement. She squeezed Rupert’s length with her inner muscles, and it took all his effort not to grunt or move. He dug his fingers into the skin of her hips as a warning. Sanoh snorted. She moved under the pretense of adjusting herself and nearly made Rupert jump out of his skin with how deep she’d push him into her. He couldn’t help but make a small sound.
Kharis noticed. “What are you doing?” She asked Sanoh, her eyes narrowing.
“What are you talking about?” Sanoh asked innocently.
Kharis gave Sanoh a sardonic look. “You don’t have to pretend to be asleep anymore, Rupert, I know what’s going on. I’m a pervert, after all.”
Rupert sighed and lifted his head. “The jig is up, I guess. Sanoh, hop off.”
“I didn’t say you had to stop,” Kharis said. “Far be it from me to interrupt your fun.”
“What about DuMont?” Rupert asked skeptically.
“What about him?” Kharis replied, reaching over in the water and placing her hand in DuMont’s lap.
“Wha…” DuMont said, startled. “What are you doing?”
“Having fun,” Kharis said. “Don’t you want to have fun?”
“But…” He looked at Sanoh and Rupert.
“They’re already having fun,” Kharis said. “They started before us.”
“They are?” DuMont asked in surprise, squinting at the pair.
As if to answer, Sanoh let Rupert’s organ fall out of her and spun in Rupert’s lap. Now that she didn’t have to worry about stealthing, she rocked on him and moaned.
“Oh,” DuMont replied, and then sucked in his breath when Kharis squeezed him.
“Are you okay with this, buddy?” Rupert asked over Sanoh’s shoulder, though he was beginning to lose speech. “We’ll stop if you aren’t comfortable with it.”
“Speak for yourself,” Sanoh said with a snort.
“We’ll stop if you aren’t comfortable, DuMont,” Rupert repeated, giving Sanoh a warning look. Sanoh rolled her eyes and shrugged.
“I’m fine, it’s okay,” DuMont replied, playing with Kharis’s hair and she fondled him under the water.
“See? He’s fine, don’t be such a baby,” Sanoh said, pushing him into her deeper. He grunted and stopped speaking.
Kharis held her breath and ducked her head under water, and DuMont tensed and groaned, his hands balling into fists on the side of the tub. From then on, there was little talk, just moans, grunts, groans, and breathy whimpering.
Kharis came up and went to the edge of the bath, bending over and presenting her rear. DuMont followed her and knelt down, pressing his cock into her and thrusting in hard, pushing her forward and down onto the tile. She laughed breathlessly.
“That looks like fun,” Sanoh said, going over to bend over next to Kharis, wiggling her butt at Rupert and moving her tail out of the way, so he could see her dripping between her legs. Rupert followed DuMont and rammed back into her, thrusting fast and hard.
“Wanna see something really fun?” Sanoh said to Kharis. Kharis nodded, and Sanoh leaned over and kissed her on the mouth.
The reaction was instantaneous. Rupert grabbed Sanoh by the throat again and pulled her up against his body.
“What do you think you’re doing?” He asked, his voice hard and angry. He sped up, fucking her roughly as he held her in place. “You belong to me. Don’t you dare do that again without my permission.”
Sanoh’s face went slack and she nodded, whimpering, completely at his mercy.
DuMont’s reaction was also immediate. He grabbed Kharis up and vaulted out of the bath, throwing her to the floor. He pinned down her arms and legs and put his face inches from hers. He didn’t say anything, but a low, guttural snarl issued from his throat, his brows furrowed as he stared at her with the intensity of a predator looking at prey.
“What’s the matter, big guy?” She said with a grin. “Are you jealous?”
“Mine,” He growled lowly, almost indistinguishable from the threatening, thunderous rumble of his voice.
“Prove it,” She challenged.
He opened his mouth and sank his front canine teeth into her shoulder, drawing blood. He thrust himself back into her without letting go, his jaws locked, and he lifted her off the ground and just railed her.
There was no hope of keeping their voices down now. If they got kicked out, they got kicked out. Sanoh and Kharis screamed, shouted, howled, and swore in pleasure as their lovers used their bodies to climax.
At some point, there was a knock on the door.
“Is everything okay?”
“Go away!” Sanoh and Kharis shouted in unison.
Kharis and Sanoh came several times before the boys were done with them. While Kharis had as much stamina as DuMont did and was just as active, at some point Sanoh’s legs gave out and she simply lay there on the floor in a perpetual orgasm trance as Rupert pumped her full of his warmth and kept going like a machine, finally collapsing on top of her, breathing as if he’d run five miles in a minute.
DuMont was the last to reach his peak, gushing into Kharis, his seed pooching her stomach and dripping out of her, down his legs, and splattering onto the floor. For a solid minute, the room was quiet, safe for a lot of heavy breathing.
Finally, as they all caught their breath, the re-entered the bath to wash each other.
“Kharis, you’re bleeding,” Sanoh said, pointing. There was a very large bite in her shoulder, and it was rather deep.
“Oh,” DuMont said, flustered by worry. “I… I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay, big guy,” She reassured him. “I wanted you to do it. It’s proof.”
“Proof?” He echoed, his brow furrowed.
“That I belong to you,” She said simply. “Help me wash it.”
As rough as DuMont had been, his gentleness in tending the wound was a mirror opposite. Rupert and Sanoh sat cuddled together and watched fondly as DuMont lovingly treated and bandaged Kharis’s shoulder.
“Don’t worry, DuMont,” Rupert said. “Sanoh marked me, too.” He turned and showed DuMont a bite on his left shoulder blade. “And Sanoh’s bites can be venomous. I was sick for a week.”
“I said I was sorry,” She said reproachfully. “It was the heat of the moment, I couldn’t help it.”
“Yeah, yeah,” He said, hugging her in close and kissing her forehead.
“Does it hurt?” DuMont asked Kharis.
“Not really,” She said. “I’m sure it will tomorrow when the sex high has worn off, but I feel great right now. And it’ll scar up nicely, I think.”
“I’m sorry!” DuMont said, hiding his face.
“Honey, it’s okay!” She said, pulling his hands down. “I like it! It lets everyone who sees it know that I’m yours. Don’t you want people to know that you and I are in love?”
“Well… yes…” He said, frowning.
“There, see? It’s all fine.” She went up and hugged his neck. “Don’t fuss so much. I’m fine.”
He pulled her back and fixed her with a glare. “No kissing other people.”
She grinned at him. “I won’t, I promise. It was just an experiment.” She winked at Sanoh, who stuck her tongue between her teeth as she smirked. “And I’d say it was successful.”
DuMont grumbled. “I didn’t like it.”
She patted his face and kissed his exposed jaw. “I won’t do it again.”
“Okay,” He said, seemingly satisfied, and he pulled her into an embrace, careful of her shoulder.
The wound healed up really quickly, and Kharis took to wearing asymmetrical shirts, so that she could show it off. Most assumed that it was a grievous injury from a wild beast, and Kharis would laugh and say that was partly right.
Sanoh and Rupert didn’t engage in sex around the two of them again, but it was definitely something they kept in the back of their mind. For a rainy day, maybe.
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My Masterlist
The Exophilia Creator’s Masterlist
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Hello there can you please do a Tom Felton x reader imagine where they’ve been dating since they worked together on the Harry Potter movies and all of their old co stars are there and he proposes? Thank you so much
Author’s Note: aaaaaah my first request ! i’m so excited !!! ok calm down bro :’D I put my heart into it ! i hope you’ll like it ! Let me knooow (I excuse myself if there are some mistakes, English is not my mother tongue...don't hesitate to point it out to me so that I can improve !)
Warnings: Maybe one or two swears ? Otherwise it’s just major fluff
Details: The text parts in this resolution are flashbacks ! And Lucy is the name of your character in the Harry Potter movies
Word count: 3.6K
Masterlist
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"Babe ! I'm ready !" You shout from your bathroom, looking at yourself in the mirror for the last time. Tonight was a big night, you and the entire cast of the Harry Potter saga reunite to celebrate the 19 years of the franchise.
Your head is spinning when you think back, 19 years old ! You were only 11 when you first appeared, you made amazing friends and you met you awesome boyfriend, Tom Felton, there too. You guys have been together for a while now but you’re still in love like the first seconds after admitting your feelings to each other.
˚ ༘✶ ⋆｡˚ ⁀➷
"Go !" Shout David to indicate you to start acting, what you had to do was easy, look around you, looking scared then see Draco in the other side of the hallway and then run to jump in his arms.
This is what you did, as soon as you catch Tom's gaze, you felt weak, you knew he was acting his role but you couldn’t help but find him way too much attractive with his messy grey hair and the fake dust on his face who could resist him ?
"Draco !" You screamed before running towards him as fast as you can, him meeting you halfway. You quickly warp your arms around his neck as he slips is owns around your waist. "I thought you were..." You said in a whisper like your script told you to do it. "I'm right here Lucy...don't worry" he gently rubs your back as if to reassure you, or at least reassure your character.
You slowly raise you head to look in his intense gaze, his gaze that suddenly disarms you. A strong urge to kiss him takes you by surprise, your eyes capsizing between his eyes and his lips. But you weren't supposed to do it, all you had to do was saying one last line before the scene ends.
You tried to fight back that urge, but you lost when your lips finally crashed on his. Surprisingly, he leans into it. You put all the love you had for Tom into it, for all these years you thought of the exact moment you'll have the power to kiss him.
Your embrace was passionate but not rough, it was delicate, as he put his hand on your cheek like he wanted to never let go of your lips, you realise that this kis isn't between Draco and Lucy but between Tom and Y/N.
After a few seconds, Your lips are finally unhooked, to your great misfortune. Tom places his forehead against yours while you are both out of breath.
"Cut !" Your director screamed, but you were still looking into each other eyes like nothing around matters. The hands of David in you arm brings you back to reality as Tom steps back. "You guys, what a surprise !" The director said, suddenly you realise what just happened, 'I'm dead' you thought to yourself. "David...I'm so sorry !"
David looks at you, confused. "Y/N what are you talking about ! It was amazing ! That kiss was...WOW ! It's perfect, we don't even need to do another take ! Good job Y/N !" And he leaves, like nothing happened. You then look at Tom, he looks as confused as you. You don't really know if he kissed you back for the scene or if he actually wanted to kiss you.
"Tom...I-" He cuts you before you can say anything else. "If you knew since when I waited for you to do this" You eyes widen when you hear his words. "W-what ?" You mumbled.
"You finqlly kissed him !" You heard a voice behind you, Emma was standing right behind the camera pulling her thumbs up at you, which made you both laugh. It was the beginning of a long adventure.
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Tom enters the bathroom, he can't help but smile when he sees you in your little red dress. It was a pretty basic one, but it suit your forms beautifully. You were putting your last coat of mascara while he stands behind you, wrapping his arms around your waist. "You look amazing my love" He whisper against the skin of your neck, making you shiver. He plant a kiss right behind your ear, making you heart skip a beat, he knows damn well all the weak spots on your body. "Tom..." you moan very slightly, bitting your lips as you look at the reflection in the mirror. God he looks so sexy in his 3 pieces suit. "Mmmh..?" He just said as a response. "We're gonna be late..." You complain.
"I'm sure they'll understand..." You giggle when you hear him, but you stop his kisses by turning to face him. "No ! There's no way I'll let you ruin my hair and makeup after I spent 3 hours making it !" You say authoritatively while looking him straight in the eye. He places his warm hands on your hips before sliding them slowly on your ass. "You'll look beautiful anyway Darling." He whispers before bending over to place his lips on yours, kissing them with delicacy but hunger at the same time.
You hands find their way to his neck, putting your body closer to his. Before you have the time to do anything, he grabs your thighs and lift you up to put you on the sink, letting a little cry of surprise coming out your mouth. He massages you thighs and hips, pushing his body between your legs. But he suddenly breaks the kiss. "Okay...let's go now before I can't stop myself." You giggle a little bit before jumping of the sink, you pull on your dress to put it back in place. You chuckle when you see that Tom has lipstick on his lips.
"Tom, come here" He turns to you and you wipe the lipstick on his lips with you tongue. "Remind me to not kiss you tonight." He said, a teasing smile on if face. "You're not gonna last 10 minutes without kissing me !" He looks at you, with a defiant look in his eyes. "Wanna bet ?"
"Okay, i bet a restaurant that you will kiss me before the end of the night !" At this point, Tom already knew he would lose but little did you know. "Deal !" You both laugh as you finally leave the bathroom and head to the front door of your house.
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"Okay love...you can open your eyes now !" Tom said, impatient for you to see your gift.
It was the anniversary of your second year as a couple, Tom wanted to mark the date. You slowly open your eyes and you face a little case wrapped in a gift wrap paper, you eyes widen for a second. "What is it ?" You asked, curiously. "Open it !" He said, excited. You gently rip the wrap paper and discover a little box made out of wood. Your eyes quickly met his before you open it. "Come on !" You giggle, his excitement is probably bigger then yours and it's really adorable to see. You finally open it, in it, a small key attached to a tag. "A key..? Mmmmh...It's the key to your heart because i stole it a while ago !" He laugh as he come close to you. "Read the tag darling..."
You as he says and pick the tag to read what it says. '21736 Dumetz Rd, Woodland Hills, CA 91364'. You place your hand on your mouth when you realise what it is. "Tom..." He looks at you with a proud smile, you can't help but jump into his arms and let a few tears drop on your cheeks. "How...how did you remembered ?"
Indeed, you talked to him about this house a few month ago, you only said that you liked it, in total innocence without imagining buying it for you. "I called the owner as soon as you talked to me about it, i was looking for a way to upgrade our relationship to another level. I-" He stops for a second, cupping your face in between his hands as you place your hands at his both sides. "I mean, you already spend most of your nights at my house so it won't change a lot but just the fact that..." he takes the key in his hand and slightly shake it in front of you. "This, I put your name on the contract, it's OUR house. And I can't wait to live the rest of my life with you in it."
Let's face it, you were crying like a baby, this man, 'he's going to be the death of me' you thought. You pull him to hug him, you hug him so tightly you wonder if you're asphyxiating him. "I love you so much Tom...you can't even imagine" He lays a gentle kiss on your forehead. "I love you too Y/N, more than anything." He said in a whisper. "I bought you a fucking t-shirt !" You said before slightly laughing. "And I'm sure I will love it !"
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"Be a good girl, Willow !" You said as you rubs the head of the black labrador. Tom smile as he opens the door. "Let's go !"
You turn around and finally leave the house, Tom takes your hand and you walk towards your car. "I can't wait to see everyone ! I've missed them to much !" You cheers, jumping around, all excited.
•••
After what felt like ages to you to get there, Tom finally knock on the door of the giant house of Emma. She was hosting the party for tonight. The door opens on Jason Isaacs, your fictional step-father. "Ah father !" Cheers Tom before lean into his arms, you follow the gest right after him. "Enter kids !" He said, you follow behind Tom who still had his hand in yours.
Suddenly you heard cheering at your right. "Heeeyyy ! The lovebirds are here !" Matthew screamed, making you laugh a little. You turn and see everyone, Emma, Rupert, Daniel, Bonnie, Matthew of course, Jason, Natalia, EVE-RY-ONE. A big family reunion.
Matthew quickly runs into us, each of us hugging each other quickly. "Hey Matthew, can I talk to you for a sec ?" Tom asked, you grinned a little, why does he wants to talk to him, in private ? Weird. Tom sees your interrogative gaze, He turns to put a kiss on your cheek and whisper something in your ear. "I won't be long I promise, go join the other I'll be right back" You nod your head, still a little suspicious. "I love you" he said before disappearing with Matthew in the garden.
You turn to the group, sitting in the living room, eating a bunch of amuse-bouche. You hug everyone, until you find Emma. "Here, this is for you" You hand her the bottle of wine you were holding since you arrived. "Oh thank you Y/N !" She kiss your cheek and invite you to open it in the kitchen. So you follow her.
"Soooo...how is it going with Tom ?" She asks curiously, of course she would ask you. She's always been supportive of your relationship with Tom, your number one fan. "Still amazing !" You blush a little. Emma pour the liquid in two fancy glasses while your looking at her. "Aaawww...you guys are just too cute." You roll your eyes at her remark.
Helen (McCrory) enter the kitchen and you smile at her. "Helen ! Want a glass ?" Emma asked. "With pleasure ! You were talking about Tom aren't you ?" You nod a 'yes' in response. "Tell me all about it !" Helen, queen of gossip, you giggle on the inside. "Well, I was telling Emma, that he makes me really happy and that I'm very lucky to have him in my life !" You bit your lips, looking around you, hoping to see Tom coming back. "Good...is he good in the sheets though ?" Helen asks like it was nothing. Leaving an Emma dead of laughing. "Helen !" You shout, in shook but you can't help but start laughing too.
"I'm joking darling don't worry ! For how long have you been dating ?" You take a deep breath, thinking about it. "Almost 10 years !" Helen's eyes widen when she heard you. "Wow ! It doesn't make me feel any younger ! I still remember your early days !" You giggle, It's true, a long time had passes but it's still like your first days.
Emma hands you the glass filled with wine, you take it before raising it to the air. "Cheers ?"
"Cheers !"
"Cheers !" We all said as our glasses collided.
•••
So far, the party is going good, you were now all sat in the dining-room, waiting to eat. It's been like an hour, and Tom hasn't came back yet. Which makes you kinda nervous 'where the hell is he ?' You tough to yourself. And just when you were about to go look for him, you feel a hand on your shoulder. "Hi love !" He said cheerfully. "Sorry for being that long, Matthew just broke up with his girlfriend I had to pick up the pieces." He sigh as he sat beside you. All of you worries disappeared, but quickly replace by worries for your friend. "Oh...this is sad...is he okay now ?"
Tom nods as he puts one of his hands on your thigh, caressing your skin with his thumb to reassure you. "Yes ! Don't worry !" You smiled and you finally get to enjoy the moment, your lover is finally here with you. Your boyfriend bite his lip while pushing a lock of hair behind you ear. "Hey...can we forgot that bet ? I really wanna kiss you right now" He whispered, you giggle a little bit, you knew he wouldn't win this one. "Do you really think I'll give up so easily ?" Tom sighs at you response. His back it the chair behind without stopping to look at you.
"Oh fuck it..." He quickly said before grabbing your head in his hands and crushing his lips on yours. You smile against them, you've been apart for an hour and you already missed him so much. "Hey, get a room you two !" A well known voice stops you. You turn your head and see Daniel giggling. "Jealous Potter ?" You shout at him, making Tom giggle. "Totally !" He said mockingly, you roll your eyes before putting your attention on your man again.
•••
You've just finished your meal, it was really good ! You really enjoyed it but something was off. Tom was off, he was less joyful, less goofy, in normal times he'll always be the one to make jokes, especially with his friends from the cast. So you couldn't help but being worried for your boyfriend.
You gently put your hand on his knee to have his intentions. "Yes, Darling ?" He asks innocently. You look in his beautiful eyes that still have this incredible effect on you. "Love are you okay ?" He tilts your head at your question and put his arms behind you on top of your chair. "Yes sweetheart, why that question ?" You loin at him sadly, what is he trying to hide from you ? You know more than you know yourself. "Tom..."
Your gaze make him understand he has to stop lying to you but he couldn't tell you the truth. "Alright, I'm just a little tired, but that's all, I promise." He leans to kiss your cheek has you sigh on relief. "Okay, we won't stay for too long then" You smiled at him. "But Y/N..." You cut him. "Shht ! Don't complain ! You need to rest."
A tiny smile appear on Tom's face while he's looking at you, thinking on how on earth did he got so lucky to have you in his life.
And suddenly he tought to himself: 'What the hell am I waiting for ?' He quickly kisses your lips and thanked you. "I'm gonna get us some drinks, you want something ?" He asks as he gets up. "No thanks love !" You smiled and watched him leaving.
•••
A few minutes later, Jason enter the dining room. "Well, well, well, my dears ! Emma and I prepared a little surprise in the living-room, so if you could get you ass up and go there it would be really nice of you !" You laugh at the finesse in his words while you get up, followed by the other, again, Tom disappeared.
You sat on the gigantic couch, next to Bonnie and Evanna, you three discuss for a while before the big tv turns on. You frown slightly, the surprise begins but Tom is not there yet !
A bunch of photos and videos from the cast back on the set pops up on the screens, you laugh at some of them. It become quite emotional at some point, a video a baby you and baby Tom responding to question for an interview, reminding you off how far you've known each other.
Then the video comes to an end, Emma appears in front off the tv while everyone is cheering, including you.
"Sooo...before we end that little reunion, someone wants to say a few words." Emma looks straight into your eyes, your feel nervous all of sudden, 'was i supposed to say something' you tought. But Emma explains herself quickly. "Look at you right Y/N !"
You hesitate a little bit before turning your head, you see him standing there. He smiles before walking towards you and take your hand to make you get up. You frown slightly, 'what is going on ?' You thought.
"Y/N...My love...My darling, I-I don't even know where to start. When I met you, we were only kids but, we got along right away. I found in you a best-friend and 6 years later, I finally got the guts to tell you what I was really feeling for you."
You listen to him, drink his words, trying to keep your tears to yourself as he still holds your hand tightly.
"Since then, my life took another turn, I knew that whatever would happen to us I'd do everything I can to stay the reason why you're smiling ! I understood what love was thanks to you, it didn't took me long to realise I wouldn't survive a life without you. That's why..."
He lets go of your hand to dive his hand in the pocket of his suit, he gets out a little black box and you understand what's about to happen. You smile broadly, letting tears flow down your cheeks. Everyone was looking at you two but at this exact moment all you could see was him.
He bends down and puts one knee on the floor and opens the little box, revealing the magnificent ring in it.
"Y/N Y/L/N would you do me the honour of becoming my wife ?" He asks, looking directly at your eyes. You don't even need to think about it. "Yes ! Of course I want to be your wife !" You shout, a incredible smile appeared on his face while the others behind you starts to scream and applauding. Tom gets up, take the little ring and manage to slip in through your finger despite your both trembling hands. As soon as the ring is on your finger, you take Tom head in your hands and kiss him with all your love, his arms slips around your waist and he holds you as strong as possible before lifting you up.
All the others join you into a big hug, your feet rest ont the floor and you quit Tom's arms just the time to hold everyone in your arms. The other girls literally scream looking at your ring. "I'm so happy for you two !" Emma shout, holding you tightly against her.
•••
The end of the evening was coming, a lot of the guests were already gone now. You spent the rest of it, either cuddling with you fiancé, already fantisising on your wedding or showing your ring to the womens here who couldn't stop greeting you two.
But for now, you were about to leave, you took Emma into a hug one last time and finally followed Tom outside the house. "What an evening !" You said grabbing his hand.
Once you finally reach your house, you're greeted by Willow who was jumping everywhere. "Heeeyy ! Willow look at this !" You crouch down to show her your engagement ring as if she could understand what it is. Tom giggle behind you, he couldn't stop smiling, seeing you that excited and happy to be his fiancé made him the most happiest man alive.
You get up, and turn to him, a disappointed look on your face. "She doesn't care !" You have a sulky face as your arms go around Tom's neck, his naturally go around your waist to keep you close to him. "Too bad, we'll have to choose another bridesmaid !" He said jokingly before kissing your soft lips, you giggle a little against them as the kiss become heated.
He leaves you lips only to places other on you cheek, sliding to your jaw to finish on your neck. "What if we celebrate our first night as an engaged couple ?" He whisper against your skin. "I've been wanting to tear that dress off you since the first second I saw you in it." He says in the hollow of your ear, giving you shivers down your spine.
Your soft moan gives him the answer he needs, he pulls the zip of your dress and lifts you up in less then a second. He takes you to your dorm and with that, you spent your very first night as engaged.
••••••••••••
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Songs About Me: Thistle & Bloom (CH7)
Jamie and Claire end up in Claire's shop. More revelations, a mysterious phone call, and exchanged promises. SO sorry about the gap between chapters! I've been pretty sick over here, and just needed a break to get better. I'm feeling better and glad to be writing again!
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CHAPTER SEVEN
Claire Beauchamp’s front porch, a late October night, Louisburg Square, Beacon Hill, Boston
“Claire, I--” he swallowed and took a step back from her. She noticed that in the distance he created, his hand still held onto her waist. His fingertips pressed into her flesh and goosebumps erupted under the fabric. She met his eyes and sank into their ocean depths.
“I’d verra much like to kiss ye. May I?”
Words had never failed Claire before. She spent her free time letting sentences flow around her, wrapping her in warmth and comfort. Words were her solace and succor. When Jamie’s eyes flicked from her lips to her eyes in question , in longing , any word she thought of failed her completely. She nodded quickly, for it was all she could manage in the moment. Whatever she had been expecting from Jamie, whatever she expected a first kiss to be like with the stranger who had enchanted her from their first meeting, whatever she expected failed in comparison. Jamie leaned forward, and steeled himself with a slow swallow. Claire watched his throat bob with the effort, and for the first time, wondered to herself how much power he was holding unchecked in the moment. There wasn’t time to think before he had regained his composure and moved closer into her. His clear blue eyes had darkened to the color of Claire’s favorite coastline, and her breath caught in her throat. The moment she met his eyes, everything faded away. There were no words, no chill in the late October air, no more spiraling thoughts… there was just Jamie. His woody cologne swirled together with the scent of fallen leaves on wet, worn bricks; their air mingled together, and it was happening. His mouth found purchase with hers, softly, tenderly. He tasted like a smoke-filled whisky and something so inexplicably him. Had she been sober, she might have had the thought to hold back some, to not devour this man before her… but she wasn’t sober, and couldn’t have been with the intoxicating feel of him against her body and in her mouth. Her hands moved from his chest up his neck and into the curls at the nape of his neck. He moaned when her fingers moved upwards into his hair. “God, Claire…” His hands roamed around her waist and up the expanse of her back, down her ribcage and almost to her arse, but pulled back to crush her to him instead. She moaned in protest and he laughed breathily as he whispered, “Ye have no idea how badly I’ve wanted to kiss ye like this.” Claire smiled through his returning kisses. An arm snaked around her waist while the other ran up the length of her spine. She was being greedy, she knew it, and couldn’t stop it. Her tongue softly ran along his lips and he nearly spasmed at the contact. Apparently one little tease was all the invitation he needed -- a hand was in her hair, his tongue was in her mouth, her body was crushed against the most beautiful man she’d ever seen. They were playing a dangerous game, the two of them, and she was ready to explode with the fire he set in her.
“You’ll stay…?” He moved his mouth to her ear, nibbling her earlobe just a bit. “God, Jamie…” Hot breath from a small chuckle made her skin erupt in shivers. “You’ll stay? Tonight?”
Stubble scratched her neck, soothed by wet kisses. “Hmmmm?”
She drew his face back to hers in her hands and kissed him soundly. “Come upstairs with me, Jamie.”
Navy orbs met dark gold ones in the glow of lamplight. He made for their mouths to meet again, but didn’t close his eyes. He released her finally, but kept a tight grip on her waist. “Yer so beautiful, Claire.”
She felt her cheeks burn at his compliments. How did he do that to her? Just a few words, a pointed look, a whisper in her direction and she was absolutely melted. She reached for his hand and moved to open her door, but Jamie stayed rooted to the spot.
“I cannae go inside wi’ ye tonight, mo nighean donn.” Surely she hadn’t heard him right. Was he rejecting her? She dropped his hand and stepped back, turning toward the door to turn her key in the lock.
What the fuck happens now? Claire turned, stood up straight, and outstretched her hand. “Well, this really has been a great night. Maybe I’ll see you around sometime?” She tried to keep the hurt off her face, but knew she was failing.
Jamie looked at her hand like it was a foreign object, and stepped forward. He took her small hand in both of his and brought her knuckles to his lips. “Claire, ye have to know how much I want tae go inside with ye. God, I’ve never wanted anything more than I want ye in this moment. But lass, I don’t just want this moment… I want so much more with ye. The way I feel about ye, I know ye feel it, too. I’m not willing to let this get out of hand. Ye mean too much to me. This, means too much to me. I’m going to do this right, mo chridhe.” Claire’s whole body had felt warm with adrenaline moments before, but now it surged with affection for Jamie. “If ye wanted to kiss me like that again though, I wouldna complain one bit, though,” he added with a smirk breaking through his serious facade.
Claire laughed in earnest and kissed him with all the passion she could muster. Her hand rested on his heart and it pounded faster with the seconds shared in their kiss. Before she was lost in him once again, she pulled away and he let out a strangled cry at the loss of her. His eyes hadn’t opened before she had completely extricated herself from him and had her front door open. “Goodnight, James!” she laughed.
---
“You’ll be the death of me, Sassenach!” The door was closed before he had time to recompose himself. He sighed and ran a hand through his mussed curls. He absolutely stood by what he said about wanting to honor what they had, and he had not planned on following her to bed tonight. He wouldn’t treat this like it was disposable or quick. Then again… no lass had ever kissed him the way Claire Beauchamp did. Before he could knock on her door and beg her to let him in, he forced himself off the porch and down the sidewalk. One more look at her windows, one more second in place thinking about her, and he’d end up back in her arms tonight. One day, lad. One day.
Jamie had mentioned he had to be at the bookshop the next day, and Claire had every intention of not bothering him at work. She had planned to answer a few emails and do some administrative work with a coffee and then head down to her own shop to work on propagating some of the rarer plants. She loaded her leather messenger bag with her laptop, notebook, writing notebook, an assortment of her favorite pens, and headed down the street. Twenty minutes and a large chai later, she aimlessly strolled toward her shop on Garden Street. She found herself drifting a few blocks south of the direction she should be headed in and a few blocks closer to Fraser Literature. Surely there was no harm in working at one of the tables in the courtyard at the bookshop, right? She wandered through the streets with a new purpose and was soon setting up shop at one of the familiar cafe tables outside her favorite shop. Had the store not been open today, she would have wasted the morning away there in the courtyard, letting the sun glow around her, warming her chilled surroundings. Alas, being a business owner was not exactly as freeing as someone may think and she had work to do. A while later, Claire was zoned-in on an email about variegated monstera deliciosa orders when a voice behind her nearly made her fall out of her chair.
“Whatcha working on today, Sassenach?” She clutched her chest and turned to see Jamie arched an eyebrow and crossed his arms, clearly pleased with his startling announcement of arrival.
“Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ, Jamie! Are you trying to give me a heart attack over here?”
“Ach no, jes’ reveling in the fact that ye clearly can’t get enough of me. Getting me drunk at dinner, encouraging puir decisions, the way ye kissed me last night, trying to get me into yer bed, and now, I find ye waiting for me outside my shop. I jes’ find it interesting , is all.”
“I was doing no such thing! This is just were I work! I’d been working here long before I knew this was your shop!”
“Likely story, Sassenach.” Claire assumed he was trying to wink, but in much the same way an owl does, he just blinked both clear blue eyes at her and scrunched up his nose, making Claire snort in laughter at his attempt.
“I do actually have to work, though, and now that I know you’re distracted, I should go so we both actually get something done today,” she said, and began to pack up her bags.
“Tis a timely distraction, actually!” Jamie handed her a yellow notebook and raised his brows when he gestured throwing her empty drink in the trash.
Claire nodded in response to the cup and continued to pack up. “Oh yeah? Why’s that?”
“We’ve been getting some feedback from customers lately that they’re very much enjoying the ‘atmosphere’ of the store, and more and more people at checkout say they like all the plants hanging around! The boys and I were discussing taking that idea and running with it… kind of an arts experience, ken? The music, the books of course, and bring nature into it all. I’d like to add in some more plants, but dinna ken what would work best. Is there any way ye could help me figure it out? Maybe I could stop by your wee shop sometime and we could talk it out?”
Claire swung her bag over her shoulder and smiled at Jamie’s nervousness in asking her for something so… chill . “Of course you can stop by, Jamie! Actually, I’m headed there now, if you’d like to join?” His smile could have rivaled the sunshine for brightest thing in the courtyard. Claire waited inside the store’s entrance while Jamie told Angus and Rupert he’d be back in a while and noticed the way Jamie’s ears pinked at the tips when Angus leaned in to whisper something and Rupert playfully punched Jamie in the arm. She pretended to fuss with something on the bookshelf, but smiled to herself nonetheless.
“Ready, Sassenach?” Jamie was waiting by her side a few moments later. It was Claire’s turn to beam up at him.
“Always.”
---
Thistle and Bloom was Jamie’s second-favorite place in all of Boston. It was the word “thistle” that had originally drawn him into the shop shortly after moving to the city. It reminded him of home, of the Highlands, and of all the things that just felt like home. He had met the redhead behind the counter a handful of times, always hearing the owner was out back working, or gone searching for herbs, or otherwise occupied. He and Geillis had become friendly over the years, and the other lads had become more than friendly with her on more than one occasion. It was Geillis that had invited them all out to karaoke, and he would forever be grateful for how fate had worked in his life. Geillis, this shop, his bookstore, Scotland… all of it played a part in getting him here today, with Claire.
They approached the storefront and Claire absolutely beamed with pride. The outside of the shop was ornate for Boston, but beautiful. The building was brick, with a white-washed wood first story with large arched windows. Painted with forest green on the arches of the facade, a heavy naturally-stained wood had the name of the wee shop painted in gold lettering, and a heavy carved thistle painted in gold sat as the crowning jewel in the signage. English ivy crawled and sprawled up the planters on the sidewalk and up the white wood over the green arches and up the antique brick. Whisky barrels sat in front of the windows exploding with blooms in modern arrangements, like they had truly come to life in the most whimsical and elegant way. Now knowing it was Claire behind it all, everything made sense. He thumbed a rogue branch of the ivy, it’s Englishness not lost on him. Inside the store, Jamie saw it all with fresh eyes.
Jamie was a fair gardener -- truth be told, he hadn’t needed explicit help in finding the right plants for his store, but he’d near say anything to spend time with Claire. She nervously showed him around, occasionally muttering the scientific name of a houseplant or remarking about the rarity of another under her breath. Only once did she catch one yellowing leaf on something that trailed up the wall, and she plucked it off and shoved it in her jeans pocket. Jamie shook his head in exasperation at her -- didn’t she know, everything she did was perfect? They continued their little tour and examined every plant in the store for Jamie’s needs. Jamie occasionally hummed or nodded in agreement of Claire’s assessment of the plants, but he knew she really wasn’t talking to him. Sometimes, she’d look at Jamie or ask for his opinion on a plant, but otherwise, she existed in her own little world. Claire had amassed a collection of medium-sized plants on the counter she assured him wouldn’t be too much work but would flourish with his attention, and turned the most brilliant shade of pink when she caught sight of him watching her work.
Seeing that the shop was empty for the moment, Jamie moved in toward Claire. Watching her like this, in her element, so happy, he just wanted to kiss her again. Just steps away from her, she turned to him, smiling. One more step until bliss…
Jamie jumped. His phone rang loudly from his pocket. Rushing to silence it, he pulled it out of his pocket to a blonde woman’s smiling face on the Caller ID. He shut off the ringer and looked for Claire. She was shuffling plants at the counter, not really rearranging anything but trying to make herself busy nonetheless. Ifrinn. She saw the damned phone.
“So, Claire…” he was interrupted by a voicemail notication. He ignored it. “I was wondering if ye grow these plants yerself, or…” another loud beep followed by another indicated he was getting texts at a rapid pace. “Jesus, fuck!”
“If you need to get that, it’s really fine, Jamie!” Claire was trying for a breezy tone and failing miserably. She’d seen the beautiful woman on the phone. They never said they were exclusive or anything, it was awfully presumptuous of her to assume that in the two days they’d known each other, that he didn’t have any other ties. She was spiraling but a warm, steady hand brought her back down to reality.
“I dinna need to do anything, Sassenach. Nothing matters to me now except for being here with ye.” He gave her a reassuring smile, and with only the briefest hesitation to make sure she was caught up with his feelings, he kissed her chastley. “Now, I was asking how ye came to amasse such a small jungle.”
Claire smiled adoringly at Jamie, pushing any nagging thoughts about the mysterious caller to the side. “I’d like to show you something, if you can be away for a little while longer,” Claire said. Jamie nodded and followed her when she went out the back door of the shop.
Instead of finding a back door leading to an alleyway or a small yard, Jamie stepped into pure light. A white wooden door with paned glass led the way into the most beautiful greenhouse Jamie had ever seen. It was a few small rooms, each terraced with a few cement steps leading into the next. Slowly walking through, Jamie noticed each tiny room was a different biome: one for tropical plants, one for houseplants, one for cacti and sand-dwelling plants, and one with plants he’d never seen before. The windows were probably once crystal clear, but now the glass was clouded with condensation and moss in the corners. The cream paint on the window and door panes was chipping away in places, and the floor was covered in loose dirt and a few errant leaves. Everything was diffused light and shades of green and white and warm air. It was warm inside and Jamie wiped away a bead of sweat from his forehead. He turned to Claire, who stood in the far corner, awaiting judgment like a child. She smiled shyly, hugging herself and leaning against a potting bench. Her hair was conspiring with the humidity to add more curls to her head at an alarming rate, and she looked like the queen of her own personal Jumanji. Jamie had never seen a more ethereal sight in his life.
“Ye know, I always come here when I miss home,” he held a leaf the size of his own head in his hand and made his way along the rows of flora as he continued. “Scotland is so green, ken? I think it’s the thing I miss most. The traditions there are so old but it’s so green and fresh and new out in the moors and the lochs and munros. This shop, yer shop,” he smiled at her, “it always felt the way I felt about being home in Scotland.”
“Have I told you I grew up in Scotland?”
Jamie’s head snapped up at that. “Ye said ye were from Oxford?”
She nodded. “Yes, originally. I went to school in Oxford, and Oxford was where I thought I’d build my life. Actually though, in between travelling with my uncle, we’d always end up in Scotland. My uncle had a place in Glenfinnan?” Jamie’s jaw dropped. “I take it you know the place?”
“Aye! I’m from Inveraray!”
“I’ll jot that down in the list of things we have in common!” She laughed. “Anyways, he had a croft up there and we’d go all the time. It’s mine now, but I haven’t had time to make it back there after opening up shop here in Boston. Scotland holds a very special place in my heart, though. All the important moments in my life happened in the Highlands: my best birthdays, my first kiss, my biggest adventures, it’s where I went when I left my ex, when my uncle died…” Jamie came to her, stroking her arm when he saw her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. “The highlands always felt wild and peaceful and magical to me. I wanted to have a slice of that here. It’s obviously for work, too, but this… this is my favorite place. My oasis. It feels…”
“Like heaven,” Jamie finished. The moment he said it, he almost wished he could take it back not because he didn’t mean it, but because it really did feel like heaven here with her.
“Like heaven,” she repeated. He found her staring longingly at him, and he couldn’t help it then. He kissed her with as much admiration as he could possibly muster in a kiss, and it still didn’t feel like enough when she drew back for air.
“Having you here with me, in this place… This is more than I could have ever hoped for.”
“Make me a promise, Sassenach?”
Claire was puzzled. She brought him into her very favorite place, and he’s asking for random promises right now? “Yes, Jamie?”
“Promise me we’ll end up in Scotland together. I’ll take ye up the munros and down in the lochs and we’ll laugh and drive and get caught up in sheep herds together. We’ll drink ‘til we cannae walk we’ll talk about how the universe conspired to get us here. Me and you, mo nighean donn. Promise ye’ll let me follow ye around the world and back to the place we both love. Promise me that one day, we’ll get back there together.”
Despite knowing Jamie for such a short time, despite the day that was supposed to be a fun, non-committal one picking out plants, Claire found herself swimming in the depths of his ocean eyes with no plan to get out and dry off. Despite the rational part of her brain telling her she should not be making plans so soon, she saw an entire lifetime in his face. Maybe it was the ethereal atmosphere, maybe it was that he made her drunk on his presence alone, maybe it was magic that made her match his eyes and say, “Scotland it is. I’ll follow you anywhere.”
#in which tessaactually tries fan fic#songs about me fic#outlander fic#outlander fan fic#jamie x claire#jamie fraser#claire beauchamp#FIRST KISS FIRST KISS FIRST KISS#things are amping up to get v angsty#but until then#things are V FLUFFY#and are about to get vvv smutty.
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I don't know about you guys, but I think it's time we check on Charles.
If you haven't read the previous parts, you can find them here:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4 and revision
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Recap time: the symptoms of withdrawl are beginning to kick in and leave Charles in less than favorable conditions, which Henry shows to the government in order to get the sapphire back.
Got that? My episode synopsis-ing is getting better😃. Anyway, ONWARD!!!
We begin with Charles sitting against the wall with his head in his arms and his knees to his chest. It's been a few days, withdrawal's in full blast, and he can't even pick up his head when he hears Henry walk in and kneel in front of him.
"Go away."
Henry simply holds out the pills again. "It must be hard without these, just sitting and counting the stars. Assuming you can do that," he adds with a shrug.
He reaches forward and practically picks up Charles's jaw, lifting it up so they meet eyes, which Charles doesn't do because the chain on his hat is shiny, there's a red hair on his coat, a papercut on his thumb, the scar on the bridge of his nose, and tons of small things that keep getting his attention.
"My offer still stands, Charles. All I need is you to tell me where it is, and you can have these back. Every last one."
Charles only stares off as his face contorts with sorrow and frustration, even when Henry snaps his fingers to get him to focus.
"Come on, Charles. We've been at this for a while, and I'm having a hard time seeing you like this now, so tell me. Where did you hide the sapphire?"
Tears fill Charles's eyes and his shoulders drop. "I don't know," he sobs. "I... I don't know."
Henry sighs and scowls, pocketing the pills. "Well, damn it for the both of us, then."
As he opens the door, Charles rushes at him, hard enough to knock them both to the ground and dent the cuffs.
Charles, not looking a gift horse in the mouth, books it, running down the hall and around every corner he can.
Henry, chuckling, stands up. "Alright. Let's do this, Charles."
Charles keeps running(really getting his cardio and steps in here), ducking behind and diving wherever he can to avoid being seen and found, eventually finding his way to a weapon vault.
In a rush and a panic, he bashes the cuffs off and repeatedly slams his hand against the panel to slip inside; don't worry, his ribs are better enough to be Bold Action Man again.
Inside, Charles catches his breath and tries to get his bearings, even when Sven announces over the intercom to keep an eye out for a runaway pilot.
Now knowing people are looking for him, Charles lets out a sob-groan and throws his hands over his eyes, losing it before taking a few deep breaths.
"Just breathe," he mutters to himself. "Just breathe, Charlie. You've managed before once. You can do it again." Charles takes another breath and arms himself with a handgun as someone begins to open the door.
He quickly draws and aims at Henry(are you surprised?), who raises an eyebrow and gives Charles a look of, 'bitch, really?' and leaning against the doorway, propped up on his arm.
Charles only stands his ground, taking deep breaths as he shakily speaks. "Take me home."
Henry only responds by snapping his fingers on one side and tapping his nails against the doorway, two sounds that heavily distract Charles.
It gets worse when, in between snaps and taps, Henry cracks and pops his knuckles, even clicking and clucking his tongue and tsking.
It doesn't help that Charles keeps noticing the weapons on the walls, especially the damage some have on them.
Henry snaps his fingers in front of Charles and removes his top hat, so Charles has a clear shot to his head.
Charles clenches his eyes shut and pulls the trigger, damning the consequences and the fact that he still has no idea how to get home.
Click!
Charles pales as his stomach drops with his hands and the gun, sliding to the ground as Henry kneels back in front of him.
"Do you REALLY think we'd keep our weapons loaded when we don't use them?"
Charles goes to hit Henry with the gun, as it's now a blunt weapon, but Henry grabs his wrist and pulls him close, so his back is against Henry's chest and Henry can slip an elbown around Charles's neck.
"By the way," Henry says before leaning into Charles's ear and growling, "You should've taken that shot, when you had the chance."
CUT TO EARTH(BECAUSE I'M A TROLL😈😈😈)
Rupert and Calvin are driving on that off road from Part 4 and looking for Charles's car, he's gonna need for when he gets back.
"I hope Charles is okay."
"You said that yesterday," Rupert replies sharply.
Calvin shrugs. "I'm just worried, that's all. He's been gone for a while, and Henry's got him."
"And he wants to know where we put the sapphire."
Rupert stops when they find Charles's car, but Calvin's not done.
"Where's the sapphire, anyway?"
"Shipped it off," Rupert explains as he leaves the car. "The General's having some friends of his make a replica, though, out of glass."
Calvin follows and they find a very relaxed Terrence, who's lying on Charles's car.
Calvin steps up and demands to know what Terrence is doing here.
"Nice to see you, too," Terrence sighs as he gets up. "What brings you to my neck of the woods?"
"We're bringing Charles home, and he's gonna need that," Rupert snarls.
"Not where he is, but knock yourselves out," Terrence dismisses as he tosses the keys to Calvin. "Told anyone that it needed gas. Kept it company."
Calvin eyes Terrence, but loads in and starts Charles's car.
"I'll follow you," Rupert calls as he hops back into his car; the plan is that they're going to rtyrn the car to Charles's house, grab the twins', and return to the base. Rupert's following Calvin, for safety reasons.
Calvin gives a thumbs up and they head out toward Charles's house, Terrence riding with a tense Rupert.
"So the pilot's up in the stars now? Shame."
"You left him that note," Rupert replies sharply. "Why?"
Terrence raises an eyebrow. "When people can't solve a problem, you either give them a hint or solve it for them, which won't help them at all."
Rupert's eyes go wide as he stares at Terrence. "'Help?' You call getting Charles kidnapped 'HELP?'"
"Help is like art; it can mean anything."
"That son of a bitch is forcing him into withdrawl!" Rupert snaps. "He's keeping him from taking his medicine and you're just going to sit back and say you 'helped!?'"
Terrence stares down at his boots as Rupert locks his eyes on the road.
"I swear, if Charles dies, it's on you."
Terrence only stares out the window and remains silent for a while until they drop off Charles's car and head back to the base.
"He won't die. Henry won't let him."
"How do you know?" Rupert asks.
"Because he's selfish and childish, and he hates sharing his toys."
"But he LEADS the Toppat Clan."
"Which used to belong to Reginald," Terrence explains. "Charles is the General's son, adopted or otherwise, and the General calls MOST of the shots."
Rupert tightens his grip on the steering wheel. "And with Charles on that station, we can't attack."
Terrence nods. "The General's already lost a lot of people. What d'you think he'll do if he accidentally gets Charles incinerated in space?"
They're silent for the rest of the drive, after that.
Now that I bring up Galeforce, we cut to him watching the live feed of Charles escaping before being dragged back to his cell, kicking, screaming, and crying. Right, who's pulling him, grabs his hands and re-restrains him, so Charles is back to hanging.
WITH CHARLES!
He's struggling against his cuffs again as Henry, Right, Reginald and Ellie watch, unimpressed, fed up, and just sick of his BS.
"You know, this would've been A LOT easier, if he'd just stayed like this the entire time," Ellie rematks with her arms folded.
Henry nods, but signs, 'We can't have him atrophied or with his arms stick like that, but at least it keeps him in one place.'
They watch him keep trying to break free, Charles not noticing them.
"We could tell 'im 'ow to get to an escape pod, and 'e wouldn't listen," Right says.
"We could literally say ANYTHING, and he wouldn't listen," Ellie adds.
Reginald only sighs/groans as he leans his head against Right's shoulder. "How long is he going to do that until he realizes it won't help?"
They watch Charles for a little bit longer before, Ellie, who gets the 'okay' nod from Henry, steps up and slams her fist into Charles's stomach.
Charles stops instantly and has a coughing fit.
Cut to Galeforce seeing this and clenching a fist before cutting back to Charles as he keeps coughing.
"You're not doing yourself any favors, so just tell us what we want to know and we'll send you on your merry way."
Charles weakly glares at them, though he looks eyes with Henry.
"What part of 'I don't know where the sapphire is,' do you not understand?" He snaps. "I fell unconscious, when I gave it to them, so HOW could I be able to tell where they hid it?"
Henry furrows his brow before Reginald speaks up, "If you didn't hide it, someone else must have, and you're the top pilot, if you don't know where it is, who would?"
Charles immediately thinks of the twins, but shakes his head, eyes on the floor to avoid looking at everyone. "I don't know."
"Careful, kid," Right says. "If y' keep lying, you'll get yourself killed."
Charles shakes his head again. "I really don't know."
Right, knowing Charles is lying, punches him in the cheek with his non-cybernetic hand.
It makes Charles's ear ring and makes him taste blood(because he bit his cheek), before Henry approaches him and signs to him.
'Don't think I forgot about those twins you care about. If they know, we'll drop you off and pick them up, easy. Unless you want to tell us yourself where ths sapphire is?'
Charles's face drops with horror before he glares and spits a mix of blood and saliva at Henry, hitting him on the cheek.
"Fuck you."
Henry, ever the gentleman, scowls and wipes himself off, nodding at Right and Ellie; 'He's yours.'
He and Reginald turn to leave, but Henry lightly holds Ellie's arm and leans into her ear.
"Don't break him."
"Why would I break your new favorite toy? Give me some credit."
The two smile at each other and Henry leaves, Reginald behind him; he did not want to be in that room when Right and Ellie were there.
The door closes and the two turn to Charles, Right letting Ellie go forst because she's a lady👸
Cut back to Galeforce, who cringes as Ellie punches Charles sone more, the pilot groaning and crying out with each strike.
Victoria and Konrad enter the room carefully, Konrad holding a rolled up piece of paper and Victoria there as his escort and emotional support.
"General, you asked for us?"
Galeforce turns away from the monitor as he it shows Ellie letting Right take a turn and Charles pick up his feet to kick him away.
"I did. How's the design coming along?"
Konrad passes the rolled up paper to Galeforce, who opens and insects it.
"We've already got a few prototypes being built, so we should be ready for testing soon."
Galeforce nods at them. "Good. When they're done, have them tested ASAP, got it?"
Both nod and Galeforce dismisses them, though. Victoria stays to long enough to see him set down the paper and maks himself keep watching the feed, on which Right throws a kick HARD into Charles's stomach and makes him cough worse than when Ellie punched him.
It makes Victoria flunch becofe she turns to the General.
"I don't know who's getting it worse, him or you."
Galeforce ignores her, only watching as Right lets Ellie have a turn again.
Victoria puts a hand on his shoulder, and she can FEEL how much he's shaking.
"We're going to bring him home soon, General. I promise."
Galeforce, without looking, rests his hand on Victoria's.
"Thank you."
CUT BACK TO CHARLES!!!
Right and Ellie are gone, and he's beat to all hell, his face and body bloodied and bruised, though his ribs aren't as significantly bruised as his face, because of obvious reasons.
Charles is breathing heavily and spitting out blood, because it taste makes him sick. He rests his head against his arm and gives his restraints another pull before sighing and letting out a sob.
He doesn't know if the others know he's on the station, but hopes that they're both alright and planning on getting him out, because he's trapped.
Then he thinks about how Henry knew Charles was protecting the twins, and breaks down.
Henry knows about the twins.
"I'm sorry," Charles says to no one in particular. "I'm so sorry."
#henry stickmin#henry stickmim collection#completing the mission#completing the mission au#charles calvin#toppat!henry#ellie rose#toppat henry#medication withdrawl tw#slight violence tw#swearing tw#stickvin#one sided stickvin#stickrose#ellry
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Druxy
I needed to exercise my muse with something other than the chapter I've been writing for three days, so this is a drabble set before the prologue of my James au... which is still not out yet. But it'll be posted on tumblr once it is!
Summary:
Druxy. Adj. Something which looks good on the outside, but is actually rotten inside.
(Or, Rupert misses his son's ninth birthday. Rebecca may be willing to overlook many of the cracks appearing in her marriage, but this is not one of them.)
“Dad’s gonna be home in time for the party, right?”
Rebecca nods, sorting candy into party favor bags. “His flight gets in at noon, and your party starts at three.”
“Yeah!” Her newly-nine-year-old son does a bouncy dance around the kitchen, only pausing when he realizes he’s at eye level with the tootsie rolls. “Can I have some candy?”
“You’re going to have plenty at the party…”
“Pleeeeease, Mum? It’s my birthday…” James gives her his best pout, which she should stop giving into at this age, but it’s hard to resist his big blue eyes.
“Alright, since you said please.” She can’t stop an amused smile from crossing her face as he reaches up and grabs a piece of chocolate.
Noon rolls around and Rebecca pauses in her party preparations to make sure James eats lunch. He’s almost too excited to sit still, but a favorite snack of ants on a long makes even a boring turkey sandwich appealing.
“Is Dad gonna be home soon?”
“His plane should have landed,” Rebecca confirms. “It’ll take him a bit to get home from the airstrip, but I bet he’ll be home by one-thirty.”
(He should be home by one, but it’s always better to overestimate when giving a child a time window.)
In the back garden, Rebecca directs decorators on placing the balloon arch, and James runs around getting underfoot. It takes longer than she’d expect, but eventually, blue, green, and yellow balloons are strung up all around the yard. Perfect for a vaguely jungle-themed party, although pinatas and cutouts that might bring home the theme had been fazed out of James’ birthdays years ago.
(Rebecca doesn’t see anything wrong with a few tacky decorations at a child’s party, but Rupert had been oddly firm, as always. Maybe if James had seemed against it she would’ve pushed, but he never seemed to care about decorations as long as he got to run around with his friends. And so she’d gone along with it, deciding that any number of odd requests and requirements were worth it for smooth sailing in her increasingly tumultuous marriage.)
Speaking of which…
It’s nearly a quarter to two and there’s no sign of Rupert. She sighs and sets her hands on her hips. Where is he? He should’ve been home half an hour ago.
She can’t control when the plane lands, but she can control when presents get set out. Rebecca heads inside to the guest room she’s been stashing them in.
“Is Aunt Sassy coming?” James turns a yellow envelope from his godmother over in his hands as Rebecca stacks up the corresponding presents.
A pang hits her chest as she realizes how long it’s been since she’s seen her best friend. “No… not this year,” she answers, “but she did send you a lovely present! Look at that sparkly wrapping.”
“It’s so big, too!”
The big sparkly box turns out to be a trampoline, which means Sassy has absolutely won best gift. Rebecca thinks Rupert might object to the grass dying underneath it, but he still. Isn’t. Here. And James has absolutely noticed.
“I think we should cut the cake now,” she says gently, laying a hand on his shoulder. “Colin’s mum says they need to leave soon, and you want everyone to get cake, don’t you?”
“I want Dad to be here for cake!” he protests, tears welling. “You said he was coming home today…”
For a brief moment, anger flashes through Rebecca, because this is not the first time she’s had to explain away Rupert’s broken promises to their son. But she tamps it down, keeping her composure as she kneels in the grass and hugs him.
“I’m sure his plane just got delayed,” she soothes. “He would be here if he could. How about we eat cake now, but make sure to save him a piece?”
James sniffles bravely, like he doesn’t want to cry on his birthday. “Okay,” he agrees. “I’ll pick him the best piece.”
Long after the party is over, after the guests have left and even a sugar-high James is sleeping soundly, a car finally pulls into the driveway. Rebecca sighs in relief, steeling herself as she heads downstairs to meet her husband.
She hasn’t seen him in nearly a week, but he doesn’t greet her with a kiss or even pull her into his arms. Instead, his eyes rove critically over her usual silk dressing gown. “What, you weren’t going to wait up for me?”
“You were supposed to be home at noon,” she says, her voice soft but accusatory.
“I’m sure I wasn’t.” He waves a hand dismissively and moves past her, tossing off his blazer and loosening his tie.
She follows him to the master bedroom. “You missed your son’s birthday party.”
For just a moment, Rupert freezes, and she sees the man underneath the confident exterior, the man she isn’t even sure she knows anymore. His brows crease. “That was today?”
Rebecca scoffs. “You forgot you own son’s birthday!?”
“Of course not, darling,” he refutes, toeing off his shoes and stretching out on their bed. “The plane got caught in some clouds. We couldn’t land at the expected time.”
“The expected time was ten hours ago,” she reminds him, scowling. “And it was sunny.”
“You’re confused. You’ve had a long day.”
“Yes, I have!” She folds her arms. “Because I had to throw an entire birthday party and entertain a dozen parents all by my-fucking-self!”
“Don’t curse, dear,” he says flippantly. “It’s only attractive when we’re in bed.”
The leering smirk he follows that with is what does it. She can’t remember the last time she’d actually found that expression enticing.
“Which will not be tonight,” she snaps, her voice tight with anger. “I’m sleeping in the guest room.”
She wonders what it says about their marriage that after a week apart, she can barely bear to spend twenty minutes in a room with him.
#ted lasso#ted lasso fic#rebecca welton#james au#oc: james mannion#my writing#my stuff#god I just want to Protect James#every time I write Rupert I hate him even more
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You will be loved Chapter 16: A Confrontation
Henry was put on suicide watch and was still in the hospital, Galeforce, Charles, Ellie, Rupert, Dave, Victoria, and Henry's parents were coming up with a plan to help Henry get away from Dominic.
The General offered Terrence Suave and Randy Radman to stay on the base while Henry is in the hospital recovering, Victoria was instructed to find Dominic's whereabouts and to make sure he doesn't go nowhere near him.
Rupert and Dave informed everyone on base about Henry's situation, the reactions of the base were of course furious and they now wanted to help Henry.
Konrad and Calvin volunteered to help Victoria with her search for Dominic, Charles and Ellie won't leave Henry's side.
They have been visiting every day and talking with him, mostly about his relationship Dominic and how he met him.
Henry finally told them he almost got raped by a gang and that's when Dominic saved him, he was so nice back then.
"I didn't know you were talking with your dads, Henry." murmured Charles.
Henry was explaining how he met Dominic and Charles felt super guilty about that night, if it weren't for him listening to Calvin, Henry wouldn't have run away and Dominic wouldn't be abusing him.
"It's ok, I made mistakes too but at least now I'm getting help from you guys and everyone else." assured Henry.
"Yeah but I made a stupid mistake of listening to Calvin cause he led me to believe that you were talking to your special person."
"Guys, we need to think about what to do with Dominic?" added Ellie, who was sensing tension between them.
"Yeah." agreed Charles, he sighed and he rubbed his temple in irritation.
"But Henry, how come you didn't tell me or the General?" asked Charles, with sadness in his tone.
"Dominic threaten to kill me." said Henry, bowing his head down.
Charles and Ellie now have more reasons to help Henry, Dominic is dangerous now and they need to find him as soon as possible.
The door open and the others turned to see Rupert and Dave entered the room, they come by to see how Henry was doing.
"Hey Rupert, Hi Dave." said Charles, he waved at them and Ellie waved at them too.
"Hey, guys."said Rupert, he was exhausted and so was Dave.
"You look exhausted."
"Yeah, it's taking forever to find Dominic. It's just like he went AWOL and there's seem no trace of him." said Rupert, Dave nodded and he sat down on a chair.
"That doesn't mean he will come back to get Henry." said Charles, with an angry expression on his face.
"I'm a former police officer, Charles." said Rupert with an authoritative tone.
"I helped former victims escape their abusive partners and made sure they are safe. " he continued.
"I also did the some cases too." added Dave.
"However, not as much as Rupert."
They all heard a sniffle and they turned to see Henry sobbing quietly, Charles and Ellie immediately rushed to his side. Dave also went to his side but Rupert stayed at his spot.
"Hey Hen, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" questioned Charles who was hugging him gently, keeping mind of Henry's bandages.
"I don't deserved this." signed Henry while his tears were streaming down his face.
"No don't say that." said Ellie, she was rubbing his back softly.
"Henry, you are in trouble and need our help." said Charles.
Dave wanted to say something but he stopped himself because of poor word choice, Rupert on the other hand went up to Henry and he stared at him with determination.
"Henry, I know you have done some things like crime and theft in the past but you don't deserve to be in an abusive relationship." assured Rupert.
Henry was looking at him, his eyes red and glossy. He bowed his head and rubbed his temple.
"We will find Dominic and keep you safe."
Henry felt a little better after the motivation speech Rupert gave to him, he smiled for a bit.
Ellie had to leave to help Victoria so she left and said her goodbyes, Rupert and Dave had to go too and also said their goodbyes.
Charles and Henry are now all alone, they both stared at each then quickly turned their heads in embarrassment.
"Hey Hen...there's something I need to tell you." murmured Charles, he faced Henry who was trembling a little.
"What is it?" said Henry. He spoke for this question, he stared down at his bandages in morbid fascination.
Self-mutilation to some people is an escape, an addiction, a need to feel alive, and to make themselves feel pain. Henry never understood why people hurt themselves but now he knows.
Some people drink, some people smoke, he was never a drinker and a smoker. He chose the other option...cutting, that almost cost him his life if it weren't for Rupert and Dave.
"When we first met at the helicopter I piloted when you got kidnapped by the Government, I thought you were gonna betray us..."
Henry listened and Charles continued "But you didn't...instead you got us the evidence to take down the Tophat Clan."
"I was shocked that you wanted to join us after you got pardoned." explained Charles.
"We spent so much time together, to the point that I was developing a feeling...a warm feeling."
Henry continued listening to what Charles is saying to him, he was deep in thought. He wondered if he should confess his feelings to him before something bad happens to him.
"You see...I have feelings for you." whispered Charles.
Henry's mind went blank for a moment, did he hear that right? Did Charles confessed to him he has feelings for him? Henry blinked and shook his head.
"Henry?" asked Charles, tentatively.
"What did you say?" questioned Henry, slowly.
" I said, I have feelings for you." repeated Charles.
That's what he said alright, he was not hearing things. He waited so long to hear those words coming from Charles' mouth, however he thought he was too late because certain things that he can't control.
"How long?"
"Since you joined us, Hen."
"I see."
There was a heavy silence after the exchange, Charles bit his lip and waiting for Henry to say something, Henry was looking at him with a small smile on his face.
"I have feelings for you too." said Henry, his face flushed.
Charles stared at him for a moment, he had heard the one thing he's been wanting to hear from him. He was ecstatic! Despite Henry being in a relationship, he stilled had feelings for Charles.
Without warning, Charles leaned into Henry's lips and kissed him. Henry blinked but kissed back, it was a passionate kiss. Henry held Charles'face with his right hand while his left was still holding Charles' left hand.
They stopped to breathe for a moment, their faces were red but they both needed that. Charles wanted Henry but got manipulated by Calvin and it cost Henry to get into a abusive relationship with Dominic.
Charles leaned his forehead onto Henry's and they both smiled for the first time in ages, no matter what happens, Charles will protect him.
"Ahem." said a voice out of nowhere, they both jumped and turned to see The General, Terrance Suave, and Randy Radman standing in front of them.
Henry's Dads stared at Charles like they wanted him to get away from him while Galeforce shook his head in amusement, Charles felt intimidated by the two men who were glaring at him.
If looks can kill, he will be already 6 feet under. Henry on the other hand was snickering quietly and his expression was interesting to say the least, he quickly signed them that Charles was not a threat.
"You must be Charles." said Terrance, he had his arms crossed and leaned towards him with an angry expression on his face.
"Yeah, who are you exactly?" questioned Charles.
"The name's Terrance Suave and this is my husband Randy Radman."
He introduced himself and pointed to the colorful man who was waving at them, who watching his husband trying to be intimidated towards Charles.
"We are Henry's dads." added Randy.
"Oh! Henry told me about you guys...you look familiar and I don't know why."
Charles sheepishly said that and he rubbed his head awkwardly, he turned to Galeforce for help who expression's didn't change.
"Why am I like this? thought Charles.
"Yeah and where the fuck is this Dominic guy?" interrogated Terrance.
"We don't know but we promise we will find him, Mr. Suave." said Galeforce, his expression finally changing into seriousness.
"Good, I don't want that son of a bitch near my son." growled Terrance, his husband noticed he was getting angry and went to calm him down.
Charles was still holding Henry's left head and Randy noticed this and motioned Terrance to witness the intimate act between them.
Randy smirked at him and Terrance decided to pull aside to talk to him, leaving Randy alone with Henry and Galeforce.
"Uh sir? Why did you pull me out of the hall? asked Charles, he was nervous about this.
"To talk." replied Terrance, his tone emotionalness.
"About?"
"Your feelings for Henry." stated Terrance bluntly.
Charles was caught off guard by that statement, he never expected Terrance to figure it out his feelings for Henry. Was he that an open book?
"What about my feelings for Henry?"
"You love him...don't you?"
"Yes, I realized that I love him from very beginning." said Charles, in his sincerest voice.
"Then how come you're not with him? How come he's with that...animal?" questioned Terrance, his voice low and cold.
Charles recoiled in fear and took a step back from Terrance, Terrance has a point. Why wasn't he with Henry? And why is he with an abusive asshole? He can't answer both questions.
They were both manipulated and it hurt like hell. Charles look down at his hands and his vision blurred with tears, Terrance saw that Charles was beginning to cry and he put a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Look kid, I don't know what you have been through lately but I know you love him and wouldn't hurt him."
Charles stared up at him, his tears streaking down his face and Terrance felt bad for him.
"However, the only way for both of you to be happy is to win him over." continued Terrance.
"You'll have to protect him from Dominic and if you see him...shoot the bastard." finished Terrance, firmly.
Charles stopped crying and stared at him in shock, he wiped his tears to give him a determined look on his face. He nodded at him in agreement and Terrance smiled at him.
"Oh and one more thing." said Terrance to Charles before they headed inside.
"What?" asked Charles, curiously.
"If you fail to protect Henry, I will fucking kill you." threaten Terrance, he walk back inside without another glance at Charles.
Charles on the hand, was scared out of his mind. He has to work harder now, he doesn't want to let Henry and his dads down. He sighed, hoping if there's a light at the end of the dark tunnel they all in.
It's been a couple of days and Henry was allowed to go home but he needed to see a therapist, he was ok with it as long it will help him get better.
Henry was not allowed near his apartment and he temporarily moved in with Charles to make sure Dominic doesn't find him, Charles took extra measures on taking care of Henry.
He put all sharp objects hidden away and did most of the housework, Henry was a bit annoyed cause he felt helpless but Charles assured him he's not.
Charles was cleaning up some stuff when he looked at the clock, it was 4:30. Henry should be back from therapy now, he waited and waited.
When it was 5:30, he was worried about Henry. He went to the General's office to inform him he's going to look for Henry, Galeforce nodded him and to remind him to be careful.
Charles searched for places where Henry could be, which is not alot since he's been kept on a tight leash. He decided to search Henry's apartment and he found that Henry's door was opened.
He peeked in and looked around and heart stopped on what he saw, Dominic was holding Henry by the neck and he was struggling to get free.
Charles burst in with a gun in his hand mako the other two jumped by suprise, they saw Charles and Dom while still holding Henry pulled out his own gun and aimed at Charles.
They both stared at each in anger and Henry started to sob quietly making Charles' heart broke.
"Well if it isn't Charles Calvin." sneered Dominic,nastily.
#Henry Stickmin#henry stickmim collection#thsc#thehenrystickmincollection#charles calvin#thsc charles calvin#rupert price#thsc rupert price#dave panpa#thsc dave panpa#victoria grit#thsc victoria grit#hubert galeforce#thsc hubert galeforce#terrence suave#thsc terrence suave#randy radman#thsc randy radman#stickvin#henrles#ruave#terrence x randy#thsc henry stickmin
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Dupert this morning before we left.
They called us a bit ago, we're going to go pick him up now. I cried so much today. I haven't cried like this is a long time. Something about this entire situation just hits so so hard. This morning, I gave him and the others a wheat biscuit, and he acted like he was in heaven, he couldn't believe he had an ENTIRE BISCUIT to himself, he was boggling so hard. I gave him a few honey nut cheerios while our roommate Nick said goodbye and the little rat acted like nothing in the world could be as good as a Whole Biscuit and Honey Nut Cheerios.
He seemed so frickin happy. I can't get over that. But I gotta remember we did the right thing, right? Last night I could pick up his tail and lift his lower half up and he wouldn't even acknowledge me. I gave him a bath this morning, but the water was cloudy from the urine stains.
He was...happy. But not thriving, anymore. I hope I made the right decision. I wish I could've had more time with him. I feel like I messed up. I cried so hard I fell asleep and now it's time to go get him, and my stomach hurts so bad I feel like I'm going to be sick.
I keep having memories of Jinx. It's been a little over a year now since he was PTS and I'm STILL not over it. NOTHING has filled the void that he left and it was stupid of me to think that anything could. Danny...I kinda adopted him because I hoped he could help fill that void, but it's not the same. Gosh he does make me laugh so hard though, him and Papillon, they make me laugh like nothing else sometimes. I love them for that. But they're not the same. Nothing is the same.
I guess that's one of the big reasons why I started thinking about Dogs so much, recently. Recently being like post-walmart/deep quarantine I guess. I love the spiders I have left, I love the reptiles, I love the birds, I love the rodents (but I've already talked about the rat situation) but I...I need a Best Buddy again.
I need a best buddy who will be by my side for another 10-15 years, I need a buddy I can rely on to be here when I come home and truly love me and let me love them and I just fucking MISS him SO MUCH I can't stop crying. And now I lost Rupert too, the sweetest of all the rats, my little buddy. Hell, he was even white and black like Jinx, and a sweet little old man even when he was falling apart.
Ohhh I'm in so much pain right now my dudes. I handled the other rat and mice being pts/passing away alright enough, it was a lot easier to handle than This.
I don't know how I'm going to deal with basically WAITING for Java and Lisp's times to come. I don't know anymore. My heart hurts. I'll do my best to the end, but is it bad to say I look forward to the peace of after all this is over? I love them so so so much but my heart.....I can't take losing such charismatic, loving, lively little buddies to such short lifespans. Making rats only live a few years at best is the cruelest joke I've ever heard of.
#we are sad in this house 2nite my dudes#negative#tw pet death#no pictures of how bad he looks when he tries to walk...#too sad. legs out to the side and he can only drag himself#my heart aches.#i have so many thoughts and i cant stop crying#i miss them all so much
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the best by far is you: chapter 9
Read on AO3
Previous Chapter
For all the things my hands have held
The best by far is you - Cecilia and the satellite
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Summary: An exploration of Claire & Jamie’s story if their firstborn had lived and they had the chance to be parents together of wee Faith Fraser before the Battle of Culloden.
Chapter 9
April 16, 1746
Culloden House
Jamie gripped her elbow hard as he rushed her out of the house, away from Rupert, from Dougal’s dead body… it had all happened so fast…
And the inevitable had truly been just that ‒ nothing she or Jamie could succeed at stopping, though they’d given everything to that cause for the better part of a year now. The Battle of Culloden would begin this very morning.
“Jamie!”
Both of their heads whipped up at the sound, seeing Murtagh flying towards them on horseback like the devil himself was on his tail.
“Where has he been?” Claire wondered out loud, but Jamie only released his hold of her and ran for his godfather. She knew only that Murtagh had been acting on an order for this godforsaken war and hadn’t seen him for a few days. As he came into view, Claire noted the odd bulk around his torso and before her brain had any time to process, Murtagh had pulled the horse to a stop and immediately lifted a small, red-headed toddler from under his cloak.
Claire’s breath caught in her throat.
Faith.
Jamie was there, ready to grab her from Murtagh, and Claire watched in disbelief as he lowered Faith into his embrace, kissing her cheek as he did.
The wind-tossed curls were much longer on her ‒ had barely been long enough to curl when last she saw her ‒ but the small, scared face peeking over Jamie’s shoulder at Claire was unmistakably her child’s.
She had hardly swallowed this realization before Jamie had turned towards her. In a few long strides, he was in front of her and whether Jamie initiated it or she did, whether he had any intention of handing over Faith or not, Claire found herself clutching Faith’s head to her shoulder, her other hand anchoring the little body to her own. Her baby. She turned her face into the crook of Faith’s neck, spilling tears and kisses onto her skin.
It felt so centering to have Faith in her arms after eight months without her, that Claire didn’t even wonder why she was there with them for three solid minutes.
But Murtagh dismounted his horse and men were filing into lines nearby and the reminder of where they were and what was about to happen hit her like a punch in the gut.
“Jamie?” She asked urgently, her unspoken question already there in her eyes.
“I’m getting us out of here, mo nighean donn.” He murmured, though his tone was just as urgent, and she felt relief flood her veins. In the three years that she’d known him, he’d never let her down in this regard ‒ he always had a plan. They were going to run. And they’d be safe, he’d see to it. She had no doubt of it.
“Come along,” he said gently, tucking her in against his side, sheltering her and Faith as he led them back inside. Fergus was waiting in the doorway, and Murtagh was close on their heels.
Everything that unfolded next happened in rapid sequence. Jamie filled Murtagh in on the news of Dougal. A deed of sasine appeared to transfer the title of Lallybroch from Jamie to his nephew. Claire took all of this in while in a half-daze with Faith anchored on her hip.
Faith was bigger, heavier, Claire noted. And her wide, terrified gaze jumped from Jamie to Murtagh and back to Claire, with no ounce of recognition there. They’d been gone too long. She’d already forgotten them.
Claire swallowed back the bile that rose suddenly in her throat. She felt lightheaded from the nausea, with no idea if it was the pregnancy she was scared to acknowledge, or the fact that she had become a stranger to her child that made her physically ill.
She breathed in slowly to steady herself and shifted Faith higher in her arms to kiss her round cheek, the urge to soothe her being stronger than any other impulse.
“Claire.”
Murtagh held out the quill to her and gestured to the deed. He held the parchment flat while she shifted Faith to her left arm, took the quill, and signed as a witness to the loss of the only home she’d ever known. A tear slipped from her cheek and fell perfectly over her last name, blending with the still-wet ink and obscuring the name altogether.
The dazed feeling returned, making her unable to process the moment as it unfolded around her, but she became suddenly aware that Jamie meant to send Fergus to Lallybroch with the deed.
“You can’t.” Her voice came out soft at first.
But Fergus was holding the deed already and Jamie gave him final instructions as if he hadn’t heard her.
“Jamie.” The bite in her tone came out clearly and all three of them turned to look at her. “You can’t send him alone to Lallybroch. He needs to come with us.”
The flicker of self-doubt in Jamie’s eyes was just that ‒ a flicker, there and gone suddenly. In its place was a dogged determination that almost frightened her. “Claire, his safest place will be Lallybroch.” As he spoke to her, his hands came to rest affectionately on Fergus’s slim shoulders. “He’s our son, but he doesna look like you or me, nor does he talk like a Scotsman. And that will save him, along with Jenny and Ian’s guardianship of him. Lallybroch is safest for Fergus but not for Faith. Please.”
She heard in that one word a multitude of pleas ‒ to trust him, to allow this plan to unfold, to have faith that this wasn’t a rash decision, but one he’d agonized over if it came to it. She knew his heart, trusted him with her life and yes, the children’s too, but the idea of sending Fergus alone felt wrong. But everything about their situation felt wrong now and Claire didn’t know what to do.
“Go and say your goodbye,” Jamie murmured softly to Fergus, without waiting for her response.
It struck her then as impossibly cruel that as soon as she had one child restored to her, she must part with the other. She grabbed Fergus with her free arm and pulled him into a tight hug.
“I love you. Be careful.” She kissed his head and swallowed back a cry. “Be careful for me, Fergus. I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you,” she pleaded with him, knowing how dreadfully cavalier he could be with his own young life. She felt him nod against her shoulder and mutter something in French there, but she didn’t catch it. She did notice the way Jamie stiffened in front of her. God, none of this was easy. How had they arrived here, on this day, at this moment, after all they’d done to try and stop this bloody war?
And then Fergus was gone, slipping out of the house with the deed tucked down the front of his shirt. Although he’d grown a great deal taller since she’d first met him, he suddenly looked so dreadfully small there, against the backdrop of war.
“Stay here, mo ghraidh,” Jamie murmured before he and Murtagh slipped out, too.
She watched them only for a moment, standing together outside and bracing against the strong wind, before her gaze was inexorably drawn back to Faith.
Faith, who was unnervingly quiet and still in her arms. She kept looking around at the unfamiliar scenery, never quite at ease.
Claire’s hand brushed over Faith’s baby-fine curls and the girl’s eyes snapped back to her. She’d never forget the way her daughter’s gaze held only uncertainty and panic when it met hers. Claire forced a wobbly smile and felt a few tears spill down her cheeks unwarranted. Several words leapt to her tongue ‒ I love you, my heart has longed to be reunited with you, I’m so sorry I failed for months to stop all this and return to you ‒ but she bit them all back. What good would it do? Faith didn’t know her anymore. So she drew in a deep, fortifying breath and let it out, collecting herself and firming up her smile. “It’s all going to be alright, darling,” she said with certainty. Her words lacked the familiarity of her love for Faith, but they were honest and assuring, which is what Faith needed from her. At least, it was what Claire felt she needed from her. It would take time, she acknowledged, before Faith would rebuild that old attachment with her, and for Claire to learn how Faith had grown.
And after all they’d put her through, Faith was owed that time to relearn who they were to her, in however long it took.
“Claire?” Jamie stood in the doorway watching the two of them with an odd look on his face. “It’s time. We must go.”
She went with him without question. He helped her onto the horse and handed Faith up to her before hiking himself up into the saddle in front of her. She did her best to create room for Faith in between them without squishing her. Faith’s eyes sought hers out again, her little face pinched tight with worry, but she never said a word, though Claire was sure she must know how to speak by now, even just a little. “It’s going to be alright,” she repeated softly.
“Hold her tight, Claire.”
They rode swiftly away and the faint feeling of nausea returned. She focused on breathing steadily, a feat not easily reached while riding horseback, and her grip on Faith was as tight as she could manage without hurting the girl.
Because of this, she missed what direction they were headed for most of the duration of the ride. It wasn’t until those unmistakable stones came into view that all of Jamie’s plans clicked into place.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” She screamed at his back.
He didn’t answer, only kicked his heels into the horse harder. They reached the foot of the hill and Jamie slid down and turned expectantly to Claire to help her down, his face set in an unreadable expression.
“Jamie,” she snapped. “Get back on the fucking horse! We’re not doing this.”
“Yes, we are. Now, hand me Faith and I’ll help ye down.”
She studied him, holding Faith firm in her grasp, and only relinquished her when she realized she could never talk sense into him while he was stubbornly fighting her to get off the horse. But when her feet touched the ground, she stole Faith back and shoved him hard in the chest with one hand. “Idiot!”
But she staggered on the uneven ground with the toddler that was becoming heavier in her arms by the minute, and Jamie was there in an instant to steady her.
“Claire.” His voice cracked on her name ‒ a pained note. “Please.” She shook her head at him firmly.
“No, we’re not doing this. I can’t just leave you. I won’t.”
He reached out and cradled her cheek in his warm palm. She could see now the struggle for control in him. His jaw was set tensely but his eyes gave away the depths of his pain amidst the tenderness that she always found there. “Aye,” he said shakily. “Ye will leave. For her.” His gaze shifted to Faith and his hand came to rest lightly on her back. His touch was hesitant and she was reminded at once of the moment he first saw their baby.
She’s so beautiful, I’m scairt to touch her...
Her stomach churned again. No, this couldn’t be the answer. “We can run away, all of us. Sail to France or the colonies or… or anywhere, Jamie, it doesn’t matter.”
“The ports are closed and Red Jamie hasna got a chance in hell of escaping undetected ‒ wanted by the British and my kinsmen alike for being a traitor. I’m already a dead man, Claire. And I choose the battlefield. But before then, I will see ye and Faith safe, like I promised.” He grabbed her hand and turned, trying to lead her up the hill, but she yanked herself free of his grasp.
“I can’t go back.” She was vaguely aware of the tears on her face, though she couldn’t say when they had begun. “And how dare you orchestrate this… taking Faith from Lallybroch and bringing her here, trying to force my hand.”
“For god’s sake, do ye no’ see how it is? I canna protect ye both in this time. I must send ye back to yer time, to a man who can care for ye. And I couldna risk Faith’s life, leaving her here alone, never knowing if she would get recognized as my child. No, she must go with ye, for I canna bear for you two to be parted.” He leaned in and kissed her forehead, at once disarming her of anger with his tenderness.
“Jamie,” she began feebly, unsure of what to say. His forehead came to rest against hers.
She suddenly felt the pressure of his palm on her stomach and she gasped involuntarily, a soft little sound. Her eyes flew to him and he nodded. “I ken, Sassenach. And I canna let ye stay in your condition with all that could go wrong.”
Her hand covered his over her still-flat belly. “You can’t know that. It’s much too soon.”
“No, Sassenach, you have not been a day late in your courses in all the time since ye first took me to yer bed, but it’s been two months now. The only other time that has happened was with this wean here.”
“You kept track? In the middle of this bloody war, you kept track?”
“Aye,” he murmured. “How long have you known?”
Her lip quivered. “Not long,” she admitted honestly.
“This child,” He cupped Faith’s head in his hand, thumb softly stroking her hair. “And this one,” He looked briefly at their hands still resting over her belly. “These two are all that will be left of me. Ever. So I beg of you, Claire, let me send you safely home, you and the bairns.”
There was a desperate edge to his voice that she had never heard before and everything within her fought against it. “But you are my home.”
“And you are mine, but this home is lost. So you and the bairns must go to a safe place. Let me see my family safe before I die, Claire. Please.”
She was too startled by his unflinchingly honest words to fight him as he started to lead her up the hill. But when they crested the hill and the familiar buzzing sound filled her ears once more, she lost whatever progress she’d made. It was again unfathomable, what he was asking of her.
“I’m not ready, Jamie. I’m not ready.” Her hand fisted in the fabric of his coat. Faith peered up at her mother with visible signs of distress, though she remained silent. “Come with us,” she said frantically. “Come with us through the stones.” Claire grabbed his hand and placed it on Faith’s back. “She needs you,” she whispered, tears slipping down her face. “I need you. I can’t leave, Jamie. Not without you.”
“We both know I can’t,” he said patiently.
“You could try.” Her pleading had turned desperate, pathetic, but she grasped for anything that might fix what he was trying to do. “You hear it, right? The buzzing?”
“I don’t hear anything, Claire.” His voice was soft and placating, and yet it made her want to weep even further because he wouldn’t agree to try. Still, when he strode over toward the stones, her mind only half-registered what he was saying. His hand reached out toward the stone and her breath caught in her throat, hoping against all hope.
His palm touched the stone and‒
Nothing.
And even though they both knew, it killed something inside of her to see confirmation of it and, watching as his face fell, she knew it broke him, too… that final outstanding hope dashed.
“My destiny lies on Culloden Moor. But I’ll find you. I promise. If I have to endure 200 years of purgatory, 200 years wi’out you,” He advanced on her, closing the distance between them. “Then that is my punishment that I have earned for my crimes.” His hand gently brushed her cheek. “For I have lied, killed, stolen, betrayed, and broken trust.” Jamie’s arm snaked around her waist and pulled her flush against him, Faith half-sandwiched between them like the night before they left Lallybroch all those months ago. “But when I stand before God, I’ll have one thing to say to weigh against all the rest.” He leaned in and kissed her, half-smiling. “‘Lord, ye gave me a rare woman.’” His next kiss came with more urgency and she gave into it. “‘And God, I loved her well!’”
When he kissed her for a third time, she kept her eyes open, even while they were watery with tears, because she couldn’t bear the thought of forgetting what it felt like, tasted like, looked like to be loved by him so completely.
Her hand came up to trace his brow and the lines of his face when he finally pulled away, memorizing the feel of him under her touch. She knew now that he’d been planning this for days, that if the moment came, he would be ready to pull the trigger and send them away. It must’ve been why he woke her in the middle of the night, from the dead of sleep, to love her one last time. She half-wished he’d given her the same understanding of that moment, the last time she would lie in his arms.
In the distance, canNon fire boomed and startled all three of them. Jamie instinctively rubbed Faith’s back, trying to give her comfort. She had looked over Claire’s shoulder in the direction of the blast but now she turned and glanced hesitantly up at Jamie. Faith suddenly wormed around fitfully in Claire’s arms, trying to get down.
“Do you want to‒” She looked at Jamie, the rest of the words caught in her throat. Goodbye felt too permanent and painful to acknowledge out loud.
Jamie lifted her from Claire’s arms and held Faith close, one last time. His hand cupped the back of her head against his shoulder. “I already said everything ye need tae know, wee lass.” He pressed a kiss to her hair. “Back when ye kent who I was to ye. So I’ll only say this now: I love ye, Faith.” His voice broke on her name, tears flowing freely now. “You have made my life whole.”
Struggling with her own composure, Claire reached into her pocket and pulled out the bit of amber that she’d carried with her for almost the entirety of her marriage to Jamie. She had her wedding ring, lovingly made from the key to Lallybroch, but the sudden need overtook her to make sure he had something, too, a token of their love. “Our wedding gift from Hugh Monroe. You keep it with you,” she murmured, pressing it into his palm. “Blood of my blood.”
“And bone of my bone,” he answered readily, his voice tight.
“As long as we both shall live,” she whispered before leaning up on her toes to kiss him again.
He nodded, dropping the amber into his sporran. “Here,” he kissed Faith with one last, lingering squeeze before handing her back to Claire. Then he slipped a ring from his finger and placed it onto one of hers, just above her wedding ring. “This belonged to my father. Give it to the bairn when he’s old enough.” He dug into his sporran and produced a necklace Claire had never seen before, a simple piece with a modest gemstone. He slipped it over Faith’s head and smiled slightly. “Something to remember where ye came from, a chuisle.” He sealed his words with a final kiss to her forehead, fresh tears making silent tracks down his face. Faith remained unnervingly quiet, but her dimpled hand grasped the gemstone and studied it with piqued interest.
More cannon fire sounded in the distance and the urgency of the moment returned to them. “It’s time,” he murmured hoarsely.
Claire felt a sob building at the back of her throat, a wild, desperate thing, but she swallowed it back. She couldn’t move, but he gathered her close, holding both of them in his arms, and began to walk her backwards toward the center stone. She held his gaze, trying to keep hold of the moment. Even in a time of absolute pain, she could see the depths of his love for her there in his eyes. “I love you,” she whispered. Had she said it enough to him? Did he understand how much? “I love you,” she said again, louder this time, and nearly choked with her tears. She knew they were close to the stone, could feel the indescribable pull of it. Oh God, it was almost time.
“And I you.”
She was trembling when he kissed her softly, their tears mingling with it. He nodded and turned her in his arms, but his touch never left her as she faced the stone. His hand held hers and Faith’s as he guided them forward, reaching out.
She was shaking, holding tight to Faith with one arm, and only partially aware of Jamie whispering goodbye to them before turning his face into her curls one last time.
And then her hand felt the cold press of the stone once more.
She woke slowly, blinking awake in the shade of a tall stone. Her head swam, jumbled from before, and she laid there for several heartbeats before she remembered.
“Faith?” She bolted upright and felt another wave of dizziness hit her. But glancing around the grassy hilltop gave no sign of her daughter. How long had she been unconscious? How far could Faith have gone in that time?
Claire scrambled to her feet and steadied herself, still feeling as though the world was spinning. “Faith!”
She made a quick circle around the center stone, staring down the hill and through the trees, but there was no sign of anyone else. Claire was alone.
She spun and stared at the center stone, as if it could give her answers. There was no buzzing sound anymore. What once had felt alive from within it no longer called to her.
Panic clawed its way up her throat and she screamed her daughter’s name once more, looking about desperately, but there was no response. Her breathing quickened and she strode toward the stone. Where was her baby? “I wasn’t ready, you bloody bastard!” Her hands slapped against the stone, but this time, nothing happened. She sank to her knees at the foot of the stone, the cold reality hitting her anew. “I need my baby! Jamie!” She broke with the utterance of his name and collapsed in on herself, heartbroken and grieved and very, very much alone.
Jamie watched, disbelieving, as Faith tumbled seemingly from mid-air and landed at the foot of the stone, unleashing a scream as though she’d been hurt.
His body reacted before his mind could catch up, gathering Faith into his arms at once to try and calm her. His heart beat erratically in his chest. Even as he held her, he didn’t want to believe it to be true.
It hadn’t worked. Faith couldn’t travel through the stones.
Cumberland’s troops would ravage the Highlands as Claire had said, flocking out from the very battlefield Jamie had stupidly brought his child to. Oh god, his child… with her bright burn of red hair that matched his own. He was a dead man... and she was indisputably his own if they were found together.
He let out an unearthly howl at the stone, clutching Faith tightly to him. She should be two hundred years away from him now, in the safety of Claire’s embrace. “ Ye were supposed to take her!” He screamed, his eyes boring into the rock. Why hadn’t it worked?
Faith shrieked at the top of her lungs, a painful pitch that rattled Jamie’s brain in his skull. She kicked her legs frantically against him and pushed on his chest to try and get away, which only made his grip on her tighten.
“I’m sorry. Oh God. Mo chridhe, I’m sorry. Tha thu sàbhailte.” Jamie murmured.
And then he heard it.
The scuffle of soldiers nearby and British voices approaching them.
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1x09 - Fae Day
Written by: Jeremy Boxen
Directed by: Steve DiMarco
Original Air Date: November 14, 2010
I’m back, bitches.
There’s like 130 people who follow this blog now, which is crazy. I don’t know why you followed, whether it’s to reblog gifsets, to read/skim the episode blog posts, or because of gay girls. But thank you. I took a long break because real life is a bitch. And also because Lost Girl episode 1x09 sucks.
My plan is to be back permanently and post on a more consistent basis. My goal is to post one episode commentary every Sunday around 5PM EST, give or take a few hours.
As I write this, I am sitting here drinking very strong coffee and eating an underwhelming Walmart blueberry muffin, having just watched 1x09.
Wow, that episode was boring. In fact, I had completely forgotten about it.
The premise is that Bo is upset by the events at the end of last episode—Vex getting away without providing any information on her mom, Lu Ann supposedly being executed—and wants to “take a break” from the Fae, which she does by going to the Dal with Kenzi for a drink, where a ton of Fae are partying. (Okay.)
It’s a holiday called La Showshang--
--(no, I am not looking up how it is actually spelled) where Light and Dark Fae call a truce and are allowed to fuck each other. And also they can’t fight. Then a banshee screams and predicts that someone at the party will die, and Bo decides to help out.
Does it sound stupid yet?
No? Okay, then how about this? While Bo and Dyson are off investigating, Kenzi stays behind and randomly develops a crush on this milquetoast motherfucker with no personality.
So it turns out this guy, Sean, is the one who is predicted to die. Some drama ensues between him and his estranged brother, that is really, truly, very interesting, I assure you, it is super interesting. (It’s not.) Spoilers: the dad did it. Sean dies at the end anyway.
Now that we’ve got the plot out of the way, let’s at least talk about how this episode contributes to the overall arc. Or does it?
Last episode, Trick secretly saved Lu Ann from execution so that he could find out more information about Bo’s birth mom. He hasn’t told anyone that he did this, except Dyson (when asked). Dyson, understandably, is a bit peeved that they are still keeping Bo in the dark about “all this.”
What exactly is “all this,” you ask? I can’t remember if it’s been revealed in the show prior to now, but Dyson name drops an “Aife” who is on her way to town, so I think it’s safe to say that both Trick and Dyson are aware of who Bo’s birth mother is, and are deliberately keeping it from her. Ah, yes. The most important thing in her life, the thing that haunts her day in and day out, the thing that Dyson literally saw her go apeshit on Vex about and then break down crying about afterwards. They just casually know it, and aren’t telling her. Bo also thinks that Lu Ann is dead, so that’s doubly cruel. Dyson is just as guilty for keeping Bo in the dark as Trick is, but at least he has the decency to be upset about it and insist that they stop doing it.
Trust. What a wonderful, elusive thing. Hm.
Dyson and Trick are cowards and failures.
Trick is like Dollar Tree Giles. Just as much of an asshole, but with less of a personality, and less interesting and likable. Rupert Giles being an asshole works because by the time we realize what a fucking dick he is, we have grown to know him well and care about him, and his assholery is the casual, patronizing, well-meaning kind that makes him extra realistic. It hits hard. I mean, sure, I hate Giles, but I also love Giles for the character he is. Trick is just…I feel like they tried to make him the Giles of Lost Girl, and it falls flat because we have no reason to give a shit about him. He just comes across as a grumpy, neurotic old fuck who is extremely cruel to Bo (someone who is *spoilers* rather close to him) for seemingly no reason.
Dyson: How long are we gonna not tell Bo about this?
Trick: For as long as we can.
Great. Nice talking to you, Trick.
Dyson also calls Trick the “Blood King” in this scene, so now we know he is apparently really important.
Kenzi has another run-in with death in this episode. If you vaguely followed the trajectory of this season so far, have you noticed that Kenzi seems to have an interaction with “death,” as a concept, in every other episode? It sure feels that way.
I like that Kenzi’s reaction to finding out Sean is going to die is, “You know what? Fuck no. If you are going to die, you are going to die without regrets.” In her own wise words (or those of Ludacris), regret is fo suckas. Bitch.
Kenzi’s reaction to death is always rebellion, or at the very least, she is super into the idea of living life to the fullest while you still can. She gives me trauma vibes of, “Death is always around the corner, so I’m always seeking thrills and always trying to live without regrets.”
Sean dies at the end, right in her arms.
Girl, you knew him for one day.
But it’s still awful. Kenzi has seen too much death already, and she deserves better. Unfortunately, this show is not kind to her. If you’ve seen the next few seasons, you know that this one-off situation is only the first in an ongoing trend—Kenzi’s absurdly horrendous luck with regards to her love life.
Kenzi should be, physically at least, the weakest character. She is the youngest by far. But she always takes the hardest hits.
#lost girl#bo dennis#kenzi malikov#bo and kenzi#kenzi#dyson#trick#lauren and hale are nowhere to be found#1x09#lost girl rewatch
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Once I was an Eagle
Thanks to all who keeps following this story! For all your lovely comments and messages in DM. <3
I've had so much fun writing this chapter. Xmas music was on as early as November started and inspiration hit me to write a wee bit of festivity. Hope you enjoy it!
P.S. Of course for full experience turn on your Christmas playlist or just listen to Michael Buble album ;)
Thanks to my beta @eclecticstarlightconnoisseur as always :)
Read on AO3.
Chapter I: The beginnings
Chapter II: Sassenach
Chapter III: Catharsis
Chapter IV: Lovestruck. Part I
Chapter V: Lovestruck. Part II
Chapter VI: Flecks of Sun
Chapter VII: Mince pies & baubles
December
I used to think that I have grown out of loving Christmas time. In fact, I turned Scrooge-like and annoyed everyone around me with remarks about how this time has turned into something cynical, commercial, plastic. It wasn’t about love or family or Christianity anymore. Damn me, my Catholicism would be as fake as the myriad of Christmas advertisements. But this year something has changed. Or rather someone has changed it.
The snowflakes were dancing around the narrow streets of Edinburgh draping the roofs in white fluffy blankets. The naked trees outlining the alleys and parks and the dull grey sky were a reminder of the seasons changing. The chill in the air made people wrap their scarfs around their necks while their coats kept them toasty warm. Rosy-cheeked and smiling, the young, old and the smallest ones were peering into the shiny, glittery shop windows. My feet froze in front of one featuring a festive woodland scene. I noticed my own reflection in the shiny glass, seeing a smile touch my lips as I gazed upon the scene. The eyes of Beauchamp who was happy. I really was. Dizzyingly, drunkenly, unbelievably happy.
The whole month has passed since that horrifying evening that made me think of the possibility of losing Jamie.
The whole month of visits to Broch Mordha, of Jenny teaching me to cook (and failing), of Brian showing me different surroundings and telling me fascinating stories of the family Fraser (or clan as he called it).
Of me laughing until I would cry at the jokes Jamie’s godfather Murtagh made.
Of getting drunk and singing on the streets with Jamie and his childhood friends Angus and Rupert.
Of that sweet, touching feeling that made me so sentimental when Jenny and Ian’s children would call me Auntie Claire.
Of Geillis and me spending quiet cozy evenings together in my kitchen with a bottle of red.
Of Jamie and me trying to find a secure corner in Lallybroch to make love without being interrupted by his family.
Of us making plans for the summer and where we might spend our first vacation together. (me suggesting Rome, Jamie saying Amsterdam would be more interesting)
Of arguing over that for the first time and then having makeup sex that made the hairs on my skin rise and hide my eyes away from the neighbours the next day.
Of catching a cold and then giving it to one another, spending two days at home, snuggled up on the couch in the company of disgusting snotty tissues.
Of twenty-three mornings, days and nights of Jamie making me coffee, greeting the sunrise together and making love in the darkness of the night.
Of five hundred hours saying I love you.
* * *
“Claire? What takes ye so long? I’ll freeze all my manly bits down here waiting for ye.” Jamie’s voice sounded muffled, mixed up with the noise of the traffic outside. “Ye ken, ye could put on a Tesco bag as a dress and yer still be the most bonnie and sexy lass I’d ever seen.”
Snorting (not ladylike at all and reminding Adso to be a good boy), I put on the only pair of heels I’d own (sleek and shiny, black stiletto) finally making it outdoors.
December 20th was the day Geillis threw a Christmas party each year. Though this time I’d much prefer to stay at home with Jamie trying to recreate his mom’s Gingerbread cookies recipe. But, I could not say no to my best friend.
Jumping into the car I cursed feeling all the sharp embroidery of the dress I’d bought (a black bodycon, fully covered in beads, ending just slightly above my knees) dig into my skin.
“Jesus H.Roosevelt Christ!” I hissed as my hand immediately reached for the button of the heating control. “Of course you’d freeze everything in here, you bloody Scot.”
Expecting Jamie’s usual reaction - rolling his eyes, saying something in Gaelic I did not understand (on purpose), and then laughing at me, I turned my head.
“What?”
His mouth was slightly agape as his eyes travelled from my feet up to my body. Lingering for a second on my hips, he licked his lips. By the time his gaze reached my face, his eyes darkened becoming a stormy blue.
“What?” I repeated, shifting on the leather seat.
“Fuck,” All of a sudden he sounded exactly the same when he whispered my name with last thrusts inside me. “Yer the most gorgeous woman I’d ever seen, Sassenach.”
My heart started beating out of control. The way he looked at me - I already was seeing the stars without even being touched.
“Fuck?” My brow quirked in a question as I leaned to him, taking a fistful of his white collar. “Are you suggesting something, my lad?”
He swallowed. Not able to resist I dragged my tongue over his Adam’s apple. His skin tasted bitter (the cologne he’d used) and a bit stinging (the remnants of the stubble).
“I’ll have ye until ye forget yer own name,” Jamie’s finger drew intricate patterns up my leg, sliding over the black material of stockings.
My breath hitched as his hand slipped under the hem of my dress.
I bit my lower lip thinking Geillis would kill me if we were late. And surely my redheaded friend will make all kinds of inappropriate guesses as to why we did not arrive not on time.
Jamie removed his hand just as if he read my mind.
“Though there are at least a million and one things I would love to do to ye right now,” he brought his hands back to the steering wheel. “I canna wait another hour for ye to dress. And ye’d definitely need to change afterward.”
Jamie gave me the most awful wink that made me laugh out loud.
“I’ll hold you to a million and one things, James Fraser.”
As the evening progressed, we drank (wine and whisky, clearly a regret in the morning), Jamie devoured at least a dozen of canapes complaining that there’s no real food (and Geillis assuming with a smirk that “Claire, do ye no feed yer Highlander?”). We danced. My cheek resting just above his heart, arms wrapped around his neck, Jamie’s hands on the small of my back.
I ached. I felt hot and needy. More and more with each hour of Jamie’s innocent (not at all) words and texts (though we barely left each other) of what he was going to do to me once we are home.
An accidental (not) brush on Jamie’s leg with the tip of my shoe under the table.
A squeeze of his hand on my hip as we danced.
A chaste kiss in the company of Geillis watching us and the one that took my breath away when no one paid attention.
On our way back the car windows steamed up with alcoholic breath or perhaps it was from the mist of desire floating between us.
When my aching feet crossed the threshold, kicking off the shoes, Jamie’s hand closed the door pressing me against it. The skin on my face was hot, flushed. But Jamie's fingertips ran over my heated body leaving a pleasantly cool trail over my cheek and neck.
I was nothing but my body. The dim hall light blurred into one endless mirage. He was kissing me then. The tip of my nose. With a quite mumble “cute one”.
His lips hot with desire blazed a path of sweet kisses. My eyelids. Cheeks. Lips.
When my dress fluttered down my body to the floor with a soft rustling Jamie led me to the bedroom.
Our lovemaking was the bridge to one another that we had built and rebuilt every time our bodies joined. In the aftermath, we laid in the darkness of the room with the only sound of Adso’s purring interrupting the pleasant stillness.
Limbs still entwined, Jamie drew me even closer seeking to imprint our union forever into the skin. I curled up around him, my lips pressed to a soft curl on his neck.
Through the soothing warmth of sleep, I thought I heard Jamie mumble something about buying a Christmas tree and going to Broch Mordha.
For where all love is, the speaking is unnecessary. It is all. It is undying. And it is enough.
* * *
Mornings in winter were very dark and cold. But at the same time cosy and serene, despite the cold that drew a frozen lace upon my cheeks each time I ran down to my car in a hurry to warm it up. Nights last much longer bringing that peacefulness with them. It was my favourite time. I could curl up covered by a heavy duvet, wrapped up in Jamie’s embrace, listening to his heartbeat. The darkness of winter mornings was a chance for my lips to find that hollow space on Jamie’s neck in the dark, where he was tender and delicate. I would press a kiss there, his skin smelling musky with his own perfume and the memory of our lovemaking.
Later, when the sun warmed up the room, my legs felt like Jello from morning sex and I dissolved limp and slick as I lay on top of Jamie. Despite my amorous morning activities, my mind was still partly sleepy. Jamie, on the other hand, was out of bed in seconds, urging me to hurry up. In the end, it wasn’t a dream about buying a tree. Jamie had the whole plan set up and I obediently followed him. Though I wasn’t sure why I’d need a Christmas tree when we were going to celebrate in Broch Mordha with his family.
Morning began with having fresh croissants in the bakery with herbal tea and polishing off with mulled wine from the market stall (Jamie saying it’s not a crime at this time of the year after my remark that we look like chronical alcoholics sipping Gluhwein in the middle of the day).
Jamie stoically handled my nagging about the pine needles that’ll be all over my beige carpet, Adso’s misbehaving and surely kicking the tree down, and how awful we are chopping down the real one.
He rolled his eyes only several times as I kept choosing one tree over another. We’d spent about three hours at the tree farm, becoming cold to the point I couldn’t feel my toes anymore. We struggled for thirty minutes to load the green beauty to Jamie’s car and laughed so hard, the passerby surely thought us mental.
I had spilled the hot cocoa all over my jacket and dropped mushy marshmallows to the car seat. Jamie hoovered the insides of his car for another hour trying to get rid of the pine needles and the mess I’ve created. He cursed in Gaelic every other second as he tried to fit the three through the doorway. All of this adventure was so far away from the perfect but it felt so real, so ours, and so magical.
“I love you.” I whispered into his lips, being held up high in Jamie’s arms. I retrieved a box of vintage tree ornaments and lights from the highest shelf in my flat knowing that they would be just perfect on our tree.
When the pink and fluffy skies turned into the dark-blue, Jamie and I sat on the floor amongst packets of tinsel, tangled lights, and shiny baubles.
My life never resembled anything close to what one would see on a TV commercial. It had been some time since I truly felt happy at Christmas, now I felt as though that feeling of peak and joy come back.
As the second mug of tea was drunk, I sat with my back pressed to Jamie’s chest, his knees as two guards around my hips. The Spotify Christmas playlist and the warmth of Jamie next to me made me feel half sleepy as I lazily dug through the decorations.
“Where did ye get all of those?” He pointed to the box of baubles.
My fingers that fought stubborn mess of tangled lights, froze.
“It’s from my childhood.” My voice sounded distant. “I know it’s a pile of old crap, but I could never throw it away.”
Jamie’s lips softly touched the back of my neck.
“Tis no crap, Sassenach. Tis yer memories. And ye should always keep em here.” His hand came around my chest and laid over my frantically beating heart.
Suddenly my mind conjured up the picture that was still so vivid. It is 1991 and our Christmas tree is ridiculous. At least that’s what four years old me thinks and I don’t forget to inform my dad of my thoughts. My father stands on the ladder that dangerously wobbles as he tries to secure a star on top of the tree. There is Miracle on 34th street rolling on TV and my mum plugs in the Christmas lights. I happily squeal and grin at the sight of it. My parents kiss and I say it’s gross but just then dad chases me over the room to give me sloppy kisses on my cheeks. I explode with giggles and ask for the hundredth time when Santa is going to come. We eat the best roast dinner and watch Home Alone, the three of us curled up on the couch. I’m beyond thrilled I’m allowed to stay up late but fall asleep right after the movie finishes. In the morning I am a proud owner of a doll in a blue dress that Santa had brought me.
And now I realize that Christmas tree from distant 1991 was just the perfect one. As perfect as the one I was looking at now, with Jamie’s arms wrapped around my waist.
It was tall, brushing the ceiling, filled with all the ornaments I own, bathed in tinsels and ceramic snowflakes.
“Shall we?” Jamie kissed the tip of my ear and plugged the lights in.
The tree shone and my heart together with it.
“It’s beautiful.”
“Well, now I have to move my things in here.” Jamie spun me in his arms humming to Buble’s version “It’s beginning to look like Christmas”
My brows furrowed as I escaped his embrace to steal a piece of mince pie we’d bought two days earlier. (Jamie with an almost childlike squeal plodded down the aisle of Christmas stuff in Waitrose, saying we must get these).
“Why so?” I pinched his jaw with my forefinger and thumb.
“For one,” Jamie raised a finger to tap down my nose, followed by a slightest of lips brush. “I’m terribly worried for the health of yer wee cheetie. Those awful candles ye buy and burn, Sassenach. A Dhia, the poor cat will suffocate.”
I snorted.
“Nonsense. You love it.”
A high-pitched squealing left my throat as I tried to escape Jamie’s hand that made an attempt to smack my arse. Adso that has been observing his parents from a nest made out of a duvet on the couch sniffed, yawned and walked away, showing with all his being how ridiculous we are. (And yes, Jamie declared that now he’s the full-time dad to my cat taking into account the amount of time he spends at my flat).
“And second of all,” my boyfriend with a grace better than Adso’s reached me in two steps. “We have bought a Christmas tree together. That’s a commitment. A serious one.”
Failing in my attempt to hide behind the aforementioned tree I let Jamie take me by the wrist, drawing me into his arms. He let his hands scatter down my sides, stopped for a second to knead my hips, finally squeezing my bottom with the most mischievous look I’ve ever seen him make.
“God, yer arse.”
“A commitment?” I licked my lips feeling my heart beating frantically. “What you have in mind, Mr Fraser?”
Jamie started to sway us in a slow rocking dance motion, turning off the main light with his left hand. The room sank into a cozy glow of Christmas lights that flickered on the baubles and tinsel. The candles that lived on my coffee table (now Christmas edition - Spiced Gingerbread and Twisted Peppermint) gave a touch of a true home, drawing the shadowy patters on the wall. As the voice of Buble sang “I’ll be home for Christmas, you can plan on me…”
Jamie leaned forward to kiss me with a whisper.
“I think we should move in together, Claire.”
#once i was an eagle#outlander#outlander fic#modern au#outlander fanfic#the frasers#claire beauchamp#jamie fraser#maviemesregles#angst#fluff#christmas#xmas
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True Love’s Kiss and No More Roses Ever
Prompt from @justlikeregularchickens:
I don't think we have nearly enough whump in this fandom, so I'd like to propose a "hella sick Q and a worried Eliot" if you're down for it!
I was inspired, so this is one of two answer fics!
This is the angstier of the two. I promise all will turn out well and lovely for our boys.
Trigger Warning! There are mentions of blood and injury, but nothing worse than what we see on the show.
Season 1-2 AU Where Eliot doesn’t have to marry Fen but has to use a loophole to make her a queen to put a Fillorian on the throne instead of Alice.
Quentin stared at his bloodstained hand in shock. Blood dripped off his fingers at his brain tried to comprehend what he was looking at. He looked down at the wound on his abdomen where the thorn from the gigantic rose was still embedded. His bow furrowed even as he saw the crimson stain bloom and grow across his gray long-sleeved t-shirt. He wasn’t comprehending what he was seeing. It just, uhh, didn’t make sense? One minute he was excitedly tagging along with Benedict to see the famous Fillorian Flower Forest that had not been mapped since the reign of King Rupert…and the next? Stabbed by flora. Of course. Why not? Welcome to the shit show that is his life.
Right before it happened, Benedict stared up at the red rose in horror. “Oh no. These were supposed to have been eradicated years ago! Your majesty, we must return at once! King Eliot must know of the danger!”
Quentin had thought he had been minorly scraped by a passing branch. A nuisance, really instead of actual pain. He did not expect something that looked like the Basilisk fang in Harry Potter to be sticking out of his body. It didn’t even really hurt…
“Uh, ow?”
It appeared that the rose shot a thorn at him like some nature ninja.
He felt dizzy all of a sudden, even as he heard Benedict’s scared voice from miles away. Why was Benedict miles away? Wasn’t he just there telling them they had to go warn people?
“Your majesty?! King Quentin! You’re bleeding!”
Quentin stumbled and landed on a large mushroom.
“Yeah, no shnit Sh’lock. Ha, Ben-dict, Sh’lock? Ha. That’d f’nny…”
Even as things became dimmer and more disconnected, he realized his speech was slurring. Slurring was not a good sign.
“Ben-dic…am I hav-ning a str-ah, you know, stroke? Am I hava-ing one?”
Benedict was back and so much closer than he expected him to be. His hands flew like panicked butterflies near the thorn.
“Do I leave it in?! Do I take it out?! I-I don’t know what to do, Your Majesty!”
Quentin knew from hours of Grey’s Anatomy his mom used to watch while during his visits with her that leaving the object in was the way to go.
He couldn’t tell that to Benedict, though. His mouth felt too soft to move. He had to watch helplessly as Benedict decisively nodded to himself and yanked the torn out of his side.
In an instant pain became his reality.
---
Before that day, if some random had asked Eliot Waugh, High King of Fillory and the Physical Kids when he was the most afraid, he would make up some lie about a Manhattan bar being out of top-shelf vodka or something like that.
Before that day, if Margo was the one asking, he would tell her in stilted, hushed tones that he couldn’t choose. Every day living with his father in his teenage years was a nightmare. (But he would only disclose that bit of tragic backstory if he was shitfaced and partook of at least two illicit drugs.)
But nothing, nothing could compare to the heart-rendering terror he felt hearing a bloody Quentin’s painful whimpers and Benedict dragged his ragdoll body into the castle.
Eliot didn’t feel himself move. He didn’t make a conscious effort to do anything. He completely blanked on anything that wasn’t Quentin’s upturned face and the blood that should be in his body. Yet he found himself on the floor cradling the man in one of his arms as he pressed his very expensive embroidered shirt into the wound.
When Q’s beautiful tear-stained brown eyes finally caught his, his weak hand pressed into Eliot’s naked belly.
“El…help…Idunno…”
Something broke inside Eliot’s chest. Something fundamental that he never dared name when it came to Quentin Coldwater. Somewhere between rising panic and despair, a seething anger rose from the depths of his soul.
This is what turned Harvey Dent into Two Face. From good guy to scary fucking supervillain. You don’t mess with the people they love.
“WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED TO HIM?!”
A hush settled over the occupants of the room.
Apparently, Margo was the only one with the ovaries to talk. And send Tick to get the Centaurs. And actually, keep a level head. He really needed to than her.
“Yeah, what he said! Are we under attack?! Was it assassins?!”
Benedict finally spoke.
“It was the Cupid’s Bow Roses, Your Majesty! They’re back!”
Fen and some servants gasped in horror.
Margo put her hand on her hip.
“A rose tried to shish kebab Quentin?!”
Fen was filling her in on whatever the fuck it was that did this to Q. He didn’t pay attention. While everyone else was talking, Q would mumble some words in between weakly crying out in pain.
“A-a-ah, uh, a th-thorn, El. Ro-ses a-are, hah, danger…ous. Fuc-k roses! Soooo not romantic…”
Eliot, feeling tears slip down his cheeks, tried to give Quentin some type of comfort.
“Yes, fuck roses. I’ll have every rose burned in the kingdom so you won’t have to look at them again. Would you like that, Q?”
Quentin didn’t answer. He passed out.
“No. No no no no no, you can’t do this to me Q. You can’t. Please. Wake up. WAKE UP!”
At that moment two centaurs showed up and whisked him away.
Sitting bereft on the floor, hands covered in Quentin’s blood, he didn’t move until Margo and Fen pulled him into his rooms for a bath.
---
Clean and newly dressed, he met with his queens and the healers to talk about the health of his king.
“Well, Your Majesty, we do have some good news. The stopped the bleeding and healed the wound.”
Eliot sighed with relief…only to feel dread at the panicked faces of both Margo and Fen.
“Okay, so, what now? Isn’t he better?”
Margo grasped at Eliot’s elbow.
“Here’s the gist. The roses? They’re cursed. They were outlawed a long time ago, and everyone thought they were gone, but like herpes, they came back with a vengeance. So while Quentin’s healed…he’s not gonna wake up until we find his one true love to kiss him…”
Eliot blinked, then rubbed at his aching temples.
“True Love’s kiss? Are you fucking kidding me, Bambi?”
“Yeah, no. This straight out of some Disney shit.”
An idea struck.
“Maybe it doesn’t have to be romantic love? We can get his father…or or Julia to-“
Margo just sadly shook her head. Fen was the one who answered though.
“I’m sorry, Eliot. They’re called Cupid’s Bow Roses for a reason. They’re for bringing soul mates together.”
“But that could take years of scouring multiple plains and worlds! What if we never find her?!”
Tick humbly cleared his throat and stepped up.
“If I may, Your Majesty. It is in the nature of the flower to bring true lovers together. That means that he attracted the rose’s thorn because he was already in love with his soul mate, but probably not acting on it.”
Eliot nodded. “Right. We need to find Alice, then.”
Think had been strained between everyone since the threesome. Sure, tension and anger lessened with taking down The Beast and the three offenders becoming kings and queen of Fillory. Alice might have gone back to Brakebills saying she forgave Quentin…but that had been months ago. They had not talked since. Who knew if Alice Quinn could be brought back to wake Q. Eliot needed to know what kind of timeline they had.
“Will he be okay like this until we find his true love?”
Again, things did not bode well.
“I’m sorry, but King Quentin has until the stroke of midnight. If he isn’t kissed by his soul mate, he will die.”
It had been a long time since he accidentally used his magic, so when the pitcher and all of the water goblets broke simultaneously, everyone’s loud exclamations were understandable.
Everyone left the room. Margo promised to go off-world to find Alice, while Fen said she would get Quentin a change of clothes.
Right. His clothes were ruined.
Here Eliot was clean and dressed, while Q…
If it wasn’t for the smears of blood and torn cloth, Quentin could be sleeping normally.
The centaurs had done nothing to make him look a little more presentable, and Eliot just fucking wouldn’t have it.
Taking the water from the broken pitcher and a soft cloth, Eliot gently sponge bathed him. He paid attention to wipe every trace of dried blood from his skin and made sure to gently clean under his fingernails.
Fen came in the middle of his task, laying what he assumed to be Quentin’s clothes at the foot of the bed (he didn’t even look). She watched him as he combed his fingers through his adorable floppy hair, willing himself not to cry.
“Eliot…kiss him.”
That certainly stopped any tears from falling.
“What?”
Fen said it again.
“Eliot, I’ve seen the way the two of you look at each other. Many have whispered rumors of the two of you being lovers.”
“That’s preposterous. We’re best friends. Men can be close.”
“Yes, men certainly can. But…friends don’t look longingly after the other when they go to separate bedrooms at night.”
Damnit. Fen had caught him.
“I do not look longingly at him when he goes to bed.”
Fen leveled him a look.
“I wasn’t talking about you.” She said as she flipped her hand towards Quentin’s prone form.
“It’s just me here. What harm could it do to try?”
But that was the harm, wasn’t it? Having full proof that Quentin could never love Eliot like he…felt…for him. If he tried…if he kissed him…and it didn’t work?
It would break him.
He would try to act cool and never speak of it again, but he would live in constant heartache. Sure, lots of sex and booze might dull the pain, but watching Quentin love somebody else after he tried and was proven to not be the one? Yeah…not good.
Fen seemed to actually read his thoughts. (Not literally, of course. They don’t need more than one psychic in their friend group.)
“Don’t you want to do everything to save him?”
How dare she!
He felt himself tremble as he ran one lone fingertip down his sweet nose.
“Of course. I will burn this world to the ground if I have to.”
Shaking just a little more, his thumb smooth over Quentin’s slightly chapped lips. (When, not if, when he woke up, he was going to hound him with cups of water and fruit juice to make sure he stayed hydrated.)
“Then kiss him. Rule yourself out. I’ll even step outside and not peek. Promise!” She didn’t even wait for him to say anything. She just left the room with a quiet click of the door.
Now it was just the two of them.
Feeling awkward and really needing some cuddle comfort, Eliot slid under the covers and held Quentin close. He pet his arm in slow swoops and breathed in the scent of his hair. Like many times before, he hugged the smaller man close, enveloping him in his arms like he belonged there. Unlike most times, though, Q wasn’t burying his nose into his neck squeezing back hard enough to pop Eliot’s back. It was just…perfect. Quentin just knew how to hug him to make him feel safe and wanted.
What would he do if his favorite nerd didn’t wake up? How could he live in a world that didn’t have his favorite fanboy babbling in his ear?
“Come back to me, sweetheart. Just…let it be me, and I’ll try so hard to make you happy. I promise. I’ll give you soo many orgasms. So, so many. It will be obscene. We’ll be obscene if you just let me wake you up. Okay?”
Eliot steeled himself. Cupping the back of his neck, he placed an achingly tender kiss on his lips.
In stories, it always took a moment of bated breath to see if True Love’s Kiss worked. Often times in movies there was a dramatic moment of dread like it didn’t work before the music picked up and the princess slowly woke
Yeah…Disney did not prepare him for being pushed immediately on his back and being ravished by a previously comatose babbling king.
“Oh God, El! Yes, yes, all of that! Jesus Christ, you’re a good kisser.”
Reluctant as he was, Eliot pushed Quentin far enough above him to look in him the eyes.
“Wait. What the hell just happened?”
Quentin awkwardly shrugged, but his eyes twinkled with merriment and were hot with seduction.
“Uh, nutshell? I could hear everything that was said, and you just saved me by being my fucking one true love, seriously what they hell, fanfiction didn’t lie?! Oh, and you were totally misguided in trying to bring my ex-girlfriend here to kiss me. I kinda figured out what I felt for you was sooo not platonic when I crowned you, oh Mr. Spectacular. I kinda want to blow you now. To, umm, thank my hero and prove how much I really really like that he decided to kiss me?”
Eliot tilted his head and laughed, before pulling Q down into a rather filthy kiss.
“Oh Q, baby, I am so into that idea. However,” he said as he ran his thumbs across the apples of Quentin’s elated cheeks, “I almost lost you today. If you are willing, I feel the need to worship your body and make you scream my name.”
Quentin’s mouth opened, but no sound came out. He didn’t need words, though, he strongly nodded his head and attacked Eliot’s mouth again.
A few hours later Margo contacted Fen through a magic mirror spell.
“Shit, I can’t find Alice anywhere. Dean Fogg said she was doing some work-study at the Library.”
Fen blushed and tipped he mirror closer to Quentin’s door. While Margo couldn’t see anything, she certainly heard something.
Margo smiled. “Son of a clit! That sounds awfully like our Q moaning that Eliot’s cock is a magical gift?”
“Mmm-hmm,” Fen said timidly.
“How long has Q been awake?”
“Oh, I’d say a few hours.”
“And how long have they been at it?”
“Just a little less than that.”
“I don’t think I should be this happy that my best friends are boning….but…huh…True Love, huh?”
The Cupid’s Bow Roses were very carefully removed from the Fillorian Flower Forest, as well as any normal roses removed from the castle grounds.
On their fiftieth anniversary, Quentin gift Eliot with a bouquet of red tulips and Peruvian lilies.
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