Hi guys, sorry for the hiatus. Been going thru some changes in life so I was trying to adjust to that >.< So please have Steph and Cass as pokemon trainers as compensations!! I had so much fun doing this in Pokemon's artstyle, such a fun and distinctive style to do.

Who do you guys wanna see next?

🍕⚽🔮🐶❤️🌈 forrrr cassandra goth & johnny smith :)

ooohhh this is amazing, thank you so much! <3 <3

Cassandra is my #1 baby while Johnny is not yet very developed in my head but i really dig his Vibes so this will be a really interesting thing to do! disclaimer: i haven't played the ds game yet (i knowingly got a broken ds and idk how to fix it lol) so whatever dead inside business Johnny has there i'm not aware of it

🍕: Pizza Topping

for some reason Cassandra just makes me think immediately that she would like hawaiian pizza because she's a menace like that (im kidding, i actually love pineapple on pizza do with that what you will, though i dont eat meat so i havent tried an actual hawaiian pizza but i can imagine that this is an enjoyable combination so i support Cass)

Johnny, on the other hand, probably likes some extremely basic-ass pizza like pepperoni

⚽: Sport they like or play

sports 🤢 realistically thinking both of them probably have played something but idk anything about sports so i cant tell what lol. although my heart says 'Cassandra stop this is not you' she would probably genuinely enjoy a sport. ugh. and Johnny 100% skates for a living

🐶: Pet or favorite Animal

Cassandra loves and has cats! (and talks to them since she's a witch) she's had a birman cat since she was a kid but that baby is pretty old now so she lives with someone her age group (Mortimer) after Cass moved out from the family house. pretty sure Cass also has a cat familiar but i have no concept for it now, i'm really excited though because i've downloaded this mod that makes the familiars spawn looking like random cat breeds so this is gonna be a real surprise :)

Johnny strikes me as someone who has a pet tarantula, however he's probably also the person that comes into people's houses just to annoy their small pets like womrats and parrots. also i think he has a dog! who wouldn't with that lawn

🌈: Sexuality

i don't remember if i had a specific label for Johnny but i would say they're probably omni (like me)! and polyamorous, of course. they also have a very beautiful, fluid and unique gender identity, and i'm sure it affects the way he experiences attraction in cool ways!

Cassandra, on the other hand, is pretty distanced from romance, which is affected both by her sexuality and her serious trust issues. at this point in time i believe she's grayromantic and allosexual with a heterosexual lean, in a sense that she identified as heterosexual most of her life but then realized she has attraction towards feminine-presenting people as well. i would say she's unlabeled, but definitely polysexual and -romantic? honestly all of this is just describing my journey of how i have percieved her through years and now im just as confused about her as she is lol

❤️: OTP

i feel like the JOR trio is literally canon so it's hard to imagine any other options for Johnny but i have to admit i have an extremely soft spot for Tank x Johnny bc i do believe Tank is actually a very good and soft soul... i also obviously have a thing for this type of trope and that's a bit shameful in a way but i believe i can execute it nicely so that it's not gonna be toxic and make me hate myself!

as for Cassandra, lol you tell me... having her as almost an OC of mine for 14 years (bigger part of my life) made me really lost because i've had too many different opinions on that through years 😭 one thing i can say for sure and it's forever gonna be like that is that Johnny Burb is her soulmate for life and there's not a chance anything could actually change that (and trust me, it will look like it did). when i created them they started out awkward acquaintances but then divine intervention in my head turned them into best friends, at some point i started shipping them romantically in a very hardcore way but working on my story this year kind of made me realize i actually think sibling dynamic fits them WAY better so i'm sticking to that for now, it's also a very good brain exercise for me (and honestly anyone probably) to see a ship with good romantic potential remain solely platonic soulmates! okay, but if we're speaking romantic attraction, i'm gonna throw in an easter egg as a thank you for reading my essay and tell you that i actually really like the idea of Cassandra having a thing with Jennifer (the latter being unusually shy when they're interacting, hehe cute). but this is all in development at this point because the past few days my brain has been in flames over thinking about Burbs' relationship 😭

🔮: Something Random

Cassandra has ADHD, yes this is a self insert but what do i ever do that's not one? when i just started developing her character she was this snarky 16-turning-17 bitch that was the only working brain in her family and i never looked back, she is amazing i love her

Johnny in my head is an absolute fashion icon that just wears all the colors and shapes and random things that just look so high fashion on them, also i see him as very calm and kind and it's hard to even imagine him lose his temper 😭 they kinda have the vibe of this person in school that has the best grades and they help everyone very patiently and put all of them into explaining things to others, you know what i mean, that is definitely Johnny. he looks like a rebellion but he's lawful good at heart (possibly an unintentional self-insert as well)

phew, big thanks to anyone who reads this! it was a whole lot of fun to write, im really excited and happy! asking me about Cass is like opening a pepsi bottle that had a good shake beforehand and now it's leaking everywhere because i'm obsessed and rightfully so. Johnny ily too i promise im gonna invest more brain power into Strangetown after im done yassifying the Pleasantview

shot at the night

Good morning and happy Sunday, folks!

Time for a College AU Update to end the suffering of that beautiful cliff-hanger @bitchesofostwick set up for us last week. Hope you enjoy the highs and lows of college soccer!

fic master post // last chapter

--

One minute they are having a great time, even though it’s freezing and the Beam isn’t helping nearly as much as she hoped it would. The crowd is lively and drenched in school sweaters, beanies, and scarves -- Ellinor being a perfect example. It’s overwhelming. But only one moment pushes her over the edge: seeing a crowd of jerseys around the goal, the same goal Cassandra volleyed around that night after practice. The same one she was laying in front of, back on the grass and leg curled up against her. 

An unbearable ringing in her ear. Ellinor’s voice from her standing position next to her. The cheez-its all over them and their feet. The crowd isn’t noisy anymore. She wishes it was. 

“...Liv! Liv, hey…” she hears Ellinor as she sits down, shaking Liv’s thigh. She feels her, she hears her say her name, but she can’t follow. She’s consumed in the sight of Cassandra’s face straining with pain: biting her lip, opening and closing her eyes harshly while her chest rises and falls rigidly against her knee. 

Olivia’s heart beats faster than she can count, like a hummingbird’s hopped up on a red bull. 

Ellinor’s hand switches from her thigh to her shoulder, shaking again. “Liv!”

Olivia shakes her head. “Ellinor…” 

“Liv, it’s okay, they’re gonna--”

“What happened? What did they do?”

“I don’t know!” she says, aggravated. She seems distracted, and she probably is. A couple yards away Cullen looks like a Bull preparing to charge at the man in bright blue, and the players are mean-mugging the other team. There’s cursing, and shouting, so loud the stilled crowd can hear them from the bleachers. 

“What happened?!” she repeats, as if now she’ll know. As if she saw something Liv didn’t see, even though they were sitting together in the same spot at the same time. 

“I think...I think a player did Cassandra dirty,” Maryden offers. 

Ellinor stands up again, probably to see it all better. Olivia doesn’t need to. She can’t bear to take her eyes off of Cassandra still on the ground. One of her teammates crouches beside her and is talking to her. But are they saying the right things? What are they saying? Are they being nice to her?

Olivia’s panic heightens. “Someone...s-someone did this on purpose?”

“That player would get a yellow card, I think. It’s a big foul to play aggressively like that, especially with a goalie.”

Ellinor puts her hands on her hips. “Red card, they have to! That was a red card!” She must be reading Cullen’s lips. She is an expert on the subject of his lips, after all. 

“What are they saying?!” Olivia asks, hands tugging at the knee-cap rips in her jeans. 

“They’re….they...shit, the ref is being an idiot,” Ellinor replies. “He’s arguing with Cullen...fuck, and now Lys is walking over…”

“W-why is he arguing? Isn’t it a fault--”

“A foul…”

“A foul, yes, thank you Maryden,” Olivia tries her best to maintain diplomacy, but it’s falling fast. Before she can think to say anything else, however, the crowd erupts in boos and groans. Their side of the crowd, that is. The players start to disburse from the area, all except for a few of the who remain near Cassandra. A couple guys in navy blue jumpsuits with a medic bag jog over -- what took them so long? 

Then, the Knights side of the audience starts booing even louder than before. 

“Fuck that! Fuck you, Ref!” Ellinor shouts, hands cupped around her mouth. 

Olivia’s ear ringing intensifies as Ellinor sits back down in a huff. “Wait...w-wait, what?” she looks at her. 

“The ref is yellow-carding the player.”

“Normal people words, Ellinor!”

“It means they won’t take them off the field! Just a warning. Cullen was right, they’re gonna play like devils.”

Olivia’s brows lift so high they stand to broach the stratosphere. The ref is indeed walking with a small yellow card above his head, whistling so that both sides see. The ringing in her mind turns to Kill Bill sirens. Hearing ‘stern warning,’ it’s yellow-jumpsuit-and-sword time. She slowly turns her head and sees the Warden’s side, where one player is being talked to more than most. It’s someone pretty with a long, brown ponytail and a hairband. Someone whispers something, and they smile. Laugh, even. Their teammate pats them on the shoulder. It’s all congratulations disguised as comfort. No respect, no remorse. 

Oh, hell no. 

Olivia slides her jacket off of her shoulders. Cold? Fuck cold. She takes out one stud earring. While working on the other, she catches Ellinor’s attention. 

“Uh, Liv...what are you--”

“Hold these.” Liv shoves her jewelry in Ellinor’s lap without a damn to give. Ellinor acts like the cheez-its have been spilled all over again. 

“Liv, no.”

“Yes.”

“No, don’t--”

“Be right back.”

“No!” 

She laces her fingers to crack her knuckles. As if entranced by seeing red, she rises and side-steps to the stairs, pushing past a nice older couple. Her nose and mouth are crinkling, hot air fuming out her nostrils as she races down.

“Liv!” Ellinor screams again. 

Feeling like she is being followed -- which she most likely is -- Olivia only hastens. Down the fence aisle, boots hitting the concrete as she nears the opening to the field. Then, hands grab her right arm. 

“Olivia Berenice, do not even think--!”

Liv’s mouth arrives before her body does, and she turns toward the Warden’s side of the field. With her free hand she punches against the fence; a loud hissing sound reverberates and further concerns the masses. If they weren’t already, surely what followed would be the cherry on top: 

“YOU WANT TO BRING THAT SMILE OVER HERE, YOU SON OF A BITCH? I’LL GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT! NUMBER 14! YEAH, YOU! HOW ABOUT YOU TAKE THAT TACKY-ASS HAIRBAND AND SHOVE IT DOWN YOUR THROAT! THAT’S RIGHT! CHOKE YOU RANK, ABHORRENT BASTARD!”

Maryden, with Ellinor’s help -- or someone, Olivia can’t really tell in the moment -- hoist Olivia up over their shoulder. That does nothing to break her focus, especially considering the player has noticed her rancor and is staring worriedly at the bleachers where some bouncy goth blonde is frothing at the mouth. Their teammates see, too, and their faces are even more grim. The sick glee has gone.

While she clamors and nearly knees the person who’s carrying her in the gut several times, she gets one last promise in: “THERE IS NOT A CHAIN OR LOCK OR WALL THAT IS STRONG ENOUGH TO KEEP ME FROM SHOVING MY FOOT SO FAR UP YOUR ASS YOU’LL BE FLOSSING WITH MY SHOELACES!”

The crowd is nervously observing her when she is returned to their seats. Turns out it was Maryden, the taller of the three, carrying her while Ellinor was reinforcement and likely smiling at everyone to save face. 

“AND FUCK YOU, WARDENS!! FUCK YOU AND YOUR GRIMEY ASSES!”

Apparently that is a much more popular sentiment. The crowds start applauding voraciously, as if they’re front row for a Boxing match. They could be, if only her friends wouldn’t be such killjoys and let justice be brought down.

“Liv, contain yourself, dammit!” Ellinor lands next to her, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her. More shaking. 

Growling, Olivia frees herself from her grip, spitting her own hair out of the side of her mouth. “Kindly kiss my ass Ellinor, you’d be melting the fence down to get to her if it was Cullen!”

Ellinor opens her mouth, finger pointed, but she stops. Slouching a bit, she looks away and concedes quietly. 

“Still, you could have caused a penalty,” Maryden warns over Ellinor’s shoulder, all cool and collected as if she was just picking daises somewhere, and not man-handling a 5’2” enraged queer girl like a disgruntled shih tzu. 

“I hope I do. Maybe then the Ref will recognize one when they see it!”

Unfortunately, in her fury Olivia has lost track of the most important thing -- the most important person -- and she races to catch up. Cassandra is not only standing, but walking. Limping heavily, she has her arm around Cullen. Is that Cullen? Curly blonde, red face...yes, that’s Cullen. The crowd applauds with relief and encouragement.

“See, Liv? She’s up!”

Olivia, far from satisfied: “Yes, that’s just her natural swaggering gait.”

“Well…”

Maryden clears her throat. “Cassandra is very fit and capable. I’m sure she’ll bounce back super fast!”

Olivia scowls, still watching as Cass is escorted off the field. The medic is on her like bees on honey. Meanwhile, she seems more concerned with talking to Cullen, who’s listening intently like he’s being told a litany of life-altering secrets. Perhaps that there’s writing on the back of the Declaration of Independence. Cassandra, though, Cassandra still seems focused. She can barely put any weight on her foot; despite that, it’s as if it hardly matters to her. Maryden is right. 

Though her knuckles turn white from clamping on the bench edge, Olivia remembers a lick of sense enough to do as Ellinor wishes. She even feels a bit ashamed, like waking up from a fever dream having made lunatic choices all night long. Ellinor’s mounting agitation provides a distraction. 

“Shit…”

Olivia blinks. “What?”

Ellinor watched like a hawk, nose tipped toward the sky. “I think Cullen is working as Captain now.”

Olivia follows her stare and sees the two teams congregating back to their respective formations. Cullen is back to his spot, talking to two other players, pointing and gesturing towards them like he’s calling some shots. Maybe Ellinor is right. It would make sense, with their bromance and Cullen’s experience, that Cassandra would default to him. Olivia glances to the sideline one more time to see that the medics are still tending to Cassandra and her leg, all three looking much calmer. 

With a deep breath, she curls her arm around Ellinor, who stops bobbing her anxious leg up and down. “Well then, we’re in good hands.” And so they were.

Continuing to keep calm as best she can, Olivia pays more attention to the game. The Knights, having lost their leader unjustly, are reinvigorated. The replacement goalie looks younger but is ready for business. And Cullen? Cullen goes from Golden Retriever to German Shepherd. For the bulk of the second half the Wardens try time and time again to make it past the Knights’ defense, to no avail. With each advance Ellinor nearly skyrockets into the air watching out for him. When the time outs hit, Cullen is the one talking the team through the huddle, and he does so with considerable fortitude. 

It’s getting to be final few minutes in the game -- or so Maryden and Ellinor promise after it goes longer than the promised 90. Time making up for all the penalties, they say. Well, to Olivia it’s just time preventing her from finding out if Cass is okay. During the last 15-20 minutes of the game, she was taken off the field. It looked like the ankle was causing more pain, too much to just be taped up on the bench. But no one can know for sure. It’s a little harder to breathe without her there. 

With all this said, the moment the whistles finally sound off, and their half of the crowd leaps to their feet, it’s a good moment. Good because the team deserves it, and even better because Ellinor loses her damn mind. 

“AHHH DID YOU SEE HIM! DID YOU SEE HIM THAT LAST TIME? THAT SLIDE TO BLOCK?!” Ellinor yells as she hops up and down. Maryden is dancing with her, which is a God-send, because all Olivia can do is stand up and clap. That, and a sweet, sweet smile that is dual-purpose for showing her teeth as the Wardens slip off the field. To no one’s surprise, the hand-shakes between the two teams is kept brief to avoid further injury. 

The team is also going wild on the field, tackling and running around each other like excited kids. One or two get a water bottle sprayed in their face. Laughter, smiles, and joy. When the trophy gets handed off -- yes, a trophy, a real trophy -- Cullen is the rightful receiver. The players hoist him up onto their shoulders, up and down with fists up in the air. He’s smiling modestly but sincerely as he holds the hunk of metal above his head. Ellinor is almost crying as she pulls the collar of her sweater up over her mouth and holds it there. 

It kinda aches to watch, knowing how much Cassandra worked to lead them here. However, Olivia notices Cullen gaze down at everyone supporting him. Though she can’t hear what he says, by the shape of his lips he seems to say something like “for Cassandra, guys.” 

Then, smiling feels easier to do. 

Ellinor takes hold of her hand, pulling her along with Maryden down to the steps. The majority of the audience is doing the same to get down to the grass and join in. “Come on!” she says, “let’s go see them!” 

Olivia follows along until they make it to the field, where she can better see the nearby locker rooms. She pulls back, and Ellinor turns. Olivia slows to a halt and eyes the lockers. Without having to utter a word, Ellinor gets the message. A brief respite in her wide smile. 

“Liv, she’s going to be okay. Don’t worry!”

“What if she isn’t?”

From across the field, Cullen’s champion voice calls Ellinor’s name. Then, several others repeat it, like she’s the First Lady of Soccer. Ellinor waves a hand at them, as if they’re interrupting some private conference, but Olivia quickly stops her. 

“Hey, go! Go see him!” she encourages, “I’m just gonna hang back and see if she can answer my texts.”

Ellinor eyes her, but when the boys call after her a second time, she gives in. She gives Olivia a one-armed hug before running off toward her Knight-in-shining-jersey and his comrades. It’s all rather romantic, what she sees of it. Olivia follows the boundary sideline and keeps her distance; luckily for the Wardens, they decide to clear out rather expediently. 

Watching the players and their loved ones congregate, Olivia pulls out her phone. No messages, no calls, no nothing. She wonders if Cassandra would even have phone access, or think of using it. Wouldn’t this be a time to call family, anyways? 

She sends along a message just as a shot in the dark: 

-- Hey, you okay? 

Her eyes light up when the message is almost immediately read, as if Cass had their messages pulled up already. The typing symbol appears. Then, a response: 

Cassandra: Was just about to text

Cassandra: Is the game still going? 

-- No, the Knights won! 

Cassandra doesn’t reply. Olivia’s ear ringing sets off again. She twitches her freezing fingers, teetering on how to act. The boundaries of what is too much and what is too little seem so incoherent. She hadn’t exactly read the part in the new budding romance manual titled “What To Do If Your Girlfriend Falls in Sport Combat.”

-- You need help? I’m out here if you need me.

Cassandra: I’m okay. Medic says I should think about hospital. 

-- Really? I can drive you

Cassandra: It’s probably just a sprain, I’ll be fine

-- Do you need a ride? I can give you one! It’s fine! 

As she hits send, the grass in front of Olivia becomes vastly overshadowed. Looking up, she sees part of the party has come to her. Cullen, with Ellinor under his arm and the trophy in his free hand, along with several others: Rylen, Lys, Krem and Maryden, and a still more. They’re all looking at her expectantly, and it feels like the field lights all hone on her. A day ago, she would have said they all thought her too bizarre or scary to do this. How things change. 

“Hey, Liv,” Cullen says first, face glistening with sweat and likely Powerade, “any news?”

Wait...they all just expect that I know? She scans from right to left. Their previous expressions of raw, unadulterated joy have become sorrier. She folds her arms against herself, phone tucked. 

“She says she’s good. They said to go to the hospital, but she disagrees.”

“Fuck yeah, she’s a tank,” Rylen remarked. “That asshole had a red card coming!”

They sound off in groans and growls of agreement. Olivia silently sighs and tucks hair behind her ear. 

Cullen frowns. “If she needs to, she should go. She knows we won, right? I should go check on her--”

“Yeah, she--”

“Yeah, I know!” 

They all turn on a dime toward the commanding voice behind them. Olivia is the last to see through all their broad figures, but she really doesn’t need to. She knows that voice. What’s harder to take is the sight that comes with it: crutches, right lower leg wrapped in ice and tape, and brow just as sweaty as her team’s are. Still in her uniform but with a down jacket over it. 

While they rush over to her, doing everything short of tackling her to the ground, Cullen, Ellinor, and Olivia hang back. Ellinor watches Olivia as she tries her best not to shrivel up and die, mortified with her own over-sentimentality. She gives her a caring look, one of those ‘it’s okay, dude, don’t beat yourself up’ looks. 

Cullen has his own matter to settle. Breaking from Ellinor’s hold, he joins the group and faces his friend and roommate who’s everyone’s talking at with exuberance and concern at the same time. 

“Hey, Cass,” he says, the trophy in both hands. “Look, I, uh, if anyone deserves this, it’s you.”

He holds it out to her, which is a bit charmingly clumsy considering both Cassandra’s hands are occupied with crutches. Several others murmur in affirmation, things like “yeah, Captain,” “Oh Captain, my Captain!” and “Boss Lady.” A few whistles. Cassandra locks eyes with him and smiles as she straightens up as much as possible. She glances at either side of her before shaking her head. 

She gently pushes the trophy gently back towards him. “You brought it home, Cullen. The honor is yours. And all of you! You have made me the proudest Captain this side of the continent.”

The happy mob’s affirmations grow louder. Some claps, even. Cullen chuckles heartily and, unable to help himself, hands off the trophy to Lysette and pulls Cassandra into a hug. She almost loses her crutches, but no matter. Her one capable arm reaching back around Cullen’s shoulders, patting him with as much strength as she can, says the embrace is anything but unwelcome. 

Olivia bites back a sigh of relief, one Ellinor notices of course. 

“Hey,” she says out the side of her mouth, “you good?”

Olivia slides her phone into her back pocket. Guess I won’t be needing this anymore. “Y-yeah. Yeah, I am.”

“You sure?”

“I just...”

Rylen’s rallying voice cuts through the merriment, just as it all seems concluded. “Hey! If anyone needs a trophy, it’s ‘Livia!”

Olivia freezes as she looks back to the group, who is once again all turning to look at her. Cullen and Cass are the last to, but when they do, Cassandra’s eyes land directly on her. 

“Yeah, man,” Krem laughs, “scared the shit out of the offense, you hear that?” he asks Cassandra, who doesn’t so much as sniff in his direction. She’s still staring, hard to read as ever. Suddenly the infamy feels more like an embarrassing tattle-tale, and Olivia can feel her cheeks growing red from something other than Whiskey during a November night. More players chime in with their version of the sordid event: 

“Yeah, see that? The--”

“--she had what, three people holding her back? Chr--”

“Yeah, we should have had her on the field to back up Rylen!”

“Shit, no kidding--”

“Hate it if that was what was waiting for me on the side-line”

“--that shoelaces line? Man--”

“Hey, hey, everyone,” Cullen intervenes, hands out and dad voice on full blast. He’s tuned into Olivia’s embarrassment like the nightly news. “Give her a break, okay?” 

They all go solemnly silent, which makes it even worse. Olivia’s finally brave enough to lock eyes with Cassandra, who still hasn’t flinched. Dammit, if only she knew how she was taking all this. It’s not like she meant to go back on her WWE ways tonight. Dammit, lowkey, Olivia. We’re supposed to be lowkey. This is not lowkey! This is like the opposite of lowkey! High-key! Mt. Everest Key!

A nudge from Ellinor knocks her out of her mental death spiral enough to realize they’re all expecting her to see what she has to say for herself. 

“I, uh…” she says to Cassandra, not daring to move. 

A sudden, uneven grin. One could almost say cocky. Regardless, it’s a grin, and it’s on Cassandra’s face as she speaks her first words to her: 

“Let this be a lesson, then, everyone: don’t cross my girlfriend.”

Blush? No, not blush. Lava, molten to the core, floods Olivia’s cheeks. Her heart nearly stops dead after so much racing. ‘Oohs’ and ‘aahs’ surround them, not nearly as rambunctious as before, but then someone wolf-whistles. Olivia wants to simultaneously jump her bones and roar about how much she scared the living shit out of her. 

She said it. Loud and clear. 

“Olivia?” Cassandra then asks, amidst the reactions. 

“Uh...u-uh...yeah,” she mutters, taking one last look at Ellinor before coming forward. Step by step, until she’s as close as she can be while still being respectable. Then, a halt. 

The others go even quieter. Cassandra smirks a bit. “I have a favor to ask.”

Olivia’s brows lift sincerely. “Yes?”

A pause, wherein Cassandra takes a stiff breath. Her throat catches on something that sounds like pain under good, honest humor. 

“Could you please take me to the hospital so that I can get this son-of-a-bitch x-rayed and some ibuprofen?”

She waits until there’s just a hint of doubt in Cassandra’s face. So much so the “audience” of sorts shuts up again to hang on her word. When it’s just the right moment, she comes even closer.

“...get in my car, Pentaghast,” she commands, slipping her keys out of her coat pocket and twirling them around on her finger.

As if the moment wasn’t momentous enough, either the adrenaline or savvy romance of it proves inspiring. Cassandra smiles even wider, reaching just enough to snag the edge of Olivia’s coat and pull her in. In return, Olivia takes hold of the neck of her jersey, just enough for the drama without pulling her off her already-precarious balance. It’s the fourth time they ever share a kiss on a soccer field. 

Everyone erupts in laughter, more clapping, and whistling. Olivia and Cassandra end their kiss in order for a proper congratulatory hug. 

Rylen, again, proves the most dedicated to capping off the moment: “I told you, Krem! Pay up!”

“I didn’t bet no, dude!”

“Yeah but you bet maybe! $5 or three fireball shots at the afterparty!”

From farther away, Ellinor’s voice squeaks with a bit of shivering: “Did you say ‘fireball’?”

7-12!

Ah, thank you!!

7. what’s their mbti?

ISTP. At least, this is where I end up if I think about each letter individually, but the ISTP descriptions only feel sort of true? He is very practical and into solving problems and has a lot of what I would call physical intelligence.

8. hogwarts house?

Gryffindor. Owain wishes he was edgy enough to be a Slytherin or even a Ravenclaw, but tbh it was never really a question. 

(For the record, Cass is also a Gryffindor, and I will not take no for an answer.) .

9. d&d alignment?

Neutral Good.

10. if they were in a modern high school clique (jocks, goths, hipsters, geeks, etc.), what would it be? Why?

He’d be a jock in the literal sense, in that he’s athletic, but he’d be a weird one who’s kind of emo and doesn’t actually have that many friends. He’d have this one really genuinely friendly, popular friend who drags him around everywhere. Otherwise, he’d gravitate toward other people who don’t really fit in.

11. tea or coffee?

Coffee, black. It’s a thing. 

12. dusk or dawn?

Dusk. Modern Owain is a night owl, though in canon he prefers the dawn.

pointless oc asks

King of My Heart (episode 3)

On Friday afternoon we convinced Angus to cut our session down to half hour, he agreed under the condition that we did an hour and half session Monday. I have the feeling Im going to regret this arrangement come Monday but today Im grateful for the shorter session.

"And why exactly are we cutting our time short today girls?" Angus asks, looking suspicious

"We are going to the Stargazer Lounge to celebrate Declan's 18th" Tess explains

"Well I suppose I we better push ourselves today girls, to make up for the amount of sugary cocktails I know you two will consume tonight" He laughs and points in my direction "Especially this one"

We hadn't spoken about what happened on Wednesday night, the night of the blizzard, I didn't bring anything up because I only remembered parts of the night and those memories made me cringe and Angus didn't bring it up at all the next day, he left as soon as the streets were cleared.

"You should join us Angus, Declan won't mind and you will get to met our friends" Tess asks, "Plus, you know the Stargazer Lounge is known for its romantic aura vibe, you could come along and protect Zoey from getting hit on by some undesirable douchebag"

I shoot her a death stare but she takes no notice of me, she's scheming up a plan.

"I'll consider it, I've got some things to do at home tonight, nothing too big, I'm expecting a FaceTime call from Imogen sometime over the weekend, she's not good with remembering that we are in different time zones so when she says she'll call Friday night it could happen anytime tonight or tomorrow morning" He explains, "But you can leave your school bags in my office? It will be locked so they'll be safe in there and I'll get them back to you on Saturday"

Angus' office is at he back of the gym, just a small room containing a desk, chair and a laptop, no photo's in frames, no motivational posters on the walls. As rooms go, it's somewhat boring. Tess, never one to shy away from pointing something out "Remind me to get the details of your interior decorator Angus, I just love what you've failed to do with the space" We all laugh.

The Stargazer Lounge is located just across from Skye Fitness, on top of some of the most expensive apartments in San Myshuno, it features an undercover bar, karaoke and even a massive heated pool. Tess made me wear my swim suit under my dress, I thought she was crazy though considering how cold it is tonight but when we arrive the pool crammed with people.

Tess spots our group sitting in the back, Declan and Sam are doing shots, while Mika and Cassandra are sipping on vodka sodas. The girls greet us both with hug, Declan kisses Tess on the cheek and Sam just waves.

Tess sends Declan to the bar with our drink orders, she explains to the group that she could go up to the bar herself but her heels are really only for decoration, she can barely walk in them. I, on the other hand wore sensible, knee high flat boots, dressed for warmth and comfort, not decoration.

Declan returns with 2 cosmopolitans and tells us he ordered food for the table. We settle in for the night, laughing and talking about our weekend plans, what we plan to study at university and where we are holidaying during Winter break. The drinks are flowing, everyone's having fun and then Sam suggests we should go swimming, I look over at the pool which is still crowded. Everyone starts stripping off down to their swim suits and running towards the pool.

"You coming in Zoey?" asks Cassandra

"Too many people Cass, Im gonna sit this one out"

she nods understandingly, all my friends know I don't like crowds.

I don't want to stay sitting at our table alone though, that just screams "loser", so I get up and take a seat at the bar. The mixologist approaches me and asks "what will it be miss?"

Before I can even answer I hear a familiar voice behind me "she'll have a cosmo and I'll have a light beer"

"Beer has carbs Angus" I tease him without even turning around.

"I'm making a rare exception tonight" He explains, taking the seat next to me. He smells amazing and looks divine.

"Why are you not swimming Miss Green?" he enquires

"Ah, did you see how many people are in that pool right now?"

"And here I was thinking that the girl may not know how to swim"

"Are you joking? I live in Brindleton Bay, we spend every day of Summer in the lake"

Our drinks arrive, I try to pay but he won't let me.

"Ok, but Im getting the next round" I tell him firmly "Otherwise you'll have expectation that you'll be getting laid tonight, I know how these things play out, I've seen it in all the Frat House, boys club movies, you by the girl drinks and she sleeps with you" I laugh at my little joke.

"Do you really think I'm that kind of guy? The type that goes around picking up girls in bars and sleeping around?" He asks, clearly insulted.

"I'm sorry Angus, shit, I was trying to be witty and I just say the wrong thing. You're right, I don't know what kind of guy you are and I shouldn't just assume based off of movie stereotypes"

He turns to face me, pulling my bar stool closer to his and says "Zoey I don't sleep with a woman unless I'm in a committed relationship with her and it's been 2 years since Steph so..."

"Steph? She's the one who cheated on you with your best friend?"

"Yep"

"what an idiot she must be then"

He looks at me and smiles, "And whys that Zoey"

"Because you're hot" I reply

"And you're drunk Miss Green"

"Yeah but I'll be sober in the morning and you'll still be hot so there's that"

"And you'll go back to avoiding talking to me so there's also that"

"I like you Angus and I know I'm speaking with the help of liquid courage right now but I want you to know I am attracted to you, like a lot" I confess but he's looking past me, I turn around to see what's caught his attention and I see it's Tess, wrapped in towel and smiling to herself, she heard everything I just said, great, now these two will spend the whole Monday training session making fun of me.

"Zoey, Declan wants me to stay at his tonight, being his birthday and all, he wants to have some private "Celebration" time, if you get what I mean" Tess says

"So I'm catching the train back to Brindleton Bay alone?" I reply

"You could stay at Cassie house?"

"The Goth House? No way, that place is haunted, I'd rather take my chances on the train with the murderers"

"You can stay at place, you can sleep in Immie's room" Angus offers

Tess locks eyes with me and says "Zoey and I need to have a private conversation", she grabs me by the hand and leads me to an empty table

"Zoey you don't have to do anything you don't want to do OK? If you stay at his house it doesn't mean you owe him anything. Don't let him pressure you to do anything that you don't want to do"

"I won't, I don't think he would either"

"I love you Z"

"Love you too T"

Tess walks me back to the bar where Angus is sitting, staring at his beer.

"Zoey is going to stay at your place tonight but if you do anything to hurt her, anything at all, I will punch you in your pretty boy face, you got that buddy?" Tess threatens

"I'd never do anything to hurt Zoey" he promises.

Tess hugs me goodbye and leaves with Declan.

We sit in silence for about a minute until he speaks

"I mean it Zoey, I'd never do anything to hurt you, I remember everyday what it felt like to have my trust broken"

"I know you would hurt me Angus, if I thought you would then I would never have agreed to come back to your place.Do you have edible snacks and netflix at your apartment? Or do we need to make a pit stop?"

"I have Netflix and carrot sticks"

"pit stop needed and we will need vodka too"

"Zoey?" he asks

"yeah?"

"Can I kiss you?"

I don't answer him, instead I lean over, place my palm on his check and move my lips in to meet with his. My first kiss, it feels like time is standing still, I can feel my heart rate is racing, don't overthink this Zoey, just go with it.

"I wasn't expecting that to happen tonight" he says after we pull away.

We step out into the night, the air is chilly. He takes my hand and leads us, first to the mini mart for snacks and then on to his apartment.  Angus lives in a huge, two story penthouse  apartment overlooking the river. He gives me a private tour, showing me the backyard oasis and the swimming pool on the deck.

"No crowds here" I muse, he laughs, wraps his arms around my waist and whispers in my ear

"We could take a dip?"

"Tempting as that sounds it's freezing out here and there was talk of Netflix before"

He leads me to the lounge room and hands me the remote, "You pick the movie and I'll get the snacks ready"

This is the last thing I remember before waking up, alone, in a strange bedroom in the middle of the night with a pounding headache

Strength of Silence

He was the second son, the screw up. And he was very used to and very accustomed to being seen that way. It was hard not to feel that way when you stacked him up against all his siblings. There was Richard 'Dick' Grayson-Wayne, the acrobat who Bruce Wayne had adopted after witnessing Dick's parent's horrible demise. Dick was an instant favorite, with Thomas and Martha, and with Bruce, and Bruce's first wife Talia al Ghul. Also, Dick was perfect, not that Jason resented that, no, Jason just accepted that some people had all the luck in life. Dick was one of those people. He was the second son, he'd been taken in by the family butler; suiting he supposed, after trying to steal the Rolls Royce's hubcaps when Alfred had parked in Crime Alley outside of Leslie Thompkins' clinic. In his defense no one should park a car that fancy in Crime Alley and expect it to leave in one piece. Yeah, the street rat had been dragged into the life of luxury and though he tried his damnedest to make Bruce proud of him. But a part of Jason knew the only one really wanted him in that house was Alfred. Thomas and Martha Wayne hadn't had much to do with him, Dick had been going through a teen phase, and Talia and Bruce were planning the nursery. It wasn't until a few years later that he obtained Bruce's attentions, and then Bruce and he clashed, a lot, when Jason had become a teen and started dabbling in street races, fights, and trouble, but it wasn't until he started getting in trouble that he had mattered. Before then Jason was just sort of there. The next kid to come into the family was Cassandra Cain-Wayne, she was a sweet kid, but a mute for the most part. Bruce had picked her up one day, seen her father hit her and just scopped her up and brought her home after getting Cain arrested. His grandmother absolutely adored Cass, as did his grandfather. Talia even liked having a daughter, and Dick clearly preferred a sister to him. And while he liked Cass, he was a bit jealous of her and how easily the family had taken to her. Talia gave birth to Damian Wayne, a baby who everyone instantly adored and the world held bright promises for. Even Jason would admit the kid was cute; then he'd gotten teeth and an entitled rich brat attitude after the divorce Bruce and Talia dragged him through when he was five. Poor kid was miserable; but Damian could do no wrong, not in the eyes of the al Ghuls or the Waynes. Bruce took in a friend's son; Timothy Drake, a year after Damian was born. Tim's parents had been friends of the Waynes and died in a car accident. Naturally everyone doted on Tim and took him in, not coddling him, but adoring him. He was intelligent, savvy, and pretty cool; but a total rich kid with the act to go with it. Jason hung out in the garage and had started tinkering with the family cars and learning to cook from Alfred. Jason was used to family drama from the Waynes, however never had there been a bigger fight in the Wayne house than the adoption of Stephanie Brown. Honestly, Jason felt bad for the kid, it wasn't her choice to come from a bad home, and it wasn't like she'd asked be here. Tim had brought her home, and she was staying. She picked up life in the Manor pretty quickly though, and even she became a proper Wayne in the eyes of Gotham. Bruce's second wife was alright, Jason liked Selina but he honestly was more interested in the drag races than what was going on with Bruce's love life or family drama. However, when Selina had Helena Wayne a year into her marriage to Bruce, Jason knew he was never going to have a proper place in the family. His father, or the man who had taken him in, ordered him to put Helena down one night, but it ws the look of fear in Bruce's eyes which told Jason he wasn't familya. Jason come home early from a race, Stephanie and Tim were out with friends, Damian at a sleep over with the Kents, Dick was probably banging Barbra Gordon somewhere, and Cass had had a ballet performance, Alfred had been out of town dealing with his family, Thomas and Martha were out of country for a vacation, Bruce was God knew where, and Selina was sound asleep and sick. NO ONE had been home to take care of a crying, screaming, hungry, soiled Helena; then he'd come home and found her. Naturally he'd cleaned her up, given her a bathe, a fresh diaper, and a bottle before reading the Count of Monte Cristo to her as he paced her around her nursery until she was sound asleep and drooling on his shoulder. The look on Bruce's face just sort of proved to Jason he didn't belong here as Bruce took his daughter and Jason had stepped back. That weekend he looked up colleges in Europe to escape, he hadn't ever been able to fit the mold of a Wayne and he was likely never going to. Especially when Christmas came around and Selina announced she was pregnant again. Talia had shown up in a raging fit, and Dick had announced that he was going to film school, while Tim spoke of MIT, Stephanie had been accepted into her private school, Cass was going to Juilliard, and Damian had been enrolled in the finest school there was. Jason didn't make a big fuss as he went about applying to the schools which would get him away from the Waynes. He really didn't belong. Alfred helped him get accepted to a university in England, and even arranged for Jason to meet his family. Jason just accepted that Alfred was more family than the Waynes and left Gotham for good. Perhaps it was because he never fit that drew attention to him, or perhaps it was the fact he was the black sheep in the Wayne family, or perhaps it was simply because of the natural white streak in his hair, but everyone looked at him funny. He settled on Mechanical Engineering as his major and English Literature as his minor; odd picks but he liked his books. He received a letter with a picture of the entire Wayne family in a hospital room that fall with Selina holding the newest Wayne; Terry. Jason felt a pang at not being in the photo; especially when he saw it was a formal birth announcement and not just a family portrait. It was in deciding this which had him meeting the oddest, American, girl; she wasn't quiet goth but she wasn't casual either. They shared three classes together and frequented the same library. They also shared a table at the library but hadn't spoken a single word to the other; it was a kind of mutual truce. Silence. Their mutual companionship in the library slowly extended to the quad sophomore year. That was the year he introduced himself, and she introduced herself. Rachel 'Raven' Roth, she was from San Francisco, not a goth, majoring in English Literature and World History with minors in Philosophy and Theology. They became fast friends, he got a job as a mechanic at a local garage and he saw her working at a café in the city. They didn't talk all that often, just spent time around one another, Raven wasn't much of a talker, and while he could talk he never seemed to have much to say to her. However, they got along pretty well, and he liked her company. At least, their thing was undisrupted until Jason met Donna Troy, a princess of Themyscira. Raven disappeared for a bit after Donna started coming around, at first he didn't think anything of it. At least, not until he had returned from Christmas break and he Raven was nowhere to be found. Raven returned after New Years, she looked a bit paler, darker bruises beneath her eyes, and a bit more fragile, but she smiled that ghost smile of hers' at him and said he should ask Donna out. He was a Wayne; even if only by adoption, and Donna was a princess, they would be a royal couple. Jason didn't agree or comply with Raven's suggestion. As it turned out a week before Valentine's Day sort of shot all of his peace to hell when a huffy princess stalked into the library where he was reading, and Raven was sitting opposite of him, slammed her books down and demanded to know why he hadn't asked her out yet. Raven covered for him saying he'd planned on doing it tomorrow, and then she was gone and he had a date with Donna Troy. A date turned into a relationship, and as he was labeled as the official 'Prince' for Donna he noticed a lot of odd things about his only American friend. Raven was vanishing more and more frequently, she was paler than usual and when she did show up she had a case of racoon eyes if he ever saw it; even with her wearing cover up, also she seemed… weak. It was towards the end of the semester when he'd been putting the books back after a cram session with Raven that she collapsed. He'd panicked and called for an ambulance. Donna had met him at the hospital, and as he waited for news on if Raven was even alright, he found himself wanting to call Bruce. For the first time in over a year he wanted to hear his foster father's voice calm him down from the panic he felt clawing at his chest. Donna left him when she noticed that she'd attract publicity, he stubbornly waited where he was. It was when the doctor came out into the waiting room that he stood and demanded to know how his friend was. He got nothing from the man, but Jason wasn't leaving until he was certain Raven was alright. He ended up camping out in the waiting room for about four days, the staff shooed him off occasionally, he'd usually end up across the street for a hot meal but he haunted their hospital. Donna sending her butler with clean clothes for him. It was on the fourth day when the doors had been thrown open and a giant of a man stormed in that Jason actually froze. It was Victor Stone, the number one coming draft pick for pro football, and he looked scared. "I'm here about Rachel! Rachel Roth! I got a call saying she was here!" Victor said at the front desk and Jason walked up to the man as he was put on hold. "You know Raven?" Jason asked. "Dude! That's my sister! Not really my sister, but she's like my sister!" Victor filled in quickly. "I'm Jason Todd, I found her when she collapsed, they haven't let me see her," Jason rushed. "You're that Jason! Thank you!" Jason gasped as he was pulled into a bone crushing hug then and he gasped as the larger man seemed to crush the air out of his lungs. "I just… Thank you man! You have no idea what… God, thank you!" Victor sobbed. "Mr. Stone, I'm Dr. Avery, I've been treating Miss Roth," a doctor announced. Jason stood by Victor and Victor had a massive hand firmly clasped on his shoulder. "How is she!?" Victor demanded. "She's awake, she's asked to see you, and said if Mr. Todd was still here he could come as well," the doctor said. Jason trembled a bit in relief as he walked with Victor through the hospital until they came to a patient room. Raven's small form was propped up in the masses of pillows, she was shivering, had a purple beaning on her head, and her paler than normal self looked like a single touch would have her shattering. Honestly she looked like a fragile little bird when she turned her huge dark eyes on them and weakly smiled. "Hey Vic," she chattered. Victor was beside her in a second as he pulled the blanket up and Raven looked at him. "Hey Jason." "You scared the hell out of me, explain," he stated as he pulled up a chair beside the bed where Victor was sitting. God she was so fucking small. "Leukemia," she answered weakly. "Rae… you said it was in remission," Victor sighed. Raven trembled more, Jason tugged his jacket off as he draped it over her. "I'm sorry," she chattered, looking so small and vulnerable. "Why didn't you call?" Victor demanded. "I didn't want to screw up your draft chances," she looked down at her lap and Jason noticed then her dark hair was completely gone. "Rae," Victor sighed. "This is more important." "It wasn't that important, the wig was warm, and I paid for most the treatments with my savings," Raven chattered. "Not the point," Victor snapped. "How long?" Jason demanded sharply cutting off Victor's arguments. "October," she shivered. "I thought it was fatigue from work and studying, then the bruises started again, I checked myself in again. It's back." "Rae," Victor sighed again. "Why didn't you tell him, or me?" Jason demanded. "I didn't want to trouble you," Raven shivered. Victor was now dropping a jacket on her. "Well that stops now, I've got my degree, I'll get a job, move here," Victor started. Raven weakly shook her head and Jason sighed. "There's no point, it's too aggressive this time," she whispered. "Raven…" Victor looked ready to burst into tears and Jason touched her shoulder lightly; genuinely worried he'd break her. "It's alright Victor. I got borrowed time," she smiled meekly. "And the best friends I could ask for, and we all knew you'd be the one to beat it. It was only a matter of time." "Rae, shut up," Victor teared up. "It's alright Victor. Just… don't bury me, please, I want… I want to be in the ocean, not in a box in the ground," Raven sighed. "Shut up, don't talk that way! Kori and Gar wouldn't want you to talk like that! You have to fight," Victor snapped at her. Jason was out of his chair as he yanked out his phone and hurried into the hall. He dialed a number he'd been too stubborn to even look at as he waited patiently for an answer. It was by the third ring that he got a tired answer. "Hello?" "I need a favor, I'll do whatever you want, I'll even leave you guys alone completely but for the love of God Bruce I need help!" he panicked as he dragged a hand through his hair and slid down the hospital wall, tears welling up as he remembered his mother fighting cancer. "Jay? What's wrong?" Bruce asked now more awake. "I… you have to save her, she's great, she loves classic literature and tea, she's a world history major, minoring in philosophy and theology, she's… she's fucking sunshine Bruce! She doesn't deserve to die and she's… please! I will do whatever you want, but please," Jason was pleaded as he fought back the sobs then. "Jason, what's the problem?" Jason found himself stating what he knew, and begging. Bruce said he'd get back to him and hung up. Shakily Jason got to his feet again as he stumbled into the room and looked at Raven who was sleeping now burrowed beneath the jackets and blankets, shivering still and Victor looked up at him with sad eyes. "My mom, she… she died of cancer, and heroin, but the cancer's what did her in," Jason said softly as he sat again and stared at Raven. "I… I missed it with Raven, but it's the same, different but the same." "Not surprising," Victor said in a harsh, emotionally strangled tone. "Raven hid it well, she did it for Kori and Gar, but… I could see it. She puts on the brave front, she will hide it, and make certain no one sees it or hears it, acts like it isn't there, and then it attacks and she… she collapses," Victor sobbed the last part. "Kori and Gar?" "Yeah, we… we met at a cancer hospital, I had Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, Kori, we called her Starfire, she had leukemia, like Rae, and Gar, little Garfield, he had a terminal brain tumor. We... we were the terminal kids, we weren't going to make it, but we fought. Garfield was the first to go, he went quick, he was my best friend, only thirteen. Kori passed away when she was seventeen, we thought she beat it, she'd gone into remission for six months, it came back and it hit her so hard she just… faded. Raven and I were the only two left, Raven's been fighting since she was fourteen. She's family man," Victor was sobbing by the end of his statement. "She can't die, she can't, she was beating it, she can't fucking die!" Victor was sobbing and Jason put a hesitant hand on the stranger's shoulder for support as his own tears slipped his guard. "She… she told me about you," Victor sniffled after a while. "She… Rae's never been good with making friends, give her a book and she's gone. But you… you were different. God man, the first time she told me about you she was so damned annoyed that another person had the audacity to sit at her library table with her that she was raging for hours. Then it became a war of wills, she thought… she thought you were trying to intimidate her, told me you were a real scary kind of guy. By Christmas she had decided you were a friend, God I couldn't stop laughing. Told me you two hadn't spoken a word at one another but you were her friend. "You… you have no idea how grateful I am that she met you." "She was good to me as well, I never had many friends," Jason admitted softly. "Mind sitting with her, I don't want her alone, but she's going to freeze to death if I don't get supplies," Victor sobered up as he scrubbed his face. "Go," Jason waved off. "Hey, here, here's my number, call if you need something and can't find it." "Thanks, here's my number, if I'm not back when she wakes call me, I… I don't want to lose more time with her than I already have," Victor muttered as he leaned over and kissed Raven's brow before he was gone. Jason just sat against the bed railing, he toyed with her fingers gently and he stared at the face of a girl who was his friend. He must have fallen asleep holding her hand because he woke with her prying weakly at his fingers. "Hey," he whispered, and she blearily looked at him. "Your palm's sweaty," she muttered. "Sorry," he released her hand and then picked up the number Victor had left him and his phone before dialing it. "You think she'd want wool socks or fuzzy socks?" Victor asked seriously. "Ask her yourself, she's awake," he handed her the phone, Raven looked so confused then smiled as Victor started talking. Jason just stood up to stand in the hall as he tried to breath. God he'd kill for a smoke right now. Victor showed up hours later, his arms full of stuff; hospital essetials he said. Raven was sitting up wrapped up in Jason's leather jacket and she just smiled as Victor and Jason unpacked the bags. Victor had gone so far as to make a fashion show for Raven of the thousand scarves, and hats he'd bought her. Jason had laughed with Raven. Before they were forced to leave that night Raven was securely wrapped up in a pile of warm, if somewhat mismatched fleece blankets, an electric blanket, wearing at least two pairs of fuzzy socks, and a beanie from Victor's college, with a walkie talkie in hand. "Call if you need something Rae, I'll be back in the morning," Victor assured her as he left her wrapped up n sweatshirts blankets, socks, and had a pile of new books lining her bed. "Thanks Vic," she yawned. "Love you girl," Victor promised with a kiss on her brow and Jason stood there quietly. "You don't… you don't have to come," Raven said quietly. "I'll see you tomorrow," he promised as he waved her off, afraid to touch her since the hand he'd held earlier was slightly bruised. "Kay, tomorrow," she yawned as she rested in the pillows, and blankets. Walking out Jason heard victor arguing with a hotel. "Hey," Jason jogged up to the older man. "Huh?" "It's late, I got a pull out couch, you can stay at my place tonight," Jason said. "Seriously? We don't know each other," Victor pointed out. "I know, but… Rae was my first friend here, and you're her family, it's fair," Jason reasoned. "Yeah, thanks man, you close to the hospital?" "Just a stop away," Jason admitted as he stuffed his hands in his jacket and walked with the giant. "Thanks for doing this, you… you have no idea what that girl means to me," he murmured. "I get it," Jason assured him. The trip to Jason's flat was silent, Jason quickly texted Donna that he'd be having a guest and that he'd be at the hospital a lot, Donna texted back saying that was fine which thoroughly pissed Jason off. It wasn't fine, but that was not an argument he was having with the princess over texts. "Thanks man," Victor repeated once they had set the bed up. "Yeah, I wish I could do more," Jason admitted. "Man, I wish she'd told me," Victor looked ready to cry again but Jason just nodded. He got it, he wished Raven had spoken up as well, said she was sick rather than hiding it. "Get some sleep, we'll take Raven breakfast tomorrow," Victor decided. "We will?" "She doesn't eat feasts or food like this man, but she's got a soft spot for peanut butter and bananas, and the peanut butter sort of helps her from looking like a starved holocaust survivor," Victor said. "Kay, we'll get it at the market in the morning," Jason agreed. "Good, oh, and she will like movies, shit like Minions and Deadpool, you know, stuff to make you laugh, and stuff like Harry Potter and Marvel movies, stuff with adventure," Victor said. "Kay," Jason smiled a bit. He'd have never guess Raven liked the Minions. "Thanks again," Victor sighed. "Night Victor," Jason yawned as he walked to his room. "Night Jason," Victor surrendered. Jason struggled to sleep, and what sleep he did have was restless. He was so fucking scared, so terrified of going through everything he'd gone through his mother, he couldn't lose another person to cancer. He wasn't strong enough to survive that again. Finally sleep came for him and he dreamt of a healthy, pale, black haired girl with a somber face, and a ghost smile. She deserved to live. He needed her to live, he needed her. The thought bolted him awake at dawn. He needed Raven. Jason and Victor arrived at the hospital at nine, they'd accidentally taken longer to get to the hospital than they intended when Jason and victor had argued over which laptop to get Raven so she could watch movies. They'd ended up on a Surface in the end, and Victor pouted at the Mac not being bought. They bought about seven jars of peanut butter, smooth, bananas, green apples, and oranges, Victor insisted this was what Raven would eat other than green jell-o. Jason didn't question it. But they walked in at nine, walked into Raven's room with their supplies and Jason had frozen seeing Bruce sitting there talking with Raven. "M-Mr. Wa-Wayne!?" Victor stammered. Raven turned sleepy eyes on them and smiled. "Morning," Raven yawned. "Hey sunshine," Jason greeted her as he walked over. "We brought breakfast." "Bananas?" she asked. "Yeah, and Victor said you like peanut butter," Jason said as he set the bags on the stand in the room and looked at Bruce carefully. "He said he's your dad, he wants to take me stateside for a treatment," Raven said blissfully as she struggled a bit to stay awake. "As I was telling Miss Roth, Wayne Enterprises has been developing revolutionary treatments to treat conditions like her," Bruce started, looking at him. "You mean you can fix her?" Victor asked as he stopped opening up the laptop. "I believe that our programs will help Miss Roth, I've read over her chart myself," Bruce said. Jason handed Raven her peanut butter jar and a banana as he went to make some tea, Victor insisted Raven would only drink tea and it was there job to have her herbal tea ready. "Yes," Victor blurted out. "Whatever it costs, whatever it takes, yes, please! I... I can't pay you now, Mr. Wayne, but I'll get the money, just please…" "This is pro-bono," Bruce said swiftly. "I Wayne Foundation will be pleased to help accommodate Miss Roth during her treatments, and with the best care possible." "I can… I can stay," Raven said nervously. "No, you're getting the treatments Rae," Victor warned her. "But there are others who might need it more," Raven protested as she took a small bite of her banana. "You're going sunshine," he warned her. "Miss Roth, I believe you are a good candidate for our programs, but window is closing. I would like to have you moved stateside to a facility in Gotham, Gotham General has the needed supplies, and you will be receiving a private room," Bruce said. "Um…" Raven looked fidgety as she shivered. "Alright, can… can I read papers on this though?" "Certainly," Bruce nodded as he produced the papers for Raven and she took them in trembling hands. "Jason, a word." "Yeah," he nodded as he left Victor and Raven behind. "Come home," were the first words out of Bruce's mouth once they were alone. "Huh?" "Selina told me that I might have over reacted with you caring for Helena and… we, the whole family, wants you home," Bruce said. "No matter what your girlfriend will receive her treatments if she comes in, but we'd like you home." "She's not my girlfriend," Jason stated firmly. "And… I don't belong there. Didn't fit the upper class or dear grandma or grandpa's mold for a good Wayne. I just looked the part. "Jason… please," Bruce side tiredly. "I'll only go if she goes," Jason snapped and walked back into the room where he found Victor working on the computer and Raven eating. "You'll still visit me in the hospital, right?" she asked. "Of course," he and Victor answered simultaneously. "Alright," Raven breathed shakily. Jason moved back to Gotham and his old room at the Manor when Raven was transferred to Gotham General. Victor even stayed with the Wayne family, Raven had a private room in the north west corner; per Victor's statement that Raven liked sunrises more than sunsets. Jason hadn't missed much, he didn't care, he and Victor spent just about everyday at the hospital while Raven received her treatments. Victor was the second draft pick when the draft came around; his irresponsible stunt of running off from something when Raven's doctor had called was concerning to scouts until news broke that Victor's 'little sister' was fighting Leukemia. It wasn't a forgivable excuse, but Victor shared his story and people saw him as a hero and survivor. Raven didn't seem better or worse, she was just tired, and liked company. Donna dumped him, not scandalously or horribly, they had just sort of drifted apart and then she'd skyped him one day and they had mutually broken up. Jason had snuck Raven out of the room in a wheelchair that day as he took her to the gardens and they read their respective books. His siblings stopped by frequently. Dick brought his fiancée, Barbra and Barbra and Raven had clashed while Raven got along with Dick. Tim popped in after school, often just sitting there watching a movie with Raven, him and Victor. Stephanie usually came once a week with Cassandra, silence was comfortable then. Damian showed up Tuesdays and Thursdays, he would draw or something in the corner, ignoring everyone and anyone in the room; Raven didn't mind though so Jason ignored it as well. The first time Selina showed up Helena toddled in on quick legs and would have clambered all over Raven had Jason not intervened, and Terry chewed on Selina's hair where he was sitting in her arms. The first time Martha showed up she was alone, Raven was also alone, what happened Jason didn't know, just that when he showed up Raven was smiling and Martha said he had a beautiful young girlfriend, which had had both him and Raven sputtering in protest. Martha showed up every Monday from then on. Thomas Wayne showed up on Wednesdays, it was irritating because the man was like Bruce and though kinder, was silent, and acted like a doctor as he hovered over Raven. Victor came every day off that he had, and he never failed to spend the day with Raven and Jason. Alfred was another daily visitor, bringing Raven bananas, other fruits and peanut butter. The days Bruce showed up were the days that Jason uncomfortably sat as close to Raven as he could get and hoped he'd disappear. However rarely was anything said as some movie played and Raven drifted off to sleep. Which brought Jason, after a summer of turmoil, to this fine day in autumn as he pushed Raven's wheelchair through the garden. "Doc says you're in remission again," Jason said as he parked her under a huge oak. "Yeah," she smiled weakly. "That's good," he said as he sat on the bench beside her. "Yes it is," she agreed. "Sunshine?" "Hm?" "You can't die on me," he murmured. "I…" "No, you can't," he warned sharply. "I'll try not to," she yawned. "Good, we're also going to watch Victor's first game," he said. "It's in three hours, I have the sun, and I'm sleepy," she muttered. "Yeah, I know," he smiled. "Rest up, we'll watch the game in a bit." "Jason," she murmured. "Hm?" "You've been the best friend I've ever had; Vic's family, but you've been my best friend," she smiled. His heart stopped, if she survived this, he was going to marry that girl one day. "You've been my best friend too," he murmured, she was already asleep though and he smiled. He had some great memories at the hospital, and if he had it his way, he'd never visit the hospital again as he tugged on her ear muffs and sat in the autumn sun.