Your last Devil’s Bastards post was so juicy! I’d never heard about heaven’s people having amnesia.

Now I can’t stop thinking about a pre-reveal scenario in which Nicaise somehow goes to visit the hotel and while she doesn’t recognize anyone, Alastor and Lucifer sure recognize her.

Hey, it could happen! I did set the stage for Nicaise to potentially become a fallen angel, no second death required.

Let's say it happens at some point after the thwarted extermination. Neither Lucifer nor Alastor know yet, but Alastor has some suspicions. When Nicaise is ejected from Heaven for revealing the exterminations to the public, encouraging people to go against Heaven's rules, and questioning the Seraphim, and then refusing to repent, she remembers Charlie Morningstar's hotel and heads there straight away.

Charlie's happy to see her again. Both Lucifer and Alastor are in shock, but since Alastor's perma-smile is still in place no one really notices his reaction. They're all a little wrapped up in the story Nicaise is telling them about how she ended up getting ejected from Heaven. Of course Charlie happily welcomes her into the hotel, and Vaggie's actually happy to have yet another fallen angel among them, to hear that Heaven may actually be reforming from within.

Then Lucifer steps forward and reintroduces himself. Everyone's more than a little surprised to learn that Lucifer and Nicaise have met before. Lucifer explains that whence upon a time he snuck out of Hell just for a little while to actually see Earth, and wound up lost in the middle of New Orleans during the Rex parade. Nicaise doesn't remember the event, so he tells her about how she saved him from being lost and basically acted as his guide throughout the celebration. They both got pretty wasted and he woke up the next morning passed out on top of somebody's rooftop, presumably from attempting to fly home while drunk. Everyone's laughing and having a good time as he recounts the story.

Alastor says nothing.

As Nicaise settles into the hotel crew and helps Charlie with her redemption project, Alastor initially tries to keep his distance, but over time everyone notices that Alastor is different with her. It's not too strange at first. He's always gotten along better with women than with men. But this is different. He almost has an air of respect with her, and he doesn't even respect the King of Hell! He's gentle, he never teases or intentionally scares her, though it turns out Nicaise has a bit of a prankster side of her own and thinks its funny when he spooks other hotel residents. He doesn't hide the fact that he's a serial murderer, or that he's a cannibal, but he does tone down the bloodthirstiness in her presence. His smile is more genuine around her.

Bit by bit, certain things come out about Alastor, more in the few short weeks Nicaise has been with them than anyone's learned in the 6+ months of living with Alastor. Things he and Nicaise share in common. They both grew up in New Orleans, they like to use venison in their jambalaya, play several of the same instruments, have the same taste in liquor, hate tea. They even died within a couple decades of one another. Nicaise wonders if they might have even met one another while alive. Alastor only says he supposes it's possible.

Lucifer, for his part, is delighted to reunite with an old friend. Alastor does not enjoy Lucifer enjoying her company. He compels Husk to interrupt the two of them if he ever sees them getting too 'close.' Encourages Niffty to get under Lucifer's feet. Has his shadows trip Lucifer up, or spill his drinks when he's talking with Nicaise. Lucifer knows it's all Alastor's doing and assumes Alastor's just being a shit again.

"What, you failed to steal my daughter, now you're trying to steal my vacation friend!?"

Husk is the first one to put two and two together. He doesn't figure out everything, but he knows Alastor well enough to know his interest in Nicaise isn't romantic, and to pick up on the familial similarities. He keeps his mouth shut though. The memory of what happened last time he dredged up one of Alastor's secrets still sets his fur on edge. Still, in private he lets himself chuckle over the fact that Alastor is a 'mamma's boy.'

Eventually though, other people start to pick up on Alastor's weird behavior. When Nicaise scolds him for 'picking on' Lucifer - and WOW is it weird to see Alastor letting himself be scolded - Alastor points out to her that Lucifer is a married man. That does put a bit of a damper on Lucifer's and Nicaise's interactions. They weren't intentionally flirting or anything, but Lucifer wonders if maybe he was getting a tad too comfortable. He and Lilith ARE separated (at least, according to Charlie) but he still hopes to one day reconcile with her. And now that Alastor's brought it to her attention, Charlie's starting to feel just a tad uncomfortable with Lucifer's and Nicaise's closeness as well. Just a tad though! She does want her dad to be happy, and he and Lilith are separated...

Privately, she still thinks it feels like a betrayal though.

And it's that feeling that allows Charlie to put things together, and she's a hell of a lot less subtle than Husk is.

There are people hanging out at the bar when she walks up to Alastor in the parlor and blurts out, "ALASTOR, IS NICAISE YOUR SISTER!?"

It came out a lot louder than she meant it.

Lucifer chokes on his drink.

In Charlie's defense, he and Nicaise appear to be close to the same physical age in their demon and angel forms. If anything, Nicaise might have been younger when she died than Alastor was when he died.

Alastor reassures Charlie that, no, Nicaise is not his sister.

Lucifer relaxes and starts to chug his drink to get that terrifying thought out of his head.

"She's my maman."

Lucifer chokes again.

Fortunately Nicaise isn't present for this conversation. Charlie asks why Alastor hadn't said anything before now and he explains he doesn't see any reason to. Once they get her back into Heaven, they'll never see one another again, so why burden her with the knowledge that her son grew to be a mass murderer in life and a cannibalistic Overlord in death? While he may not regret any of his actions, he knows she would be heartbroken by the revelation.

Angel Dust breaks up the sullen mood that's fallen over the room by cracking a joke that, 'the devil wants to do your mom.'

He immediately gets several sets of angry eyes on him, including beast mode Alastor, and shuts up very quickly.

all the memories that we make will never change (CSJJ 2020)

Summary: Oh don't you wonder when the light begins to fade? / And the clock just makes the colors turn to grey / Forever younger growing older just the same / All the memories that we make will never change (Henry and Lucy find some polaroids of a long-lost night, of a couple in the throes of young love. / Emma and Killian meet in a nightclub, and their lives will never be the same.)

rated M | 5.3k words | AO3

A/N: Here’s my contribution to @csjanuaryjoy​ 2020! Thanks to the organizer for putting on this event again; it’s my third time participating and it’s always fun! This was inspired by the song “Golden Days” by Panic! At The Disco; it’s told in present-day and flashbacks (and it will all make sense at the end). (it was also slightly inspired by my parents, even if they didn’t meet until a few years later.) enjoy!

2020

“Hey, Dad? What are these?”

Henry looked up from the bin of records he was sorting through in the musty basement, over at where his daughter was doing the same. Or had been; Lucy’s attention was less on the old albums in front of her and instead focused on what she’d apparently found within them.

“Seriously? You don’t know what a Polaroid looks like?” he teased as he set down Aladdin Sane and stepped over. “I thought I raised you better than that.”

She huffed. “No duh, I know what they are. You only played ‘Hey Ya’ a million times when I was little.” Okay, maybe he was the one failing if that was her only frame of reference on instant photos. “But look!”

She shoved the stack of pictures into his hands, and once he got a look at the one on top, it was like being jolted into the past.

Frozen in time was a couple clearly in the throes of young love; it was obvious from the way they only had eyes for each other, though the background suggested they were at a club (a disco, maybe?). The date on the corner said August 1979, but the woman’s Farrah Fawcett curls and strapless jumpsuit, paired with the man’s wide-open, chest-baring top and perfectly coiffed hair, did a good job of telling him the era on their own.

He glanced over the next few pictures behind it: all similar, and a good number with part of an arm in the shot; a vintage selfie. He suspected a number of couples nowadays had similar sets of photos on their phones. (He knew he and Ella did.) 

But as curious as he was to continue skimming, he couldn’t help but feel like he was intruding—there was something intimate about these images that modern digital photography couldn’t match.

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

1979

Killian nursed his rum probably a bit more clinically than he needed to. While it had been his favored vice not too long ago, he was trying to put those days behind him. But his friends insisted he still needed to get out and “have fun,” whatever that meant anymore. At least they were—he could see Jasmine and Al twirling their way across the illuminated dance floor from his seat at the bar. 

The deejay played decent music, he’d give it that. But drinking and dancing were in his past, he was sure. 

Until he spotted an angel on the other side of the club, and wondered if maybe he’d been too hasty in writing off this outing. 

Her likeness to a celestial being had minimal to do with the style of her hair, even if it was clearly modeled after one made popular on a certain ridiculous television program. No, it was the way she moved freely and joyfully in her red, fitted jumpsuit; the joy as she threw her head back in laughter at something one of her companions said; and her easy smile as she danced, full of a youthful exuberance that Killian was pretty sure he’d never had; he’d done a lot of living in his 25 years. 

He didn’t typically even go for blondes, but before he knew it, he’d downed the rest of his drink, hopped off the bar stool, and started to pick his way across the dance floor. He checked himself over as he maneuvered around moving bodies, briefly debating if he needed to do up another button on his paisley shirt or rather undo another, and then realized: he had no idea what to say. 

He froze feet away from her. Just what was he doing?

Then someone bumped into him, making him stumble forward—almost into her arms. Which might have been better than the sharp way his chest collided with her shoulder, sending her reeling into the brunette next to her.

“Hey, man—watch out!” the other woman shouted as she set her friend to rights.

“Apologies; I meant no...harm…” he tried to explain, trailing off when he saw Jasmine from the corner of his eye, giving him a sheepish grin as they danced away. He should have seen that coming, really.

“It’s fine,” the blonde sighed, annoyed, and Killian felt his chance slipping away faster than the overall sobriety level in the club.

But then she turned to him, and there was concern in her big green eyes. “Are you okay?”

“I think so, yeah,” he said, then quickly added, “but I’d be better if you danced with me.”

She quirked an eyebrow and gave him a wry look. “Oh yeah? Can’t say I’ve heard that one before.”

“That’s because you haven’t met me yet.” He had no idea where this swagger was coming from, but he didn’t want to think too hard about it, lest it disappear. “Name’s Killian.”

“Hi, Killian,” she said, offering a hand. “I’m Emma.”

He took her dainty hand in his and brought it to his lips, placing a gentle kiss on the back while holding her gaze—which, if he was being honest, seemed as much confused as it did flattered.

“What do you say, love? Care to take a turn about the floor?”

She bit her glossed lip and looked back to her friend, who was giving her a wolfish grin in return and promptly shooed her away. “Okay,” she shrugged with a smile when she turned back to him.

He grinned back, partly in relief but mostly that he hadn’t been shot down. It was a boost to his confidence he didn’t realize he’d needed—and it just might have broken his freshly healed heart if she’d said no. 

He led her a step or two away from her friend, so they could have a bit of space, and placed his blunted wrist on her hip. She glanced down at it and he froze; he was finally starting to get comfortable with his lack of appendage there, but most people still acted squeamish about it.

To his surprise, though, she didn’t seem to take much note of it and found his eyes again. If anything, she moved closer, and they wordlessly started to sway to the pounding rhythm—or, at least, their hips began to shift in time with the music and each other, and really, that was all that was needed.

Their feet eventually got the message, picked up the beat, and began to carry them around the floor. Killian found himself falling into some ancient habits he wasn’t aware were still in his muscle’s memory, and his heart skipped a bit as he watched an amused smile take over Emma’s face. 

“You sure are a swell dancer,” she told him. “How’d you learn to dance like this?”

“It’s simple, really; there’s only one rule,” he replied, then leaned in closer. “Pick a partner who knows what he’s doing.”

She grinned and looked down, but if she was trying to avoid letting him know her thoughts on the matter, she failed—even in the orange light, he could see the blush on her cheeks.

For a moment, he worried he might have come on too strong and she’d push away, but quite the opposite happened: she moved even impossibly closer, sliding her hand down to his waist to pull herself to him. The pinpricks of light from the disco ball danced over them like stars, illuminating the glitter on her collarbones and cheeks; goodness, were they in a dance hall or a fairy tale?

The bodies and music around them began to fade away as his focus narrowed on Emma: on the soft pout of her lips, the easy smile that played at them, the feel of her body against his…

And then the rest of the club came back into startling clarity as the music abruptly changed, loud horns signifying the beginning of an overplayed and overhyped Village People tune.

“Oh god, I hate this song,” Emma cursed, equally jarred by the change, it seemed. But she hadn’t made a move away from him.

“Agreed,” he replied; but if she didn’t want to dance, he needed another way to stay close to her. “Can, uh...can I buy you a drink?”

“Sure!”

He wasn’t expecting her enthusiasm, and the wide-eyed look she gave him after suggested she wasn’t expecting it either. He chuckled, but squeezed her hand and led her back to the bar.

They found an open spot near the end and the bartender was quick; Emma ordered red wine, and Killian said “Make it two.” The bartender glanced between them, then grabbed a couple glasses and set a bottle down in front of them, with the direction to have fun.

“Well, he was awfully presumptuous,” Killian said, again not wanting to come on too strong. 

Emma just shrugged, though, and popped the cork. “He didn’t say what kind of fun.” Her tone was laced with innuendo, though, as she poured their glasses. “For example, we can have fun with this,” she continued, offering her glass up for a toast; he took his and clinked it with hers before taking a sip (not the best he’d had, but not the worst). “Orrrr, with this!” she exclaimed, reaching around him for something on the bar.

She produced a Polaroid camera, looking proud as punch with her prize. “Is that yours?” he asked.

“Nope,” she answered, popping the ‘p’. “It was just sitting here.”

It was a good thing he was staring at her in dazed admiration, because the next thing he saw was the bright light of the flash temporarily blinding him. “Bloody hell,” he cursed, blinking. “Warn a man next time!”

“Oh, but candid shots are always best,” she teased, pulling out the picture and shaking it. “I can’t wait to see it.”

“Oh really?” He wasted no time in setting down his drink and taking the camera from her, relying on speed for shock, and quickly snapped a pic, too. “That should be a good one, then.”

“Asshole,” she tried to complain, but her smirk gave her away. “That’s gonna be terrible.”

“Impossible,” he countered, “when the subject is so lovely.”

She was leaning on the bar, rolling her eyes, so he stepped closer and mirrored her pose. “You’re full of it,” she laughed.

“I’m actually quite shy and reserved.”

“No you’re not.”

“No, I’m not,” he conceded, and snapped another picture with his outstretched arm.

“Oh my god, you—!” Whatever she was about to say was lost in the struggle of her wrestling the camera back from him; he let her take it, especially when her chest brushed against his in the friendly scuffle. She yanked out the photo and put it on the bar with the others, shaking her head. “You’re wasting film, you know.”

“I highly doubt that.” She hadn’t made any effort to leave his personal space yet again.

“Besides, there are so many better things to take pictures of.”

“Also not true.”

“I’m just saying—why would you bother with pictures like that, when you could take ones like this?” she said, looking up at him through her lashes.

“Like what?”

She answered by grabbing the lapel of his vest and hauling his lips to hers. She pressed herself against his entire upper body as her mouth claimed his, and he was quick to surrender to her passionate kiss. He heard the flash bulb go off as she likely took another snap, but he was too lost in her to care much. He wrapped his left arm around her to hold her close while the other found her waist and anchored himself to her. 

They eventually broke apart for a breather, but he continued to pepper kisses down her chin and neck, and he could feel her fingers toying with his chest hair. Another flash bulb. 

“You don’t work for Playgirl or something, do you?” he breathed.

“No,” she giggled. “Just liking what I see; and I don’t want to forget it.”

“Nor do I.”

They resumed kissing for a moment, Emma going so far as to wrap a leg around him and bring her core to where he was obviously wanting her—which only seemed to egg her on, and he had no reservations in palming her pert rear end through her jumpsuit.

“Do you live nearby?” she asked on their next breath.

“Aye,” he nodded; he could hardly remember where, he was so intoxicated by her, but at least knew that much.

“Do you want to go back?”

“Only if you do.”

“I definitely do.”

“Alright then.”

She gave him another kiss on the cheek, then asked him to sit tight as she let her friends know. He quickly downed the rest of his glass, threw some cash down to pay the tab (probably not the right amount but he hardly cared), then gathered up the pictures they’d taken from where they landed scattered across the bar.

He didn’t know what lay ahead, but something told me he’d want something to help him remember this night.

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

2020

“What are they wearing?” Lucy giggled. “That shirt is so ugly!”

Henry chuckled. “That was just the style back then; he actually would have been considered pretty debonair and suave at the time.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right.”

They continued to flip through the photos. “Say what you will, but she seems pretty into it,” he lectured; not like he had much room to talk—he had no idea how he’d managed to catch Ella’s eye with the kind of stuff they wore in the late 90s. (There was definitely a bonfire fueled by a pair of JNCO jeans and ratty plaid shirts in his past.)

The background of the photos changed as the pair moved out of the club and onto the street—one he immediately recognized. It changed again to a dock, with ships bobbing behind the pair.

“Is that…?” Lucy asked when the couple apparently boarded one of them.

“Yeah, looks like it is,” Henry had to agree; he knew exactly where they were. 

And the next couple of pictures told him exactly what they were doing. (He made a point to keep those away from Lucy’s view.)

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

1979

Emma still couldn’t believe she’d proposed this. She had a kid; what was she doing out on the town, following a guy she’d just met back to his place? 

(Ruby, that’s what—she could never say no to her best friend, especially when said friend’s granny was providing free babysitting and said friend had also told her to “do him before I do”.) She pulled up the top of her strapless (borrowed) jumpsuit, amazed that it had stayed on this long, and took in a deep breath of the refreshing air outside the club.

“That’s much better,” Killian said, and then Emma registered the pop of the flashbulb behind her closed eyes.

“You’re gonna make me regret picking that thing up,” she teased. “And I wasn’t gonna steal it!”

“Too late,” he shrugged. Even in the yellow light of the street lamps, she could see the mischief sparkling in his blue eyes and hiding in the dimples that cut into his scruffy beard. He didn’t seem like he was too much older than her, but he’d clearly been through a lot. Which was good, since she had, too.

“Are you just gonna be the paparazzi or are we going to go somewhere more fun?” she asked, pressing herself into his space—partly because she liked the kind of shocked look he got on his face when she did, and partly because she just wanted to be close to him and his impressive display of chest hair.

“I’d be more than happy to escort the lady to a more comfortable location,” he said, making her swoon; god, she never did that. She almost lost focus in stealing the camera back, but managed to before he could fight it. 

“Lead the way,” she whispered.

He just swallowed and nodded, then took her hand and led her down the sidewalk.

The air cooled as they went and she could smell the salt of the harbor as they got closer to the docks; not a long walk, but not too short that they couldn’t get to know each other a bit. His last name was Jones; he was 25; he’d enlisted in the Army right out of high school and served a few years in Vietnam, until he lost his hand. “I didn’t want to fight, but I didn’t really have any other options. My brother died over there, so I guess I thought I’d avenge him, or something,” he admitted. “Not my best idea.”

She knew all about that. After all, she was 21 years old and already a mother to a 3-year-old; she clearly had no room to judge. He took it in stride, though, and was quick to ask about her kid; it was actually refreshing not to have someone do the math in their head and start scowling. “It’s been hard, but he’s probably the best thing that ever happened to me,” she told him, establishing some boundaries.

“Well, you strike me as a tough lass, Swan,” he replied; she was beginning to love the sound of her last name on his tongue. “It sounds like you two are doing just fine.”

She hid her blush by taking a picture of his encouraging smile, which quickly turned into a sputter.

He stole back the camera—and her breath—with a kiss after that.

She returned the favor, pressing him against a fence at the marina—but not too forcefully; she didn’t feel like swimming tonight.

“Hopefully you’re alright with sailing, though,” he murmured, guiding her down one of the docks.

“You live on a boat?”

“Please—it’s a ship.”

Whatever it was, it was gorgeous—all hardwood and classic-looking. The sails were tucked away but she had to imagine it looked impressive out at sea, and the idea of Killian at the helm, sun tanning his skin as the wind whipped them along...damn, what an image.

(Okay, maybe Ruby had been right earlier when she said Emma needed to get laid.)

He casually stepped onto the ship, unphased by the way the deck shifted under him, and extended a hand to her to help her down. Her platform sandals were absolutely not the right shoes for this, so she nearly stumbled as she stepped aboard—right into his (strong, sturdy) arms. 

“It’s about bloody time,” he purred.

“Like I haven’t been over you all night,” she countered (and made sure not to bring up the body glitter that had found its way into his chest hair).

“No, but it’s nice to finally be alone.”

“It is.” Without another word, they picked up where they’d left off in the club: hands wandering, lips tasting, bodies not able to get close enough—but she didn’t have enough balance on the rolling deck to try to hitch her leg around him again. 

“You got a bed on this thing?” she panted.

“I thought you’d never ask.”

A minute later, they were below deck, in a cozy cabin. Two minutes later, he’d undone the zipper on her jumpsuit, letting it fall around her ankles. Three, and she’d opened his way-too-many buttons to reveal his frankly stunning array of chest hair and was quickly discovering how far south it went. (Answer: all the way.)

The bed wasn’t exactly large, or solid, but anything would do once he got her worked up, his fingers dancing over her breasts, overheated skin, and aching sex. 

He hovered over her after he got the condom on, clearly nervous even though they were both stark naked and had been dry humping for who-knew-how-long.

She drew her bare heel up over his firm thigh and pert ass, then pressed against it, bringing his hard length almost to where she wanted—no, needed it. “Please,” she panted, not sure what else to say. 

“As you wish.”

That took her by surprise—she wanted to ask if he’d read her favorite book, The Princess Bride—but then he was pressing into her and anything she could say came out as a gasp. Holy shit, did he feel good.

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” he said in a strained voice; fuck, she’d said that out loud.

“You should,” she answered. “And if you want another—move.” She punctuated the command by pressing her other heel into him.

As eager as she was, she wasn’t ready for the feel of him dragging along her inner walls, then pressing back forward; it really had been too long since she’d done anything like this with another person. But she got the impression Killian was in a similar boat (pun not intended).

That didn’t stop him from being “fucking amazing,” she sighed.

“You...too…” he grunted as he pressed. She did all she could to keep up and match him thrust for thrust, but all too soon, she was gripping his broad shoulders for dear life.

It was like riding a roller coaster: she was climbing, climbing, climbing, and then she was free falling with a shout as her orgasm peaked and carried her away with it. He wasn’t far behind, coming with a shout of her name and eventually collapsing beside her. It made the whole bed shake but honestly, it was no worse than what they’d just put it through.

Once they both caught their breath, he pressed a kiss to her bare shoulder and then got up to clean things, but was back faster than she expected he’d be, flopping down next to her.

“Bloody hell, love; that…”

For someone as seemingly verbose as he was, having him speechless was definitely a boost to her ego. “Incredible? Fantastic? Far out? Groovy?”

“I’d never dream of putting something like that so colloquially,” he answered, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. “But perhaps we need to give it another go so I can properly describe it.”

“Mm, I think I’d be down with that,” she said, smiling. Normally, she’d be headed for the door already—but there was just something about Killian that made her want to stay, and it wasn’t just the mindblowing sex.

“Good.” He pounced on her lips again, and round two was just as fabulous as the first. (So was the third.)

And a few hours later, she woke in his arms to the obnoxious sound of an alarm clock blaring. But he just gripped her tighter from behind and buried his head in her neck, tickling her with his beard. 

“You gonna get that?” she asked, both annoyed and still sleepy.

“Ugh, I don’t want to.”

“Why not?”

“Because then I need to get ready for work and you’ll have to go.”

She turned in his arms and placed her hands on his hair-covered pecs. “What if I came back sometime?”

He gave her a sleepy smile. “I’d like that very much.”

“Me too.”

He finally shut off the clock and stretched; she had to avert her eyes, or staring at the way his trim muscles moved under his skin would make him even later. And the sooner she got home to her kid, the better.

Somehow, she managed to get dressed again, pointedly ignoring the heat of his fingers on her back as he zipped her outfit. (It was less easy for him to hide his arousal when she buttoned up his work shirt.)

The morning was chilly when they got back up on the deck and the sun was just starting to rise over the horizon; she shivered immediately. “Oh, bloody hell,” he cursed, then ran back below deck, returning with a blanket. “Here, love; I’d be a shameful host if I let you catch a cold. Do you need me to call you a cab?” he asked as he wrapped it around her shawl-like.

“No; I’m only a few blocks away,” she answered, pulling the blanket tight. It was soft and smelled like him. Hopefully, he didn’t want it back.

“Can I walk you home, then?”

“Won’t you be late?”

His reply was a shrug.

“Alright then.”

She started to head to the edge of the ship to disembark, but then he said, “Wait.” She turned to see what the holdup was and only saw the light of the flashbulb again. 

“Seriously?” she laughed.

“Yes, completely,” he answered through his own chuckle. 

“You’re such a nerd,” she tossed back, but god, was he adorable. If she wasn’t careful, she was probably going to fall in love with him. 

But honestly, would that really be so bad?

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

2020

The last photo was of the blonde woman in early morning light, wrapped in a blanket with a lazy smile on her face. It was obvious what they’d been up to, but that was a different kind of happy expression—more than just physical bliss.

“God, she was so beautiful,” Lucy breathed.

She always had been. “And she still is,” Henry added; Lucy hummed in agreement.

Reaching the end of the stack, they set the photos aside and kept browsing the records, pulling some out here and there as they caught their eyes. A bit later, armed with Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Damn the Torpedoes, and A Night at the Opera, they headed upstairs with their prizes—Henry making sure to grab the stack of Polaroids.

“You’re done already?” Henry’s mom called out from the kitchen, where she and his dad (well, stepdad, but he’d raised him) were busying themselves.

“Yeah! We found some great stuff, Grandma!” Lucy shouted, running down the hall and promptly gushing over her new treasures. 

His mom had been reading at the table, but she put down her magazine when Lucy barged in. Henry hung back for a moment, though.

The smile on her face was the same one in the photos, even if Emma’s hair was more gray than blonde now and she needed glasses. It was a little jarring, to be honest; growing up, he didn’t notice it as much, but looking at her as she was when he was a kid and comparing it to now made him realize just how much she’d changed in the last 40 years. But the grin she sent his way as Lucy babbled hadn’t at all.

“What have you got there, darling?” his dad interjected, stepping away from the stove to inspect the collection of albums. Killian, too, was all silver now, but for a man in his sixties, was in damn fine shape; Henry only hoped he’d look that good when he hit that age. The crows feet around Killian’s eyes had deepened with time (and laughter, and smiles), but they were still the same bright blue behind his bifocals and he still wore the same scruffy smirk.

Emma threw a concerned look Henry’s way, which told him he’d spent far too long staring. “Everything okay, kid?” she asked when he joined them.

“Yeah, yeah; it’s great. But uh, we found something else, too.”

“Oh yeah?”

He pulled the photos out of his jeans pocket and set them down on the table in front of his mom; Killian peered over her shoulder to inspect. They both hitched their breath at the same moment.

“Oh my god, I forgot about these!” Emma exclaimed as she picked them up.

“Same,” Killian said, almost breathlessly. “But I haven’t forgotten that night,” he quickly added, pressing a kiss to Emma’s temple.

“I’d be worried if you had,” she said. “This was our first date,” she explained to Henry and Lucy, “and someone here thought it’d be a good idea to steal a camera from the club we met at.”

“Pardon me, but you started it, love.”

Emma snorted and smacked his prosthetic hook where it rested on her shoulder, but a nostalgic kind of look came over both of them as they looked them over.

“Good find, Lucy,” Killian said, pulling his granddaughter close and kissing her cheek.

Emma set the photos aside and Killian went back to cooking dinner (which was delicious, as always). The flashback the photos had given him made Henry want to stay later and reminisce—on their wedding, on weekend trips on the Jolly Roger, on that one time he and his sisters tried (and failed) to throw a kegger in the backyard—but it was a school night and Lucy had homework.

He kept coming back to one thing, though, especially as they said their goodbyes and headed home: the way his dad looked at his mom in 1979 was the same way he did in 2020. Henry had always been happy that, despite their rough starts, his parents had managed to find each other; he couldn’t think of anyone more deserving of the kind of true love they had. And they made sure that their children knew and saw that same kind of love every day; if only everyone could be that lucky.

(Thankfully, Henry was; when he greeted Ella at home that night, he knew he still looked at her the way he first had in 1998, and she still smiled at him the same way she did that night from across that party. Henry had known then what true love looked like, and what it looked like now, and what it would look like in 20 years. And he couldn't wait.)

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

After Henry and Lucy left and dinner was cleaned up, Emma got out the pictures they’d found again; hazy memories were coming back into sharp clarity in her mind (though some had never really dulled). 

“You’ve got that look in your eyes, Swan. What are you thinking?” Killian said, taking a seat next to her on the sofa.

“Swan? Pretty sure I’ve been Jones for almost 40 years,” she teased, scooting into his side. 

“Aye, but you’ll forever be my gorgeous Swan,” he answered, like he always did, his eyes also on the old photos. It was kind of amazing they were still in decent shape.

“Well then, I’m thinking that we looked damn hot,” Emma finally said. 

“Indeed we did. Though you still do,” he added, kissing her cheek.

“So do you, silver fox. You still got that shirt?” 

“That ugly thing? Heavens no.” He sounded genuinely offended—although he never quite learned how to fully button his shirt, and she cast a glance at the silvery chest hair exposed by his v-necked shirt today. “But I might be able to come up with something similar...if you still have that jumpsuit,” he said, leering seductively. 

Emma just laughed. “It’s cute that you think I’d still fit into that after two more kids and a few decades. And that was Ruby’s anyways.” Some parts of her had never quite recovered from having Hope and then Alice in fairly quick succession, but it didn’t matter to Killian so she’d never minded much.

“Well, then I guess you’ll have to wear nothing,” he purred. “I seem to remember that being part of that night, too.” 

“Only if you wear the same.”

“As you wish.”

(He had indeed read The Princess Bride, it turned out, and they had excitedly taken Henry to the movie when it was first released; their VHS copy was later worn down by the girls, once they were old enough.)

Some days, it was hard to believe they’d been together for over 40 years—time flies while having fun, and all that. There’d been great ones and hard ones and plenty of just average ones in there. They weren’t the same people they were when they met; hell, they weren’t even the same as when Alice moved out ten years ago.

But some things had never changed, and never would; for one, how easily and amazingly they were able to satisfy each other physically, and how well they fit together, especially when they were cuddled close, sated.

The most important, though, was their love.

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

thanks for reading, friends!! tagging some peeps who might like this:  @kat2609​ @thesschesthair​ @optomisticgirl​ @xpumpkindumplingx​ @laschatzi​ @shipsxahoy​ @amortentia-on-the-rocks​ @mryddinwilt​ @cocohook38​ @annytecture​ @wingedlioness​ @word-bug​ @distant-rose​ @wellhellotragic​ @welllpthisishappening​ @let-it-raines​ @pirateherokillian​ @bleebug​ @its-imperator-furiosa​ @fergus80​ @killianmesmalls​ @sherlockianwhovian​ @effulgentcolors​ @ive-always-been-a-pirate​ @nfbagelperson​ @stubble-sandwich​​ @lenfaz​ @phiralovesloki​ @athenascarlet​ @kmomof4​ @ilovemesomekillianjones​ @whimsicallyenchantedrose​ @snowbellewells​ @idristardis​ @scientificapricot​ @searchingwardrobes​

Natsu bringing up the subject of wanting children to Lucy for the first time

OMFG ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! THE ORIGINAL RETURNED IM GONNA KICK SOMEONE

Natsu sighed as he twirled his fingers absentmindedly, sitting at his usual table in the guild. He’d been grateful that Levy had taken his wife on a girl’s only quest that would last a week, giving him an appropriate amount of time to sort out the messy thoughts he had.

It had been two wonderful years since they finally tied the knot after their many years of friendship that transpired into dating, and now, he had the best wife in the guild. Alzack would probably argue that Bisca was the best, but he was surely too shy to make such a public declaration.

Natsu loved Lucy more and more each day, thankful he was able to wake up with her and not get kicked out of bed. Going to bed with her was just as nice, and depending on the night...well, you know.

She’d moved out of her apartment and into his house, after a very intense discussion on how clean he and Happy would need to keep things. He’d do anything to keep her there once she moved in, or moreso anything to keep her comfy bed where his hammock used to be.

Recently Natsu had thought about expanding their home by making a room for them, a room for Happy, and a room for...the little fledgling he’d had a sudden desire to hold.

Seeing Al with Asuka, Macao with Romeo, Levy with her twins, even Gildarts with Cana, made his thoughts wander to having a baby of his own. He loved kids and was known for being one himself, so he worried that maybe Lucy wouldn’t want to make such a big commitment.

He could practically hear what she’d say to him;

“Eh? You want us to have a baby? I’d have to hire a nanny for the both of you! There’s no way you’re mature enough to take care of a kid!”

And he had his rebuttal prepared;

“I raised Happy, didn’t I? And he turned out just—“

Okay...maybe Happy the best example.

As much as he loved his little buddy, Happy was a rascal, and knew just how to pick on Lucy’s nerves. But he teased out of love! And did it less now that they were living together.

But she’d seen him with Asuka before, and played nice with the twins. He would have totally been their babysitter when metal breath and Levy went on missions if not for the fact that Gajeel trusted Juvia way more.

And he’d been saving money! Money was important if he wanted to have a kid, so he secretly put away ten thousand jewel from every quest they took. He nearly had a million or two stashed away, plus now that Lucy didn’t need to pay rent, they had a lot more they were able to spend between them. The extra money would give her some peace of mind when they’d be too busy to go out on jobs, it’d surely be enough to manage their lifestyles as they took time to learn a new routine.

He cooked a lot too, learning from Mira how to make anything but burnt campfire fish. Lucy was obviously better than him, but his food wasn’t half bad! Lucy was gonna need a lot of bed rest after having their kid, so he wanted to let her know he could take care of her in that sense too.

Natsu wasn’t gonna lie, he also thought his pregnant Lucy would look...just amazing. He imagined rubbing her swollen belly as they laid together in bed, or pressing his ear against it to feel the baby kick and heat them moving around. She’d get moody and tired and he’d wait on her hand and foot, even carry her around if she wanted it. He’d take care of her in...other ways too, much to his own delight.

So he’d been sitting in the same spot for nearly a week, nervous as it became the day before Lucy would arrive home. He was finally gonna bring it up...maybe...no definitely! Or...

“Okay, spill it,” Cana plopped herself in the seat across from the dragon slayer, starling him out of his thoughts. “I’ve been watching you make the same five faces all week and it’s starting to get annoying.”

“Sheesh, Cana, I don’t gotta tell you an—“ Natsu yelped as she cut off his sass with a flick to the forehead, grumbling as he rubbed the now sore spot.

“Oh, hush. Don’t get an attitude with me, I’m here to help. You’re plannin’ to tell my Lulu something important, right? As her interim guardian, I need to be breifed before you say a word to her. And it better not be some shit about divorce or so help me, Dragneel, you’ll never walk again,” The card mage warned as she rose a suspicious eyebrow to him and drank from the pint she’d brought along with her.

“Geez, I’d never leave Lucy!” He quickly clarified as she still looked at him sideways. “It’s nothing bad...it’s just that I wanted to have a serious conversation with her,”

“Which is...?” Cana drawled on her question until he finally sighed and gave in to her curiosity.

“I want, I want us to have a kid,” Natsu quickly slapped a hand over the brunette’s lips as she almost yelled out to the whole guild. Luckily enough, everyone was too occupied with their usual hustle and bustle to pay attention to the intimate subject. “Don’t you dare!”

“Alright, alright! I won’t say a word! But oh my gosh, a little Natsu and Lucy! I’d reach that kid everythin’ I know, ‘specially about drink—“

“This isn’t about you, Cana,” He rolled his eyes and stopped her before she could go on, but smiled as she did, unable to hide his excitement.

“I know, but! Ugh! Okay, I really have to tell someone—“ The dragon slayer quickly snatched her wrist in his hold before she could make off with the information.

“No way! I only told you because you said you wanted to help me!”

“Oh yeah, sorry, got carried away,” She retook her seat and hummed with lips now puckered as she thought. “What’s got ya so nervous? She’s your wife, ain’t she? I figured something like this would be easy to talk about,”

“Yeah, but I don’t know if Lucy thinks I’m ready. It’s a lot of responsibility and I’m not the most responsible...but I know I could be,” Natsu frowned as his worries began to churn again. “I’m ready to be a dad,”

“Then it’s as simple as that. You need to voice your concerns with her or she’ll never know how you’re feeling.” Cana said as she took a swig from her barrel-like stein. “And you’ve practically taken care of us all since we were kids, I don’t think there’s anyone better suited to raise a someone, you’re a good guy, Natsu.”

Cana’s words provided the strength he’d been looking for all week, encouraging him to take the leap and bring up the difficult question with his wife.

He even planned to set the mood; sending Happy off to Wendy’s for a couple nights, cleaning the house, washing their sheets, ordering flowers and chocolate-covered strawberries Lucy couldn’t get enough of. He showered like crazy too, styled his hair, wore a nice suit, even let his stubble grow in. That was one

hamelin-born replied to your post “Part Three of Ardyn Saves Regis on a Whim (which really needs a title,...”

*quietly loses mind* YES THIS IS SO GOOD YESSSSSS...

This snippet was crammed full of various Crowning Moment of AWESOME moments. I just - gah.

Regis just - just taking in all the small things as they drive through the smoking shell of the city - HIS city. The cat, oh the CAT - I don't know why, but I just. Love that small detail?

And SOMNUS. Somnus, being utterly and totally IN SHOCK at Ardyn deciding to save Regis. In shock, and that - that instant regret, that 'what have I DONE' moment. Was - was Somnus reacting to what Ardyn said about how he loved his brother, so much, more then just about anything?

And Somnus - basically telling Regis to 'make things right'. And - 'our line's greatest folly'? that's - more or less an admission of guilt, of wrongdoing. That is Somnus, admitting that he was /wrong/.

I'm not sure if I want Ardyn to learn of that conversation, or never to learn.

And just. I love the increasing strain that Regis observes in Ardyn as the time goes by. It's just - so very human, for all that the man is decidedly NOT.

Reckless? ARDYN saying something's reckless. Well. That should say something about the entire enterprise.

And GAH. Exploding the dropships via Ullador! Driving /through/ the roadstop/barrier! Just. So many, many good things!

And YES to Regis' realization that 'immortal' is /literal/. And - Regis is a smart man; I'm sure he can think of so many, many ways in which immortality is a literal /curse/. In which - being unable to die is the literal worst thing imaginable.

I wonder - Regis noticed the 'black blood', but does he really GET that Ardyn's blood is /literally/ black?

Wait until Regis sees the Scourge!face. That's - going to be an interesting time.

And love all the little details about Ardyn's Ama! Does - does Regis realize that he's literally talking to another King of Lucis? (once a king or queen of Lucis, always a king or queen of Lucis...) Ardyn hadn't explicitly SAID as much, but - well.

And Regis is just. Giving all the right reactions to the revelations Ardyn is literally drowning him in. And his shock, his horror, it's - helping Ardyn, I think. A little. It's the first time he's told /anyone/ this story, and it's - getting a reaction that helps him.

It's just. Regis is slowly realizing that the thing with Noctis? The so-called 'Chosen King'? The Astrals have /done this before/. This is the /second/ time around, and the first time - well. The first time was no kinder then the most recent iteration. The /first/ Chosen King is sitting right next to him.

/*grins*/ Wait until Regis learns that basically it was Shiva et al who gave Ardyn the order to work with Niflheim for precisely these ends.

Wow, I don’t know what to say. *blushes*

I’m so glad you enjoyed it!  This fic is enormously fun to write, and it makes me so happy others like it too.

The cat thing—okay, I have a bit of a story to tell about that, so I’m gonna put the rest of my reply under a cut.

Fair warning, it involves a natural disaster.

So, back in 2011, when I was still in high school, I lived in an area of the US that gets a lot of tornadoes.  Like, three to four on average every spring and every fall.

March/April 2011 was an unusual spring, though, because an enormous supercell swept across all of the Southern US, including my hometown.  Hundreds of tornadoes touched down in a single storm over the course of three days.

My town was...relatively untouched, although I do have trauma relating to that specific storm.

But the day after the storm passed over, I had to catch a flight to Massachusetts to visit colleges as a prospective student, and the airport I was flying out of was a couple hours away, in the center of the area worst-hit by the storm.

So my mom drove me out to meet my dad at the airport, and we were driving through absolute devastation.  Like, buildings completely gone, debris and rubble everywhere, trees fallen on buildings and cars, standing water in places.

But I don’t remember a whole lot about the destruction itself, other than the horror and shock I felt.

What I remember instead are the little things.  The handwritten ‘sold out’ signs in the windows of every gas station and convenience store.  Branches drifting by in a flooded river.  A dog trotting along the side of the road.  People standing in their yards, looking at where their houses used to be, not doing anything but talking quietly.  Just little, insignificant details that somehow managed to catch my eye.

That’s the feeling I was trying to capture in that scene with Regis—how the strangest things can draw your eye in the middle of all that destruction, and how they sort of seem dreamlike or unreal, but they’re going to be what you remember anyway.

And some of them make you feel better, in a way, because not everything is lost.  There’s still life there.

That cat is going to be one of the things Regis clings to, going forward, because it was just so ordinary in a setting that was decidedly not, and that made it extraordinary.

As for Somnus, well.  Hearing Ardyn say he loved him that much, seeing him accuse Bahamut of using them all, seeing Bahamut flee rather than give an answer—that really struck home to him that he’d made a horrific mistake.  He gave up his brother for reasons that didn’t really exist the way he thought they did, and oh, how that hurts.  And he can’t make it right—but maybe Regis can.

Ardyn is...probably not going to learn about that conversation for a very long time.  Because Regis, now that he has some idea of what Somnus meant, knows that it has to come from Somnus to really mean anything.  Which means two things: 1) it’s gonna have to wait for Ardyn to be in either the presence of the Ring or Somnus’ tom; and 2) it’s going to require more time than would really be readily available to them for a while.

I love writing Ardyn from Regis’ POV for exactly that reason: that I can use little cues to remind us all of just how human Ardyn is, despite his immortality and very, very dubious decisions.

Ardyn’s idea of ‘reckless’ is definitely a bit skewed, lol.  Hence why he uses it only in connection to a stunt that 1) requires him to take his hands off the wheel, 2) involves MASSIVE EXPLOSIONS, and 3) had a significant chance of not working or being only partially effective.

And Regis doesn’t object to that one, mind, because he too likes MASSIVE EXPLOSIONS.  And ramming through things that should not feasibly be rammed through.

They definitely feed each other’s destructive tendencies, self- or otherwise.

Yeeesss, Regis has Thoughts about this immortality thing.  Especially since, mind, he just lost at least two close friends, which he...hasn’t fully processed yet.

The full mechanics of ‘Immortal Accursed’=‘Healer and King who took the Starscourge into himself’ have also not been fully processed yet, which will be fun (not).

Regis is going to come to that particular realization slowly. Right now, he knows intellectually that yeah, Ardyn was probably a King of Lucis, but the things that that means they have in common haven’t really occurred to him yet.  It’s going to be things that become relevant in the days to come, as Regis, Cid, and Cor start salvaging what they can of Lucis.  And, well, Ardyn’s there too, he’s not just going to sit around and do nothing.

Regis’ reaction is actually helping Ardyn, yeah.  It’s—nice, to know that what happened to him is something other people consider wrong too.  That not everyone will side with the Astrals as Somnus did.

And the parallels are really hitting Regis hard already, even if he’s refusing to think about it at the moment.  The fact that Ardyn hasn’t actually referred to Noctis by name or title in this fic yet, you may or may not have noticed, is significant, because all the other players he has named when he’s referred to them.  Noctis is perhaps the only one directly involved that Ardyn doesn’t resent—and yes, I’m including Luna in that, for reasons I’ll explore in later installments.  (Basically, it has to do with the fact that of everyone involved, she is the one following his path—they aren’t necessarily good reasons, but emotions aren’t exactly logical).

And yeah, at some point Regis is going to have to confront the fact that his gods were gunning to destroy everything he holds dear.  It’s—not gonna be pretty.

“Alex, no!” “Alex, YES!”

Beta love to @reinakonanofate for making this readable. 

And, we gotta love Lucy :D

Read on AO3

“Come help us deal with your stupid sister.”

Alex’s girlfriend hangs up on you before you can even say “hi” and you sigh.

“Sorry, Lee,” you say to your companion of the night. “I’m needed elsewhere.”

Lena nods and she signals for the check to arrive. “Super problems?” She asks low, too low to be heard by other than you.

You groan. “More like sister problems.”

The way your almost girlfriend's eyes widen at that warms your heart. “Is she alright? Was she hurt?”

You smile. “No. I don’t think so at least… they were going to try a new prototype tonight and I think Alex is poking her nose around… that was Luce. She is pissed.”

Lena’s brows furrow. “… Wait a moment… Alex is trying a new prototype and she didn’t tell me?!”

The indignation in her voice is cute, but it would be cuter if Lena and Alex weren’t such a volatile duo with explicit orders to never be on their own within the DEO. The order was given by both Directors, Lane and J’onzz, and you think wiser order hadn’t ever been given.

Lena and Alex, together, alone… not a good combo, no sir.

“More like Vasquez and Lucy are trying a new prototype and Alex got word about it at last minute.”

The vibrant excitement in your date sits ill with you. “Oh! What are they testing?”

“I don’t know.” And if I knew, I wouldn’t tell you, you think. You really don’t need Lena getting the idea she can come al-

“I’m coming with you,” Lena declares as she passes her card to the waiter.

“No.”

The raised eyebrow sent your way looks eerily like Alex’s. “I’m not asking you. I’m informing you.”

You stand up then. “I’m leaving now. I’m not taking you.” You turn and head to the door, not looking back.

You can almost hear the shrug on her voice, still low but so easily heard by you. “By all means, go. I’ll drive there on my own and you won’t be invited to the gala. Neither of your alter egos will be.”

That stops you short, just a foot from exiting the restaurant. L-Corp is housing a gala to raise donations towards several orphanages and this year promises to be amazing. Not only did Lena invite several of the major players in the philanthropy scene, she also invited all the kids the donations are going to help. The event is planned not so much like a gala, but a fair for kids and adults alike and the goal is to bring the money in while having fun.

Kara Danvers needs to be there to report on it, Snapper made sure to tell you that just today and Supergirl was promised her weight in potstickers and wants to play with all the children.

“This is so not fair,” you inform Lena as she comes stand next to you once the bill is settled.

“All is fair in love and science.”

“Don’t you mean all is fair in love and war?”

You have reached an alley and you super-speed into your uniform. Lena comes close to you and lets herself be picked up bridal style.

“Oh, no… Didn’t you hear I only make love and never war?” The purring words in your ear makes your face boil in embarrassment and not a little desire.

Rao, with any luck you will stop resembling a tomato by the time you arrive at the Desert Base.

XxXxX

“Alex!”

Hearing your sister’s name being yelled with such anger and exasperation shouldn’t be such a surprise. Lucy called you beyond mad, after all.

You and Lena enter the hangar and you can see Lucy in the middle of the open space, staring upwards and with her hands on her hips. She’s so tiny and yet she can fill up the space with that commanding air that makes you want to obey no matter what and you wonder how is it that Alex can date her.

Sure, your sister has so much fun most of the time pushing her buttons, but you’d get scared with a partner like Lucy. Once you raised your concerns to Lena about how Alex loves making Lucy angry and your friend got so flustered and you were left so confused.

Lucy gets really upset and Alex loves it… but well, the bruises you have seen on Alex’s wrists and back bothers you and it’s just because both Alex and Lena have told you on numerous occasions that they mean nothing bad that you haven’t acted against Lucy.

Also, you like Lucy. And you like that Lucy has mellowed Alex’s most reckless tendencies. She no longer charges on into battle without regard for her own safety, she no longer drinks herself to the point her liver and kidneys are gross (yes, you have checked with your x-ray vision) and she is no longer sad all the time.

Lucy is good for your sister… even if you don’t understand how Lucy interacts with her.

“I’m almost there! I need ten more minutes!” You can’t see where Alex is, yet, but she sounds like she’s having a little too much fun.

“If you do don’t come down right now, you will be tied up for the whole weekend!”

You frown at that and when you turn to Lena to help you understand, you can’t find her.

You sigh. Of course, she is gone who knows where now that you are here.

“Hey, Luce!” you call to your friend. “What’s the emergency?”

Lucy turns and the scowl on her face lessens a little. “Your dumbass sister,” she informs you plainly. She points up and you follow her finger.

The hangar’s ceiling is high, really high. This is the hangar you use to train flying maneuvers and the one where J’onn and you have aerial fights. It’s also the one where agents learn to use the diverse flying machines the DEO have at its disposal, such as small rockets, gliders, and small aircraft. You don’t know how they managed to build such a high and resistant thing, but you at least now know why Lucy is so pissed.

Alex is sitting in the catwalk that runs across the hangar with her legs dangling down, a catwalk so high that it almost touches the ceiling and you know from experience that you need to walk hunched to not hit your head. She is in what you think is her issued underwear, a tank top and boy briefs, her legs are kicking the air happily and she is… tinkering with something that has… wings?

“She’s been up there for two hours now. She refuses to come down.”

You are still looking up. And… damn it, even with your eyesight you can’t really say what your sister is really doing. She has a toolkit besides her and she has a smudge of oil on her cheek and a smile so big on her face that you don’t want to know but you have to ask.

“What is she doing?”

“Our prototype had some serious issues… she’s fixing it, she says, but she won’t come down to let the rest of us see what the hell she’s doing.”

Oh. Understanding downs to you. “She wants to be the one testing it.”

“… yes.”

You look then at Lucy, frowning. “And why aren’t you up there with her?” You don’t think it would be a problem to drag her down.

“She locked herself up there,” Vasquez comes behind you. They are holding a tablet and the frown on their face concerns you a little. “She also bit Agent Kelly before doing so.”

You blink at Vasquez. “She bit Michael? She likes Michael!”

Vasquez shrugs. “She likes the prototype better?”

“And J’onn? Haven’t you call J’onn?”

Lucy massages her temples and Vasquez shakes their head. “He’s our last resort.”

Oh. “He threatened you.” It’s not a question but it would be nice to have it confirmed.

Lucy nods.

“He said if she lets her do something  this stupid again, he will suspend her for a week,” Vasquez informs you.

You frown. “But… it’s not your fault Alex is… well, Alex.”

“Space Dad swears she started acting up when I joined the DEO,” Lucy mutters. “That’s bullshit, though.”

“Well…” you drawl. “He’s not wrong. She was the perfect agent before she started dating you.”

Lucy’s glare on you, makes you flinch and you fly to Alex in part to escape Lucy and in part to bring Alex down.

“Hey, sis!” Alex chirps the moment you are floating by her side.

“Alex…” you wave her, grabbing a wrench that threatens to fall off the catwalk and kill someone below. “So… how about we if go down for a little bit?”

“Nope,” she says happily. “I’m almost done.”

“Alex… Lucy is gonna be suspended if you don’t come down.”

That makes her pause and look up from whatever she is oiling. “What?”

“J’onn said she would be suspended if you pull a crazy stunt again.”

She blinks once, twice, before looking down to what you think looks like a mechanical skull. “Weren’t you on a date with Lena?” she asks you.

The topic change makes your head swirl. “Uh?”

“Weren’t you with Lee?”

“… Yes?”

She looks up again and turns her head left and then right. Her face brightens and you don’t need to look to know what has her so happy. “Lee!”

“Al!” Lena’s cheerful voice ricochets around your brain, making you wince. You love Lena, you love Alex, but the level of silliness and stupidity they reach when together makes you have honest to Rao migraines.

Lena comes to sit next to your sister and you see she has changed clothes. She is no longer wearing her red power-suit, but one of… yes, you can see the tag on her chest, one of Alex’s day-to-day uniforms. “What do I do?” She asks, eagerly.

Alex points to the backpack-like chunk of metal to the side. “I can’t make it ignite without it bursting into flames.”

“Alex!” You scold her because she knows, she knows, she can’t play with fire.

Your sister rolls her eyes. “Lena is here,” she tells you dismissively. “She’ll fix it.”  

Lena nods once, sharply. “No problem.”

You groan. “C’mon, Alex! Lena! You need to come down, you can’t try this if it can explode!”

“Relax, we know what we are doing,” Alex says, twisting something in her hands and crying happily in success. “Yes! This will fly now!”

You shake your head. “Guys, please.”

“Don’t you have a tiny Director to calm down?” Lena asks you and you groan again.

You can try getting physical with them. You can try grabbing them and forcing them down… but these two are so in sync and they think so alike they will escape you one way or another.

They have done it before.

If you go for Alex, Lena in all her graceful glory will jump down, forcing you to catch her and letting Alex escape with their toy. If you go for Lena, Alex will still have the time to escape with their toy.

If you try going for both they will make it so that none of you three make it down unharmed and… Alex will still escape with their toy.

The only way you can really win this is talking about their sense of responsibility and adulting… not that either act like adults when they are together.

“… What will it cost me to have you both down and complaint?”

Lena and Alex look from their respective tasks and look at each other. Lena raises an eyebrow and Alex’s lip twitches. Lena dips her head to you and Alex’s shakes a little. Lena’s eyes widen and Alex’s brow furrow. Alex’s nose wrinkles and Lena smirks.

As one, they turn to you.

“We are not going down,” they announce solemnly.

“Oh! Come on!”

“Bye, Kara.” With that, Alex pushes the tool kit out the catwalk and to your horror, it splits open as it starts going down.

“You, asshole!” You yell at her as you use your speed to catch every single tool and nail and screw and tidbit before they reach the ground and really kill someone.

The worst thing is, no matter how fast you do it, by the time you go back to them they would be finished with their tasks and they would still not come down.

“Nice catch, Supergirl,” Vasquez says with a smirk.

“I hate them both.”

Lucy sighs. “That makes three of us.”

Vasquez laughs. “I don’t hate them. I find them hilarious.”

Lucy’s murderous eyes are turned to her second-in-command before focusing on the crazy duo above. “Get ready to phone J’onn.”

You gasp. “You will be suspended!”

“I don’t care. I’ll make sure he suspends Alex too and I’ll make her pay for this.”

Your stomach clenches in worry at her words. “You won’t hurt her, will you?”

You are no stranger to Lucy’s moods and you have seen her hit the punching bag heavily when she is too angry. You have seen her lay it on the shooting range when she is frustrated and you have seen her scream and yell until she is blue in the face when things don’t go her way…

… And you have seen her manhandle Alex in several occasions, not that they know you have seen them.

You haven’t acted nor will you act because Alex, Lena, and even J’onn have told you Alex is in no danger repeatedly and emphatically.

You still worry, though.

And apparently, Lucy can hear that worry in your voice because her eyes shift from Alex and Lena and settle on you. They are warm and open and so understanding that you know why Alex is dating this madwoman. “Kara, I promise I won’t harm her.”

You nod and you are about to tell her how grateful you are your sister found in their relationship such comfort that she started being so bratty when Lee’s overjoyed squeal reaches your ears.

“Kara!”

You look up just in time to see Lena jumping down from the catwalk… if you didn’t know that Lena actually enjoys jumping off buildings, you would be so freaked out. But, right now, you were kind of expecting her to do this.

You meet her halfway on her descend, letting her enjoy the free fall for a couple of seconds. “One of these days I won’t catch you,” you growl at her with no real heat as you lower her easily to the ground. Her arms are around your neck and she is looking up with a big smile.

“No biggie,” she says with a shrug, letting go. “Alex will catch me.”

Once your feet touch down, you look up too.

Alex is holding the ends of what you see are mechanical wings and the reason that she is in her underwear is now evident: her arms and legs are encased in soft leather with more metal feathers and over her head, she is wearing that strange skull you saw before. The wings are designed so the movements of her arms make the metal wings move, almost as if she was a little kid playing being a bird… even her feet are in what looks like clawed shoes.

“Don’t you dare jump!” Lucy calls her.

“It’s gonna work!” Alex yells back.

“If you jump; your ass is mine!”

“My ass is already yours, dimwit!”

“You know what I fucking mean!”

“I can’t hear you!”

“Alex, NO!”

You can almost hear your sister think the “Alex, YES!” as she leaps.

Lena is jumping in joy besides you and you start hovering in preparation to catch your stupid sister.

But, just a second after jumping, Alex’s pushes a button on each hand and the machine comes to life.

It’s clumsy, it’s noisy and it’s so stiff, but your sister starts flapping and she manages to hold on the air for a really long second. Her tongue is poking out between her lips and you see her brow wrinkled in concentration. There is no air within the hangar, but after flapping hard, she somehow manages to find a way to glide down a little and it is then when her fun starts.

“See?!” She yells as she starts gliding in wide circles. “I’m flying!”

“No, you’re not!” Lucy yells. “You’re simply putting off your death!”

“This won’t kill me!”

“But I will! Come down here!”

You shake your head and hover up to fly alongside Alex. “She is spitting mad,” you tell her quietly.

Alex is finally close enough to the ground that she can easily see Lucy’s red, annoyed, face. Your sister winces and you refuse to feel any empathy towards her. “Fuck… I thought she was bluffing. She’s really pissed.”

You stare at her, shocked. “She called me in, Alex. She passed pissed an hour ago.”

Alex turns watery eyes to you and the pout on her face shouldn’t be that pitiful. “No, nuh-uh. Nope. Don’t look at me like that. You made her mad, you face her.”

“Kara…” she whines.

“Damn it, Alex, she is your girlfriend! You shouldn’t like making her mad!”

Alex’s pout is replaced by a smug smirk. “I like her mad.”

“Alex!”

Her smirk softens at your exasperation. “Really Kar, she doesn’t get mad-mad… Rao, I hate making her mad-mad… but, like… I enjoy pushing her and she enjoys it too.” She fumbles a bit with her wings, making a wide turn so you can keep gliding easily. “She likes it when I don’t listen… I mean, she could override my commands at any time and she could really force me to come down with one word… but she let me do this… so.” She almost shrugs before remembering that could possibly be a bad choice when she is using wings so high from the ground.

You frown, confused. “Then why she would call me?”

“She is a drama queen.”

You snort. “So, you are indeed made for each other.”

“Hey! I’m not a drama queen!”

“No, you are just dramatic.”

The lazy circles around the hangar bring you closer and closer to the ground and closer and closer to a tiny angry Director.

Alex is all smiles when her feet touch the ground and she makes a stupid flourish to Lena’s clapping, bowing reverently to an imaginary crowd. Her bowing is interrupted, though, when a loud smack is heard and Alex jumps a foot forward mid reverence.

“Damn it, Alex!” Lucy snarls. “That was stupid and reckless!”

Alex turns to face her girlfriend, a pout back in her face. She is rubbing her left butt cheek where Lucy just slapped her. “I didn’t die…”

“But you will wish you did the moment I’m done with you.” Lucy grabs Alex’s forearm and she starts marching her to the exit.

“But the prototype worked!”

“You weren’t authorized to use it or even fix it!”

“But-”

They are no longer within sight, but you can almost see how Lucy spanks Alex again. You can hear it clearly and you know that Alex’s complains will be shut down now.

“So…” Vasquez says. “I don’t call Director J’onzz?”

You shake your head. “I don’t think so, no. Let Lucy deal with her.”

Lena snorts. “She won’t be able to sit for a week.”

“Try a month,” Vasquez mutters

Lena nods with a grin on her face.

You look at them and sigh. You don’t get it. You don’t.

But, you also don’t want to get it.

So, you don’t ask.

“Alex!”

You sigh and turn to Lena. “Want to get out of here?” You ask her, pleading her with your eyes. You don’t want to be around for Alex’s next round of stupid.

Lena smiles. “Sure.” She wraps her arms around your neck again and lets you take her weight. “Take me home, Supergirl.”

“Alexandra!”

Alex’s delighted laughter is the last thing you hear before you flee with Lena in your arms.

And you smile. Maybe Alex changed after started dating Lucy, but she changed for good.

She is happier, more relaxed and overall at ease.

Yeah, it’s good she is dating Lucy.

Even if you don’t get how their relationship really works.

Defenders Countdown: 28 Days

Power Man and Iron Fist

    The time has come! In less than a month, Luke Cage and Danny Rand will finally be running headfirst (fist first?) into each other in glorious live action. In preparation, here is a quick overview of the history of this most beautiful of friendships.  

    Luke and Danny meet under less-than-ideal circumstances-- though as any longtime reader of superhero comics knows, the best friendships often start with an editorially-mandated Superpowered Showdown(TM). Luke’s loved ones-- Claire Temple and Noah Burstein-- are kidnapped by sleazy mob boss Bushmaster, and threatened with death unless Luke kidnaps one of Bushmaster’s own enemies. The kidnappee in question is Misty Knight-- bionic ex-cop, one half of Nightwing Restorations, and Danny’s girlfriend. Luke, who grudgingly agrees in order to ensure Claire and Burstein’s safety, learns that Misty is at the Rand townhouse and busts in to grab her. 

    Chaos ensues. It just so happens that Misty and Danny are out on a date, and instead, Luke runs into Colleen Wing-- who manages to call for backup just before Luke knocks her unconscious. Misty shows up next, and gets in a few good hits before getting KO’d as well. When Danny arrives and sees what’s happened to his two closest friends, he is... less than forgiving.    

Danny: “Mr. Cage-- turn around.”

Power Man #48 by Chris Claremont, John Byrne, and Francoise Mouly

    As anyone might after getting a building dropped on them, Luke comes up swinging. The fight is as intense as you’d expect, with Danny’s extreme training and chi powers balanced out by Luke’s sheer toughness and strength. They’re both used to winning, and this surprising challenge shocks and impresses them. Seeing at last that the fight can’t go on, and trusting Power Man’s heroic reputation in spite of his current behavior, Danny takes a gamble and lets Luke grab him. 

Danny: “Hands like vise... can’t breathe... But... I... sense at heart... Power Man isn’t... killer. I can try... tiger claw to eyes... last resort... blind him... Then, if that works, if I can summon... strength... pop his eardrums... killing blow, but not yet.”

Luke: “Lord, no-- What am I doin’?”

Power Man #48 by Chris Claremont, John Byrne, and Francoise Mouly

    This near murder shocks Luke out of the fight. Calming down enough to explain himself, he soon earns Danny, Misty, and Colleen’s trust and sympathy. As a team, they rescue Claire and Dr. Burstein from Bushmaster’s headquarters, and then-- with the help of Danny’s attorney Jeryn Hogarth-- free Luke, at last, of the drug charges that originally sent him to jail. 

Danny: “Alone at last. You changed your name, huh? Jeryn says your real, legal identity is now Lucas Cage! [...] Luke, how do you feel?”

Luke: “Kid, if you live a thousand years, you’ll never know [...] how sick I felt when they put me away... an’ how gut-bustin’ good I feel tonight. I ain’t just free, Danny-boy, I been reborn!”

Power Man and Iron Fist vol. 1 #50 by Chris Claremont, John Byrne, Dan Green, et al. 

    Luke and Danny’s friendship progresses quickly after this. They start hanging out (their first one-on-one team-up occurs while Luke is giving Danny a tour of Harlem), and they come to realize that they really enjoy partnering up. At the time, Luke is working on retainer for Misty and Colleen’s P.I. business, but with Danny in the picture he considers revitalizing his own operation-- this time with some key changes.   

Luke: “Y’know, Danny-- we make a pretty good team. If I wasn’t part of Misty’s detective agency...”

Danny: “You got fired, remember? Although I’m sure they’ll take you back. If you really want them to...”

Power Man and Iron Fist vol. 1 #53 by Chris Claremont, Ed Hannigan, Sal Buscema, et al.

    When the offer comes, Danny eagerly agrees to join Luke’s Heroes for Hire business-- for several reasons. Having been born wealthy and then raised in a society without an emphasis on financial gain, Danny has no concept of the value of money. He hopes that joining Luke’s small, low-income business will fix this. It also gives him the sense of purpose and chance to use his skills that he has been desperately searching for since becoming stranded on Earth. But mostly, it allows him to spend more time with Luke. For the 72 issues that Heroes for Hire exists in its original form, Luke, Danny, and friends face down everything from dragons to Daleks (not a joke-- there are actual Daleks in this series)-- while building both a reputation as one of the baddest street-level teams around, and a friendship that is nothing short of legendary.    

Danny: “--It’s me! [...] Are you all right?”

Luke: “Just fine now! Bet you’re the one who saved my hide, right?”

Danny: “Well, I, uh, suppose I did.”

Luke: “I knew that you did!”

Power Man and Iron Fist vol. 1 #85 by Denny O’Neil, Keith Pollard, and Christie Scheele

    All good things must come to an end, however, and the first iteration of Luke and Danny’s partnership ends in the most sudden, shocking way possible. In a freak accident, Danny is beaten to death by another superhero, and Luke is blamed for it. 

Tower: “Fact: Iron Fist was pummeled to death by someone with superhuman strength. Fact: the day before the murder you had an argument with Iron Fist. A very loud, very public argument. Fact: Iron Fist’s will names you as sole beneficiary of the Rand fortune. Fact: your P.I. firm, Heroes for Hire, has been going down the drain from the word go. Fact: you’re an ex-con with a reputation for being a hothead. [...] I may not have an airtight case... but I’ve got enough to hang on to you until I do.”

Luke: “What are you pushin’ for, Tower? District Attorney not good enough for you? You runnin’ for mayor or somethin’?! You’re grasping at straws, man. You got nothin’ and you know it. I loved that man.”

Power Man and Iron Fist vol. 1 #125 by James Owsley, Mark Bright, and Bob Sharen

    Luke manages to avoid a prison sentence, but the experience seriously damages his psyche. He has once more been accused of a crime he didn’t commit, thus proving that in the eyes of the world, he’ll always be a morally suspect ex-con-- one capable of murdering someone he thought of as a brother. In the wake of Danny’s death he moves to Chicago, trades in the yellow v-neck and tiara for a more subdued, darker look, and starts a new solo act as a tough mercenary who’s only in it for the money. When it turns out that Danny didn’t actually die, but had been replaced by a shape-shifting sentient plant from K’un-Lun (er, long story...), it takes Luke a little while to sort out his feelings. 

Danny: “Like the ‘in it for bucks’ attitude you throw in everyone’s face? That’s not you. [...] And it also stops anyone from getting too close, eh? Like I did?”

Luke: “Yeah! Don’t you get it? You proved the only one I could ever count on’s me.”

Cage vol. 1 #12 by Marc McLaurin, Dwayne Turner, and Kris Renkewitz

    ...But he and Danny figure things out. 

Luke: “Got your ticket and... all, Fist?”

Danny: “Yeah, Luke. Look, despite all that’s happened-- all that’s changed-- I want you to know, you’re still my best friend. And I’ll always be there.”

Luke: “Me too, man. Me too.”

Cage vol. 1 #13 by Marc McLaurin, Scott Benefiel, and Frank Turner

    Since then they have remained BFFs and de facto brothers, sticking together through several more iterations of Heroes for Hire, Luke’s own personal Avengers team, and everything in between. When Luke and Jessica Jones have a baby, they name her Danielle-- Dani for short.       

Danny: “That’s really nice, guys.”

Jessica: “You’re her family. You know that, right? (Unless you’re really a Skrull, then you can go @##$ yourself.)”

Luke: “And you got matchin’ booties.” 

Jessica: “Man, he’s been waiting to drop that joke on you.” 

New Avengers vol. 1 #34 by Brian Michael Bendis, Leinil Yu, and Dave McCaig

    ...And in that one alternate universe where Danny and Misty’s baby is real (stay tuned for our Danny and Misty post for more on that...), they name her after her uncle Luke. 

Jessica: “Lucy, how does your dad look?”

Lucy: “Daddy, you look beautiful.”

Danny: “Thank you, Lucy. Man, you look so much like your mom. How’d I get so lucky?”

Secret Wars: Secret Love, “Misty and Danny Forever” by Jeremy Whitley and Gurihiru

   As is often the case with people who have spent years in close proximity, they’ve rubbed off on each other-- to the point where they can anticipate each other’s behavior, occasionally finish each other’s sentences, and (possibly most endearingly) have even picked up each other’s slang and speech patterns.

Guy: “What about the explosives?”

Luke: “Fist’s taken care of that.”

Guy: How do you know?”

Luke: “’Cause I know him!”

Power Man and Iron Fist vol. 1 #89 by Denny O’Neil, Denys Cowan, and Christie Scheele

Danny: “All right, mama, you may be bigger, badder and... a few thousand years more powerful than the last dragon I faced... but then I hadn’t mastered the power of the Iron Fist!”

Immortal Weapons #5 by David Lapham, Arturo Lozzi, and June Chung

    Luke and Danny’s newest H4H venture was recently torpedoed by Diamondback, and they’re both currently working through some major changes in their own lives, but their love is stronger than ever. 

Luke: “It’s gonna be okay, brother. I love you.”

Danny: “Love you, too.”

Power Man and Iron Fist vol. 3 #15 by David Walker, Sanford Greene, and Lee Loughridge

    The teasing and baiting of Luke and Danny’s imminent encounter in The Defenders has been relentless-- from Danny worrying about Claire’s unnamed, bullet-riddled friend in Episode 11 of Iron Fist, to Mike Colter and Finn Jones hugging on stage at NYCC last year. In the interviews they’ve done together so far, the two actors have displayed what we consider to be fantastic chemistry, and when questioned about their characters’ relationship in the show, they’ve both indicated a level of care being taken to their interactions that, for us, is a big relief. After all, they can’t rely on viewers having read the comics-- this friendship needs to be built anew in the MCU.   

Finn: "The dynamic between the characters is working really well. Before we started this, because there was such hype around our characters coming together for the first time, there was a worry that it might be too over- sensationalised or too over-written or too over-anticipated. But the way that it’s written and the way that we’re getting on and working together, it feels really natural.”

Mike: "They’re trying to organically allow our characters to get to know each other, without just going, ‘Hey, I like you, you like me, let’s hang out!’”

Source: SFX

    At this point, we know that Luke and Danny will have their all-important bonding fight-- likely not on the building-destroying scale we’d like (see the beginning of the post), but that’s okay. We also know that both characters are starting from different emotional places than when they met in the comics-- with Luke relatively at peace following his acceptance as Harlem’s hero and the end of his prison sentence, and Danny feeling lost and untrusting in the wake of  all his recent betrayals and the disappearance of K’un-Lun. It will be fascinating to see how these altered mindsets impact the development of their relationship in the show. We also have this little tidbit from Finn, which provides some hints as to the source of their initial tension: 

“There's friction there at the beginning, and it's pretty obvious because we come from two different worlds. Luke Cage is from the streets. And he's trying to do good. He cares about community, he cares about lifting the bottom up... whereas Danny comes from a completely different side of New York, one of privilege, power, and money. And so when they come together, they definitely have a clash of ideals which, throughout The Defenders, they are coming to grips with.”

Source: Den of Geek 

    We have to admit to being nervous about this. The class difference is a notable element of Luke and Danny’s friendship, and something that has been a source of misunderstandings in the comics: 

Luke: “Don’t seem fair, somehow... how some folks gotta hustle all their lives just to get by, and others got it made ‘cause they were born rich. Only thing all that hustling ever got me was a term in Seagate Prison-- ‘Little Alcatraz’-- for something I never even did.”

Danny: “Luke, we’re partners now. You’re my best friend. Anything I have is yours... whatever you want. Just name it.”

Luke: “No way! I got little enough as it is without losin’ my self respect, too.”

Danny: “But I didn’t... I only meant...”

Power Man and Iron Fist vol. 1 #56 by Mary Jo Duffy, Trevor Von Eeden, and George Roussos

    Danny’s utter lack of interest in money jarring with Luke’s desire to make a living is a neat thing, and we would love to see it integrated into the show. However... it shouldn’t lead them to actually fight. Unless handled impeccably, that would feel out-of-character and weird. Danny is the most down-to-earth billionaire ever, who lacks the typical mindset of those born rich, and this needs to remain true since it’s a key component of his character. Even if Rand Enterprises had some direct, negative impact on Harlem that were to come to light in The Defenders (which-- hey-- is possible), we can’t imagine a reason why Danny wouldn’t be completely on Luke’s side. 

    But of course, we’ll reserve our judgement until we’ve actually watched the show. For the moment, we can’t wait to finally see this friendship happen. It’s gonna be beautiful.           

Tagged

Maud girl, I love you, but you'll hate me for this ramble😅 A - Ships that you currently like a lot. (They don’t have to be OTPs because not everyone has OTPs.) Friendships, pairings, threesomes, etc. are allowed. Well, I'll go with all of them. For OTP, my biggest are EdWin and Royai (from FMA), Karmanami from Assassination Classroom and NaLu from FT. Friendships... I love GrayLu platonically and RoyxMaes is the best brotp😍 and of course I freaking loooove all friendships from Haikyuu and Akatsuki no Yona... And I love Zen and Mitsuhide's relationship in Akagami no shirayuki-hime and Al and Ed are best bros and the freaking platinocial relationship between Handa and Naru gets me everytime and I should probably gp to the next ask before I ramble more than necessary. B - A pairing–platonic, romantic or sexual–that you initially didn’t consider, but someone changed your mind. Asano x Nakamura... I never even imagined them as a couple... Until I read a perfect fanfiction... And now I ship⛵️⛵️ C - A ship you have never liked and probably never will. I'll be hated.... But EdxRoy (just no, okay?! Mustang's like a dad to Ed!!) and Shirayuki x Obi because Zen😍😍 (I love their friendship tho) D - A pairing you wish you liked but just can’t. Yamaguchi x Yachi because I wnat Yams to be happy... But HinaYachi is love, HinaYachi is life!! E - Have you added anything cracky/hilarious to your fandom? If so, what? Not yet, but I joined FMABigBang so I'll add Ed being an overprotective drama queen (or rather, king) dad, so stay tuned! F - What’s the longest you’ve ever been in a fandom? Hmm... Almost a year in the FT fanfom!!! Happy birthday, I guess? G - Have you ever had an OTP? If so, do you remember your first one? Who was in it? I live for my OTPs! (Which just proved why I'm still single... I have my whole life aheeeaaaad~~) I think one of my first conscious OTPs (in that I knew what that was) was Harry x Hermione and it was shattered to pieces... Damn you, JK Rowling! (I still love you). H - What is your favorite source text for fandom stuff (e.g., TV shows, movies, books, anime, Western animation, etc.)? Hmm... Anime. Because it's lively and you can actually picture the characters miving when reading a fanfic! I agree with manga too... And sometimes books. Movies feel just too real to be placed in cartoons, though. I - Has Tumblr caused you to stop liking any fandoms, if so, which and why? No, but the haters were closed to it. Tho I did stop liking the small Usagi Drop fandom because of the manga spoilers that ruined my experience... To those who want to watch it, take my friendly advice, PLEASE don't read the manga. The anime is the fluffiest thing, so please just watch that. J - Name a fandom you didn’t think about until you saw it all over Tumblr. (You don’t have to care about it or follow it; it just has to be something that Tumblr made you aware of.) Bnha, which is why I started reading it. And Voltron.... I'll watch that soon, too. K - What character has your favorite development arc/the best development arc? Uhm... Well that's a hard one. I absolutely love the subtle and endearing development in Oreki (hyouka) and Haruhi in Ouran, but my favourite has to go to Tsukki for how well-built it was!! Furudate-sensei, I bow im front of you. Also, honrable mention to Karma in Assassination Clasroom. L - Say something genuinely nice about a character who isn’t one of your faves. (Characters you’re neutral about are fair game, as are characters you merely dislike. Characters that you absolutely loathe with the fire of ten thousand suns are exempt, as there is no point in giving yourself an aneurysm over a character that you hate.) I don't especially love oikawa. I admire him a tone, and I have a lot of his quotes forever saved in my phone, and I think he's the best setter of them all (I'm sorry, he has more experience and tehnique than Kags or Asaaahi, tho I agree that they'll become better than him in one year's time). So there: I aknowledge his amazingness altough he isn't my fave. M - Name a character that you’d like to have for a friend. Edward. I want to spend a full day with him and learn how alchemy works (and we'd complain together about how short we are). Also, Haruhi: I feel like she'd give the best advice when I'd need it. N - Name three things you wish you saw more or in your main fandom (or a fandom of choice). My faveourite fandom is FMA: everyone gets love and attention, and there's little to no hate. What I'd like for it is to make it alive again! I mean, there are events and the such, but the manga finished almost 10 years ago, guys! I hope the new live action will bring us back alive. O - Choose a song at random. Which ship or character does it remind you of? Hmm... Well On my Own by Ashes Remain was the first one that popped into my head and it kind of reminds me pf Natsu. He's that character that would always smile, but he's always surpressing his feeling ('I've been stuck in a cage with my doubt/I tried forever getting out on my own') P - Invent a random AU for any fandom (we always need more ideas). Random AU...? Honestly, I'm not the biggest AU fan, but if I had to, I'd choose 'we've been stuck in a traffic jam for two hours and we're bored, let's play cards; hey wait Gray, you're cheeting; no way I'm not!; mira, doing cutesy things won't help you win... Laxus don't give in!!; if Laxus is allied with Mira so is the thunder legion! Then I'm starting one on my own! Erza, I'll join... Great, now we have Wendy on Erza's side... All dragon slayers together! And exceeds! Wait lucy, starting a female club isn't gonna help ya! ...guys? That's not how you play pocker!' AU. Okay, I may like this one in particular. Maybe I'll write it:) Q - A fandom you’ve abandoned and why. I've abandoned the HP fandom. I still like the books, but I kinda grew out of it...? (And into anime😇) R - Which friendship/platonic relationship is your favorite in fandom? Uhm... In which one? If I'm going with FT, my favourite friendship is GrayLu. In FMA, it's a tie... I love Roy/Hughes brotp and Al/Ed brotp. In Haikyuu... Damn they're too many to choose! But I'd say the Karasuno third years: they have such a tight-knit bond!! And in AssClass it would be Karma/Okuda (it's canon in my mind but friendship in the manga). I just love how easygoing they are. Also, I love Karma/Nagisa in the second half. S - Show us an example of your personal headcanon (prompts optional but encouraged) Hmm... There are many. My fetish is seeing people sleep: I think you can tell alot about their inner selfes from the position they use when sleeping and from their habits, because they can't control or put up a façade when it comes to that. So my headcanon is that despite being loud and obnoxious, Natsu actually occupies less space than Lucy when sleeping: he takes a baby-posture, while she lashes all over the bed, sometimes punching him im sleep unintentionately. Natsu learnt to deal with it: he actually likes holding Lucy close to make sure she's safe while sleeping. She doesn't mind, especially not during winter. Oh and they also cuddle with a cup of hot coffee in their hands during the morning. Just an after-thought~~ T - Do you have any hard and fast headcanons that you will die defending? I do! I don't care if you agree or not, but Karma can be sweet, okay? Like he can actually be a good boyfriend (tho maybe a bit possessive). He's the best at telling what's on Okuda's mind and he always buys her toffee when she's feeling down. Oh and also, Riza is a very good mother, always putting her family first. Just letting you know. U - Three favorite characters from three different fandoms, and why they’re your favorites. Yes!! 1)Karma-assassination classroom. He's that one character that believes he's the best, only to get proven that he can be wrong. What's evenbegter is how he has room to develop and grow to be a better person... Plus, it seems I have a thing for evil goofballs. 2)This is a hard one, but Ed/Roy-Fullmetal Alchemist. I abso-freaking-lutely love all the characters in FMA, but these two attracted my attention. Ed because of how he thinks, how he wants to do good deeds in spite of his thorny exterior and how he miserably fails. I love the way he admits his failures and the way he deals with them can be childish (he's 14, for God's sake!) but he learns from them. Also, Roy because even though he went through Ishval, he still dreams of making the world a better place. I can respect a man who doesn't step over the ethics just to achieve that dream and who always bends and avoides hurting others, while never giving up. Maybe it's a dream, but I very much resonate with it. 3) Lucy from FT. She's the one character in Fairy Tail that has enough of a backstory and is weak enough to evolve. Moreover, she's not your typical girl: yes, she cares about how she looks, because she IS an woman, but she also cares about what's on the inside. She cares about her friends more than anything and even without being the strongest mage, still puts herself in danger for them. I love her resolve and her cute side, too. V - Which character do you relate to most? Hmm... Haruhi Fujioka from Ouran Highschool Host Club. Haruhi is the type to do things on her own and she repells the help of others to do her thing, which I also tend to do. Also, she shoulders a lot of her worries by herself. Plus, she never judges people on appearance and doesn't care about her own (being a girl, that's rare and helps me relate all the more). I just love her😍 (and sometimes am compared to her by my friends). W - A trope which you are virtually certain to hate in any fandom. Whiny female protagonist. I'm not a feminist or anything, but I've had enough of that! Yes, we all want a prince charming, but we can carry ourselves, thank you very much. X - A trope which you are almost certain to love in any fandom. Someone pursuing their dreams. Also, I love genre deconstructions (browny points if it's comedic). Y - What are your secondhand fandoms (i.e., fandoms you aren’t in personally but are tangentially familiar with because your friends/people on your dash are in them)? Voltron and Yuri on Ice (I feel like I've watched this shows even though I haven't). Z - Just ramble about something fan-related, go go go! (Prompts optional but encouraged.) Don't tempt me, I will! ( I kinda have this whole post tho) Okay so I'll rant about FMA because I feel it doesn't get all he love it deserves!!! (And because I refrained from fangirling on it up to now) And since we're talking FMA, let's talk Roy Mustang (you knew this would come). Roy is just one of those very strong people that are actually just goofballs on the interior and need love. Seriously, let's take a look at what this guy went through, ok? He's an orphan, but he never complains and learnt to love his cousins (sisters) and aunt (mom). He was taught by a pretty crazy (very talented, but Hawkeye did have a screw loose for inscripting a tatoo on Riza's back and you can't convince me otherwise) alchemist, and yet he managed to become the next flame alchemy. Despite being told not to, he joined the military with a childish dream and even after learning of the harsh reality in the Ishval war, he still went on believing that he can make the country a better place. Yet he's not perfect: he can lose his temper when it comes to those he loves (Mustang being killed) and he doesn't want any more people to die. He cheerisbes his team and wants to keep them all safe. He can be a cheapskate and also a bit of an annoying guy with Ed, and he can be obnoxious, yet funny as hell (tiny miniskirts!!!) Above all, Mustang feels HUMAN! Yes, he puts up a great act, but it's an *act*. He has a more sensitive side and you better not mess with it, or he'll burn you to ashes. This concludes the short version of my Roy Mustang appeciation post. Also, I have some headcanons about him being best dad (and his child being a daddy's girl/boy because of it) and of being a pretty intimidating Führer. This concludes my post. @bookstvseriesandanimes and @paperrabbit13 know what I'm talking about😅 And I tag @bookstvseriesandanimes @paperrabbit13 @shoujoinsights @candyforever123 @funnyshoujomoments and whoever else feels up to it:)

Layton Brothers: Devil’s Child (10): Chapter 9: It’s Finally Over

Word Count: 1756

Time- 12:46 p.m.

"I can't get him to talk, Al," Hilda sighed, "He says he'll only talk to either you or Lucy."

"Very well," Alfendi responded, getting up with a grunt.

He entered the interrogation room. Lucius let out a short, dark chuckle.

"Well, well, look who it is~" he said.

"Hush," Alfendi responded, "You were the one who wanted to see me."

"Oh, of course!" Lucius leaned in, "Because I know you're just dying of questions~"

"Then I guess I should start with my main one: Why would-Why did- you abuse your children?"

"Because God willed it so! The triplets are Demons, and no child of mine, toddler or grown, were going to stand up for them."

Alfendi restrained himself from socking Lucius in the face and continued.

"How many children would you say you tortured?"

"Oh, hundreds, perhaps even thousands! There were a point in time where they all made their own little club and pretty much tortured each other. I believe the brother of Angelo Fassi, Francisco, were the leader!"

"Angelo Fassi? Of the Agonni family? The mafia gang?"

Lucius grinned, "I see you know of them. I believe it was Barbarossa who were an old friend of mine, before he started killing. How is he?"

"Dead. So is Angelo. Not by our hands, mind you."

Lucius remained silent at this information. Finally, in a quite, mournful voice, he spoke.

"There were times..." he said.

"Times where what?" Alfendi raised an eyebrow.

"Times where I doubted my actions. You said it yourself: I tortured children, and I confirmed it by saying hundreds and thousands. There were moments where I wondered: 'Is this really right?' 'Is this what God wants me to do?'. I always tried to back it up and tell myself 'Yes! If it weren't, I wouldn't be hearing the voice of God in the first place!"

The room, again became silent. It stayed that way for a while, Lucius staring off into the distance with glazed eyes. He suddenly put his hand on Alfendi's and patted it.

"Layton, promise me this-"

"Why should I keep promises to someone who took advantage of an inspector?" Potty snarled, quickly retracting his hand.

"Let me finish, dear boy. Promise me you'll take care of her. All three of her."

Alfendi's eyes widened a bit. Slowly, he nodded.

"I will, Mr. Baker."

And it ended there. No goodbyes, no tears, just Alfendi walking out of the interrogation room, leaving Lucius inside.

"Well?" Hilda asked, "Any luck?"

"Yes," Alfendi responded, "But I can't decide whether he should be placed in jail or in a mental hospital. I'm thinking he might have schizophrenia; he's talking about a voice he heard, and he thinks it's God talking to him."

Lucy suddenly came into the room.

"Prof!" she shouted, promptly smacking him in the shoulder with something red before shoving it in his face, " Ya never told me Strawberry were down there!"

Alfendi had completely forgotten that Lucifer had grabbed the little stuffed bear on the way up. He supposed Lucifer had also forgotten he had it if Lucille was hearing about it just now. Lucille didn't bother listening to Alfendi's response as she tightly hugged the toy close to her, the giddy joy of a child coursing through her.

There was a tapping sound, and the trio looked to see Lucius at the interrogation room window. Having their attention, he pulled something small out of his suit pocket.

It was a bag, tied with a singular red satin ribbon. Untying it, he pulled out something red and semicircular.

It was an ear to a stuffed toy.

"Lucille... Are you looking for this?" He said from behind the glass, "Are the others looking for their parts too?"

Alfendi and Hilda looked back at Lucille to see that her originally joyful attitude had been replaced with a ghostly pale face and tears in the corners of her eyes. She reached her hands out, then retracted them quickly, fighting with herself over whether or not she should get close to her father.

"It's alright, dear. I won't pull anything," Lucius looked to the side before angrily saying, "No! I'm sorry, Lord, but not now, of all times!"

"Mental hospital." Both Hilda and Alfendi said before the latter went to get the bag from Lucius. Once retrieved, he peeked inside.

A chocolate brown tail, a white leg with blue patches, and a leg as red as Potty's hair.

They were the pieces that were missing from the Bakers' stuffed toys.

Lucille came over to Alfendi and shyly reached for the ear. Alfendi chuckled and handed it to his assistant.

"Is... Is 'e goin' away now?" Lucille suddenly asked, clutching the ear close to her heart, "Y-Ya know... f-for good?"

Alfendi smiled before leaning down to softly kiss her.

"Yes Lucille. He'll be gone."

Blaine suddenly came speeding down the hall. Alfendi knitted his eyebrows.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

Blaine looked at him and sighed.

"Off to do community service and a slight demotion for my actions," he said, earning a surprised raised eyebrow from Alfendi. "I was quite surprised myself and told Commissioner Barton that he's much too generous sometimes."

And with that he was gone. Lucille looked at Alfendi.

"'e's still gonna work 'ere?" she asked. Alfendi sighed and shook his head in shame.

"I believe so. What he did was somewhat intentional, but all the same he was sort of tricked into doing it."

They went down to the Mystery Room. Suddenly, Lou spoke.

"So what's th' verdict?" Loopy asked.

"Mental hospital for your dad, we just have to file some papers for him, and community service and a demotion for Dartwright." Alfendi answered. Loopy clicked her tongue in annoyance.

"Tha's all? I'm 'appy wiv Beelzedad's punishment, but a li'le disappointed that Shitwright gets nowt more but a slap ont' wrist!"

"You'll find that the Commissioner is very generous. Blame my father a bit will you?"

Loopy stomped her foot and comically shook her fist at the sky, "CURSE YA, 'OT STUFF'S DAD!" she shouted, causing Potty to double over and laugh like a hyena.

"Eh now, Red!" Loopy suddenly exclaimed using her little nickname (she called Placid Wine), "Wot say you tha' after we do those pappers, we 'ead on down to th' joint tha' Lucille works at for a sarnie or summat?"

Placid returned, tears in his eyes, "O-Ohohoh, does- does Lucille work as a- a waitress?" he asked between laughs. Loopy nodded her head.

"Aye! El Café de Mamá; a real cute Spanish cafe whose sarnies are th' absolute best!" Loopy gave her mentor a wide, toothy grin, "An' I 'ope ya don't mind me draggin' along ma siblin's!"

"Not at all, Loopy. But on that note, we really should complete those papers."

Soon after this was said, they approached the Mystery Room door, which, as always since she started working at Scotland Yard, Loopy wanted to bust open. Denying her permission, Alfendi promptly unlocked the door.

As they were signing and filing papers, Loopy remembered something.

"Oh! Lucille told me an' Longstockin' tha' you fenced wiv ma pops! Now where'd a sexy rat noodle like you learn to fence?" she asked.

Alfendi restrained himself from laughing at Lily's quirky flirt, "Oh several of my family members fence, it was only natural that I fence as well."

"Go on! Who fences in your family?"

"My sisters, Flora and Katrielle, but not Fauna, my father, my uncle, Desmond Sycamore, and my aunt."

"Eh?" Loopy raised an eyebrow, "Sycamore, the archaeologist? Funny! 'e seemed like your uncle to me, dunno why. Didn't know ya 'ad an aunt though!"

"Ah, yes, well, she's seldom spoken of. As far as I know, she's entering her... mid 50s or 60s now. And still kicking!"

"Hmm... D'ya know where she is now?" Loopy asked, signing her last paper. Alfendi sighed, finishing as well.

"No... She visited me in my coma for about a week before having to leave for some assignment."

"Wait- She valued summat for work more than 'er own nephew!?"

"I'm unsure. My sisters thought the same, however. They were furious, but my father and uncle seemed to understand at a moments notice. None of us really learned what she went to do."

He sighed again before standing up.

"But enough of that! Seeing as we're both finished, let's set off! I'm interested in seeing Lucille's workplace."

So they left, Loopy skipping up and down the hall. She turned to Alfendi.

"Quickie li'le note: after lunch we should stop by my house. My mum baked 'er cherry pie cake tha' she used to make me, an' th' Yuferivers sent me their monthly treat: Daddy Remimbur's pate choux!"

Alfendi laughed and nodded, "Alright! Sounds like a plan for the evening!"

And the plans ensued. The duo ate with the Bakers and Fauna at the cafe, later treating themselves to Mrs. Barde's cake and Remimbur's pate choux, which Alfendi enjoyed quite a lot (Lou, get your mom and foster dad to give me their fucking recipes please these are so fucking goddamn good~)

After lunch, they began heading back to the Yard. And as they approached the doors, a train carrying a woman came along.

--At Kings Cross Station--

The woman stepped off the train, stone in hand. She was on the phone with an old friend.

"I know, I know, it was inconsiderate of me." she spoke. She listened as the voice answered. "Yes, I know, I was here. I watched him hold onto his life for a week."

She was outside the station. The voice was yelling at her.

"You don't understand," she said irritablely, "I had to leave! If officials got their hands on it, they'd try and use it! And I know I've told you what will happen if it's misused. It has to be used by them."

She was silent as the voice continued. It said something to make her grimace slightly.

"Cover story? Hmm... I'll make up something. You know I always do. It'll hopefully explain my whole, 'I gotta go' in the middle of my nephew's coma. Anyway, I'm in London, so I'll hang up."

And doing just that, she removed her hat and glasses, her curly white hair shining in the light.

"Well now... Alfendi and Katrielle... I heard you've created great careers for yourselves." she glanced at the palm sized stone she had retrieved, "But..."

"I wonder if you'll be able to handle the secrets I kept from your poor souls."