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thepringlesofblood · 1 year

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Dimension 20′s Neverafter FPE (Fairytales Per Episode)

im going out of my fuckin gourd on this neverafter shit, and i have decided to make a list of what and how many fairytales/nursery rhymes are introduced in each episode. will update as time goes on but i make no promises as to how frequently. theories are not included in totals. allusions/references are.

disclaimer: i am coming at this from a primarily american, english-speaking, culturally christian background, though I have studied a lot of ancient mediterranean myth and religion, a little bit of norse myth and religion, and a little bit of arthurian legend.

please let me know if there’s a reference to something I missed or if you know shit I don’t. i’ve decided that for our purposes, whether a reference/allusion is intentional or not doesn’t factor into our final count - unintentional/ambiguously intentional allusions/references count too, not just obvious ones.

(especially about mythical middle eastern spiders. I only know anansi & arachne, and have a passing familiarity with jorogumo & ye xian, and none of those are middle eastern or fit the situation.)

update: the show is finished! I won’t be taking my various theories off, i think it adds flavor. just remember as you’re going down that I was updating this weekly-ish. I’m going to do another post in the future that is Just The Numbers, but for now, enjoy my rambling! [updatier update: here’s the Just The Numbers post]

Ep. 1

The PCs (and their backstories)

Mother Goose (+1)

Hubbard (old mother Hubbard who lived in a cupboard) (+1)

Jack

jumped over the Candlestick (+1)

(implied) and the Beanstalk (bc of the giants everywhere) (+1)

theory: Sprat? (the rhyme goes “Jack sprat could eat no fat his wife could eat no lean/and so between them both, you see they licked the platter clean.” not directly mentioned but that was my first thought upon the whole turning to bones thing that like all the fat was removed from his body or smthin)

Ylfa (Little Red Riding Hood) (+1)

there are 2 wolves inside you. you are 12.

the big bad wolf is mentioned in the context of 2 stories, the 3 little pigs and little red riding hood, so (+1) for the pigs

Pib (Puss in Boots) (+1)

Pinocchio (+1)

Cinderella (stepmother’s official art says “Cinderella...” at the bottom) (+1)

theory: “The second fairy you have met in your life” so also a character in smthin else probably since cindy’s stepmom isnt usually magical

update: maybe the whole cannibalism thing made her magical? who’s to say

updatier update (post ep 7): so it turns out that the evil fairy =/= the stepmother, but is the evil fairy from sleeping beauty. i was right about the stepmother being in multiple different stories but boy howdy do i wish I wasn’t.

Rosamund (sleeping beauty/briar rose) (+1)

Gerard (the princess and the frog) (+1)

Snow queen (mentioned by Elody) (+1)

the rest of the episode

the little red hen (+1)

i fuckin love this one.

the story’s basic but good - she’s makin some bread and at every step asks for help from the other barnyard creatures and they’re all like hmm nahhhhh and then when it comes time to eat the bread they’re all like yes please lemme help w that and she’s like uh no, where was this energy when i was making the damn thing? and eats it ‘without any help at all’

so brennan doing her as like ‘u gotta help or you don’t eat’ is fantastic. 10/10

Ol king Cole (+1)

The little old lady who lived in a shoe (+1)

(alluded to) Alice n Wonderland (rabbit and teapot) (+1)

theory: “the chandling caravan” sounds like it should be something, but I don’t know what it is, and google has not been helpful. same w boffit, lord bandlebridge, and cressida lumley.

total tale count: 16

Ep. 2

The nutcracker (+1) (herr drosselmeyer is the weird uncle who gives clara the nutcracker. also in every ballet his drip is consistently immaculate)

Snow White (+1) (mirror mirror…..leaned up against the wall)

(alluded to) Beauty n the beast (furniture coming alive) (+1)

theory: Eidelgrin means something, but I don’t know what it is.

total tale count: 3

Ep. 3

.........nothing new to report

Ep 4

the fairy with the turquoise hair (aka the blue fairy) is actually not exclusive to Pinocchio - she has her own book n everything. (+1)

(alluded to) the little mermaid (+1)

“a dancing princess who either cannot or will not speak near a beach.”

the little mermaid trades her voice for legs and in the OG grimm story it feels like stepping on swords whenever she walks so she kind of “dances” (rip)

there’s. So many rabbit and fox tricksters. And other clever cats. I don’t think any were directly mentioned (except that Pinocchio has some in his many adventures, which isn’t a new tale) so I’m gonna say (+1) for rabbit and (+1) for fox.

Update: a reply to this post mentioned a character named Reynard the Fox from medieval French literature that might be the reason that the Fox speaks with a French accent. I found more support for this theory below!

“Isengrim”

this is the name of the daggers Pib gets. Rabbit mentions that it’s a name that Fox called the Wolf.

In fact, there’s a tale called Ysengrimus from 1152 CE where Reynard the Fox tricks the titular character, a wolf! So, there’s one Fox story confirmed. No additional points since Fox already had 1 point, this is more confirming the specific story he was inspired by.

theory: also, if we know the accents Mean Something, then Rabbit having a British accent might point to Peter Rabbit.

update: i have noticed several posts calling Rabbit’s accent Australian. it can be hard for me to tell the difference and idk if the general European bent of these tales means that brennan’s British just sounds kind of Australian or if it Means Something. I’m sure there’s Australian trickster rabbits too i just don’t know them

no fuckin clue where the ring came from tho :/

the golden goose (another Jack/Mother Goose tale not specifically mentioned before) (+1)

plus the beanstalk thing is talked about more (not new info though)

total tale count: 5

Ep. 5

hey diddle diddle (+1) (the dish ran away with the spoon + the cow jumping over the moon are from this same rhyme)

also anyone catch brennan mentioning fiddle music as tim was healing pib? ik it was king cole related music, but also...hey diddle diddle, the cat and the fiddle.

itsy bitsy spider (+1)

(alluded to) little miss muffet (+1) (tuffeton)

(alluded to) goldilocks (+1) (”just enough” oats)

1001 nights (+1) (scheherazade is the author of these tales, as well as a myth in her own right. I have not read 1001 nights. please tell me things if you know them)

“spider queen” (+1) idk what it is but its fuckin something

identifying information: guardian of a cave/maze. supposedly has a throne. 1001 nights-adjacent.

theories:

“the spider and the wind” tale 909 of 1001, spider isn’t in this one that much actually

not all folktales in the neverafter are in mother goose’ book, so it stands to reason that not all folktales in the Endless Nights are in 1001 nights.

however, all the folktales in the neverafter are European in origin (mostly medieval), so it would make sense that the folktales in the endless nights would be middle eastern or adjacent

ye xian - chinese folktale where there’s a spider queen

“that’s east asia not arabia” fair but consider: in the older translations, aladdin is a chinese peasant. the world of 1001 nights is already bigger than arabia, and stories travel much more easily than the goods being traded across asia and the mediterranean on the silk road at the time the stories were written.

jorogumo - japanese yokai. a spider that turns into a woman. again, extremely far away from arabia, but girl i am looking.

cave of thawr - islamic oral tradition of muhammed hiding in a cave and a spider protects him. there’s a similar jewish tale w david hiding in a cave.

unlikely, but if there’s beautiful tapestries and the mother of all spiders i have to mention my girl Arachne (greek myth)

all time famous mythical spider anansi (west africa) still doesn’t really fit the bill, and is farther away from arabia than arachne (greece, which had colonies in the middle east (along the mediterranean shore but still. water = trade = exchange of goods = exchange of ideas/stories)) but still possible

yes i got a degree in ancient mediterranean studies and am using it to ruthlessly analyze a comedy show instead of sleeping, what about it?

sinbad (+1) “Sinbad the Sailor” (the roc is part of this as far as i can tell)

magical palace w the tapestries of starlight (+1) there’s a fuckload of magic palaces in 1001 nights. idk which one this refers to but it’s Something. am currently combing the stories more closely to specify at least one.

theories

the bartender with the icy wound is definitely someone. my gut says someone from the snow queen - people get icy mirrors in their eyes n shit in there and oftentimes straight up don’t get better

the peddler of wares in the corner has to be someone

the name of the tavern being “the cock and toad” has to mean something. i did some googling. there’s lots of fairytales w toads and lots of fairytales w cocks (lol) but none I could find where it’s just the two of them together. it’s weird, w a lot of fairytales/fables/nursery rhymes its like rolling 2d8 on a table of 8 animals and then just making the title out of the two animals you get. statistically its likely that there’s a story out there called that but I can’t find it.

the fucking spidersilk ring. i will solve this riddle one day.

they say the name “Aesop” as in “Aesop’s fables” (like the tortoise and the hare) but no tales mentioned yet. worth looking into if you’re the curious sort tho. Pib is going to fuck this guy up, his stories are very animal-centric and definitely have some trickster cats.

total tale count: 8

Ep. 6

No new tales - expands on ones already mentioned.

It’s just Muffet and whoever Scheherazade’s spider is

at least we find out that the “spider queen” referred to the monstrous form of muffet and Scheherazade’s spider combined, and not some new wholly separate myth.

Scheherazade’s spider seemed a little...riddly? for lack of a better term? like the whole “something that does not breathe” thing was weird, and if it’s supposed to be a guardian or guide of some sort, riddles make sense.

honorable mention: In the adventuring party episode, brennan tells the fable of the scorpion and the frog.

total tale count: 0

Ep 7

many theories with little knowledge.

In the adventuring party, brennan straight up says that the sword of truth is a general archetype, not from any specific tale. didn’t know that was an option! so no points for the sword of truth, dope as it is.

p.s. anyone else get flashbacks to fhsy with the whole truth mirror thing? it’s a good concept I’m glad brennan’s bringing it back

I am assuming each artifact found in the spider’s lair either comes from a separate tale, or is an archetype. I’m only counting it if I can pin down a specific tale that it is from.

the gillesuit/haystack cloak (+1)

update: As of Ep. 9, we now know that this is called “the cloak of rushes” and grants advantage on stealth checks. it is almost certainly from the English fairy tale “Cap-o’-Rushes” which, confusingly, features not just a cap but a whole outfit made of rushes!

my first thought was little boy blue, which does come from the tales of mother goose. this makes more sense tho lol

the golden bridle (+1)

some cursory googling indicates that this is from the celtic tale of Guleesh. one night, upon hearing the Fair Folk partying in some ruins (had to look up what a “rath” was lol) and saying “My horse, my bridle, my saddle!”, he repeats what they’re saying and is suddenly on a horse with a golden bridle. the story isn’t about the bridle itself, but the horses feature prominently, and can fly and stuff. When Guleesh kind of breaks the magic, the horse turns into a wooden beam, so maybe putting the bridle on a wooden beam summons a horse?

update: in ep 13 & 14 (& the adventuring parties) they mention that a. it does not summon a steed - you need to already have a steed there, and b. it would only work on a beast, not a monstrosity.

so.......maybe it’s not the one from the tale of Guleesh. I remain optimistic.

the golden chair (+1)

an obscure one, to be sure. from a grimm fairytale with a weirdly christian bent, where a tailor convinces st peter to let him into heaven but then sits in a big golden chair which as it turns out is the chair god sits in, and fucks up by throwing the footstool at some lady on earth washing veils (?) and gets kicked out again.

it is very possible that this was not an intentional allusion, but rather meant to evoke a fairytale-like atmosphere. either way, mission accomplished!

honorable mention: mayor harold hopps, while not a fairytale character himself, looks exactly like and was apparently inspired by the guy on the Pringles can, who is 100% a modern-day folkloric character.

theories:

the black velvet cloak with stars on it

idk where this is from. the only story I could find w a cursory google that had star clothing was Allerleirauh aka Thousandfurs, about a princess whose dad who wants to marry her (gross) so she asks for a bunch of impossible stuff to be made before the wedding can happen to try and stop it, including a dress made of stars (and one made of every kind of fur in the world hence the title). but it’s not a cloak so no points.

i s2g i have heard of something called ‘the cloak of stars’ before but I can’t fucking find it. pls lmk if you can think of something

update: ep 9 - they ALMOST told us what it was fuck, they mentioned wearing it to escape from the stepmother but we have no name. also the ‘cap-o’-rushes’ tale is extremely similar to thousandfurs minus the incest, so I don’t think it’s from that.

the stick skeletons w/ flesh on them were minions of the evil fairy from sleeping beauty - not a new tale

total tale count: 3

Ep 8

correction: brennan mentioned in the adventuring party for this one that aesop himself may also be fictional, and that many fables contain him telling the fable as part of it, so we’ll officially count him as his own fable like we did with Scheherazade (+1)

the lion and the mouse (+1)

the boy who cried wolf (+1)

they did finally mention the scorpion and the frog (+1)

alphonse is there but “the mule” isn’t actually referenced as being part of any of aesop’s fables in the show (like, there’s plenty of mules in aesop’s fables but no specific one was referenced in the show)

total tale count: 4

Ep 9

BABA YAGA BABA YAGA BABA YAGA BABAYAGABABAYAGA!!!!!! (+1)

i love her so much. i truly understood emily’s excitement this episode.

(alluded to) the princess and the pea (+1)

first time around I didn’t hear siobhan ask if anyone sees any stacks of mattresses without peas under them to sleep on lol

(alluded to) this little piggy went to market (+1)

idk if that’s the name of the rhyme or not, or if it has a name

it’s not in the captions but emily axford saying ‘well there has to be a market, right? cause this little piggy went to market’ is iconic

some sources say this rhyme is from Mother Goose lol

total tale count: 3

Ep 10

(alluded to) peter and the wolf (+1)

the baron’s named peter and there’s a wolf. that cant be a coincidence, the 3 little pigs don’t have set names

mostly retreading 3 little pigs territory. awesome battle set!

theories:

the soup could be an allusion to something but i think its just playing into this season’s theme of consumption and the end of the 3 little pigs

the council of kings might be from something

total tale count: 1

Ep 11

we get 5 kings from 5 tales on the Council of Kings (which seems diegetic and not a reference to anything), 3 of which we already knew, 2 which are new.

the little mermaid (the mer-king)

the snow queen (the tsar of snowhold)

the nutcracker (the mouse king)

the emperor’s new clothes (the naked emperor) (+1)

rumpelstiltskin (FINALLY) (the king of apogee) (+1)

Koschei the deathless (+1)

i had no fucking clue who this guy was until emily axford recognized him, thank you emily

at first I was scared the sealskin would be a selkie thing. it may still be, but that doesn’t appear to be the case in this specific situation

(alluded to) the binding of Fenrir, the wolf at the end of the world (+1)

there’s a norse myth where tyr (a god) puts his hand in fenrir’s mouth to show good faith. the gods want to put this magical leash/collar on fenrir, and since he’s not an idiot he says that he’ll consent to it only if tyr puts a hand in his mouth while they do it, to show that what they’re doing will not hurt or bind him in any way. the gods agree, but oops they lied, the chains are very much to bind him, and tyr loses his hand but the wolf is still bound.

but ylfa and mother goose are telling the truth! happy ending (for once lol) ^v^

I didn’t catch this one at first - thank you to the many posts about it in the #neverafter tag!

honorable mention

sheldon from ‘garfield and friends’

theories

the tavern-keeper (Natalia) doesn’t stand out to me as anyone specific so far, though her daughter is the second “snow-touched” person we’ve met (the bartender at the cock and toad had an icy wound over one eye) so im thinkin snow queen

there’s dwarves in other stories than snow white I’m sure, but these ones specifically say “snow white” on their intro card.

also, their names, Mürrisch, Schläfrig, & Arzt, mean grumpy, sleepy, and doctor in German. Grumpy, Sleepy, and Doc are all disney snow white dwarf names. nice.

another infuriating mention of the cloak of stars without any indication of what it does. I’m going to spontaneously combust.

one thing i do appreciate is the amount of taverns they run into. this is the third and i am very pro

total tale count: 4

Ep. 12

so many princesses!!!!! most of them already counted but still!!!

Rapunzel!!!!! (+1)

The North Wind (+1)

my classics major ass immediately assumed they were talking about Boreas, the Greek god of the northern wind lol

from what I can tell, this is from "East of the Sun and West of the Moon"

i’m sure The North Wind is from other things too, everybody loves personifying the wind

honorable mentions

Beast!!!!! i already counted the tale early on as a reference but it’s here fr now!!!!

Finally meeting the little mermaid!!! Also counted early on but this is her first appearance!

“the beast beyond no name” that Mira mentions in combination w the taut string that Pinocchio feels that means part of his story is happening soon whether he likes it or not makes me think it’s Terrible Dogfish time. But. I also think that it could be the literal Kraken.

there’s so many monsters in folklore that are just “really big scary fish thing that lives at the bottom of the ocean yet somehow also wrecks ships on the surface” i just don’t know which one brennan’s going for. my money’s on either Pinocchio’s Dogfish or The Kraken

Candlewick! jesus fucking christ! every time a bit of Pinocchio lore shows up, it’s already horrifying just from the whole story of Pinocchio being horrifying, but then Brennan leans into it in just the right way for it to be so much worse!

in the adventuring party, they mention several other tales, including the tortoise and the hare and the little matchgirl. they also (rightfully) dunk on Hans Christian Andersen for writing ludicrously depressing children’s stories.

total tale count: 2

Ep. 13

no new tales, dogfish, mer-king, & sea witch are from existing tales, but

CLOAK OF STARS LORE CONFIRMED

WE NOW KNOW THE CLOAK OF STARS IS CAPABLE OF CASTING 5TH LEVEL MAGIC MISSILE

THIS DOES NOTHING TO NARROW THINGS DOWN! BUT IT’S SOMETHING!!!!

also MANY tantalizing mentions of the golden bridle with 0 hints as to its capabilities.

total tale count: 0

Ep. 14

the sea witch is named Alba Mac Lír

several allusions here!

thank you @twoeelsforsupper for this observation!

“there is a legend called "the children of Lír" where a witch/stepmother turns King Lír's children into swans but does not take their voices, which ends up getting her found out. like the threads about voices and witches and stepmothers and transformations???”

“Alba” can mean several things

it’s the Scottish Gaelic name for Scotland (this is probably what was being referenced)

in Latin, it’s the feminine nominative singular of the adjective albus, meaning “white”

in Spanish and Italian, it means “sunrise”

In Scottish Gaelic, “Mac” means “son of” so we have “Scotland, son of Lír”

good for her

also, if she’s one of the children of Lír, does that mean she’s one of the ones that got turned into swans?? much to consider.

so, plus one for the legend of the children of Lír! (+1)

FINALLY (finally) we get full cloak of stars lore.

its a fucking dnd 5e item. all this time and it’s legit just a reskin of Robe of Stars

it can take them to the lines between and shoot magic missile

i don’t know why i’m mad

total: 1

Ep. 15

yikes

no new tales, unless you count Clara The Horse Princess (she is not from anything as far as I can tell but I love her. also like Clara is the name of the nutcracker main character but we already counted the nutcracker so it wouldn’t be anything either)

total: 0

Ep. 16

thumbelina! (+1)

tom thumb! (+1)

I thought they were from the same thing but it turns out they have different origins, though there was a 2002 movie that had them be in the same movie.

tom thumb - English folklore, there was a 1621 book called The History of Tom Thumb

thumbelina - hans christian anderson tale from 1835, in the second volume of his Fairy Tales Told For Children series.

turns out he was actually inspired by Tom Thumb a bit, so it’s not convergent evolution or anything.

ngl - I mostly know the story of thumbelina from hearing julia from drawfee rant about how shitty of a movie it is in various streams/videos lol

all the jack stuff is stuff we’ve seen before - golden goose, giantslayer, nimble

UPDATE: in ep 17 adventuring party, brennan talks a bit about the multiplicity of jacks, and clarifies that there are TWO separate giantslayer myths.

Jack the Giant Killer - a Welsh fairytale about a warrior named Jack who fights a bunch of giants with a huge club and wins

Jack and the Beanstalk - an English fairytale about a young boy who accidentally grows a beanstalk to the Giant World and only “kills” the giant at the end by cutting the beanstalk down, leaving the giant to fall to his (their?) death.

So, while we’ve already counted Jack and the Beanstalk, this episode does introduce a new variation on Jack - Jack the Giant Killer. (+1)

henry hubbard is BACK!!!!! yes!!!!!

and tomás!!! and A L P H O N S E

I am v psyched for what comes next.

honorable mentions:

these aren’t explicitly Liliputians, but they do talk about gulliver in the adventuring party. I don’t think they talk about him in the actual show though.

total: 3

Ep. 17

holy shit. so many right off the bat, with brennan and siobhan going through a list of c-list folktales!

Fear Not (+1)

another grimm fairytale - not their finest work i see why this guy would be c-list lol

the brave little tailor (+1)

aka “the guy who kills a bunch of flies with his belt”

this is a for-real grimm fairytale about a guy who kills 7 flies at once, is very proud of it, makes a belt that says “Seven at One Blow” on it, and then goes out into the world and has his shit wrecked from various people misinterpreting what “Seven at One Blow” means

it’s hilarious

another jack tale!! Jack and Jill! (+1)

three blind mice (+1)

honorable mentions:

Henry talks about reuniting a clockwork man with a man in an eyepatch

this is all consistent with the Herr Drosselmeyer lore from all the way back in the first episodes of the show! We already counted him, so no new points, but still very cool!

also cool how brennan combined shoeberg w giant-slaying bc i mean how did they get all those ludicrously big shoes?

the golden goose shows Timothy all the versions of his story where they are one and the same. I’m not counting this as her showing him a new, separate fairytale, since it just overlaps two tales that we already have counted. also, I cried, that was a really intense part of the episode.

in the adventuring party they talk a lot about Narnia and “The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.”

ik those aren’t exactly ye olde english fairytales, since they came out in 1950, but if Aslan wandered into the neverafter I’d count him for sure

we learn what the harp does!

the harp’s power is consistent with the jack and the beanstalk myth, but it also reminded me of several other myths about lulling beasts to sleep

e.g. Hermes of Greek mythology fame (and supposedly the inventor of the lyre) also killed the giant Argus after lulling half of his eyes to sleep with the lyre and boring the other half to sleep with various tales of his exploits. (Argus’ big thing was having a bunch of eyes all over his body)

lulling a beast to sleep is a common theme across cultures, makes sense that it’s the kind of archetype useful for the gang.

it’s very possible that some aspect of how baba yaga’s cottage was described alludes to some other Slavic folklore that I didn’t pick up on

total: 4

Ep 18

“The Wishing Star” (+1)

fuck disney for making it impossible to find real fairytales about wishing stars on google

there are many tales/nursery rhymes about wishing on stars. “star light, star bright” is the first that comes to mind, but I’m sure there’s others. we’ll count this as a multi-tale figure and give it +1

honorable mentions

so. The Trials of Baba Yaga could refer to several things.

The Tale about Baba-Yaga is a 18th c. folk story where Baba Yaga has one normal human son (???) who marries a normal human woman, who then has to prove herself by doing seemingly normal chores (milk the cows, shear the sheep) that she then finds out from her husband are secretly meant to kill her (the cows are bears, the sheep are wolves).

(aka a fucked up slavic version of the tale of eros and psyche.)

(not that eros and psyche isn’t fucked up, just in a different way)

There is a 2017 book called “Winston and Baum and the Trials of the Baba Yaga” I do not think this is what was being referenced, and as it is modern and not a folk story, I’m not counting it.

other stuff I can find about Baba Yaga also includes stepdaughters having to do chores with secret meanings - it’s a part of her Thing

I’m including this under the general Baba Yaga mythos, not as its own thing, but still cool stuff to know about.

Prince Johnathan of Apogee (that’s how the subtitles spell it)

so. wayyyy back in episode 11 we find out that the kingdom of apogee is where Rumplestiltskin happened.

I think that’s all the Apogee info we have, and with a name as vague as Johnathan I don’t think we can call it a reference to anything.

We got Mother Goose’s OG rhyme!!!

not a new story but very cool!!!

there’s more but I think they stopped at a good place

fun fact: I found an extra verse that isn’t in the one linked above

“Then old Mother Goose/that instant came in/and turned her son Jack/into famed Harlequin/She then with her wand/touched the lady so fine/and turned her at once/into sweet Columbine”

and then they go on with the rest of the book like that bit never happened

other fun mother goose shit

i thought that littlefinger and “chaos is a ladder” were fairytale quotes but they’re from game of thrones it turns out. ._.

total: 1

Ep 19

no new tales (it’s the finale pt 1) but several honorable mentions

“As you wish”

cinderella girl you are KILLING ME

for those not in the know, this is an allusion to The Princess Bride

in the context of the book & movie, it means “I love you”

could be unintentional but i highly doubt it.

the book is too recent to count as fairytale for our purposes (1973) but it is very much in that genre. god damn.

la bête saying “be our guest” alludes to the disney beauty and the beast movie obvs

“Something wicked this way comes”

quote from Macbeth, by Shakespeare

I don’t think Shakespeare counts as fairytales. idk the vibes are just off. ik it’s an Old Story but it isn’t a fairytale.

total: 0

Ep 20

this is it gang!

The Fairies

so in the 1880s, Andrew Lang wrote a series of fairytale books named after fairies of various colors. I’m counting each fairy who has a book named after them as a new tale.

EXCEPT: the Blue Fairy

ok look i fucked up yall. The Fairy With Turquoise Hair is re-named “The Blue Fairy” in a lot of adaptations, so when I previously counted her separately from Pinocchio bc she had her own book, I was referring to “The Blue Fairy Book”

so we’re not counting it here bc that would be counting it twice. apologies to the actual Blue Fairy.

The Red Fairy Book (+1)

The Green Fairy Book (+1)

The Orange Fairy Book (+1)

The Yellow Fairy Book (+1)

this is by no means all of Lang’s color fairy books. he’s got crimson, violet, grey, pink, you name it.

honorable mentions

Calvin & Hobbes is modern day folklore

I looked up to see if there’s any actual Aesop fables with a shark in em, closest I could find was a dolphin. Rip.

Beaky’s stint in the TAA lines up with Pinocchio’s story, so not a new tale. thank you for your service beaky o7

total: 4

total series tale count: 62

alas, the only mystery remaining is Scheherazade’s spider. someday I may come back to this post with new information about her, but today is not that day. If you know any middle eastern myths/fairytales/folklore/nursery rhymes that prominently feature a spider that guards a maze or guides people through caves, please feel free to reply/reblog with your knowledge.

this show has been a fun and wild ride. Here’s a shortened version of this post with just the numbers

thank you for coming on this journey with me - see you in the stories!

#d20 spoilers #d20 #dimension 20 #dimension 20 spoilers #neverafter spoilers #neverafter #original post #ongoing #dnd #folktales #folklore #myth #stories #fairytale

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tedesquire · 4 years

Note

We do need more fics/headcannons for our favorite cherub, Bill! Maybe it could involve him figuring out how to ask the reader out? Or going to see a concert with him? Or anything spicy 🌶🥺

When It’s Love

[This may not be exactly what the dear anon had in mind but it’s what I felt inspired to write. Obviously you can request another Bill/Reader if you want something a little bit different!

I was definitely inspired by Pride and Prejudice, Emma, the above picture, Van Halen, and one scene in “10 Things I Hate About You” (Mod Olivia)]

_______________________________________________________________

Study hall was as lively as ever. Cheerleaders sat in the back to expose their peers to the unpleasant smell of nail polish and snapping sounds of gum. Papers rustled as the jocks passed notes back and forth with crude drawings and curse words. Every so often Ms. Ritcher would loudly clear her throat, tipping the edge of her cat-eye glasses and letting her milky eyes glaze over the classroom to make sure no one was speaking or getting up to any mischief.

Despite these distractions, you found yourself in your own little bubble, eyes rapidly racing back and forth as you read.

You enjoyed your copy of Pride and Prejudice so often that the edges of the pages had started to fray and the spine was one drop away from crumbling.

“In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.” You mouthed the words, sighing forlornly. Your eyes fluttered shut and you pushed the book against your chest. Your heart seemed to ache, as if you were looking at the words for the first time.

You shook your head and opened the book once more to continue, unaware of the eyes that lingered on your figure.

“We’re still on for Friday, right? I looked at the TV Guide for this week and Eddie Van Halen is scheduled to appear on Letterman. It will be most triumphant!” Ted Logan slyly whispered to Bill, his eyes trained on Ritcher’s figure to make sure he wouldn’t be caught. Bill’s brown orbs didn’t leave your face, particularly interested in the way you were biting your bottom lip.

“Uh, yeah.” Bill whispered, not fully knowing what Ted had just asked.

“What would you think if I grew my hair out like Van Halen? It might help in our conquest to get him on lead guitar.”

“Mm-hmm.” Bill mumbled.

Ted’s brows furrowed and he let his gaze stray from their teacher to look at Bill directly. He knew if Bill were paying more attention he would have acted more excited.

Much to Ted’s amusement, his friend had once again taken up his recent pastime of staring at you and tuning everyone else out. He decided to press Bill’s buttons, an impish grin forming on his face.

“Actually, I think it would be most foolish to try and copy Van Halen. Perhaps I should shave all my hair off?”

“Sounds good, man.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I mean, who even likes Van Halen? Kind of a has-been, right Bill?”

“Oh yeah.” A glimmer of fondness grew in Bill’s eyes as he watched your brows knit in concentration.

“Y/n’s pretty hot. Do you think she’d say yes if I asked her to prom?”

Bill nodded, ears perking when he heard your name. He mentally repeated what Ted had just asked him, letting the true weight of his friends words hit him. A blush crept up his neck, finally meeting Ted’s gaze.

“Staring at y/n again, hm? You’re lucky she’s always reading or she might think you were a creep.”

“Shut up, Ted.” Bill hissed.

“Keep it down, gentlemen.” Ritcher’s gravelly voice interrupted the quiet atmosphere, causing their conversation to end.

After a few moments, Ted deemed it safe to speak once more. “Bill, we’re about to be the biggest rock stars San Dimas has ever witnessed. Why don’t you talk to her? The fall formal is coming up.” He suggested, nudging Bill’s side eagerly.

“Ted, if you have not been made aware, Y/n is notorious for turning men down. I wouldn’t stand a chance.”

“You never know if you don’t ask!” He encouraged, trying to stay upbeat as Bill frowned. He opened his mouth to argue when the bell interrupted.

Ted quickly sprang up, giving Bill no time to follow. The taller boy pretended to trip against your desk, causing your thermos to hit the tile loudly. He muttered an apology before turning around, gesturing between you and Bill.

The impact of the thermos caused you to snap out of your reverie, and you were surprised to find people exiting the classroom, heading to their next period.

“Hey,” A soft voice called to you. You turned to meet the owner, only to be met with your thermos. “I apologize for Ted’s behavior, it was most heinous.” You accepted the bottle, finally looking up to see your classmate, Bill.

“I didn’t even realize he had knocked it over, it’s alright. Thanks, Bill.” You smiled politely, grabbing your bag and starting to head out the door.

Your smile made Bill’s knees wobble, and now that he had your attention, he was not so eager to lose it. “So, uh, what’s in the thermos?” He asked, trailing behind you. You slowed down, letting him fall into step with you.

“Oh, this? It’s tea. Green tea with lemon.” Bill blinked in surprise.

“Are you sick? Granny Preston seems to drink that when she’s under the weather.” He tried not to seem too desperate in continuing the conversation with you.

“No.” You chuckled under your breath. “I just like it. It’s also good for your vocal chords.”

“Most excellent!” His grin did well to cover the panic he felt inside. “So um, I noticed your book. It’s uh- it’s my favorite.” You couldn’t stop the laugh that escaped you.

“You like Pride and Prejudice?” Your humorous expression faded as you noticed Bill blushing. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh. It’s just, I don’t think I’ve ever met a guy who’s read Austen novels willingly.”

“That’s where you’re wrong!” Bill lied, heart racing erratically. “I love Austen. He’s one stellar dude, dude.” You shook your head, approaching your next class.

“Austen isn’t a dude, dude.” You tsked. “Jane Austen is the author of Pride and Prejudice, your favorite book, as you claimed.” You gestured to your class. “This is my stop. I’ll uh, see you later Bill.”

The smile Bill so proudly wore a moment ago faded, replaced with sheer embarrassment. The beginning bell rang, signaling class had started.

He blew it. The one chance he had to talk to you and he had managed to make an absolute fool of himself.

His cheeks were still stained red as he strolled into History class, late, much to the annoyance of Mr. Ryan. Ted beamed at him, excitedly leaning forward as Bill sat down.

“Dude! How’d it go?”

“Shut up, Ted.”

Bill huffed for the third time in the past twenty minutes, prompting a look from Ted.

It had been an unusually quiet lunch, Ted slightly freaked out that Bill was reading a book that was neither assigned in a class or a textbook.

After the disastrous conversation that occurred between you and Bill, he had asked his stepmom to drive him to the library, mumbling a lie about an English class assignment to prevent her from asking any questions. He was now in possession of Pride and Prejudice, but the only problem was, he was having a hard time understanding what the hell was going on in the book.

“What does it say?” Ted asked, hoping he could help but knowing he probably wouldn’t be able to provide a satisfactory answer.

“The book keeps mentioning this place called ‘Netherfield’, which is confusing since the book takes place in this town called Meryton, I think, so it can’t be another city, can it?” Ted shrugged, slightly embarrassed he could not help his friend.

Ted surveyed the cafeteria, finding you tucked in the corner reading, as usual. An idea formed in his mind and he stood, making his way over to you.

Bill was too busy trying to re-read the paragraph he had been trying to decipher for an hour to notice Ted’s absence at first, but upon opening his mouth to complain again and not seeing Ted’s friendly presence, he searched frantically for the familiar figure.

“Oh no, Ted you moron!” Bill huffed, cheeks heating as he watched the interaction between you and Ted. You seemed skeptical at first, but soon your eyes found Bill’s, prompting him to turn away once more, praying for Ted to return.

“Can I sit here?” You startled Bill, who jumped at the sound of your voice. He avoided your eyes, clutching his book tightly.

“Are you sure you want to?” You took that as the closest to a yes and plopped beside the blonde. Ted was nowhere to be found.

“Ted told me. He said your dad was a hard-ass and wanted you to get caught up on some summer reading list. You were just trying to ask me to help you interpret the book and I made fun of you, I’m sorry.” Bill looked lost. His dad was certainly not a hard-ass by any means. In fact, he bet that his dad wouldn’t care if he had to repeat high school just as long as he stayed out of him and Missy’s way. Realization seemed to dawn on him. It was merely a ruse Ted had made up to get you to talk to him.

“Oh um, yeah! My dad is strict, most abominable. He wants me to read this, but I’m having trouble understanding some things.” This entire book, he had wanted to say, but held his tongue. “I noticed you reading it and thought you would be willing to help me.”

“Yeah!” You nodded enthusiastically. “P&P is one of my favorite books of all time. Jane Austen writes so perfectly, I feel as if I’m in the story itself with the way she paints the scenery.” You continued to coo, and Bill felt his nerves start to melt away.

Ted stood at the back of the cafeteria, out of plain sight to watch you and Bill, a smile overtaking his boyish features.

Bill so owed him a slurpee.

“So, why is it you like Jane Austen so much?” You and Bill had been spending every lunch period together for the past week and had finally decided to meet up after school at a park not too very far away from San Dimas High.

At first, all your conversations had been about Pride and Prejudice, but as you started to spend more time with the boy, you found yourself oddly entranced by his weirdly polite mannerisms and goofy grin, and thus your conversations ranged from your favorite music, to plans after high school, and whether or not Ms. Richter needed new glasses.

The California sun seemed to be suiting him well, making his curls seem as if they were crafted from liquid gold itself, but if anyone were to ask, you could very well say you didn’t seem to notice.

“Well, it’s not just that I enjoy Jane Austen and her works. I love everything about the 18th/19th century.” You put down your copy of Emma to fully meet his stare.

“Pardon me, but I do not believe they had indoor plumbing dating back then.” Bill mischievously grinned and you laughed, playfully rolling your eyes and nudging his elbow softly.

“Okay, okay, almost everything.” You inhaled deeply. “I mean mostly the whole… aesthetic of it all. The gowns, the gloves, the candles, handwritten love letters, wax seals, the ascots, tall hats, the stocking the men wore, the balls- oh! especially those. I mean, we have the stupid formals and all, but I can’t very well wear a gown to those, can I?”

“The tea?” He offered, admiring the passion you held.

“The tea!” You confirmed. “And back then, true love was so rare, y’know? I mean, Jane and Bingley were in love with each other the minute they met at the ball but they didn’t get married for so long! And take Darcy and Elizabeth, or Knightley and Emma! Their love wasn’t at first sight but it grew and grew until the men couldn’t stand to stay silent about it any longer. Nowadays men consider peak romance to be a night on the beach with a towel and a few beers.” Bill watched as your nose wrinkled in disgust.

“Every single guy is looking for their Molly Ringwald or just another pretty face. No guy is interested in a “Elizabeth Bennett”. At least, not ones our age.” You sighed. Bill nodded in understanding.

So that’s why you rejected every guy who asked you out. You wanted romance and you deserved it!

Bill’s heart beat so loudly in his chest he was sure you could hear it through his ribcage, swallowing thickly as he tried to come up with something to say other than, “I think I’m in love with you”.

“Wouldn’t that be something though, wearing a ballgown to a school dance.” You snickered, too lost in your own amusement to notice Bill’s eyes glazing over, a most excellent plan forming in his head.

Loud, thumping bass and whirling neon lights seemed to overtake your every sense. You were currently standing in the middle of the gymnasium, half your classmates dancing wildly, the other sending you strange looks.

You had told yourself you weren’t going to the formal, content to rent a few VHS’s from the local Family Video and spend a night by yourself, but that was before you received the letter.

Upon opening your locker the other day, you were surprised to find a white dress of Italian crape over a white satin slip stuffed carefully inside. Silver thread laced the bodice and the bottom of the slip with a silver ribbon tied around the waist to match.

A slip of paper was pinned to the fabric, reading:

“O fair one.

Join me at the Formal.

I will be waiting.

Love,

Fitzwilliam Darcy.”

You had no idea who could have sent it and debated about staying home anyway, but your curiosity overtook you. Surely someone who had put the time and effort to notice your interest in the regency era and buy you a dress was worth facing ridicule; however, you were starting to get impatient.

You managed to convince your mother to borrow a pair of her pearls to accompany the dress and spent two hours styling your hair the exact way you wanted to. The only exception to your outfit were the modern silver shoes you wore, but you felt beautiful nonetheless.

You looked around the gymnasium once more, straining your neck to find anyone wearing a suit, or at least a button up, for heaven’s sake, but to no avail. Perhaps it was time to cut your losses and head home.

You turned towards the entrance, disappointment creeping into every pore when you noticed a man stepping into the gym nervously.

You first noticed the freshly-polished, ebony shoes, eyes trailing up to the cream stockings that ended just below the knee where matching black knickers began. The man wore a plaid, crimson vest underneath a warm, brown waistcoat. A ruffled, ivory button up and matching cravat were the last ornaments he wore, and you found yourself speechless.

Your eyes finally met the face of the man who had won you over. This time it was your turn to blush, the rich, familiar eyes taking in your figure as they had done so many times before.

“Bill…” You whispered, finding yourself at a complete loss for words.

“You can call me William, if you’d like. Just you though.” He smiled, extending his hand.

“I can’t believe you did all of this… for me… I-”

“You deserve it. Every bit of it. I know your expectations of guys are pretty low and rightfully so. You don’t need to change who you are or what you like to please anyone else but yourself. I think you’re pretty radical the way you are and uh... I’ve liked you, for a while, actually. Ted told you about some summer reading list when the truth was I just wanted to read Pride and Prejudice as a way to talk to you.” Your blush deepened, truly taken aback by the confession. You never believed that anyone would be able to offer you a night like this.

“So… perhaps that wasn’t as romantic as Darcy’s confession and all but I stand by it. And now I only have one question to ask you: May I have this dance?” His hand was still outstretched towards you. You slid your palm against his without hesitation, letting his arm wrap around your waist.

Of course the tune of “Girls on Film” by Duran Duran wasn’t a slow song by any means, but that didn’t stop the two of you from slowly spinning around the wooden floor. Your eyes couldn’t seem to leave his and you couldn’t feel the ache in your cheeks from your wide smile.

Later on in the night you two were able to jump and headbang to classic hits, because you didn’t expect Bill to change who he was for you either.

You found yourself extremely fond of each curl of his that bounced from his forehead, the glint of happiness in his eyes, and each smile he sent your way. You were convinced that neither Jane Austen herself or any of the female protagonists she created were ever as happy as you were with Bill that night.

FINIS.

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cluelessnamelessao3 · 3 years

Text

But It’s Not Funny

4. But I Can’t Stop Laughing

You stood in the backroom, washing out a water bowl that one of the dogs had managed to tip the entire contents of their food bowl into. It had turned the dry kibble into a gross gravy-like mush. Plus, it didn’t exactly smell great either, so it needed to be dealt with now. Right now, because you were not ready to deal with smelling that rancid stink for another minute more.

“You’re like a Chihuahua,” Frisk said suddenly, causing your hands to still as your brow furrowed with confusion.

You blinked at them, your face growing warm. Your eyes were narrowed and indignant. You weren’t sure you liked being compared to a small, yappy dog.

“What?” you exclaimed, “I am not!”

“You’re just so small and angry. Like a Chihuahua! You even shake like one…” They were giggling, their face hidden behind their hands and you were trying your best not to look too offended.

“I’m not even that small! You’re the same size as me, punk!”

Frisk giggled again, “Yeah, but I’m, like, sixteen! And hoowww old are you?” They sang, wiggling their eyebrows at you with a smirk on their face.

“Okay, okay, like-sixteen, go put this bowl back in the kennel, please.” You were trying and failing to sound stern, and they made a face which had you laughing a second later. As they left, they turned to sign a quick apology for teasing you, but you shook your head, a small smile still stuck on your face.

The door rang and you turned, expecting… not… that.

You blanched at the sight but tried not to let your discomfort show as you mumbled out a weak “Hello! How can I help you?”

The mass in front of you shivered and wiggled—the skin on its face (well, you assumed that was its face) quivered slightly and a gaping hole appeared in the middle. The creature seemed to be panting heavily and their shaking increased as you stepped out from behind the counter.

It had… so many legs. The head was distinctly dog-like with large, pointed ears and something akin to a snout. There appeared to be a tail on the back of it, and between each leg looked to be the outline of a dog—but you weren’t sure. It was too hard to tell with how constantly the form seemed to shift and move and change.

You approached it slowly, trying to hide your queasiness by being friendly. You cooed at it, gesturing it to come closer.

It seemed to like that and bounded up to you within seconds, its odd, tail-like protrusion wagging sporadically, flicking specks of whatever substance made this creature up all over your store.

You laid your palm out flat in front of its face and…

The thing practically swallowed your hand whole. You were about to scream in terror when suddenly your hand reappeared from the mass with a wet pop… just covered in a thick layer of some sort of grey ooze. It was becoming harder and harder not to throw up.

As you tried to hold back your gags at the unpleasant presence of the creature, you noticed a familiar figure standing behind the shifting mass of goop that somewhat resembled a dog.

“Sans?” You squeaked, almost in disbelief.

“In the flesh… or should I say sans the flesh.” He winked cheekily and you furrowed your brows, “That’s your cue to uh, laugh, or, yanno, emote at all?” Then, seemingly more to himself he whispered, “Kid sure knows how to pick ‘em.”

You frowned, “I’m still here, and can definitely hear you.”

He shrugged, definitely not apologetic in the least, “Sorry, kiddo, just findin’ it hard to tickle your funny bone.”

Your mouth twitched and you fought the urge to laugh—He’d been rude to you! There was no way you were going to start giggling just because of a few dumb jokes. Instead, you chose to question the… creature… he’d brought with them.

“So, uh, do they have a name?”

At that moment though, Frisk popped their head out from the backroom and squealed with excitement.

“ENDOGENY!”

The quivering mass responded to Frisk’s voice by shaking even more violently than they were before, you swear you could see pieces of slime rolling off of them and splattering onto the floor. Each time it did though, it collected itself back into the creature’s—Endogeny’s form.

Sans, saved from answering your question, watched as you interacted with Frisk. It was interesting—you were interesting. But at least Frisk seemed to like you. He felt an ounce of regret; he’d reacted badly upon seeing you and he knew he hadn’t made the best impression on you, but it was too late to fix that. Fate would sort itself out anyway. That was what it always did.

It turned out that cleaning the amalgamation, Endogeny, wasn’t as hard as it seemed. Their skin was like wet clay, somewhat malleable and pliable, or maybe they were more like the silly putty you used to play with as a kid. The water tended to bounce right off of them, so you opted to use a dry shampoo on their fur—or lack thereof.

Sans watched the entire time and you tried not to feel too awkward as you and Frisk worked. He wasn’t necessarily doing anything wrong, but you could feel his eyes on you. It was wearing on your patience and eventually you turned around, an angry flush on your face, and snapped, “Take a picture, it lasts longer.”

He smirked. You resisted the urge to throw something at him.

It was almost a relief to see him go.

The rest of the day went pretty smoothly and soon you found yourself packing up to leave.

“So, Frisk, shall I take you home?”

They nodded, a smile on their tanned face, “Actually, we’re gonna go to Paps’ house, I’m staying the night over there!”

“Ah, okay, kiddo. Then, let’s go, yeah?” You grabbed Luna’s leash in one hand and Frisk’s hand in the other. In your short time of knowing the kid, you felt oddly protective of them. You were pretty sure you’d fight a bitch for this kid if the need ever arose. Though, you weren’t even that much older than them, you shouldn’t really be considering them a kid anymore.

As if echoing your thoughts, they spoke up indignantly, “I’m not a kid! I’m nearly an ADULT!”

You laughed as the two of you left the shop, “That’s what a KID would say!” It took all of your willpower not to smirk at them and their flushed face. They were too fun to tease. It was like being with the little sibling you’d never had.

Frisk chatted with you about their family the entire walk to Papyrus’ place, even mentioning a sibling of theirs that… apparently, wasn’t even a sibling. They weren’t even really a human—nor a monster. You’d never really questioned Frisk’s family, nor their mother that by all means could not possibly be their biological mother.

There would never be a more perfect time to ask than now, “Hmm, so, uh, how’d you meet… er, I mean, like, Toriel is your adoptive parent, right?”

They shrugged, “Yeah, I guess so, they’re more like my real momma than… my mother was…” Their voice trailed off and when you looked over at them, they seemed to be deep in thought. Gently, you reached out and tapped their shoulder.

“It’s okay, I’m glad you have Toriel. Found family can be better than the biological. So, uh, tell me about your brother… Asriel, right?”

They nodded, the haunted look in their eyes replaced with a much more affectionate expression, “Yeah! My brother Asriel is really great… Though, uh, he likes to be called Flowey now… And I mean, he’s also a flower, but like, it’s not a big deal!”

You’d have to keep that in mind—Flowey, not Asriel. Also, what? He wasn’t a human? And he wasn’t a goat monster? He was a fucking flower? Was he conscious? Sentient? You weren’t sure… “I’ll have to meet him sometime. Maybe we can have a little picnic with your mother and your brother next week!”

Frisk agreed enthusiastically, their smile wider than ever. ‘I want to do that soon!’ They signed quickly.

You’d begun to notice in the two weeks that you’d been working with them that Frisk tended to switch to sign language when they got overly excited.

“I’d love to meet more of your family and spend some time with them!”

A comfortable silence fell between the two of you as you continued to walk. Frisk led you into a short alleyway and out onto a different street… a very familiar street… it took you a second to realize this was in the same neighbourhood as your apartment complex.

You got a sinking feeling in your gut as Frisk led you directly toward your building, but you were relieved—probably a little too relieved when you realized they didn’t actually live in your building, but rather just a block or so to the right of where you stayed.

You liked to have your space, even if you liked Papyrus a lot.

“Do you have family?” Frisk’s voice knocked you from your thoughts and you took a moment to blink at them confusedly.

“Uhhh, y-yeah… I… uh do.” You weren’t really keen on talking about them… There wasn’t much to say other than the fact that you didn’t exactly ‘get along’ with your family. You were, for all intents and purposes, completely estranged from them. Your father was neglectful, drowning his sorrows in alcohol, and your stepmother was hateful. She blamed you for a lot of things—she even blamed you for your own trauma.

You sighed, “They’re fine, I guess… I have a dad, a stepmom, and a stepbrother. My… my mother died when I was younger.”

Frisk nodded solemnly, seeming to consider your words carefully before asking, “Can I meet them someday? They can’t be that bad if they made you.”

You were saved from having to answer when Papyrus burst through the front door of his house, “OH WOWIE! I knew we had the TINY HUMAN coming over! But I didn’t think that they were going to bring the OTHER TINY HUMAN over TOO!”

He lunged toward you, arms outstretched, and you instinctively took a step back, fear swirling in your stomach. He seemed to take the cue, though, because he suddenly seemed a lot more subdued as he mumbled out a quick apology, “Sorry SMALL human, I forgot that you do not wish to be TOUCHED!”

You nodded meekly, and awkwardly patted his shoulder—or rather, his forearm, you couldn’t reach his shoulder. “It’s nice to see you again, Paps, maybe you, Undyne, and I could hang out again sometime.”

Frisk whined petulantly and you smiled affectionately, “Well of course Frisk is coming too, that’s just a given! It’s no party without little boss, here.”

The three of you chatted amiably for a moment before the two of them waved goodbye and headed into the house. You carefully picked your way down the stairs, hands in your pockets, Luna’s leash dragging on the ground beside you.

You were feeling weird—almost jealous? You wanted to head in and join them, maybe sit down for a cup of tea and talk for a while. You wanted to share stories of family and friends, gossip about nightmare costumers at the groomer’s shop, or complain about noisy neighbours. It’d been such a long time since you’d just hung out with someone for the fun of it—not counting the unplanned hangout with Undyne and Papyrus earlier this week.

You’d lost contact with most of your friends, either because they had given up on you, or because you’d isolated yourself; it was hard to tell who was at fault for your solitude. But that wasn’t right, because no, blame couldn’t be ladled out at your discretion. Everything that had happened was a matter of choice—you’d chosen the path your life was on… even if you hadn’t meant for it to turn out this way…

You hadn’t known the consequences. You hadn’t been prepared for them.

Luna pushed her wet nose into your limp hand, and you blinked, suddenly realizing you were still standing by the front steps of Papyrus’ house. Your face flushed with embarrassment. You hurriedly reached down to scoop up Luna’s leash.

Some days it just like your head got away from you and you found yourself staring into space as you thought and thought and thought and the thoughts kept getting thought and it was nonstop. Half the time it wasn’t until someone called your name, or Luna noticed and got your attention that you would snap out of it.

Time flew by when you were like that. It was so hard for you to get out of your own head when you started to overthink.

“Hey, kid!” A deep drawling voice rang out and you flinched, “Sorry, heh, I just saw you out here… I just got off work and was headin’ home. Were you droppin’ the little kiddo off?”

It was Sans, he was in his typical faded blue jacket with its fluffy white fur hood, the black athletic shorts he wore contrasting hugely with the bright white of his bones. It connected, at that moment, that you were just standing in front of his house. You knew Papyrus had a sibling, although you hadn’t realised it was Sans.

You nodded in answer, still feeling odd from your lapse in attention earlier.

He seemed to sense something was wrong, “Hey, it’s gettin’ kind of late, how about I walk ya home?”

You shrugged, "I can manage, it’s fine..." you trailed off, noticing the look of worry on his face.

“Look, to patella ya the truth, I think we got off on the wrong foot… So uh, throw me a bone here and I’ll take ya home?” He looked so awkward there as he sheepishly scratched the back of his neck, that you couldn’t help but take pity on him.

“Yeah… uh, sure… I’d, uh, be bonely on my own,” you giggled helplessly at the end of your own joke.

The expression on his face made it all the better as his eyes widened and he let out a most unattractive snort.

“That’s good, that’s real’ good,” he chuckled.

“Well, I mean…” you chewed your lower lip, thinking for a moment, “if you like puns so much, I happen to know a skele-ton of skele-puns.”

He laughed and gestured for you to start walking. The two of you made your way down the sidewalk giggling all the while as you swapped jokes back and forth.

All too soon you ended up at the front of your apartment building.

You were just about to head inside before Sans stopped you, “Hey uhm, I made kind of a shitty first impression… sorry ‘bout that, kid… Yeah, like, really sorry for being kind of rude…”

You waved a hand dismissively, “No, sorry, yeah, you’re totally fine… uh, don’t worry about it at all. Besides, I could have been nicer, right? Sorry… Er, I mean, I’m sorry as well…”

He chuckled softly, the smile on his face much softer than you’d seen it before, “No bones about it, I was a real numbskull.”

“Nah, don’t be sorry! I’m sorry, just, uh, let’s start over, how about?”

He nodded, looking slightly relieved.

You were just about to head inside once again when he stopped you once more. If anything, he looked even more nervous than he did when he’d asked to walk you home. “So uh, I was wondering… as, heh, a way to ‘start over’…”

He took a deep breath, like he was mentally preparing himself for something big; you waited with bated breath.

“Look, I lost my number, can I have yours?”

You snorted before you could stop yourself and clapped a hand over your mouth as you giggled, “That is the worst come on I’ve ever heard.”

You could have sworn there was a light blue dusting on his cheeks, but when you took a closer look, it was gone, and his mildly embarrassed expression was replaced with the typical easy grin. You held out your hand, gesturing for his phone and he handed it to you.

You settled for the name “NOT Tiny Human” and typed your contact information in, “There you have it… Just don’t, uh, text me at like three in the morning and we should be good—or do, I mean, I’m not your boss.”

He snickered and for the third time that night you said your goodbyes, this time actually making it inside. When you turned around to wave one last time, he was gone.

#binf #but it's not funny #chapter 4 #chapter 4 but it's not funny #binf undertale #undertale #sans undertale #sans/reader #sans/female reader #undertale fanfiction #fanfiction

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and-i-uh · 4 years

Note

6? 22? Any other number you wanted to answer?

6- i dont have any stim toys, ive never really delved into that stuff, i was never really given the chance to explore stuff that would help me out with stimming and such. I also dont think i would like stim toys? Maybe i just have to try some but idk.

22- idk any specific songs i stim to. But ive stimmed while listening to mcr, and honestly i just stim to alot of the general songs i listen to. I really like singing along, i think thats a stim of mine, and some songs just listening to them is like stimming (anything with drums and/or guitars)

2- i like blankets a lot. Even if im hot and dont really need one, ill subconsciously grab the blanket on the couch and put it on my lap, and on my bed. There was one day i grabbed a pocket-sized beanie baby and put itin my hoodie pocket, and just knowing it was there made me happy. Also when i was with my friends one of them stuck their hands in my pocket and i panicked and like moved it out of their reach bc i was scared to get made fun of lol, it ended up being fine. I sleep with stuffed animals a lot. I think thats it

3- my school experiences were,,, not fun at all. Theres a lot to unpack there. My schools all had this thing called a “504 plan” or whatever. And it’s supposed to help people with certain disorders/disabilities. Mine only acknowledged my adhd as far as i know. Maybe my anxiety too. Some of the things that were supposed to ‘help’ were moving me to the front of the room, i got extended time to complete stuff (supposedly), extended time on certain tests (which i only saw on the act, literally i got no other extended time to do anything else. And after i got extended time on the act my scores shot up. Imagine the potential if i was given my actual extended time shit) and the meetings were hell. They started to have meetings with me in middle school, sixth grade i think. Having an administrator there, and my parents, and at least one teacher was terrifying to me. I think i cried every meeting. Honestly it felt like an interrogation to me, esp with all the damn eye contact and shit. My dad asked me if i wanted to continue it this year and i was immediately like fuck no nuh uh not happening. And whether or not I actually needed to be in the front of the room depended on the class, teacher, the people in there, but a lot of the time i would just be moved to the front and i would hate it. In eighth grade my math teacher moved me from the back of the room (a favorite seat in that class) to the front of the room in the middle of class for like a week. It was honestly humiliating and the only time i was eventually able to express my opinion on the 504 shit. Actually my freshman math teacher did that too. Ahaha moving on now before this gets too long.

4/5- three negative and positive things about being autistic.

Pros-

(1) i dont really have a chance to not have a hobby. Ive always got an interest to keep me entertained and i like that.

(2) stimming is nice, i like it, im not afraid to let myself stim. Makes me feel better.

(3) im unique and shit. I have a different pov than other people and that allows me to have different ways of thinking. I think outside the box ig. I also have this weird version of confidence and objectivity that I appreciate in myself

Cons-

(1) its hard to feel like i belong somewhere, bc im so different. Im getting better at it but im not good at getting close to people.

(2) i also like,, dont have certain permanence? Like object permanence? A lot of the time i dont really miss things/people unless im somewhere that reminds me of them. Idk if it’s negative really but its something,, even a spin, like bts, i dont really miss them that much until i do. Theyre still very important to me but yeah

(3) people dont really get me the same way other people get other people. And its hard for me to explain it to people. And theres certain people i get more than others. Its weird.

7- people need to give autistics a chance to be heard. Apply the accommodations you “give” them. Dont put them in the spotlight and give them space when needed. We are what you might call “picky” too. Eating, learning, socializing, we have our own things we need to be able to do shit. Learn them. Let us stim. Encourage us to learn about ourselves and remind us that youre there for us. But dont try to help us unless we ask or we actually need help. Dont trigger meltdowns on purpose, stop using the r word even in passing like its not a big deal. Be more than aware of us, accept us, appreciate us. Dont be a bystander.

8- i dont have much experience with meltdowns? I think? If i have i didnt have chances to recover. I had to go back to class or something. Idk how to recognize them in me either.

10- showering. Thats a big thing that even though i kinda need i forget to do. Except during school. I had a whole routine in the morning and i was super punctual. If i didnt shower i would be late, miss the bus, forget something.

12- meat. The way it feels. Disgusting. How do people eat it and not feel like dying? Same with lettuce. Spinach is fine but every time i try to eat lettuce I almost throw up. Bell peppers, pickles, vinegar, mayo, eggs usually, cheese sometimes. Just off the top of my head. One time i tried putting lettuce on my burger, was feeling adventurous, and after biting down i had to just take the lettuce off. Another time, my stepmom (newly married to my dad) made slads for us, and i was skeptical. There was white stuff all over the salad and she wouldnt tell me what it was. I tried eating a little carrot stick thing and almost vomited. Thats when she learned I cannot eat mayo. Even if idk that its mayo i still cant fuckin eat it. She forced me to eat bell peppers one time. Didnt go well at all. At all.

(Not gonna do the spin one bc ive already talked about them and if i do again itll be too long)

15- yes! I only do big stuff(?)(like yelling n shit) when im completely alone. Like if im home alone. Bc i get so loud. Sometimes ill hum in my room or sing to myself in my room though. Its so fun. As for phrases i repeat, ill repeat anything i find interesting. In a movie or song, or even something a friend said. One time my mom said the phrase “tough titty said the kitty but the milks still good” and i went around the kitchen repeating it until she got annoyed. Also sometimes something in the room will have a constant sound and ill like think a phrase to that sound repeatedly. Idk how to explain it lol. Idk if thats echolalia either

16- rocks. Typical i know, collecting rocks. But i just cant help it. I see a rock i like, i pick it up, take it home. I used to collect sticks. And when i was in elementary school, i used to pick shit up off the playground. Beer bottle caps was a favorite. Apparently the school called my mom about it bc they found my stash and thought it was from home and my parents were drinking excessively. 😬 oops

18- introverted?

19- kinda depends. Idk. I really cant tell wow. I would probably say hypersensitive. Just cause i have a ton of sensory issues and a lot of stuff bothers me. Like types of clothes. And how things are resting on my body. Yeah i guess i am hypersensitive.

20- i used to struggle with self love a lot. And sometimes i still kinda do. But in the past few years ive really started appreciating myself and trying to learn a lot about myself. Its going well id say.

21- empathy. Hmm. I think im very empathetic, actually. I can always tell when someone is feeling uncomfortable in a situation. And when i should tell people to back off of them if they wont say it themselves. And im very uncomfortable when theres secondhand embarrassment. And bullying, in something im watching or reading. Yknow, I actually cant watch mean girls. I just. I tried, i had to walk away bc I couldn’t take it. It also kinda triggers me so theres that. Bc of the bullying. But yeah im very empathetic. Otherwise socially im not good at that.

23- nope. Ive got like no support system other than tumblr and online friends. Apparently my dad refused to acknowledge im autistic and hes my favorite parent. Thats his big flaw though. And if i “came out” to him and said it myself he would probably come around. I know hes not completely nt either. My Opa has ocd, so nuerodiversity runs in the family ig.

While making this i got distracted and went on insta for like an hour oops lol

24- steampunk cosplay? Or college dorm tips? The steampunk one was freshman year, and the college dorm one was fifth grade. It lasted well into sixth grade and seventh grade.

#actually autistic #autism #autism acceptance #special interest #ask #spin #spins #autistic

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sunshineoptimismandangels · 5 years

Text

Autumn in Lima

Chapter Two - Pour Some Sugar On Me

Pairing: Klaine Author: Sunshineoptimismandangels Word Count: 7148 Chapters: 2/? Continuation of this meet cute Summary: For this Tumblr prompt: “I’m stopped at a light and you’re singing with your windows rolled down and wow do you have an amazing voice” AU AO3 | FF.net

Blaine shifted nervously in his seat looking down at the time on his phone. He'd been waiting for nearly twenty minutes, but it was still ten minutes until the time they'd agreed to meet. Blaine groaned at himself, frustrated with his own nerves. He didn't usually get to places early; in fact, he was typically one of those people running just a few minutes behind… constantly. This evening was different.

This evening he had a date, a date with one of the single most attractive men Blaine had ever met in his life. So, he was early – really early. He hoped he didn't seem too eager, but he'd thought about Kurt Hummel all weekend. He thought about him during his mom's bachelorette party which both his brother and he had awkwardly attended at his mother's insistence. He thought about him at his mom's wedding and especially during the reception where Blaine had wished for someone to dance with. And he'd thought about Kurt every minute all day long and through the tedious effort of trying on and discarding half a dozen outfits before choosing his current look. He just wanted everything to be perfect. He couldn't remember ever being this excited for a first date.

He glanced up to the door of the bar for the hundredth time just as it swung open and a young man walked through. Blaine's breath caught in his throat. Scratch his previous thought. Kurt Hummel wasn't one of the most attractive men Blaine had ever met, he was by far the most beautiful man on earth.

Kurt was standing at the front of the bar looking around the crowded space, he was wearing a maroon velvet suit with a checkered shirt and matching pocket square, his hair was styled high enough that god herself could probably brush her fingers against it, and damn, his face. Angelic was the only word Blaine could think of, pink lips, stunning blue eyes, and cheekbones that could cut glass.

It was clear Kurt was looking for him, but for a moment Blaine couldn't even respond. He had to clear his throat and roll his shoulders a few times before he had the guts to stand from the table he'd snagged and wave at Kurt.

When Kurt's eye landed on him, they immediately lit up and a wide smile graced his face as he hurried over. Blaine wasn't sure he deserved such a response from an adnois like Kurt, but he was going to do everything he could to keep Kurt smiling all evening.

"Hi!" Kurt was nearly breathless as he stopped in front of Blaine. There was a brief awkward moment when they didn't know if they should clasp hands or hug… but Blaine just went for it giving Kurt a quick hug and peck on the cheek. If the color rising to Kurt's face was any indication, he'd made the right choice.

"I'm so glad you're here!" Blaine said as he pulled a chair out for Kurt and hoped that wasn't too old-fashioned or patriarchal.

Kurt sat down still wearing a smile and Blaine joined him.

"I was afraid I was early."

"Um…" Blaine rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "I was even earlier, I… was just so excited." Blaine confessed, and Kurt beamed at him.

"I've never been here," Kurt said looking around at the crowded bar and nodding at the woman up front singing karaoke, "It looks great though!"

"I hope you don't mind but I have our names on the schedule for a couple songs, the list fills up fast and I didn't want to miss our chance."

"Of course, I don't mind!" Kurt said bouncing a little in his sat, "What is the point of a karaoke place if you aren't going to sing? Besides, it's not fair that you've heard my singing voice and I haven't heard yours."

Blaine smiled and leaned forward, "Oh, we'll take care of that soon enough."

Kurt let out an excited little giggle before covering his mouth evidently embarrassed, Blaine just laughed and hailed a passing server. "Could we get a couple of menus?"

Soon they were chatting over margaritas and a shared appetizer of cheesy fries. "I can't believe we never met in high school," Kurt said arms crossed on the table as he leaned towards Blaine. We were both in show choir. I've even heard of the Warblers."

"Just the way the districts were drawn, we never competed."

"Lucky that we both ended up at the Lima Bean years later."

"God yes, I feel very lucky." Blaine gushed, he was hoping to come off cool and confident this evening but was veering towards lovestruck teenager, Kurt just made him feel that way he couldn't help it.

Kurt smiled coyly and glanced down at the table, "Um… me too." He glanced up with a sweet smile, "So tell me about your mom's wedding?"

They talked about the wedding and Blaine's brother and how he'd balled like a baby through the whole thing. Kurt described his father's wedding to his stepmom that he'd helped plan while still in high school. Blaine didn't even notice how the time was flying by until he heard his name called over the speaker.

"Oh! We're on deck." Blaine said standing from the table.

"Wait, what?" Kurt blinked as if just then realizing they were in a bar with other people.

"We're up next. To sing?"

Kurt stood too, smoothing down his suit, "I hope you’re ready, I take performing seriously."

They went to the side of the stage where an employee asked for their song choice.

"I… I don't even know," Blaine looked to Kurt, "We haven't talked about it."

"I know." Kurt shot Blaine a sly look and then leaned in to whisper in the woman's ear.

"Yeah, we have that." She nodded.

The singer performing finished their song and Kurt grabbed Blaine's hand tugging him up on stage.

"Wait! I don't even know what we're singing."

"Just follow my lead," Kurt said with a wink and Blaine all but melted on the spot.

As the opening notes of the song blasted through the speakers Blaine turned to Kurt in shock recognizing the tune. This was not what he'd been expecting.

Kurt smiled and started to sing the opening line, "I hopped off the plane at LAX With a dream and my cardigan." Blaine laughed as Kurt did a little shimmy and continued on, "Welcome to the land of fame excess. Whoa, am I gonna fit in?"

Blaine jumped in and joined him on the next line until they were both bouncing around the stage and playing to the crowd as they belted out the chorus, "So I put my hands up! They're playing my song. And the butterflies fly away!"

When the song was over the audience cheered as they laughed and ran off the stage hand in hand.

"Oh my god," Kurt said still catching his breath, "We sound good together."

Blaine couldn't help the huge grin on his face seeing Kurt's flushed cheeks and his sparkling eyes. "I don't think Party in the USA has ever sounded so great."

"Your voice is amazing." Kurt praised as they sat down at their table and Kurt took a deep drink of water. Blaine watched the muscles in his long pale neck move as he gulped it down.

"Well… you know." Blaine felt suddenly warm, but he was sure that was just adrenaline from singing with Kurt. "I'm majoring in composition, I better be able to carry a tune."

"Mmm, yes. Music Composition at NYU." Kurt said leaning his chin on his hand with a dreamy sigh, "You're living the dream. My dream in fact." Kurt's smile slipped a little.

"Hey," Blaine reached out to cover Kurt's hand on the table, "You'll be there next year, right?"

"Yeah, a whole year away." Kurt dropped the hand from his face but turned his other one over to hold on to Blaine's. Blaine looked at their clasped hands and his heart raced as Kurt continued. "I just feel stalled, waiting for New York. Plus, when I get there everyone will be ahead of me, use to the city, and use working with each other." Kurt shook his head not meeting Blaine's eyes.

"No. None of that. First of all, you won't be the only transfer student, and besides, with a voice like yours coming out of nowhere? The other students aren't going to know what hit them."

Kurt looked up with a small smile, "Are you just saying that to flirt?"

Blaine blushed and laughed, "No. Kurt, you're amazing. The Musical Theater department has no idea what is in store from them in just one short year from now. The time will fly by, Kurt."

"Hmm, I hope so."

"And when you get there, you'll already know someone who can show you around."

Kurt tilted his head and bunched his brows up, "Really? Who?"

"I… me. You'll know me."

Kurt's face broke into a smile.

"You're teasing me."

"Just a little," Kurt said laughing good-naturedly, the sound making Blaine's heart swell.

They ordered another round of drinks and continued easy conversation, Blaine found that somehow their seats had scooted very close to each other where they couldn't move without brushing arms. Blaine didn't mind at all, in fact, he felt like he was vibrating next to Kurt, feeling Kurt's warmth and intently watching Kurt's lovely eye sparkle as he spoke. He couldn't help but let his mind wander, hoping against hope that maybe Kurt might want to stop by his place before the evening was over. His mom was on her honeymoon and Cooper was out with friends…

"Um, they're calling your name again," Kurt said and Blaine realized he'd gotten lost looking at Kurt's lips.

"What? Oh, I put us down for two songs."

Kurt smiled his eyes also darting to Blaine's lips, was he thinking the same kind of thoughts Blaine was? "I'm game."

"What?" Blaine asked his heart skipping a beat.

"I'm game to sing another song?"

"Right." Blaine huffed out a laugh, "Of course. My choice this time."

They got up to the side of the stage and Blaine told the organizer his song choice.

"Really, Blaine?" Kurt gave him a look, "Isn't that kind of cheesy?"

"Says the man who picked Party in the USA."

"Touché."

Blaine had picked the song without much thought because he knew the lyrics well, and Kurt joined in right away surprising Blaine with how raspy his voice could sound given the right song. At first, they started off silly and happy like they had before, singing and playfully getting in each other's space.

"Sometime, anytime, sugar me sweet, Little oh ah innocent sugar me."

It wasn't until they got to the chorus and Kurt started moving his body in ways that Blaine wasn't sure were stage appropriate (not that he minded) that the lyrics started getting to him.

Kurt took the lead, "Pour some sugar on me. Ooh, in the name of love. Pour some sugar on me." Kurt rolled his hips and Blaine found it hard to find breath for the next line.

"C'mon, fire me up. Pour your sugar on me."

God, Blaine never really thought of Def Leppard as sexy music, but these lyrics were conjuring vivid pictures in Blaine's mind.

They were dancing close now, eyes on each other, "I can't get enough," Kurt bit his lips between beats and Blaine entire body flushed, "I'm hot, sticky sweet, from my head to my feet, yeah!"

Had Blaine compared Kurt to an angel before? Because he was actually a devil, in that maroon suit smoothly moving his body and filling Blaine's head with dirty thoughts. When the song ended, they received cheers from the audience again, as well as some catcalls and one, "Get a room!" Blaine didn't even notice.

They got off the stage both panting and looking into each other's eyes.

"Wanna get out of here?" Kurt breathed, so close to he made the hair on the back of Blaine's neck stand on end.

"Yeah," Blaine nodded slowly, "Yes."

Blaine quickly paid the bill and he and Kurt hurried to the parking lot.

"My place is close," Blaine's heart pounded in his chest, "If you wanted to go there."

Kurt nodded quickly, "Um… we came in two cars. I'll follow you there?"

Blaine was a little disappointed, not wanting the distance that separate cars would enforce, but if Kurt felt more comfortable having his own vehicle then Blaine was fine with that.

The whole way home Blaine's stomach was full of butterflies and he kept letting out happy little burst of laughter as he looked in his rearview mirror to see Kurt following him. He just hoped the drive didn't cool Kurt off. Though if it did, Blaine was fine with making them some coffee and spending more time talking. He just wanted to be near Kurt for as long as possible. He couldn't remember a time he'd felt this giddy about someone.

He parked in the driveway, Kurt pulling his Escalade in behind him. Blaine had barely gotten out of the car before Kurt was on him, pressing their bodies together and trapping Blaine against the door of his Mazda. Kurt's lips were a fraction of an inch from Blaine's.

"Please, tell me no one's home."

"No one's home." Blaine inhaled and then Kurt's lips were on his, kissing him right there in the driveway lit by the safety light on the garage.

Blaine smiled into the kiss feeling it down to his toes as he surged forward to meet Kurt's eagerness. "Want... to see inside?" Blaine asked breathlessly.

Kurt pulled back with a laugh, his cheeks flushed and his eyes dark. "Yeah, that's a good idea."

Soon they were inside, arms around each other and lips locked as Blaine walked backward shrugging off his jacket and kicking off his shoes, almost tripping and falling to the ground save Kurt's strong arms around him.

"My… my bedroom's… up...stairs." Blaine said between heated kisses.

They stumbled into Blaine's room laughing and lips still chasing each other. Kurt let go and plopped down on the bed looking around. Blaine was suddenly very self-conscious about being in his childhood bedroom.

"My mom kept the room the way it was in high school," Blaine explained as Kurt's eyes drifted over pictures of the Warblers on a bulletin board, the collection of little metal windup robots on his bookshelf, and the model cars on his dresser.

"I love it." Kurt's with dancing eyes, "Very tasteful for a high school kid." His eyes weren't roaming the room anymore, instead, they were steadfastly locked on Blaine as Kurt shucked off his suit jacket and slowly started unbuttoning his shirt.

Blaine licked his lips, his throat suddenly dry, as with each button Kurt exposed more of his smooth, luminous chest. His shirt was unbuttoned, and fluttering opened when he stood from the bed and reached out for Blaine's hands pulling him back with him, "Are you going to join me?"

Blaine just nodded, and Kurt's brows furrowed, "We can stop. We don't have to do… anything. I'm really enjoying your company, and if I'm pressing too much we could just go back downstairs and-"

Blaine cut off the rest of Kurt's offer with a kiss, "I'd rather stay up here." He whispered into Kurt's skin as he smoothed his hands over Kurt's shoulders and down his arms until Kurt's shirt fell softly to the floor. He could feel Kurt trembling under his touch and quickly moved to undo his bowtie and pull off his cardigan, Kurt was smiling as he helped unbutton Blaine's shirt and soon, they were falling back onto Blaine's bed, both naked from the waist up with lips heated and roaming.

"I don't… normally… do-do this," Kurt panted, his hand cupping the back for Blaine's neck as Blaine kissed along his jaw to his ear.

"Do what?" Blaine breathed into his skin.

"Oh god." Kurt gulped down a deep breath, "Go home with someone on the first date. But you… you're so..." Kurt didn't finish that sentence, but Blaine understood, he was feeling the same way himself.

Blaine moved his lips over Kurt's neck and Kurt whimpered in response, Blaine continued to trail kisses down his body, his clavicle, to his shoulder, down to press a reverent kiss on one of his nipples.

"Blaine," Kurt moaned and Blaine was getting harder just knowing he was able to pull those noises from Kurt.

His lips kissed Kurt's stomach and the hovered, his breath ragged, he looked up to Kurt and waited until Kurt's dark blue eyes looked down at him. Blaine licked his lips and moved one of the hands holding Kurt's waist to his belt buckle, lifting his eyebrows in question.

Kurt whined closing his eyes for a moment and running a hand through his thick, no longer immaculately styled, hair. "Please." He begged, looking back to Blaine.

Blaine smiled and undid Kurt's belt before slowly pulling Kurt's pants and underwear off. He wanted to take his time, to tease Kurt a little, but he didn't have the willpower. As soon as Kurt's clothing was kicked off Blaine found himself attentively placing soft adoring kisses to Kurt's thighs. Kurt trashed a little under him, whimpering as Blaine placed his arm gently across Kurt's hips to hold him in place and then took just the tip of Kurt's length into his mouth.

Kurt moaned, and Blaine echoed him. He was feeling heady with desire at the weight of Kurt in his mouth. He took more of Kurt in, bobbing in time with Kurt's stuttered breath until Kurt called his name and started gently tugging at Blaine's curls to get his attention.

"Blaine," Kurt's voice was more breath than sound as he met Blaine's eyes. "I'm going to… I... too soon."

Blaine wiped his mouth with his arm and slowly crawled back up Kurt's body, "What do you want?"

Kurt took a moment to catch his breath before cupping the back of Blaine's head and pulling him down for a deep kiss, when he broke away, he smiled up at Blaine, "I want to not be the only one completely naked here."

Blaine grinned at Kurt before sitting up to undo his pants and slip them off, it was the first time he really had the chance to look at Kurt, spread out on the bed without a stitch on. Blaine froze in place, breath short and skin hot. Kurt Hummel was going to be the death of him. His eyes roamed up Kurt's body until he found Kurt's eyes eagerly taking in the sight of him straddled over Kurt his clothing tossed away.

"Wow," Kurt said and looked up at Blaine's face. He licked his lips his eyes wide, "Wow."

Blaine worked hard to keep in shape, he knew his arms were defined from boxing, his legs strong and his waist trim from running, but to have someone with Kurt's unearthly beauty look at him like that? Blaine couldn't do anything besides lower himself back down covering Kurt's body with his own and fervidly kiss him.

Blaine reached for the drawer in his nightstand pulling out some lube and enjoyed Kurt's low-pitched groan as he worked a hand between them to help things glide smoothly. He tried to take things slow, legs tangled with Kurt's and lips moving over every part of him he could reach. Kurt held him tight and guided their bodies until they were rolling against each other on the bed, nothing but soft moans and each other's whispered names between them.

Blaine was trembling, his skin hot against Kurt's, when he couldn't hold on any longer. With a deep moan, and Kurt's fingers pressing hard against his back, Blaine let go, burying his face in Kurt's neck. It didn't take long for Kurt who was bucking beneath him to join Blaine. Kurt let out a whimper and a gratified sigh, pressing a long deep kiss to Blaine's lips.

For a long time, they laid against each other on Blaine's childhood bed, pliant and happy, bodies tangled together and sharing soft kisses. Blaine was so strung out he barely remembered eventually getting up to find something to clean them off with and the toppling back into bed only to wrap Kurt up in his arms before falling into a deep and restful sleep.

#klaine!au #klaine fic #my fic #fic:#autumn in lima

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miraculouspaon · 7 years

Text

More Things in Heaven and Earth

Chapter Six

AO3

Hawkmoth opened his eyes and looked across the room at his wife, who was still in bed and watching him intently.

“Well?” she asked, her voice tight. “Anything out of the ordinary?”

Hawkmoth hesitated. “It’s… difficult to say,” he replied. “It's only my third day; I’m still getting a feel for ordinary. And I’m not used to using these powers like this.”

“Correctly, you mean?” Nathalie let out a frustrated sigh. “I’m sorry, that was unfair.”

“No, you’re right,” Hawkmoth said. “I have never before used these powers the way they were meant to be used. I have monitored Paris, but only to search for exploitable weaknesses. Monitoring for danger is different. Broader. Still, I don’t believe I sensed anything imminent.”

Nathalie nodded. She'd been on edge ever since Gabriel had reclaimed the Miraculous, and it didn't help that he'd been spending as much time transformed as possible ever since, in order to get accustomed to monitoring Paris. Now, though, some of the tension in Nathalie’s shoulders finally began to ease. Hawkmoth walked back to the bed. He sat down behind her, then placed a gloved hand on each shoulder. Slowly, he began to massage the remaining knots out. “You don’t need to… oh… never mind, yes, keep doing that,” Nathalie murmured. “Right there. Forever.” She closed her eyes, and for a few minutes the only sound in the room was her satisfied moans. “You’re better at this than I remember.”

Hawkmoth leaned next to Nathalie’s ear, not stopping. “Was it so easy to forget the advantages of an empathic partner?” he asked softly.

“I blocked them out, I suppose,” Nathalie whispered. “It was too difficult to separate them from all the disadvantages that came with it.”

“Fair.” Hawkmoth continued to massage Nathalie’s shoulders and upper back, easily zeroing in on the spots and techniques that produced in her the most satisfaction, the most pleasure. “I’d forgotten, too,” he admitted. “I’d banished the memory of how utterly breathtaking it is to feel everything you feel.” He kissed her neck softly. “Even your frustration, your annoyance. Although those do finally seem to be abating. It seems you’re coming around.”

“Mmhmm,” Nathalie said. There was, after all, no point in lying.

“It’s getting easier for you, to look at me like this.”

“In my defense, the costume change helped.”

Hawkmoth let out a low chuckle. “I don’t control the costume,” he said. “That’s all Nooroo. I suppose he feels I’ve earned the upgrade from the villain’s cowl to the standard mask. Or at least the benefit of the doubt.” He paused. “I haven’t, though. Not yet. But I will,” he promised.

Nathalie nodded. “I know,” she murmured. Her eyes stayed closed, she continued to bask in the caresses and the kisses that were growing more and more insistent, but there was still a kernel of hesitation at her core. She would not be returning any of these affections while her husband was transformed-not today, at any rate. Sighing, Gabriel dropped the transformation, returning to the shirt and boxer shorts he'd woken up in, and a moment later Nathalie twisted around to face him, touch him, kiss him. She brought a hand up to his face and caressed his cheek for a moment before sliding her hand around to the back of his neck and pulling him in for a more insistent kiss, keeping him on her as she fell back into the pillows.

“Nathalie,” Gabriel whispered, as his wife bit his lip and grabbed his shirt.

“Hmm?”

“I should get dressed.”

“That seems counter-productive.”

“Any other morning,” Gabriel replied, kissing the shock of red in her hair, “but the appointment’s in less than an hour.”

Surprised, Nathalie looked at her wristwatch. “Hell,” she muttered. She looked back at Gabriel. “Promise we’ll pick this up right after.”

Gabriel kissed her forehead. “Promise.”

~~~

Alya looked at her two friends silently for a moment. “Okay, let me get this straight,” she finally said. “Your stepmom was kidnapped by an evil wizard trying to weaponize soulmarks.”

“Sorcerer,” Adrien corrected. “And… yeah, actually, that's a really good summary.”

“And you want me to break into his phone.”

Adrien scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. “Well, um, I completely understand if you don't want to get involved, but I thought-”

“If she doesn't want to get involved?” Nino interrupted skeptically. “This is Alya.”

“Yeah,” Alya agreed, waving her hand impatiently “obviously I want to get involved. I'm just surprised you can't get your magic mom to handle it or whatever.”

“She said there's anti-magic defenses on it. But hacking isn't magic-”

“My hacking is.”

“-so we thought you could probably do it faster than she could.”

Alya beamed at the praise and picked the phone up. “Yeah, I'm game,” she said. “Out of curiosity, though, on a scale of one to ten how worried do I need to be about this very dangerous sorcerer finding out I'm snooping through his things?”

“Zero,” Adrien said. “My mom… took care of him.”

“She took care of him?” Alya repeated skeptically. “What is this, a mafia movie? What does that even mean?”

“It means what it sounds like,” Adrien said, clearly uncomfortable.

Alya's eyes widened. “Oh,” she said. She looked back down at the phone. “What are you hoping to get from this, exactly?”

“Mom thinks he had a partner.”

“Do I need to be worried about that guy?”

Adrien shrugged. “We don't even know if he exists. Look, you're right, this is probably way too dangerous, I'll figure something else out.” He reached for the phone, but Alya snatched it away and quickly dropped it in her purse.

“No way am I not helping after everything you just told me,” she said, annoyed. “I don't care about danger. ‘All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good people do nothing’, remember? Where would we be if Ladybug or Chat Noir only helped when it was safe?”

“Ladybug and Chat Noir are superheroes!” Adrien cried, exasperated. “They're a lot harder to kill than you are!”

“Oh, whatever.” Alya frowned. “Still, it's probably a good idea to bring them in on this. I mean, this is big, Adrien, you get that, right?”

Adrien rolled his eyes. “Yes, Alya, I get that.”

“So you agree that I should call Ladybug and ask her to help?”

Adrien stared blankly for a moment, an expression Nino was quickly coming to recognize as the one his boyfriend wore when he was trying and failing to think of how to gracefully get out of secret identity shenanigans. “Sure,” he finally said. “That's probably a good idea. Um, you don't have to keep bugging her with updates you get from me though, you can just send her to me and I'll fill her in with everything directly.”

Alya raised an eyebrow suggestively. “Careful, Adrien, your boyfriend’s right here, you don't want to make him jealous.”

“What? No, no, no, I didn't mean it like-”

“Oh, relax, Nino gets it, he had that little fling with Chat Noir earlier this year,” Alya said, grinning as Adrien turned bright red. “If you ask me, you should get a one-time pass for your own superhero crush. I mean, fair’s fair, right?” She looked at Nino expectantly.

Nino rolled his eyes. “Sure, why not,” he said. “But I think Adrien's a little preoccupied right now with the mysterious sorcerer that's maybe trying to kill his parents.”

“Right.” Alya frowned again. “How big of a problem are sorcerers, anyway? I mean, I knew they existed, obviously, but I had no idea they were like, kidnapping citizens for weird magic rituals and basically getting away with it scot-free. And not everyone's as lucky as you are to have their own sorcerer who can ‘take care of’ the dangerous ones for them. Shouldn't people know about this?”

Adrien shrugged. “Maybe? I don't know, we can worry about it after we solve this soulmark thing.”

“Shouldn't people know about that, too?”

“No,” Adrien said emphatically. “Regular people can't do anything to protect against it, it'll just make them panic. And if other sorcerers find out that it's possible, they might figure out how to make it work. We can't let this get out, Alya.”

Alya's frown deepened. “I'm a journalist, Adrien, the idea of keeping secrets from people ‘for their own good’ doesn't exactly sit well with me.”

“Keeping secrets to protect people is the entire basis of how all the superheroes you love operate,” Adrien said defensively.

“Those are their secrets to keep, Adrien! This isn't like a civilian identity, this affects everyone.” Alya stood. “I won't say a word about it to anyone else before we figure this out, and I won't publish anything without telling you first, but I'm not going to promise to keep this a secret forever, Adrien. Not before I have a better understanding of how much secrecy actually protects regular people, and how much it protects the sorcerers who exploit them. Fair?”

Adrien nodded. “Yeah, that's fair.”

“I'll let you know when I manage to break into the phone.”

“Thanks.”

~~~

“Everything looks great,” Dr. Martinez said, and Gabriel relaxed his grip of Nathalie’s hand ever so slightly.

“You're sure?” Nathalie asked, not taking her eyes off the ultrasound screen.

“Mmhmm,” the doctor assured her. She pointed. “There's the heartbeat, right there. I know it's not much to look at this early, but trust me, that's exactly what we want to see.” She shifted the wand around. “Lining looks good. There's no sign of anything out of the ordinary. No cramping, bleeding?” Nathalie shook her head. “Well, call if that changes. Otherwise, I think it's safe to say you're out of the woods.” The irony of this phrasing did not escape Nathalie, but she ignored it.

“If something like this should happen again-” Gabriel started to ask.

“-come back right away,” the doctor finished. She looked at Gabriel. “Do you expect something like this to happen again? Because we really very strongly advise against any kind of magic exposure for the entire gestation.”

Gabriel hesitated. “No,” he lied, “we don't expect anything like this to happen again. It was an unfortunate fluke.”

Dr. Martinez nodded slowly, clearly skeptical. “Well, it's not really my area of expertise. If this is going to be a repeated occurrence, perhaps I should refer you to an obstetrician who has more experience with magic exposure in pregnancies.”

“No,” Nathalie said immediately, still not looking away from the screen.

“Nathalie-”

“I'm not switching to another obstetrician.”

“Why not? The doctor said herself that-”

“Because we interviewed over two dozen,” Nathalie said, “and Dr. Martinez is the only one who didn't immediately start gushing about how easy soulmarked pregnancies were.”

The doctor snorted as she shut the machine off and handed Nathalie a paper towel. “Is that how I got the job?” she asked. “Yes, most of my colleagues tend to get excited about patients like you, and the numbers are there, but,” she shrugged, “there's no such thing as a sure thing in this field. I wish there were, but it's better to just be ready for anything.”

“I couldn't agree more,” Nathalie said, finally tearing her eyes away from the now blank screen in order to wipe away the ultrasound gel from her bared abdomen.

Dr. Martinez gave Nathalie’s shoulder a gentle pat. “Like I said, call if anything comes up. Otherwise, I'll see you in a few weeks for your next regular appointment.” She left the room, and Nathalie let out a heavy sigh of relief as she pulled her shirt back down and sat up.

“I don't think I realized how much anxiety I was carrying over this,” Nathalie said softly.

“I did,” Gabriel replied.

Nathalie raised an eyebrow. “Show-off,” she muttered, but Gabriel could feel the amusement she was hiding just as easily as he'd felt her anxiety. He leaned against the exam table and Nathalie took his hand and squeezed it. “I don't want to have to come back here again,” she whispered. “I wish I could believe the worst is over.”

“For you it is,” Gabriel promised. “The rest of us will take care of whatever comes along. There's no reason for you to get dragged into it. You can stay safely out of whatever comes next.”

Nathalie scoffed. “Staying safely out of things has never exactly been my forte.”

~~~

Gabriel knocked on his son’s bedroom door. There was a certain unfortunate irony, that Gabriel had only recently gotten into the habit of respecting his son’s privacy right before reacquiring powers that made the gesture completely moot.

“Father?” Adrien opened the door and stepped aside, allowing Gabriel to enter. As he did, he noticed Nino sitting on the couch in front of some muted anime.

“Adrien. I…” Gabriel hesitated. “I’m not sure if this is appropriate, but I was attempting to acclimate to the Butterfly Miraculous again, and I sensed… distress. Fear.”

Adrien's eyes widened. “Ian's partner? Is he-”

“No,” Gabriel interrupted. “It's nothing to do with that. Nothing to do with sorcery or soulmarks, nothing that poses any kind of a threat to us whatsoever. It is simply a domestic dispute. About ten blocks north. There are children present. The situation is not currently violent, but it could quickly become so. I know this is not why the Guardian bestowed this Miraculous, but I thought-”

“You thought a visit from Chat Noir might set the guy straight,” Adrien finished.

“Something along those lines, yes.”

“Yeah, of course.” Adrien turned to Nino. “I'll be back soon.” He transformed, and a second later had disappeared out his bedroom window.

In the wake of his absence, Gabriel and Nino stared at one another for a few moments of silence. “You disapprove,” Gabriel finally said.

“No,” Nino said slowly, “I just… are you going to send Adrien to deal with every domestic dispute in all of Paris from now on?”

“I don't know. I hadn't really considered-”

“Because he’ll take care of every single one you send him after, you know,” Nino continued. “Happily. Even if it completely drains him, which it will. It's a lot to put on one guy, even a superhero. So maybe consider that, too.”

Gabriel nodded. “That is a good point. I will try to find an appropriate balance.”

“Thanks.” Nino started to turn back around, then hesitated. “You, um, you can sense stuff that specific?”

“While transformed, yes,” Gabriel replied. “This surprises you?”

Nino shrugged. “Look, I wasn't gonna bring it up or anything, but back when you were, you know, akumatizing someone new every other day, I guess I always figured you didn't actually have that much say in what kind of people you found. Because if your powers were good enough to pick out the really bad guys, guys that would hit their wife or rob a bank or whatever, then why were you always picking people like…”

“Like you?” Gabriel asked.

Nino shrugged. “Well, yeah.”

“I would have,” Gabriel replied, “if it had been my aim to damage Paris as much as possible. It was not. The terrorism was incidental. I realize this is not exactly a comfort-Adrien certainly took little comfort in it, when we finally discussed it-but I never wanted to create any more chaos than necessary in order to draw out the major Miraculouses. A violent man, a sadistic criminal, akumas made from people like that would have been an ugly thing. An akuma made from someone like you, on the other hand, a decent person caught in a temporary moment of weakness, could be trusted not to take things too far.”

Nino raised an eye skeptically. “So, what, it was a compliment?”

Gabriel sighed. “Again, I understand how little a comfort it actually is. My actions three years ago were inexcusable. I do see that now. I regret that you were caught up in them.”

Nino’s expression didn’t change. “Apologies aren’t really your thing, are they?”

“They are not.”

Nino nodded slowly. “Well… thanks for trying, anyway.”

Gabriel nodded. “I appreciate you taking all this in stride,” he said. “It cannot have been an easy thing to find out, especially in the middle of my wife’s disappearance.”

“Oh, yeah, well,” Nino shrugged, “after finding out Adrien’s Chat, I kind of just braced myself for everything in his life to be insane. Besides, Nat married you, so you can’t be all bad, I guess.”

“Still. I think most young men would be far more distressed, to find out their boyfriend’s father was a former supervillain. You must care about my son a great deal, to let it go so easily.”

Nino blinked, stunned, and his cheeks went pink. “I, uh-well, yeah, of course I do, but, um, when-how did you, uh-”

“Over the next few days, I expect to fully adjust to becoming an empath again,” Gabriel interrupted, “and I will be able to direct my abilities enough that there are no more violations of privacy or awkward revelations. In the meantime, however, I’m afraid I cannot help but pick up on these things.”

Nino nodded. “Uh huh. Right. Well, I mean, we were going to tell you anyway, it’s just Nat disappeared and everything was crazy and it didn’t, you know, seem like a great time to bring it up. I mean, it never seemed like a great time, but Adrien had finally psyched himself up for it, he really had, and then-”

“It is not a mystery to me,” Gabriel said softly, “that Adrien still finds it difficult to share personal things with me. It is not a mystery to me why that is, either, or whose fault it is. I didn’t mean to accuse. I simply wished to express my gratitude, that is all.” Before Nino could reply, Gabriel left the room.

#More Things in Heaven and Earth #hawknath #gabenath

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dust2dust34 · 7 years

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Pieces of Always: July 2035, Part 2 (FICoN ‘verse)

Life continues after Forever is Composed of Nows.

by @so-caffeinated and @dust2dust34

Summary: Ongoing non-linear collection of family moments for the Queens. (You do not need to have read FiCoN to enjoy this, but it will spoil the end. Please see the first installment for additional author notes. Thank you @jsevick and @alizziebyanyothername for the amazing beta!)

A/N: Please see the first chapter for an important Author’s Note, as well as under the cut for an additional one.

A/N: I am taking more of a beta role for right now. The effervescent @so-caffeinated is fully in the driver’s seat (all the Ameliam, omg) and she’s kicking all the ass, so please go send her your love!

Excerpt:

“I did promise you a dance,” Will murmurs, offering his hand to Amelia. She only hesitates a second before placing her fingers in his.

“You did,” she agrees quietly as he helps her up. He doesn’t back up as she stands and it puts them in closer proximity than it should, close enough to make people talk and to make his grandmother huff in distaste. But he doesn’t give a damn that it’s borderline inappropriate. The heat of her body washes over him and, when he breathes in, the scent of her perfume makes him dizzy. He’ll take that over propriety any day… especially because she makes no move to back off, either.

“So, dance with me, Amelia?” he asks.

His voice is soft and heavy, his face utterly serious for once, and there’s no doubt that he’s asking for more than a dance, but he’ll take whatever she’s willing to give.

(read on AO3)

July 2035 - So Close But So Far Away, Part 2

Lillie’s annoyance level is entirely justified. Tonight has been, by far, the worst Will’s ever treated a date and, even though that was entirely unintentional, he still feels the need to make up for it.

“You’re an absolute saint for putting up with me tonight, you know that, right?” he asks, pouring her a very full glass of champagne.

“I think we both know I sin a little too much for that,” she replies with a raised eyebrow and a smirk as she takes the outstretched glass. “But you can keep piling on the compliments. I am really enjoying them.”

“You’re also incredibly charming,” he points out, serving himself a glass, as well.

“Well, your stepmother seemed to agree,” Lillie says. “She told me that at least twice between some really unfortunate mini-speeches about problems with something at work involving down cycling batteries and how your dad needs knee replacement surgery but won’t get it.”

Will winces and makes a mental note to both tell his stepmom ‘thank you’ and ‘what the hell?’ “Sorry,” he tells Lille for what feels like the hundredth time.

“It’s fine,” she sighs in resignation. “If I’d found my younger sibling half dressed, I’d probably have run off to find some brain bleach, too. But, for what it’s worth, your dad really should get that knee replaced sooner rather than later. It’s not going to get any better.”

Neither of his father’s knees are going to be getting any better. It’s not an ‘if,’ at this point; it’s a ‘when,’ despite the fact that his dad is completely unwilling to discuss it. He’s got way too much damage to keep this up indefinitely.

“You’re absolutely right on that,” he agrees with a sigh. “But my dad can be…”

“Stubborn?” Lillie asks, looking up at him with amusement. “Yeah, your stepmom said that, too. Your little sister agreed. Ellie, not the one with the mussed hair.”

“Jules,” Will replies, his eyes instantly skimming the room for his sisters. He finds Ellie right away. She’s chattering away with Sara, looking completely enamored with her best friend’s presence. How, exactly, the other girl hasn’t picked up on his sister’s long-standing crush, he has no idea, but it’s probably for the best for everyone involved. Jules takes him another minute to find, but that’s because she’s on the dance floor, swaying in her boyfriend’s arms. He’s seen Jules dance for more than a decade, but that’s for performances. It’s never been like this. It’s never been just for the sake of closeness with a boy. It throws him, but he also figures it’s something he’s going to have to get used to. “That was… yeah.”

“You’re a pretty solid brother,” Lillie decides, watching him over the top of her glass. “Not the best date tonight, but it’s early yet. I feel like maybe you can make it up to me still.”

Well… that’s suggestive, so apparently the evening with her isn’t a total wash.

“I’m pretty good at achieving things when I put my mind to it,” he smirks at her, slipping a hand around her waist and running his thumb across the curve of her hip. Lillie’s curvy, with full hips and a sizable bust, and while Will enjoys most iterations of the female form, he’s definitely more drawn to Lillie’s than most. This is something he’s made absolutely no secret of from their very first meeting and she’s well aware that he’s more than a little in love with how he can make her body respond to him. She’s a little addictive in that way, in the way so many women are. “Let me know if there’s anything in particular you’ve got in mind for an apology.”

“I feel confident you’ll think of something,” she says slyly, leaning into him a little. It sends a bit of a thrill through him. Not Lillie herself, per se, but the hints of innuendo.

“Well, I’ll put some real thought to it,” he promises, tugging her back toward him a bit and pressing his lips to side of her neck for a brief kiss with just a hint of tongue to it.

If he’d seen her face as he did that, if he’d taken in the way her brow furrowed as her eyes shut and she held in a sigh, he might have figured out right there that things were a little further outside of the norm for him than he’d planned or expected. He might have seen that Lillie’s attachment to him is just a few steps beyond his to her. But he doesn’t. He’s in the dark and at least some of what follows will be a total surprise to him because of that.

“You watching the MI-6 guy?” he asks into her ear.

“What?” she asks with a laugh, tilting her head slightly in his direction.

“British guy near the balcony,” he whispers against her skin. He’s all grins at this point. He knows well how to play this game and it’s one he enjoys greatly. “Keeps tapping his fingers on the tabletop. It’s a signal to his partner at the bar. The leggy redhead.”

Lillie laughs. “Isn’t that the head of the school board? And I’m pretty sure he’s Australian.”

“Nah,” he counters as the man lets out a rattling cough into his sleeve. “That’s just his cover. He’s MI-6 and he’s been poisoned by the Triad. He was in town tracking their drug trade, trying to take down the kingpin, but they figured him out.”

“How’d they do that?” she asks, her grin wide and delighted.

“The signals with his partner, of course,” Will provides, building up the story. Lillie seems to enjoy this, but she definitely doesn’t add much on. “They aren’t exactly subtle.”

“They haven’t even looked at each other since we started talking,” Lillie tells him.

“Exactly,” Will replies. “Highly suspicious, don’t you think?”

“I think… that you are absolutely ridiculous, Will Queen.”

“Hmm, maybe,” he muses. “And maybe you like that about me.”

“I do,” she confirms, though he already knew that. She leans into him more, resting her head against his shoulder as she sips some more of her champagne. “What about that one?” she asks, continuing the game.

He follows her gaze to find her nodding toward the table where his grandmother sits with Amelia, the two of them chatting away like the old friends they are. He swallows hard at the sight and takes far too long to answer Lillie’s question, but he can’t help it. Amelia is so sharply beautiful, so utterly entrancing. The world just slows down when he looks at her, something shifts in the air, sets it alight. He can’t explain it, but it’s very real and he’s not the only one affected.

It’s not more than a couple of seconds before Amelia feels his eyes on her and turns, immediately finding his face in the crowd.

The tension is thick enough that it feels like he could reach out and grab it, but it’s also fleeting. Amelia’s heated gaze slips from him to his date. An unreadable look passes over her face and she quickly turns back to her conversation with his grandmother. He keeps watching her for another moment and he knows she’s fully aware of it from the way her cheeks flush and she tucks a stray lock of her long, dark hair behind her ear.

In spite of Lillie watching every moment of this exchange, it’s not her that jars him from staring at Amelia. No, it’s his grandmother’s piercing gaze. She has always been protective of her protégé and she’s never made a secret of her distaste for his interest in Amelia. If you asked Will, he’d say she’s never made a secret of her distaste for him, but he’s also pretty sure that’s not the way his grandmother sees it.

But whatever… any hope of mending that relationship is long gone. It’s not something that bothers him anymore.

Most of the time.

He tilts his head in a mockery of a greeting toward his grandmother before turning back to meet Lillie’s confused eyes.

“That would be my grandmother and someone from her staff,” he replies, trying to force a smile. “It’s a bit harder to play the game with people you know.” Lillie makes a surprised face and glances back toward the table again with fresh eyes. “She was mayor for like sixteen years. You didn’t recognize her?”

“Politics isn’t my thing, Will,” Lillie replies with a bit of a shrug. “She seems kind of…”

“Cold?” Will finishes.

“I was gonna go with reserved, but…” Lillie supplies.

“Yeah, well, you’re not wrong,” Will bites out.

“The staffer with her doesn’t seem that way, though,” Lillie says. She’s fishing, that much is clear, but Lillie’s just a date and he doesn’t owe her any explanations.

“She’s not,” he confirms. If his voice is sharp, definitely not inviting further speculation, that’s entirely intentional. But Lillie also doesn’t seem willing to let it go.

“Is she an ex or…?”

“No,” he replies, wholly unwilling to elaborate. “Did you want to dance?”

That serves as the distraction he’d intended. Lillie’s entire countenance shifts, brightening as he watches. “I’d love to,” she murmurs, letting him take her glass to place on the counter before leading her to the dance floor.

Growing up the nephew of Thea Queen-Harper means that Will has a more than passable dancing skill-set. Most of his earliest memories of his aunt involve stepping on her toes while she tried to teach him to waltz.

These days, that kind of nostalgia is tinged with just a bit of pain. In spite of the distance between Will and his grandmother, he’s always had a fairly good relationship with his aunt and her dancing days are most definitely behind her now. She’s never been well, not the entire time he’s known her, but her condition has steadily worsened these past few years. His dad won’t talk about it, won’t even acknowledge it, but her deterioration is clear to anyone who stops to look. And Will privately thinks it won’t be too terribly long before they all have no choice but to face it.

Not right now, though.

Right now he has a beautiful girl in his arms who wants to dance.

He twirls Lillie a bit before pulling her in and she laughs delightedly. It’s easy to make her happy, easy to earn a smile and a laugh and a kiss. He likes that about her… most of the time. There’s nothing wrong with simple.

Will doesn’t think about much as they dance, just enjoys the feel of her dress beneath his palms and the way her body brushes against his. Maybe he shows off a bit, spins her about just because he can. He likes being charming, likes the way it makes girls smile at him like he’s special, even if it’s all so much more surface level than any of them seem to want to admit.

“You’re awfully good at this,” she tells him as the song changes and he doesn’t miss a beat. It’s slower and Lillie moves closer, draping her arms around his neck, her fingers toying with the end of his hair. It’s nice, comfortable.

“Prerequisite for being a Queen,” he informs her, looking past her to find his father watching him thoughtfully. It’s like he’s trying to figure something out, and Will’s pretty sure he doesn’t like that idea. The look doesn’t last long, though, because Felicity grabs his arm excitedly and points toward another spot on the dance floor with a tremendous, emotional smile. Both Will and his father follow her line of sight to find Nate asking Ellie to dance. It’s the cutest damned thing Will’s ever seen and he grins and shakes his head as his little brother does a very crisp bow and takes his sister’s hand, just like they’d done as small kids under Aunt Thea’s instructions. Ellie, all of seventeen and never comfortable dancing, rolls her eyes and accepts the invitation.

“Is that your little brother?” Lillie asks, taking in the scene.

“Yeah,” Will says. “He’s a good kid.” Too good, maybe. Will sort of wishes he’d get in a little trouble now and then. That much good behavior can’t be healthy.

“They’re cute,” Lillie proclaims. “I can’t imagine my brother asking me or my sister to dance when we were that age.”

“They’re the best,” he agrees. And they really are. Jules and Ellie and Nate and Beth. They’re the most meaningful parts of his life. Taking care of Bethy and worrying over Ellie’s dedication to joining their dad on his crusade, helping Nate remember that he really is just a kid and being an active part of Jules’ life as she takes one big step into adulthood after another… he thinks these may be the most important things he’ll ever do.

“He’s so proper,” Lillie says with a little laugh. He is. It’s true. Nate is painfully square shouldered and moves stiffly.

“Okay, so some of us got those genes passed along better than others,” Will admits.

“We should switch with them,” Lillie says, looking up at him, clearly pleased with her suggestion. “He’d probably like that, right? Having someone to dance with other than his sister? It’s not like there’s anyone near his age here.”

“I think he would,” WIll agrees. Truth be told, he’d sort of like to dance with Ellie, too. He hasn’t even said hi to her tonight. “You sure you’re okay with that?”

“Dancing with a nervous middle schooler with sweaty palms who might step on my feet?” Lillie laughs. “It’s been a while, but I’m pretty sure I remember how to do that.”

“You’re pretty great, you know that?” he asks her as he maneuvers them across the dance floor in Nate and Ellie’s general direction.

“I try,” she grins. “Besides, I have a soft spot for kids.”

This is the third time in as many weeks that she’s made some kind of statement to that effect and Will finds himself forcing the smile on his face to stay in place. Because that’s a sign. It’s a warning signal he’s well-attuned to at this point, an alarm that tells him this relationship is nearing its expiration date. Maybe he’s wrong this time, though. Maybe she’s just a nurse who would prefer working in pediatrics and wants to be nice to his little brother. He’s gonna cling to that notion for the time being, anyhow.

“Excuse me,” Lillie says, tapping Nate on the shoulder once they’re within arm’s reach.

Nate jumps about a mile.

“Hi,” he squeaks. The poor kid’s voice breaks on a dime these days and he’s so damned embarrassed by it. “Hi,” he repeats a little clearer. He’s blushing tremendously, though, which is… intriguing. Is that because of Lillie? Is he actually paying attention to a woman with interest?

“I thought you might like to switch partners, dance with me for a bit,” Lillie tells him. Her voice is sweet and a bit flirty. “How about it?”

Nate swallows hard, his Adam’s Apple bobbing visibly as he turns absolutely fire engine red. His eyes going huge as they dart nervously to Will. It’s so funny that Will has to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing.

“You, uh… you don’t mind?” Nate asks.

The Will keeps a straight face is a minor miracle. Does he mind his thirteen year old baby brother dancing with his not-a-girlfriend date? No. Not even a little. Not even knowing with absolute certainty that Nate’s thoughts about the woman in question are definitely not the chaste sort. He’s thirteen. That’s sort of expected at this point and, really, thank God, because at least it’s something typical for a teenage boy. Nate’s half child, half businessman and nothing in between most of the time. But now… right now, he’s a gangly teenage boy trying really hard not to stare at his older brother’s date’s clingy dress.

“I’d appreciate it, actually,” Will tells him. “I’d like to dance with Ellie, but it would be rude to leave Lillie alone.” Again. Thankfully Lil has the grace not to point that out.

Ellie’s clearly pleased with this notion, letting go of Nate and sidling up next to Will. She’s sort of crazy cute. Her dress is bright and colorful, just like her. Whatever heartbreak she’d endured in getting turned down for a date tonight, it’s nowhere to be seen now. Will suspects that has more to do with Sara and her family showing up than it does any fading bruised feelings, but that’s a delicate thing to address with Ellie. She has always, always been in love with her best friend. He’s glad to hear that she’s moved on a little from that - that she’s at least shown an interest in another girl, even if it went poorly - but he’s also concerned that it’s all surface level.

Because he’s seen the way she lights up when Sara walks in the room. There’s no pretending that her feelings have waned at all for her best friend.

“I… would be honored,” Nate says finally, dipping his head a little in a respectful bow to Lillie as he offers her his hand.

“You Queen boys are so gallant,” Lillie smiles, taking his hand.

“I, uh… I might step on your toes more than my brother does,” Nate warns her nervously as he tries to sort out where exactly to put his hands. “He’s kind of better at this than I am.”

“Good!” Lillie says brightly, as she places his hands on her waist. “Then I get to help you practice. This’ll be fun.”

“That sounds… that sounds… really good,” Nate says, nodding nervously and licking his lips. “Nice. It sounds nice. You’re nice. And pretty. That dress is… very pretty. And so are you. In it.”

Oh god, the boy has no game whatsoever. Will just kind of blinks at him wondering how the hell he inherited exactly none of their father’s genes in this particular department. But Lillie, at least, takes it in stride. She plays it off like it’s cute and she’s flattered, which probably does wonders for Nate’s ego as they shuffle somewhat awkwardly away across the dance floor.

“He’s totally crushing on your girl, you know?” Ellie asks, taking hold of Will’s elbow.

“She’s not my girl,” Will counters with a huff.

“Well, whatever,” Ellie shrugs. “I mean, I can’t fault him exactly. She’s pretty smokin’ hot, but he might short circuit and overload from a hormone rush or something.”

“You think she’s hot?” Will asks, because his brain absolutely stopped there. He and Ellie don’t have this kind of conversation. As far he knows, Ellie doesn’t have this kind of conversation with anyone. She’s been pretty uncomfortable with discussing her sexuality.

Not now, though, and it throws Will for a loop when she blatantly looks Lillie up and down.

“Will, I’m pretty sure I’d think she was hot even if I was straight,” she says finally.

That’s… Okay, that’s something Will’s not sure how to process, but he’ll figure it out. This was always coming, but at the same time he has not one, but two of his siblings pretty blatantly checking out his date and he’s not sure what to do with that.

“Does it bother you?” Ellie asks. The nervousness he’d expected earlier has suddenly shifted to take over her face and he could absolute kick himself for not heading that off at the pass as much as he possibly could.

“Does it bother me that my two teenage siblings are both appreciating my date’s… assets?” he asks, putting her hands on his shoulders and resting his fingers against her waist. “A little. I mean, that’s kind of weird. But it’s actually sort of cool to have you talking to me about girls.”

“Yeah?” Ellie asks, scrunching up her nose. She could not be more adorable if she tried.

“Yeah,” he says as they fall into step with the beat of the music. “I want you to know you can come to me about anything. I’m always gonna be here for you, Ellie. Doesn’t matter if it’s about girls or your parents or school or masks. I love you, kid. And I know I don’t have any idea what you’re dealing with here. I’ve never walked in your shoes, but I get that it’s not easy. That just makes me want to be someone you can lean on more.”

“Oh…” Ellie says softly, a pleased little flush working its way across her cheeks.

“Did you think I wouldn’t?” Will asks, honestly concerned that maybe he’s given her the wrong signals somehow.

“No,” Ellie counters. “You’ve always been super cool about me being gay. You’re kinda super cool about everything, really. It’s just… it’s weird to talk about, you know?”

“Would’ve been weird hearing you say you thought a guy was smokin’ hot if you were straight too, you know,” Will points out. “I am your brother.”

“Fair enough,” Ellie laughs.

It’s quiet then for a second, but Will feels like he’s on to something and he’d be a fool to let that go.

“So… how’s school? Dad said there was a girl…” Will ventures. Ellie sighs heavily. “He also said not to bring it up, though. Did she turn out to be straight, or…?”

“What? No,” Ellie scoffs. “Why does everyone think the only reason two lesbians won’t date is that one of them is actually straight? My music teacher found out I was gay and immediately tried to give me her niece’s phone number. Because obviously since we’re both gay we must be a perfect couple? Come on… That’s just dumb.”

“Okay, that’s fair,” Will acknowledges. “And your music teacher needs to learn boundaries. But I honestly can’t think of a reason anyone wouldn’t date you. You’re kind of incredible, Ellie. So that was sort of my only explanation.”

“That’s… flattering, Will, but no,” Ellie advises with a wince that can only be described as self-deprecating.

“Did you want to talk about it?” Will ventures.

“I joined this club at school, right?” Ellie asks. She’s visibly nervous about discussing this. “For queer kids. It’s good. I mean, it’s actually super helpful to be around other people like me who aren’t all asking if I maybe just haven’t met the right guy yet or something. I asked out this girl from the club. She’s cute and we get along, but…”

“But?” Will asks after she doesn’t finish.

“But she said she didn’t want to play runner up to my best friend, okay?” Ellie asks defensively with a sigh.

“Oh…” Will says, his heart falling a bit on Ellie’s behalf.

“Yeah,” Ellie agrees. “‘Oh’ is right. I mean… it’s not like she’s wrong, but it’s not something I can turn off, you know?”

“I know,” he agrees, his sympathy wholly heartfelt.

“How have you dealt with it?” she asks.

“What?” he asks, jarred slightly. He damned near tramples her toes when he misses a step.

“You date a lot. You’ve had to get over someone you couldn’t be with, right?” Ellie asks. She’s all innocence, entirely looking for guidance, but she has no idea what she’s asking. “You must have. How’d you do it?”

Entirely of their own volition, his eyes shoot past Ellie to where he knows Amelia is sitting. “I’m not the best person to ask that, Elle,” he tells her.

“Why not?” Ellie scoffs.

“Because there’s exactly two women who I’ve needed to get over,” Will informs her. “The first left me in college. I didn’t deal with it well.”

“And the other?” Ellie asks. “How’d you get over her?”

“I’ll let you know when I figure it out,” he say, turning back to her with a pained look. He can’t help it, but it’s strange to voice aloud. This is something he’s kept to himself for years. Every time he’s seen Amelia it’s like something in the core of his being screams to connect with her, to make this work. But that’s never materialized. It’s ironic, given how often he has no problem at all getting a date. But when it’s Amelia, when it matters… things just don’t seem to go his way.

“She’s here?” Ellie asks, looking around. Will knows she’ll find her. There’s only a handful of women in the direction he’d been glancing and Amelia is the only one anywhere near his age. But he’s still not really prepared for his sister to call him out about it. “The brunette with grandma? The tall one?” Ellie asks, craning her neck to look in a painfully obvious way.

“Would you stop staring?” Will asks, laughing nervously. “Yes, okay. Yes.”

“She’s looking,” Ellie says, smiling past him and giving a little wave to Amelia. Of course she does. Ellie hasn’t listened to him in the least. He can’t help following her gaze back to Amelia. She smiles back at Ellie before looking at him. Like before - like always - it’s painfully loaded. For a moment, he completely forgets where he is, that he’s dancing with Ellie, that anyone else is there. The room narrows down to the pull of her bright blue eyes and he fails to remember to breathe right up until Ellie mutters, “Holy shit, Will,” snapping his attention back to her.

He blinks hard, trying to clear the image of Amelia staring back at him that’s burned into the backs of his eyelids, and avoids Ellie’s gaze.

“Why the hell aren’t you here with her?” Ellie demands.

“Because we’re nothing,” Will tells her.

“Well, that’s bullshit,” Ellie says, calling him out. “Whatever that was I just saw was absolutely not ‘nothing.’”

“That’s all she’ll let it be,” Will says, feeling the truth of his own words weighing heavily on him.

“Have you asked her out?” Ellie asks.

“Yes,” Will tells her. “Three times in the past three years. She’s very nicely said no every time.”

“That was not the look of a woman who wanted to say no,” Ellie informs him, raising both of her eyebrows at him in challenge. “Have you asked lately?”

“She has a boyfriend, Ellie,” he informs her. “In Central City where she’s moving.”

“Well that’s just stupid!” Ellie declares. She’s thoroughly incensed on his behalf and it’s enough to make him smile, in spite of the conversation. It’s also a firm reminder that - Amelia or not - Will already has everything he needs. His family is the core of what’s important to him.

“I appreciate the loyalty,” Will tells her, tapping her affectionately on the tip of her nose. “But, her choices are her own business. It sounds like a good career move and maybe she’s really happy with this guy of hers. I don’t know. Just because I wish I could change things, doesn’t mean I get to.”

“It’s her loss,” Ellie sniffs, chin held high. “She could not possibly do better than you.”

“Thanks, kiddo,” he says, kissing her on the forehead. “For what it’s worth, I do get what it’s like wanting to be with someone you can’t have. I just can’t tell you how to get past it. Not yet.”

“I’ll give you some tips if I figure it out first,” Ellie sighs. He doesn’t have to look to know she’s watching Sara. “At least you know your girl is interested.”

“Is that better or worse?” Will asks with a dry laugh.

“I honestly don’t know,” Ellie tells him.

“Me either,” Will commiserates. “But you know what I do know?”

“What?” Ellie asks.

“That we’ll be just fine,” he tells her.

“And how do you know that?” Ellie questions.

“Because we have each other,” he points out. “That’s more important than anything else.”

“Yeah,” Ellie agrees with a lopsided grin before pressing up on her toes to kiss him on the cheek. “Having each other is more important. Especially since it means we have someone to run interference for each other.”

“Ellie, what-” he starts as she steps back. She’s entirely mischief all of a sudden, a secret smile crinkling the edges of her eyes.

“Keep up,” she tells him, turning on her heel and heading over to her grandmother’s table. He’s surprised enough that he nearly trips over his own feet in an attempt to do just that. But the sight of his little sister making a bee-line for their grandmother - for Amelia - is more than enough to spur him to action.

That doesn’t mean he’s close enough to stop her, though.

“Hey!” Ellie says as she reaches the table. Will’s still a few feet behind but closes in quickly. “How’s it going, Grandma?”

“Fine, Ellie,” Moira Queen pronounces, folding her hands primly in front of herself. The look on her face is shrewd, like she’s fully aware her granddaughter is up to something. “You look lovely tonight... Hello, William.”

“Grandmother,” he greets with a tight smile.

“Did Grandpa Walter not come?” Ellie asks, looking around the room.

“No,” Moira counters. “He had business in London this week. It was unavoidable, I’m afraid.”

“Bummer,” Ellie says, nodding. “That’s too bad. I’m sure you’d rather be dancing with him.”

“Oh, child,” Moira chuckles. “My dancing days are all behind me. But that’s fine. I’m enjoying the gala all the same.”

“Sure, well, you’ve got company,” Ellie notes, sticking her hand out toward Amelia with a blinding grin. “Hi, I’m Ellie Queen.”

This was, of course, the entire point of Ellie coming over. She’d had no real desire to hang out with her grandmother and Will knows that. Moira probably does, too. Hell, he wouldn’t be surprised if Amelia did.

“Amelia Prescott,” the brunette counters, shaking Ellie’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you finally. I’ve heard a lot about you from your grandmother over the years.”

“Did you work for her?” Ellie asks. She’s all wide-eyed with fake innocence - like she doesn’t already know, like Nate wouldn’t have told her at some point.

“Yes,” Amelia confirms. She’s talking to Ellie, but she can’t keep her eyes off of Will.

“Oh, so that’s probably how you know Will then, too,” Ellie says, plopping down into the seat next to Amelia and resting her chin on her palm. “I bet you two would like to catch up. With Grandma retired now, it’s probably been awhile since you’ve seen each other.”

“Elizabeth,” Moira says sharply.

“It’s okay, Grandma,” Ellie says, smiling and literally batting her eyelashes at her grandmother. “I’ll keep you company while they go dance. I wanted to pick your brain, anyhow. What do you think of community college?”

Will tries not to laugh, but has to turn his head away instead. Ellie has every intention of going to Starling City University and he knows it. But their grandmother can be a tremendous snob and, somewhat predictably, she bristles at the notion of her granddaughter passing up a four-year university.

“You’ve already applied to SCU,” her grandmother notes sharply. “I thought this was settled, Elizabeth.” Her tone brokers no doubt that she believes it should be.

“Yeah,” Ellie sighs, “I know. But I’m just thinking about options. Maybe I’ll take a year off and travel first. What do you think of hostels, Grandma?” The tight look of annoyance on their grandmother’s face and the force with which she grits her teeth is the funniest thing Will Queen has seen in a very long time. “You two should go dance,” Ellie says abruptly, looking to Will and Amelia in turn. “This might take a while.”

“Elizabeth Dearden Queen,” Moira says in a low breath, shaking her head.

“It’s totally rude of me to drag her into this conversation,” Ellie notes, grinning toothily. No one there has any doubt whatsoever what she’s doing, but that doesn’t mean it’s not going to work.

“I did promise you a dance,” Will murmurs, offering his hand to Amelia. She only hesitates a second before placing her fingers in his.

“So, dance with me, Amelia?” he asks.

His voice is soft and heavy, his face utterly serious for once, and there’s no doubt that he’s asking for more than a dance, but he’ll take whatever she’s willing to give.

“For a song or two,” she agrees, letting him lead her to the dance floor as Ellie cuts off whatever her grandmother had been about to say. It all fades to background noise anyhow. Everything but Amelia melts away.

She’s tall enough that they’re near nose-to-nose when she wraps her arms around his neck. Her fingers rest just above the collar of his jacket and he has to bite back a moan at the shock of feeling that races across the skin of his neck at her touch.

“Amelia,” he breathes out. His voice is shaky as hell and she inhales sharply. He’s holding her closer than he should. It’s considerably more intimate than two acquaintances sharing a meaningless dance. His hand is splayed wide against the small of her back, keeping her close as her thumb strokes just beneath the hairline at the nape of his neck. Her chest brushes against the front of his tux with every uneven breath.

“I don’t know how you do this to me,” she says quietly after a moment. It sends a rush of excitement surging through his veins and he locks eyes with her to the exclusion of absolutely everything else in the room. “What do you want from me, Will?”

“You already know the answer to that,” he tells her. She does. That much is obvious when she licks her lips and looks down briefly, avoiding his gaze.

“We can’t work,” she says after a moment, looking back up at him. There’s no hiding the regret living in her eyes, though, and when he brings one hand up to stroke the side of her face, her eyes slam shut and she bites her lower lip in a failed attempt to keep in a moan.

It’s the best sound he’s ever heard.

“You know that’s not true,” he tells her, unwilling to let her hide behind that excuse. “That’s why you said I’m dangerous. Because we could work. Because we would.”

Her eyes practically beg him to let her keep her illusions. Bright blue and so pained, he has to imagine his look much the same. There’s a longing and a sense of desperation that live in her gaze and he knows it lives in his, too.

“I’m moving,” she reminds him. “I’m with someone.”

“You don’t have to be,” he points out. Her eyes go wide and he swears he can feel her pulse speed up. “Tell him you need space. Tell him you need a break to clear your head. Give this a chance. Give us a shot.”

“This… this is why you’re dangerous, Will,” she points out. Her voice trembles and that alone feels like a small victory.

“Because I want you and I’m not willing to hide it?” he asks.

“Because you make it sound so reasonable,” she corrects.

“It is reasonable,” he tells her. His nose brushes against hers and she melts a little further against him. Suddenly her hand is gripping against the collar of his jacket like she needs a hold on him to keep standing. “But reason has nothing to do with it. This is entirely feeling… Tell me I’m wrong. Tell me you don’t feel this, too. Tell me it’s just me.”

“I can’t,” Amelia admits. “You know I can’t. But that doesn’t make it right.”

“Every single thing about this is right,” he counters. “All of it.”

“I’m pretty sure Thad would disagree with you there,” Amelia points out.

“Thad?” he asks.

“Yes,” she agrees.

“Your boyfriend’s name is Thad?” He doesn’t even bother trying to sound respectful.

“It’s not like he picked it,” Amelia scoffs. She’s tensed a bit and he’s already regretting this entire line of conversation, but he’s also just a little too petty, just a little too juvenile to let it go.

“Still,” Will continues, pulling a face. “Who the hell names their kid Thad. The only one I’ve ever even heard of is Thad DeWolfe the Third from the state senate.”

“That… would be him,” Amelia says slowly.

For a moment, Will forgets that they’re supposed to be dancing. He just freezes in place, his arms around Amelia as her hands slip down to rest on his shoulders. They’re a more socially acceptable distance apart now and he hates it

“You’re dating Thad DeWolfe the Third?” Will asks blankly, because this just… this is all wrong.

“I usually just call him Thad,” Amelia replies dryly.

“He’s about to be Senate Majority Leader,” Will says. Like this is news to her, like he’s the one informing her of this fact.

“He is,” Amelia agrees.

“What the hell are you doing with Thad DeWolfe the Third?” he asks. He honestly can’t make sense of this.

“Would you stop calling him by his whole name?” Amelia asks testily.

“Sorry,” he says, his voice wholly devoid of any sort of inflection that might indicate he means it. “It’s just always how I’ve thought of him, on the rare occasion that I’ve thought of him.”

“He’s a good man,” Amelia says, sounding defensive and edgy. “We’ve been together almost a year. He’s ambitious and dedicated to his work-”

“Are you reciting his resume to me right now?” Will interrupts.

“He loves me,” Amelia says sharply. “Is that what you need to hear?”

“No,” Will tells her a bit more soberly. “No, because I don’t give a shit about Thad DeWolfe the Third and how he feels. I care about you. So you tell me, Amelia. Tell me that whatever you have with him is completely fulfilling, that it’s everything you want. Tell me it’s worth giving up exploring whatever this is between us.”

She doesn’t answer right away and he knows he’s got a shot.

“When you dance with him, do you hold on like you’re afraid he’ll let you go? Or is that just with me?”

“Don’t do this,” she says.

It doesn’t escape him that it’s not an answer.

“I think that what you have with him is fine. I think it’s completely… unobjectionable,” Will tells her. If her eyes water a bit at his words and she flinches slightly, he’s equal parts sorry for that and happy about it. “I think it’s ordinary. And I think you deserve better than that.”

She starts to pull away at that, but he holds her closer and she gives in almost immediately, gripping the shoulders of his suit jacket instead.

But her words don’t hold on like the rest of her does.

“I’m not the risk-taker that you are, Will.” She sounds almost mournful about it. “I know what I want from my life. I know who am I and where I’m going.”

“And I don’t fit in your five-year-plan?” Will asks.

“You’ve never fit in my plans,” she replies. “That’s always been the problem. You’re… you’re wild and playful and gorgeous and unexpected. I’m a practical person. I don’t make decisions based on emotion. I don’t choose things just because I want them.”

“Then you’ll never get what you want,” Will notes astutely. “Playing it safe is simple. It’s easy. But you’re going to miss out on so much that way.”

Her eyes practically caress his face as she slips one hand up the side of his neck to cup his face. Her thumb traces the back edge of jaw and his eyes slam shut instinctively, the feel of her fingers against him overwhelming his senses entirely. He’s so very weak where she’s concerned.

“I wish I were like you,” she whispers. “I wish I could just… do things on a whim. I wish I were spontaneous. But I’m not.”

She goes to let go of his face and knows immediately that that’s not the only thing she’s letting go of. His reaction is more instinct than anything else, one of his hands lets go of her waist to hold her fingers against his cheek.

“Not yet,” he requests. “Just… dance with me another song. Just a little longer.”

Pretending this is more, that it’s going anywhere, is utterly foolhardy at this point. He knows full well that she wants it to as much as he does, but he also knows she’s not going to allow that to happen. Still… he can’t help wanting to make the moment last, wanting to savor the illusion that this is more than just a moment, more than just a dance.

Because, God, it could be so much more.

Her hand relaxes under his and he feels like he can breathe again.

“One more song,” she agrees. He lets go of her fingers and they settle back against his neck as his hand falls to her waist. If he’s holding her closer than he should, he tries not to think about the fact that it’s probably the only time he ever will and he doesn’t give a damn that anyone else is there to see it.

It’s addictive, pretending that this thing between them is more than it really is. But, he’s pretty sure he’s not the only one living the lie at the moment, when she dips her head so that it’s nearly resting on his shoulder and her fingers feather through the hair at the nape of his neck. A sigh of utter contentment rushes across the skin of his neck and he shudders at the rightness of it all.

He could get used to this so very easily. He could start to need it, if he wasn’t careful.

Will has never been in love, not really, but he can’t help but wonder if this is what it feels like.

That thought slices through him with something close to fear, because he can’t allow that. He can’t fall in love with anyone, but definitely not with Amelia… Amelia who is moving to Central City, Amelia who’s going back to her boyfriend with the big important job, Amelia who might as well run off leaving a glass slipper behind when the night ends. He has to force some kind of normalcy into this moment, for the sake of his own self preservation, if nothing else.

“Did you see the guy by the bar?” he asks, clearing his throat.

“Hm?” Amelia asks, tilting her head up to look at him. Her eyes are all glazed and dreamy and his resolve falters for a second. But only for a second.

“The assassin,” he says, with a little head tilt. “He keeps adjusting his belt buckle because he’s got a poisoned dart in it. He was hired to go after the guy near that potted plant in the corner. He’s an inventor whose work was stolen by a secret government agency and they’re looking to take him out before he goes public about the theft.”

“Oh,” Amelia says, her eyes going wide and a smile gracing her lips as she takes in the scene with excited eyes, picking up easily on his little game. “That would be interesting, but you’re wrong.”

“Am I?” Will asks in blatant amusement. “What is it you see, then?”

“Well, he’s Bratva, of course,” Amelia muses, cocking her head to the side as she watches the man at the bar.

“Is he?” Will asks. He can’t possibly hope to contain the grin on his face as she plays along. And, God, she does it so well. “How do you figure that?”

“He’s very Russian,” Amelia confides. “And he keeps scratching at his arm. Don’t they have tattoos? It’s fresh. He’s new to the family.”

“The brotherhood,” Will corrects as he beams at her. “And the tattoos usually go on their chests, but maybe he’s got too much scar tissue for that so they had to put it elsewhere.”

“Sure,” Amelia agrees. “That’s how he got in. He proved himself after being kidnapped by the Irish mob. He didn’t talk even after they tortured him for days.”

“So, why’s he after the guy in the corner?” Will asks. He feels like he could live off of the sight of her delighted face alone.

“That’s the Arrow,” Amelia tells him with tremendous certainty. Will barks out a laugh in reply. “The mobster figured out his secret identity and now he’s resolved to take him out when he’s unawares, make a name for himself in the Bratva and move up the ranks that way. Of course, it helps that he’s secretly having an affair with the Arrow’s lover. So, he has extra motivation to get him out of the way.”

“Isn’t he a bit… portly to be the Arrow?” Will asks, glancing at the guy who he’s pretty sure is actually the new district attorney. He’s probably in his mid-sixties, balding and looks like he never met a donut he didn’t like. He could not look less like Will’s dad if he tried and he’s sort of wondering how Amelia’s going to rationalize the discrepancy away.

“Well it wouldn’t be a very good disguise if he was an absurdly buff guy in his 40s, would it?” Amelia scoffs. “Really, Will. Secret identities only work if you can’t figure them out.”

His heart utterly flips in his chest at her words. He really had thought he couldn’t be entranced by her more.

“God, you’re perfect,” he breathes out without even thinking about it. “You’re just… I wish I could kiss you right now.”

All traces of playfulness are gone when she looks back at him with those wide blue eyes that feel like they can make him melt under the strength of their gaze.

“Part of me wishes you could, too,” she admits quietly. “But we can’t, Will. I won’t.”

“I know,” he agrees softly as he forces himself to let her go. The song’s changing and if he doesn’t walk away from her now, he’s not sure he ever will. “I know. But if things don’t work out… if you ever change your mind or want to try being spontaneous and irrational….”

“I know where to find you,” she agrees, stepping back. “I wish I could say that would happen. I wish…”

“Me too,” Will says, cutting her off. Because the specifics don’t matter. He wishes it all the same.

“Maybe in our next lives,” she offers with a thin smile. “Maybe that’ll be our second chance.”

“Maybe,” he agrees. “Or maybe that’s what this was.”

“Yeah…” she says, her face falling. “I’m gonna go. I think… I think I have to leave.”

“If that’s what you need,” he replies.

“It is,” she confirms. “But I… I hope you…”

“Don’t,” Will cuts her off, pausing to clear his throat. It’s a cover for how brutally her words are hitting him, but it’s not a very good one. “Don’t say goodbye. Don’t wish me well and tell me you hope I find someone and have a happy life. I can’t take that. Not from you.”

“Okay,” she says dimly. “Then I’ll just say ‘until next time, Will Queen.’”

“Until next time,” he echoes.

For a second, he thinks she’s going to kiss him on the cheek, but in the end she just turns and walks away, arms wrapped around her middle like she’s trying to keep something in, like she’s physically holding herself together. He watches her go. To the table. To grab her purse. To make a hasty excuse to his grandmother. To the door to leave.

All without looking back at him. It hurts so much more than it should, leaves him hollowed and heartsick. He wants… he wants to run after her, wants to grab her wrist and pull her in, kiss her beneath the streetlight with so much feeling that it makes her knees give out and her resolve crumble. He wants it so much that his fingers ache for the feel of her skin and his body seems cold without the heat of her pressed against him. But what she wants matters more and he’ll respect her choice even if it’s quietly killing him.

That doesn’t mean it’s not the only thing he can think about, though, and he’s so caught up in his own longing that he misses the person joining him at his side.

“So,” a familiar voice says. “I’m thinking I ran into you with the wrong date.” Will jolts, glancing down to find his Aunt Thea has wheeled up to his side. The look on her face is more curious and more insightful than he’s ready for. “Why, exactly, aren’t you going after that girl?”

“She doesn’t want me to,” Will advises, feeling the truth of those words keenly.

“That was not the look of a woman who wanted to be let go,” Thea informs him. She says it slowly, like she’s talking to a small child who might not quite understand what she’s saying.

Normally, Will adores his Aunt Thea. She’s fun and sassy. Their senses of humor line up more often than not. But right now… right now nothing seems very funny.

“I’m sorry, Aunt Thea, I just need a minute,” he apologizes. He slips his fists into his pant pockets and looks back to the door Amelia disappeared through. Could he still catch her? Is she in a cab yet? If he hurried, would there be a chance?

“Will…” Thea ventures. He can practically hear her attention honing in on him more and his eyes slam shut as his brow furrows because he can’t handle this right now. “What ha-”

“Thea.”

Will’s never been quite so glad to hear his dad’s voice before.

“Hey, Ollie,” she replies.

“Roy was looking for you,” he informs her. “He was chatting with the executive director for Starling City Children’s Care and they had some ideas about how the Queen Foundation could partner with them on a new project.”

“Where?” Thea asks immediately, snapping to attention. The Foundation is her baby, her legacy. It has been for the last decade. Privately, Will thinks it’s her drive to keep making a difference that keeps her going these days, and SCCC is one of her very favorite organizations to work with.

His father’s words are probably true, but Will knows the reason he came over when he did was to give him an escape route. And, if he hadn’t known that before, he would have the moment his dad looks at him with a sad, sympathetic smile.

Honestly, Will’s so grateful to his dad right now that it’s kind of astounding. But he still can’t force more than the thinnest smile possible in return as his father leads Thea across the room.

Any attempt at pretenses falls away as they leave and Will finds himself heading toward an empty space at the bar without even thinking about it.

“Whisky neat, please,” he calls out to the bartender.

“Make that two,” his stepmother says, hopping up onto the stool next to him without so much as a ‘hello.’

Half of him wants to ask her to please leave him alone, but the rest of him knows that nothing helps a bruised heart quite like a mom and Felicity’s the closest thing he has left. So, in the end, he says nothing. At least, not until after he has his drink in hand and takes a healthy swig. His stepmom follows suit, coughing violently and her eyes watering up as she tries to copy him. Red wine aside, she’s never been much of a drinker.

“Can she get a glass of water too, please?” Will asks the bartender.

“Thanks,” Felicity says, putting her glass down.

“No problem,” Will tells her as she takes the water from the bartender and sips some. “So… are you here because you had a sudden, newfound desire for whisky, or…?”

“I’m here because your thirteen-year-old brother is a surprising choice for a wingman,” Felicity tells him. Her gaze is as sharp as her words and he finds himself wincing under the piercing nature of both. “You’re lucky he’s taller than your date. I think she missed most of that dance, but your brother’s pretty pissed off on her behalf.”

“Where is he?” Will asks, skimming the room. Upsetting his brother was not part of his plan… or wouldn’t have been, had he actually had one.

“Other side of the dance floor,” his stepmom tells him, nodding toward the far side of the room. “Lillie’s trying to teach him the chicken dance.”

Well that’s an image. Sure enough, his date is laughing and trying to encourage Nate to dance the most ridiculous moves in history along with her. Nate looks equal parts embarrassed and flattered by her continued attention. But Will also can’t kid himself that Nate’s gonna be happy with him. He won’t understand what happened. He can’t yet. He’s too young for that.

“It really wasn’t my intention,” Will tells his stepmother, as if that makes everything better. It doesn’t. He knows it. Intended or not, any fallout from this falls squarely on his shoulders.

“I know,” she agrees. “It just surprised me. That’s all… Not as much as finding out you’re in love with someone did, though.”

Will’s hand grips his glass so hard his fingers slip and he stares down at the amber liquid for a moment before looking back to Felicity. “You think I’m in love with her because we flirted and danced together?”

“No, Will,” she counters. She looks at him like she sees right through him, like she has him all figured out. Maybe she does. “I think you’re in love with her because you let her walk away even though it looked like she was taking a piece of you with her.” She stops a moment, but Will says nothing because it’s not like she’s wrong. “The last time a man looked at me like that, I married him.”

He breathes out, a slow, steady rush of air through thinned lips, because the thoughts that statement gives him… He lets that slip away, doesn’t even think about it as he downs the rest of his glass, and he doesn’t look back at Felicity.

“You okay?” she asks softly.

“No,” he admits with painful candor. “I’m not.”

There’s really not much she can say to make him feel better, but the way she rubs his back helps a little. It reminds him of the time he was nine and caught pneumonia while his mom was on a business trip. Felicity had just taken over QI, but she still took the whole week off of work to feed him canned soup and let him sleep curled up on her lap.

“I’m sorry, honey,” she says, kissing his shoulder. “I wish I could fix things for you.”’

He hefts a huge sigh and wraps an arm around her. “Me, too,” he agrees. “It’ll be okay, though. I’ll be okay. I have you guys. That’s all I need.”

“If I’d known, I never would have pushed so hard with Lillie,” Felicity tells him. “I sort of thought it meant something that you’d brought her, even if Thea kind of forced your hand there.”

“She’s… Lillie’s nice,” Will says. “I like spending time with her.”

“But she’s not Amelia,” his stepmom notes.

“No,” he agrees distantly. “She’s not Amelia.”

“Does she know that?” Felicity asks.

“She should,” he replies, a little thrown by the question. “I’ve made it very clear that I’m not looking for more than casual.”

“Well… I mean, that’s a lie,” Felicity scoffs, waving a hand dismissively. She isn’t buying that for a moment. “Clearly. But I’m just saying, you bring a girl to a black tie event and introduce her to your whole family, she might start to get other ideas. It’s probably a good plan to make sure you’re still on the same page. Or, you know, now that you’re well aware you’re lying to yourself about not wanting a meaningful relationship, maybe it’s a good idea to give it a real shot and see where this thing with her goes.”

Her words surprise him and he finds himself looking back toward where Lillie has moved on to showing Nate how to do the Macarena. She’s sweet. She’s beautiful and sexy and smart. He has fun with her. But there’s nothing about their relationship that makes him long for more.

“I think it’s already gone everywhere it’s going,” he says. If he sounds a little sad about that, it’s because he is. It would be so much easier if he were just in love with Lillie. “That’s okay, though. Anything more right now would just feel…”

“Wrong?” Felicity asks. “Like a replacement for Amelia?”

“Something like that,” Will agrees. His chemistry with Amelia has been utterly off the charts from the very beginning. Will knows without a doubt that that kind of thing is rare and it can’t be forced. There’s no ‘replacing’ that and it would be unfair to Lillie to try.

“Okay,” his stepmother agrees easily. “But keep in mind Amelia isn’t the only woman in the world. You never know when the right woman is gonna walk into your life.”

‘She already did,’ sits on the tip of his tongue, but he just smiles back at her instead. The look on his face must telegraph his thoughts because the sympathy practically pours off of her as she slips off her barstool and kisses his cheek.

“You’re a good man, kiddo,” she tells him and he finds himself leaning into her touch.

“Well, you’re a good mom, Felicity,” he counters.

She pulls back in surprise. That’s not a thing he’s ever said to her before - not like that - and he’s clearly startled her.

“Will… sweetie, you had a mom,” she says. Her voice is cautious, guarded, but he’s got no questions in his mind about this and he’s at peace with what he meant. “Just because she’s gone doesn’t change that.”

“I know,” Will smiles. “I’m a lucky guy. I had two amazing moms. I didn’t tell one of them that frequently enough when I had the chance. I’m not gonna make that mistake again.”

Felicity hugs him so hard it feels like she’s crushing his lungs, but he welcomes it. He has always been incredibly aware of how lucky he is to have her in his life, to have all of his family. And losing his mom pulled that into sharp relief.

A few barstools away, Lillie eases onto a seat and smiles at him with a happy, breathless little grin. She’s been dancing for a while and it shows, her cheeks flushed and her skin a little dewy. Nate’s next to her, sipping on a coke, alternating between staring somewhat adoringly at Lillie and giving Will annoyed looks.

So… yeah, that’s gonna be a fun conversation later.

“Hey,” Will says. Felicity backs away slightly as he speaks, turning to follow his line of sight. “Looked like you two were having fun out there.”

“We were,” Lillie tells him brightly. “Did you have a good time dancing with your sister?”

“I… did,” he agrees slowly, having momentarily forgotten he’d even danced with Ellie. His gaze shifts over to Nate. “Thanks for filling in for me, Bud.”

Nate works his jaw back and forth tensely. There’s clearly something he wants to say, but his mother clears her throat and instead Nate grits out a tight, “Happy to. Lillie’s wonderful.”

The last part is said like a pointed reminder and Will gets the message loud and clear.

“She is,” he agrees. “Dance with me a bit more, Lil?”

“I think I have a few more trips around the dance floor left in me,” she says, slipping off the barstool and heading his way. Felicity steps away to make room for her and Will takes his date’s hand in his and leads her back out to the dance floor, pulling her into his arms and falling in step with the tune effortlessly.

It is painfully lacking something after having danced with Amelia, after having her cling to him as he relished the feel of her body pressed against his. But, it’s still a woman in his arms. There’s something comforting about that, the familiarity of it and he suddenly feels so very weak.

She’s nothing like Amelia, not in personality or physically, but when he closes his eyes and just holds onto her it feels like an echo of before. He tries to refocus on her, to pay attention to the moment, but his mind lingers in the recent past and he can’t help it.

They dance another half a dozen songs before leaving and when he takes Lillie home he tries so very hard to make it like it was a week ago, a month ago, even a few hours ago. He’s usually so good at this, at savoring the experience of being with any woman, but tonight he’s off his game and he knows it. He still slips the strap of her dress off slowly, still unhurriedly runs his lips along the slope of her shoulder. But instead of relishing the feel of her soft skin beneath his tongue, he thinks back to Amelia’s strapless dress and the smattering of freckles along her collarbone. Lillie can’t read his thoughts, of course, and she whimpers in a lovely way when he shuts his eyes against the imaginary image and pulls her back against him more tightly.

Sex with Lillie should help. He’d told himself it would, that the familiarity of it would click everything into place, that it would be an escape, but it doesn’t work out like that.

He tries, though.

She’s a beautiful picture. That much is undeniable. Her hair loose and one breast fully exposed, the dress half off as he kisses her neck and slips his hand between her thighs, the pair of them standing in front of a mirror in his bedroom. It’s gorgeous. She’s gorgeous. And he tries so very hard for that to mean something, or at least not to realize how much more it could mean.

The first time she comes, it’s around his fingers, knees shaking and body leaning back against him as she cries out his name. He hates that he wishes her voice were just a little lower, just a little rougher, that he wishes she were taller with darker hair, with bigger breasts and smaller hips. But, god help him, he does. He decides maybe he’s just not trying hard enough, that what he needs is to focus more or maybe to lose himself in her. After all, what he really wants isn’t an option, so he needs this, needs something to work, because the alternative is entirely too depressing to consider.

Eventually, he fucks her from behind while she’s on her hands and knees. He watches her breasts bouncing in the mirror with every thrust, her necklace swaying steadily between them. It’s erotic as hell and it should be intensely satisfying - it definitely seems to be for her - but for him it feels like a puzzle missing a piece. Her pleasure is still enjoyable to watch. The way she crests again and loses all sense of rhythm as her warm embrace clenches around him.

It’s only after she comes that second time that he really lets himself go. He is weak. He is so weak in this moment and when he closes his eyes and presses his face into the back of her neck, it’s a simple thing for his fantasies to take flight.

For one hot, blinding moment, it is absolutely not Lillie beneath him - not in his mind anyhow - and just the notion of that, just the hint of a fantasy of it, absolutely overwhelms him.

“Oh God,” he says. “Oh fuck.” It comes out more as a whimper than anything else. One of her hands laces its fingers with his against the edge of the mattress. His other hand grips her hip tightly as he pistons in and out of her with a fast-surging need.

It doesn’t take long for him to come, not with the images playing out in his head, not with the illusion that it’s Amelia beneath him instead. And, it’s easily the most powerful orgasm of his life thus far. His vision whites out and he damned near collapses atop Lillie. It feels like he comes for a solid minute, emptying himself into the condom with enough force that he’s both amazed and insanely grateful that the little sheath of plastic holds out.

It still takes a moment for him to gather himself together enough to pull back from Lillie. Partly because his body is so very spent and partly because looking at her will ruin his illusions and that means facing some rather harsh truths.

“You okay?” he asks when he finally slips out of her and leans back on his heels. “Sorry if I crushed you.”

“Maybe a little,” she admits, sitting up and turning to face him. “But that’s fine.”

She deserves so much better than this, he thinks.

He’s a little startled when his next thought is that so does he.

“This was great,” Lillie says, slipping off the bed and grabbing her dress. “But I think we need to call it.”

“Yeah,” Will agrees, resting his weight on his palms behind him. “You work tomorrow, right?”

“I do,” she says hesitantly, casting him a sideways glance as she pulls the dress over her head and makes a grab for her underwear. The look on her face is strange, though, and it takes him a moment for it to click what she’s really saying. “But that’s not what I meant.”

Oh.

Oh...

“You’re ending things,” he realizes aloud.

“I am,” she agrees, pausing to look at him. There are traces of regret and affection all over her face, which leaves him wondering why exactly she’s doing this. The confusion must show because she shakes her head a little and walks over to him, cupping his face. “Will, you are a wonderful guy and if you tell me anything about tonight was about me, I’ll stick around and we can see where this goes, but I think we both know it wasn’t.”

He swallows hard and says nothing, which is an answer unto itself.

“The problem is,” she starts, “if we keep doing this, I’m gonna fall in love with you. I can see it happening so easily. But I don’t think you can love me back. That’s okay. That wasn’t what this was ever supposed to be. But I’d rather cut ties now than go down that road when I know it’s leading nowhere.”

He nods, her hands still pressed against his cheeks. “I’m sorry,” he tells her earnestly. “You’re right and you deserve better than what I can give you.”

“I know,” she smiles, kissing his forehead one last time before stepping back. “And I’ll find it. I’d say you will too, but I’m pretty sure you already have, even if you two aren’t on the same page yet.”

There’s no point in playing coy and he doesn’t try. They both know she’s talking about Amelia and he won’t do her the disservice of pretending she’s wrong.

“I don’t think we’ll get on the same page,” he replies. “She’s moving. She’s with someone else. It’s not… we’re not anything. We’ve never been anything.”

Lillie is maybe the worst person to talk to about this, but Will can’t help himself. But, she affirms herself as a wonderful person, someone he really wishes he could scrounge up deeper feelings for, when she winces sympathetically and says, “I’m sorry. That sucks.”

“Yeah,” he agrees, pulling a pillow over his lap. He feels a little too exposed all of a sudden.

“Maybe it won’t be her then,” Lillie admits. “But it’s not gonna be me either. There are a lot of women out there, Will. And you’re a charming, handsome, wonderful man. I have no doubt that you’ll find someone to connect with that makes your head spin and lights up your whole life. But since that’s not me… I’m gonna head out.”

“Take care of yourself, Lillie,” he tells her.

“I will,” she smiles. “You, too. I’ll see you around, Will.”

With that, she turns and walks away, shoes in her hand and door clicking shut behind her as she goes. Will flops back against the bed and draws an arm across his face. There’s a sinking feeling in his gut and an ache of sorrow living in his chest, but it has nothing at all to do with the woman who just walked out of his life and everything to do with the one who’s refused to be a part of it.

He manages to make himself get up so he can clean off, busies himself with taking a quick shower and changing his sheets. But once he’s done, he just sits, just feels… empty. And he knows full well that he can’t fix it.

But that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to fill the cracks.

He grabs his phone and pops off a few quick texts. He thanks Nate for being a stand-up guy and suggests they hang out next weekend. He apologizes to Jules for sort of going off the handle about her boyfriend and says if they want help apartment hunting, he knows a guy who can help. He reminds Ellie he loves her and swears he’ll be at her volleyball game this week. He wants to call Bethy, to hear her sweet, happy little voice, but it’s late and she’d be asleep by now. So, instead he sends a message to Felicity.

“You were right.”

He hesitates before sending it, but hits the button in spite of knowing it’s a questionable choice of words and he’ll probably regret it later.

“As much as I’m always a fan of hearing that, especially from one of my boys, I might need a little clarity on what I was right about this time,” comes back a moment later.

He swallows hard and stares at the phone in his hand. A lot of him doesn’t want to talk about it, but he’d been the one to bring it up, he’d been the one to start this, and a part of him needs to have this conversation.

“Amelia. How i feel abt her. How it felt when she walked away again.”

There’s no pause before he hits send this time because if he waits he probably won’t send it at all. Instead he just watches the screen of his phone, waiting for the reply that he knows is going to come.

“I know,” she says. “You okay? Did you want me to come over? Did you need your dad? Or maybe Jules?”

What he needs is Amelia. He needs to rewind his night - or maybe the last five years - to do it all again.

“No,” he counters, which sort of answers all of her questions at once. “It’s okay. Thank dad for distracting aunt thea for me, plz. I’ll call him tomorrow. Just… i don’t know what to do, felicity. Tell me what to do?”

God he feels like a kid again asking her that, like a little boy looking for guidance, but he’s lost right now and he doesn’t know which direction to go.

She types and deletes her response a few times and what eventually comes through surprises him.

“Let yourself love her, Will.”

He blinks at the phone and tries to figure out how to respond to that, but she’s not done and her next text comes through just a moment later.

“Not for her sake, for yours. Let yourself feel it, even when it sucks. Let it hurt. Let it be real. Love isn’t always easy, honey, and it doesn’t always last. But you can’t wish it away and pretending you don’t feel this way about her doesn’t do yourself any favors. It’s okay to feel it. It’s okay to mourn it. But don’t bury it.”

It’s a weighty piece of advice and Will reads it more than once before replying with “yeah.”

“If you need anything, call us,” Felicity replies. “Even if it’s just for me to bring over a good bottle of red, okay? No whisky though. I don’t know how you can drink that. Do you enjoy breathing fire? Did you not like having an esophagus?”

She’s trying to make him laugh and it works. He finds himself grinning and shaking his head at the phone.

“Ha ha,” he says. “UR hilarious.”

“I’m aware,” she replies. “Dinner tomorrow?”

“Is dad cooking or do i need to bring fire suppression gear?” he asks.

“Now who’s hilarious? Your dad’s cooking, clearly. I don’t need to remodel the kitchen.”

“I’ll be there,” he tells her. “Mind if i bring bethy?”

“Of course not. Is she still vetoing all orange colored foods?”

“Nah, now it’s red.”

“Ah, the joys of a pre-schooler… You’ll be okay, Will,” she says. “I know it might not seem that way right now, but you’ll be okay.”

And he will. He knows that.

He just also knows he could be so much better.

Thank you for reading! Reviews literally feed the soul and muse, so go send some love to @so-caffeinated!

#olicity #ameliam #william queen #amelia prescott #ellie queen #nathaniel queen #felicity smoak #pieces of always #forever is composed of nows #ficon #arrow #fanfiction #my fics #my fics: cowritten #so-caffeinated #dust2dust34

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miraculouspaon · 7 years

Text

More Things in Heaven and Earth

Chapter One

AO3

“Is that steak cooked enough?” Gabriel Agreste asked his wife.

Nathalie didn't look up. “It's fine, Gabriel.”

“The center looks pink.”

“You're imagining it,” she said, before taking another bite.

“No, I am not,” Gabriel said, annoyed. “Did you bully the chef into undercooking-”

“Well, now you're being paranoid.”

“I simply-”

“Gabriel. I have had a long day, and I intend to bite into something bloody. That can either be this steak, or your neck. Your choice.”

“The doctor-” Nathalie cut her husband off with a glare. Sighing, he turned to his son. “How was school?”

“Good,” Adrien said, biting back a grin. “Nino and I are almost done with our modern history project. We were gonna knock out the rest of it this weekend actually, start after school tomorrow and marathon it. Is it cool if he stays for dinner tomorrow?” His tone was just a little tight, a little controlled, as though he cared more about the answer than he was willing to let on.

“Of course,” Nathalie said. “Just tomorrow? He's welcome the whole weekend.”

“Oh. Um. Actually, I was gonna go over to Mom’s on Saturday.”

“Really?” his father asked, confused. “I thought she was out of the country for another month.”

Adrien shrugged. “I just got a text from her this afternoon, I guess some last minute business in Paris came up. She said she figured she might as well make a weekend out of it before going back to… you know, whatever it is she's doing.”

“Ah.”

“Or I could have her come over here?” Adrien suggested hesitantly.

Nathalie didn't quite succeed at biting back a groan. “Adrien, you know I’m usually happy to make an effort, but I've been exhausted lately-”

“Which is why you should reconsider your current work schedule,” Gabriel muttered.

“-and all of my energy is currently going towards not murdering your father,” Nathalie continued, glaring once again. “I don't think introducing Evelyn of all people into the mix is a good idea for anybody. Maybe when she’s back next month.”

Adrien nodded. “Of course,” he said.

“Speaking of your work schedule-”

“We weren't,” Nathalie interrupted.

“I don't see why you won't even consider at the very least a reduction in-”

“Because it took me almost a year to find this job!” Nathalie exclaimed. “For months, Gabriel, the only decent offers I got were from fashion companies that knew my reputation, and I couldn't take any of those because they were all with your competitors. I finally found a position outside the fashion industry where I'm respected and challenged, where my skills are put to good use. And I just took a month off for our honeymoon. I'm not taking any more time until I absolutely have to.”

“You don't have to work at all.”

“Yes, I do,” Nathalie said. “Not for the money, maybe, but for my own sanity.” She turned to Adrien. “I don't suppose you could get him to drop this?”

“Are you kidding?” Adrien said. “You're way better at getting him to do stuff than I am. If I knew how to get through to my father, my life would've looked completely different.”

Gabriel scowled. “Are you two quite done discussing me as though I'm not here?”

Nathalie grinned. “If you didn’t want us teaming up against you, Gabriel, you shouldn’t have made us family.”

~~~

Nathalie was almost fully asleep by the time Gabriel came to bed. She didn’t register his presence until she felt his lips pressed against her temple. Nathalie curled against him, acting more on instinct than conscious decision-making. “Too tired,” she whispered. “Tomorrow night, I promise. Sorry.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Gabriel murmured, continuing to kiss her temple, the top of her head, the streak of red in her hair. “I’m simply apologizing.”

Nathalie yawned. “Those usually start with some version of, ‘I’m sorry’,” she said.

“I’m sorry.” Gabriel slid an arm around Nathalie’s waist and pulled her close, her naked back now pressed against his chest. “I know lately I’ve been a bit…”

“Overbearing?”

“Well, yes.” He kissed her again. “I worry.”

“The doctor said everything looks perfect,” Nathalie said, her eyes still closed.

“I know.” Gabriel sighed. “Paranoia is a more difficult habit to break than I’d anticipated, I suppose.”

“Apologies don’t usually end with excuses.”

“I’ll stop.”

Nathalie snorted. “No, you won’t.”

Gabriel bent his head down a little and pressed his lips to Nathalie’s soulmark. “I’ll work on it,” he amended. “Happy?”

“Mm hmm.” Nathalie took her husband’s hand in hers and pulled his arm around herself more tightly. Within minutes, she was asleep.

~~~

“Is that your first cup?”

Nathalie raised an eyebrow and shot Gabriel a cool look over the top of her coffee mug as he entered their kitchen. “What happened to, ‘Good morning’?” she asked, taking a sip.

“I was simply-”

“For that matter, what happened to, ‘I’ll work on it’?”

“It’s just a question.”

Nathalie took another sip. “I don’t need you micromanaging my caffeine intake, Gabriel.”

Gabriel sighed. “Good morning, Nathalie,” he said. She grinned, then placed her empty mug on the countertop before crossing the room.

“I have to run,” she said, going up on her toes and kissing his cheek. “Should I come home for lunch, or will you be working?”

Gabriel put a hand on the small of Nathalie’s back and pulled her closer for a more intimate kiss. “Come home,” he said. “I’ll move some things around, I’m sure I can come up with twenty minutes or so.”

“Twenty? You spoil me,” Nathalie teased.

“That’s twice as long as my usual lunch, you know.”

“I do.” Nathalie kissed her husband again before bidding him adieu.

~~~

Nathalie’s morning wasn’t any more hectic or stressful than usual, but she still found herself eagerly counting down the minutes until her break. Finally, noon rolled around and she gathered her things up before leaving. “I’ll be back at two,” she told the junior assistant on her way out of the reception area. “Call me if anything you can’t handle comes up.”

Nathalie had almost reached her car in the employee parking lot when she heard a “Mrs. Agreste! Mrs. Agreste!” from the other side of the lot. It took her a moment to recognize it as her name. She wasn’t sure when she’d get used to it, but it hadn’t happened yet. Nathalie looked up and saw a young, friendly-looking man approach.

“Yes?” Nathalie asked as he reached her.

He took a second to catch his breath. “Sorry,” he said, grinning apologetically. “Ian Girard.” He held his hand out, but Nathalie made no move to shake it.

“What is it?” she asked impatiently. “I’m in a hurry.”

“Right. Sorry. You’re Mr. Laurent’s assistant, right?”

“That is correct,” she said. “And?”

“Well, I’m applying for the position of his personal driver-”

“Your name isn’t on the list of applicants,” Nathalie interrupted. “I was just looking at it an hour ago.”

“Right, no, it isn’t,” Ian agreed. “That’s, uh, kind of the problem, actually, I’m having a little bit of trouble with the online application form, I was hoping to just give you my information directly?”

Nathalie bit back an irritated sigh. “I don’t have time to take it now,” she said. She opened her purse and pulled out a business card. “Here. Call this number after two and I’ll see what I can do.”

“Perfect, thanks, you’re a lifesaver.” Ian reached for the card.

As Ian’s fingers brushed against Nathalie’s, everything went black.

~~~

“You haven’t started?” Marinette shouted, her voice squeaking slightly on the last word.

“I’ll get around to it,” Nino said casually. “I’ve got time.”

“Nino, university applications are due in a month, this is your future, you’re not going to have enough time for revisions, what if-”

“Girl, not everybody needs fifth drafts of everything,” Alya interrupted. She patted Marinette on the shoulder, then looked at Nino. “Nino, you know Marinette gets anxiety by proxy, you know better than to tell her something like that.”

“Sorry. Seriously, though, it’s fine, you know I work best under pressure.” Nino pulled out his wallet and threw a few bills down onto the pile at the center of their table. “That should cover my part of lunch, right? We ready to head back to school?”

“Yeah, let’s-hang on.” Adrien pulled his phone out of his pocket and read the alert. Nino leaned over, draping his arm around Adrien’s shoulders to get a better look.

“Is that from your dad?” Nino asked. “I didn’t even know he knew how to text.”

“Neither did I.” Adrien read the message aloud. “‘Have you heard from Nathalie?’. Huh.” He typed back a quick response, then got up. As the group made their way to the exit, Adrien’s phone buzzed again. He read the new message, then froze.

“What’s wrong?” Marinette asked.

“I don’t know. My father just sent a message asking where I am, insisting I stay put until the bodyguard he’s sending can pick me up.” He frowned as his phone continued to buzz. “I guess he can’t get in touch with Nathalie.”

Alya raised an eyebrow. “So, what, your stepmom’s phone died and now your dad’s freaking out?”

Adrien sighed. “Yeah, probably,” he said.

“You want us to wait with you?” Nino asked as they left the restaurant.

“No, you guys head back to school,” Adrien said quickly. “Let the teacher know I had a family emergency. It’s probably nothing though. Alya’s right, my father’s been panicking over every little thing with Nathalie lately.” His three friends hesitated in unison. “Seriously, go,” he insisted, and they finally did so, waving goodbye reluctantly as they went.

About a minute later, Adrien’s phone buzzed again. To his surprise, the message this time was not from his father, but from Marinette. Let me know if anything’s wrong, she sent. Then, a few moments later, Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help. Then, just in case Adrien hadn’t gotten the underlying message, she followed it up with an emoji of a ladybug. Smiling to himself, Adrien typed a message back: I will. Thank you, added a green paw print, and pressed send.

~~~

Adrien entered his father’s office just as the man was slamming a phone down. “Adrien, how many more thousands of euros do I need to donate to the damn police department before it actually transforms into a functional organization?” he demanded. A second later he seemed to realize who he was talking to, and he narrowed his eyes in concern. “Are you alright?” he asked.

“Yeah, of course,” Adrien said. “What’s going on? Nathalie’s not answering her phone?”

Gabriel raised an eyebrow. “Do give me some credit, Adrien, I would not have pulled you out of school if Nathalie were simply not answering her phone. She screens half the calls I make to her nowadays anyway.”

“Oh,” Adrien said. “So-”

“She left her office for lunch,” Gabriel said. “She was going to come back here, but she never made it to her car. It’s still sitting in the parking lot.” Adrien paled. “Nobody approached you, spoke to you, nothing unusual happened to you today?”

Adrien shook his head. “No, nothing weird,” he said.

“Hmm.” Gabriel tapped his fingers against his desk for a moment. “I need you to search Paris for her. I’ll continue to make calls, pull strings, take advantage of whatever connections I can, but if something sinister has happened to her, mundane methods won’t find her quickly enough. You can cover the entire city in an hour or so, correct?”

Adrien nodded. “Yeah, but…” he frowned. “I don't know, finding people, that's not really something we’ve had to do before.”

Gabriel scowled. “I could scan the entire city for her in a matter of minutes if I had the-” he stopped himself from finishing the sentence. “Well, nevermind. I'm sure you and Ladybug will do your best.”

Adrien nodded. “We’ll find her.” Gabriel nodded, then picked up his office phone and began dialing. Adrien left the office, pulling out his phone and reading the last message he'd sent Marinette before typing a new one: Something’s wrong.

About thirty seconds later, her response came through: On my way.

~~~

Twelve hours later, none of them were any closer to finding Nathalie than when they'd begun searching.

Adrien returned to the mansion from his sixth search of the city, dropping his transformation as he landed through the open window of his bedroom before making his way back downstairs to his father’s study. Inside, he found his father sitting at the desk staring blankly at the phone, and Nino asleep on the room’s small couch, his cell phone in one hand and a list of all the city’s hospitals in the other. Nino had called once school let out, and insisted on coming over the second he'd heard what was going on. He'd been calling hospitals ever since arriving, checking for any Jane Does that even vaguely matched Nathalie’s physical description.

Adrien walked over to his father’s side. “Nothing,” Gabriel whispered as his son reached him. “Nobody knows anything. What is the point of being one of the most powerful men in Paris if this is what it gets me when someone I love is in need?”

Before Adrien could answer, the door to the study opened again and Ladybug walked through. Her face was just as grim as it had been when she’d left a couple of hours earlier, and Adrien’s heart sank. “Nothing?” he whispered.

“I’m sorry,” Ladybug said. “The Guardian wasn’t able to find her.”

“I could find her,” Gabriel said immediately. “If I had-”

“Nobody thinks it’s a good idea for you to have a Miraculous,” Ladybug snapped. Gabriel clenched his jaw.

“Nathalie returned the Butterfly Miraculous to him two years ago,” Gabriel said. “The Guardian owes it to her to use every tool at his disposal to attempt to find her. If he won’t give it back to me, someone else should wield it. Although whoever he gives it to, I must say, will not be nearly as experienced using it as I am, or as intimately familiar with Nathalie’s emotional signature.” His voice softened. “Please. Please, I would not take advantage of this, not with my wife’s well-being on the line.”

Ladybug bit her lip. “I’m sorry,” she repeated, “but the Guardian has his own methods of scanning the city, methods that are way more accurate than anything the Butterfly Miraculous can accomplish.”

“And?” Adrien asked, his voice a whisper. Ladybug looked at him and sighed.

“The Guardian,” she said slowly, “doesn’t think Nathalie is in Paris at all. He wasn’t able to detect any trace of her whatsoever. Even if she was… even if something had happened to her, he’d be able to pick up on something. Unlike the Butterfly Miraculous,” she added, looking at Gabriel pointedly, “which would be useless if she was unconscious or-well. Anyway. The Guardian will search beyond the city, but the larger the radius gets the longer it takes him to get accurate results.”

Gabriel nodded. “I see.” For a moment it looked like he might say more, but then he simply returned his gaze to the silent phone sitting on the desk before him. Adrien and Ladybug exchanged a glance, and then Adrien sighed and walked out of the study. Ladybug followed him to one of the mansion’s side entrances.

“Thanks,” he said, as he opened the door. “I really… you don’t know how much this means to me. You don’t know how much Nathalie-” his voice broke, and Ladybug immediately threw her arms around him.

“It’s okay, kitty,” she murmured. “It’s going to be okay.”

“You don’t know that,” Adrien whispered. Ladybug sighed.

“I know. I’m sorry. I wish I could do more, I wish my powers were any use here, but… I could search the city again, maybe at this hour with everyone asleep it would be easier for me to pick up on-”

“No,” Adrien interrupted. “No, you’ve done way more than enough. You should go home, get some sleep. We’ll regroup tomorrow.”

“Are you sure?” Adrien nodded. “Well… okay, but you get some sleep, too. Promise? You won’t be any good to Nathalie if you’re a zombie.”

Adrien nodded. “I promise. And I’ll call if anything comes up.”

“Good.” Ladybug gave Adrien a quick, comforting peck on the cheek, and then she was gone.

Sighing, Adrien closed the door behind her and made his way back to the study. His father hadn’t moved a muscle. “You should go upstairs, get some sleep,” Adrien said.

“No. Someone might call.”

“At this hour?”

“Adrien, I honestly don’t know what kind of hours kidnappers and ransomers keep,” Gabriel replied. “Shockingly, this is the first I’ve had to deal with any.”

“There’s a phone in your room,” Adrien pointed out. “You should-”

“Adrien.” Gabriel closed his eyes for a moment, his expression pained. “Adrien, do not ask me to go upstairs again, do not ask me to go to that bed alone.”

After a moment, Adrien sighed. “Okay,” he said softly. He crossed the room and sat down next to Nino, still asleep on the couch. Adrien pried the list of hospitals from Nino’s grasp, scanned the list for the first name not crossed off, then pulled out his phone and began dialing the number.

#more things in heaven and earth #ml fanfic #gabenath #nathalie sancoeur #gabriel agreste #well i told you i'd do it told you i'd do it #looking forward to giving more characters bigger roles in this one

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