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maddys-nerd-blog · 5 months

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Hi! It’s been a while!

I’m sorry I haven’t shared anything in a while. Things have been really stressful and I’ve been pretty down for the past few weeks, but I finally got this done in the meantime. Writing has been the best distraction from all the strain I’ve got in my life at the moment.

This is something I wanted to write for a while, so I hope you like this!! It’s a Christmas one shot for my Familia AU! I figured out how to use the link thingy too so I’ll link the song Katie sings in this one at the end too!!

Happy holidays and Happy New Year!! ☺️

Familia: Forever

Feliz Navidad, mi Familia!

Holidays were supposed to be fun. At least, that was what Katie used to think. This was long before the inter-dimensional travel or the crazy realm hopping bullshit she’d been roped into. In her world, this time of year was one to take as a relative breather. A chance to look forward to cheesy movies, sugary candy that was sure to grant you cavities, the change in weather was just cold enough to wear comfy sweaters, or buy everything you could get your hands on until your wallet crumbled to dust. Minus the stress the tumultuous spending habits one picked up once December arrived, the Christmas season was certainly a festive occasion.

Katie remembered when her niece was little, when she was young enough to still believe in Santa, she and Grace would stay up for hours the night of Christmas Eve to deck the apartment in wondrous decor, dusting baby powder across the floor and using Katie’s combat boots to create impressions on the rug for the immersion of Saint Nick having visited, along with a half eaten plate of white chocolate chip cookies— Grace’s favorite. It was worth the effort to watch the girl race into the living room with stars in her eyes and a bright smile as she stared at a decently sized pile of wrapped presents awaiting her.

It was something she wouldn’t trade for the world.

But those were just memories. Fleeting, gone in an instant due to high amounts of stress. It hurt to recall those happier moments amidst the chaotic whirlwind she found herself in now— separated from her family, possibly forever at this point, sporting a robotic arm, becoming a wanted fugitive in three different dimensions, and a surrogate mother to five unruly boys that needed guidance in a universe where every single person wanted to either capture or kill them.

Needless to say, Katie had enough to put up with. And with the holidays fast approaching, all she could think of was one thing—

What am I going to do?

********************

December 24.

That was the date on the calendar. Katie couldn’t help but glare at the number from afar, black coffee piping hot in her hands through the thick ceramic mug she cradled close. The longer she stared at it, the more the reality sank in. It seemed to taunt her. Nothing could change the fact that there was only a few days left until Christmas.

Taking a slow sip of her caffeinated beverage the detective leaned back against the countertop. Breathing deep, she sighed heavily through her nostrils as they flared, taking in the heat of the coffee, savoring its bitter taste. Don’t think about it, Katie tried to scold herself. Don’t think about it, don’t think about it, just pretend it’s another day. It was better to make believe things were business as usual than accepting the depressing reality of her current situation.

Three years.

Three. Years.

This would mark three years she hadn’t seen her family. Three Christmases spent running, hiding, fighting to survive. Three entire years of not being surrounded by the people she loved.

That was a decent amount of time spent not knowing if her sister or niece were still waiting for her to come home. This wasn’t New York— not hers, never hers— but the faint memories of the two lingered through streets that felt vaguely familiar. Ghosts of their presence followed where ever she traveled, and here was no different. Wandering through Central Park alone at night she could almost hear the sound of Lilium’s laughter ringing in the trees, or Grace’s voice echoing in the dark, calling for her to come home.

It ached. It hurt.

It was empty.

Thin, spindly arms found themselves wrapping around her middle from behind. What otherwise would have startled the woman made her breathe easier as she was gently pulled backward to better fit into his embrace. Quietly, the voice asked, “You doin’ okay?”

“Mm-hmm,” she nodded. Without dropping her mug she brought a hand up to reach behind her, cupping the face of the man who’d stayed by her side through all this mess. How he’d been willing to put up with her for this long was something she would never understand, but she was grateful all the same. “I’m fine. Just… not feeling too great.”

Danny looked over her shoulder, muted gold eyes boring into the depths of her soul with a ragged understanding that years of being a hardened criminal had provided. Ears pricking, he asked, “Want me t’ get you anything?”

“Unless you have a magic phone that can help me call my sister to let her know I’m not dead in a ditch somewhere, then not really,” she snorted dryly. “Just homesickness. I’ll be fine.”

Danny frowned. “How long?”

“Hmm?”

“How long has it been? Y’know. Since ya saw them.”

“… long enough to know I miss them.”

The yōkai tightened his arms around her waist. “Sorry, hon. Wish there was a way we could get ya home.”

She shrugged lamely. “Does it matter anymore?” She turned enough in his hold to face him— aging wrinkles under his eyes gave way to a softer expression of compassion. “I’ve got other things to focus on. I have five boys to take care of. I can’t let myself get distracted.”

“That ain’t exactly a healthy way t’ deal with things,” Danny lifted a hand to touch her cheek. His claws scraped across her skin delicately, making her shudder. “Let yourself be upset. It’s okay.”

She paused, soaking in his touch, leaning her face into his palm with a sigh. Doubt began to settle upon weary shoulders, her lips pursed into a frown. “Is it though?”

Danny actually looked baffled by this notion, staring at her with bewildered eyes. “What do you mean ‘is it’? You’re allowed t’ have emotions ya know.”

“But I gotta be the reliable one. I’m the one making the money to support all of us. You guys need me to be dependable. If I’m not one hundred percent, then I’ll let you guys down.”

“Ya gotta nip that in th’ bud, doll. That’s a toxic mindset.” The yōkai decided to use his hand to push her bangs out of her brow to better gaze into her eyes. His tail wrapped around her waist in place of his arms, drawing her closer to him. “I’m more than capable t’ take th’ load offa your shoulders. I can get work— honest work— in th’ Hidden City. Ya don’t gotta carry it on your back alone.” Danny grinned with a smile full of warmth. “That’s what I’m here for now.”

Katie, still struggling to withhold her emotions, leaned her head forward until her forehead came to rest on his collar. She could smell the lingering scent of his favorite cologne, ocean breeze and cigar smoke clinging to his frame. She could breathe it in until her lungs were sore. “I’d be selfish for putting that on you when you’ve already got shit to deal with.”

“Then be selfish.” Danny held her closer, the mug in her hands crushed between them. “I can handle it. The last thing I need is for you t’ get sick offa this stress.”

CRASH! Somewhere in the living room the sound of glass shattered, along with a cry of ‘it wasn’t me!’ Coming right after as Raph could be heard in the background scolding someone.

Katie cringed, mourning the loss of the tender moment. “When I’m not breaking fights up, THEN I’ll let myself cry.” She chugged her coffee with one quick swig, unfazed as it burned the root of her mouth and seared her tongue before untangling from the yōkai’s embrace to hurry into the room. Upon stepping into the doorway, Katie dropped her jaw at the unbelievable scene taking place.

One: the carpet was stained with ink. Sharpie markers had been broken in half, spilling the contents upon a giant scrap of cardboard and floor amongst a cluster of things strewn around the ground. Casey and Donnie sat in the middle of it, smeared in bright red and blue across their hands, looking like deer caught in headlights.

Two: Leo standing over the broken remains of a lamp, trying in vain to hide the pieces under the ruined rug, his feet covered from the ankle down in dark blue ink, tracking a trail from the spot where Casey and Donnie currently stayed. Behind him a festive Christmas paper popper lay torn in twain, confetti all over the place.

Three: Raph was giving Leo an earful, not too keen on having half his plastron coated with neon pink sharpie ink. Poor Mondo stood with his face coated in purple and green, desperately trying to scrub it out of his eyes as he yelped and cried out on pain.

“Leo, are you crazy!?”

“I said I was sorry!”

“Kat’s gonna kill you! Look at the floor!”

“I told you this was a stupid idea! Why do you never listen to me?!”

“Instead of yelling at me, how about helping me scrub this out?!”

“DUDES MY EYES ARE MELTING! I’M GOING BLIND!”

“Wait he can’t really go blind, right?”

“ARE YOU REALLY SAYING THAT?!”

… it wasn’t even ten in the morning, and the boys had already managed to find themselves in chaos.

Resisting the urge to grab her smokes, Katie swallowed her frustration back down in order to reign in the madness unfolding. “What in the name of God are you boys doing!?”

Almost immediately four heads snapped towards her direction, minus Mondo who still tried to get the inky gunk out of his eyes. And just as swiftly, Donnie and Casey pointed to Leo with an accusing finger. “He did it!”

The red eared slider, highly offended, threw his hands up with a dramatic motion. “Jerks! I can’t believe you ratted me out!”

Mondo’s hands pried themselves away from his face, squinting, only to yelp painfully as the ink spread further into the tear ducts. He flailed his arms and stumbled, knocking himself into the wall with a thud. “Mom, help!”

She hurried to his aid, placing a steadying hand upon the gecko’s shoulder to keep him still lest he knock himself out. Turning her gaze unto Leo, Katie turned her voice stern. “Okay, spill! What’s going on?!”

“Nothing!” Leo tried to act casual, folding his arms behind his shell as he leaned against the couch with a shaky grin, gaze shifting quickly back and forth between the broken lamp and the markers. “Just, uh… playing Monopoly!”

Deadpanning, Katie raised a brow with an unamused frown. “Really. Monopoly. I didn’t know buying Broadway meant snapping open three sharpies and handing over two hundred to move forward.” Unfazed, she pressed on. “Why is the room a mess?”

“It’s nothing, really!” Leo tried to assure her, waving his hand at the floor. “Just an accident while we were making some posters for—“ his eyes widened, as though he realized he said something he wasn’t supposed to, and he averted his gaze from Raph— who looked ready to pummel him where he stood.

“For what?” Katie asked.

“… the Hidden City?” Leo slowly responded. Raph hissed under his breath, “Hypocrite.”

That made her blink. Looking to Raph she questioned, “Why does he want to hang up posters in the Hidden City?”

Raph wouldn’t budge. When Casey opened his mouth to reply, Donnie jammed his elbow into the other boy’s ribs, shutting him up as he interrupted. “To buy groceries!”

Katie continued, not buying it. “Really. Grocery shopping?”

Leo looked sheepish. “Uuuuuh… yes?”

Mondo flailed his arms around again, whimpering as he grew panicked. “I still can’t see!”

Katie, still fighting to stay sane, chose not to start this argument. “Okay,” she easily picked the gecko, him being lightweight enough to carry in her arms. “Leo, since this was your idea, you’re cleaning this mess. I gotta go get this out of Jason’s face before he actually goes blind.”

“What?!” Leo gaped. “But what about going shop—“ he didn’t get to finish his sentence before Raph clamped his mouth shut, gesturing for him to be quiet. That made her suspicious.

“… is there something I should know about?” She inquired, narrowing her eyes to give the ‘Stern Mom’ look.

“Nope!” “Not really.” “Absolutely not!” Came the instant replies of three not-so-subtle boys who were fighting to look innocent. Raph was doing a better job than Casey and Donnie, but Leo’s poker face needed work. It was obvious they were trying to hide something…

“Kat,” Danny suddenly entered the room like an apparition— perfect timing if she had anything to say about this— “Why don’t ya help Jason and I’ll help the boys clean this mess up?”

This was getting stranger by the minute. Why was everyone acting so shifty? It wasn’t like them to keep secrets like this, but Raph? Danny? Why were they behaving like this? Katie hummed suspiciously, pouting, hefting the still-whimpering Mondo in her arms to help him. “… alright. Make sure you get that stain out. If you can’t, just chuck it.”

“Can do,” Danny gave her a two-fingered salute as she made her exit. The way he spoke suggested things were casual.

But it still didn’t make her any less suspicious. What’s going on with them?

******************

The moment Katie was out of range— and earshot, once he’d picked up the sound of the restroom door being closed— Danny’s smile fell, quickly replaced by a panicked hiss as he whipped around to face the teens. “Who told?!”

All present pointed to Leo. The red eared slider flailed his arms, fed up. “I didn’t mean to! It just slipped out!”

“Just slipped out?!” Raph repeated, eyes popping open wide with shock. “You almost gave us up! I told you to keep our plan on the down low and what do you do?!”

“She still doesn’t know!” Leo defended. “I didn’t say anything important! It’s not like I said ‘Guess what? We’re gonna give you a Christmas celebration this year!’”

“What’s the point of a surprise if you spoil it?” Casey brushed some of the ink off his palms, leaving bright yellow stains across his previously black jeans. “That’s, like, not even worth it.”

“Jesus,” Danny pinched the ridge of his snout with a heavy sigh, shaking his head. His tail curled around his ankles, refraining from striking the floor. “Okay. Okay, fine, so she’s still in the dark. As long as she doesn’t know, we’re fine.”

“Why shouldn’t she know?“ Donnie chimed in. “I mean, it’s almost Christmas, so why not just let her in on the plan?”

“Cuz this is FOR her,” Danny reiterated. “This is her third Christmas separated from her family. And I’m sure th’ rest of you have been homesick during th’ holidays long enough. After all th’ bullshit we’ve put up with, I think a demonstration of our appreciation is in order t’ get her in a better headspace.”

Casey shoved his hands into the pockets of his hoodie, leaning against the couch. “So what’re are we doing again? Have we even picked an idea?”

“None of us are in agreement,” Danny sighed. “We ain’t doing a circus—“

“No fun!” Leo protested, but he went ignored.

“We don’t got th’ cash for a fancy dinner or a night at Yankee stadium, and we can’t drive into th’ Bronx if we’re being tracked by Draxum.” The rat yōkai’s tail swished around his feet in silent frustration. “So unless we got another plan in th’ back burner, we’re gonna have to do something here.”

Donnie picked up the ruined artwork on the sign, frowning at the garbled wording beneath the dark ink. “It was starting to look cool, too. It took me hours to get that design to look right! Why did you break the markers?”

“I saw a video online that showed me how to make a gradient using the ink of you broke them the right way!”

“And you just… did it?”

“Clearly I did it wrong! Can we stop rubbing it in?!”

**********************

“Alright, mijo, let’s look at the damage.” Katie shined a small pen light in Mondo’s eyes, moving it side to side while keeping track of his pupils. He sat on the lip of the tub, tail curled around to sit in his lap, his face scrunched into an expression of pain as she gingerly pried an eyelid open with precise fingers. “Can you see the light moving?”

The gecko squinted, wincing, but he nodded. The gold of his orbs were dark red, the veins in his eyeballs visible from the burning, but his pupils followed the movement. “Yeah. It stings though…”

Humming, Katie released his eyelid gently, clicking the light off. “Good news! You’re not blind, clearly, but there’s irritation and it’s probably gonna look real blurry for a couple hours, but there should be something in here I can use to fix that,” she reached inside the restroom cabinet at her side, combing through the selection of medicines she’d obtained. Mystical ointments and brightly colored liquids bobbed around within uniquely shaped bottles and glass jars labeled with words Katie couldn’t translate yet. She swore some of this stuff was just glittery sugar water disguised to look like healing tonics.

Finally, she’d located a small tin that looked like the type of medical salves she’d glossed over in the drug store. Snatching it up Katie popped open the lid to scoop some of the white cream into her fingers. “Try holding still for a minute, hon. If you need to talk about something to distract yourself, just do it.”

Mondo nodded, holding tight to the end of his tail. “Gotcha,” he replied with worry.

Katie knelt to his level, beginning to apply the cream around his eyes as the gecko flinched, fingers starting to dig into his tail scales. Sensing his discomfort she decided to speak, “Hey, what are you asking for this Christmas?”

Mondo paused, flinching a little as the irritation in his eyes flared up. “I think… I asked for a new board.”

“Oh yeah?” Katie smiled a little. “Any type of board, or just a regular one from the shops?”

“It’s a limited edition kind,” Mondo’s smile was infectious as he started to ramble about the skateboard. “I think Tony Hawk had one just like it! It’s like all decked out with these retro decals that aren’t on the market anymore, they painted it this gnarly neon blue—“ mindlessly chattering about his dream skateboard helped to keep his mind off the burns from his eyes, thankfully. It continued on like this for the next five minutes, the boy happily recalling all the things he’d written down on his list— new sneakers, a boombox for his cassette tapes, spray paint— all the things a kid his age was interested in.

It was only after she completed getting his eyes treated with the ointment that the gecko squinted through the cream on his face, beaming. “What about you, Mom?”

Katie paused momentarily, screwing the lid to the ointment closed. “I didn’t have anything in mind,” she lamely shrugged.

Mondo, being as intuitive as ever, knew she was hiding the truth. “Come on! There’s gotta be something you want!”

Katie still remained hesitant. “What I want… it’s a thing I can’t have.” She put the jar away, repressing the bubbling turmoil that brewed inside her chest.

This made Mondo curious. “What do you mean?”

Katie paused. Closing the cupboard, she folded her hands before her to avoid fidgeting. “… it’s… my family.”

Mondo’s expression changed from confused to sympathetic. Even squinting through the mess of cream around his eyes he could see the immense grief that rested on her shoulders. He could tell she missed them, that their absence had driven something painful and deep into her core. He knew what it was like, wishing the people you cared for were there when you were thousands of miles away from everything you knew. “I don’t think I ever asked what they were like.” He sat up a little straighter, hands folded on his lap this time. “Can you tell me?”

Katie’s lips quirked into a fond smile; one full of warmth and gratitude. Easing herself to sit beside the gecko, she pulled her phone from her pocket and scrolled through her photos, selecting one from a folder she’d labeled ‘Familia.’ It was of Lilium’s twelfth birthday; the last time she saw her sister and niece. They’d decked the house in bright pinks and oranges, glittery streamers dangling on the ceiling, having gone all out for her. It had been themed after fairytales— she’d dressed herself up as a princess, complete with a Renaissance hairstyle. Grace had dawned a lovely gown made from fine turquoise fabrics. Mother and daughter were grinning for the photo, sitting in the living room as sunlight cascaded through the sheer curtains and illuminated their smiles as if to immortalize them. It was one of the only photos of them she had left.

Lilium would be fifteen now. Grace would have recently turned thirty-five.

“This is them.” She showed Mondo the photo. “Grace and Lily. She’d be around your age,” she pointed to the cheerful girl. “I think you two would get along really well. Grace would spoil you rotten,” chuckling softly Katie stared at the face of the woman who had been there for her through thick and thin, through the worst of her breakups, the terrible binges of her drinking habits where she’d seen the darker part of her demons, something only Danny caught a rare glimpse of. “We’d always go to the park on Sunday and have ice cream. Every week we would pick a random movie on the TV commercials to see and laugh about it.”

Katie’s smile faltered as her reminiscing turned into melancholy. “Lilium has an incredible singing voice for her age. Real Lea Salonga-like. She dreams of starring in a big movie musical someday. All she talks about is Broadway and the latest show she wants to audition for. And Gracie always knew what to do when you were depressed. She’d whip up your favorite meal and let you vent for hours if you needed it. Sure she was a little timid, but… she always seemed to know how to make a shitty day better.”

Mondo frowned with remorse. “You miss them?”

“More than anything,” Katie murmured in response.

Mondo pulled his tail back into his lap, guilt creeping into his chest. “… for what it’s worth, I think they’d be proud of you. I mean, you kicked serious bad guy butt, you traveled across dimensions, and helped us out! You took care of me even when my folks didn’t!” He laughed a little if only to shake off the underlying truth of his biological parents rejecting him.

Katie cracked the smallest of smiles. Reaching up she scratched the top of his head like she always would to calm him down, quietly pulling him close to sit at her side. “Thanks, mijo. You’re a good kid, you know that?”

“Yeah!” Mondo boasted playfully. “I’m pretty great!”

That caused Katie to laugh, the somber emotions she’d been feeling subsiding a little to allow herself to breathe. It granted a moment of reprieve long enough to keep hers wits about her and not lose herself to depression. But ever the attentive son, Mondo noticed the grief that clung to his mother. His hands fidgeted with his tail once more to think of how he could fix the pain his caretaker harbored…

And an idea sprang up in his mind.

*******************

“… that’s my plan! Sounds good, right?”

“Honestly that’s ten times better then what I’ve got.”

“It better not be another freakin’ circus.”

“I keep telling you, it would be an amazing gift!”

“You think we can pull it off?”

“… I mean, at this rate, we’ve got nothing. I say let’s do it.”

“Awwwww man! Missed opportunity!”

“Can it, Blue. Jason, you sure this’ll work?”

“Yeah! She’s gonna go bonkers for this, I know it!”

**********************

Katie couldn’t sleep.

It was an old habit, she knew. From years of Lily bursting into the guest bedroom, bright eyed and excited in the early hours of Christmas morning, pulling her arm and squealing that Santa had visited and left behind presents. And as the old saying went, old habits die hard. She stared at the ceiling with exhausted eyes counting the cracks that spiderwebbed along the chipping plaster, phone sitting on the dresser beside her bed, almost wishing it would ring to alert her to a call from her sister. She prayed she could at least receive a text from her, but for the past three years there was nothing.

Emerald eyes fell upon the clock near her phone. Four-fifty in the morning.

She’d been up for hours…

The hideout was silent, questionably so. All day long the boys were on their best behavior after the ink incident— no pranks, no stress, no fights, not even one broken bone or shattered vase. They were oddly helpful and eager to finish the chores when asked, which was NOT normal in the slightest, and once night fell they’d all but ushered her off to bed. “I’ll deal with th’ kids. Get some beauty sleep,” Danny had coaxed with a playful wink. “Lord knows you could use it.”

It was a tempting offer she couldn’t refuse.

But still, sleep evaded her.

So much for getting rest.

Her conversation with Mondo had gotten her thinking, once more, of her family and friends back home. How were they now? She wondered. Did Lilium like high school? Was she making friends? Had Grace found love at last? Did the Chief finally decide to retire? So many unanswered questions she would never get to know because they were gone, far off in another world that was lost to her now. So many birthdays, so many anniversaries, so many celebrations, too many things she’d missed because she’d been reckless. All of it, gone.

Almost daring herself to do so, Katie grabbed her phone from the dresser. The brightness of the screen illuminated her face, slicing through the darkness. Unlocking it, she opened her texts to scroll down to the last messages she’d received the day she’d gone on this rocky road.

Fourteen missed calls from her sister. Three from the Chief. Nine from her partners. Twelve from Lily…

Sis ✨;

Thursday October 12, 2017 at 2:35pm

Hope you have a great day at work! Lily’s asking for Monica’s tonight for dinner, want to join?

Sis✨;

Thursday October 12, 2017 at 7:12pm

I saved you some food from tonight! I got your favorite; fettuccini and shrimp! Just let me know when you get out of work so I can heat it up!

Sis✨;

Friday October 13, 2017 at 10:33am

Are you alright?

Sis✨;

Friday October 13, 2017 at 3:02pm

Kathrine please call me. This isn’t like you.

Sis✨;

Saturday October 14, 2017 at 12:46pm

Henderson said you haven’t shown up to your shift in days.

Are you okay? Lily’s been worried about you, as am I. Please call me.

Sis✨;

Saturday October 14, 2017 at 3:24pm

Kathrine please. If you don’t call me I’m going to have to use my spells. I just want to know if you’re safe.

I know you’re busy, but I’m worried about you. I pray you’re alright.

Munchkin🎼;

Saturday October 14, 2017 at 12:30pm

I miss you Auntie…

Katie finally put the phone down, no longer able to stomach the messages. An awful burn stung her eyes. Those were the final texts she would ever get from her family.

There were so many thoughts running through her head. Some of them were pointless, mundane. But the majority were filled with anguish. She knew better than to verbalize that in front of the kids— keep it closed off, shutter it tight, push it aside and pretend it’s not there. The well-being of those boys were more important than her mental health. But the more she ignored it, the harder the headaches struck. They turned into cloying migraines that pounded and rattled her brain with a powerful vengeance, reminding her of the awful truth of her situation; I’m never going home and I’m never going to see Grace or Lily again.

It was a bitter pill to choke on, but she knew it was one she had to swallow.

Going back home was a pipe dream, forever out of the realm of possibility. Katie lost that hope ages ago, when she’d gone to space with Fugitoid.

Katie’s vision blurred. Breathing shakily, she rolled onto her side, clutching her comforter tight against her aching chest. She couldn’t complain. She couldn’t. She chose this life. She chose to follow Karai all those years ago into that vortex. She chose to pick a fight with crazy people. The Chief was right about her; she never learned when to quit.

Katie gripped her blanket tighter, shutting her eyes. Breathe, moron. Christmas has to go well for the kids. Do NOT worry them.

Breathe in…

Breathe out…

Breathe in…

Breathe out…

Breathe in…

Breathe—

CRASH!

… out?

Katie shot up, startled. Did she hear that right? Did something break?

Hushed, rapid whispers she couldn’t pick up shot back and forth. She recognized Danny’s voice amongst the mishmash of voices beyond her door. There goes any chance of sleep…

Kicking the thick comforter off, Katie climbed out of bed, snagging one of the fuzzy robes from the edge of her bed frame and pulling it on to stave off the cold. Upon reaching the door she twisted the knob ever so carefully to avoid making a sound, she opened it just a sliver to catch the panicked conversation. While hushed, she heard pieces of it.

“What’d you do?!”

“Don’t look at me!”

“Shut up shut up! She’ll wake up!”

“You broke th’ freakin’ lamp, dumbass! She’s gonna hear!”

Opening the door enough for her to slip out, Katie clutched her robe around her chest as she headed for the living room, where most of the commotion resided. She silently carried herself down the dark corridor to avoid being detected. The voices of her boys and Danny were no longer muffled by the distance as she reached the entryway of the threshold—what piqued her curiosity immediately was, dancing along the ceiling spilling out onto the ground were colorful lights; red, green, blue, pink, yellow. They spun in a slow, lazy circle against the darkness.

“Nononono don’t do that, you’ll cut yourself—!”

“Dude, be careful with that!”

“Can we all calm down for a damn minute and get this done?!”

Katie peeked around the lip of the entrance, taking the chance to look inside…

… it wasn’t what she expected.

It looked as though Christmas vomited all over the place. The entire room was decked out with festive decorations; handmade, cutout snowflakes were dangling on strings along the ceiling, all of which were designed to look like marigolds. Plastic figurines of Saint Nick and his reindeer pulling his sleigh guarded a tray full of crispy sugar cookies messily traced with blue and white frosting to look like snowmen. Tinsel was hung up in long loops on the walls, silver and gold woven into thin braids. Stockings were pinned on the mantel, all of them in varying sizes and styles, the names of their matches embroidered in thick white thread from oldest to youngest— Danny, Kat, Raph, Casey, Leo, Mondo, Donnie. The couch wasn’t spared either, red and white plaid Christmas pillows fluffed to perfection.

But it was the eight foot tall pine tree currently standing in the corner of the room, where everyone was gathered, that caught her eye. It was massive— easily towering over everyone. Pine needles were scattered all over the rug. It was rotating on a stand that helped to keep it from wobbling. Ornaments had been hung upon the branches, strings of colorful Christmas lights wrapped all around the tree. It amused her to spot handmade decorations also hung on the thick branches. Tinsel had been discarded in a bundled up ball, tangled, bunched into knots. One of the lamps had been knocked to the floor again, the porcelain broken in shards.

Danny was struggling to keep his sanity. He was wearing a hilariously ugly violet sweater with pompoms on the sleeves, a piece of cheese on the front with the words ‘Have a Cheesy New Year’ embroidered in massive white letters. On his head he wore a pair of reindeer antlers. Donnie was placing boxes of hastily wrapped presents under the tree, wearing a dark green sweater with some kind of anime character on the front. Helping him, Leo hefted giant shopping bags onto the couch with a grunt, trying to make sure he didn’t drop anything. His own baby blue Christmas sweater was geared more for fashion, white stripes wrapping around his arms and collar. She nearly burst into giggles when she realized he was wearing a bright red nose on his snout.

Casey wasn’t dressed up, in fact he looked the most casual in a black long sleeved shirt with black and green plaid lounge pants, but he was busying himself with cleaning the mess currently sitting on the floor. Raph attempted to grab the fallen ornaments that had been knocked off, growing agitated when the silly elf had he wore kept slipping down his brow to cover his eyes.

What really got her was Mondo, dressed up like Santa Clause, fake beard included. He was perched atop a small step ladder holding the tree topper— a dopey looking Christmas angel with beady eyes and floppy wings, watching everything unfold with a wince.

Finally stepping into the room to take all of it in, Katie giggled. “What is this?”

The heads of the culprits shot up to meet her gaze, caught red handed. Danny’s tail flicked around his ankles nervously, an unconfident smile on his snout as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Aaah…! Kat! Hey! Doll, what’re ya doin’ up?”

“Heard something break,” Katie, nonchalantly, reached up to touch one of the snowflakes with delicate fingers, taking in all the detail with a fond expression. Her eyes sparkled in awe. “Just wanted to make sure we weren’t being burgled.”

“In the sewer?” Leo raised a ridge, deadpanning, until Donnie smacked him in the leg.

Mondo took this change in stride. Beaming, he hopped off the ladder and tossed the angel to Raph, the white pompom hanging off his Santa hat jingling. “Mom! Merry Christmas! Surprise!” He waved his arms wildly to gesture towards the tree. “Do you like it?!”

“Surprise?” Katie blinked.

“Well, duh,” Casey nodded. “It’s a Christmas surprise!”

“What for?”

“For you!” Mondo grabbed her hand, tugging her inside to lead her to the loveseat. “Since you’re up, we can do it now!”

Laughing as she was seated, Katie found herself asking, “Do what?”

“Give you your gifts!” Mondo happily replied. He looked to the others, pointing to the boxes and bags. “Come on! It’s technically Christmas morning!”

Everyone exchanged skeptical glances. Whether it be from their shared exhaustion or doubt, nobody made the motion to move until Raph shrugged, smirked, and nodded. “He ain’t wrong,” he agreed. “We’ve been up for hours anyways.”

Katie’s eyes widened. “I’m sorry, hours?”

Ignoring her bewilderment Danny shoved one of the boxes into her lap as a suitable distraction. “Never mind that Doll, here, open these.”

“Hold up! If she’s going to open anyones’ gift first,” Leo pushed a massive blue shopping bag with the Macys logo on the sides at her feet. “It’s mine!”

“What? That’s bogus!” Casey shot back at the prankster. “I wanna give mine first!”

“Guys, really, knock it off. What are we, five?” Raph rolled his eyes at the childish display. “If one of us is gonna go b’fore th’ rest of us,” he nudged Mondo forward with an encouraging nod. “It’s Jace.”

Donnie smiled in agreement, giving the gecko a thumbs up. Bolstered by his friends Mondo scurried over to retrieve a package obviously wrapped by him— bright red paper with lightening bolts, crinkled and messy, taped to hell and back, with a shoddily tied bright blue bow in the middle. He offered the box forward with a giant smile, tail thumping against the floor in glee.

Accepting the gift, Katie looked at her son with a tired grin. “Mijo. You didn’t have to get me anything.”

“I know,” Mondo nodded. “But I thought you’d like something that came from all of us.”

Katie couldn’t stop herself from looking taken by surprise. “What…?” She raised her gaze to Danny to search for an explanation, but the rat was sitting on the stepladder, a similarly fond expression written across a face usually wrought with stress and anger. Yellow eyes glistened, his grin gentle, kind, almost loving. “Listen t’ th’ kid,” he said. “I think yer really gonna like this.”

So, taking this in mind, Katie obliged. She gingerly pulled the paper apart, undid the bow, took the lid off the box to look at what had been given to her…

And her heart began to pang with emotion.

Perched in her lap was a scrapbook. Black leather, golden stud clasps punched into the corners… and in metallic gray sharpie marker in bold lettering was written, ‘Best Adopted Mom.’

Katie opened the book. She was greeted with photos of herself and her boys, from the happiest parts of their journey. Each one of these pictures showed them all smiling bright for the camera, either taken by surprise or charging the cameraman— probably Casey or Leo.

Coney Island. Yankee stadium. The diner. Raph learning how to drive the old pickup truck, Leo pointing and laughing hysterically at the other turtle. Casey in the ice rink teaching Mondo how to play hockey, Donnie holding onto the wall for dear life. Game nights, where by the end of it hell broke loose. The yōkai carnival. Halloween. The Day of the Dead gala— which, how the hell did they take the photo of her and Danny from that far at such a distance?— the beach. The arcade. There were sections of the book with color coordinated chapters to represent each of the boys— dark red for Raph. Sky blue for Leo. Electric purple for Donnie. Gold for Mondo. Black for Casey.

The photos ranged from mundane, to funny, to impressive shots of either duo in combat, to celebratory snippets cut out of newspapers or magazines. Fun stickers were pasted on the sides to give the paper more décor, doodies adorned every page, funny puns and quotes covered every inch of the book.

It wasn’t until she’d reached the final page that her heart backflipped.

The last page of the book contained two photos glued to a piece of pale pink paper: one was a group photo of herself and all the boys covered in bruises and battered, sitting at a table in Hueso’s restaurant, enjoying a pizza for the first time in months and looking completely at ease in the midst of a crowd of yōkai. They were beaming for the camera, a celebration of their newfound family in the aftermath of all they’d endured.

The second…

A photo of Grace and Lilium, the same one she’d shown Jason hours earlier. Underneath these pictures was a note.

‘To the best mom I’ve ever had! I’m sorry you can’t go home, but you’ve got us now! We can be your new family if you want! Thanks for always being here for us, for helping us, and for never giving up on any of us.

We love you, Mom!

Signed—

Leonardo

Raphael

Donatello

Casey

Jason.’

Katie remained still in her seat, the scrapbook cradled in her hands like it was a precious heirloom. She failed to realize she was shaking slightly. She didn’t notice how her vision started to blur again, only this time she truly couldn’t see anything past a misty haze of colors.

The silence that followed started to worry the others. Concerned, Mondo stepped forward, taking his Santa hat off and wringing it in his hands. “Mom…?”

The barriers shattered.

The walls came down.

Finally, for the first time in years, Katie burst into tears. It hurt. It stung like a bastard. Hot, furious waterfalls streamed along her skin in thick trails. Clapping a hand over her mouth to stifle her sobs as they overcame the detective, she allowed herself to release the bottled up emotions she’d kept under lock and key. Naturally everyone gathered to her side in moments, both baffled and confused while she wept over the book, messy tears dripping off her chin and jawline to plop onto the laminated pages.

A fuzzy, filling feeling flowed throughout her core, washing her hardened interior to melt away, giving in to an incredible emotion she hadn’t felt in years.

Love. To be loved by the people who had accepted all of her. To be loved by those who saw past the ugly pieces and kept her regardless. To be a parent to a group of amazing kids who, in turn, gave her purpose. To be loved by a man who only saw her— not the hybrid, not the magpie, nor the mixed breed… just Kathrine.

Is this what it felt like to be a mother?

Was this how Grace felt?

“Mom?!”

“Holy crap, are you okay?”

“What’s wrong?!”

“Guys, back up, give her air—“

“Did we do something bad—“

“I knew we shouldn’t have—“

“How?” Katie asked through sobs, quieting the boys. When no one responded she asked again with a shaking sigh, “How?”

“How what?” Leo frowned.

She scrubbed at her eyes with her sleeves, emerald orbs turning dark red in an attempt to wipe the tears away. “H-How did I… get so lucky?” Raising her head she met their gaze with a watery smile filled with joy and happiness, pink coloring her cheeks. “To find such great kids?“

Mondo blinked slowly, hat still twisted in his hands. “Do you… like the book?”

“Like it?” She asked, looking stunned, as if the question was outlandish. “Like it?”

Mondo gulped, the hat twisted thin between his hands. “Is it that bad? I didn’t think the pictures were that blurr—EEEP!”

Katie wrapped her arms around the gecko to pull him into a strong embrace, clutching the smaller of the mutants close. Against the tears that still made her eyes sore, the woman smiled, looking completely at ease in the presence of those around them. “Mijo,” she sniffled. “This is the greatest gift I’ve ever gotten.”

Mondo’s face lit up with glee, returning the hug readily, tail slapping rapidly against the floor in excitement. “Radical!”

There was a lack of movement from everyone else. Katie lifted her head, meeting the eyes of her boys with a watery chuckle. “What, you think there’s a favorite in this household?” She extended an arm towards Donnie, a silent invitation to join. “Get in here!”

Donnie instantly took the offer, jumping into her arms with a similarly giant smile, his glasses going askew on his snout. Casey followed suit, finding a space at Katie’s left side. Leo was just as eager to join the fold, practically leaping forward, starved for paternal affection. Raph, though slower to accept the overt display of emotion as the older ‘loner’ brother, inched his way over to his comrades, crouching beside the bunch to place a hand atop the lip of Leo’s shell, trying not to show the fond grin on his beak.

It was a sweet image; a surrogate mother hugging the sons who chose her, internally blessed to have them in her life.

Danny, awkwardly, stood out from the huddle. The rat yōkai used his clawed index finger to pull on his turtleneck collar, shifting on one foot to the other, tail curled at his ankles. Katie noticed, untangling one arm from the cluster of mutants to reach for him.

His eyes widened. Danny, wordlessly, pointed to himself to ask, ‘you sure?’

Katie just nodded. Her fingers wriggled to motion for him to come.

His tail twitched. He swallowed, suddenly anxious. Slowly, he crossed the short distance across the carpet, the Christmas lights still spinning and dancing in rings along the walls. Kneeling, Danny timidly lifted a hand to reach for her, every fiber in his body telling him he didn’t belong here, he didn’t deserve this, he wasn’t worthy, he wasn’t allowed to share in this moment—

But Katie took his hand. She threaded her fingers through his own, clasping it tight. Her brilliant emerald orbs shined like gemstones in the colorful hues of the lights behind them, a beautiful smile gracing her strained features. For the first time he detected no sign of stress, no wear and tear, no grief…

It was just Katie.

And there was no other magnificent sight Danny wanted to bask in.

******************

An hour later, everyone commenced with the festivities proper. After drying her tears Katie had rushed to the closet to bring the rest of the presents she’d hidden from the boys— “I KNEW I should have checked that one,” Casey lamented with a snap of his fingers. Soon the sound of wrapping paper ripping and boxes being torn apart echoed through the room, bouncing off the walls and the sewer pipes overhead. Cheers and gasps of awe were soon to follow as everyone began to show off their gifts.

Mondo’s wish for a new skateboard came true as he hugged it chest, eyes scouring over the details of the designs and admiring the classic 90’s paint job. New converse sneakers, a box packed with vintage comics, an old school GameCube console and games to go with it sat dutifully in his corner.

Casey had yet to go through the pristine selection of metal baseball bats or hockey sticks that were set up in a leather carrying case along with the repaired rollerblades, but he couldn’t tear his eyes off the grey varsity jacket baring the name of his favorite hockey player currently clutched in his hands.

Raph didn’t react the most outwardly, but the pleased grunt he gave meant more than words. He totted a new set of boxer’s gloves, a black windbreaker, fingerless leather gloves custom made to fit for three fingers, a thick textbook on the history of motorcycles, knitting needles and yarn, as well as a rubix cube to help cope with his temper.

Donnie’s pile had a consistent theme; retro Pokémon games for his Gameboy, anime t-shirts, a BTS hoodie, refurbished laptop, plenty of Kpop CDs, Japanese snacks of varying kinds from chocolates to gummies, and a Gundam model kit to put together.

Leo hadn’t stopped squealing as he went through his selections, dramatically fainting over the sight. On top of receiving new clothes that would make David Bowie envious, the slider admired a set of neon nail polish to try out. He slipped on a pair of aviator sunglasses with dark red lenses as he tore into one more bag that had yet to be opened, and the sound he made caused his neighbor— Casey— to wince at the volume.

“NO. YOU. DIDN’T.” He pulled free a bright pink onesie with a hoodie and a horn on the top, a matching plushie tumbling out of it. Stars shined in his eyes under the sunglasses. “YOU GOT ME A UNICORN ONESIE?!”

“I mean,” Katie laughed as the slider hugged it to his chest, bouncing on the heels of his feet as he squealed. “You asked for one forever!”

“You’re the BEST!” Leo held up the fuzzy loungewear with pride, clearly over the moon with his present and holding it aloft as if it were Simba. “I now possess the coolest Christmas gift of all time! All of you can now be jealous!”

“If you say so,” Raph chuckled. He picked up a small wrapped bundle, tossing it at the prankster. “This one’s from me.”

Leo caught it, surprised. “Did I hear that right? RAPH got ME a Christmas gift?”

“Well, if ya don’t want it, I’ll give ‘em t’ Casey—“

“HELL NO,” Leo ripped the bright green paper off the strange bundle… revealing a pair of caramel brown fluffy, dopey puppy slippers with goggly eyes and floppy ears. Leo’s mouth dropped wide open with shock, holding the footwear in his fingers for all to see, earning a few giggles from Donnie and Casey.

“Nice shoes,” the human teen chortled.

“SCREW YOU I LOVE THEM,” Leo loudly proclaimed, shoving them on to spite him.

As the kids laughed and showed each other their gifts, the adults finally sank into the comfort of the couch. Lounging in the sofa with a relieved sigh, Danny took his antlers off, looking to Katie as he spoke. “So,” he murmured with a light chuckle. “Is that everyone?”

Katie, snorting, gave him a playful swat on his shoulder. “There’s still you, dummy.” She grabbed a rectangular box that looked quite fancy, handing it to him with a knowing expression. “Feliz Navidad, mi amor.”

“Baby,” blushing a dark crimson, Danny took the present into his hands. “Ya didn’t need to—“

“Course I did. You’re family now,” she folded her arms atop the couch cushions to rest her head there, watching him with adoration. “I couldn’t just leave you out.”

Danny’s face went blank, caught off guard.

“Was that wrong of me?”

“Nah. Just… haven’t been part of something like this in years. Not since Leonard or Mickey.” He went quiet for a moment, tugging the paper off the box carefully. “Ya know something? I thought I’d never get outta that life. I thought I was stuck in that cycle forever— but if I’m honest…” he reached a free hand towards hers, taking her hand into his own with all the tenderness of a class-A gentleman. He gave it a squeeze. “I’m glad I chose you over everything.”

If it was feasible for a human to turn into a living cherry, Katie’s face would have magically transformed into one. She blustered, a feat he thought impossible, as she held his hand tighter. “You jackass,” the detective giggled. “You gotta do this to me?”

“I aim t’ please…” Danny’s free hand had pried open the box at last, pushing the lid off. He stared down into the contents of what lay before him, and he genuinely looked touched.

A three piece suit, made of refined black satin, and a crisp silk tie dyed a pleasing dark violet, sat innocently in his lap. Sitting on top of that was a gold lighter with beautiful engravings, with his name etched along the metal in elegant cursive.

“You needed a suit to go dancing in,” Katie smirked as his fingers plucked the lighter from the box, thumb brushing across the engravings. “And you ask for a lighter all the time, so…”

The rat yōkai stared at the lighter for the longest time, snapping it open with a practiced flick of his wrist. A bright purple flame of magic origin burst into being, swishing in mystified motions. It captivated him. There was a beauty to its color, mysterious and alluring, it was almost perfect.

Danny found himself smiling. Snapping the lighter closed he squeezed Katie’s hand. “You know how t’ leave me speechless.”

“I aim to please,” Katie quoted back at him, sitting upright to better lounge into the sofa. “NOW we’ve got everyone.”

“Not yet.” Danny stood, going for the tree this time, moving through a mound of shredded paper and boxes. “I still haven’t given ya my gift.” He rummaged around for a second before he grabbed onto the object, yanking it free of the mess of tinsel and branches.

She almost had to do a double take. In his hand, having been freed from its hiding place like Excalibur from the stone, was a gorgeous dreadnought acoustic guitar, but by the looks of it this was a custom model. The base of the guitar was dyed a rich reddish-black with a shadowy gradient blending the two tones on the sides, likely mahogany. Nylon strings finely tuned along the thin neck of the instrument. It was massive, bigger than the one she recalled owning years ago before Bishop decided to take a Glock to it.

Katie was left marveling. “Is that…?”

“Heard your old one got shot fulla bullet holes. Thought it was better that ya got an upgrade.” Danny handed her the mighty item. Though it was hollow, it still surprised her that the guitar managed to be slightly taller than herself.

The boys had all flocked to the couch, sitting either on the carpet or on open spots in the couch and loveseat to watch their mother handle the instrument with delicate care. Scarred, calloused fingers smoothed over the polished wood, absorbing its beauty with an awesome breath. “Dios Mio…”

“Helluva beast,” Raph complimented. “Bet it’ll make some great music.”

Flopping onto a couch cushion with his plushie clutched in his arms, Leo eyed the guitar with wonder. “Sooooooo is this the time where I can ask for lessons?”

“Hell no!” Casey barked out a laugh, falling into the loveseat. “If you try to play it, you’ll break the strings!”

“Dude, how would I break it? Are you sure you’re not talking about yourself?”

“Definitely! I’m a pro at anything! Casey Jones can master any instrument!”

“Uh-huh. Sure. I’ll believe that when carrots fly.”

Mondo hopped into the open seat at Katie’s left, tail falling to rest at his lap. “Can you play something for us?”

“Right now?” Katie couldn’t help but chuckle, tuning the strings. “Haven’t really had the time to practice my skills!”

“Come on, please?” Mondo clasped his hands together, putting on the ‘poor puppy dog eyes’ face to better try and convince her, adding the quivering lip for dramatic emphasis. “For Christmas?”

“Ooooh no, I see what you’re doing, it’s not gonna sway me.” Katie teased, but when she looked to her right eye found the soul-crushing teary eyed expressions of Leo and Donnie doing the same thing. These kid and their damn emotional ploys. “… okay, okay, fine, you win.”

Earning cheers from her boys, the detective sat upright to better adjust her grip on the dreadnought, cradling it close, fingers coming to rest upon the base of the guitar prepping for its first performance. It was as though the strings were humming in her ears, an energy beyond her understanding, yearning to be used, to be played, to be heard.

“What’re you gonna play?” Donnie asked.

“Yeah! I mean,” Leo tucked his legs beneath him, eager to listen. “Do you have a song in mind?”

… that was something she hadn’t thought of yet.

Katie spared a glimpse at her boys, looking at their smiling excitable faces. She looked to Danny, leaning against the wall near the tree, regarding her lovingly. She thought of Grace and Lilium, their laughter a distant echo in the sewers as though their aura still remained.

Yeah… she had a song in mind.

Fingers plucked at the nylon strings. A calm melody started to flow from under worn and calloused fingertips. Then, with a soulful voice, the words came free.

“Candles in the window,

Shadows painting the ceiling.

Gazing at the fire glow,

Feeling that gingerbread feeling…”

The boys were instantly captivated; their postures relaxed, lulled by the sweet melody, soothed by her voice, enjoying the company of their strange family whilst Danny’s smile softened significantly, watching on in silent pride.

“Precious moments.

Special people.

Happy faces.

I can see…”

Katie’s heart felt lighter than air. The stirring of emotions that had conquered the woman’s otherwise tense and painful heart had finally allowed for the vulnerable side to break through, to be willing to open herself up and be freed from the overwhelming amount of grief that had kept her tethered to her shortcomings. Yes, she had lost a part of herself that would likely never be returned to her. She doubted the likelihood of the family reunion she’d desperately longed for with Grace and her niece.

Yes, she’d never get to see them again… but Katie still had a family.

She had her boys. She had Danny. She had them… and they would always have her there to keep them supported.

And that was more than enough.

“Somewhere in my memory

Christmas joys all around me.

Living in my memory,

All of the music. All of the magic.

All of the family home here, with me…”

********************

Tada!! Hope you liked this!! It was fun to get this done! The song Katie’s singing is a cover rendition of ‘Somewhere in my Memory’ from Home Alone! I liked this version a ton so I imagined Katie would sing like this!

Enjoy, and see ya soon!! 😊

@queen-with-the-quill @tending-the-hearth @lameboobah @wasted-and-ready @figuringitoutasigoalong @tmnt-tychou

#tmnt #teenage mutant ninja turtles #tmnt au #familia: forever #tmnt fanfiction #tmnt oc #tmnt 2012 #rottmnt #rise of the tmnt #tmnt mutant mayhem #tmnt 2007 #tmnt mondo gecko #tmnt 2012 casey jones #tmnt raphael #mm donnie #rottmnt leo #rottmnt dastardly danny

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usermischief · 2 years

Text

♫ Pairing: Steddie ♫ Characters: Eddie Munson, Steve Harrington, Robin Buckley ♫ Tags: mild dom/sub, hand jobs, getting together, pining ♫ Words: 3202 ♫ Kinktober - Clothed Dom/Nakes Sub

ao3

---

(not so) innocent

---

“Okay, but—”

“Steve.” Robin raises both hands fast enough that her beer should’ve spilled all over her fingers. But even the beverage knows not to interrupt an exasperated Robin Buckley. “I’ve seen you pick up an — admittedly quite large — amount of girls since working at the video store. How hard can it be? Give Eddie one of your stupidly brilliant smiles full of Harrington charm and the man’s knees are gonna turn into pudding.”

Steve has a hard time believing that anything could turn Eddie’s legs into pudding, but he’s also survived shit he never thought he never thought existed; so, who is he to judge, really? Groaning, Steve runs his fingers through his hair. If he’s perfectly honest, he’d rather face Vecna again than risk having his heart ripped out. Besides, all the evidence he has of Eddie being into guys is Robin’s gut feeling — and his bandana, if his dear best friend is to be trusted.

“Oh good god, have you been this stressed the first time you asked out a girl?”

Steve grimaces a little. “Would you believe me if I said yes?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Then no.”

Robin snorts. At least one of them is amused by his inability to flirt with Eddie Munson. It should not be that hard. But Nancy’s ‘bullshit’ is still ringing in his ears. It cut deep. Not because he still loves her, but because he was happy, and she played him for a fool. She treated him like his parents do and then turned around to make it his fault. Despite being friendly now, Steve would lie if he said it did not scar him.

“Hey.” Robin pokes his chin. “Just ask him.” Her smile is one of her rarer, softer ones, and she straightens Steve’s collar unnecessarily.

“Okay, but how exactly do I politely ask him to slam me against a wall and make out with me?” It’s not something Steve ever considered to be interested in until Eddie did just that – well, the first part. They haven’t exactly gotten around to making out seeing that Eddie threatened to cut his neck open with a broken bottle.

Steve still can’t believe that was one of the hottest things to ever happen to him.

“Use your words.” Robin pushes her beer into his hand. “Turn on your Harrington charm. You’ve got this.” Getting with Vicky changed Robin’s whole perspective on love. It’s exhausting.

Steve is insanely jealous.

“Now, go get your man.” Robin pats his cheek and slips out of the kitchen, where they’ve been hiding out to talk about Steve’s little crisis.

He grimaces and sips on Robin’s beer. She won’t drop this tonight or ever unless he’s putting in some form of effort. So, a little liquid courage is probably going to make this a little easier. Maybe. If he’s lucky. Biting the inside of his cheek, Steve surveys the pool area. It’s quite the odd mix of people with Eddie’s gang — minus the kids, of course, something Dustin sees as the single greatest offense ever — a few of Nancy’s as well as Vicky’s friends. Even Jonathan and Argyle decided to swing by. It’s a very sharp contrast to the people Steve used to party with.

Eddie, however, is nowhere to be seen.

That’s entirely unhelpful.

Steve sips on the beer again and pushes away from the counter. Well, Eddie wouldn’t have left without telling him. Maybe he went up to the bathroom. He’s going to grab some snacks, be the perfect host, and somehow manage to get Eddie alone. He’ll also have to figure out how to not sound like a fucking idiot while testing the waters. “Bowls.” Steve puts the beer down and rubs his temple. “Bowls, bowls, bowls.” His mother’s bimonthly desire to rearrange the whole kitchen is seriously annoying.

“Above the sink.”

Right. “Thanks.” Good thing Eddie knows his kitchen better than— Steve whips around. Eddie. “Hey.”

The grin on Eddie’s lips is the smallest bit unnerving. “Hi there.”

Something about his tone and body language tells Steve that Eddie has not just stepped into the kitchen. There is no passing the kitchen when you go to the bathroom. “Sooo,” Steve drawls, trying to casually lean against the counter — as if that somehow made Eddie potentially hear his conversation with Robin go away, “how long have you been standing there?”

Eddie’s grin widens. “Longer than you’d like.”

Fuck.

“That’s what I was worried about.” Steve runs his fingers through his hair. This is not how he wanted this to go. In a perfect world, he’d be extremely smooth instead of awkward. But luck hasn’t been on his side for a while. “Okay, Eddie, listen. I—“

“Does it have to be a wall specifically?”

Steve blinks. “What?”

“Well…” Eddie looks almost sheepish as he steps closer ever so slowly. “You want me to slam you against a wall and make out with you. But I’m wondering,” his voice drops so low, it’s barely audible over the noise from outside, “if we can maybe improvise?”

What?

Steve opens his mouth, but the question seems to have been very much rhetorical because before he can even think about an answer, Eddie has him pinned against the counter, hands on his hips, and he kisses him. Without any hesitation.

Shit.

Steve groans. He’s dreamed about this for so much longer than he’s ready to admit. His hands fly to the back of Eddie’s head, fingers curling into the curls to hold him in place. He can feel Eddie laugh much more than he can hear it, and the vibration hits him like nothing. Steve groans again, and this time Eddie slides his tongue past his lips.

It sends his head spinning.

And then he snaps back. “Wait,” Steve mutters and pulls just enough away that he can speak properly, “the others—”

Eddie quirks a brow. “What about them?”

What about them? That’s a good question. It’s not even that Steve would be bothered if they saw him kissing Eddie. He doesn’t care what they think because he knows the one that matters won’t have an issue with who he’s in love with — who he likes. He really needs to slow down. He’s got to be normal about this for once.

Eddie kisses the tip of his nose when Steve doesn’t reply. “Robin used her right as your best friend and kicked them all out.” He kisses the corner of his mouth, pulling him closer. “You’re having a migraine.”

Steve smiles a little. Robin could have embarrassed him by telling everyone he was throwing up or having diarrhea. He loves her. More than she might be able to understand. “Well,” Steve says slowly, grinning at Eddie while his heart is potentially trying to run away from him, “since I’ll be dealing with you…”

Eddie crashes their mouths together again. There’s another chuckle before he pulls away for a retort, “don’t get bratty on me, Harrington.” The words are painted against his lips. His voice is dark and rough and the hottest thing Steve has ever heard. He never thought a voice could get to him as Eddie’s does right now.

But he stands corrected.

Steve pushes away from the counter and wraps his arms around Eddie’s waist. Kissing him— being kissed senseless, Steve tries to walk them over to the stairs, but they’re bumping into everything and refuse to separate. Eddie’s hands roam over his body, settling mostly onto his ass and keeping their crotches deliciously close.

They’ll never make it upstairs.

When Eddie bumps against the couch, he spins them around. Without warning, Steve finds himself pinned against the cushions with the other boy on top of him. He’s into girls, he really is, but there's something about having Eddie on top of him that makes this whole experience a thousand times hotter than anything he’s ever done before. It’s a little surprising if he’s being honest. Eddie is his size. His body is firm and lean, and he easily pushes Steve’s legs apart to slip between them.

Steve is both overwhelmed and very much into the way Eddie takes control of the situation. It’s also more than a little unexpected. Eddie didn’t seem like someone this forward.

Looks like Steve was wrong about that.

And he’s not going to complain — especially not when Eddie grinds their hips together in a way that makes Steve’s mind melt. He gasps into the kiss, mesmerized by the sensation of Eddie’s erection moving against his own. It’s then that movements become a bit more hectic. They’re pressing against each other. Kissing and biting. Hands exploring unfamiliar bodies. They’re taking the edge off, trying to satisfy this first hunger.

Not long after, Eddie takes control back. His hand slips under Steve’s shirt, and he pushes him against the couch, keeping him there without any problems. Either Eddie is a lot stronger than he looks, or Steve is more willing to do whatever the other wants him to than he first realizes. Eddie sucks his bottom lip between his teeth. His fingers fan out over Steve’s abs, rings cool against his skin. The sound he makes in the back of his throat goes straight to Steve’s dick — something that does not escape Eddie’s attention.

He pulls away with a shit-eating grin and drags his thumb over Steve’s swollen bottom lip. “If somebody told me,” Eddie whispers, his voice deliciously rough, “I’ll have King Steve writhing underneath me, I’d have declared them insane.”

Steve huffs out a breath.

“Don’t huff at me.” Eddie leans down to kiss the corner of his mouth before leaning away and sitting back on his leg. Tipping his head to the side, Eddie studies him. There’s still obvious hunger in his eyes.

So Steve isn’t sure why this distance is happening. “Why did we stop?”

“Because I wanna savor this.”

Steve twists a little, not entirely sure what to make of this. “Savor this?” To be fair, if Steve were in charge, somebody would be missing clothes already. But Eddie is an amazing kisser. It’s addicting, and so very hard to stop. Steve licks his lips — heartbeat picking up as dark eyes follow his tongue — and props himself onto his elbows. “You wanna go slow?”

“Absolutely not.”

That doesn’t make sense, or does it? “What?” Steve sits up, regretting his choice of pants a little more right now. “Is this about your bandana?”

Eddie’s brows vanish under his messy fringe. “My bandana,” he echoes, but it’s obvious he knows exactly what Steve’s talking about. “You wanna know about my bandana?” It’s the dirty grin that gets to him, and the way Eddie’s eyes catch on his obvious erection for a little longer than necessary. “I don’t think you’re ready for that, sweetheart.” Eddie chuckles as if enjoying a joke only he is in on. “I don’t wanna ruin your innocence.”

Innocence.

Heat rushes into Steve’s cheeks. He’s not sure if it’s because of indignation or embarrassment. Either way, he kicks Eddie’s thigh softly. “I’m not innocent.” Steve has enough experience to be considered an expert. Well, at least when it comes to women. But he knows what feels good to him, he surely can use that to figure out what Eddie enjoys. It’s sex. It’s the one thing he’s really good at.

“If that were true,” Eddie says, and his grin grows impossibly bigger as he curls his fingers around Steve’s jaw in a strangely mind-melting way, “you wouldn’t have asked me about my bandana now.” He leans closer, close enough that they should be kissing, but they don’t — and Eddie makes sure it stays that way. “Would you, King Steve?”

Steve cannot shake his head. He swallows then breathes, “no.”

“I’m going to have so much fun with you, Steve Harrington.” Eddie kisses the tip of his nose again then suddenly pulls away. “Get up.”

“What?”

“Get up.” Eddie gestures for him to move.

Even though Steve is confused, he follows the command and slips off the couch. His legs feel a bit like jelly, but he shifts onto the spot Eddie indicates anyway — the second he does, he feels strangely exposed because Eddie is looking at him. He doesn’t say a word, just cocks his head to the side, eyes darting across his body as if he’s looking for something. Steve pushes his hands into the pockets of his jeans to stop himself from fidgeting. The last time he’s been this nervous was when he ended up face-to-face with a Demogorgon for the first time. It doesn’t help that Eddie looks at him as if he wants to eat him alive.

Steve licks his lips. “So—”

Eddie leans forward, snatching the words right out of Steve’s mouth when he looks him dead in the eye. “Strip.” The authority in Eddie’s voice is unlike anything Steve would have suspected. Then again, maybe he should have. He is the leader of his little club after all, and with everything Dustin told him— “Steve,” Eddie coaxes him out of his thoughts. “Don’t make me repeat myself.”

Strip.

Steve clears his throat. He shouldn't be this fidgety because of such a request. There's never been an issue in the locker room or the showers. What is it about Eddie that makes him so insanely nervous about being looked at? He's attractive. He knows he is.

Okay.

Steve grabs his shirt by the nape of his neck and pulls it over his head. When he sees Eddie again, his eyes have gone from searching to studying. It's like he's trying to remember every part of him, every single mole and hair and imperfection.

Eddie leans back, eyes heavy and hooded. He spreads his legs. The way he's palming himself through his jeans is more than inviting.

But Steve stays where he is because Eddie said so. He keeps undressing because Eddie told him to. He’s never been very good with orders, but something about this whole situation, about the way the other boy sounds and looks at him. Somehow Eddie makes him feel like the single most attractive human in the world. So, he gets rid of his shoes, and socks and wiggles out of his jeans and boxer briefs together.

And it's really only when he is standing in front of the couch completely naked that Steve is glad they don’t have any neighbors. He’s still very much on display, Eddie’s intense gaze makes sure of that. Steve shifts a little, resisting the urge to cover himself up. It's not that he’s insecure. Steve knows he’s not unattractive, but Eddie is— Steve swallows. Eddie is just staring at him. Not saying a single word; and if not for the fact that his erection is visible in his jeans, Steve would have been extremely anxious.

Eddie leans back, legs spread, and still fully clothed. It’s infuriating but strangely hot at the same time. He indicates for Steve to come over, and he starts to move before he even fully registers it. “Look at you,” his voice is a husky whisper, and leans forward a little, grabbing Steve by the back of his thighs. “You’re so cute.” He grins, curling his fingers around Steve’s cock without breaking eye contact. “And I don’t mean cute in an ‘I’d like to pinch your cheeks’ way.” He’s pumping him so fucking casually it melts Steve’s brain. “I mean cute like I wanna bend you over the couch and have my way with you.”

Steve moans. He’s not entirely sure if it’s because of his words or how Eddie drags his thumb over the tip of his dick.

“You’d like that, Stevie?”

Fuck.

“Yes,” he breathes, running a hand through his hair. This isn’t his first hand job, not even close, but something about Eddie’s fingers and the rings and— fuck. It feels way too good.

A little too good.

Eddie lets go of his dick and pulls Steve closer by his thigh. “Come on, baby,” he whispers, fingers ghosting over his skin. “Sit on my lap.” His voice is barely anything more than a husky whisper. He knows what he’s doing, or maybe Eddie just knows what all of this is doing to Steve. Either way, it works.

Fuck, it does work a little too well.

Steve follows the command, shuddering as the rough fabric of the jeans scratches the inside of his thighs. He wraps a hand around the nape of Eddie’s neck and kisses him again, highly aware of the other boy’s hands roaming all over his naked body. The girls he’s been with have never been as bold as Eddie is right now. They wrapped their arms around him to hold him close. But Eddie’s hands are everywhere. He is raking his nails over his back and sides and squeezing his ass, easily causing Steve to melt into him in the most delicious way possible.

Eddie’s all-but-dominant behavior is everything Steve never knew he needed. Something about it makes Steve a lot more confident in the situation. He slips a hand between them, working Edie’s belt and pants open without any trouble. He slips his hand into the boyer shorts and wraps his fingers around Eddie’s hard cock.

Eddie groans into the kiss. His grip on Steve’s ass tightens momentarily. “Fuck,” Eddie breathes, letting go of Steve’s side to grab his dick.

Even though the angle is a bit odd at first, Steve pretty quickly gets used to working Eddie in a way that coaxes the most delicious noises out of the other boy. Steve cannot get enough of it, the rough fingers on his cock, the jeans scratching his thighs, Eddie’s little noises — everything is too much and not enough all at once.

“Eddie,” Steve moans.

“Yes, sweetheart?”

He doesn’t know. He doesn’t fucking know. He just— “Eddie,” he breathes, feeling his orgasm build and build and— “Eddie, please.”

Eddie slaps Steve’s hand away and wraps his long fingers around both their dicks.

Steve holds onto Eddie’s shoulders and watches the other boy’s skilled fingers work on them. It’s so fucking hot — the way Eddie just knows, the way their dicks slide against each other in the tight grip.

“Come on, baby,” Eddie whispers, squeezing his ass again. “Come for me.”

And that’s all it takes. Steve comes with Eddie’s name on his lips, spilling his release all over his hand and rings — his fucking rings.

Eddie follows not long after, meaning Steve’s name unabashedly. It’s a sound to die for.

Steve leans their foreheads together, trying to catch his breath.

Sighing softly, Eddie wraps his arms around his waist and pulls Steve a little closer. “Next time,” he says, dragging a finger down his spine, and Steve shudders in his arms, “I’ll bend you over this couch and fuck you until the only word you can remember is my name.” Eddie nudges their noses together, a gesture so out of place together with his words. “Got it?”

Steve nods, heat flushing his cheeks. “Yeah, got it.” And he can’t fucking wait for it either.

“That’s what I want to hear.” Eddie kisses him again.

Next time. Steve’s heart hammers against his chest, and he cannot help but grin into the kiss. Next time.

#steve harrington #eddie munson #steddie #stranger things #steve x eddie #eddie x steve #kinktober 2022 #*tv:stranger things #*w:complete #*w:kinktober2022 #*s:steddie

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nivousniv · 2 years

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So far my sona(minus Crow and Human) Here is the origin of the name NivousNiv To be honest, it's simple, I kind of took it from my name. Nivous is the mix of Niv and Nervous. ZivousZiv is just replacing N with Z(reason why it's Z because Z is cool also because of that one in the periodic table) Negativity was sort of a recent one from like 1 or 2 years ago. NivousNiv, shorten by Niv is just my main sona to draw if I wanted to draw myself ZivousZiv, shorten by Ziv is the more insane than Niv, all the crazy bullshit, yeah that's Ziv alright. Use to be the representation of stress and yeah. Negativity holds all that stress and yeah now. Also the sona I use if I ever said something negative. Still don't know why I choose Negativity as a Name. My Sona now is all on Crows and the red spider lily(also know as the flower that shows up in anime and meaning of death)

#my sona #Crow sona #Kraa caw

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eolewyn1010 · 2 years

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Newspaper article for a change! Lucy is up and about, minus one (1) immortal soul, plus an urge to drink the blood of several little children. Charming. I bet Renfield is dying from envy. So far, she hasn't killed any, but she lures or takes them away from their way home and nips a bit before letting them go. Clever of her to take very young children who can't give much detail beyond "there was a bloofer lady" (which I've read elsewhere means "beautiful lady", and I'll run with it). I think it's funny that they suspect a dog of biting the children, what with Dracula's doggo days... Not so funny is that Lucy is not all that concerned with how weakened she leaves the kids. Can't be long before she takes it too far.

Mina is meeting van Helsing. Beforehand, she tells her journal and us that she wants to learn more about Lucy's last days in this life, but also can't get Jonathan's journal out of her head and hopes some light can be shed on his experiences. What a neat concidence. Stoker, your characters are not clairvoyant. Then Mina allows us the tiniest look into her actual emotions - stress over all the shit that's been going down, nervousness over having let her still-not-all-that-well Jonathan out of sight for the first time since they married, grief for all her losses, confusion about the journal, guilt for feeling she hasn't done enough for Lucy and Mrs. Westenra - and has a good cry. God, don't I sympathize.

And... it was all about Jonathan after all. Well, at least Mina has a ton more words to feel sorry for him rather than for Lucy once her meeting with van Helsing is over. Not to speak of dedicating an entire paragraph to the latter's goddamn looks. Mina, I do know that a head is typically to find on the neck (and if not, it's probably Dracula's fault). And with the phrenology again. Anyway. Van Helsing asks for a full report on Lucy's somnambulism adventures; Mina takes the opportunity to brag about her shorthand, but once he's appropriately impressed, she tells him all that happened and they have lunch together. Van Helsing insta-crushes on Mina, can't blame him, and drops this queer-dreamy bit: "I [...] who have studied all my life men and women", so Ace Abe is officially Bi Abe now. He inquires about Jonathan, Mina pours her heart out, and Stoker gets in the obligatory sexism about how there are "still good women left who make life happy" (go suck on a blood blister, Stoker; I'd make you miserable on purpose!) and that Mina must take care of herself solely to keep Jonathan happy. I'm not having a good day to be graceful about this bullshit.

However, I'm here for Mina admitting to van Helsing that what she's about to tell him of Jonathan's misadventures is "queer". Heh, it sure is. I refuse to let go of this joke. Van Helsing gets the type-written copy of Jonathan's travel account, having promised Mina not to wave off all the weird stuff as foolishness. He asks Mina to see Jonathan on a date with him the other day after he has read through everything she has given him, and that very same evening, he sends her a brief note, confirming everything Jonathan has lived through as true. FINALLY! I think that's the first factual statement van Helsing made regarding this! Can we stop talking in "I have to be sure"s and vague speculations yet? He's also majorly impressed by Jonathan's sheer brainless balls on having survived Castle Dracula, having escaped from there, and having whacked the sleeping Count with a shovel. That's the type of guy who's immune to long-term PTSD! Trust van Helsing on that matter; the man's a doctor. Mina is relieved for half a minute that Jonathan is not hallucinating hardcore, then realizes the implications of Dracula being a goddamn reality just over in London. She invites van Helsing to drop by for breakfast as soon as Jonathan has come back next morning. I assume she wants to tether the polycule back together, now that the Lucy glue is missing.

#Dracula Daily #hope we hear more of the bloofer Lady #also Mina and van Helsing. the braincells have met

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dysiver · 10 months

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You don't play honkai and genshin anymore?

I don't play any gacha anymore, if anything I MIIIIGHT come back to play arknights but that's it.

Honkai just turned TOO much like Genshin, all the events ended up being boring ass mini-games like in Genshin and I was already burned out from that in Genshin, so Honkai just being Genshin 2.0 minus Zhongli became pretty worthless. Plus I just don't care about the characters, none of them are interesting for me. I like Blade cuz he was hot and I like Dan Heng cuz he's a dragon but compared to other dragons I like...he was just meh. On top of that they did the same bullshit than Genshin did where they hide major lore parts in stupid books, artifact sets or just shit that nobody cares about.

Then Genshin doesn't give me more Zhongli and has TOO MANY fucking filler patches with story quests that honestly make me wanna just not play the game anymore. They made me dislike Cyno because of how pointlessly annoying most of his events were or anything that involved him. I don't wanna play a shitty card game, leave me alone. I realized how I now hated playing genshin when I sat there, stared at my screen and realized I was fucking playing a minigame that was just pac-man but worse cuz it was 3d. And the characters I stressed so much to get were pointless cuz anybody could do Abyss and nothing in the game was challenging enough to even farm artifacts anymore.

#honkai star rail #genshin impact

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crimsonxe · 2 years

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Let me put this out and be clear about it: I’m not going to drop RT so long as there’s ones there that I think can make change happen. Partly because some of the issues that have been brought up are years old, partly cause I’m not someone that’s going to shut off a road to being better. Fucking Riot, knock on wood, shows that its possible to do. And don’t mistake it either, if you watch Arcane and put money towards it, psssssst you’re supporting Riot even with its history. Which is hilarious cause I’m usually the one sighing at overly idealistic people, but here I am having what I consider a very idealistic mindset to have. Though from what I’ve heard there’s been more recent people chiming in with their experience in “current RT” as having been an improvement from the “past RT”; showing the change being in effect and continuing to happen. Blizz has stated that he isn’t under any NDA’s and will speak about what he wants, as well as will be his own advocate if needed including if he’s being treated wrongly. I’ll keep watching him and seeing his experiences, so far (minus the shitstorm and bullshit harassment being aimed his way for no damn reason) he seems good and supported. Also for once I’d root for the corpos to actually take a bit of the reigns, cause from what I’ve seen a good portion of the issue is people not knowing how to manage; which corpos know all too well. Though emphasis on the “bit of”, not a full-on takeover.

Also to anyone choosing to pop into personal streams to do shit like “are you leaving RT?” then when ignored being a petty little bitch: you aren’t on the high horse you think you are. You’re victimizing someone else, because of something either their corp did or a past generation of the corp did. Where said person is either dependent on the corp for a living or they’re one of the ones that are pushing for change and believe it can be done. You’re attacking likely the very damn people trying to change shit for the better, cause you think you’re on some moral crusade. You’re not; you’re just a pathetic outrage culture shitlord invading other people’s spaces and adding on top of their already stressed mental state. Seeing some of Jeremy’s commentary lately, really makes me glad that there’s a computer connection between me and some of the shitlords on the internet indulging in outrage culture bullshit. I see it, within the confines of one of the streamers rules I will tear your shit apart and not feel bad about it at all.

Once a-fucking-gain have issues with the higher-ups and management; NOT the god damn people. inb4 “people aren’t actually doing that. you’re just throwing strawmen”, no I’ve seen 2 cases of it just last night and would wager that its just a tip of the actuality of the harassment going on.

#rooster teeth #achievement hunter #rant at outragers/harassers

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mynewchapter · 1 year

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Wow!! I didn’t realize I never shared my story of my fur-children. Rescued.

Long read.

TLDR:

Long story short, I had to give my cat Hitome to my parents 10 years ago because my brother-in-law is allergic to cats, in 2013 my parents got a second cat named Shadow. In 2021 my mom ended up moving to a LTC home, and my father was going to give way the cats. I decided I didn't want to risk her at a shelter. Last week our plans were moved up because my father ended up in the hospital. She was so matted, broke my heart. I found a vet that was able to sedate her and shave her. We hesitated but took in Shadow too (we live in a basement). Both cats are now both loved, spoiled, healthy, and happy.

So a little bit of a backstory. Back in 2009 I got a 6 week old kitten, I named Hitome (domestic long hair). She was quite special, in the sense that she didn’t like being pet (she’d follow you, just no touchie),she was picky with her food, and would only eat at the table. She lived with me until 2010, when I gave her to my parents. I was moving in with my sister and her husband was allergic to cats.

Main story

For the first few years she was good there. My parents wanted to get another cat...Hitome is an alone cat and I told them as such, don’t get another cat. My idiot father choose not to listen to me and adopted Shadow (domestic short hair).

When Hitome got older she stopped grooming herself and she started getting terrible mattes. So my parents would go to the pet store near by and got her shaved. When the store stopped dealing with cats, they got a local groomer to come to their apartment and would get her shaved. After her last shave in 2018, my parents told me she was allowing them to brush her, no more mattes. All was good! The last time I visited them was early 2019. Hitome was matte free and everything was good. Sadly I didn’t visit their home for the rest of the year, until late 2020 and that was to grab something so I didn’t see my cat.

In Jan 2021 my mother came down with Covid. It was pretty much touch and go, she ended up going to a LTC in May. The first chance in May my sister and I could grab things for my mother, while there I found Hitome in such terrible matted fur. I was furious. My father made bullshit excuses of why they allowed her to get to that. He also told me that he didn’t want to take care of the cats anymore and thinking of taking them to a shelter. Since at this time Hitome was 12 and doesn’t like being touched, I knew the only one to give her the love she needed was back with me. We weren’t sure about Shadow (story in a bit). But we weren’t sure when we could grab her.

The time to pick her up was forced onto us, when my sister and I discovered that my father had be unconscious, no food or water, and delusional for 3 days at his front door...with two cats inside.He was in the hospital for about 3 weeks. Between work and both my sister and I living far away from my parents, for a week we could only go every 3 days to see the cats, that were sadly alone in the home. I tried to make sure they had a ton of water, a lot of dry food and every time I went over I gave them wet food. Still horrifies me thinking of that time.

Since I wasn’t sure how she would react to being shaved, I found a vet that could shave Hitome but also sedate her if needed be, I brought her over for a checkup and a shave.She had a clean bill of health, minus some stress...which was like...DUH!

I didn’t take her out of the kennel until we got home and once she went to roam free....I cried when I saw her fully shaved, how much pain was relieved. My parents told me she couldn’t jump anymore and assumed because she was old. It took a few months before we had evidence that she could still in fact jump and that it was the matting that prevented her. We did buy her some steps for the bed though, since she is getting older.

I’ve had her for 1.5 years now and I know she’s happy. She’s spoiled. She also has regular vet visits, grooming visits

Now on to Shadow.

Even though I told them not to get another cat, my stupid father got one. All I know about Shadow is that was they got him from a shelter, he was able 6 months old. Hitome was 4-years-old. I’m also not sure how they got along.

Shadow was adorable and friendly when I first met him. But things changed after my mother had a stroke in 2018. When I visited Shadow would attack me. Everyone else that visited when I was over, he seemed all friendly with, but me he was an asshole. This was one of the reasons I wasn’t sure if I could bring him home.

In a sense, I’m thankful for the pandemic, because so many shelters were full and couldn’t take him. Also, with him being a black kitty, he might have had worse luck being adopted. I spent the whole week they were alone at the apartment trying to find someone who could take him. My (now husband) fiance and I live in a basement and weren’t sure if we could have room for two cats. But he saw the stress I was in. He originally thought I said that Shadow was an asshole so was hesitant, I clarified that he was only an asshole to me, he loves everyone else. So we took him to the vet (got a matte shaved off his back) and a check up. He was healthy too.

Sadly, we found that he was attacking me, because after my mom had her stroke the caring of the cats went downhill. So the only time Shadow would get attention would be when he attacked my father’s legs. He has grown out of it (mostly) and is now one of the bestest boys I’ve ever had and is just as spoiled as his sister.

Also, even though they lived together for 8 years, Hitome hates Shadows guts. She will growl at him whenever she sees him (we’ve tried everything). So at night they are separated and never left unsupervised. But there are times when Hitome is sleeping where Shadow will take a nap near her.

I’m sad I lost 10 years with my baby girl, but I’m defiantly making up for it now.

If you got this far, thanks for reading along.These are my two prides and joys.

#Cats #love #rescue #Sad story #happy ending #furbabies #Cat mama

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spacefoxy-irl · 2 years

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Jen’s irl ramblings

Not gonna lie, I’m pretty stressed right now. A lot of stuff has been going on the past few weeks and none of it particularly good. And the worst of it all is, I have no control over any of this.

So ever since I moved into this building I have had this really annoying bug problem. They come into my apartment through the airvent in the bathroom from somewhere else in the building and every time I complain about it I get told there is nothing that can be done and I just have to live with it. An exterminator comes once in a while and it’s a really unpleasant process because I have to hide everything into closets and move all my furniture out of the way when they come to spray my apartment (when the issue isn’t even orignating here!) And just.. ick.. having to clean all surfaces afterwards and you know.. being ocd about there being literal poison on all of my earthly possessions including my Kiss collection.

I keep looking at apartment listings all the time trying to find something as nice as this apartment is from the area but.. no luck. I really do love this place minus the pest problem. If that didn’t exist I’d be more than happy to live in here.

I have complained about this many times in rants over the years but it’s just so fucking gross cause I have never in my life had bugs in my home! I’m such a neat freak clean person too! It’s fucking ridiculous.

I’m gonna go be at my parents for a little bit tomorrow morning after I’ve let the pest control in. I have to go out anyway for at least 4-5 hours so why not take a mini vacation from all this bullshit. I’m tired of fighting with people over the phone about this. All of the calls have been so depressing cause I keep getting told there is nothing to be done. Like what the fuck are you talking about?!

Anyway. I’ll just drop it for now, before I get more worked up over this.

sometimes wish I had never moved in here

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uncanny8ellen · 2 years

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I'm fucking tired so Imma just put a piece of a wip here. Dunno if I'll ever finish. Mayhaps a sequel will show up if I survive. God I wish I could have more sleep. Or die.

Fandom: Resident Evil Village

Character: Karl Heisenberg, Hunter(Oc)

TW: Violence, Blood, Mentions of murder, Graphic depictions of injury, Swearing, Chocking

Summary: After the 'execution' of runaway villagers by Miranda's order, the most dangerous Lord of the village returns to his domain. On his way, the fatigued, sleep deprived Lord of Iron finally explodes under stress, the peculiar approach to life from his newest ally finally getting under his skin.

Temperance

They walked in silence. The tension could be cut with knife, with how tightly it built up to the point of snapping. Karl, ever the hot-headed one, finally roared in rage.

"Spit it the fuck out already!"

Hunter stopped dead in his tracks. With his back facing the seething engineer, he looked back.

"What are you talking about."

His voice was deathly calm, more so than usual. It only fanned the flame in the other's eyes.

"I saw the way you look at me, asshole. If you got something to say, fucking say it to my face right now! I don't have patience to put up with your bitchy attitude!!"

Silence followed, minus the heavy panting from Heisenberg. He absolutely loathed that neutral look on his face. How he could keep a poker face despite the bullshit shenanigans erupting all over the village on daily basis. It only infuriated the mad engineer, because he couldn't wrap his head around the fact himself. He couldn't understand this bastard at all. The frustration brought anger. He needed answers now.

"I didn't approve of your method, but I understood the need for it, is all."

"Oh so you think you get to get all high and mighty huh?"

"I never said-"

"Shut the fuck up!!!"

To his credit, despite getting yelled at straight in the face in such terrifying tone, the gunner didn't even twitch. Karl's blazing eyes were near hateful, teeth bared, looking about ready to tear his throat out.

"Please calm down." he said, trying to de-escalate the situation.

Karl once again roared, but this time with mocking laughter.

"What, scared?"

Then, his eyes sharpened. Now with something dangerous dancing behind that gaze, the Lord slowly advanced.

"Afraid you'll meet the same fate as those retarded livestocks? Because you should be. You should be very much afraid of me."

Hunter's eyes slightly narrowed at the Lord's description of the villagers, but his tone stayed even.

"I'm not afraid of you."

"Oh really?" The Lord sneered, his showman's voice now masking the thunderous anger.

"You're not? You just saw me making that moron's head go flying. You saw how I crushed them one by one, beating them to meaty pulps, like the little pests they are. I'm the kind of monster they warn about to their kids, lest the terrifying Lord Heisenberg drag their sorry asses to his dreadful factory."

"You're not a monster."

For a moment, the Lord's face mirrored the total blankness on the marksman's face. It would've seem hilarious, had it not been for the following fury which returned with vengeance.

"Are you fucking serious."

The fists in vice grip were shaking so much, and Hunter could see every metal objects in their vicinity slowly rising into the air.

"I could kill you, right here." he spat, venom dripping from his words.

"Mirander's order be damned. 'Not a monster'? Clearly, you are out of you depth, Hunter. You don't know what she made me into."

The gunner only looked in mute passivity.

"You don't know what I've done, what I'm capable of. Today was the very tip of an iceberg, one that is as colossal as that big bitch's ego."

Another beat of silence. Neither man looked away, unable to break this moment, the radiating animosity from one, and the seeping serenity from the other, colliding in the middle, threatening to overflow and sweep them away. Just one slip, and the dam between the two that has steadily been going up these past few weeks was going to burst.

It was finally shattered by hunter's quiet but firm, reply.

"You are not a monster."

Karl had to admit, despite the blinding red that quickly filled up his vision, he was impressed. Impressed that, even when decked across the face with a full swing, the fucker didn't even stumble. Though it definitely should have given him some sort of a whiplash, being struck with such inhuman strength. He could punch down trees with his bare hands, for fuck's sake. There was no way this guy was normal. That head shouldn't be attached to those shoulders.

'Oh well, better try harder', Karl thought carelessly, kicking him in the gut.

As soon as his back met the ground Karl was on top of him, pressing down on his throat with bruising grip.

"What about now? Is this 'monstery' enough for you?"

He grabbed a fistful of hair and slammed his head on the ground. And again.

"I was thinking maybe I could break you legs, but making you run for your life seems entertaining as well."

He leaned in and whispered into the huntsman's ear.

"Well? Which one would it be?"

He loosened the grip on the throat, expecting an answer. All he was met with was a quite,

"You are not a monster."

With an animalistic growl he lifted him by the neck, and hurled him across the field. Hunter crashed into one of the metal fences, the barbed wires slicing the flesh open. As he crumbled to the ground, the wires followed, sticking to his joints, tearing the fabric. He laid there like a ragdoll, and slowly sat up and watched as the metal Lord charged at him.

Once again the gloved hand seized the abused throat, pulling his face close to the snarling Heisenberg.

"You think you know so much?"

He tossed him to the ground, and grabbed one of the wrists that lay limply on the sides.

"I'll show you monster."

He yanked at the arm, enough to hear it pop, and at the same time, stomped down on the upper arm, feeling the bone give under his boot. With a sickening 'crack!', the now badly damaged arm dropped to the ground like a log. But hunter didn't so much as whimper. His jaw tensed a bit from such intense pain, but otherwise he kept quiet. All he did was look up at the unhinged-looking Lord.

"Changed your mind, darling?"

"You are nothing like her."

The engineer's eyes darkened.

"Of course not, I-"

"You are not a monster."

Before Karl could viciously lunge at him, he added, "So stop trying to be one."

That made the man pause. Heisenberg now loomed over him with an unreadable expression. Even with that spectacle shielding his eyes, Hunter could still hear the cogs clicking in that brilliant head of his.

"Why the fuck do you care."

"You didn't deserve what she did to you."

The mechanic roughly grabbed him by the collar and pulled him up, slamming him against the metal fence once more.

"I don't need your goddamn pity-"

"I don't do pity."

Karl blinked. He didn't expect such sudden hostility from his opponent.

"You deserved none of what she did to you. That is a fact. She did unspeakable things to you, yes, but that doesn't make you a monster."

Before Karl could reply, Hunter beat him to it.

"Even after all those years, she couldn't take that away from you. You might not feel like it, but under all that trauma and torture, your humanity's still intact."

The grip never wavered, but the onslaught of violence finally seized, Heisenberg trying to process what he's just heard.

As silence stretched out, Hunter continued, voice subdued.

"Besides, my entire family heritage is tracking down monsters and eliminating them. We can spot them from anywhere. And....."

His eyes grew vacant. They looked far away, unseeing.

"I was born from one. No way I can't recognize my own kind."

The laughter that was about to form in Heisenberg's chest from the shooter's words fizzled out at the chilling way Hunter looked at him. Suddenly, he didn't know if this was the same person, no. Same creature that he had at his feet mere minutes ago. Those eyes...they looked foreign. So inhuman and wrong. They didn't seem alive, like glass eyes, but at the same time, they still had the same look of recognition only seen from beings that has high cognitive level of intelligence. Karl couldn't tear his eyes away, the abyssal black seemingly creeping ever closer, encircling him, trapping him into its depth. Something was watching him. He was watching it. It was death. It had to be. He could not breathe. He could not feel. He couldn't-

As if a switch was flipped, those eyes were back to normal. Karl let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. The change was so quick, he couldn't trust his own mind to discern between reality and him just seeing things from sleep deprivation. Hunter closed his eyes.

What was that?

The sound of their breathing was deafening.

Karl distantly thought that maybe, he heard a storm approaching.

"Could you please let me go."

The Lord startled out of his stupor at the quiet request. He hesitantly let go of the clothing and backed off a bit. Hunter's mangled arm was entangled in a loose barbed wire, and he started to painstakingly peel himself away from the jagged, rusty fence.

"Here, let me..."

Karl used his power to tug away the wires and broken fences latching on to Hunter like metal teeth. Bad idea. They tore the skin further, and now he had a blood soaked Hunter in front of him, literally ripped in places. Again, the shooter didn't make a single sound. Karl bit his lip. Shit. He looked at the unnaturally bent arm which he brutally snapped without remorse. There was a...bone sticking out. His right arm was entirely drenched in red. Fuck.

Heisenberg's now uncertain gaze met the other's. Still so goddamn calm. Blood was covering half of his face, all of it trickling down from a nasty gash over his hairline. Bruising from the punch was already forming on the jaw, the black and purple stark on Hunter's neck. Karl briefly wondered if he did any lasting damage to the neck. God fucking damnit.

He went too far. The work, meetings, and that cunt calling him like a dog to do her bidding, when he should be working even more on that prototype he wanted to test out.

The way Hunter looked at him today. Something he couldn't understand. Somber, poignant, even. And...and..........so painfully understanding.

All of them wore down his barely existent patience.

At that moment, when their eyes met, he felt seen. As a person. Not a tool, not a servant, not Lord, not some fucking deity, and godforbid, not a monster.

When he smashed open those people and got covered in their blood, playing the role of a prized son, he felt hollow. He'd done the execution countless times. Setting an example was Miranda's bread and butter, and who better to assign the honor than his most favored creation? The women were mostly sent to Alcina, sure, but he was all about the show. And he hated every second playing into her bullshit cult crap. Repetition made it feel like a chore, rather than a repulsive act of unforgivable sin.

The elephant lady had her basement packed with maidens, and when Moreau felt like having a snack, rumors of missing fishermen spread like ripples, and the fishing was prohibited for a whole season.

Donna...didn't mean harm, most times. But her unstable psyche was still a threat. Combined with her hallucinogenic ability, it was only a matter of time before some villagers showed up insane, the unfortunate bunch who got a bit too close to the secluded beneviento mension.

And there was him. Lord Heisenberg. He knew he was the most feared. His volcanic temper didn't help in the matter, either. Not that he cared what those brainless idiots thought of him. The irony of the situation, was that he wasn't one for unnecessary killing. If anything, Miranda's regular 'cleansing' wiped out most of the population. Death was a norm under Black God's reign.

Still, he saw no point in the act. The graves were never scarce in this place. Fresh bodies literally just lying around. He could just take a walk through a forest, and once awhile, somewhat intact bodies of unlucky hikers were retrieved. They were just that abundant.

It wasn't that he had enough conscience to feel some sort of reluctance when it came to taking lives. After decades of practice, it was as easy as breathing. One swing, crash. Dead. Humans were fragile compared to him, all it took was a single hit.

It was nothing. It has been nothing.

So why, when he struck down that wailing boy, he felt something in him crack?

He couldn't fathom it. Wouldn't. He could keep it down, until there were none to think about. But Hunter made it so much worse with that look on his face.

So he snapped.

Which brought him to this mess.

'Great,' karl thought, grimacing at the amount of blood that kept flowing down. 'Damaging my own ally almost beyond repair. Great strategy. Surely he'll help me take down that bitch now, what a way to keep him on my side.'

"You don't have to look so regretful."

Karl's brow furrowed further. Damn him and his carefree approach to anything.

"You are literally bleeding out on my turf. Your arm-"

"Will heal. 'S fine."

Karl's frown deepened, now nearly forming valleys on the rugged landscape that was his face.

"I can see that ivory piece poking out. Look me in the eye and say it's 'fine'."

"That wasn't very nice of you, that's for sure."

The mechanic tried so hard not to get his hackles raised.

"You. Kept pushing. Your luck. Don't go complaining when you incessantly poked a damn grizzly and got a beating."

"I'm not one of the livestocks," Hunter countered right back, sarcasm evident in the very last word. "I'll speak my mind when I want. I don't serve nor worship you. You can't tell me what to say and what not to say."

"That could cost you your life, you know."

"And here I am, not dead. I'm not afraid of speaking the truth. The only time I purposefully hide things and lie," he squeezed his arm harder. He'll need to put it in a sling.

".....is when I intend to kill or harm the other. When we agreed to work together, I promised to be truthful. Don't expect anything less now."

Hunter started rummaging through his numerous pockets. With only one arm for use, it took a while until he found what he was looking for. He fished out a small metallic cylinder, fitting snugly into the palm of his hand.

He held it out to the puzzled Lord, who used his ferromagnetic power to make it fly straight into his grip. He raised his eyebrow, and looked at the battered man.

"You wanted info on BSAA. It's all there."

"I said that 2 days ago! You got it already?!" The metalbender spoke incredulously. He knew the guy was resourceful, and definitely know a lot more than he lets on, but this was just ridiculous.

"I have my ways. Now that my job for today is done, I'll get out of your hair."

Not even a step further, his way back home was blocked by the broad man.

"Where the hell do you think you are going."

"Back to my humble abode, my Lord."

"Oh so it's 'my Lord' again? I thought you do not serve me?"

"No. But I can play the part, Lord Heisenberg. You have a reputation to keep. Even if that title is worth some dirt on the street."

Heisenberg's face was immediately mere inches away from his.

"Watch it, du verdammter Mistkerl. (you goddamn bastard.)"

"Do you actually value what she gave you?"

"What?"

"Or is it the power? Does the 'Lord' title make you feel powerful?"

"Listen you-"

"No YOU listen."

That icy tone from before was back. Karl couldn't honestly believe this was the guy that didn't even wrinkle his nose after Moreau's violent upchucking.

"If I were to call you the 'Lord'," he creeped in even closer to the engineer's face, now their noses almost touching.

"It's not because some nutjob of a woman says you're one, or because you threaten to crucify me on the trees as a dart board."

That was a tempting image, but Karl pushed that thought aside for now.

"If I were to call you the Lord Karl Heisenberg, it must have been earned. For now I humor everyone, following their tradition."

Hunter's breath ghosted over his lips. Those dark eyes bottomless, seeing into the impossible and beyond.

"But they mean nothing to me. The only time I sincerely utter that title is when I'm speaking of you. Because so far, you're the only one who I'd dare say respect."

The metal Lord backed away slightly from shock. His frown melting away as confusion once again took its place.

"No one in this cesspool work as hard as you do. You work until you collapse. You resisted Miranda's mind game, managed to see through her lies. Bowed your head down to her feet, with teeth gritted. And now you smile when she calls you her son. You've been planning a revolution, built an entire army, for decades. Alone. That's damn fucking admirable."

The usually boisterous engineer was now utterly speechless. Granted, no one ever appreciated his effort to this level, the boot-licking from villagers obviously not counting.

But genuine compliment?

Respect for his hard work?

Karl didn't know what to do, except clearing his throat, very awkwardly, and uttering a somewhat feeble, 'thank you'.

The marksman nodded in reply, turning to look up at the sky. His bloody arm was still tightly held in his grasp, now only a few drops of red falling off.

"I've got to go."

"N-"

"You are a busy man. Surely you've got better things to do."

That's exactly what Karl would have said, if not for the excessive assault he commited on the man earlier.

"I can patch it up myself. I've survived worse."

Obviously Karl was having none of it. Just as he was about to just drag the idiot to the garage, Hunter spoke up again.

"Glad you got that out of your system. You looked like you needed it."

.......Did. Was that-

Right on cue, the church bell signaling the upcoming meeting echoed in the distance.

With a growl, Karl glared at the tall building, thinking of all the ways he'll blow it up with Miranda trapped in it.

When he looked back, he found himself staring at an empty space. The blood stained ground and crooked fence were the only indications that there was someone there at all.

The metal Lord groaned in bone-deep fatigue and frustration. How the fuck does he keep doing that.

He wondered if the fucker provoked him on purpose. So he can 'get it out of his system.' His gaze moved to a metal cylinder sitting in his hand.

His mouth made a thin line. He nearly killed the guy over nothing.

'You're not a monster'

That arm will take a looong time to heal. Must've hurt like a son of a bitch, too. And what does the guy do? Give him even more than what he requested. In 2 days. Says he respects him. Praises him for his life's work.

Man he felt like shit.

Guilt knived him from inside in steady streaks. The accusing edges dug into his heart, with the cry of that village boy still ringing in his ears.

'Not a monster'

Yeah. Right.

He once again leered at the accursed church. He had a meeting to attend.

The Iron Lord took off the shades, and quickly wiped at his bloodshot eyes. As he put the glasses back on, he pocketed the little metal container safely. He'll check up on Hunter later. If he can find him, that is.

With heavy sigh, Heisenberg sauntered away.

~~~

I wrote this in 3 hours. Can you tell how unrefined it is? No beta we die like Ethan Winter's withered hands.

#resident evil village #karl heisenberg #iron steed #the hunter #my writing #lord karl heisenberg #alcina demitriscu #donna beneviento #mother miranda #salvatore moreau #resident evil 8

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