#katie's midlife crisis | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ramblingaboutglee · 1 year

Note

I deeply want to know your thoughts of Mr 👞 now, I’m admittedly not his biggest fan just because I never particularly cared for many of the adult storylines compared to the kids, but I have complicated feelings about the hate he gets

Ooh, now we're getting into the spicy stuff.

Also hi sudden spate of new followers! Er. Please don't immediately unfollow when this is the first post you see.

So, couple of things to lay the groundwork. One, like a lot of characters on Glee, Schue's development can be... complicated. In S1, he had adult friends, other hobbies, and was in general a more well-adjusted teacher than common opinion. But when S2 came around, and Glee's relevance seemed to hit its peak, the writers decided to give him a full-on midlife crisis where he goes overboard into his worst traits. If this is someone's defining era of Glee, it's worth acknowledging Will gets hit harder than anyone else with the genre shift from S1 to S2. He mostly levels out, early S2 is a bad time for basically every character, but yeah,

The other thing is that, like, 2010s era tumblr fandom is. Not a reliable source of information? I swear there are points where fandom just makes things up, in every fandom from that era I’ve been in.

Content warning: Will Schuester rapping, brief ED mention

Like, let's just begin with the one that always pops up. "Will called a student with an eating disorder selfish for not wearing a bikini." My guess is that this came about from people that watched youtube videos of songs rather than, like, the actual episode? this was S5, Katy or a Gaga, and even if we take the position that Marley's ED hasn't vanished into the black hole of Glee canon, this was the episode where the assignment was for the NDs to go outside of their comfort zone - not in terms of modesty, but in terms of fashion. Marley's brief was 'Wear a Gaga style costume.' Going by how the other characters acted in the episode and the rest of the series, there is no indication Will has any actual control over what they pick in weekly assignments, and there are plenty of Gaga costumes that cover more skin. Marley, for episode-drama related reasons, opted to go out dressed in cheery Katy Perry fashion, and was condemned for not only not doing the assignment, but for actively missing the point. Every indication is that whatever Gaga costume she'd have worn, was her choice, and the condemnation was for missing the assignment.

if you want to headcanon ED-related body image issues, I'm with you, the ED arc could have been handled so much better so trying to mind more from it is a good thing. But treating this take as fandom gospel as frequently as I seem to see it, is... weird.

So with the caveat that there is inconsistent writing, and not every criticism is necessarily justified, let's dig in.

The Cool Teacher

One of the biggest traps of teen media feels like it's middle-aged writers trying to write someone kids will feel is a Cool Teacher. There's always this need to include an adult character who's perceived as likeable and cool, and so often it fails miserably. Will is, in S1, Glee's attempt.

The thing about Will is that he's kinda pathetic. He's a dork in sweatervests that is perfectly content making a fool out of himself if he thinks the kids will enjoy class. Will is perfectly content with being laughed at. The idea is that he's so earnest, that it's supposed to come off as charming, because he acts with no significant expectation of seeming cool or hip. (It's also a neat counterpoint to the status and image obsession of some of the kids, which I will be getting back to).

Almost no media gets it right, because the simple fact is if you're a teenager, you're kinda hardwired to just cringe. But this is when we get to the much-maligned rapping. Middle-aged white guys rap to try and seem cool, Will isn't the first and nor will he be the last. There's a kind of fun lack of self-consciousness to Will's performances though - he's self-aware, it feels, with a level of consciousness that it is physically painful to watch sometimes, but he's having a good time and the kids are apparently vibing, that he doesn't care that he's embarrassing himself. he does it precisely to get that reaction from the kids. Will is the person who would consciously misuse slang to make the younger generation wince and honestly I’m entering the era where that’s me so, I support him. Should Will rap? Well, no, but there is a reason why he does. If you want to compare the raps to any musical number on the show, go for Run Joey Run - they aren't remotely played straight, they're meant to be a little awkward. But just as a lot of people wanted straightforward musical numbers and disliked the comedy-focus of Run Joey Run, too many people seem to treat Will's raps as things intended as 'cool' performances, and not the dripping in self-aware lameness that they really are.

But if, in S1, the idea of Will was that he's so uncool that it loops around, what about later?

Holly Holliday enters by taking a prank the kids intended to pull on her as an entrance opportunity, turning it on its head, sliding dramatically into the room, and promptly singing Forget You. Can we all agree that this is objectively an embarrassing entrance? But she's played straight, and this for me is when we really see the shift in Glee's priority. Will was the guy who'd knowingly get pranked for the heck of it, the embarrassing dad of the show. Holly is 2Kewl4Skool in a way that makes her as bad of a teacher as Will, but the show is now more willing to say that's enough. Like, I like Holly, but the shift in focus is startling.

Ditto, from the same episode, "I think I've found a Journey song we haven't done yet!" Joking flashbacks present Will as a Journey superfan trying to get the kids to sing their whole catalogue. In S1, Journey was Finn's thing, and Will learned to let the kids pick their favourite songs right from the second episode, if imperfectly.

It gets tricky to talk about Will because there are several iterations of him. He's always uncool, usually ultimately sincere, and does put the kids first (eg, skipping the S1 sectionals, where attending was his dream, so that they could go) but the way this is perceived varies. When the show was reinventing itself in S2, it picked up a cynical streak, likely from trying to replicate the popularity of Sue. This however ended up reframing Will's sincerity as more of a negative. We see him having a midlife crisis, when before his more extreme antics were a result of competition pressure. It's definitely the stretch where I most dislike Will.

All that to say, Will is supposed to be admired and liked by the kids for being sincere, even when he's making a fool out of himself. There are points where the show acknowledges his unpopularity, but ultimately that's the core of Will.

The Meta

Glee likes its fourth wall bending humour. That can make fan reaction and analysis awkward, though. When Sue calls out Will for staging an elaborate costume-heavy performance for just his benefit, do we take this as literal truth, or do we file it away with Brittany thinking she's doing a voice over?

There's a lot of stuff that's open-ended like this, and it goes beyond jokes. Say, Will having former students be significant figures at his wedding - do we take this as inappropriate boundaries, or as "Well the show would suck if random guest stars were Will's best friends?" Does Will have no adult friends, or did they get cut from the show after S1? For fictional characters, what is the difference?

Is the fact Will is so close to all the kids inappropriate, or just the inevitable end result of having a show set at a high school with a teacher as an actual character? It's hard to judge, honestly. Ditto, does he do too little to stop the bullying, is it beyond his ability to effectively tackle, are his hands tied by Figgins, or would the show simply not function if a teacher swept in and prevented the slushies that became so much a part of the show's identity and advertising?

So, yeah, untangling gets complicated, and as it is Glee typically offers you a lot of ways to engage with it. For me, while I can see how meta jokes and lines that serve to highlight fandom complaints can feel like confirming them in-universe, I tend to just treat them as jokes and acknowledgements rather than reflective of actual character detail. Glee continuity can be weird enough as it is without incorporating fourth wall breaks, especially when those fourth wall breaks contradict otherwise established details.

The Parallels

And to finish it up: the adults on Glee, in my opinion, can't easily be separated from the kids. One of the things that I genuinely find interesting about Will, is the fact that so many of his conflicts overlap with the kids.

So, a character who peaked in high school, who ended up with their high school sweetheart, like Quinn plans on being... that's Will. Finn leaving a long term relationship and trying to figure out who he is to even try to be with Rachel, the exact same advice Will gets after leaving Terri. S1 paralleled both the love quadrilaterals. Glee's take on the coming of age story is looking at how the same sorts of stories affect adults and kids differently, and Will and other adults in paralleled positions is part of that. (I rambled Shelby way for more in that vein)

Which, honestly that's a huge part of the show fo rme -it happens with way more than just Will - but I kinda want to ping it because, inevitably, watching Glee as an adult means a lot of his drama is inherently more relatable. The thing the show keeps saying, that high school is hell while you're in high school but a month after you graduate you won't give a damn about who dated who, is true, but for any teenager hearing that, it comes off as dismissive even if there is more nuance to the way Glee presents it.

Take the aforementioned fact that Will is so fundamentally uncool, and contrast that with all the Glee characters who worry about climbing the social ladder. 'Loser Like Me' doesn't just refer to the kids. (If we skip forwards to S6, Rachel's lowest point at the start is basically becoming Mr Schue. That feels intentional. She does the same thing, sharing artists she likes and the kids might not know, teaching values, etc).

Glee is built on the fact that who you are in high school doesn't define who you'll always be. Every character goes on that same arc - as does Will, who maybe shows it the most by reinventing himself decades on. Will isn't perfect, but what makes me interested in him is that he acknowledges that. You can list a myriad of times he messes up, I've no doubt, and I'm also sure that the vast majority of those times he freely admits that he was in the wrong. Honestly someone like Will, who can be an idiot, but has no shame about saying he was wrong and actually trying to improve, to me that's a good thing.

I freely admit I can be a hypocrite on this front - there are characters that claim improvement and such, but in the end I feel like they haven't changed. Will, to me, usually feels like his heart is in the right place, by contrast. This can partly be his actions, and partly be his willingness to actually face consequences for his decisions. By contrast, too much of the time with other characters, flaws feel unacknowledged, or the responses feel incomplete. This might be subjective, but for me this usually isn't the case with Will. The show is built around the fact he can be the butt of the joke, and it's not afraid to criticise him as a result. The reason he gets celebrated when he does, is precisely because he's willing to model development.

In which I vaguely try to be concise

Will is a mixed bag. Some iterations of him are terrible, others are better. That's the same as any Glee character, it just depends which you pay attention the most, and which you see as more reflective. Is Rachel the person that sends a student to a crackhouse, or the person who gives the solo to Mercedes? Is Brittany the supportive girlfriend who helps Santana be comfortable with herself, or the dumbass who posts a sex tape online? Is Kurt the person who pushes Finn to tell Quinn's family she's pregnant, or the one who tries to welcome Sam without making him uncomfortable?

By the same token, is Will the person who sacrifices his chance to go to Sectionals, tries to uplift students that seem to have a bad plan or limited confidence, and who prioritises teaching acceptance over winning? Or is he the person that convinces teenagers to star in Rocky Horror as part of a convulated scheme to break Emma up with her boyfriend, who performs La Cucaracha in a poncho and sombrero as a Spanish teacher, or dedicates a week to twerking?

No one's ever just the one thing. But, for me, the fundamentally sincere guy who in general doesn't care about appearances, and who is so unashamedly uncool, and who does, ultimately, care a great deal about the kids, that's a character I like. I can look past the dodgy stuff that is so ubiquitous on Glee because it feels like it defines him less, and I like his storylines because 'adult re-evaluates his life path' is not an unsympathetic one, and plays so well off the kids who feel like they're trapped in one way of life.

Because, at the end of the day, if a Spanish teacher in a dodgy relationship and a fake pregnancy can, over five years, end up running an arts school with a loving relationship and an actual child... Surely that says a lot about the prospects of all the kids too?

#Glee #Will Schuester #ask #Glee meta

8 notes · View notes

realhousewives-fan · 1 year

Text

The Scandal That Shocked Bravoverse!

My mind is officially blown! Where do I even begin to comment on the shocking exposure of the allegedly 7 month long affair?!

I’m shocked and horrified that Tom Sandoval could do something like this to Ariana Madix.

She has stood by his side through thick and thin.

She stood by him when Kristen Doute tried to ruin his life and brought in Miami Girl to arrange a big confrontation at SUR about his infidelity.

She lived with him when they couldn’t use the microwave and the vacuum cleaner at the same time. She let him be a part of her cocktail book.

They share dogs, a house, a business together. They were as good as a married couple.

Raquel Leviss joked with Charli Burnett about Tom Schwartz and Katie Maloney-Schwartz and said that it was no home to wreck.

She’s wrecking a home now.

Ariana is the coolest chic. And she supported Raquel when most of the cast avoided her and James Kennedy.

She and Scheana Marie has really rallied for Raquel after she broke off her engagement, and as a show of her gratitude she’s having an affair with Sandoval?!

It’s hard not picturing Raquel as a snake in this scenario.

And Sandoval used to be one of my favorites on the show, but especially last season I saw more and more signs of narcissism.

Is Sandoval turning into Jax Taylor?

This is a midlife crisis. He reeks of desperation. The band. The younger mistress.

Sandoval is a narcissist who wanted to feel good about himself, so he grabbed a beautiful young woman whom he could mess around with.

It’s the oldest cliché in the book!

When the trailer for season 10 dropped and it told a story about Raquel coming between Schwartz and Katie, it was a juicy story, because they were divorcing.

And Vanderpump Rules used to be all about who slept with who. I was relieved that they were bringing sexy back, as they teased.

But I could never imagine something like this. This is not sexy. This is a scandal! Or, more precisely, Scandoval.

#Vanderpump Rules #Pump Rules #Tom Sandoval #Ariana Madix #Kristen Doute #Raquel Leviss #Charli Burnett #Tom Schwartz #Katie Maloney-Schwartz #James Kennedy #Scheana Marie #Jax Taylor #Scandoval

4 notes · View notes

ao3-feed-shadam · 10 months

Text

I miss having sex but at least I don't wanna die

by changveenie

indie band The Garrison are looking for a vocalist, while their drummer is going through a midlife crisis (because he is indeed mid)

Words: 2694, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Voltron: Legendary Defender

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: F/F, F/M, M/M

Characters: Keith (Voltron), Lance (Voltron), Pidge | Katie Holt, Hunk (Voltron), Shiro (Voltron), Adam (Voltron), Acxa (Voltron), Lance's Family (Voltron), Veronica (Voltron), Allura (Voltron), Lotor (Voltron), Ezor (Voltron), Zethrid (Voltron), Nyma (Voltron), James Griffin (Voltron), Krolia (Voltron), Keith's Wolf (Voltron), Keith's Sister (Voltron), Keith's Family (Voltron), Shiro's Mother (Voltron), Shiro's Family (Voltron), Lance's Mother (Voltron), Lance's Siblings (Voltron), Lance's Father (Voltron), Pidge | Katie Holt's Family, Coran (Voltron), Matt Holt

Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron), Hunk/Shay (Voltron), Keith & Shiro (Voltron), Keith & Pidge | Katie Holt, Hunk & Keith & Lance & Pidge | Katie Holt & Shiro, Hunk & Keith (Voltron), Hunk & Lance (Voltron), Lance & Pidge | Katie Holt, Hunk & Pidge | Katie Holt, Acxa & Ezor & Keith & Zethrid (Voltron), Acxa & Keith (Voltron), Acxa/Veronica (Voltron), Lance & Veronica (Voltron), Allura & Coran & Hunk & Keith & Lance & Pidge | Katie Holt & Shiro, Adam/Shiro (Voltron)

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Rock Band, Band Fic, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Gay Keith (Voltron), Asexual Keith (Voltron), Pansexual Hunk (Voltron), Nonbinary Pidge | Katie Holt, Minor Hunk/Shay (Voltron), Slow Burn Keith/Lance (Voltron), Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Past Allura/Lance (Voltron), Keith & Shiro (Voltron) are Adoptive Siblings, Acxa & Keith (Voltron) are Siblings, Lesbian Acxa (Voltron), Minor Acxa/Veronica (Voltron), Minor Allura/Lotor (Voltron), Lotor (Voltron) Being an Asshole, Allura (Voltron) Being an Asshole, Alternate Universe - Human, Pining Keith/Lance (Voltron), Keith & Shiro (Voltron) Friendship, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Inspired by Taylor Swift, Title from a Waterparks Song, Song: I Miss Having Sex but At Least I Don't Wanna Die Anymore (Waterparks), Song: Anti-Hero (Taylor Swift), Song: Another Love (Tom Odell), Asexual Relationship, Cuban Lance (Voltron), Korean Keith (Voltron), Italian Pidge | Katie Holt

source https://archiveofourown.org/works/48257551

#adashi #shadam #voltron #vld #voltron legendary defender #ao3feed #fanfic

1 note · View note

lgbtbleach · 4 years

Photo

it’s a trip watching the early parts of the anime get people’s hair or eye colors wrong because now i’m just headcanoning that ryuuken dyes his hair silver, after i witnessed this color in uryuu’s flashback

#katie rewatches bleach #he's going through a midlife crisis i guess

8 notes · View notes

regalpotato · 6 years

Text

@sandbar11 replied to your post: @antivanruffles replied to your post: ...

Forty-plus isn’t looking good either.

right, so are all you losers telling me NO ONE knows what the fuck they’re doing and we’re all wandering around in a state of panic?

#sandbar11 #katie answers #(i say losers affectionately - excuse my mouth)#HOW DOES ANYTHING EVER GET DONE #am i having a midlife crisis at 25?

4 notes · View notes

imeverywoman420 · 2 years

Note

what do you think about the hyperpop girlies?? like charli xcx, sophie, grimes if that counts. i love them so much personally

Never listened to grimes in my life cause i HATEEEE her aesthetic with all of my heart like its just so offensive to my eyes its just so Pretentious White Liberal Millenial. Sorry dont meant o be mean abt ur faves but i must speak. Im just not into Garish/Bizarre On Purpose….. like im not into cyberpunk elf dystopian mad max.

Its why i stopped liking katy perry after she had a midlife crisis and cut her hair. Like you know in your heart of hearts it looks so bad and you had a GREAT thing going with Teenage Dream. Nobody wanted you to be “edgy” or high concept or whatever. You’re a popstar, not courtney love or grace jones or kathleen hannah or Florence machine you’re Baby youre a firework california gurls teenage dream. We dont want your authenticity. Idk i like classic fun bubblegum pop and cute outfits i dont need my pop music to be ambitious or do too much.

i only know sophie from the peter griffin shipoopi mafefial girl video, i only know charli xcx from Fancy. I tried to listen to that one album she made where it was like. Lock it. Or pop it? Unlock it?

Not into it. Idk. Maybe if i had some different song recs or something

7 notes · View notes

mia-soufi2018 · 3 years

Text

EXCLUSIVE: Katie Couric rips into former TODAY Show colleagues, admits she froze out female rivals to 'protect her turf,' says her toyboy ex was a 'midlife crisis' and takes potshots at Prince Harry who stank of alcohol in her new memoir

By Dan Bates For Dailymail.com - September 29th 2021, 7:26:10 pm

DailyMail.com has read the manuscript for Katie Couric's book ' Going There' , which is out in late October and will be accompanied by an 11-city book tour.

11 notes · View notes

wiypt-writes · 3 years

Text

Stark Spangled Forever

A Very Rogers Christmas. Part 3- From Head To Mistletoe

Summary: It’s Christmas Eve and Steve has a little accident in the bathroom. Once the trauma is dealt with the Rogers family head off to visit Pepper and Morgan before coming home to settle in and wait for Santa. And Steve’s hell bent on unwrapping one particular present early…

Warnings: Language, smut (NSFW, 18+)

Pairing: Steve Rogers x OFC Katie Stark

A/N: The final part of my Stark Spangled 2020 Christmas special- A Very Rogers Christmas. I hope you all enjoy and thank you for your support when my other blog was flagged as obscene. Next year SSB will be ‘relaunched’ through the new blog, and I will take the time to change anything that I didn’t quite like. I look forward to seeing you all there. But for now, I leave you with this hot mess and wish you all a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS. Thank you for being as invested in Stark Spangled as me.

And to my Evangers… @sweater-daddiesdumbdork , @icanfeelastormbrewing , @southerngracela and @ohthankevans13 I would NOT have got through 2020 without you. This one is most CERTAINLY for you girls. I love you 3000.

Steve groaned as he heard Rori's angry voice from the landing.

"Jamie, tell Stark to stop chasing Erica!"

"He's a dog!" Jamie responded. "It’s what they do, they chase cats."

"Well, stop him!"

"How?" Jamie's voice was punctuated by laughter. "It isn't like I make him do it!"

"Hold still." Katie warned Steve and he let out a sigh, his hands gently smoothing up the back of her thighs as she concentrated on ensuring the lines of his newly shorter beard were neat.

"Sorry, Doll." He muttered, watching her face as she concentrated, her green eyes following the trimmers as her right hand steadily guided them across his left cheek. "Listening to them argue is setting my teeth on edge."

"Baby, I only have the other cheek to neaten, then you can go and tell them both off." Katie stepped back to admire her handy work. "I was kind of hoping their Christmas Eve boxes would have kept them quiet for a little longer."

"Well," Steve turned his head to peek into their room where Harry was sat in the middle of their large bed, looking at the activity book he had gotten in his, "worked for him."

"Always does." Katie chuckled. "He's so well behaved compared to those reprobates."

They watched him for a moment or two before Katie reached up and moved Steve's face sideways so she could start on his right cheek, giving him a soft kiss as she did so. "You look incredibly handsome." She practically purred and Steve grinned, feeling his cheeks and neck grow warm as they always did when she looked at him the way she was doing.

Seventeen years and she could still turn his insides to mush with a single look.

"Yeah?" He asked, her lips still brushing his as she nodded. "Even though I've shaved the beard?"

"Well-" she kissed him again, "-technically you trimmed it, not shaved it. It's just shorter. But yes, I'd still find you devastatingly good looking without it, as you know."

Steve grinned, turned his head to allow Katie to finish and just as she had raised the clippers it all went horribly wrong.

There was a yell again from the landing and a moment or two later the door to their bedroom flung open, causing Steve to whip his head round.

"STEVE!" Katie cried out a warning but it was too late. As Steve turned his head to look at Rori as she barrelled through the door to their bathroom, he managed to catch his cheek on the clippers and he heard Katie gasp. He froze, looked at his wife and then stood hastily up to glance in the mirror and gave a groan. A large chunk of his beard was now completely missing from his right cheek. And he could tell as he looked at it that no amount of trimming was going to save it.

"How many times do I have to tell you?" He closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he turned to Rori and she swallowed, eyes growing wide as she registered the tone of his voice. It was deep but quiet, the voice he always used when he was pissed off. "You knock before you come barging into mine and your mother's room, Aurora."

"I'm sorry." Rori blinked, the use of her full name not passing her by. "But Jamie-"

"Don't wanna hear it."

"Yeah, but he-" "What did I just say?" Steve’s voice rose in volume as he glared at her. "I'm not interested in whatever stupid little argument the pair of you have got going on. It stops now. You understand?'

Rori stared back at her father, her face positively mutinous and Katie hastily turned away before she burst out laughing at the fact they were stood in identical poses, arms folded, feet apart as they engaged in the silent stand-off. Whilst Rori undeniably looked like her, she had so many of her father's mannerisms, all the kids did to be fair, and her middle daughter was a perfect blend of both the Stark and Rogers sass and stubbornness.

She was a nightmare at times but at others amusing as hell.

As Katie busied herself straightening a few bottles on the bathroom side she heard Rori give an exasperated sigh.

"Look, I'm sorry I barged in here okay? But Jamie really is being a pain!"

"Right now you're being a pain." Steve shot back somewhat childishly. "A huge pain in my ass."

"Language!" Harry chanted as he looked over towards his father, and that was it, Katie couldn't hold it any longer and she burst out laughing.

Steve turned to her, arching an eyebrow and she shook her head. "I'm sorry, Steve, but..."

With a groan Steve rolled his eyes. "I'm gonna go speak to Jamie, then I'll come back and sort this out." He gestured to his face before he turned and headed out of the room, calling to Jamie as he went. Less than ten minutes later both brother and sister had been told to quit it, Rori was in her room with the cat whilst Harry had wandered into Jamie's room and settled on a bean bag by his elder brother to watch Back To The Future. Flossie had, miraculously, slept through the entire scenario and …well, she was mourning the loss of Steve's magnificent beard he had sported for so many years.

"I can’t believe it." She whined. "Stevie, I wanna cry.”

Steve rolled his eyes, whilst he had to admit it wasn't exactly what he had planned, he wasn't as bothered about it as her. "It'll grow back.”

Katie eyed him shrewdly, cooking her head to one side. He'd come back from the barbers yesterday with a shorter cut than he had sported in a long time. It reminded her a lot of how he had used to wear it when they first started dating. Short on the sides, slightly messier on top. Coupled with his now smooth face, she had to admit, it did make him look somewhat younger, although you could still see the odd fleck of grey here and there spattered in his dark, blonde locks.

"You know, if I didn't know any better I'd say you were having some some kind of midlife crisis" She looked up at him and he snorted. "Although you gotta admit, babes, you're a bit late to the party age wise so to speak."

He stood up with a shake of his head and glanced at the mirror. He hadn’t seen that reflection in a very long time.

“Bucky’s gonna have a field day when he sees this.”

“Well, lucky for you he’s away with Jen and the family for the holidays so you won’t have to face him until New Year, same goes for Sam. Morgan, on the other hand…”

“She’s seen me without a beard before.” He shrugged before he turned and headed into the bedroom.

“Not for a while.” Katie followed him as they both left their room and headed onto the landing.

“Yeah, I know but surely it-“

He was cut off by a loud scream and then the sound of crying which erupted from Harry as he stood in the doorway to Jamie’s room.

“Hey.” Steve frowned and made his way over towards the toddler “Buddy, what’s…”

But Harry continued screaming and he backed away from Steve, running into Jamie’s room and hiding behind his big brother who looked at him, then to his dad, a puzzled expression on his face. Steve glanced at Katie who was also frowning as she made her way into Jamie’s room and crouched next to their son who was gripping onto his brother’s sweater for dear life.

“Harry? Baby boy, what’s wrong?” she asked him softly, smoothing his hair back.

“That man!” he cried, his voice wracked with sobs “Who...where’s Daddy?”

“Oh, Honey!” Katie chuckled, picking him up. “That is your daddy!”

“No!” Harry screamed, shaking his head and burying his face into her neck. Steve stood dumbfounded in the doorway of Jamie’s room, absolutely stuck for words. He felt awful and completely helpless as Katie tried to soothe their son but Harry wasn’t having any of it.

“It is Harry!” Jamie spoke, looking at his brother who glanced at him, then to Steve and then continued crying.

“Steve, sing the song.” Katie spoke suddenly as she was hit with an idea. “The one you always use to sing him to sleep.”

“Erm…” Steve cleared his throat, before he gently began to croon the song he’d sung to all of their kids as young children. “Would you like to swing on a star…” his voice croaked a little, as he found the pitch to the Bing Crosby song, “carry moonbeams home in a jar. And be better off than you are. Or would you rather be a mule?”

At the sound of Steve singing Harry stopped crying and peeked across the room at him, his hand fisted in Katie’s hair, his cheeks tear stained, but his expression was almost curious now, not fearful.

“A mule is an animal with long funny ears, he kicks up at anything he hears” Steve continued as Katie rocked Harry a little in her arms, nodding to Steve as he tentatively walked into the room. “His back is brawny but his brain is weak, he's just plain stupid with a stubborn streak. And by the way, if you hate to go to school. You may grow up to be a mule”

Harry studied Steve a little more, his sniffles subsiding slightly.

“Or would you like to swing on a star, carry moonbeams home in a jar, and be better off than you are, or would you rather be a pig?” Steve was just wondering how many more verses he was going to have to go through but thankfully, at that point, Harry gave a hiccup and held his arms out towards him. With a smile, Steve took him from Katie and held him securely, looking at him as he reached up and squished Steve’s cheeks with his little hands.

“Hi Daddy.” He whispered, wrapping his arms round his neck and Steve chuckled a little in relief, one large hand falling to the back of his son’s head as he kissed his cheek which was wet with tears.

“Hey, pal.”

“What’s going on?” Rori appeared, Erica in her arms, purring loudly as she scratched the kitten behind her ears.

“Oh, nothing.” Katie looked at her, “Harry got a little upset that’s all.”

“Why?”

“Because I shaved my beard.” Steve explained before he snapped playfully at Harry’s finger which was prodding his nose.

“Well, what did you do that for?” Rori scoffed.

Steve looked at her as she gave a dramatic roll of her eyes before she spun on her heel and left heading back to her room. Steve turned to Katie and Jamie, the pair of them stifling laughter.

“Anyone got a seven foot block of Ice I can take another seventy year nap in?” he grumbled.

**** As was tradition on Christmas Eve, they celebrated with Pepper and Morgan. This year it was Pepper’s turn to host so just before 11am they all piled into the car, the roof rack packed with presents and made the hours trip upstate to the lake-house, Emmy and Peter set to meet them there.

As they walked up to the house, Katie carrying Flossie, Morgan came out to greet them stopping dead as she looked at Steve.

“Huh.” She mused, taking in his clean shaven face.

“Yeah, yeah, get it over with, Moo.” He rolled his eyes.

“I’m not laughing.” She shook her head seriously, looking at him from dark brown eyes the exact same as her fathers, the familiar Stark nose accentuating her face. With a sad sigh she walked over to Katie and lay her hand on her Auntie’s arm. “I’m so sorry for your loss. That beard, well it must have been hard to take.”

At that Katie burst out laughing as Steve let out a groan as he spotted Emmy doubled over on porch, howling.

“Did you tell Em what happened?” he looked accusingly at Katie who shrugged.

“I may have mentioned it before when she called.”

Steve rolled his eyes as they trudged inside, stomping their boots on the mat to get rid of any excess snow, a wave of loud chatter hitting their ear the minute they did. The room was warm, fire blazing and dotted around stood Rhodey, Happy, Pepper, Peter and his Aunt May. Greetings and hugs were shared, Happy taking the opportunity to coo over Flossie as she was much bigger than the last time he had seen her some months ago, and Katie hugged Pepper tight, accepting the glass of champagne that was passed to her.

As was the usual tradition, Pepper had laid on a glorious buffet which went down a treat. And once the food was eaten, Jamie and Morgan both wrapped up and headed out to give Gerald the Alpaca some of the vegetable trimmings that Pepper had saved for him. The younger kids settled in front of the TV to watch a film, Emmy and Peter both happily choosing to sit with them and Katie took a moment out of the wonderful madness to watch as Steve was actively engaged in some discussion with Rhodey, both men laughing and joking. With a smile she then turned her attention to Happy who had his arm looped around May, the pair of them chatting to Pepper as she topped their glasses up with a bottle she plucked from the fridge.

It had been this way for almost seven years now, how they spent Christmas Eve, and whilst Katie loved being surrounded by this patchwork, extended family, she couldn’t help but notice the huge Tony shaped hole.

A hole which, like the one he had left behind in her heart, failed to get any smaller as the years passed.

With super stealth skills that Natasha would have been proud of, Katie silently made her way from the room, grabbing her jacket and headed out, her feet crunching through the layer of snow that lay on the ground as she walked across the lawn and down to the small jetty from which they had laid Tony’s Arc Reactor onto the lake the day of his funeral.

She always felt a sense of peace being here, like there was some part of Tony still present. And to be fair, there was. Said Arc Reactor had sunk to the bottom of the lake once the wreath had rotted. But it was more than that, it was the only place she still felt truly close to her brother and she understood why. It was because this was where he’d gotten everything he’d ever wanted, a daughter, a wife, a home…the very things he’d sacrificed his life for.

With a sniffle, Katie stood at the edge of the small jetty and sighed, looking out over the partially frozen water. “Merry Christmas, Tone.” She whispered, wiping her eyes as her tears trickled slowly down her cheeks.

Back inside the house, Steve looked around for his wife only to notice she wasn’t there. Knowing instantly where she would be, he excused himself from the conversation and grabbed his coat, making his way down to the lake. Sure enough, he saw her stood at the end of the jetty, but before he could cross the snowy lawn towards her, he spotted Jamie and Morgan making their way back from Gerald’s little hut. Jamie stopped, spotting his mom and he turned and said something to Morgan, who nodded, and the pair of them trudged towards her. As Jamie reached his mother he gently slid his arm round her waist, and she turned towards him, dropping a kiss to his head, her arm draping over his shoulder. She then smiled at Morgan, her other arm looping round her niece and the three of them stood still for a moment, Katie’s cheek leaning on the top of Jamie’s head.

Steve gave a little smile, once more the pride and love welling in his chest at how damned thoughtful and willing to look after Katie his son was. As a cold wind whipped against his cheeks he took a deep breath and let it out softly, where it fogged in the air in front of him.

“Merry Christmas Tony.” He said gently before, satisfied Katie wasn’t alone, he turned round and headed back inside.

****

They stayed at Pepper’s until just early evening, when Katie suggested they head home as they still had a few things to do before they got the kids settled and tucked up for the evening. Rori opted to ride home with Emmy and Pete, much to Jamie’s delight, and at just gone five they headed back where the usual Christmas Eve chaos began. In true Rogers-Stark tradition, everyone had a new pair of Christmas Pyjamas to wear, as purchased by Katie, and once showers and baths had been had they all dressed in them and met in the den, Emmy and Peter roaring with laughter at Steve’s which bore the slogan ‘you Jingle my bells’. Rori’s were sparkly and pink, with a unicorn wearing a Santa Hat, Jamie’s were a replica of an Elf Uniform, Harry’s had a huge Christmas pudding on the front, Flossie’s little romper made her look like a reindeer and Katie had gotten Emmy and Pete matching Santa and Mrs Clause ones.

Once the tradition of singing a few carols around the piano was done, Rori insisting Katie played ‘Santa Baby’ three times, they moved into the living room, the adults with a glass of wine or beer, kids with a hot chocolate and then began the usual discussion about which film they were going to watch.

“Do we have to?” Jamie groaned, as Rori demanded The Muppet Christmas Carol.

“I thought you liked this one?” Katie looked at him as she stood in front of the DVD rack.

“Yeah but we’ve seen it like a thousand times already this year.” He sighed. “Can I go watch It’s a Wonderful Life in the other room?”

“Erm…” Katie took a deep breath and Steve could tell she was trying to keep her face from falling at the fact Jamie didn’t want to sit and watch with them, which would break their tradition for the first time, and he gave a little cough and leaned towards Jamie who was sat on the chair next to the couch.

“Let’s watch The Muppets, and when they’ve all gone to bed you can stay up with and we’ll watch your choice.”

“Really?” Jamie looked at him.

Steve nodded “You keep telling me you’re older now so, well, you can stay up a little later. Just don’t mention it, okay?”

“Sure.” Jamie grinned, before he cleared his throat. “It’s okay mom, I changed my mind.”

Once the film was on, Katie settled down on the sofa, tucked under Steve’s arm as he pressed a kiss to her head, her hands lightly trailing shapes over his arm which was crossed over her chest, holding her close to him.

They laughed and sang their way through the movie, the only movement being Pete and Steve taking it in turns to keep the adult’s alcohol supply topped up and once it was done Rori jumped up, grinning and exclaiming loudly that it was time to leave the treats out for Santa.

Katie and Steve both headed into the kitchen where Katie handed Rori the large plate that Steve had painted years ago, which identified spaces for each separate item, and now sported Flossie’s name alongside the other four and with a loud instruction for Rori and Harry to calm down, Steve handed, Harry a carrot before he grabbed a mince pie and a bottle of beer for Santa- well, he can’t have milk in every house, that just gets boring- and he made his way into the living room where Rori placed the plate down in the middle of the coffee table and they set about arranging the treats.

But Rori wasn’t happy.

"Daddy it's wrong!" "What’s wrong?" Steve looked at Rori and she pointed to the plate.

"There's only one carrot."

"Yeah, for Rudolph."

"But what about Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen?" Steve blinked as she dropped her hands to her hips, giving him a look so reminiscent of the one Katie shot him when she thought he was being a dumbass. "It isn't all about Rudolph, Daddy" "Well, we haven’t got any more carrots, Princess." He pondered "You think the reindeers would like broccoli?" "Don't be ridiculous." Rori shot back but at that point Peter interjected "They do, Titch. I left it one year. They ate the lot" Steve didn't miss the way Emmy looked at Peter as he nodded seriously to Rori, his eldest daughter’s eyes wide with pride and love and he bit back the smile threatening to spread across his face. "It’s true Rori." Jamie added, playing along. "They like most veg." "Ooh, okay! I’ll go ask momma for a selection." She exclaimed, running out of the room. Steve turned to Pete, clapping him between the shoulders "Nice one Queens." He then shook his head "Why the hell is leaving just one suddenly a problem this year?" "Yeah that might be our fault." Emmy grimaced a little "We watched the Christmas Chronicles earlier at Auntie Pep's" "Figures." Steve sniffed. "I suppose I should be thankful she's being so kind. She does love animals." Jamie snorted "Yeah go tell that to Mom now little miss Diva is in there demanding half the veg prepped for dinner tomorrow." Steve groaned "Ahh shit, Honey!" He quickly exited the lounge and headed to the kitchen in time to see Katie stood, frowning as Rori hastily explained the issue. "So I need some broccoli, and cauliflower and...erm...what else is there?" "Potatoes, cabbage, green beans and sprouts." "Yeah. Sprouts!" Katie looked up at Steve, mouthing what the fuck is going on and he snorted as she shook her head and moved to the pans on the stove. She pulled a few pieces of each veg out, placed them in a bowl and handed it to Rori. "Thanks Momma!" She grinned, carefully carrying her precious reindeer food from the room. "Nine reindeer huh?" She looked at Steve as he laughed and crossed to room to give her a kiss. "Reckon you just saved Christmas Eve, Mrs Rogers." "Hmmm." She grinned, her arms sliding round Steve's neck. "How fast do you think you can get them into bed?" Steve arched an eyebrow as his hands landed on her hips. "Why? You got plans?" "Yes." She deadpanned, causing him to chuckle. "We got another film to watch with Jamie first." Steve's fingers flexed against Katie's hips and she gave a sigh. "I forgot about that. God, why does he have to keep growing up?" she grumbled, and Steve laughed as she pressed her face into his chest."I wish I'd known last year it was gonna be the final time he believed in Santa." "Well, I'm kinda pleased that the fat, sack carrying bastard doesn't get the credit for all our hard work with at least two of them." He shrugged causing Katie to snort. "The amount of effort we go to only for him to take the plaudits takes the piss." "Steven Grinch Rogers." Katie looked at him as she pulled away. "You sound like Tony."

"Well, he didn't always talk crap." Steve smiled and Katie grinned as he gave her another soft kiss. Together they left the kitchen and headed back to the lounge where the kids were now dotted about. Harry was sat on Emmy's knee looking at a book, whilst Rori was busy prodding at her tablet showing something to Peter. Jamie was snuggled with Stark and Erica on the chair and Katie had to smile, the kitten had taken a liking to her rescuer, much to Rori's irritation. "Okay kids." Katie clapped her hands. "It’s getting kinda late and I'd hate for Santa to arrive and not be able to come in so..." "Bed time!" Harry grinned, jumping up and off Emmy's lap, the young woman scoffing indignantly. "If only you were this enthusiastic about going to sleep all the time." Steve mused, swinging Harry up into the air, smoothing his hair back, planting a kiss to his cheek. "But we don't get presents all the other times when we wake up." Rori shrugged. And Steve couldn't really argue against her logic.

***** Jamie fell asleep halfway through It’s A Wonderful Life, and when the film finished Steve gently woke him up where he stretched and let out a yawn before he rubbed his eyes, coming to. He stood up and bid them all a good night, and by the time Katie went upstairs to tuck him in, he was once again crashed out.

Steve, Katie, Emmy and Pete then all settled in the kitchen as it was the furthest part of the house from the bedrooms. Katie pulled a charcutteri board from the fridge as Steve cracked open the Asgardian Bourbon for him and Pete, Katie and Emmy remaining on the champagne. With Christmas songs playing in the background they played a few games of Go Fish, which grew louder and more competitive the more drink they consumed. Eventually, when Pete claimed the last game, Steve tossed his cards down with a disgusted grimace.

“Outrageous.” He shook his head, laughing as Emmy nudged him hard in the ribs.

“You’re such a sore loser, dad!” she scoffed and he looked at her, arching his eyebrow.

“Carry on and Santa won’t be leaving you anything tonight.”

“He isn’t anyway.” Pete grinned, “She’s firmly on the naughty list.”

There was a pause as Steve turned his head slowly to look at him and Pete flushed furiously, recoiling in his seat as he realised what he’d just said as Katie tipped her head back, letting out a huge laugh.

“Aaaaand that’s our cue to leave.” Emmy stood up. “Come on Pete, you fucking moron.”

“Language!” Steve shot out, pointing at her and she replied by flipping him off.

“See you in the morning.” She smiled, giving both her parents a hug and a kiss before she headed out of the door, Pete simply smiling sheepishly as she tugged him behind her and across the garden to the cabin.

And then it was time to set out the presents.

Katie began to clear the table as Steve headed out to the garage to retrieve the gifts from their hiding place, setting them out in the lounge into separate piles before Katie came in with the smaller items she’d hidden in the under-stairs storage for the stockings which were hung over the hearth. Half an hour or so later they stood back to admire their handy-work, new bikes for Jamie, Rori and Harry taking centre stage on their piles, whilst Emmy and Pete’s gift was a little smaller, as keys to an apartment in London didn’t really take up much room when all was said and done.

“I can’t believe it’s Christmas already.” Katie sighed, looking around. “I mean this time last year we were getting ready to have Floss, and when I think back about everything that’s happened since then…”

“It’s been a heavy year.” Steve nodded, his arms wrapping around her as he hugged her from behind. “But we made it. You’re amazing, you know that.”

“Team effort.” Katie leaned back into him, “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

Steve gently moved one hand and reached up to sweep her hair away from her neck. His fingers softly brushed her skin and she gave a little shudder as he dropped his head, his lips kissing softly beneath her ear.

“Gram mo Chroi…” he whispered and she let out a soft sigh, his lips kissing up to her jaw line before she turned and ran her hands up his chest, bringing them to rest on his shoulders.

“Still?” her eyes were bright a she peered up at him and Steve smiled, nodding, knowing full well she was referring to the first time he’d said those words to her on Christmas Eve some seventeen years ago.

“Til the end of the line, pretty girl.” he dropped his head to give her a kiss, one hand on her hip, the other cradling the back of her head as he held her to him, his mouth locked on hers. Soon she felt both of his hands on her back, then they slowly slid down her body, cupping her ass.

“So, about those plans you had…” he muttered against her lips and she smirked, pulling back a little.

“Thought you might fancy unwrapping one of your gifts early.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah…” she grinned. “I mean I’ve been a very good girl, Santa.”

“That’s debatable.” Steve’s smirk grew even wider. Although the sooner I can get out of these hideous pyjamas the better!”

“You know they’re gonna have to go back on after, right?” she laughed as she reluctantly untangled herself from him so she could turn off the lights on the tree and the garland over the hearth. “None of that lot are knocking tomorrow morning before they come in to wake us up.”

“Remind me again why we have no lock for the door.” Steve asked as he took her hand and they walked up the stairs before they took a quick peek in on their kids. All four were sleeping soundly, Stark curled round Jamie’s feet, Erica round Rori’s head on her pillow. As Katie gently pulled the door to Rori’s room shut, she turned to Steve who pulled her back towards him, his hands sliding down and grabbing the top of her thighs, hauling her off her feet, causing her to giggle.

“Now, where were we Mrs Rogers?”

“Debating whether or not I’m on the naughty list.” She grinned, her legs locking around his waist.

“I think that’s a given, Doll.” Steve smirked, kissing her as he carried her into their room. “When it comes to being naughty, you’re very good at it.”

Katie let out a chuckle as he dropped her onto the bed, wasting no time as he stripped her bare, before he dispensed of his own pyjamas, falling over her, his hands running through her hair as he looked at her.

“You’re beautiful.” his lips ghosted hers, noses bumping and she smiled against his mouth.

“You’re not so bad yourself.” She whispered before he kissed her again, deeply and slowly, the desire and love flowing between the pair of them was evident as Katie let out a soft whimper, her back arching a little into the kiss which broke a moment later as Steve trailed hot, open mouthed pecks across her jaw line to that spot below her ear. He watched carefully, Katie’s facial expression forming into the one he knew so well as she sighed, his mouth dropping down her neck to her collar bone, his teeth gently grazing over the skin.

His hand trailed down her side, tracing the curve of her hip, the pads of his fingers barely touching her but it was enough. She started to clench her legs together as she bucked her pelvis up and his other hand gently reached up, curling around her jaw as he turned her head back to look at him.

“Patience.” He instructed, his voice a deep, quiet chuckle. Her eyes widened and she swallowed, a whimper escaping her mouth as he kissed her again, his tongue sliding over her lips before it tangled with her own, grazing the roof of her mouth. He broke the kiss again, but this time their mouths stayed pressed together, each breathing the other’s air as his hand moved down over her stomach and gently parted her folds. Katie moaned as he softly ran his fingertips up and down across her slick, his touches soft, teasing nowhere near enough to satisfy her at all and he knew that. He kept his strokes feather-light, just enough to keep exciting her, coaxing more and more wetness from her as his mouth moved down her neck, sucking at the hollow before he moved then to her breasts. His tongue lapped at her nipples in turn, teasing them to hard peaks slowly, as his fingers were working her and she trembled underneath him, the subtle touches not nearly enough.

“Steve…” she let out a choked whisper of his name that was almost a sob. “Please.”

At that he pushed one finger inside of her, curling against her spot, his thumb gently stroking over her clit. Katie’s back arched violently off the bed and he moved again, his mouth back on hers. She responded by kissing him back, and as the kiss grew in intensity so did the pace of Steve’s fingers.

This was torturous pleasure for Katie, Steve just toying with her as he wished. The fire was burning in the pit of her belly, but it was like the low, dull burn of an ember which was waiting to burst into flames. And it was driving her wild. But, as always, he knew just how and what to do and sensing that she was reaching her limit he picked up the pace a little, inserting another finger insider her as he continued tracing circles on her clit. Her back arched off the bed again, and her core tightened before she gave a strangled, low groan which died in her throat as a wave of pleasure washed over her, her legs growing stiff a little before she stilled, her breathing deep, breasts heaving in the dim light of the lamp.

Steve didn’t give her a second’s reprieve. His mouth was back on hers, both large hands cupping her face with a strong grip as he rather unceremoniously nudged her legs apart with his knee. As Katie bent her legs to accommodate him he shuffled forwards, and she reached down with one hand, grabbing at his solid cock, guiding it to where she needed him most.

He slid into her easily, his hands gripping into her hair as he rest on his elbows which were planted either side of her shoulders. His thrusts were deep, slow, controlled, each roll of his hip forward brushing against that spot inside of her. It felt so fucking good that Steve was in no rush for any of this to end, enjoying the fact he was loving his wife in a way only he could. Their bodies were moulded together in the most intimate of dances, Katie’s moving slightly with Steve’s as his hips drove into her, lips pressed together in a barely there kiss, mouths open, as he pressed his forehead to hers.

“So good,” He whispered. “Always so good for me, sweetheart.”

Katie sighed back, it was all she could do as Steve gave a small whimper, his head pressing further to hers as her hands slid up his back, tangling in his hair. As her nails dug lightly into his scalp, Steve tipped his head back a little bit and gave a harsher thrust into her making her cry out a little, her hands tightening around his blonde locks.

He repeated his action, barely pulling back an inch, rolling into her as opposed to thrusting and she felt the familiar, tingle brewing in her belly and upper thighs before with a final silent cry she bucked underneath him, her walls clamping down on his dick as she came, her entire body going rigid before she sagged back underneath him, utterly boneless.

Steve picked up the pace a little, chasing his own release, his mouth back on hers, his groans gathering volume as his hips increased their momentum. With a dirty grunt, which he stifled into the crook of her neck, he came hard, and the world felt like it was completely tipping on its axis as his hips slowed to a stop and he dropped down, pressing his weight onto his wife.

Neither of them moved for a while. The room was silent bar the deep, ragged breathing from the both as they lay still. Katie could feel Steve pulsing inside her as the final throes of his orgasm subsided before he lifted himself a little, his mouth seeking out hers as her fingers danced down his neck.

The kiss was soft, his hands once more cupping her face, thumbs softly stroking over her cheekbones as he pressed his forehead to hers, his nose gently sliding against hers as he pulled away ever so slightly to look at her.

“I love you,” his hands brushing her hair off her face as he kissed her again, enjoying the feeling as her lips curled into a smile against his, “from your head to your mistletoes”

At that she burst out laughing, her head falling back further against her pillow as she looked at him, her eyes shining as she shook her head slightly.

“Your dad joke game is strong, old man.” She snorted before she moved her hands from where they had been stroking the nape of his neck and cupped his face in the pads of her fingers. “I love you too, jingle balls included.”

At that Steve gave a bellow of laugher which she hastily stifled beneath her hand so as not to wake their children. As his chuckles subsided, he gently wrapped his fingers around her wrist and kissed her palm.

“Merry Christmas, Sweetheart.” He smiled, letting go her arm as he dropped his head.

“Merry Christmas, Soldier.” She whispered, before his lips captured hers once more.

#stark spangled forever #steve rogers #katie stark #steve rogers fanfiction #steve rogers x ofc #steve rogers x original female character

93 notes · View notes

gr8k877 · 2 months

Text

Since (a) my primary care provider quit and (b) I've quit my job, the main source of my anxiety, I've decided to taper off my SSRI. This is a trip, yo. Weird daytime energy. EPIC dreams and nightmares. Tingly feet.

#ssri withdrawal #ssri #midlife crisis #katie quits her job #katie's midlife crisis

2 notes · View notes

jerseydeanne · 3 years

Text

Katie Couric rips into former TODAY Show colleagues, admits she froze out female rivals to 'protect her turf,' says her toyboy ex was a 'midlife crisis' and takes potshots at Prince Harry who stank of alcohol in her new memoir

#katie couric #memoir #prince harry #Ashleigh Banfield #Deborah Norville #martha stewart #jeffrey epstein #chelsea handler #celebrities

10 notes · View notes

hawtnip · 3 years

Text

‘author’ self-interview

i was tagged by @districtunrest thank you, Gabbie!!

name: Elena. goes by Ellenka on fic sites (not my tumblr handle, which has led to some confusion in the past)

fandoms: THG

where do you post: Fanfiction.net (old base of operations, contains fics that haven’t been updated for a decade) and Archive of Our Own (finished stuff in more polished versions, plus that one story that might qualify as ‘ongoing’)

most popular multi-chapter fic: Silent Lips. also it’s the only actual multi-chapter i’ve ever finished, others could have well been one-shots, i was just craving that dopamine rush. it’s also my first fic ever and has a special place in my heart, however embarrassing it might be. the old ffn version is a decade old, the linked ao3 version is a bit more polished.

favorite story you’ve written so far: uhh in a way... the sky was blond like her - Gale centric fic in The Book Thief narration style - despite being canon-complicit and terribly horribly sad, it’s probably my best (attempt at) writing to date

fic you were nervous to post: any and every. esp. the more messed up ones i guess

how do you choose your titles: they choose me

do you outline: in daydreams

complete: everything on AO3 except the one in progress (as in, finally updated after 6 years)

do you accept prompts: nah. disappointing myself is enough lmao

upcoming story you’re most excited to write: there is one old story on ffn i would still like to finish but let’s not drag that out to daylight now. also i might still finish two one shots that have been in secret progress for years, so far titled Midlife Crisis Fic in Angst Major and Midlife Crisis fic in Angst Minor

story/stories you’re most excited to read: good ol’ everthorne. still.

tagging: @caandle-katy & @ladynephthyss & @bookishbrigitta ( only if you want to, ofc!! )

#ok y'all know i hardly ever do these #but since i'm having a bit of an active fandom relapse #i guess i was craving self promotion lmao #so thank you for the opportunity

6 notes · View notes

thebrotherssalvatore321 · 3 years

Text

Keeping Secrets Ch. 32

Keeping Secrets Masterlist

Pairing: Previously- DamonxOc. Currently: ElijahxOc. Warning: None.

The next morning Elijah found her sleeping in her bed, wearing his blue dress shirt. The sleeves covered her hands that were tucked close to her face. He sat down on the bed causing the mattress to dip. The movement made her stir, bringing her shirt covered hands closer to her nose. When he laid his hand on her shoulder and rubbed, her eyes fluttered open and a sleepy smile spread over her lips when she saw his face. “Good morning.” Her voice was a little gravely with sleep.

“Good morning.” He greeted.

“How did it go last night?” she asked as she sat up and scooted back to lean on the headboard.

“Bonnie and her mother opened the coffin.” He informed her.

“What was inside?” she asked, wondering what kind of Klaus killing weapon would be in a coffin.

“My mother.” He answered causing her jaw to drop. “She’s alive and has forgiven Niklaus. She wants us to be a family again.” Katie blinked at him in shock. “She wants to meet you.”

“Your mother wants to meet me?” she asked, feeling overwhelmed and intimidated. He smiled at how freaked she was.

“Tonight at the ball.” He told her as picked up a dress box off the floor, took an envelope off the top of it and handed it to her.

Her name was written on the front of the envelope in pretty cursive and the envelope was stamped closed with an M in red wax. She broke the seal and took out the invitation. “Please join the Mikaelson family this evening at seven o’clock for dancing, cocktails and celebration.” She read aloud then looked down at the box that sat between them.

“Open it.” he told her.

She took the lid off the box revealing sparkling rose gold lace over champagne silk. “Wow.” She sighed then whooshed off the bed and pulled it from the box to see that it had elegant off the shoulder short sleeves and was floor length. Under the dress laid a pair of rose gold satin gloves and matching closed toes heels.

“I know I’m spoiling you, but-” she laid the dress on the bed and stepped in front of him where he still sat on her bed and cut him off with a quick kiss.

“I don’t consider a dress for a last minute ball spoiling me.” She told him then looked down at the dress on the bed while his hands found her hips. “I love it and I can’t wait to wear it.”

“Would you like to get ready here or with my family and me?” he asked looking up at her.

“Where would you like me to get ready?” she asked as she rested her hands on his shoulders.

“With my family.” He told her with a small smile. When it faded Katie could tell there was something on his mind.

“What is it?” she asked.

“Something has been bothering me since last night’s dinner.” He told her and she sat down next to him and pulled her leg up on the bed facing him. “When Niklaus brought up Tatia you tensed before I even got a word out.”

“I…asked Rebekah about your past relationships. You told me about your mother using Tatia’s blood in the ritual that turned you into vampires. You didn’t tell me you were romantically involved with her.”

“I didn’t believe it mattered.” He told her with narrowed eyes, trying to figure out why his involvement with Tatia seemed to hurt her when it happened long before he and Hannah ever met.

“Yeah, well, it does.” She answered not looking at him.

He cupped her face in his hands and she finally looked at him. “Explain.” His voice was soft as his eyes searched hers.

She brought her hands up in front of her face and gently brushed his hands off of her. “I never told him or anyone really, but the whole time Damon and I were together I had this…fear, in the back of my mind that because he loved Katherine first he would somehow find his way back to her or end up falling for the new and improved version.” She explained and dropped her eyes to her hands. “And I was right.” She shrugged. “I can’t compete with the doppelganger allure that you seem to have a thing for considering you have been romantic with two doppelgangers one of which is still alive.”

“You think I would leave you for Katherine or Elena?” he asked with a frown.

She bit her bottom lip and shrugged. “It’s just…It feels like no matter what I do Elena ends up with what I want most.”

“Look at me, My Love.” Katie lifted her eyes to meet his. “I promise you. I will never hurt you. I love you.”

“I love you too.” She whispered as a tear slipped down her cheek and he wiped it away with his thumb as he placed his hand on the side of her neck and pulled her into him for a kiss that both of them poured their every feeling into before their small make out session slowed and he pulled back to give her a smile.

“I was also wondering…” he stood up and held his hand out to her and she took it and stood up, “What were you and Damon fighting about?” he asked as he drank in the sight of her in nothing but his dress shirt and a pair of white panties, making him fall deeper in love with her.

“He keeps acting like he still gives a crap about me when I know it’s not true.” She answered with a shrug then went to her closet and grabbed a ¾ sleeved plain black shirt and a pair of light wash jeans then set them on her bed.

As he watched her start unbuttoning the shirt she was wearing he decided to change the subject. “What do you say to lunch at the grill then I properly introduce you to my siblings?”

“Sounds like nerve wrecking fun.” She told him with a smile as she shrugged off his shirt and tossed it onto the bed. “But, only if you promise to give me another shirt, that one is starting to smell more like me and less like you.”

“I thought it looked like you smelled it in your sleep.” He told her with a smile.

“Your scent makes me feel safe.” she told him with a shy shrug.

“How about you stay the night with me and you won’t need a shirt.” He asked with a sparkle in his dark eyes.

“You’re staying with your family at Klaus’ house?” she asked as she grabbed a zebra print bra out of her dresser. “Where all of your siblings and their vampire hearing are also staying as well as your very old, possibly old school, mother?” she asked.

“Are you suggesting-?” he asked, a little amused by her and she interrupted him.

“That your mother probably won’t like me especially if I’m openly sleeping with her son?” Katie asked with raised brows as she pulled her shirt over her head. “Yes.”

“I assure you fornication is not high on my mothers list of sins she would prefer her children abstain from.” He told her with a small laugh.

“I will think about it.” she told him with a smile. “So who all is going to be at the ball tonight?”

“All of the founders and their dates along with whoever my siblings decide to bring.” He answered.

“So practically the whole town.” Katie summed up as she pulled on her jeans then grabbed her old ratty converse off of her shoe rack.

“My mother also invited Elena.” He told her.

“Well, her blood is a very powerful spell ingredient. It makes sense that your mother would want to meet her.” Katie walked over to the stool at the end of her bed and sat down to put on her shoes.

“How long have you had those?” he asked with a look at the black and white, well worn converse that she slipped on her feet.

“So long I don’t remember.” She answered with a smile. “Why?”

“They are literally two steps from falling apart.” He told her and she started laughing.

“I like these shoes.” She argued.

“They smell.” He argued back with a bit of a smirk.

She grabbed her foot, brought it to her nose and gave it a sniff. The sour scent of sweat and dirt invaded her nose. “Holy-.” She dropped her foot and kicked the shoes off sending them flying across the room. “How have I not noticed that before and why didn’t anyone tell me?”

Elijah started laughing. “You may think you have changed, but you are still the woman I fell in love with.”

She smiled up at him remembering the house slippers she’d had in Ireland that she wore until Elijah bargained a new pair out of Fiona and convinced her to throw the old ones away. They too, had developed a smell that she had been nose blind too. He walked over to her closet and grabbed a new pair of black and white checkered slip on Vans and handed them to her.

TVDTVDTVD

“So why are you so convinced that my mother will not like you?” Elijah asked as the waitress set a paper bowl of cheese fries down in front of her and refilled Elijah’s glass of tea.

“Because I have a history of pissing off mothers.” Katie answered and Elijah just looked at her with narrowed eyes. “Ronan’s mother hated me. She thought he could do better. Then when he moved us away from not only my parents but his it really made her mad.”

“That is just one mother.” He pointed out.

“Carol Lockwood, found out Tyler and I were together by walking in on us sleeping together.” she pointed out, making him raise his brows.

“Okay, I think you’ve made your point.” He told her with a nod.

“Hey, you asked.” She told him with a smile. “Besides sleeping together was probably the wrong description of what she saw.”

“You do not have to go into detail.” He told her with a serious look on his face. “It’s bad enough my curiosity led me to see you with Damon.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you jealous before.” She said with a smile as she leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest. “Tyler’s a good guy and what his mother walked in on was purely innocent. He knew about the kind of man my grandfather was and that I didn’t want to go home so he gave me a place to stay.”

“That’s the second time I’ve heard you mention your grandfather, yet I have never seen him.” Elijah pointed out. “Where is he?”

Katie scratched at the back of her neck uncomfortably and looked around seeing that they weren’t too close to anyone to be overheard. “Rumor is he had a midlife crisis, bought a motorcycle, quit his job and decided to see the world.”

“And the truth?” he asked with narrowed eyes.

“He’s at the bottom of Wickery Lake where I dumped him after I killed him.” She answered reluctantly. “After I turned, obviously.”

“Did he deserve it?” he asked curiously.

“Absolutely.” Damon answered as he walked past them on his way to the bar. “The guy was an abusive, alcoholic asshole.”

“What he said.” Katie said with a point at Damon then looked at her fries that had gotten cold. “I’m done whenever you are.”

TVDTVDTVD

They swung by her house and picked up her dress and accessories then went to Klaus’. “Don’t be nervous.” Elijah told her as they got out of the car.

“Easier said than done.” She said then took a deep breath and let it out as Elijah opened the front door. They found everyone in the parlor. Rebekah was getting her nails painted while the men were getting fitted for suits.

“Rebekah, tell me how handsome I am.” Kol who was standing in front of a mirror said while looking at himself.

“Oh, Kol, you know I can’t be compelled.” Rebekah said while looking at her nails.

In the process of giving Rebekah a glare his eyes caught Katie standing beside Elijah and he walked over to her. “What about you, sweetheart, what do you think?” he asked looking her in the eyes. She would be lying if she said he wasn’t handsome, but his attitude completely ruined it.

A closed lipped smile pulled at her lips as she looked up at Elijah then back at Kol. “I’m afraid if I give you a compliment you might become so full of yourself you explode.” She replied, getting a glare from Kol as Elijah’s hand pulled her closer to his side.

“I knew there was a reason I liked you.” Rebekah said as she dropped her hand and stood up. “Go away Kol she’s not interested.” She told him as she shoved him back to the full length mirror. “I was hoping you’d be getting ready with us. I’ve hired a hairdresser and manicurist.” She said with a motion to the woman that had been painting her nails.

“I was planning on doing it myself, but that sounds much better.” Katie replied not seeing the small smile Elijah gave her and Rebekah.

He walked her around to Finn who was having his pants tailored. “Hello, Katie.” He told her and she was taken a little off guard at how deep his voice was compared to the rest of Elijah’s siblings. He grabbed her hand and kissed the back of it formally, reminding her just how long he had been daggered.

“Hi.” She replied not knowing what else to say to him. The manicurist walked over to Katie with a tray of different nail polishes in different shades of pink ranging from sheer to cream to metallic. Katie picked a metallic rose gold to match her dress and the woman motioned for her to sit on the couch so she sat down and the woman started working on her nails.

Elijah placed his hand on her shoulder to get her attention and when she looked up at him he pecked her on the lips. Right when they pulled apart Klaus stormed into the room, “You went after Elena?” he asked Rebekah who had taken a seat on the other end of the couch. “What is wrong with you?”

“Here we go.” She told him with a snippy smile knowing he was going to lay into her.

“Do you want another dagger in your heart?” he asked.

“Again with the dagger threats. Don’t you have any other tricks?” Kol asked from the other side of the room.

“Oh go back to staring at yourself.” Klaus told him then turned back to Rebekah.

“And who are you, my father?” Kol asked.

“No, Kol, but you are in my house.” Klaus told him and Katie looked across her shoulder at Elijah who had taken off his jacket and was looking at a pair of expensive dress shoes and he gave her a smirk then turned his eyes back to the shoes and she looked back at the guys.

“Then perhaps we should go outside.” Kol challenged as the two men moved to stare each other down.

Katie heard the clanking of heels on hardwood and looked in the direction it was coming from to see who she assumed was Esther walk up. “Enough.” she didn’t yell, but it felt as if she did. “Niklaus, come.” Klaus glared at Kol as he walked past him and followed their mother.

TVDTVDTVD

Katie was sitting at the antique white vanity in the now refurbished bedroom Klaus had told her was hers, doing her makeup when he walked in and sat down in the white and cream colored arm chair in the corner to her left. “Do you like your room?” he asked as he watched her apply a thin line of black liner to her eyelids.

“You do realize that I didn’t really think you would do it when I gave you the suggestion of antique white, right?” she asked as she put the cap back on the liquid eye liner and set it on the vanity.

“That doesn’t answer my question.” He pointed out with a smirk.

She turned and took in the room. A grand antique white, Victorian style canopy bed sat against the wall across from the fireplace that now matched the style of the room. A cream and gold floral comforter and matching throw pillows covered the bed while matching bedside tables sat on each side of it. A chest of drawers that matched the tables and bed sat on the wall to the right of it and the vanity that she sat at was against the wall to the left of it. A matching wardrobe sat in the corner between the chest of drawers and the bed. A cream colored plush rug sat at the foot of the bed. It looked like someone plucked the room out of a fairy tale.

A smile spread over his face when he saw her trying to hold back hers. “You like it.”

She laughed and turned back to the mirror on the vanity and grabbed a tube of mascara. “If you and Elijah don’t cut it out I’m going to be the most spoiled girl within a hundred miles of Mystic Falls.” She told him as he watched her sweep the mascara wand over her already longer than normal lashes.

“Is that a bad thing?” he asked and she cut her eyes over at him.

“So, Rebekah has asked Matt to the ball, not a bad pairing in my opinion. She’s sassy, he's sweet, it works. Plus I love the fact that it will not sit well with my ex friends.” she said to change the subject then put the mascara wand back in the tube and set it on the vanity. “Who are you bringing?”

“I’ve invited Caroline.” He told her, getting a slightly shocked look from her. “You are not the only girl in Mystic Falls that has caught my attention.”

“I didn’t assume I was. Caroline’s bossiness might just be the kick in the butt you need.” She told him as she pointed at him with a tube of liquid lipstick. He laughed at her. “I’ll just be surprised if she shows up considering being associated with you is why they kicked me out of their little group in the first place. If she does it just goes to show how hypocritical they can be.”

He watched her apply her lipstick, putting off getting dressed for the ball that he didn’t want to attend to begin with. When she was done with her makeup she walked over to the wardrobe and grabbed her dress that was hanging on the open door. She laid it on the bed then looked at Klaus. “Can I help you?” he asked playing dumb.

“Get out so I can get dressed.” She told him with a sweeping motion of her hand at the door. “Rebekah’s keeping Elijah away from me until I’m ready like it’s our freaking wedding day or something.”

“Alright if I have to.” He complained as he pushed himself up from the chair and started for the door, but when he passed her he purposely started walking really slow.

“Oh my god you’re so childish sometimes.” She complained, eager to get dressed so that she could be with Elijah. She put her hands on his back, pushing him and he leaned back into her making it even harder to push him, but she kept at it until he was out the door making him laugh. When he was fully out of the bedroom she shut the door behind him.

TVDTVDTVD

She stood looking at herself in the mirror on the inside of one of the wardrobe doors. Her hair was pinned back in a simple but elegant style that left a few wisps of her natural waves to hang around her face. Brown eye shadow with a pop of rose gold on the center of her eye lid and a line of black eyeliner and mascara made her eyes pop. Nude matt lipstick let her eyes be the focal point of her face. The off the shoulder dress pushed her ample cleavage up noticeably, but it was slightly hidden by the sheer bit of fabric that added a bit of modesty to the slightly plunging neckline.

She had turned from the mirror and was pulling on her gloves when Elijah walked in, his eyes admiring her. “You are…” he paused wrecking his brain for the right word to describe her, “an exquisite beauty.”

She blushed and smiled as she finished putting on her gloves then walked over to him, her heels tapping on the hardwood floor as she did. “You don’t look so bad yourself, handsome.” She told him as she slid her hands up his tux jacket, taking in his black bow tie before her eyes found his.

“Don’t get agitated.” He stepped back as she gave him a confused look. He pulled a long rectangle, teal blue box out of his pocket.

“You’re spoiling me again.” She said then bit her lips closed to keep back her smile.

“It’s the last time for tonight I promise.” he asked with a glint in his brown eyes.

“I’m not complaining.” She answered with a shake of her head then let her smile shine making him smile as he took the lid off the box revealing a necklace. A silver horizontal infinity sign with diamond accents and a rose gold heart in the center of it was attached to a silver chain at each end of the infinity sign. “It’s beautiful.” She told him in awe then looked up at him. “Will you?” she asked with a motion to the necklace.

“Of course.” He answered and took the necklace out of the box as she turned her back on him. He put the necklace around her neck and fastened the clasp then rested his hands on her shoulders. She placed her fingertips on the necklace as she turned toward him. “Come with me.” He told her as he held his arm out to her and she slid her gloved one through it and he walked her to a set of closed double doors. “My mother would like to speak to you alone.” She looked up at him with panic on her face. He smiled at her. “Just be yourself. She’s not as intimidating as she seems.”

“You’re her son. You would say that.” She said with an eye roll. “I feel like I’m about to jump into a shark tank with a bleeding leg.”

“You will be fine, My Love.” He told her and pecked her on the lips then knocked on the door.

Finn answered and stepped aside for them to come in. “Hello, Katie.” Esther greeted her.

“Hello, Mrs. Mikaelson.” Katie responded as respectfully as she could.

Esther looked at both her son’s. “Leave us please.” the two men gave her a silent nod and left, shutting the door behind them. “So you are the woman who linked herself to my son.” It was more of an observation than a question.

But Katie still felt the need to answer. “Yes, ma’am.”

“And you’re aware that I can easily unlink you if I see fit?” she asked with serious eyes as she walked closer to Katie who stood where Elijah had left her with her hands clasped politely in front of her.

“Fiona wasn’t the most powerful of witches. So I’m sure you can, although I’m not sure why you would want to.” Katie replied curiously.

“Because I fear you are using my son for his immortality.” She answered without a beat.

“That's not why I asked Fiona to link me to him.” Katie argued with a frown.

“Isn’t it though? You were human yet you wished to live forever.” She challenged, and it was pissing Katie off.

She took a deep breath and held it for a second and let it out through her nose. “I wanted to live with him forever.” She countered.

“Yet when he found you, you stayed with Damon.” Esther pointed out.

“Okay.” Katie unclasped her hands and started talking with them. “Since you seem to somehow know everything, I’m sure you know that there have been a lot of bumps in the road since Elijah and I found each other again. But I am with him now and no one, not even you will tear me from his side. So if you see fit to remove the link, go for it. It won’t change anything. I will still love Elijah with every cell in my body.” She finished then folded her hands back in front of her mentally preparing for whatever backlash her rant would get from Esther.

Instead a lashing out at her she simply walked over to the double doors and opened them then motioned for her to leave the room. “Enjoy the rest of your night.” She gave Katie a polite smile that somehow made her even more scared than if she would have lashed out at her.

“You too…I guess.” Katie replied mentally face palming as she walked out of the room and Esther closed the doors behind her.

She was on her way back to her room when Elijah met up with her in the hallway. “How did it go?”

Katie sighed and shrugged. “I told you I suck with parents.”

“What happened?” he asked as he rubbed her shoulder comfortingly.

“Metaphorically speaking, she poked at me with a sharp stick and I bit back.” she replied feeling like she let him down.

“I will speak to her.” he told her and made a move to walk past, but she touched his shoulder stopping him.

“I don’t want her thinking I complained to you about her.” She said and he smirked. “I’m no whiny baby.”

“Then I will not talk to her about your meeting.” he told her with amusement in his eyes. “I will meet you downstairs.” He pecked her on the lips then headed to the room his mother was in.

As she walked down one side of the stairs that led down to the entryway, her gloved hand sliding over the wooden handrail, her eyes quickly found Damon and Carol Lockwood talking down below. Carol’s eyes landed on Katie and she asked Damon, “Is that Katie Finnegan?”

Damon turned and looked at her, his eyes glazing over a bit like they always had when he saw her all dolled up. “Uh huh.”

When she got to the bottom of the stairs she walked over to them. “Careful Damon, you’ll catch flies with your mouth hanging open like that.” She told him then turned to Carol with a smile.

“Katie, I didn’t see you come in.” Carol observed curiously.

“I’ve been here for a few hours.” She told them with a point upstairs.

“I didn’t realize you were close to the Mikaelson’s.” Carol told her and Katie cut her eyes over at Damon.

“Rebekah and Katie became friends pretty fast.” Damon answered for her.

Katie noticed Carol look at the stairs and followed her gaze to Elijah who smiled down at Katie. Carol smiled and waved at him. “He is very handsome.”

Katie noticed Damon look back and forth between the two women. “Yes…he…is.” Katie replied sounding as if she should be fanning herself as she watched Elijah walk over to them.

“Good evening, Mayor Lockwood.” Elijah held his hand out to Carol who took it and he kissed the back of it.

“Hello, Elijah.” Carol replied with a flirty smile. Elijah let go of her hand and she placed it back on the champagne glass in her other hand. “Save me a dance later?”

Elijah looked down at Katie with a fond smile as he slid his arm around her waist and she smiled up at him lovingly then looked back at Carol. “I do not know if my date would be comfortable with that.”

Katie didn't miss the shocked look on Carol’s face that faded into disappointment before she regained her composure. “So the two of you are…?” Carol left the question open ended.

“Together.” Elijah finished.

Carol’s eyes turned cold as she looked at Katie. “My son…Damon now Elijah.” While her voice was pleasant her demeanor was anything but. “No matter how many high status circles you weasel your way into,” she walked over to stand shoulder to shoulder with her as she looked at Katie with demeaning eyes, “you will never be anything more than the trash you spawned from.”

She watched Carol walk away with a smug smile making Katie’s gloved hands ball into fists and the veins under her eyes to pop to the surface. Damon made an uh-oh face and excused himself leaving Elijah to calm Katie before someone saw her slightly vamped out face. “Calm yourself.” Elijah told her quietly. “She is not worth causing a scene.”

Katie took a deep breath and pushed back the urge to kill Carol. “I hate this town.”

Elijah snagged two glasses of champagne off of a tray as a server walked by and handed one to her. “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” He quoted as she took it from him and she gave him a small smile. “Who said it?”

“Eleanor Roosevelt.” She answered and placed her gloved hand on his cheek. “Thank you.”

“You are very welcome.” He told her as he took a drink of his champagne then motioned to the stairs with it. “Excuse me for a moment. I have to give the welcoming address.” He joined his family, including his mother that had gathered on the stairs. “If everyone could gather, please.” Elijah spoke to the guests. “Welcome. Thank you for joining us. You know, wherever our mother brings our family together like this, it’s tradition for us to commence the evening with a dance. Tonight’s pick is a centuries-old waltz. So if all of you could find yourselves a partner, please join us in the ballroom.”

Elijah walked down the stairs and held his arm out to Katie and she looped her arm through it. After everyone who had a partner was ready they joined hands in an awkward manner and started dancing to Ed Sheeran’s Give Me Love. “Your dancing has improved.”

“I’ve had a little Miss Mystic training.” Katie replied. “Along with what I remember you teaching me.” She answered.

“Did you win?” Elijah asked curiously.

“Nope, that honor went to Caroline along with the scholarship which was the only reason I ran.” She replied. "Can you believe there was a time when I didn't own a single dress and the thought of wearing heels made me cringe?"

"Judging by those awful shoes you attempted to wear today, yes." He told her with a smile that let her know he was picking with her before they did a twirl and switched partners. Katie ended up with Klaus.

He placed his hand on her side and grabbed her hand in his as she placed her left hand on his shoulder. "So I see Caroline decided to come. How’s that going?" Katie asked.

"She's playing hard to get." He answered. "But I'd rather talk about the fact that you ran for miss Mystic Falls."

"And I lost." She said bitterly as they danced.

"Perhaps you can run again this year." He suggested.

"And lose to an underclassman? No thanks." She replied. "I have a question though.” She told him possibly setting herself up for a let down but it was Klaus so she didn't really care if his answer was what she hoped. “If you were the one and only judge and Caroline and I were running for the crown tonight. Who would you choose?"

“You want me to choose between the two of you?” he asked with a surprised look.

“Maybe you should ask Elijah this question.” He told her and her eyes fell.

“Elijah’s bias. I want the truth from someone I know fancies both of us.” she told him then looked up at him as she adjusted her hand on his shoulder.

“So you are acknowledging the face that I fancy you.” he told her with a smirk.

“I am fully aware that you fancy me. You made me a very expensive, very beautiful room in your house and while I may have my oblivious moments I’d have to be blind to not see that you have a thing for me just like you have a thing for Caroline. Choose.” She told him.

He smirked at her, “We’re out of time, Love.”

He gave her a spin and she ended up with Elijah again. "We meet again." She told him with a smile.

"Yes, we have got to stop bumping into each other like this." He told her with a playful look in his eyes. “My mother has asked to speak to Elena alone.” He told her, making her tilt her head curiously.

“She’s the doppelganger with magical blood and your mother’s a witch. I would think that her wanting to talk to Elena wouldn’t be out of the ordinary.” Katie replied as they danced.

“It’s not, but what I do find strange to say the least is her ability to forgive Niklaus.” He explained.

“You think she’s just pretending to forgive him?” she asked curiously.

“It has me asking questions I never thought I’d ask.” He confirmed with a nod. “Do you think I can depend on her to tell me the truth about what my mother says?”

“No.” Katie answered without missing a beat. “But she’s a bad liar. So it would be useful to ask her to tell you what your mother says before she talks to her then give her a sneaky little lie detector test when they’re done.” Elijah smiled at her and rubbed her side then dipped her as the song ended.

TVDTVDTVD

“Hey.” Caroline walked up next to Katie where she stood at the dessert table looking for something that wasn’t super sweet.

“Hey.” Katie answered back as she grabbed a piece of plain cheesecake and a fork.

“I guess I know now why you looked so happy yesterday morning.” Caroline told her and Katie looked up at her from her cheesecake with a small smile. “You’re practically glowing.”

“So you’re here with Klaus?” Katie asked, changing the subject.

“He invited me, I came to make sure Rebekah doesn’t hurt Matt.” Caroline told her with a look at Rebekah and Matt.

“So your attendance tonight has nothing to do with the fact that Klaus is extremely charming when he wants to be?” Katie asked with a smile as she took a bite of cheesecake.

“That… is beside the point.” Caroline told her as Klaus caught her eye from across the room and gave her a smile. “I need some fresh air.”

Katie smiled when her eyes found Elijah headed her way. “How did it go with Elena?” She asked as he noticed her eating cheesecake.

“We shall see.” He answered. “Rebekah said you didn’t much care for sweets.”

“I usually don’t. However,” she paused to take the last bite of cheesecake and a waiter held his hand out for the empty plate so she gave it to him, “I can never resist a good cheesecake.”

Elijah held his arm out to her. She took it and let him walk her to the ball room where people were dancing to another slow song. “What is your favorite dish?” he asked as they started dancing.

“Anything Italian as long as it doesn’t have eggplant in it.” she answered with a smile. “What about you?”

“Hmm” he hummed and narrowed his eyes in thought. “Your burned biscuits.”

“Really?” she laughed with raised brows.

“No, not really.” He answered with a laugh of his own. “I like Japanese curry.” He gave her a serious answer.

“You know what else I like?” she asked as she slipped her hand on his shoulder up to his neck and he gave her a look that told her to answer. “You.”

He usually wasn’t one for public displays of affection, but he couldn’t help pressing his lips to hers in a chaste kiss.

TVDTVDTVD

Katie and Elijah were standing in the entryway while everyone gathered when Elijah spotted Elena. “Excuse me for a moment?” He asked and Katie gave him a nod so he walked over to stand next to Elena with his back to Katie. “So how was my mother?”

“Intense.” Elena replied.

“And for what reason did she need to speak with you in private?” Elijah asked as he grabbed two glasses of champagne off a tray that was offered to them.

A server walked by with a tray and offered Katie a fresh glass so she switched her warm glass for a new one of bubbly light red champagne then trained her ears back on Elena and Elijah while keeping her eyes diverted.

“Elena, should I be concerned about my mother’s intentions?” Elijah pressed.

Elena paused then answered. “She just wanted to apologize for trying to have me killed.”

“So it’s true, then? She’s forgiven Klaus?” Elijah asked and Katie heard Elena’s heart beat quicken.

“It’s true.” Elena lied.

Katie’s attention was drawn up to the stairs when Esther tapped her glass getting everyone’s attention. “Good evening everyone.” Esther addressed everyone while Katie walked over to Elijah’s side and he placed his hand on her lower back. “Waiters are coming around with champagne. I invite you all to join me in raising a glass.” People started switching out their glasses for the red champagne. “It provides me with no greater joy than to see my family back together as one. I’d like to thank you all for being part of this spectacular evening. Cheers.” She raised her glass and everyone else followed suit and echoed the word back.

Elijah turned to Katie and looked lovingly in her eyes, “Cheers.” He held his glass out to her and they tapped them together then both took a drink.

The two of them were about to go dance again when they heard a scuffle going on outside. They along with Finn, Rebekah, Klaus and Stefan followed the sound to find Damon crouching over Kol’s still body. “Are you crazy?” Stefan asked him.

Elena was the last to make it out and see the spectacle. “Maybe a little.” Damon answered then looked at Elena. “Far be it from me to cause a problem.” Damon walked away leaving Kol lying on the concrete unconscious from a broken neck.

Thanks to that the party came to a quick end and within thirty minutes everyone was gone. “Should I head home?” Katie asked Elijah.

“You do not want to stay?” he asked.

“I want to, but your mother looks ticked. I didn’t know if it would be better for me to get out of dodge. Especially considering I’m sure she doesn’t like me.” Katie explained quietly.

“You are still more than welcome to stay regardless of what my mother thinks of you.” he told her.

“Then I’ll stay.” she told him then headed upstairs to her room.

TVDTVDTVD

After talking to Esther, Elijah found Katie in her room. “Klaus usually does a better job of decorating a house seamlessly.” He said as he walked in and looked around. “This room sticks out like a sore thumb.”

“Because he decorated it to my tastes.” she answered from where she was sitting in the arm chair in the corner. “When he asked me to live with all of you he asked if I had any requests for my, slash our, room.” she motioned around them with the cell phone in her hand.

“This is what you told him?” he asked with raised brows.

“Well, I said antique white, canopy bed and plush rug. I didn’t expect him to actually do it, much less take the idea and run with it.” she said as she put her cell phone away and stood up. “If you don’t like it we can stay in your room.”

“Do you like it?” he asked as he closed the space between them and placed his hands on her dress covered sides.

“I do.” She answered with an ashamed face. “But I feel bad for liking it because Klaus is the one that did all this for me.”

“You do not have to feel bad.” He told her as he placed his hand on her cheek.

“But I do.” She took his hand off her cheek and held it in hers. “I feel like he’s trying to compete with you or something and I shouldn’t accept all of this, but at the same time I couldn’t make myself be rude and not accept it from him. I’m sure even if I did try it wouldn’t have done any good because he’s…him. I just don’t want,” Elijah placed a hand on the back of her neck and looped his other arm around her waist as she kept talking, “you to feel like he-” he kissed her mainly to shut her up, but it quickly became more and she quietly sighed into it.

When the kiss slowed and they pulled apart she bit her lips closed as she opened her eyes and looked into his. “If it were a competition would he have any chance of winning?” he asked, his hand resting on the side of her neck.

“None.” She answered without missing a beat. “You already hold my heart.”

“Then stop worrying.” He told her. “We will make this our room.”

“I’m eager to get out of this dress, but I have a request first.” She told him as she walked over to the vanity and picked up her cell phone. “Think you can get someone to take a picture of us?”

“I think I can make that happen.” He told her and she followed him out of the room and down to the parlor where he found Klaus lounging on the couch with a sketchpad and pencil in his hand. “Niklaus.” Elijah said getting his attention. “Take a picture of us?”

Klaus stood up and took Katie’s unlocked phone from her. “Should I show him the trash folder?” he asked, making her glare at him. “Or do you not want him to know what a naughty girl you’ve been?”

“Is there something I should know?” Elijah asked with a narrow eyed look between the two of them.

“Yeah, your brother’s nosey.” Katie answered then looked at Elijah. “He commandeered my phone and went through the trash bin that I forgot to empty after Damon and I broke up.”

“You missed one, love.” Klaus told her then turned the phone around for Elijah to see a selfie of her lying on Damon’s bed wearing only a hot pink and black bra and matching cheeky panties.

“I’m going to murder you!” Katie took her phone from him and punched him in the shoulder as hard as she could.

“You can try.” Klaus told her with a laugh.

Katie looked up at Elijah apologetically then back down at her phone as she closed out the trash bin and pulled up the camera. “Will you just…behave for two seconds and take the picture please?”

“Yes, I promise I’ll stop snooping.” He told her as he forced his smile back and held his hand out for the phone. As he held it up to snap the picture Elijah wrapped his arm around her waist, she placed her hand on his tux covered chest and they both smiled. After they heard the shutter sound Katie stepped away from Elijah and took the phone from Klaus. Satisfied with the picture that Klaus had taken she locked the phone.

“Thank you.” she told him with a tone that said she didn’t mean it then turned and headed back up to their room. “I’m sorry about that.” She told Elijah as they walked into the room and shut the door behind them.

“What are you sorry for?” He asked as he loosened his bow tie then took off his tux jacket.

“I should have remembered to permanently delete those pictures.” She pointed out as she sat down on the bed and kicked off her heels.

“Do not worry about it.” he told her as he walked over to her and held out his hand.

She placed hers in it and stood up. “Are you sure?” she asked as she felt him start unlacing the ribbons of the corseted dress.

“Positive.” He answered as she felt the dress loosen and she grabbed the front of it to keep it from falling to the floor. “What’s your password?” he wrapped his arms around her with her phone in his hand.

She let him watch her type in her four digit pass code. While he sat down in the arm chair and messed around with her phone she stepped out of the dress and hung it back on the hanger. When she heard his text tone chime she turned from the wardrobe where she was hanging the dress up to see that he had put down her phone and had his in his hand. “Did you just…”

“Send that picture to my phone and delete it from yours?” he asked her with a smirk as she walked over to him in just her light pink lace strapless bra and matching cheeky panties. “Yes.”

She straddled his lap and started unbuttoning his white shirt. “Are you sure your siblings won't listen in on us?” she asked as she finished the last button of his shirt then slid her fingers down his toned, but not too toned torso.

He narrowed his eyes for a second in thought as he slid his hands down her sides to rest on her hips. “No, but if they do that’s their own fault.”

She leaned forward and started kissing his neck pulling a sigh from him. As she kissed his soft skin her hands worked on his belt buckle. When it was unfastened along with his button and zipper he whooshed them over to stand next to the bed losing his pants in the process. She pushed him onto the bed with her hand on his stomach as she got on the bed and straddled him. He whooshed them around so he was on top but she quickly rolled them back over, grabbed his hands and pinned them down beside his head as she sank down on him. The playfulness in her eyes made him roll over only for her to giggle and try to fight him to be on top again, but he was stronger and therefore won the fight.

She was kissing his neck again as he rocked into her when he sighed, “Bite me.”

She pulled back and looked into his eyes. “What?” he smiled and gave her a nod making her remember that he wanted to blood share with her.

He watched the veins under her eyes show themselves and the whites of her eyes turn red. So he sat them up and tilted his head to the side. A hissing growl left her lips as she sank her teeth into his neck and started drinking from him. Everything in her relaxed and a moan left her lips. The feeling only intensified when he grabbed her wrist and bit it. When he used his free hand to rock her hips against his, their senses went into overload and she was pretty sure she saw technicolor fireworks explode behind her closed eyes.

TVDTVDTVD

“Is blood sharing always like that?” Katie asked not basking in the after feeling this time. “I mean, I know you said it was intensely intimate but…wow.” She turned onto her side and propped her head up with her elbow and hand.

“I believe our link might’ve had enhanced it somehow.” he answered as he grabbed her hand from his chest and kissed her palm then placed her hand on his neck. She laid her head on his shoulder and he started playing with her hair that was now free of bobby pins and hung around her shoulders.

The mention of their link made her think about Esther threatening to sever it and she frowned. “You know I will always love you…right?”

“Of course.” He answered looking down at her to see her frown.

“Even if your mother undoes the spell linking us?” she asked and he gave her a questioning look. “Today…she accused me of using you for your immortality and said that she could easily undo the spell linking us.”

“I will always love you and I know without a doubt that you will always love me. Spell or no spell.” He kissed her only solidifying his words with the passion of his kiss before he pulled away and picked up his watch off of the bedside table to see that it was two in the morning.

“I swear I could easily trade sleep for you.” she laughed as she snuggled into his side and wrapped her arm around his stomach.

He slid his free arm over hers. “Yes, but unfortunately we still need sleep to function properly.”

Katie sighed dramatically, “If we must.”

He chuckled at her. “Goodnight, My Love.”

“Goodnight, Handsome.” She whispered two seconds before her eyelids slipped shut.

14 notes · View notes