Why is nobody talking about what's happening with the met police right now. Chris Kaba, an unarmed Black man, was murdered by an armed officer last year. He was spotted in a car that had connections to a firearms incident, and was shot through the windshield after police had followed him, without ever activating lights or sirens. Kaba was not a suspect in the case, and no firearms were found inside the car. There is no evidence he gave the officer any reason to fire in self defense.

The unnamed officer who shot him is now facing murder charges. 10% of firearms police are now refusing to carry guns in protest- not because they want to prevent future deaths, but because they are afraid of being arrested for 'doing their job'. They are protesting their "rights" to murder without consequence.

The met police are a racist organisation.

Black Londoners, and all Black British people, I wish you and your families safety.

May Chris Kaba rest in peace.

pairing: timeskip!kenma x fem!reader

synopsis: You come home late from your cousin’s funeral, and though Kenma didn’t expect much from you but perhaps a few leftovers you’ve managed to steal away from the dinner, he finds you with a surprise: a sleeping child cradled around your neck and a teenage boy hovering behind you.

Your poor boyfriend wondering what in the hell it is you’re plotting…

tags: angst and fluff, time skip!, slight spoilers if you squint

warnings: mentions of death, mentions of depression, cursing

w/c: 2.2k

tagging list: @angrylittleriri​ @chims-kookies​ @gooseyhouse​

a/n: hello! welcome to the second chapter of the series! i’m posting this a little later than expected because wifi is really trying to cock block me from posting :’) i honestly wasn’t expecting people to like or interacting with this fic, so my heart is super warm right now :>  

anyway, I hope you enjoy!

happy almost new year! see you all next week!

master list

<< life as we know it | life as he’s known it >>

You wonder what the younger version of you would think if you went back in time and told her she'd be eating at a dining table filled with food that wasn't microwavable, and the air wouldn't be filled by the sound of metal clanging and scraping against each other, but instead be filled by the lilting giggles of a little boy; his older brother pressing him to keep it down; and Kenma's casual yet awkward attempt to relate to the two.

She would probably cry.

Your parents' work piled up to the late hours of the evening and spilled into the morning, leaving you in a constant state of dejection. The house would be barren, nothing but the faint ticking of the old grandfather clock to keep you company. But even if your parents were home, it would still be the same; the air cold and unmoving.

Your parents were not warm nor were they emotional, and maybe that's what drew you to Kenma; he was quiet, rarely affectionate, and gave you more than enough room to breathe. Sure, there were the occasional forehead kisses, the head pats, the 'how are you doing' texts, and sometimes if he was brave enough, he’d interlock pinkies with you in public.

But you grew selfish, finding yourself wanting a little more each time you saw him, and you weren't sure if it was okay.

Was it okay to yearn for things? 

Was it okay to ask for more?

But Kenma saw through your facade of accepting things as they are and right into your neediness. He was willing to give as long as you asked or even when you were too shy to do so. He even gave you his whole life without sparing a second thought even if the realization that he had done so came much later.

"Here, let me." Kenma slips his hands over yours, taking the plate from within your grasp to wash it in your place. He bumps his hips against yours, causing you to stumble away from the sink.

You mumble a thank you before resorting to wiping down the dishes and setting them on the rack.

You delight in his banter. He asks you about your day, stealing glances between you and the stack of dishes before him while you give him the run down. He listens to you intently, gaze wandering a little longer when he hears an exasperated sigh escape your lips, but you let him know you're just fine.

"What about you?" You ask, tilting your head and playfully moving it in front of Kenma's face, blocking him from the plate he needs to scrub. "How was your day?"

He hums, tiptoeing over you to finish the chore like the diligent little worker he is. "It was another day," You frown at him and his lack of effort to push further. He rolls his eyes, chuckling at your pouty face. "I played another trial game with Eiji—"

"And how'd that go?"

"Oh, he's absolute shit—ow!" Your slap against his arm resounds throughout the apartment, causing Yuki and Eiji's to jerk their attention towards you both. You mold your face into a look of ease, sparing them a warm smile, telling them you saw a fly.

"The hell?! I wasn't finished!" The pudding head seethes. "Sure he was shit, but he was still better than you."

The cocky grin slipping across his lips matching with his lidded eyes has you throwing your hands, erupting a series of ow's. "You're such an ass, you know that?"

"Yeah, the ass you chose." He sneers, handing you the last plate to dry.

He rubs his arm in an attempt to soothe the stinging, glaring at you begrudgingly. It takes you a while to ease back into his trust, but you do, and he picks up where he leaves off as if he wasn't in any pain  to begin with.

He tells you about his little trip to the convenience store with Yuki for his strawberry milk, and the foreign, constricting feeling that wouldn't leave his chest until they came back home. How he couldn't let go of Yuki's hand when they were in the store, and if he did, it would send him in a state of sheer panic.

"Must be your mommy instincts kicking in," You joke, and he only rolls his eyes.

He also admits inadvertently turning all your favorite whites into various shades of pinks and blues. As someone as analytical as Kenma, he was challenged by the task of separating the lights from the darks. 

You snort, earning a scowl from your boyfriend and a string of explanations to defend his case. But it isn't the mistake that makes you laugh, but rather how far you've come after a month of adjustments and an unfortunate series of events.

The first two weeks were exceptionally trying. No one spoke a word and everyone walked on eggshells. Eiji was still too shy to look at you, his responses down to a bare minimum and quieter than a whisper; Yuki cried almost all the time over every little thing, and the vein in Kenma's neck was threatening to pop every time he did.

It didn't help when you and Kenma would end your nights at each other's throats, bickering till you fell asleep. And when morning came, you'd be greeted by the emptiness from his side of the bed.

And it helped no one when the two of you would avoid each other, never crossing paths or breathing a word the moment you came home until it was too painfully awkward to continue.

Two and half hours charged with petty arguments, things of the past, and all the little things that came in between only to have finally arrived at one conclusion: You weren't parents and you weren't Akihiro-san. You were your own people and it was okay to do things differently.

Even if different meant that Kenma might call the kids by the wrong name or forget the fact he's living with someone else other than you. Even if different meant that you'll be absent-mindedly teaching Yuki a few curses to add to his vocabulary or forgetting to enroll them in school.

The truth is no one from the family was going to return your calls, and you were probably going to spend the rest of your twenties making up bedtime stories and giving pretty bad advice to someone just a few years younger than you.

Which brings you here, wearing your bathing suit as you share your bubble bath with Yuki because he wanted to play with the rubber duckies he whined and moaned at Kenma to buy for him at the store.

Lathering his hair with shampoo, Yuki's head leans against your chest, eyes gleaming beneath the bathroom lights. He beams at you, giggling at the ticklish feeling as you massage his head. He brings attention back to his ducks, making crashing sounds as he splashes them into the water.

"Is that how ducks swim?" You ask, washing away the soap from his hair. "Don't they just kinda...float around?"

He shakes his head before twisting his body to face you. He's got a tough expression plastered on; brows furrowed, his jaw clenched, eyes unwavering.

A very serious boy.

"These are special ducks," He explains, raising one to your face."These are battleship ducks."

Your lips fall to an 'o', still not picking up what he's putting down but you pretend you do.

Is this what kids are into these days?

Yuki goes on to tell you about his special ducks; something about lasers in their eyes, super special flying skills, and...echo location? You ask him if he's sure—if you heard him right, but he's as firm with his stance as he is with the death grip he has on his rubber duckies.

You drain the tub before rinsing yourselves beneath the warm water of the shower. Yuki flips his hair around, air drying himself as he steps out of the tub. You tell him to brush his teeth while he waits for you to finish rinsing.

"Hey, Oba-san," Yuki's call is muffled by the foam of the toothpaste still in his mouth. "Are you and Kenma-san married?"

You nearly fall when you slip off of your bathing suit and into your pajamas.  "Ah, no, Yuki. We're not."

"But aren't you in love?" He asks, oblivious to the sudden shift in the atmosphere, spitting into the sink and washing his mouth.

Your eye twitches and you swallow the lump in your throat before it goes big enough for you to choke and die. "Uhh, people don't always have to marry right away just because they're in love..."

"But Kenma-san said he's been in love with you for four years."

"I—Yeah, well—"

"That's sounds like a really long time, Oba-san." You can't tell if he means to sound condescending. You can't tell if your mom has awakened from the grave and possessed the young boy because she woke up thinking she had a few more things she'd like to pester you with.

"Well, Yuki," You gather the little patience you have left, taking a deep breath as you step out of the tub. The bathroom tile is cold against the soles of your feet, sending a shiver down your spine. Enough to keep you sober for trivial conversation with a six year old boy. "Love—Love kinda looks different for everyone, Yuki."

You choose your words carefully, not wanting to say anything that might confuse him.

You help him into his clothes, his hair leaving wet patches onto his his dinosaur pajamas. He listens to you intently, looking right into your eyes. "There are people marry the moment they meet—or at least after a short while—because they can't help but feel sure?” 

And you can’t help but feel flustered at your own explanation, not too sure with your words, “...and other people don't do that. Some relationships move at a faster pace and other's move a bit slower; and Kenma-san and I...we're happy with how things are right now."

He hums, nodding his head as if he understands. "Even though Eiji-san and I are here?"

"Yes, little love." You assure him with the new nickname, booping his nose. "Even though you're both here."

You grab his towel and dry his hair. You pat down the tiny puddles of water on his face and neck, noting to wipe behind his ears.

"But," Yuki mumbles through the material of the towel, swatting your hand away to to catch his breath, "sometimes people don't like different..." Yuki pushes the towel to this side, his glossy eyes meeting yours and your heart cracks. "They didn't like my dad 'cause he was different."

"H-He didn't love someone th-that looked like y-you..." Yuki bites down on his bottom lip, keeping it from quivering and fixating his eyes onto the tiles of the floor to prevent himself from choking on his words. "H-He...He loved someone that look like Kenma-san."

You understand what he means. You know full well. Their father was gay and because of that, your family ostracized him without wasting another breath. As if it was easy as blinking.

You knew what their father had been going through, you had enough time to help, yet you stood idle, doing nothing but add to his loneliness.

You kept all the sunshine Akihiro-san shared with you during your bluest days, even when it had been so obvious he needed it more than you.

But not once did you ever think about returning a sliver of it. And you wonder maybe if you hadn't been so selfish and naive, a silver lining would've been enough to avoid something as painful as this.

Instinctively, you pull him close to you, threading your fingers through his still damp hair. You shush him and press kiss on the crown of his head as his petite figure trembles in your arms. You let him sob into your shirt, his fingers twisting the material in anguish.

And it breaks your heart that a little human like him would not only know the meaning of anguish, but how it feels to have it tear through his heart.

It takes a few moments for Yuki to catch his breath and for you to ease him. He slumps onto you as he regains his strength. You tell him you're sorry because you are and because you don't know what else to say.

You try to use his strawberry milk and his brother as an incentive to keep him from crying again. And after a few minutes it works.

You trail closely behind him when he walks out of the bathroom. He begins to run when he gets closer to Eiji, the  pitter patter of his wee little feet carrying in the apartment.

You watch as Yuki thrusts himself forward into the arms of his brother, and Eiji doesn't fail to catch him. The sight before you leaves you gawking in silence, watching Eiji unravel into his big brother form as  he lifts Yuki to the ceiling, playfully sniffing his under arms, the crook of his neck, and even his little bum before complimenting him, "Good job, you smell just like flowers."

His giggles float in the air, swarming around the apartment as if he hadn't been crying just a few minutes ago.

And as you watch the scene unfold do you  decide to step out of the sidelines, using this warm moment shared between the boys as your driving force to keep the last of your cousin's light safe. 

Cold Comfort

Pairing: Tony Stark x Platonic!Reader

Summary: Tony confides in you about attacking Bucky in Siberia. You have power over the electromagnetic spectrum, after being experimented on by Hydra for having overdeveloped empathy, and you are currently on house arrest in the Tower after the events of Civil War.

Word Count: 1258

A/N: This is kind of a non canon scene from a fic I’m in the process of writing. I just needed some comfort Tony lol.

“I lost it. If Steve hadn’t stopped me… “ he shook his head. “God help me, I would’ve killed him.”

The two of you stood at the wide expanse of windows looking out over the city, the same windows that Loki had thrown Tony through as easily as a kid with an errant baseball just a few years earlier.

He’d poured a scotch for you and himself, and though Tony usually took his neat, he’d plopped a couple of ice cubes into both of your glasses this time around. The summer heat had been brutal that day.

“You’re glad that Steve stopped you?” You asked softly. Tony didn’t meet your eyes, but stared out the window, taking a long pull of his drink. Ice clinking against the sides of his tumbler was the only sound cutting through the quiet.

“I definitely wasn’t at the time. Then, it was a betrayal. All I could see was red,” he swallowed hard, and you saw a vulnerability in Tony that you’d never witnessed in the man before. “All I could see was the monster who killed my mom.”

And the Tony you knew slipped away for a moment, his expression stormy. A mix of guilt and anger and utter sadness engulfed the planes of his face, and you laid a hand gently on his shoulder. He didn’t respond, but didn’t pull away either.

“It wasn’t his fault. I know that now. If Steve hadn’t stopped me… I would’ve killed an innocent man.”

“You would’ve stopped,” you said, pulling your hand back to yourself and sounding more sure than you felt.

He smiled without mirth, a bitterness to it. “No. No, I wouldn’t have.”

“Bucky is being treated, according to Steve,” you said, hoping the change in subject wouldn’t be too jarring. That this news might soothe Tony in the slightest.

Steve hadn’t shared the details with you— Just that King T’Challa had offered him the facilities of Wakanda to help his long-time best friend recover from years of mind control. You were skeptical at first, given that the same man had so recently been bent on killing Bucky to avenge his father’s death, but Steve assured you that when the new king had learned the truth of the attack on the UN, he’d quickly proceeded to offer this kindness to them.

You wished all world leaders had such a head on their shoulders.

“He said he remembered all of them.” Tony murmured, before draining his glass and turning to look at you.

“He does.”

Your short interactions with the former Winter Soldier all painted a picture of a man haunted by the horrible things his hands had done without permission of the person they belonged to. You shuddered to think that this had almost been your fate as well— if you hadn’t escaped that facility when you did, you would have simply been another mindless tool at Hydra’s disposal.

Tony nodded and studied his empty tumbler, swirling it as if there were still liquid inside. “I never meant for any of you to end up in that floating prison.”

“I know.”

“Did they do anything to you?” He asked abruptly. His tone was deceptively light, though an edge lurked underneath, revealing a note of anger and regret.

Tony was hardly one to openly show remorse. He usually bottled those kinds of emotions— something about his need to uphold the careless, playboy exterior. To be right, always. But at this moment, he looked anything but carefree. Right now, his shoulders hunched as if bracing for an impact, and he couldn’t quite meet your eyes.

“Besides the collar and straight jacket?” You said, catching a flicker of something in his expression. “No.”

He slumped as if in relief, though retained a line of tension through his back and brow line.

“I’m sorry, kid,” and he genuinely looked it.

“I know, Tony.” You stepped closer to him, but kept your gaze out the window, watching as streaks of sunset began to peak over the skyline of New York. “Believe me, I wanted to be angry at the time. But you were just trying to keep the band together. Nothing about it was easy for anyone.”

Sparing a glance at him, Tony seemed to relax the slightest bit. You continued, “I can’t blame Cap, either.”

He scoffed softly, more tired than angry. “Stubborn son of a bitch.”

You smiled. “He’s not the only one.”

Tony hummed in agreement.

“Do you think they’ll ever get a pardon?” This was something that kept you up at night. Your friends fending for themselves, on the run in some other country, while you kept a cushy life in house arrest at the Tower.

“I’m sure as soon as the world needs help battling Godzilla or Megatron or Space Asshole the Third, they’ll miraculously find room in their hearts to grant as many pardons as needed.” The bitterness in his voice was palpable.

You and Tony stood there, and you knew that both of you were thinking about the same things… How complicated it had all become, how you missed your friends, wondering how you all had ever allowed it to get to this point.

And it didn’t help that Pepper and Tony were still on rocky terms. She was usually there to keep him grounded, in more ways than one— helping him from floating into the sky and from sinking to rock bottom. Without her around, he seemed… lost. Sometimes he disappeared into his shop for days, drowning himself in his builds so that he didn’t have to confront the feelings and problems that waited for him outside.

When this happened, you wouldn’t try to pull him out of the shop, as that was an exercise in futility. Instead, you opted to keep him company for a few hours, reading quietly, watching shows or YouTube videos, or just watching him work.

You would bring him a dish from whatever restaurant you ordered delivery from, or a portion of dinner you’d cooked, and either eat quietly or banter about frivolous things. Occasionally, he would explain what he was working on, or wax poetic about ACDC, but usually he just played music.

Sometimes, Tony would dance to the music, or ‘groove’ as he called it, causing you to grin and roll your eyes at him. But every so often, he would make you get up and learn some of what he called his “signature” moves. This usually left you both laughing and momentarily forgetting about everything that caused your collective melancholies.

And sometimes he would randomly say, “What’s the sitch’, Sparks?” (His nickname for you ever since you’d met and he’d observed your powers) and you would just go on about whatever book you were reading, or TV show you were binging on that given day. He would nod or ask a question or make a joke, so you knew he was paying attention, but it didn’t really matter to you either way. It was nice just to talk.

You cherished those moments that made you feel less alone in your ick. Your boring sort of depression.

There was so much to worry about, so many stressors or threats— be they existential or very real— and all of those weights sat heavily on you both. Even now, you could feel his despondency when you tuned into his energy field with your ability

Then Tony broke the heavy atmosphere with a clap on your shoulder.

“Come on, Sparks,” he took both your empty glasses over to the bar, placing them into a tray to be washed. “We can mope some more over dinner.”

What I Thought About "Eda's Requiem" from The Owl House

Salutations, random people on the internet who certainly won’t read this! I am an Ordinary Schmuck. I write stories and reviews and draw comics and cartoons.

...

...

...HOW IS SEASON TWO SO GOOD?! WE'VE HAD SEVEN EPISODES SO FAR, AND EACH ONE OF THEM WAS A HIT!

Take "Eda's Requiem," for example. It's yet another episode where I have NOTHING bad to say about it! That's two weeks in a row where that happened! HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?!

HOW!

HOW!

...But anyways, "Eda's Requiem." It's another fantastic episode, and I'm about to dive into explaining how and why. Just keep in mind, it's gonna require spoilers to do so, so be wary of that as you keep reading.

Now, let's review, shall we?

WHAT I LIKED

Eda’s Checklist and Grom Photo: Within the first second, "Eda's Requiem" perfectly sets up Eda's central conflict in the episode. Despite spending years being on her own and looking after herself, she now has two kids that she's constantly caring over. Eda can try all she wants to say that she doesn't care, and I bet she has in the past. But given the hard work she's putting into getting King and Luz what they need and having a grom photo of the three of them together pinned in her mirror, it's pretty clear that those two knuckleheads wormed their way into her heart and are never getting out.

Eda’s Worried About King and Luz Leaving: And thus, that's precisely why something like this bothers her so much. Eda inadvertently adopted two rambunctious rapscallions (Yeah, I know. I'll get to it), so the idea of them not being around her anymore is going to be terrifying. That is a situation most parents, especially mothers, can identify with. It’s called empty nest syndrome and it proves just how much Eda loves Luz and King that she can't stand the thought of her babies leaving the nest. It's yet another well-made, wholesome, found-family moment that this series continues to excel at each week, making me extra excited for more like it to come...while also readying myself for heartbreak when one of them eventually does leave Eda.

Eda and Raine’s Music: Ok, I don't know the exact instruments that were played during this episode, but I also don't care because it was all (for lack of a better term) music to my ears. Every time Eda and Raine played resulted in melodies that are so beautiful and filled with so much emotion and feeling that I'm honestly tempted to listen to them again, multiple times, on repeat. Shows rarely do that for me, as background music doesn't always draw me in as much as lyrical songs do. Usually, it takes something so extraordinarily composed to give me the desire to listen again, and that's the case here. So huge congrats to Brad Breek for doing so. Seriously, the man's been killing it this season.

Eda’s Bard Magic Causing Things to Turn to Ash: This was assuredly a surprise side-effect of the curse. The fact that Eda can sort of do magic at all was its own shock. To then reveal that a specific type can do dangerous things to people and environments is...Well, it definitely brings up its own fair share of questions. Like, how can she do this? Will she do it again, one day? And are there other types of spells that can be negatively affected by Eda's curse? We don't get answers for any of these questions, and odds are, we never will. But that's alright with me. Because if a show makes me consider these many possibilities after a brief amount of time, it is a show that has to be doing something right. Even if I don't get the answers I want, the fact that it caused such a reaction makes me less willing to care.

Raine Whispers: Hey, would you look at that. Another fun, interesting, and compelling character added to the list of this shows' other fun, interesting, and compelling characters...how is this series so good at this!?

Joking aside, Raine's pretty good. I like Raine. They could have been this super serious leader who lost all their fun after years apart from Eda, but I'm glad that they're not. There are moments when Raine takes their job as leader of the BATs seriously, as one would, but I still prefer the fact that they kept a jovial nature despite how grim their situation is. It's an admirable trait to have, and it avoids the trope of making leader characters boring just because they're the ones who have to take things seriously.

Oh, and also, Raine's Disney's first non-binary character who has a stake in the plot. This is a tremendous deal, as you don't usually see that many non-binary characters in children's animation, let alone ones that hold importance to the story. So it's pretty cool for the writers to feature Raine, as it helps several kids feel as though they're finally seen and respected. And the fact that Disney of all companies gave the thumbs up is even more impressive. I hear people say that Dana Terrace should have pitched The Owl House to more progressive networks to avoid pushback, and while I absolutely see your point, I'll have to respectfully disagree. Disney is the largest entertainment industry of all time, so if you want to make LGBTQA+ representation normalized, you gotta stop making splashes and start making waves. Because if the same company that made three racist cats in the span of a few years manages to say that being gay is a-ok, then you know there's something wrong with you. Yes, Disney ended up screwing over the show anyway. But for that one moment, when kids felt pride after seeing a character like Raine, then, in the end, it's kind of worth it.

Also, if you're still having issues with more representation like this popping up in kids' shows, then allow me to redirect you to the complaint department.

...I made that post earlier today for this bit. YOU HAVE BETTER APPRECIATED IT!

Day of Unity is meant to be a Secret: At least, that's what I got when Raine stumbled over their own words. So if it's true, then I wonder why? Why does Belos want to keep the most critical change in the Boiling Isles a secret? Does he want to make it a surprise for his grateful subjects, or does he not want to spread worry and fear amongst the wild witches? It has to be something big if he doesn't want his followers to even say the words "Day of Unity." Whatever reason he has, we most likely won't know until the future. A future that I grow more and more afraid of each week.

Hooty Eating Echo Mouse: My heart sank in that brief moment when I thought that Hooty intensely screwed Luz over in getting back home. But looking back...it is pretty funny.

Just the suddenness of Hooty eating the poor creature that Luz desperately tried to earn its trust is priceless in how shocking it was. And also, Luz's expression.

That was the look of a young girl who immediately shoved her hand down an owl demon's throat the second the scene cut away. The Owl House may not always be a hit in the comedy department, but scenes like this prove that when it's funny, it is hilarious.

Luz and King Entering the Grand Prix: Not much to discuss here. It's just a cute subplot that adds frivolity to the intensity of what's going on through Eda and Raine's story. But I will say that I love how both stories occasionally interconnect with each other through the many moments of Eda being worried about King wanting to leave to find his father and avoiding any conversation about it. It helps both plotlines feel like they belong together, without being something like "Through the Looking Glass Ruins," whereas both stories could have been in their own episode. Which is neat.

How Bard Magic Works: I really love how this season is diving into how the other magic types work. More specifically, the ones that seem a little vague. I mean, stuff like healing, potions, and plants are easy to figure out, but what does it mean when a witch's talents are construction, beast keeping, and bard magic? We've been getting a lot of clearing up lately, with bard magic looking like a witch can control their environments and enemies through the power of music. Which is fair. Music is pretty powerful in the metaphorical sense, and I actually love that it's powerful in the literal sense when in the Boiling Isles.

The BATs: Not much to comment on these three either. The BATs have the potential to have an entertaining dynamic, but they do very little in this episode that I can't say much other than I hope they make a return in the future. But I will make this claim: Amber is my favorite. I'm sorry, but her screaming "You're not our mom!" to then go, "Bye, mommy Eda" is just too precious for me not to love.

I'm a simple man who falls for cute s**t. Leave me alone.

Raeda (RainexEda): Well, EdaxCamila, you were a fun crack ship while it lasted, but I'm afraid that this is now goodbye. The current canon has provided an incredibly adorable and believable relationship that I would be a monster not to support with my whole bi-heart. It's been real.

Ok, back in serious mode: I love these two together. Eda and Raine are grown-ups, and they still act all flustered near each other as if they were still Luz and Amity's age. It's definitive proof that you're never too old to get flustered near a crush, and seeing them interact adds a sense of wholesomeness when seeing them together as well as heartbreak when they're forced apart. Plus, we get confirmation that Eda's LGBTQA+! Whether she's bi, pan, or whatever, now that we know Eda can catch feelings for someone like Raine, it's yet another case that The Owl House is the most important series to the community. Because having the main character be queer is fantastic in its own right. But having the same apply to the motherly mentor figure? That's is an extra bit of normalization that anybody would be willing to appreciate.

Unique Guard Designs: Not many fans are going to appreciate this, primarily compared to everything else this episode does perfectly. For me, I actually like that you see a few Coven Guards looking differently from the others, as it helps make them less like clones and makes it seem like anybody of any body type could be a part of the coven.

Gus Looking Uninterested when Presenting Grand Prix with his Dad: I am positive that you didn't notice this (I didn't even notice it until someone else pointed it out), but there's something to dissect here. It hints that perhaps Gus isn't as interested in his father's field of work as one might think. If he did, he would look a lot less bored and much more excited to be helping Perry Porter present the race. It could just be the race itself, but judging from Gus' expression, it really seems like the kid would prefer to be anywhere but there. And why would he have that reaction to a race that his best friend is competing in? To me, this seems like an inkling of what Gus' relationship with Perry could be, which may not actually get time to shine, what with how little wiggle room the series has now (Thanks Disney). Regardless, it is interesting to notice, and it will certainly have fans thinking for a while.

Bump Being Smug of Luz Being in the Lead: That's it. Principal Bump looking smug as his human student is beating the students of his rivals is yet another moment that proves why Bump is easily the best cartoon principal.

Darius: First of all, this guy is f**king fabulous, and I love him. *Snaps*

Second, he is definitive proof that you do NOT want to f**k around with Coven Leaders. Lilith may have had her intimidating moments, but none of them compare to the guy who can turn himself into an abomination monster where only magic that hasn't existed before can take him down. It's genuinely scary to see Darius lose control, and I fear for the day when Luz inevitably ends up in his crosshairs.

With that said, Darius' still a ton of fun! He may be threatening, but he's just a flamboyant guy that hates the idea of getting his outfit the tiniest bit dirty. And I love that. I love that these Coven Heads have actual personalities instead of being generically evil. I consider it preferable to make villains entertaining rather than blatantly scary as I'll remember the personalities first and the villainous acts last.

Eberwolf: But this one's my favorite. I told you: I'm a simple man who gets easily swayed by cute s**t. And Eber? I mean, just look at her:

She's just a cute widdle rascal! I just want to pinch her cheeks, give her a belly rub, and--

...Eberwolf is not a cute widdle rascal. She is a strong, independent woman, and I will respect her as such from this moment forward...lest I feel her wrath.

That is all. Let's move on.

Eda and Raine Attempting a Final Performance: This was the best scene of the episode. It looked gorgeous, it shows the dedication Eda and Raine have for stopping Belos, and it says so much through so little. Go back and look at how Eda and Raine regard one another when performing Eda's requiem. Through their expressions and a few short words, you know they understand that if they complete the song/spell, they probably won't make it in the end. And yet, they don't care. They both know bad stuff will happen if Belos wins, so Eda and Raine put everything to the side, both their feelings for one another and the people they leave behind if it means putting an end to a tyrant. That level of dedication...Words can't fully describe how powerful that is.

Raine Sacrificing Themselves Instead: But in the end, Raine can't do it. Not when they know the life that Eda has and the people she'll be leaving behind. It's an extra bit of nobleness to the character seeing that Raine refuses to take away a woman from two kids who need her the most. A tad bit selfish, sure, knowing what Belos has planned. But when it comes to love, the romantic, familial, or platonic, the best decisions aren't always the logical ones.

Eda Crying: Luz crying tears me up, but seeing Eda cry is a whole different level of heartbreak. Like Lilith, Eda has her emotions locked up tight, with the closest she came to weeping were those two tears in "Young Blood, Old Souls." In "Eda's Requiem," she cries but almost quickly stops herself. As if she knows that doing so isn't going to save Raine. That is...even worse than seeing Luz break down after losing Eda. The fact that Eda refuses to give herself time to mourn losing someone she loved is tragic because crying is the most natural way of showing grief. Turning that off isn't healthy, and seeing her do it with little resistance is sad to me. It's sad to see a character I love can easily shut off all emotions despite how badly she may want to embrace them. It's one of those moments that, again, by doing so little, it shows so much.

“No one watches Crystal Balls anymore. It’s all about streaming.”: Oof. Even I felt that burn towards cable.

King’s Message: King's message was the pick-me-up I needed after the heart-wrenching sadness this episode put me through a few minutes ago. Seeing King say who he is and listing all the things he loves is nothing short of adorable. On top of that, I adore that Eda willingly recorded the whole thing. She may not want King to leave, but that doesn't mean she'll sabotage the one thing he wants. Especially not after Raine gave up everything so Eda could be with her kids. The opening scene may prove how much Eda cares about a rascal like King, but this heartwarmingly sweet moment reveals just how far she'll go to make him happy.

King’s Dad Reveal: ...ok, I'll be honest, I did not think we'd get that reveal this soon. Dumb of me to say, considering the number of times I've said that these writers don't waste time getting to the s**t, I know. But still, it's pretty cool knowing that King's dad is alive and well, added with the fact that we've got a fair idea of what he looks like. At this point, it's only a matter of time before we see him figure out where the Clawthorne residence is and witness the tear-jerking moments that will follow.

King Changing his Name to King Clawthorne: Not the official adoption I was expecting Eda to make...but DANG IT, is it still diabetes-inducing levels of sweetness!

Personally, I feel like the main reason why Eda breaks down this time is not only because she shouldn't be worried about King leaving her life, but also because Raine's sacrifice wasn't in vain. Her kids really do need Eda because no matter how far apart they'll be, she will always be a part of their life...dang it, I'm going to cry too!

What those Coven patches really do: Well...that was horrifying to see.

...Writers, if you kill off the best non-binary character in animation (it's a short list, I know), we are going to have PROBLEMS!

IN CONCLUSION

"Eda's Requiem" is--surprise surprise--another A+. The emotions hit hard, the representation hits harder, Raine is a fantastic addition to the cast, and it was all surprisingly cute at times. Season Two is currently on a hot streak, constantly winning with every episode that's come out so far. When a bad episode does eventually show up (IT'S GONNA HAPPEN!), I'll be sure to sing my requiem then. For now, I'm just gonna enjoy the ride.

Sole Mates🦶❤️🦶 (Bakugou x Reader)

Tip Jar ☕- Not expected but always appreciated💞

This is the interactive story prompt that won by one vote!!!

I’ll try to update this as regularly as the last interactive series, but first I have to find a new poll website because I dont like OpinionStage anymore! So if you have any suggestions hit me up. 

Anyway, this chapter wont be one you can vote for, as it is just an introduction, but get ready for some tough, drama-filled decisions later on.

*Side note : ここ= “here” in Japanese (see if you get my reference lol)*

HnM 💕

Part 2

Part 1:

Hey, I dropped off Koko with my mom. You can pick her up at 6, right? I am really, really sorry, but there was something important that came up.

Your face contorted in slight disdain at the bright screen in your hands. You gave a sharp, disapproving sigh.

The clacking of your heels against the darkening city’s stained pavement worked to egg you on in your quick pace as you quickly swiped away from the text message’s notification.

The pager in your pocket continuously beeped on your side, whining for your attention as your neglectful eyes could only concentrate on your hoard of new emails in the device in your hands. The only thing that could break your concentration from your phone screen would be the occasional vibration from your other work phone.

The sounds of the city alongside these factors blended in horrifyingly well to give you the cacophony of your everyday life.

And you knew the beat of this song well. It was practically the only thing you have heard for the past six years: “7 to 5 Lady Boss with a Stressful Homelife” feat. Blistered feet, Unrealistic Deadlines, Overtime on Fridays, and Lizzo.

Even when you weren’t listening to it, it would stick to the corners of your mind and whisper to you, reminding you of it’s presence-- like you were sure to forget anytime soon.  Yeah, right.

But that’s okay-- you were on the verge of your “big break” so to speak. The company that you were working under was only a steppingstone to your success. You would soon find yourself with your own the company and metamorphosis from the Lady Boss to the Boss Boss. You would slip your grimey boss a two weeks notice and a “fuck you” to boot. You were so close.

It was an uphill battle for sure, but you had finally reached the curve at the top! You would just have to push through the next few weeks before you could finally see the horizon again.

Too bad you were about to get smacked square in the face and sent hurdling back downhill.

Literally.

A sudden explosion in front of you violently knocked into you and sent you flying off of your feet. You didn’t even have the ability to scream— the air was ruthlessly knocked out of you. As you roughly regained contact with the ground, you tried to steady yourself to no avail as you were thrashed down the scratchy concrete of the sidewalk.

The beat of your everyday life was rudely abrupted by the choir of shrill screams that surrounded you as others were also violently displaced from their everyday routines. 

You could hardly even focus on the chaos because damn your head hurt.

You tried to steady your sight on your surroundings, but the pounding in your head and pulsating throbs displaced throughout your body overwhelmed your senses and made it very difficult to focus on much else.

When your eyes could finally refocus, you found a blazing orange light unblur itself in front of you and turn into a raging inferno. You blinked a few times as a sticky substance dripped down your forehead and dared to once again obscure your vision.

That’s when you noticed a small child.

Your heart fell at the sight of his wailing form. These types of scenes only happen in movies, right? As your brain pounded against your skull that is exactly what it felt like-- like you were an observer watching a horror movie. Except you couldn’t cover your eyes at the scary parts.

You observed in absolute terror as a large chunk of debris dropped towards the baby boy’s crying, unsuspecting form, snapping you back into full consciousness. 

“Watch out!!” your own maternal instincts immediately numbed your body to any pain that you were going through and sent a jolt of determination into your legs as you sprung up. You sloppily threw yourself over toward the boy to act as a shield for his small frame; however, at the last moment, your saw a large, gloved hand reach out for him at the same time.

“GET THE FUCK OUT OF THE WAY!” You heard a voice screech right before you loudly smacked your face into a hard object. Your cheek throbbed painfully as you fell to the ground again with the boy cradled protectively in your arms.

You looked up to see Ground Zero, a local hero in your prefecture, glaring at you, a red mark fading onto his cheek as well, “Do you have a fucking death wish or something?!” his hands furiously crackled at his sides, “I don’t need goddamnned extras in my way! Quit playing hero and get lost!” You could only blink at his barrage of verbal assaults.

Who the fuck was he talking to?! It certainly wasn’t you!

As your face shriveled in contempt, your eyes flashed over toward the boy in your arms for a moment before your mouth opened to tell arrogant Mr. Zero about his self. You had recently made a pinky promise to stop cursing in front of children, but surely this could be a fair exception.

However instead of the venom coated words you had meant, a shrill shriek flew out of your mouth as a searing pain tore at the bottom of your foot.

You gasped from the sudden intensity and instantly released the young boy from your clutches as your hands jumped down to your leg, tearing your snapped work heels off and casting them aside. You twisted your appendage up to face you and watched in horror as giant, red welts emerged deep from within your skin.

Did you step on something? No. This burns! The explosion must have set something on fire and your dumbass must have danced on the shit.

Fuck.

The pain seemed to be seeping deeper into your body with each agonizing throb. As the fire crawled up your leg, Ground Zero began joining you in your screams,

“WHAT THE FUCK IS ON MY FOOT?!” The idol screeched at you as he angrily ripped his boot off and tried to find the source of his pain. Through teary eyes you watched in horror as your name burned itself onto his sole. 

“I DIDN’T DO IT!” you protested, “IT’S ON MINE TOO, ASSHOLE!” you frantically flashed him the searing red letters that were growing on the bottom of your foot as well. They must be his name. Was this some kind of fucked up sequel to “Toy Story” that you hadn’t bothered on seeing?

The two of you then looked to the nervous, little boy who you had both jumped to save, “Oopsie…” he quietly cried, “Please, don’t tell my mommy! She is going to be so mad! I bonded someone again,” his small frame quivered relentlessly as he sobbed.

“BONDED?!” Ground Zero screeched, grabbing the front of the boys shirt and roughly yanking him toward him, “You did this!” he spat as more of a disgusting realization than a question. 

You reflexively reached out and smacked the mans hand away from the child, “Get the hell off of him!” you screamed as you held the boy close to you “What the fuck is your problem? He’s just a kid!” You threw all pinky swears out of the window at this point.

The furious man faltered in his angry demeanor for a moment as surprise flashed across his expression, but he quickly regained his persona as he deeply scowled at you. You matched the red-hot fire of his eyes with a glare of your own. You weren’t afraid of him. Superhero or not.

Tch. Yeah. “Hero.”

You couldn't stand “heroes” like him-- people who were so obviously more interested about their own image as a savior than actually caring about the people they saved. 

Suddenly the little boy in your arms began wildly fidgeting in your arms, his sudden movements sharply reminding you about the searing damages that you had incurred within the last few minutes. 

“Mommy!” He cried out as he freed himself from you and ran off into a nearby woman’s arms. 

She frantically welcomed him, “Shiro, baby! Oh my goodness!” she cried out.

Suddenly, you felt a heavy twinge of pain in your head, momentarily blurring your vision as everything began splitting off to form two. Your double vision only worsened as the woman’s fading voice continued to ring out, “Don’t run off like that! You gave me a heart attack.” You tried to blink your vision back to normal again but failed as everything began fading.

“S-shit...” you cursed under your breath before sliding down onto the pavement under you. You finally allowed your eyelids to shut as your body became heavily numb.

“Hey! You better explain what the fuck is wrong with my foot right now, lady!” you heard Ground Zero roar out, “START TALKIN’! What the fuck did he mean by “bonded”?!”

“Oh, my god... Oh my god,” The mother breathed heavily. Her voice became softer, and you couldn't tell if it was because your were slipping into unconsciousness or if she was moving father away. She continued speaking rapidly despite your disoriented confusion, “I-I-I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she simply replied, “Shiro, we have to go. N-now!”

"NO YOU DON’T! WHERE THE FUCK... do you think... you’re g...”

You heard a final thud before a warm blackness consumed your entire being.

Everything seemed to pause for just a few beats.

When you snapped your eyes open seemingly a moment later, a stark bright white light painfully filled your eyes causing you to abruptly snap them back shut. 

What the fuck. Where were you? 

You looked down at yourself an noticed a bright green gown. You frowned at the thin fabric. You never really were a fan of green...

Your face crinkled inwards as you absentmindedly toyed with the light fabric before a sudden realization smacked your clouded brain-- Oh! You were in a hospital!

Fuck!

Your memories quickly flooded into your brain after that epiphany and you frantically sat up, searching the plain, white room you were situated with crazed eyes. You weren't really sure what you had originally been searching for but found a wave of relief as you found your main cell phone situated in a nearby counter.

Oh, bless! You couldn’t have prayed for a better hospital visitor!

You quickly flipped the heavy fleece hospital blanket off of your legs and stretched your aching arms over to the device.  Your sole companion was heavily cracked but you could still make out most words as you desperately searched through your notifications. You had over a dozen missed texts and calls from one person. 

Hey, you never came to pick up Koko, are you okay?

Y/N? If you’re doing overtime, I just wish that you would say so.

Hey, you’re not answering the phone. I’m getting worried.

I have Koko now.

Where are you?!

Suddenly something in you snapped your attention away from your phone. You could feel it moving toward you, whatever it was. It felt as if it was an extension of your own being. Like your arm had wandered off to grab a drink at the shitty hospital cafeteria and was only just now returning to you. Startled, you threw a glance at yourself to check your body but found nothing missing.

The familiar presence finally entered the room, “HEY!” Ground Zero snapped as he roughly kicked the door open.

Startled, you pushed the hem of your gown as far down as possible in a futile attempt to cover you legs, “What do you think you—”

He loudly cut you off, “Something fucking weird is going on. That dumb brat must have fucked with us...” he angrily trailed off as he became deep in thought. Your nerves calmed themselves as you noticed that he was wearing a gown similar to your own before he stormed up to you and shoved his black phone screen in your face.

You confusedly stared at your reflection as he ordered you,“Look at your cheek,” he gruffly commanded. You didn’t have much of a choice as the black mirror was forced into your vision.

That was a nasty fucking bruise. Okay. You looked hideous. Is that what the asshole wanted you to see? You confusedly looked up at him and surprise befell you as you noticed that he was sporting a familiar grey mark on his own cheek.

You must have smacked faces earlier harder than you thought.

“No. we didn’t,” he growled angrily, “You smacked your face against my gauntlet. But I fucking felt it!” He barked.

You rapidly blinked your eyes in surprise. You did not just say that out loud.

The hero seemed to suddenly realize this as well as his angry expression once again dropped alongside his jaw. He seemed to be at a loss for words as his eyes danced across the room—trying to find a viable answer to the weird occurrence.

“What the hell does this all mean? What’s happening?!” you frantically cried out, snapping him out of his confused trance,

“Well we would fucking know if your ass could have stayed awake for a few more seconds,” he resorted back into his ferocity, “That idiot hag up and left with her kid while you were busy sleeping! It fucking knocked me out too! How the hell is this happening?!” Your eyebrows dropped from surprised to anger quicker than a drop of a dime. He was not about to pin all this bullshit on you.

“Well maybe you could have gotten some answers out of her if you weren't such a loud-mouthed dickhole! Who wouldn't run from that?!” you loudly snapped. His anger seemed to grow by ten fold, but just as you noticed a large vein pop out from the side of his angry head, you heard a familiar voice cry out which effectively interrupted the incoming eruption,

“Y/N?! Are you in there?!” you heard someone cry out from the hallway.

What.... what the hell was he doing here? Fuck. This was not the time for him, of all people, to show up. Your eyes widened as you waited for him to burst in.

“I came as soon as the hospital called!” he cried out as he entered the room. Of course, he was still your emergency contact, you idiot. Only you would accidentally leave your baby daddy, your ex as an emergency contact after so long has passed.

Stupid, stupid, stupid! You mentally kicked yourself as you looked into his disgustingly adorable, concerned eyes.

The man ran up to your bedside and threw his hands on top of yours, clutching them for dear life. A wave of emotion jolted your heart at his proximity—emotions that you hadn’t felt in a long time. You had been so damn careful to keep your distance, dammit. For months now you had meticulously planned Koko’s drop off and pick up times so you got a glimpse of him at most. You haven’t even heard his voice in weeks because you had resolved to leave communications to mostly short texts when necessary.

All for naught as his round, green eyes unknowingly dared you to fall in love with him again.

You uncomfortably shifted your gaze away from his longing stare. You could tell that he had been crying, and the fact that it was out of fear for your safety only added to the stiffness in your chest as his trembling voice cried out to you, “God, I am so glad that you're...” he trailed off, finally noticing the other man in the room, “Kacchan?”

Ground Zero, or Kacchan’s, anger hadn’t had the time to die down since you yelled at him a few seconds ago, and he was about ready to explode,

“THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE, DEKU!?” he furiously cried out as he snatched the man away from you. And held a sparkling fist to his face.

You could feel the utter hatred seeping from his mind and it made you sick.

Exposition city😂

Anyway now that that is over with, I can get to the juicy stuff.

Yay! I am so excited

HnM💕

Survey #363

(one more that’s a late upload from way earlier in the day, and i yet again don’t feel like updating the answers)

What brings out the worst in you? When I'm very anxious or having a PTSD episode, I can become very snappy and just not a joy to be around. What all did you eat today? This morning I had oatmeal, I had a rice cake as a snack, and lunch was ham and cheese on a tortilla. Some people were really destructive as a child, were you? No, I was a good kid. Who was the last person you were in a car with? My mom. Who was the last person you cried in front of? It was probably Mom. Do you talk about your feelings or hide them? I usually talk about them somewhere, like in surveys if I feel I can't with anyone else. Please be vocal with your feelings. It is so destructive to let them build up. Who was the last person you were with that smelled REALLY good? I'm unsure. Do you know anyone that is gothic? A good number of people, myself included at least in spirit. ;~; I can't really afford good attire, nor do I have the patience for so much makeup maintenance. Have you seen UP? I actually haven't seen the full movie, but I'd like to. How is your mom? Stressed as fuck and tired of everything. What color hair does your mom have? She recently dyed it black. Her hair is growing back totally gray now and she hated it. She's gotten so self-conscious as she's aged. When was the last time you were told you were cute? Idk. Do you feel comfortable getting up and giving speeches? FUCK NO. Have you ever dipped french fries in a frosty? I tried it once and did not get the appeal. Did you have school/class today? No. My school endeavors are done. Do you have any paintings in your room? If so, of what? Yeah, I have my big painting of meerkats grooming above all my 'kat plushies. Have you ever had your photo professionally taken? As a child and by school photographers, anyway. Would you prefer eating jello or pudding? Pudding. After washing your hair, do you put any products in it? No. Last time you ate a salad? Like a week ago when we went to Ichiban for my sister's bday. Do you know how old your house is? No, I don't. Have you ever been described as ”adorable”? Yeah. Have you ever given a lap dance? No. They seem incredibly awkward to me?? Would you accept a boring job if it meant you would make mega bucks? No. I can't do a job I hate for anything. I would be so depressed. Are you a moody person? Yes. What are you listening to? I'm watching Gab Smolders' new episode of Resident Evil 8: Village. I'm deadass watching four different LPers play it, I'm only moderately obsessed lmao. What video game could you waste the most time on? WoW, given it has like a zillion different things to do. Yet I still get bored lmao. What is your favorite condiment? Maybe Ketchup? I think I use that for the most things. What is the worst thing that you have ever done? I don't feel like getting into this. How old were you when your parents gave you the "birds and the bees" talk? They didn't; I learned in my school's sex ed in the 5th grade. Have you ever questioned whether or not you'd benefit from therapy? I have benefited from it. What would you like it to say on your gravestone? Hypothetically, idk. But I'd rather be cremated. Would you ever wear real leather or animal fur? NO. Have you ever completely failed a year of school and had to repeat a grade? No. Have you ever been bitten by an animal that wasn't a cat or a dog? Which? I think my old baby iguana bit me once or twice, not that it was very painful at her young age. I can't recall another animal. What type of literature are you most likely to read? (book, magazine, etc) Books. Do you prefer using candles, wax melts, or incense? Incense. Are you someone who actually doesn't have a Facebook? No, I have one. What kind(s) of Facebook groups are you active in, if any? I'm not really *active* in any; I just observe them and interact via "like"s. I'm actually in a whole lot of groups, though. Do you enjoy any herbal or fruit teas? What kinds? Neither. Do you hear any animals right now? No. What are your thoughts on Avenged Sevenfold? I know and like a few songs, especially "Dear God." Do you like Batman? Yeah, I like his "refuse to murder" ideology. The only thing is I kinda have a bad connection attached to him, because Batman was Jason's thing. Have you ever played fetch with a dog? Yes. Does your house have a fireplace? Yeah actually, but it might be fake? I don't even know lol. Have you ever pet a stingray? No. Have you ever dissected a baby pig in a class at school? Oh my god, no. I literally could never. I did dissect a frog in the 7th grade that wound up to be pregnant, though... I wasn't happy about it, but at the same time it was very interesting. Who is the last baby you held? My niece. Do you like Sunkist? The orange kind is fine, but the STRAWBERRY flavor? Jfc I love that shit. Would you ever consider being a cannibal? UM NO Do you have any scars from an animal? I have a lot of scars on my hands from playing with Roman. I scar extremely easily, so just his little scrapes leave marks. Have you ever seen an Igloo? No. Do you like Korn? Love 'em. How many animals do you have? Really two, but we have three in the house right now. Idk when this dog is going away. Are you more afraid of tornadoes or hurricanes? Tornados. Ever rode in a helicopter? No. Do you like rabbits? Yes, they're adorable. Do you like mushrooms? NO. What was the last movie you cried at? I want to say Logan, but I'm not sure. I watch movies so rarely that I really don't know. Would you rather work for a small or large company? Small. I'd feel more useful. What is the rudest thing a guy has ever done to you? I don't know. Have you ever read the book 13 Reasons Why? Yeah. I thought it was good, but now I don't remember like... anything about it. What did you have for breakfast this morning? I had apple and cinnamon oatmeal. How many times have you read your favorite book? Just once. I don't re-read books. Have you ever been on Omegle? No. Are you still in love with one of your exes? "In love," no. Do you think being born was a mistake? Yeesh, no. Has a relative ever been arrested? My psychotic uncle (by marriage) has been. Was it a serious crime? Quite honestly, I don't remember. I just know he's an angry and dangerous motherfucker. Do you think the Fountain of Youth exists? No. How about in a parallel dimension? Doubtful. Do you believe humans are part of a giant alien experiment? I ponder over the possibility of being a research simulation, kind of like a much advanced version of The Sims, but I honestly doubt it. Have you ever been suicidal? Yes. Was it a passing phase or is it something controlled by medication? Therapy and medication saved me. Is there a holiday you wish no one celebrated? Which is it? Why do you feel that way? Fight me about Christopher Columbus Day. He didn't discover shit. Have you taken any writing classes? How about art? I've taken a writing course in college, and I've taken loads of art classes. What’s your all-time favourite band? How about all-time fave singer? Ozzy Osbourne; Freddie Mercury. What three songs do you want played at your funeral? Why those particular songs? "Like A Woman" by Alice Cooper, "Life Is Beautiful" by Sixx A.M., and "Angels on the Moon" by Thriving Ivory. I just like them and find them suiting. Do you think most mythological creatures exist? No. Have you ever had lice? No. What is one superstition that freaks you out? Why is that? I’m not superstitious. Are either of your parents retired yet and if not, what do they do? No. Dad is a mailman, and while Mom doesn't ~officially~ work yet because she's recovering from intense cancer treatment, she very recently resumed lightly cleaning a church for a small payment. Kinda like a warmup. When did you or do you want to move out of your parents’ house? I wanna move out once I'm in a long-term, stable relationship with someone so we can live together. Me living alone is NOT a good idea. How do you like your current job, or if you’re unemployed, have you been looking for employment? I don't have a job, but when I go to my tattoo appointment, I'm going to ask them if they'd be interested in hiring someone for the front desk. I think it's def something I could do because I love the environment, there's really not that much I need to know (like where the Doritos are, dealing with exact change, answering a dozen unique questions), it's not insanely busy, and the occasional phone call would challenge my anxiety and just be a minor inconvenience to me until I got used to it. My partial hospitalization program really got me wanting to fight back against what gives me anxiety, to truly expose myself to what scares me, while not going totally overboard with it. It was encouraging to hear my therapist there thought it was a magnificent idea for me. I decided I wanted to ask while at the parlor getting work done to show serious interest (like I'm not just some random chick walking in and asking for a job), as well as let the people warm up to me. I'm trying not to get my hopes up too much, but damn am I wishing. I want it so badly. What kind of booze did you last take shots of? I've never taken shots.

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Steggy and 'I Didn't Mean to Turn You On'

86. ‘I Didn’t Mean to Turn You On’

Ummm… You definitely meant to get a 2k+ fic out of this didn’t you? Omg. Anyway.

I’m not sure if you meant to pick a second AU or if this onewas good enough but if you’d like to send a follow up for another “I didn’tmean to turn you on” that you’d like to see paired with another AU feel free tohit me up again 😊

Here is what my brain jumped to and please please thank @dorrinverrakai1 for being a muse extraordinaire and making this become what it did. (There is quite a bit of backstory that goes to this that didnt make it into the ficlet fyi.)

I’m placing it under a cut because again… This grew legs from just being an answer to a tumblr meme…

Phillips’ annual Christmas party is a thing of legend aroundthe office. It’s always a grand affair, hosted at his mansion and everyoneknows that if you want to be someone in the company, if you show up, make agood impression, compliment the host and his wife’s hospitality, you have areal good shot at a corner office sooner or later.

For Steve, who was ambitious enough, but didn’t feel theneed to grease palms solely at a company party for his own selfish benefit, itwas an opportunity to spend some quality time out of the office with the girlof his dreams.

But the evening hadn’t gone on like he had planned, not afterthe flirtation between him and Peggy the day before back at the office. Whereshe had mentioned she had bought a spectacular new red dress just for the occasion,and then inquired about what he was going to wear. And how he promised her adrink. And that if there was dancing maybe a dance or two to go with that. And herlips had turned up and she said nothing for a moment as she regarded him.

“I will see you tomorrow night then Steve,” she said inpromise.

He’d never been so thrilled. He and Peggy had become goodfriends, and he was pretty sure their interactions would be considered flirtingon several occasions, but he’d never really had a good chance at pursuingsomething more.

But then he doesn’t spot Peggy at the party right away. Andwhen he finally does, she’s standing in a corridor whispering hurriedly with Phillips,and at her side holding her hand was a young girl of seven or eight years old. Thegirl teeters on her heels and leans her head against Peggy’s hip. He knows Peggywas close to Phillips and his family, he thinks that her parents were closefriends of his. The scene doesn’t seem like one he should interrupt soreluctantly he turns away and heads toward the catered food.

He doesn’t spot Peggy again for another half an hour, butshe’s over talking to several of their important German clients so he knows hecan’t interrupt that either. A bit disappointed, he decides to take a little tourof the place and heads up the stairs where one of the bar stations was set up,but heads towards the giant Christmas trees that flank a large bay window witha lookout. He’s passing the bar he overhears something that makes him stop inhis tracks.

“Can you believe she would bring her kid to an event likethis?” It’s Thompson, his least favorite guy in the office, talking with DanielSousa, both men holding generously filled glasses of whiskey.

He’s filled with rage at the dismissive and insulting tone ofthe comment.

“It’s a little embarrassing…” Sousa agrees, somewhat reluctantly.

“A little embarrassing? For fuck’s sake, you don’t bring yourkid to a company event period. And you definitely don’t saddle the fucking CEOof the company with your brat because you remembered you have to network with yourmost important clients.” He was ready to punch Thompson right then and thereeven before he hurled another blow that surprised Steve. “Classic Marge. She’s alwaysgetting a little too big for her britches. She should really learn about babysitters.”

He knows Thompson’s reputation for talking shit, so though thesurprise stuns him, he knows better than to believe gossip from his mouth.Still, he’d have felt the same way if it was Peggy’s child or not.

“That’s very wise advice from you Jack,” Steve says, “assomeone who doesn’t have kids, and given the way you talk may never findsomeone who would choose to have them with you.”

Thompson snorts derisively. “I don’t suffer from lack ofinterest unlike some people Rogers. Anyway I wasn’t talking to you.”

“Doesn’t matter who you were talking to when we can all hearyou badmouthing a coworker. Real classy. Definitely the way you’re going toearn brownie points in the office. And don’t pretend you know anything aboutchildcare or shame someone for doing the best they can to take care of theirchildren. Parenthood doesn’t just stop because you have to work. Do you knowhow many times I spent at the hospital when my mom was on shift because she hadno alternative? Parents do what they have to. I’m sure if there was a better orsafer option it would have been taken. And even if it wasn’t, it’s not ourbusiness. It’s not like anyone is asking you to babysit huh?”

“Fuck off Rogers.”

He rolls his eyes. “Original. Do me a favor and don’t let mehear you say shit like that again. I’m prefer not to ruin your night becauseyou can’t shut your mouth.”

He storms past not waiting for Jack’s response. It’s notuntil he’s right next to the ornate Christmas tree that he realizes the baywindow is occupied. On the wide cushioned seat, sits Phillips and at his sideis the little girl with a book. He doesn’t mean to interrupt but Phillips makeseye contact with him and it would be rude not to say hello to the host.

“Mr. Phillips,” he says, voice still a little surprised. “It’snice to see you.”

Phillips smiles at him. They’ve gotten along the few timesthey’ve interacted. “Steve. Are you enjoying the party?”

He nods. “You’ve got a beautiful house. It’s so warm andfestive.”

“I like all the Christmas trees,” the little girl saysproudly. “There are eight in the house this year because I’m eight years oldthis year,” she tells him.

“Wow! You must be very special to get as many Christmas treesas your age,” Steve tells the girl who grins at him. “Which one is yourfavorite?”

She stands up from the seat and bounces on her heels thenpoints below past the ledge that looks down at the first floor. There in themiddle of the large dining room is the largest Christmas tree in the place.

“The big, big one! How tall was it again Grandpa Phillips?”

The man chuckles. “Sixteen footer. The tallest we’ve everhad you my girl.”

She grins at him. And the sight is a wonder to Steve who hasnever quite witnessed Phillips act so soft. It’s sweet. “We’re reading aChristmas Carol. Do you know it?” The girl asks Steve.

“Oh yes! I know it well. My mom and I used to read it everyChristmas together.”

“Used to? You don’t like to read it anymore?”

He hesitates. “Oh no I would. I do. Except, my mom… She uhpassed away a few years ago. I still think of her every time I read it though.”He hopes that’s not too heavy for an eight year old.

The girl’s eyes widen and she nods very seriously. Then she grinswidely at him again and jumps up from the bench. “Well then you can read itwith me! I’m a very good reader for my age.”

Phillips laughs. “Yes you are Maggie girl. But I’m sureSteve is interested in getting back to the party darling.”

He’s about to retort when Phillips’ wife rushes over. “Thereyou two are,” she starts. “Honey, I know you asked not to be bothered but Zimmermangroup has arrived and there’s the toast to be given.”

Phillips and his wife exchange a look while Maggie flipspages in her book.

“I’d be happy to keep Maggie company,” he finds himselfoffering. “She did promise me we could read a Christmas Carol together.”

“Oh that would be lovely! You’re Steve yes? Steve Rogers?”Phillips’ wife asks with a bright, relieved smile.

“Are you sure Steve?”

“Of course.”

“I’ll be back in half an hour Maggie my girl, okay? Youthink you can entertain Steve here for that long?”

The girl nods and shoves the book into Steve’s hand. “Is yourname short for anything Steve?” she asks him once the Phillips’ are gone.

He laughs. He likes how bold the girl is. “It’s short forSteven, but no one really calls me that.”

“My name is short for Margaret. Margaret Jr. to be exact,” shetells him with a smile.

Steve freezes for a moment. Can she really be Peggy’s daughter?Had he really never known that Peggy was a mother? He panics as he tries to rememberif she had every told him that information before. But he doesn’t have muchtime to ponder it as the girl demands he help do the voices. So he findshimself crying out “Bah Humbug” at increasingly dramatic tones once he findsMaggie finds it hilarious. Her little sweet giggles are infectious. So theyread, and occasionally Maggie will stop to ask questions about a hard word, orwhat he thinks of Scrooge, or to tell him what she wants for Christmas. He losestrack of time.

It’s definitely more than a half hour that’s passed whenfootsteps approach them. It’s a wild-eyed Peggy and she seems at a loss forwords.

“There you are my darling!” Peggy calls out, and Maggierushes towards her in a massive hug.

“Steve and I were reading together,” she tells Peggy. He noticesPeggy is staring at him.

Before he can say anything or explain, a second womanapproaches.

“Mommy!” Maggie cries out and rushes for the other woman.

“Hiya Margaret my baby girl. Did you have fun at GrandpaPhillips’ party? Oh Peggy I can’t thank you enough again. Wait who is this?”

Peggy, who had still been staring peculiarly at Steve,clears her throat. “Sorry, Angie. This is Steve. Steve Rogers. Steve this is mybest friend Angie.”

“Ohhhh!” Angie grins and throws Peggy a wink. “Steve Rogershuh?”

Peggy ignores her. “Steve was very generous enough to sitwith Margaret.”

Little Margaret bounces on her toes excitedly. “Mommy! Hisname is short for Steven. Did you know that? Steven.” She repeats his full nameas if enjoying the sound of it. It makes him smile. “And he does really goodvoices. Almost as good as yours mommy.”

“Now that’s a high compliment from my baby girl,” Angietells him, this time winking at him.

“That big of a compliment huh? Well I’m honored,” he tellsMaggie.

“Baby tell Peggy and Steve goodnight, it’s way past your bedtimenow.”

She hugs Peggy first, but then Steve is surprised to findthe girl come rush over to hug him. “Thanks for being my friend Steve. Maybe wecan read together again next year.”

“You got it,” he swears, because how could he not?

He notices Angie shoot Peggy another look before the twodisappear. He then notices that Peggy is back to staring at him. And this timehe thinks he realizes what kind of a stare it is she’s giving him. He feels alittle warm in his suit all of a sudden. He needs a way to break the silence.

“I didn’t mean to turn you on,” he finds himself sayinghelplessly.

It’s the strangest, boldest statement coming from him. But onelook at Peggy’s face and he’s a helpless mess. Her stare is so pointed and fullof heat he’s pretty sure he’s blushing. Her interest is so open, and full of…he feels like a fool but he hopes he’s correct recognizing it as desire. Theway that she bites her lip, the way her pupils are dilated and how she keepstracking not only his face but lingering all over his body.

“I—“ he tries to backtrack but his mouth is so dry and hergaze only seems to grow darker, her tongue flicking out to wet her red lips andSteve is unable to breath. He swallows hard. Who is turning who on exactly?

He finally gets a chance to take a good long look at her,something he’s been dying to do all night. Her dress, a deep red that matchesher lipstick accentuates every curve in her body in a way that makes Steve’sbreaths a little quicker. He can’t stop looking her over. She is magnificent. Agoddess. And it makes him giddy, as her presence has always made him. He wantsto feel the fabric of her dress, wants to see if it’s soft or silky.

“Oh you weren’t, were you?” she asks, her voice laced with disbeliefand amusement. “You mean to tell me that you didn’t get dressed in that well-tailoredtux and choose a red tie and pocket square?”

He gulps at the way she looks him over once more. “Well youmentioned you were going to wear red… so…”

“So you took it upon yourself to remember that fact and considerit when getting dressed.”

She looks so pleased that he’s confused for a moment. Ofcourse he listened to her. And if she was going to wear red why wouldn’t hewant to match her?

“And then you didn’t just so gracefully offer to reprievePhillips and watch my beloved Goddaughter and have her so enjoy your companyshe now calls you her friend?”

He clears his throat. “She’s a great kid. I didn’t know shewas your Goddaughter.”

Peggy takes a step closer. “You do realize that only makes youeven more attractive?” Her voice is lower and deeper and she’s close enough nowthat he could count every one of her eyelashes.

He licks his lips. “I um… Well… For a while there I thought shewas your kid. And didn’t know if I had forgotten that you told me you had adaughter.”

She laughs, the sound still low that it leaves him longing anddesperately he wants to lean into her, breathe her in.

“That wouldn’t be because Thompson was gossiping huh?”

He freezes. “How did you know about that?”

“Jarvis overhead him at the bar. He told me you gave him atongue-lashing of spectacular proportions.” He can only shrug. “So you can’timagine that a well-dressed man that I was already fond of, not only deftly defendedmy honor without making it about me, but spent time at a company Christmasparty making Maggie giggle uncontrollably.”

She’s standing so close, as close as he had fantasized abouthappening at this party.

“I…” He bows his head. He wants to believe her, wants to believethat any of that would make him attractive in her eyes. But she’s Peggy and asuperstar in her own right, and she’s oh so pretty he could cry. “If you likethat sort of thing,” he mumbles.

“I do,” she murmurs, tilting her head, her left hand coming upto press against his jaw. He can feel her body against his. “Now kiss mealready.”

There’s no refuting that. He flicks his gaze down at her,the adoring smile, her wide pupils. He places both hands on the back of herneck and kisses her hard, hard enough to make her gasp. The hand at his jawwanders up and cards through his hair. And oh he has never kissed anyone quitelike this. Full of fireworks and wonder and longing for more and more and more.She presses herself closer and they don’t stop kissing. He never ever wants tostop.

Eventually they part, both gasping and catching theirbreaths.

“Well…” she starts, still steadying her breathing, handsstill tracing over his face and neck, “I really thought we were going to needmistletoe to get you to kiss me tonight.”

He grins and pulls her in for another kiss.

Lifeguards (Billy Hargrove)

A/N: Inspired by that latest Stranger Things trailer and my hatred for Karen Wheeler. Hasn’t been proof read and also had no real plot haha but hope you enjoy nonetheless!

“You do know you can’t actually ban people for life” You said to your colleague as you handed the bottle of chilled water up to where he was sat on the lifeguard tower “Only Bev can do that and even then you’d have to do something really bad, like attempted drowning”

You weren’t looking up at Billy but were stood facing out towards the pool, hand across your brows to shield your eyes from the sun

“They don’t know that” He said sternly after taking a sip from the bottle you’d just handed him

“Well let’s hope they don’t catch on” You smirked up at him “Or then you really would have no authority” you said with a laugh, heading back to your lifeguard tower opposite Billy’s.

Billy had joined the team about 3 weeks ago and to say the power was getting to his head was an understatement. He thrived sitting there barking orders at kids, threatening to ban them all just so they’d calm down and give him a moments peace. You often sat there wondering why he took a job that involved being surrounded by children when it was so obvious he loathed them.

This time it was Billy’s turn to do the water rounds, so as he climbed swiftly down from the tower, you couldn’t help but roll your eyes as you watched the group of mom’s quickly reposition themselves in an attempt to gain some attention. You also couldn’t help but roll your eyes watching Billy lap up the attention they gave him, god his ego really knows no bounds you thought to yourself.

“Here” He barked extending his arm up towards where you were perched

“Thanks” You replied, gladly accepting the cold bottle and quickly unscrewing the cap to gulp the water down

“Uh oh best get back to your post Hargrove, your fan club is looking rather jealous” You said with a laugh, motioning your head ever so slightly to the aforementioned mothers who were watching your interaction like hawks

Billy just scoffed at your remark and remained stood at the bottom of your chair

“No I’m serious” You carried on, returning your gaze back to the pool “I don’t want to cause any trouble, god forbid you talk to any girl your own age”

You both let out a snort at that, whilst Billy avidly encouraged any sort of flirtation he could understand how comical they must be to watch

“Sounds like your jealous of all the attention I get” He replied mockingly

“All the attention you get? I mean just the other day I got hit on by Mr Sanders and a middle schooler, looks like I’m the popular one here Hargrove” You mocked which earned a laugh from Billy

“Sure thing hot stuff” He joked back flirtatiously before moving off from where he was leaning against your post and heading back round to the opposite side of the pool.

Whilst you and Billy joked around occasionally at work you had never really spoken at school. You both ran with different circles and whilst you’d spent most of your time putting in effort and working hard, he seemed to prefer partying every weekend and hooking up with anyone he wanted.

***

“God he’s so hot” Jennie whined, head resting in her hand as she watched Billy Hargrove dribble the basketball around the opposing team

“Shame he only has 2 brain cells” You chipped in, not looking up from your notes you were writing, “and even then he shares one with Tommy H”

That earned a laugh from the small group you were sat with, there was no denying he was good looking, it was just such a shame he had little else going for him.

“At this point I don’t even care” Jennie laughed, “All I want is one night in his Camaro”

“One night?” You asked, “That’s unlikely, I think his style is more fuck you, chuck you and then never speak to you again, doubt you’d have longer than 30 minutes in his delightful company” You said with an eye roll

You’d heard all the rumours and seen enough girls crying in the bathrooms on a Monday morning when they realised that their hookup on Friday was not in fact enough to change Billy, and that they’d got their hopes up for nothing.

You didn’t like that about Billy Hargrove one bit.

It was finally closing time as the sun began to set, drawing another scorching hot day to a close. Whilst you ushered the few remaining stragglers out from the changing rooms and locked the front door, Billy set about closing up all the shade umbrellas and returning the sun loungers to their rightful places.

“Please tell me that Mrs Wheeler isn’t actually out there waiting for you?” You shouted across the pool to Billy.

You’d seen her car parked out front as you were locking up, and despite knowing she was actually waiting to pick up Mike, whom you’d just ushered out, you thought you’d ask anyway. You wanted to know the gossip, even though you doubted Billy would actually tell you anything.

“She’s parked out front” You clarified when Billy raised his eyebrows in question at you “Don’t tell me you wait for me to leave and then do it in the car park” You joked

Billy just laughed in response as he grabbed the other side of the pool cover and you both began walking the length of the pool, dragging the cover with you as you went.

“You know if you wanted a Wheeler that bad, you should have tried Nancy first” You suggested

“Not my type” He replied back instantaneously

“What and a middle aged mom of three is your type?” You asked back, eyebrows raised

“It’s just a bit of harmless flirting” He replied defensively, it’s not like anything was actually happening with Karen Wheeler, it was just some fun.

“It’s disgusting that’s what it is” You quipped back and shot him a glare

“Well good job it’s none of your business then” He said back with a sarcastic grin

“Stop flirting on the job then and it truly won’t be my business” You replied, the same sarcastic grin plastered on your face

“Just because you’ve never had anyone in your life to flirt with” He said with a huff as you both simultaneously secured the pool cover at the other end.

“Touché” You responded with a smirk “but rather that than acting like jail bait”

Billy had meant for his comment to be more biting. He didn’t need you to be criticising his life, he was only having some harmless fun, who were you to tell him he shouldn’t?

“Whatever” He grumbled “just because you’re jealous”

If you were going to tease Billy then he had no qualms winding you up to.

“So jealous” You said sarcastically, straightening up from the edge of the pool and placing your hands on your hips as you watched him tie the last knot

“I bet you just really want me all to yourself” He replied with a shit eating grin as he too stood from where he’d previously been crouching

“Oh yeah” You hummed, “Can’t believe I’ve been rumbled”

Billy should have known that you wouldn’t have got annoyed at his teasing, if you were any other girl you would have done, but you always just played along and took no notice. He couldn’t help but smile at it, even if you were pissing him off

“Well you best not keep Mrs Wheeler waiting” You said with an eye roll as you both headed inside to grab your bags from the office

“Shut up” He moaned, trying to suppress a smile

“Well I’ll see you tomorrow” You shouted whilst heading into the changing rooms to change into some clothes better suited to the walk home “That’s if she hasn’t locked you in her basement or something” You said with a laugh and you could hear Billy let out a snort at that one too.

When I’m With You Ch. 2

Eddie can’t stand the barista at his favorite coffee shop. Richie has fallen in love with the man he sees twice a week. Stan is dating someone but won’t let his friends meet them. Ben is in love with Beverly, but is so afraid of scaring her away he’s not moving forward. Chaotic friends navigating college together.

Ch.1

Ch.3

Read on AO3

Less than 2k words

It was Saturday, Eddie didn’t have to do anything. When he woke on the couch, his neck hurting from the insufficient head support, he was glad to see his streak of no hangover was still going strong. Still, he felt off. A little sick to his stomach, but not from the drinking. It was that emotional kind of ache that came with anxiety usually. He wasn’t sure what was causing it and it was really quite annoying when it hit out of nowhere.

He sat up, rolling his neck and allowing it to pop and stretch. He’d slept in his clothes and that always made him feel too warm and gross. The first thing he needed was a shower and then he should probably eat something, even though his stomach protested at the thought. He turned the shower on and looked at the way his hair was sticking up in the mirror. He looked tired. He was tired. Sleeping on the couch wasn’t exactly restful.

Stripping off his clothes, he stepped under the warm spray of water. The events of the night before were coming back slowly as the groggy remnants of sleep faded away. He remembered Bev showing up with Richie and being stuck talking to him all night. He remembered Ben and Bev leaving them there alone without telling him they were going to go. He remembered Richie inviting him for pie and then leaving in a hurry when he got a text. The sad and disappointed look he tried to hide behind a smile crept back into his mind and his stomach churned with that heavy anxiety feeling again.

He tried to shake all thoughts from his head as he focused on getting clean instead. Feeling fresher than he had before, dressed in clean clothes, hair drying, he went to this kitchen to see if he could find anything he could stomach at the moment. In one of the cabinets he found a sleeve of crackers and took them back to the living room with him. He switched the TV on, ignoring the cooking show that was on as he checked his phone for the first time since waking up.

Ben: I’m so, so, so sorry. Beverly said she wanted to go somewhere alone and wouldn’t let me tell you first.

Eddie rolled his eyes as he read the text. He wasn’t actually mad at him and didn’t really expect an apology. But Ben was probably sitting there worried that he was angry. He was always like this. He’d spent his childhood before moving to town without friends. They’d met in middle school and found they liked some of the same things. Eddie didn’t really have friends either, so they found comfort in being with another outcast. However, Ben was always worried he’d do something wrong and lose him. Even in high school when their friend group grew to include Stan, even when all three got into the same college and ventured outside of their small town for the first time together.

Stan and Ben lived on campus, but Eddie’s mom had helped him get his apartment. He’d started out in the dorms, but he couldn’t stand living with a roommate who didn’t keep clean and his roommate was constantly complaining about him being anal about cleanliness. He also didn’t cope well with the communal showers. In the end, it was just better for him to live on his own off campus. He’d thought about finding a three bedroom with Stan and Ben, but for the time being, they were enjoying living on campus. It was fine. Eddie didn’t mind living alone.

He munched on some crackers while he typed out a response to Ben.

Eddie: It’s fine. I left right after you. That was pretty much the plan anyway

Ben: You’re not mad?

Eddie: No. How did it go?

Ben: Can I come over?

Eddie: That bad?

Ben: No. I just want to talk about it in person.

Eddie: Yea. I’m home

Ben: Twenty minutes

He hadn’t really expected to have company but spending a few hours with Ben wasn’t a terrible way to spend his Saturday. He could probably guilt him into buying him lunch to pay him back for the bar tab. Eddie went to put his phone down when another text came through, this one from Stanley.

Stan: Did you guys go out without me last night?

Eddie: Every time we ask you out you say you’ve got a date

Stan: So…you did

Eddie: If I had texted and asked you to come out what would your answer have been?

Stan: …that’s not the point

Eddie: omg ok I’m sorry I didn’t ask you to hang out Stan. I promise that next time I will ask you to come so you can turn me down properly instead of bringing this mystery person for your BEST FRIENDS to finally meet.

Stan: You will meet them eventually. I’m just not ready.

Eddie: It’s been three months.

Stan: Excuse me but I’m supposed to be mad at you. You can’t just turn things around on me like this

Eddie: Ben is coming over now. Do you want to come too? He’s going to regale us with the fascinating events with Bev from last night

Stan: …I can’t

Eddie: Oh my God

Stan: Next time?

Eddie sent back an emoji of hand flipping him off and dropped his phone down on the couch. He half focused on the cooking competition show while he ate almost the entire sleeve of crackers and waited for Ben. He was starting to feel better, more relaxed after texting with his friends. They both knew that he struggled with a panic disorder and were often the ones to help calm him when things got bad. Over the years they’d learned what they needed to do for him. Just being with him, occasionally hugging him or just placing a hand on his arm to keep him grounded. He really did love them.

He figured Ben was texting to let him know he’d arrived when his phone chimed about fifteen minutes later. He unlocked the screen and stared down at the number the text had been sent from. It was local, but not one he had saved or recognized. He opened the message warily, figuring it was probably a spam message from some store that had his information. Instead of a special offer or a sale announcement, he was met with the picture of a slice of pie.

?: thinking of you

Eddie: Who is this?

?: really? The pie didn’t tip you off?

Eddie: Um…

?: it’s Richie

It clicked for him a second later, having been working hard to forget about any of their interactions from the night before. Of course, he’d asked him to go get pie with him before he’d disappeared. The only question remaining was how he’d gotten his number. He for sure didn’t remember giving it to him and he didn’t want him to have it. He would never know peace if Richie was able to text him.

Eddie: Why do you have my number?

Richie: Bev gave it to me

Eddie: Why?

Richie: I asked her

Eddie: Why?

Richie: I wanted it

Eddie: Why?

Richie: did you give your phone to a 5yo?

Eddie: I’m just trying to understand why you would want to have the ability to contact me

Richie: you’re not very social, are you?

Eddie: No. I’m not.

Richie: we’ll have to work on that Eds

Eddie: Don’t call me that

A text came through from Ben, letting him know he was downstairs. Eddie set his phone aside, ignoring the new texts from Richie and going to the intercom. He pushed the button that would allow Ben to enter and unlocked his front door. He went back to the couch and a minute later Ben was letting himself in. At first glance, he didn’t look upset. Things must have gone well.

“So?” Eddie said, expectantly.

“I kissed her.” Ben blurted out, going tense.

“What? Really?” Eddie was really interested now.

“We left the bar and we were just walking. It was cold but it was like, I couldn’t even tell or something. I just wanted to keep walking forever if it meant that I could have her by my side.”

“Ok, enough of the poetic shit. Tell me what happened.”

“We stopped to get coffee at this place that was still open, and we were sitting and talking and…”

“And?”

“She’s just so pretty. I was staring at her and she started laughing at me, so I thought I screwed up. Then she just leaned across the table and kissed me.”

“Like, on the mouth?”

“Yep.”

“I told you she liked you.” Eddie couldn’t help the ‘I told you so’ as he had been telling Ben for months that Bev was into him. He was so sure that she wouldn’t be into him that he doubted every move he made around her.

Ben finally left the door and joined Eddie on the couch. He looked like he was in disbelief, like maybe he was thinking that he’d dreamt it all.

“So, are you guys dating then?” Eddie asked, pulling his legs up underneath him.

“I think so. She said I was cute and then we held hands while I walked her home and we kissed again before I left.”

“Did you ask her out again?”

“No. But she said her birthday is on Thursday and she wants both of us to come.”

“Is it a party?”

“She said drinking and laser tag.”

That didn’t sound terrible to Eddie. He liked Bev. Considered her a friend. He would like to celebrate her birthday with her. He’d never been to play laser tag, so he wasn’t sure he’d be any good. Still, he didn’t have any classes on Friday so a fun night out on Thursday didn’t sound bad.

“Should be fun. And, hey, she wants to see you again after kissing you. That’s a good sign, right?” Eddie asked, patting Ben on the shoulder.

“I guess. Do I kiss her when I see her? When I shop for a birthday gift, should I shop like I’m buying for a girlfriend? Or a friend?”

“You need to calm the fuck down, man. When you see her, if she wants to kiss you, she will let you know. This is Beverly we’re talking about. As for a gift, just buy her something you know she’ll like. I’ll go with you to find something.”

“Really?”

“Yea, of course.”

Ben wrapped his arms around Eddie and pulled him into a crushing hug. “I love you.”

“I know.” Eddie patted his back and laughed. “I love you too.”

Ben ended up staying the rest of the afternoon. They spent the day watching movies and playing games together. It had been a long time since they last did this, just enjoying each other’s company. They ordered dinner, Ben paid, and ate in front of the TV. Eddie told him about how he knew Richie and how Bev had given him his phone number without asking him first. Now he had him saved as a contact in his phone and he hated it.

When night fell, Ben chose to stay the night instead of heading back to his dorm. Tomorrow was Sunday and he didn’t have to be anywhere. They shared Eddie’s bed and the next morning they went out for a late breakfast of pancakes and coffee at a diner. Eddie absently remembered Richie’s comment about cheating on him with someone else’s coffee and rolled his eyes, drinking every drop and asking for a refill.

Casper High Ch. 4

Danny Fenton spends a lot of time in his room, according to his parents- yet in all honesty he often flies out the window to attend to other ghostly matters. If he wasn't busy fighting ghosts, he was busy catching up with school work, or talking to his best friends over the phone or computer. Nonetheless, this past week consisted of Danny spending smaller amounts of time doing his normal everyday routine, and instead spending time with a certain Winchester.

It reminded Danny of all things he missed about having his friends around to physically interact with. He had gotten so used to eating lunch alone, and spending all of his time consumed with other things, it was nice to have new things to do. To have someone spend hours doing absolutely nothing with but enjoying each others company nonetheless was a refreshing break from his usually chaotic life.

"Wait, so Sam believes in Phantom even if he hasn't seen him?"

'Maybe Sam has added a bit of complication to his life,' Danny thought, it was odd but not totally unwelcomed.'

"I don't know, maybe, Tuck. Something Mikey said to him a few days ago brought this interest out." Danny sighed, running a hand through his unruly hair. "He's spent some time doing research in the library."

"But every piece of evidence is gone right?" Manson asked, her attention being pulled from the black makeup she was applying, her back facing her computer screen so that the boys could see her face in the reflection of the large mirror in front of her. "I mean, everything with backing, damning evidence that could prove that Phantom isn't much more than a fable now."

"Well yeah, but we already know that some people believe the fairy tale stories still in the library." Tucker cut in before his raven-haired friend could respond. "We've got nothing to worry about Danny, it's like bigfoot, no one has hard proof- and any 'proof' is easily debunked."

"I guess you guys are right." Danny nodded, not able to shake the looming feeling that things wouldn't be that easy- nothing in his life ever truly was. "Anyways, how about we focus on the fact our Sammy has gotten a date."

"Ooooooh, that's what the make up is about? Must be a lucky girl." Tucker grinned, placing his chin on one palm, "Spill the beans, who is this chick."

"You're so lucky I'm hours away and you're safe from my boots right now." Sam glared, before continuing. "Her names Aino, and she transferred here a few months back. She's the one from the super glue incident in art class."

"I like her." Tucker stated, matter-of-fact. "You have my blessing."

"Well thank you dad, not that I asked." Sam rolled her amethyst eyes, leaning out of frame to fix her eyeliner, using a smaller mirror to help with precision.

"I like her name." Danny added, smiling at the groan it got from Sam, "Besides, anyone who can somehow sneak thirty pounds of super glue into a school is perfect for you in my book."

"She's actually planning to do something similar with pudding in a few weeks actually."

"Nooooooo!" Tucker dragged, pressing a hand to his chest. "Sam you have got to marry this girl, or I will."

"I'm sorry Tuck, but she's not into guys who have already been married to their PDAs." Sam shot back in a heartbeat, pulling a laugh from her friends. Moving back, she turned to the computer. "How'd I look?" Sam had changed some since she left Amity, if only to become more… Sam- that was the best way to explain it. Her short black hair only got shorter, before the left sided became shaved down to spite her parents, a few new piercing decorated her left ear lobe, and a brow piercing rested on her right brow. Her outfit was a simple black tank top, grey shorts, fishnets and an oversize army green jacket over it all, finished off with none other than her favorite pair of chained combat boots.

"Perfect."

"Goth, and intimidating."

"Just what I wanted." Sam grinned, running a hand through her hair.

"So, when do we meet this lucky lady?" Danny laughed at the glare Sam flashed the camera.

"This is our first date." Sam deadpanned, unblinking, already done with her friends shenanigans.

"Dude, that's not the right question." Tucker chastised, tapping the camera. "What you meant was when is the wedding."

"I'm gonna go now." Sam hissed, her camera going black before signing off.

"How much do you want to bet we meet Aino in a week." Tucker laughed along with Danny.

"I bet in three days." Danny grinned, glancing over at the time before sighing. "I have to go on patrol soon."

"Don't fret dude." Tucker sighed. "I've got to finish a last minute robotics paper. It's a pain."

"Good Luck." Danny smiled, before the two bid their goodbyes. With a sigh, the halfa pulled himself out of his computer chair and made his way to his window. Time for another night filled with flying around the town for hours.

It was two in the morning when Danny found himself wandering around the park as Fenton. He did this occasionally when he couldn't sleep even if it served best to try to sleep anyways. By this time the park was often completely deserted so it was interesting to find someone swinging nonchalantly on the swings bathed only in the moonlight... and their own glow.

The shiver that raked down his spine, and puff of soft blue air was enough to confirm this was a spirit. Based on the softness of the glow and the much more human-like skin was also a large indicator that this spirit had yet to fully manifest.

"Hey?" Danny called out softly, making his way over to the swings. His only response was a glance. Danny was able to make out the light pink eyes, and scarred cheek. "Wanna tell me why your here at this time of night in a park?" Danny asked, settling himself next to the spirit.

"Where else will I go?" The ghost asked, kicking his legs softly.

"Maybe to the Zone." Danny offered softly, swinging slightly as well. The confused look he got confirmed his suspicions. "You don't know what that is, do you?"

"Is it like Heaven?" The voice wavered and echoed softly, like it wasn't all there, which matched the ghost's appearance perfectly in an eerie way.

"Not quite. You can make your own little paradise though in the Zone." Danny smiled, looking up to the moon. "A hunter has his own hunting grounds, a scientist his own lab, a singer her own studio, whatever you want. Your imagination is your limit."

"What's your name?" The ghost whispered, staring at their feet.

"Danny, though most ghosts know me as Phantom or the 'Ghost Child'."

"Wait, you're Phantom?!" The spirit looked over shocked. "You aren't as mean as I heard you would be."

"Depends who you talk to." Danny chuckled. "But for the most part, I just try to keep the peace."

"What's your name?" Danny asked after a lull in the conversation.

"Ekon." The ghost, now identified, responded. "I'm not sure how long I've been a ghost if I'm being honest."

"It happens." Danny explained calmly. This ghost used to be a human and it was obviously nervous and unsure- being harsh would do nothing except possibly permanently scar the ghost for the rest of their eternity in the afterlife. "Some ghosts could be dead for years before their consciousness manifests."

"How can I go to the Zone?" Ekon asked suddenly, turning coral pink eyes to Danny.

"Just have to go through a portal." Danny offered a smile. "Lucky for you, I happen to have one in my basement."

"You're a lot nicer then I expected." Ekon spoke, a twinkle in his eyes. "When can you take me?"

Danny paused, running a quick mental check over how he was feeling. He was all caught up on his homework, and he doesn't feel tired…

"I can take you now." The spark of hope that filled the spirits face was worth missing sleep tonight.

Danny needs to stop missing sleep. After so many all-nighters, and the caffeine filled drinks that he often times consumed allowed his body to grow a tolerance against the heavenly beverages, not allowing him to take advantage of their effects anymore. The plus side was he forgot it was a weekend, and was able to sleep an extra two hours before his internal clock woke him. That and the smell of bacon.

"Morning honey, how did you sleep?" Maddie greeted her son with a kiss to the top of his hair, setting down a plate of waffles and bacon in front of him.

"Thanks mom." Danny smiled, just now realizing how hungry he was. That most likely had to do with the hours he spent in ghost form inside the Zone, settling Ekon in and creating an amiable friendship between the new ghost and Klemper. "I slept alright, you?"

"Not very much." Maddie admitted, sipping on a cup of coffee. "Your father's catching up on sleep, but we're one step away from a giant break through."

"Really? What about?" Danny stifled a yawn, popping a piece of bacon into his mouth and dousing a heaping serving of syrup on top of his waffles.

"Your father and I think we narrowed down to the exact component in ectoplasm that give ghosts their abilities." Maddie explained. "If we can separate that component, we could very well apply those abilities to absolutely anything."

"That would explain the ecto-dogs in the fridge." Danny supplied around a mouthful of waffle, pulling a laugh from his mother.

"Swallow first, then speak." Maddie reminded, getting a sheepish smile in response. "And yes, it even opens the possibility of humans being able to use such abilities."

"What-" Danny choked, coughing slightly before continuing. "Wouldn't that turn them into a ghost?"

"Not quite." Maddie shook her head, pausing slightly to put her thoughts in order. "The healing factors found in these specters can do wonders in medical advancement if we can place the exact component."

"Ah..." Danny trailed, eyes trained on his half eaten waffles. His mind mulling over the information he learned and wondering if it was a threat or not.

"Well, I'm off to join your dad in his nap." Maddie stood, dropping her mug in the sink. She continued after dropping another peck on her son. "I left a bit of cash on the coffee table in case you plan on going out."

"Sleep well mom, love you." Danny waited until he heard the faint 'I love you' before standing to leave. He did plan to meet with Sam Winchester at the nasty burger in a few hours. It didn't mean he had to stay in his house until then- he could walk around Amity for a bit before making his way over.

"Hey Sam." Danny greeted with a smile, sliding into the booth across from the taller teen. "Sorry I'm late, my dad dragged me into one of his experiments." Danny offered an apologetic smile. In reality Danny felt bad for lying to Sam, on his way there he was stopped by Cujo who was dragging around a scared Ghostwriter. That had been quite a chase.

"You're good, I actually hadn't noticed." Sam returned with a sheepish smile, closing his laptop.

"What's the distraction this time?" Danny asked, settling in his seat and stealing a fry from Sam's tray.

"Creative writing." Sam sighed, laying a hand on top of his computer. "Mr. Leedee comes back from leave tomorrow, and I complete forgot about his project. Given we are just coming up with an idea list, we get partners tomorrow."

"Ouch, projects are never fun. Throwing in partners? That just makes it worse." Danny responded. "What's the topic?"

"We're supposed to write a story based on a fable, or fairy-tale, or urban legend we know about."

"That shouldn't be too hard. There's tons to choose from." Danny offered, receiving a sheepish smile back.

"That's the point, there are so many." Danny couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him.

"What are your choices?" Danny asked, accepting the laptop as it was slid over to him. The raven haired teen's eyebrows furrowed at the list; the Winchester had only listened one fairy-tale while the rest seemed to be urban legends. "I'd say Hansel and Gretel. Less morbid then the rest." Danny deduced, sliding the laptop close.

"Well, let's hope my partner is fine with that." Sam offered back, before relaxing. A small silence passed between the two, the two teens taking in the food before them before conversation rose again. "Anything new?"

"Not really, I'm still waiting to hear about Sam's date with Aino."

"Sam had a date?" The youngest Winchester looked shocked.

"I didn't tell you?!"

"I never thought Sam would find someone to date in high school, especially with how you described her- nothing against her though anyways."

"Honestly, neither did Tuck and I." Danny laughed along with Sam, happy to see his new friend take an interest in his best friends. "So get this, Aino was the girl from this incident..."

Fireworks

@softseeds I meant to post this yesterday, but between homework and work I never got the chance to finish it :( So here’s a birthday themed, belated-birthday present! It’s... longer than I intended. Sorry! Something was seriously wrong with her.

Joanna sat on the step of a park gazebo, the muffled sound of voices carrying over from the building her parents had rented for her sixteenth birthday. The party was in full swing, music and laughter blaring from the open windows. It seemed like everyone was having a good time. 

She stared at the building for a moment longer, feeling slightly guilty she’d snuck away when her parents had gone through the effort of putting all of this together for her sake. The event was supposed to be a surprise and her parents had actually managed to hide everything from her. From the decorations, to finding a DJ, to inviting all her friends and family… including Camden Mitchell.

She’d had a crush on him for years. With honey-blonde hair, soft brown eyes, and a kind smile it was impossible not to like him. Well, impossible unless you were Jacob Seed. But Jacob didn’t really like anyone, so she ignored most of his grumblings. She and Camden were on the school debate team together, and had chatted occasionally after meetings, but that was the extent of their interaction. She had thought that the crush was strictly one sided, that there was no way he’d single her out when every girl with a pair of eyes was fawning over him. But apparently he had a crush on her too, because he’d just kissed her behind the DJ booth and it was… wrong.

Heaving a sigh Joanna let herself fall back on the gazebo floor, staring up at the ceiling. She thought briefly on the kiss and frowned. As far as first kisses go, it could have been worse. It wasn’t that Camden was a bad kisser, it just wasn’t what she was expecting. There were no fireworks. And there were supposed to be fireworks.

At least, that’s what every magazine she’d ever read and all of her girl friends had told her. And she trusted their experience over her inexperience. But no, instead of feeling the passionate sparks of a first kiss, all Joanna could focus on was how dry and chapped his lips were, wondering if it would end soon. That’s not the reaction she was supposed to have to her first kiss. 

So, the only logical explanation was that something was wrong with her. Seriously wrong. She thought to herself, letting out another frustrated groan, and flinging her arm over her eyes. Because not only had she felt nothing, but when he finally stepped away from her, she’d mumbled a stilted “Thank you,” before shuffling around him and out the back door. There was no way she could go back inside now- she was mortified. Luckily the night had been warmed significantly by the summer heat, because she was going to have to live out here now.

She’d never be able to look Camden in the eye ever again. And she was definitely going to have to quit the debate team, there’s no way she could deal with seeing him there every day. Did he take the same route to school as her? She briefly remembered seeing him on her street one day, but that could have been someone else. Joanna dragged her hands agonizingly over her face, muffling yet another groan as they reached her mouth.

“Too much cake?” Joanna shot upright, embarrassment flaring up the back of her neck when she briefly thought Camden had come to check on her. But her eyes clapped on Jacob’s familiar copper locks and the knot in her stomach relaxed. He walked towards her, hands shoved deep in his pockets and a small smirk on his lips. Joanna forced a smile.

“No. I haven’t eaten yet, actually,” she replied. He arched a brow at her.

“You sick? I’ve never known you to turn down cake,” he asked, leaning against the side of the gazebo when he was close enough. Joanna shook her head, fingers drawing absent patterns on the floor.

“No, I just-” she stopped herself short, blue eyes darting up to meet his. Jacob had never liked Camden, he’d told her multiple times. If she told him about the kiss, and that that was the reason she was out here and not at her birthday party, he’d be pissed. She couldn’t tell him, no matter how badly she wanted to spill her guts. 

“I needed some air. It was getting too crowded in there,” she lied coolly. He observed her silently for a moment before moving next to her, jerking his chin to tell her to scoot over. She obliged and he sat next to her, shoulders brushing and sending a familiar wave comfort washing over her at the contact. 

“Did you bring John and Joseph?” she asked him, looking around for the younger Seed’s and hoping to quickly change the subject. Jacob nodded, looking over towards the building behind them. 

“They’re inside, probably eating more than they ever thought physically possible. Your Mom’s a food pusher,” he told her with a smirk, making her laugh. He wasn’t wrong. The first time he ever came to her house her mother had all but forced a three-course meal on him, and then invited him back for dinner that weekend. Joanna didn’t think he’d come back, but he’d showed up with his brothers in tow, and her mother practically wept with happiness. 

“Then I heard the moaning of some dying animal, so I came to put the poor thing out of its misery. But lo and behold,” He looked over at her with a smirk and she rolled her eyes. Jacob laughed, a sharp gust of air through his nose. “I came over here when I saw you. Figured something must have been wrong,” he amended lightly, and she could feel his eyes on her face, gauging her reaction. He knew her too well. Joanna hummed in response, hugging her knees and looking up at the star filled sky. 

“I’m fine. Just didn’t feel like having a heat stroke today. It’s hot in there.” 

“It’s hot out here,” he countered. He was right, it was hot and the air was thick and sticky with humidity. But then again, they were in Georgia. It’s not like the heat was new.  Joanna shrugged, deciding not to answer, looking at the sky once more. They sat that way for a while, looking at the stars and talking. Then Joanna rested her head on Jacob’s shoulder and they were quiet for a while, just sitting in each other’s company. 

“I got you something,” he told her suddenly, shifting to reach into his back pocket. Joanna smiled, surprised. 

“You didn’t have to get me anything,” she told him sincerely, to which he only rolled his eyes and gestured for her to hold out her hands. She held them out, palms up, watching curiously as Jacob reached over and let something drop from his closed fist. Joanna gasped softly at the feel of cool metal hitting her skin. He hadn’t bothered wrapping it, whatever it was. Although, she was already shocked that he’d gotten her anything in the first place, so she shouldn’t have been surprised. She looked down as he moved his hand away and her heart skipped a beat.

A silver chain dangled over her fingers, and a small charm almost as big her thumb sat snugly in her palm. A pair of cherries inlaid with two small rubies. It was no secret Joanna had a minor obsession, she had a patch sewn into her denim jacket of two large cherries that she wore proudly, and she lost count of the small trinkets she’d bought that decorated her room. This was the perfect gift.

Joanna passed a finger over the rubies reverently. They were plastic, she could see the hot glue behind them. Altogether the necklace probably hadn’t cost more than five dollars, but she knew how much every penny meant to him. He was trying to save up for a car. To get away from everything. It was hard, though, when his father took almost everything that his son had earned and drank it all away. This may very well have been most of Jacob’s savings that week.

Joanna stared at him, wide eyed. Jacob cleared his throat, watching her apprehensively, his blue eyes shining almost silver in the moonlight.

“I know, it’s not much. But, I saw it and I thought of you, so I just,” he trailed off, waving a hand towards the necklace still dangling between her fingers. She glanced down at the plastic cherries still in her hand and then back at his face, brows furrowed. Jacob shifted, raking his fingers through his hair with a huff, “Shit, Jo, if you don’t want it I’ll just take it back-”

Without a word or second thought Joanna leaned forward, placed her hands on either side of his face, and kissed him. She felt it, then. What her friends and the magazines were talking about.  

Fireworks. 

They exploded in her stomach, shooting up to make her heart race and her brain go fuzzy. Her blood raced through her veins, sending a pleasant tingling through her body from head to toe like sparklers on the Fourth of July. 

Eventually the feeling began to fade, replaced by an overwhelming sense of panic as what she’d just done finally set in, and she realized he wasn’t kissing her back. She pulled away, though she was still close enough that his breath puffed gently against her lips.

“Thank you,” she told him earnestly. Avoiding his gaze Joanna pretended to admire the necklace he’d given her, fiddling with the clasp and tying it around her neck.

“Come on, we should go inside. If my parents find out you’re here and you haven’t eaten they’ll kill me,” she joked, forcing herself to laugh when all she wanted to do was scream and run for the hills. She stood up, still avoiding eye-contact with him, and started walking back towards the party behind them. Her face felt like it was on fire, but her lips tingled pleasantly and she had to bite back a smile. 

When he made no move to follow she briefly thought Jacob was going to stay outside, but after another minute of silence she heard his footsteps trailing after her. As she approached the building and opened the door, music blaring into the night, two thoughts crossed her mind:

She may have just crossed a line with her best friend, and she seriously needed to stop thanking people for kissing her.

RotTMNT Fic: Dating... With Children - Chapter One

(Also on AO3 if you want to leave a kudos/comment over there)

Plot:  Benjamin Draxum hardly considered himself a man of high social standing. Not because he was uncouth or unworthy of it, mind you, but simply because he didn't have much of a social life. Hard to have one when he usually spent his days at work, cooped up in a lab for so long that he often had his lunches in there, and his nights at home reading or doing research for more personal projects. But perhaps meeting handsome semi-retired movie star - as well as his four young sons - could change all that...

((Human AU time! Another idea I’ve had for a while, heh.  Originally this was going to just be a oneshot, but after thinking about the idea for so long, I decided I liked it enough to turn it into a sort of series. I'm not sure when the next drabble for this universe will come out, but I hope you all enjoy the beginning of it! ^v^ Also the title of this story is meant to sorta be a reference to the show "Married... With Children". I figured it would fit since I see this fic having just a bit of a sitcom feel to it, lol.))

Benjamin Draxum hardly considered himself a man of high social standing. Not because he was uncouth or unworthy of it, mind you, but simply because he didn't have much of a social life. Hard to have one when he usually spent his days at work, cooped up in a lab for so long that he often had his lunches in there, and his nights at home reading or doing research for more personal projects.

The only real interactions he had were with his slightly-incompetent interns and with the occasional opponent whenever he decided to participate in amateur MMA fighting at a small ring downtown. (It was amazing how great legally punching a man’s face out could make you feel after a day of little to no success with your experiments that day.) But, perhaps that was why his benefactor for his research - a title he was still sure she only held just so she could annoy him - invited him to be her plus one for the latest art gallery opening plus charity auction. Hmph, nothing more than an excuse to dress up and flaunt money, in his opinion.

“You need to get out more, Draxy~” She had told him on the phone, just one day before the event, “Let the fresh air flow through your hair and actually smile for once in your life!”

“I get out plenty,” he had argued, “And I doubt that there will be much to make me smile at an event like this.”

“You never know! One doesn't go to these events just go stare at the art, after all~” She giggled, easily reminding Draxum of a witch or a demon. “Besides, if you don't go, I’ll cut your funding down to a third of what it is now for the next quarter.”

“...You're a wicked woman, Arachna, I hope you know that.”

“Of course I do~ I’ll see you tomorrow night, Draxy!”

Draxum had slammed the phone down after that, too annoyed to even focus on his work for the next half hour or so. He cursed that woman, and silently hoped she went bankrupt one day, hardly caring how it would affect him.

But, unfortunately for him, a sudden stock market crash never happened, and he had been forced to leave work early the next day to insure that he wouldn't be late. Once home, he ate a quick supper of leftovers and put on the suit that he wore to practically all events when black tie wasn't required - a dark teal jacket and dress pants with a light blue shirt underneath and a gold colored tie bringing the look together. He also spent nearly twenty minutes braiding his auburn hair, figuring that Big Mama would complain if he kept it in a simple low ponytail.

After all that, he had driven over to the gallery, given his keys over to the valet, picked out a spot outside the building, and waited. ...And waited. ...And waited, until nearly half an hour had passed. Needless to say, if he hadn't been aggravated before, he sure was now.

Of course, because the universe loved to toy with him, the familiar gaudy purple limo finally drove up to the gallery just before Draxum had finally given up on his ‘date’ (ugh) making her appearance - and just before he could try and make an escape.

Morganna “Big Mama” Arachna stepped out of her limo, her red-framed glasses gleaming in the lights of the city as she grinned back at Draxum. “Hope I didn't keep you waiting too long, dearie!” Draxum just glared back at her, his arms crossed. Mama simply ignored her date’s pouting and looped one of her thin arms around one of his buff ones. “Let’s go in, then, I'm sure the paparazzo are already wondering where I could be~” she told him as she lead them inside, her security team right behind her.

That had been nearly two hours ago. In that time, Big Mama had quickly abandoned him, instead choosing to gossip with a fellow old-money heiress. She did however station one of her security team right by the door, once again foiling Draxum’s attempts at heading home early. So, with a sigh, Draxum did his best to ‘enjoy’ himself.

This consisted of picking at whatever small snacks he had decided to try from the refreshments table, browsing at the art that he had no intentions of buying, going upstairs to briefly look at MORE art he had no intentions of buying, and finally finding a small spot in the corner of the museum where he could read the latest science-journal articles that he had downloaded onto his phone.

“What a waste of a night,” he mumbled as he read through the last article, “Ugh, at least she didn't insist on keeping me company all night.” Now THAT would've been torture. “Surely two hours is enough… Though, knowing her she'd make me stay until the last painting is sold…” He then gave a thoughtful hum. “I wonder if there's a back exit somewhere…”

“Why are you talking to yourself?”

Draxum blinked, looking up from his phone, only to see no one there. The feel of a tiny hand tugging on his pants brought his gaze back down to the floor, where a young boy stood. He was dark-skinned with bright eyes and curly hair that had been somewhat tied into a bun. The boy wore a bright orange and yellow kimono, the edges of the sleeves littered with small, faded stains. Spotting the half-eaten cookie in his hand, Draxum could easily guess what the stains were from.

After taking a small step back, Draxum replied with, “I was just thinking out loud.”

“Oh yeah, my brother does that sometimes too,” the boy nodded, understanding. Judging by his voice and speech, Draxum could guess that the child was at least five years old. Though, with how small the boy was, he wouldn't have blamed anyone for guessing that he was only three instead. “I like your hair!” He then said with a smile, “It's long an’ pretty!”

“Yes, I've noticed,” Draxum nodded, his attention already back on his phone. But as he switched from his ‘Books’ app to social media, he still felt the stare of tiny eyes on him. “...Was there anything else you needed?” He asked the boy, allowing himself to scowl slightly in the hopes of scaring the boy off without completely bringing him to tears. The last thing he needed tonight was a crying child.

But the boy didn't cry, nor did he leave. He just shrugged, and sat down next to Draxum as he finished off the dessert in his hand.

Draxum’s scowl deepened, annoyed at feeling obligated to stay now. If he tried to leave, the boy would probably try to follow him out, or at the very least try to make him stay. Would probably start to make a scene too, ugh… Whatever this kid wanted from him, Draxum wanted it taken care of right then and there.

“Was there something you needed?” He asked again, “Or did you just want to say hi?”

“Just wanted to say hi,” the boy replied quickly, “And go know why you were talking to yourself. But now I know.”

“Yes, you do. And you've also said hello.” The boy nodded, but still didn't move to get up from his spot. Draxum held back a frustrated growl. Alright, plan B then. After all, there was no way this child came to the museum by himself. “Why don't you go and find your mother,” he encouraged, “I'm sure she's-”

“I don't have a mom.”

“Fine, your father, then. Or nanny or-”

The boy nodded again. “Yeah, Papa’s somewhere downstairs I think. My brothers wanted more snacks, but I wanted to look at the art and talk to people.”

“Well, I think you should go find him now,” Draxum told him, “I'm sure he's wondering where you are, and we wouldn't want to worry him now, would we?”

The boy thought for a moment before shaking his head. “No, I don't wanna make him worried.” He stood up and brushed the crumbs off his hands before looking back up at the man next to him. “You wanna help me find him?”

“Fine,” Draxum reluctantly agreed, suspecting that the child wouldn't take no for an answer, “But let's be quick about it, alright? No dawdling. We’ll just find your father and get you back to him, understand?” The boy grinned, and before Draxum even knew what was happening, he was jumping at him!

Despite being startled, Draxum still managed to catch him, and glared at the sneaky child when he settled into his arms. He opened his mouth to argue, but ended up giving a sigh instead, surrendering. If carrying him would get the kid out of his hair faster, so be it.

Remembering what he told him, Draxum headed down the stairs with the orange-dressed boy in tow. From the top, he couldn't see any families nor panicking fathers at the snack table, indicating that the boy’s family was probably already looking for him. ...Which would make finding them that much harder. Of course.

“See anyone familiar yet?” Draxum asked as they reached the bottom of the stairs. The boy looked around, a small frown on his face as he shook his head. Suddenly, a loud laugh caught both their attention.

“She's got pretty hair too,” the boy commented quietly as he stared at the woman in purple with shiny, silver locks of hair who was happily putting on a charming show for the press.

Draxum rolled his eyes, turning away from Big Mama before he could see her, knowing he'd never live it down if she saw him in this sort of situation. “Yeah, and she's got a big mouth too…” he mumbled.

They walked around for a couple minutes, keeping their eyes and ears open, until finally Draxum heard a voice - deep with a hint of a Japanese accent - rise above the rest, even at a distance. “Excuse me, have you seen a five year old wandering around here? He's wearing orange, and has curly black hair?”

After taking a moment to listen, Draxum figured out that the voice was coming from just up ahead, near the restrooms. Sure enough, as he rushed over there, he quickly spotted a tall (and if Draxum was being honest, handsome) man in a baby blue suit and red tie, with yellow tinted glasses to complete his ‘look’. Beside him were three children varying in height, all with dark skin and black hair. On the man’s right was a boy in a blue and yellow kimono with pale vitiligo patches around his eyes, and on his left were his other two children. One was about the size of the boy in blue, wearing a purple suit with a worn backpack and glasses. The other boy was dressed in a red suit, and was at least a foot taller than his brothers.

Yes, this has to be them. “Excuse me,” Draxum said, raising his own voice as he increased his pace, “Is this-?”

“Papa!” The boy in orange grinned and leapt right out of Draxum’s arms. He would've been lying if he said he didn't gasp at the action, a small part of him worried about the child injuring himself. But the man didn't even flinch, and instead stepped forward and caught his son with ease, as if the boy did this sort of thing all the time.

“ There you are, Mikey!” The man sighed in relief, hugging his son tightly. The rest of his sons looked up at them with smiles, just as happy as their father was to see their brother back safely. “Michael, what have we told you about running off like that?”

Mikey pouted a bit, nuzzling into the crook of his father’s neck. “But I didn't leave the building this time. I just wanted to go see the art an’ see more people.”

“And we can still go look at the art, together as a family,” the man told him before making his tone a bit more stern, “But please promise me no more running off, otherwise we will go home, alright?”

“Kay…” “Thank you.” Unable to stay too mad at his son, the man gave him a quick kiss on the forehead, instantly putting a smile back on Mikey’s face. With that situation taken care of, he turned his attention back to Draxum. “And thank you for finding him.”

“Well, it was more like he found me but, you're welcome,” Draxum nodded. Now that he was closer to him, Draxum could see more of the man’s features. His strong chin and smile, his bright slightly-mischievous eyes that were undeterred by any wrinkles that might have surrounded them, and the small streaks of grey in the man’s dark hair, making him look rather distinguished instead of just middle-aged. Yes, the man was certainly handsome, Draxum could admit, and… Sort of familiar.

Not wanting to seem like he was staring, Draxum glanced away as he continued. “It helps that this gallery isn't one of the bigger ones in New York, just one of the more exclusive ones.”

The man chuckled, setting Mikey down so he could talk with his brothers - the one in red already taking his hand so he couldn't run off again. “Tell me about it. But, unfortunately, I don't think space matters much to a child. You give them a second, and they'll run off in the blink of an eye.”

“Seems like you've got your hands full,” Draxum commented. The man nodded, letting just a bit of fatigue slip into his expression, though it did nothing to cancel out his happiness.

“What can I say?” He shrugged, “‘Having your hands full’ is pretty much a father’s job description. But, it's the job I want so, what can you do?” A bit sappy, maybe, but Draxum still found himself smiling back at the man, just a little. “Anyway, thank you again for your help.” He held out his hand. “Name’s Lou, by the way.”

“Lou…” Draxum repeated as he extended his own hand, and as they shook, it came to him. “Wait, are- Are you Lou Jitsu?”

Lou smirked, his glasses gleaming slightly as he tilted his head. “You know, I wondered if anyone would recognize me tonight. You a fan?”

“Hardly,” Draxum smirked back, “As far as I'm concerned, most of your movies are too cheesy even for ironic enjoyment. Though, the action scenes are usually the most impressive parts.” He had seen the man’s skills in other forms too, like in demonstrations or on talk show segments on tv a few years ago. He certainly wasn't the best actor, but the man certainly knew how to fight. (Had strong muscles and a pretty decent figure too, if Draxum remembered correctly.)

Choosing to focus on the positive part, Lou laughed again. “Yeah well, that's what happens when you do your own stunts. Much more of an impressive show~” Once they finally released each other’s hand, Lou crossed his arms, striking a bit of a subtle pose. “So, what can I call you?”

“Draxum,” he replied simply, “Dr. Draxum.”

“Well-” “Wait!” The two men glanced down at the boy in purple now staring up at them. “Did you say doctor?” He asked, “Have you ever cut someone open?”

“Donnie!” His red brother whispered, giving him a small nudge.

“What, Raph? That's what doctors do!” Donnie scowled back, “It's how they fixed Leo’s arm when he broke it.”

The boy in blue leaned over and quickly argued, “It was that tree that broke my arm, Donnie, not me! Would’a made it to the top if it wasn't for the branch!” Donnie just rolled his eyes while Mikey giggled at his older brothers’ antics.

“I'm afraid I'm not that kind of doctor,” Draxum answered, “I'm more of a scientist, actually. I study genetics and biochemistry with a bit of biology mixed in.” Realizing this might have been a bit too complex for a child, he added, “I try to figure out what makes people and other things the way they are, as well as how to possibly improve them. But no, no cutting people open for me.”

However, Donnie was hardly disappointed. If anything, he looked MORE excited and impressed. “Well, looks like you've earned yourself a fan, doctor,” Lou said, clearly amused.

Draxum gave a small chuckle. “I suppose so.” As annoying as children could be, he could admit that these boys were sort of endearing, in a way.

But even charming children could still be impatient and insistent, especially younger ones, “Can we go see the art now, Papa?” Mikey asked, already trying to pull away from his oldest brother’s grip and run off once again.

Lou nodded. “Yes yes, Mikey, we will go see the art.” The boys each gave a small cheer, eager to finally get going again after such a long and worrying delay. Knowing his good deed for the night was done, Draxum began to back away when a small hand grabbed onto him once more.

“You can come see the art too, Dr. Draxum!” Mikey insisted, “We can all see it together!”

Draxum hesitated. “Well, I-”

“Yeah, come on!” Raph agreed, the twins nodding along with him.

“You can keep talking to Dad about grown up stuff,” Leo offered.

“And you can talk to US about science stuff!” Donnie added.

“Yeah!” Mikey grinned, “It’ll be fun, right?” “Really fun!” “Super fun-!”

“Alright boys, settle down.” Lou took a moment to gently pull them all back before looking back up at Draxum, his slightly-cocky smile a bit softer now. More inviting, though not insistent, letting him know that he wouldn't be forced to stay if he didn't want to. Draxum definitely appreciated that. “Well, what do you say, Doc? Do you feel like putting up with us for a bit longer?”

Draxum looked at the family, and then at the front door. Sure enough, one of Big Mama’s guards were still there, causing him to still feel a twinge of annoyance despite his change of mood. He really did feel like heading home and curling into silent solitude with an old science fiction novel he had been meaning to finish for some time now.

...But, if he HAD to stay there, he knew for a fact that there was much worse and much more annoying company he could have… Turning back around, he allowed himself to give Lou a small smile in return as he gave his answer. “I guess I could accompany you all for another hour or so.”

The kids cheered again while Lou just grinned. “Well then, what are we waiting for?” And just like that, Draxum was led back upstairs, making sure to take small steps on the way, lest he trip over any tiny humans as he walked. He also felt a hand - one much bigger than a child’s - brush past his, just for a moment... He tried not to think about it too much.

Instead he focused on the art, and the idle chatter of the children that now surrounded him. They’d ask him questions occasionally, about the paintings or about his line of work as a scientist (Donnie especially focused on the latter). Naturally, he answered the questions as best he could, not minding them after a while. It helped that Lou also remained interested in the conversation, offering his own comments and answers and even questions.

True, the semi-retired action film star wasn’t much of an artisan - in fact, Draxum was starting to wonder how he managed to get an invite to this event in the first place - but at least he was enjoyable to listen and talk to. A bit over the top, yes, but not yet obnoxious and instead settling around entertaining.

They jumped from topic to topic as they went around the exhibit, and even when there was a pause, it was a comfortable sort of silence. They stayed to watch the auction for a bit, but after Raph tried to bid on a stylized painting of various reptiles and his brothers started getting bored, Lou and Draxum decided it was time to call it a night. While he knew he didn’t need to, Draxum still stayed just long enough to walk the family of five outside to the valet.

The kids said their goodbyes (with Mikey even giving Draxum’s legs a quick hug) before racing to the car, leaving the two men alone. Not one for awkward goodbyes, Draxum simply gave Lou a small nod before sticking his hand out

Lou stared at it for a moment, and then produced a pen so fast that Draxum almost thought he pulled it out of thin air, and took the other man’s hand before he could pull it back. Draxum raised an eyebrow. “What, repaying me with an autograph?” he asked, holding back a smirk.

“Nope. Something even better.” Not bothering to explain any more, Lou wrote down what he needed to before turning on his heel and walking to his car. Draxum looked at his palm, and-

“...Seriously?” Draxum said flatly, eyes going from the phone number in his hand to Lou, who just gave him a wink before ducking into the car and driving away. Draxum scoffed, shaking his head. Honestly, what was this, some cheesy 80s rom-com? “...Guess I should’ve suspected that from a movie star...”

He stared at the numbers in his hand, memorizing them within a few seconds but only putting his hand down when he heard sharp footsteps coming up behind him. “Well well~ I didn’t see you bidding, but it looks like you’re still taking home a sweet souvenir, hm?”

“And here I thought you had abandoned me for the night,” Draxum replied, “But it looks like I wasn’t that lucky.”

“Oh, I think you were VERY lucky~” Big Mama giggled, “Don’t think I didn’t see all of you. He certainly was a looker, and those babies of his were abso-tivitilly adorable~!”

Draxum glared at her, but Big Mama didn’t even flinch. “What, am I wrong?” He said nothing, and began walking as soon as he saw his own car pull up.

“I’ll see you at the next budget negotiations, and I expect to see all of my funds accounted for until then, Arachna.”

“But of course! I’m a woman of my word,” Mama assured, “Oh, and don’t you worry that pretty, silly head of yours, Draxy. If I invite you to any more evenings out, I’ll be sure to check the guest list ahead of time.”

“I’d rather you promise to never speak to me again.” Again, his words just bounced off the heiress, for both of them knew who really had the power in their business arrangement, and she just waved as he drove off. But, for once, Draxum didn’t let his annoyance towards the woman ruin his night.

...Instead, he remained annoyed at the part of him that actually wouldn’t mind a couple more evenings with a certain someone. The part of him that kept thinking about the numbers in his hand, and the bright smile that refused to leave his mind...

hello all, admin c with you again to introduce you to my first and foremost og muse here at daegu and my sweet but equally spicy dork yoo aurora, better known as rory, your local florist and aspiring business owner hbic !! below the cut you can find out a few basics about her and her background, just hit the like on this and i will eventually i promise get round to messaging you for plotting as well !! let’s get it chief :  

PAST:

aurora comes from a very well off and established family, her father is the owner of a big business trading company in japan and america, as well as some other locations overseas. her mother on the other hand, had dreams of becoming an architect that were assured to crumble after falling for aurora’s father, she was forced to throw those away in order to be his chairwoman and do her bit in further heightening his career. 

the family history is tormented for sure but rory was always taught to believe that it’s just the typical rich people chaos and way of life so she shouldn’t complain or behave in a hard done by manner. 

when she turned seventeen, the big family secret came out that her father had an affair with one of her fellow students who she considered a close friend, the girl was around twenty four. but her mother and father decided to keep the secret buried in the agreement that it would be best for and protect the family, or more so their reputation, the most. 

they stayed married despite the scandal, in a bid mostly to keep the news from going big in the media and ruining everything rory’s father had built for himself and established. 

aurora was taught to be quiet and obedient, she was not meant to have big dreams of her own and was expected to wait patiently to have a part in the family business after her brother ( @hirofm​ ) became successor given training from her father. romance was off the table and so was being a reckless teenager, she would consider potential suitors only that her father introduced her to from big name families with lots of money and investment in his company. 

this didn’t sit well with her, especially since she felt she was being forced to mirror her mothers misfortunes. the family dynamic became tense, aurora not being able to simply move on and forgive her father like her mother had done and give in to his every demand or instruction. she moved out rather young and began to live alone, making the journey from their life of luxury in america to a life on the streets in korea. 

her father was enraged and cut off her access to the family fortune, her mother offered no help to rory after her depature as it soon was followed by suffering the loss of her late mother whom she had felt was the only one who could keep her surviving rory’s fathers cold and calculated world. 

it didn’t help that hiro eventually followed in her footsteps not wanting to inherit his father’s lifestyle and fleeing. finding a love for art instead and being inspired by his sisters bold move, he set out to look for her and pursue his goals elsewhere, undisturbed by his fathers control. 

PRESENT: 

aurora works three jobs, her main one being in a flower shop that she set up herself with help from two close friends, though she often is working there herself and accomplishing every task,  her position is manager. she also works the night shift at a bistro and when she can will man the information desk at the local art museum. she also works in her spare time for a little extra income when the opportunity arises in the local library, which she considers her safe haven. 

the main reason aurora is such a workaholic is due to her fierce independence and need to show she is a capable woman but also because since being disowned from her family, she struggles to get by day by day on a good income to keep herself living comfortably. after experiencing poverty on the streets for a good portion of her teenage life she is still in the mindset of never resting to ensure she has a comfortable living. much of her nature is still a survival of the fittest in a man eat man world mindset. 

she’s opening up her own fashion boutique soon as her next big project as owner and manager once again, after studying hard online and in the occasional night class for a few years to get a degree in fashion design. something she’s always been very interested in. now hiro has located her, she’s also hoping to buy out a nice space for him to have as a studio which he can use for leisure but also make profit out of. 

she’s become very business savvy, it’s always been instinctual to her and in her blood, think fallon carrington in dynasty ( the cw reboot ) as a major source of her inspiration as a character and lucy liu’s character in the film set it up. 

some people believe her to be vain and materialistic because rory can appear quite the bitch due to the fact she’s so stubborn minded and arrogant about the independence she fought hard to establish. despite her harsh circumstances she never let it stop her from appearing to be the boss bitch she is on the inside or the outside either and so a lot of her habits from her old and more well off lifestyle lingered in terms of self confidence and appearing quite the babydoll aesthete. 

she really isn’t a bitch in the slightest, she does have a firm and strict outlook and a get shit done attitude and approach to most things in life but if you get close to her then she will consider you found family and savagely go to no ends to protect you and offer you the best she can do.

despite her busy lifestyle aurora is a nurturing friend who often makes time to socialize and be there in times of need. her favorite hangout spots for some downtime tend to be fancy cafes, botanical gardens and art exhibitions. she’s also one for chilling at home with wine and a cheeseboard, literally her kryptonite. this girl is also loyal to a fault, like she will stand by you no matter what, even if she got pissed and distanced herself a little. she’d still come running any time you called her in a crisis. 

SOME HEADCANONS: 

if you can’t find her, chances are she’s in the local library or a music studio room somewhere practicing piano to calm herself, these particular places she’s especially prone to when she has high anxiety. she’s a very talented pianist as well, it was something, one thing, her dad actually longed for her to pursue a career in part time. 

has a roommate in her apartment since she thought it important especially due to the fact she gets less social time due to all her working, this is a potential plot connection so do feel free to snatch it up. she’s rather close with them and quite the mom friend over them. 

she owns a tonkinese cat and a singapura kitten named kimura and romi respectively and they are the lights of her life, she’s a very loving cat mom and the two animals are adopted from a shelter, having been nursed back to interactive and excitable cats from less fortunate and painful upbringings so she is a rather proud cat lady indeed. 

since growing steadily but surely with her stakes in the business world and owning more of her own companies, she hopes to buy out her father and take over from him someday to watch his oh so precious material world burn down around him and leave him with nothing, the same way he did to her and hiro. but she also hopes to do this so that when she takes over she can run the company better and treat the employees with the respect they deserve after her fathers cruel treatment. 

“Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.” Norman Cousins

 Chapter 1

            I stared out the window soaking up the majestic beauty of tall fir trees lining the old road.  The Great Northwest Country provided shade from the mid-afternoon sunlight, blaring down from an unusually cloudless sky. A thick scent of pine filled the car, a smell usually noticed at Christmas time.

           Douglas fir trees. The thought made me smile. It reminded me of watching Twin Peaks with my husband, before things went wrong. I’d been too young to watch the show when it first came out so we caught it just before the new series dropped on Showtime. I’d been taken with the charm, especially after growing up in Washington state.

           Agent Cooper drove down a similar road in the show, heading to an imaginary town to solve a murder. He’d been drawn in by the natural beauty of the area, speaking into his tape recorder to remind himself to ask what they called the trees. I wished I had the same enthusiasm for my surroundings.

           I honestly believed I’d reached the end of my story before it all came crashing down. Married to someone who seemed wonderful. I had just held a fantastic job with people I enjoyed working with. The next stage sat at the horizon, having kids but fortunately, we didn’t quite get there.

           Henry, his friends called him Hank (or Shank during parties with drinking), couldn’t keep his eyes from wandering. I didn’t consider myself perfect by any stretch of the imagination but I never cheated on him. The thought of being with another man hadn’t crossed my mind. Our wedding vows meant something to me, even if he forgot them.

           Hank claimed he still loved me, even the day after I caught him screwing a girl fresh out of high school. He told me how much he cared about me in the same breath he confessed having an affair with  seven different women this past year. When I asked him why he did it, his shocked expression made me laugh despite the situation.

           “They did things you wouldn’t,” Hank replied.

           I had to weigh how much I wanted the gritty details of his wrongdoings against a need to know how I’d failed as a wife. Since the first stage of separation for me involved taking the blame. I didn’t know where this wrong-turn in my life came from. My mother certainly didn’t seem like the type of woman to accept responsibility for something like that.

           It happened all the same.

           “Sexual things?” I asked but immediately shook my head. “No, I don’t want details. I don’t want to know. But you could’ve told me about your fetishes before we took those vows. You could’ve asked some frank questions. Let me know what you wanted to keep satisfied before we joined our lives!”

           Hank didn’t have an answer for me. He just said he still loved me and wanted to make it work. But I didn’t possess enough denial of reality to fall back in his arms. On the contrary, my fighting nature made me stubborn and far more harsh than was probably necessary.

           He deserved it. My thought turned into a mantra, using it whenever I felt soft hearted about the process of the divorce. I seemed to be at loose ends. Where to live, furniture, career, family.  All of it seemed so stable, then suddenly swept away. Hank’s shady activities ruined it all, and starting over from scratch made my head spin.

           So I decided to put things off by visiting my father. I couldn’t call it going home because dad sold the place I grew up in. Ivan Peterson, the best selling horror novelist, no longer lived among the rank and file in some normal neighborhood. No, his work had done very well.

           Two of his short stories were chosen for some terrifying films. Not a big success with the critics but the producers paid dad a fortune for the rights. The result of his success meant he bought a house on Lake Cavanaugh for just under one million. I visited during the house warming and couldn’t believe the step-up in wealth.

           A tiny dock went right into the water from his private part of the beach. The house, a five bedroom oversized cottage, was built with that sort of Northwestern warmth typically reserved for log cabins out in the middle of nowhere. The chimney stonework was modern.  A warm heat always radiated from the heavy steel stove, wood logs stayed piled high.

           This was exactly like what I needed. A chance to recover from the blows life being thrown my way.

           We lost mother several years earlier. Dad stayed quiet about how it happened but she was buried just after I finished nursing school. That had been a rough time, especially when dad started acting more strange about the situation. I had to contact the police to find Mother’s cause of death.

           Which explained why dad didn’t want to talk about it. I knew I could be insensitive at times. During my evaluations as a nurse, it proved to be the biggest criticism. The fact I’d been so blind about how my dad dealt with mom’s death frustrated me. I’d hoped to have been far more observant, especially given my original career plan.

           Long before I diverted my attention to nursing, I went to college for criminal justice. I even graduated from a fantastic school, the University of Puget Sound, and fully intended to join the police right after. Then I met Hank and he absolutely swept me off my feet.

           Hank was charming and sexy, a real gentlemen when we started dating. I couldn’t deny our chemistry. I reserved a spot in the police academy but before I started, I fell hard for him. He’d expressed concern about my chosen career anyway and as things became serious, I swayed to his way of thinking.

           I wasn’t asked out by the boys in high school that often. I didn’t blossom until my first year of college and by then, I’d been so used to being plain, hot was beyond comprehension. Nevertheless, I fell into it easily enough. My natural long blonde hair and slender figure seemed to be noticed more.  Men weren’t hard to come by, not when they were always expressing interest.

           Hank stood apart from other men because he put on a show of how much he admired me. It went beyond physical, at least I thought so. When we started dating, he focused on my intellectual qualities and we really talked. Not the sort of mundane drivel about our days at work or school, but about important topics. World politics, books…it was lovely.

           So after a lifetime of wanting to work in law, I turned my attention to a nursing program. Hank worked in commercial real estate and when I got into the work force, we made a comfortable living together. Marriage followed, a mortgage then infidelity. It was as if Hank had a different checklist to follow.

           Turned out his father fooled around on his mother so maybe the cheating gene could be inherited.

           Being with Hank deadened my natural observation skills, my ability to assess a situation thoughtfully went into hibernation mode. Even after I caught him, it took a couple days to process what happened. Then, it all came back. Razor sharp focus returned as if it had been on vacation somewhere.

             That’s when I found the strength to leave, to give Hank hell for what he’d done and ultimately, bury my feelings of betrayal and love beneath a demeanor of a tough exterior. Crying happened at the beginning. Anger took over. The trip to a cozier part of the world was meant to get my life back to the way I wanted.

           Which meant getting back my original career choice.  I’ve pursued law since I was old enough to talk about jobs.

           I worried about seeing dad again. We hadn’t spent any time together since mom’s passing. He tended to keep our interactions to email and the occasional phone call. After my wedding, I assumed he didn’t approve of Hank but then, paranoia suggested he didn’t approve of me either.

           He never said it verbally, but I believed he didn’t like the fact I walked away from my original dream. He spoke constantly against compromising. How he got along with my mom baffled me because relationships were about give and take. Growing up, they never seemed to argue but they held to old fashioned beliefs.

           That meant any fighting happened behind closed doors. Just stay quiet enough that no one else would be dragged into their affairs. I tried to live by that idea but my passion tended to overcome subtlety. Hank and I got into some pretty loud arguments in our time together, the kind of fights that made the walls vibrate.

           Our neighbors in our first apartment must’ve been thrilled.

           I rounded the bend and the sight of the lake dragged me back to the present. All negativity faded in light of that beautiful landmark, the trees stretched out in all directions, the water rippled with a gentle breeze all presided over by fluffy white clouds far too happy to rain. I felt tears stain my cheeks just then, a second bout of crying I thought might happen.

           I embraced it, letting emotion control me for several minutes. With only the sound of the road as company, I released the ache in my heart. Whether my makeup would survive the encounter was another story, Dad never seemed to notice such things.

           His head lived in the dark clouds of horror stories and terror. Perhaps the events of my life for the past few months would inspire a new tale. The thought didn’t make me particularly happy. Despite an obsession with Hemingway, his writing reflected the Stephen King side of the house.

           I always knew that if I ended up a character in one of dad’s stories, I must’ve done something truly wrong. So far, I’d avoided the grim fate. I hoped to continue the luck going forward. Maybe reconnecting would settle my mind about how the old man felt about me. It seemed a worthy goal as I started a new phase of my life.

 ***

Anything But Political (Intro) Duncan Shepherd x Reader

a.n.: this is inspired by a post i saw about an arranged marriage with duncan

anyways, imma get this out of the way now but the readers age in this is mid-20′s. im not sure how old duncan is but i dont want anyone thinking im trying to promote p*doph*l*a by not including an age

anyways anyways lmk what yall think/if i should continue/etc

Claire had called you down to her office, claiming to have important information to tell you. When you entered the office, you saw your mom leaning against her desk, arms crossed.

“The Shepherds have promised to invest in my political campaign.”

“And what’s the catch?” You were fully aware people like that didn’t just throw their money at someone without expecting something in return.

“Just know that when I tell you this, I’m not thrilled about it either.” Claire looked as if the words left a bitter taste in her mouth. ”Annette wants you to pursue a relationship-a marriage rather- with her son, Duncan.”

“And what in her mind would ever make her or you think I would ever agree to that?”

“It wouldn’t be an actual marriage. More like a fake relationship for the press. After all, the discussion of the first child with the troubled son of a wealthy investor could bring positive attention to their company and my campaign.”

Claire acted as if the fact that she would be benefitting from this would make up for the fact that you were practically being forced into a marriage. Your mom was stubborn when it came to things that could influence her political campaign, even if it meant working with people she despised.

“Why would you want to align yourself-this family- with people you know are corrupt?”                                                                                                                            

“It’s a money game, Y/N. Sometimes you have to play dirty to get what you want. But, and listen to me when I say this, you will marry Duncan. This partnership is way too important to throw away because you don’t “feel like” being with him.”

Claire was adamant that this Shepherd-Underwood courtship would work. You, however, thought otherwise. The only real interactions you had ever had with Duncan were watching his occasional interviews on TV.

“Mom, I haven’t even met the man. How am I supposed to even fake a relationship with someone I barely know?”

“They’re Shepherds, dear. They are professional at faking things.”, Claire wasn’t going to let you win. She knew she could get you to bend to her will as she pleased. “Let Duncan do all the work and you can just follow behind. You two don’t even need to stay together. So long as there are photos of you two together at public events and other things like that then your cover should be safe.”

“Well what’s in it for me then?”

“That’s up for you to decide.” Duncan said, walking into the office.