#putting themselves as her two fathers on legal documents
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Can't Trust A Supe
Part 2: Ma Petite Poulette
Part 1
Warnings: violence, implied death, swearing.
The local library wasn't the ideal place to read a top secret file like this but it was the best I could do on short notice. At least it would be quiet.
The papers inside were both typed and some were hand written. I could recognize my mom's curvy and heavy handed handwriting anywhere. The notes had to be written by her. I found my mom's resignation letter to vaught. She sighted wanting to start a family as the reason for the departure. There was also a copy of a legal document that was asking for my mother to return any stolen property she had taken with her. I read further and from what I can guess Vaught thought she stole some kind of serum. The document never specified the name.
There was also documentation of her and Homelander's relationship. The fact Vaught kept track of something like that really cemented to me how creepy Vaught is. They even noted how erratic Homelander became when she ended the relationship.
My chest tightened up as I read lower. It mentioned the incident at my family's compound. In this file they claim Homelander had gotten some intel that my father and his cult was planning a mass suicide. When Homelander came to stop them my father detonated the bombs killing everyone there instantly.
My hand balled into a fist as I looked up from the papers. Bank holidays and annual parades all spawned because of Vaught's lies. Children wear masks of my fathers face and throw candy bombs at each other. The last name Bishop became so unpopular that residents of New York City changed their names to avoid association. Even I had to take on an alias just to live my life in peace. All because a woman broke up with a man. I needed to calm down, I could see right through the librarian who was starting to notice the glowing blue light coming from my eyes.
I closed the file and looked at the number written on the front. Billy Butcher's Mary band of idiots, could they really kill Homelander? Could they do it without getting killed themselves?
I knew I would regret it but I had to be there when Homelander died. Even if I can just make him bleed. That will be enough, enough to show him his actions have consequences. No one is above revenge and at some point everyone's ticket will be punched, even his.
Before I could think about how big of a mistake this was I called (uncle) Billy. He gave me an address to go to and hung up. I wasn't surprised when the address in question was another ran down building. I was surprised when he let me in and I saw a small woman curled up on the sofa and a large black man sitting at a table. Maybe he knew what he was doing. It had been less then a week and he had already conned two more suckered into helping him.
"You got more help?"
"Oh yeah this is Mother's Milk and um oi Frenchie what are we calling her?" He said pointing to the wild looking girl.
"We are still working on that part. Hello ma petite poulette. Good to see you came around." Frenchie said with a wave. I'd have to Google what the hell he just called me. Hughie looked less sick this time which I guess was a good sign.
"Right, well I changed my mind. I want to help." I say walking in. The girl moved from the sofa and closer to frenchie. She looked at me like she was sizing me up. It made me uneasy but they seemed to trust her.
I got the rundown on the plan and all that had happened, it was half baked at best but it was better than nothing.
"Wait, she crushed the guy's head? With her what?" I guess there are worse ways to go.
"It was bad." M.M adds as he helps Frenchie put together some guns.
This group looked disorganized from the outside looking In but the more time I spent with them the more I realized they had some kind of system. A rhythm of some kind they all understood. It is taking me a few days to fall into it. I wasn't sure where I fit in yet. I know Billy is the ringleader. He sets it all up. Frenchie and M.M make it happen for him. Frenchie normally supplied the tools of the trade, M.M had the skills and cool head. The Female was easy enough to figure out. She is a Beast, a force of nature, in the best possible way. It was sickeningly beautiful how quickly she could tear through a guy.
Hughie was the last I figured out but he's the moral compass and he is pretty good for morale to because picking on him is fun. But he's the heart of this outfit without a doubt.
Today Billy had something for me to do. He needed a key card from this security guard at a desk of a medical research center or something. It needed to be clean. Frenchie and I were sent in. It was meant to be Hughie and I but he had a bad cheese dog and couldn't leave the bathroom so we improvised.
It was 11 pm and pouring rain when I walked up to the glass door. I had to get close enough to him to ensure he would survive the encounter. I had been practicing with rats at the hideout and felt confident I could do this on a human. I just needed to close the distance before he got suspicious. I tapped on the glass and held my hands out in a prying motion.
"Please I need help!" I yell past the glass. I needed him to unlock the door. I knew I looked very unintimidating. At least to most men. A 5'5 blonde girl didn't scream danger to most people. He got up and sighed as he walked over to the door.
"I'm sorry ma'am the lab is closed." He shouted back through the glass.
"No wait I'm sorry, I'm super lost downtown and my phone died. Can I use a phone? I need to call my mom." The whole time I was looking inside him. Scanning making sure I could do this clean. He hesitated for a moment before finally opening the door to me.
"Just be quick please." He said as he showed me to the phone at the front desk. He stood next to me and waited for me to make my call. So I did, I called Frenchie's burner to let him know I was in and that he should head this way. The phone rang and just as planned he didn't answer. I looked up at the man and began my real part of the plan. I start by lowering his blood pressure. He begins to sweat. It was a delicate balancing act between being quick enough he doesn't get suspicious and being careful enough not to kill him. He grabs the corner of the desk and I take the change to put the phone down and help him into his seat.
"Are you alright?" I ask as I continue my attack. He tries to grab the phone, likely thinking he was having some kind of stroke. I make his eyes close and apply the lightest amount of pressure to his carotid arteries trying to slow oxygen getting to the brain. Soon his own brain does the rest as he slips into sleep. I run and open the door for Frenchie who comes sprinting in.
"What did you do to him?"
"He's just sleeping. Go do what you have to. I have to stay down here to make sure he doesn't wake up." He nods and grabs the guards key card and takes an elevator up. The cameras had already been taken care of so my only worry was keeping this guy out cold. I let up on his carotid arteries, scared the limited amount of oxygen to the brain would leave him with lasting effects. He stirred slightly but still seemed to be asleep in his chair. Soon Frenchie came running down with some files and a flash drive.
"Help me grab him." He said as he tried to lift the security guard from his chair.
"What why?"
"I might have made a small mistake and caught the lab on fire. Just grab his legs for me, ma petite poulette." Frenchie pleaded as he tried to drag the larger man. I hurried and grabbed his ankles and laid him on the sidewalk as the van pulled up. The cold rain and movement was enough to make him come too. He started to open his eyes as the van doors closed with Frenchie and I safely inside. It was a rush, we were greeted with a very happy M.M who pulled me into the tightest hug I had even received.
"You did it kid! That was great!" He said letting me go. Even Billy was smiling and for once it wasn't for something bad.
I was walking back to the shelter that night when some asshole came up from behind me and grabbed my backpack. It ripped and all my stuff fell on the wet ground. Books, wallet, snacks and my ancient Homelander plush. The mugger tried to grab my wallet but before he could a red gloved hand grabbed him by his head and flung him into the air. I screamed in surprise and fell on my butt. Every hair on my body stood on end as I looked up and saw Homelander himself in front of me. I had thought for so long what I would do when presented with this opportunity. Here he was right in front of me and I was so scared I couldn't even move.
"Oh we got an old fan." He says as he bends down and picks up the old Homelander toy. "One of the first series. Very rare, if you want I'll sign it for you sweetheart." He says with a grin that makes me sick to my stomach.
"N-no thank y-you." I say as I pick up my torn bag and start to put stuff back into it. He just stood there looking at the toy.
"Where did you get this, I don't think it ever went to stores. Marketing thought the smile was too wide on it and that it would creep out kids." He said with a laugh.
"I don't remember." I say quickly I couldn't exactly say my mom you dated gave it to me. I stand up and hold my bag opened for him to drop it in. He stared at me for a second as his grin left his face.
"You know you look so familiar. Did you go to the fan signing in Central Park?" He asked as he put the plush back in my bag. I never looked him in the eyes. I couldn't every time I saw his photo on billboards all I could see was his glowing red eyes. I looked down at the ground.
"Um yeah yeah I was. It was great meeting you. I have to go through." I say quickly as I run across to the other side of the road. I didn't look back as I speed walked away.
"Wait one minute." He said in a commanding voice. I froze solid right in my spot. He walked in front of me and held up my wallet. I must have missed it on the ground.
"Oh thank you so much. It was great meeting you but I have classes tomorrow. " I say as I take it back from him I lie for my life.
"Yes of course school is very important, you have a safe night." He says before he jumps into the air. I had never ran so fast in my life.
In bed that night I was beating myself up. He was right there why couldn't I just do it. It would have been perfect. No one around, just him and I. I could have ended it then and there. I hated myself for being too pathetic to do what I knew was right. Finally I let myself fall asleep. All night I was haunted by his red eyes and the sounds of rubble falling.
The next day I got a new bag and had my lunch under a tree in the park when I heard a familiar voice behind me.
"How's the sandwich?" I jumped and looked around as Homelander floated down onto view. A bit of sandwich wedged itself in my throat. I started to cough and hack before finally it flew out. Homelander made a disgusted face but then smiled down at me. A crowd park might have been safer for me but it made me more nervous. Seeing him in person in broad daylight is somehow more terrifying than you could ever imagine.
I think I have it all figured out I'm going to be posting every other day and on the off days I'll be posting a Batfam fanfic on another Tumblr if that interests you at all here's that link feel free to stop by.
#the boys#billy butcher#fanfic#homelander#oc stuff#the boys series#frenchie#hughie campbell#mothers milk#the female
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Happy WBW! I got some weird associations running through my mind, so let's talk about dating in your world. Are there any traditions or conventions for courting? What about engagement or marriage proposals?
Bonus: Do any of your character stray from this?
Happy WBW, Wynne!
There are! For this, I'll talk about my favorites, Lizardfolk! putting this under a cut bc it's long T_T sorry
Are there any traditions or conventions for courting?
In the Holtep Empire, courting is a pretty business-minded affair. It all starts with ikismal ceremonies. These are Lizardfolk rite of passage ceremonies that are celebrated when that lizard matures and becomes eligible to be married. Noble families will attend to watch the participants to make matches between their children based on the performance of the individuals involved.
Once a match is made, the couple has about 2 or 3 chaperoned meetings to get to know each other a little better, and as long as they don't bite each other's heads off, then a date for the wedding is set. They typically don't exchange gifts, not even simple things. It's seen as bribery to do something like that. Especially not flowers. Flowers are rare in the Empire (it's a desert), so giving someone flowers is the equivalent of giving someone a stack of cash. Big no-no.
What about engagement or marriage proposals?
Parents and clan leaders are usually involved in brokering marriage proposals between families, especially among nobility. There are all sorts of legal documents that need to be prepared and signed to keep track of wealth, titles, lands, and styles (ie middle names). The couple themselves are not involved in this process at all, and can take anywhere from one to two weeks of negotiation to complete. Once this is done, then the couple goes through a ceremonial proposal. It's usually public (non-negotiable) because the families want their hard work in arranging the match to be seen.
The groom, his father, and uncles will arrive at the home (read: square or city center of her hometown) of his wife-to-be to perform what is called a bridal enrobing. He places a veil over her head and says a few words to her and her family (usually prepared by his father) about how she will be cared for, and that is basically the proposal in a nutshell. There is never a question between bride or groom if one wants to marry the other the way that we do things at any point in the process.
After that, various ceremonies follow that are basically readings of the legal documents that were prepared. This will take no more than three days, and at the end, the couple is married, and the bride accompanies her husband back to his home with his family.
Regarding the people involved in marriages, same-sex marriages, and interracial marriages are not sanctioned in the Empire. Participating in either one openly will result in a loss of lands, wealth, titles, and rank, and the individual will be exiled from the Empire. Breaking a marriage also results in similar consequences (divorce is not an option). Men are allowed to take more than one wife, but they need to obtain that right by a show of superiority, winning hunting tourneys, being extremely wealthy, being decorated veterans etc.
Do any of your characters stray from this?
Yes. Most of the Lizardfolk in AASOAF do because the majority of them are pirates. They kind of do whatever they want haha. AASOAF 1 opens with Axtapor preparing to propose to his Elven girlfriend, Ophelia, something that is not only illegal but the method he was going to go about does not follow Lizardfolk tradition. He was instead going to use human proposal and marriage traditions (getting down on one knee etc) because he thinks it's a lot simpler and less fussy.
Wilkes, another Lizardfolk, is married to Fay, something that is again illegal though the two of them could care less since they're both pirates. They kind of did whatever they wanted and there were several (rejected) proposals between the two of them until they finally got on the same page and decided to marry each other. Their wedding ceremony was very paganistic, so not at all in line with either Human or Lizardfolk custom.
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05-27 (CST) QuelleVous Twitter Space about Xie Yihua Notes
This was an impromptu space talking about the reasons for the current environment around Xie Yihua. It was split into two parts due to a technical issue. [Recording 1] [Recording 2]
Contextual Overview of the Current Situation
After Xie Yihua’s statement about not printing Zhang Sanjian’s essays for personal use (05-26), some fans have turned on her, started questioning her, demanding proof, calling her out, etc. She has basically been thrown under the bus by the real puppetmaster behind all this.
It seems a fair amount of her followers HAVE been keeping up with what QuelleVous’s been saying but didn’t believe it until recently when QuelleVous started showing patterns in Xie Yihua’s behaviour (ie. screwing over artists she’s worked with previously)
Also in the background, a bunch of children’s textbooks have recently been flagged for improper (sexually suggestive, politically sensitive) content which got on hotsearch. The textbooks have been in publication since 2014 and teachers have commented on them before, but it’s never reached this level of attention before.
CAPA has a subsidiary with shares in the textbook industry that earns a lot of profits through such.
The timing of the Legal Daily article may be correlated to this as a distraction, likewise with Xie Yihua’s statement about plagarism.
Xie Yihua’s Background
Xie Yihua’s family were in the first wave to immigrate back to China from Taiwan. Her father had a lot of connections as a director at that time.
Originally a dance student without the skills to go pro, Xie Yihua started out professionally in the marketing business then moved her way into music at a record company.
She married into a Manchurian family that had also moved to Taiwan early on, who fancied themselves as ex-royalty.
Her brother-in-law, Doze Niu, was a famous child actor who became a director of Chinese films. He opened his own company, Red Bean, in 2002, registered in Hong Kong. In 2013, he opened an additional talent management company, Red Bean Culture Co., with the mission statement to “manage talent around the greater Chinese area” (ie. Hong Kong, Taiwan, and mainland China). Red Bean Culture Co. de-registered from the Hong Kong database this past April.
Doze Niu has been in jail for sexual assault since 2017 and also is involved in some Taiwanese independence activity. He’s also very involved in the Beijing circle.
Xie Yihua worked as a management director at Culture Co., which is what she seems to have tried to scrub from the Internet. Official documents still exist, however.
Part of what Xie Yihua edited out of her Baidu on 813: Her connection to her brother-in-law, her connection to Culture Co. and its ties to the Beijing circle and foreign capital, her connection to Kris Wu, and her connection to Zhang Zhehan (later added back in.)
Xie Yihua joined as a marketing exec. to Xinshi(sp?), the record company Zhang Zhehan was signed to, by sucking up to their founder for a full year before officially joining them.
Xie Yihua’s career goal was to become the big talent manager that ruled over the greater China area, but she’s really incompetent, doesn’t have good leadership skills, doesn’t take responsibility for her actions and promises, talks herself up as having more connections than she really does, and doesn’t have much drive. This can be seen in past patterns of her behaviour as well as the current situation.
Xie Yihua’s never really cared about the people she’s managed, only herself.
Many fans were aware of her history but put it aside because they thought she was helping Zhang Zhehan.
Misc.
The venue for Zhang Zhehan’s 2020 mini-concert was a club that wasn’t built with the accoustics for concerts. The video is Xie Yihua’s work; the recordings were poorly done, which is why the audio for it is not very clear. Zhang Zhehan did most of the work himself.
The Textbooks
Financial documents from Dadi, the publishing company that CAPA’s subsidiary has shares in, don’t match up:
Dadi entered into a trust loan agreement in 2019 for 500 million RMB to publish books. The term was for two years with interest of 10.215%. “All drawings ... shall only be used for the interest of sales of their books.” In both 2020 and 2021, the amount consistent with this loan rate was paid (about 50mil in interest alone).
They got a government contract to supply libraries for schools that are too small or don’t have the regular funds.
In November 2019, they entered into a joint venture with a children’s publishing house with a registered capital set at 50 million RMB. Dadi was supposed to contribute cash while the publishing house contributed intellectual property rights. Dadi was approved to establish a base for primary and secondary school books in Shanghai by the China Education Industry Association. There’s no record of this base online aside from in press by Dadi themselves.
As on March 31, 2020, they recorded sales of nearly 1 billion RMB. They issued more than 6700 types of books with approximately 120 million volumes, with a gross profit of 185 million RMB. This equates to about 240,000 schools assuming they had no prior library stock. For comparitive context, Shanghai has a total of 1540 primary and secondary schools, about 80% of schools (by Dadi’s own report) already have libraries.
As of this date, the group officially had only 46 employees.
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CJ current events 23nov23
That's what got their attention?
A Satan-worshipping cult of pedophiles is blackmailing girls into cutting themselves — but the FBI didn’t seem interested in that so much as the fact that one of its members once used the n-word, a Daily Wire investigation found.
For years, the group known both as 764 and Harm Nation has tortured what is believed to be hundreds or thousands of girls. But the FBI didn’t put its cybercrimes or violence-against-children investigators on it. Instead, its interest appears to have piqued mainly by the fact that the group — most of whose victims are white teens — was once racist to a black girl.
The domestic terrorism unit is investigating the Satanist pedophiles for white-supremacy RMVE, or “racially motivated violent extremism” — even though the sole known arrest by the FBI is a Hispanic man who called the judge a “cracker” in court, according to court records and interviews.
Angel Luis Almeida was indicted in January in New York City on charges of sexual exploitation, violation of the Mann Act, and possession of Child Abuse Sexual Material, with prosecutors writing that, “The defendant was an outspoken member of ‘764,’ a neo-Nazi network.” *** https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-satanist-pedophile-gang-is-torturing-kids-the-fbi-didnt-seem-to-care-unless-it-could-blame-white-supremacy
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Surprise, surprise!
President Joe Biden is not expected to face charges over his mishandling of classified documents after a yearlong investigation, according to reports.
Special counsel Robert Hur has been investigating the president's connection in the mishandling of classified documents at multiple locations and is hoping to have a completed report about his inquiry by the end of the year, sources told two outlets Thursday.***
Any decision to forgo charging the president may spark frustrations by former President Donald Trump and his supporters. Trump has alleged the Justice Department is being "weaponized" to bring charges against him as he fights off four criminal indictments during his 2024 presidential bid.*** https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/justice/biden-not-expected-charged-classified-documents-investigation
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Elections have consequences
While the 2023 elections may have been a disappointment for Republicans, there have been major wins for law and order as prosecutors backed by Democratic megadonor George Soros were defeated.
After one week of counting votes, it has been determined that Republican Bob Anderson defeated Democrat Buta Biberaj in the Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney race in Virginia. Biberaj received nearly $1 million from Soros for her 2019 campaign, and she had raised $1.1 million for her reelection compared to Anderson’s mere $70,000.
Lowlights from Biberaj’s four-year term include misleading the public to give a career criminal a favorable plea deal, resulting in Biberaj being booted from the case by a judge, and her efforts to bring down the legal hammer on a father who confronted his local school board after their transgender bathroom policy led to his daughter being assaulted by a boy. Her defeat is well-earned, and it is a big win for law and order in Virginia.
This comes on the heels of Allegheny County voting down another Soros-backed prosecutor. Matt Dugan received $1.8 million from Soros in his race to become the district attorney for the Pennsylvania county, home to Pittsburgh. Dugan had defeated incumbent Democrat Stephen Zappala in the primary, but Zappala launched a write-in campaign to become the Republican nominee, a wild path that concluded with him defeating Dugan in the general election.*** https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/two-more-soros-funded-prosecutors-lost-in-the-2023-elections
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Any reason we can't just shoot him?
A priest was sentenced today to life in prison for sex trafficking in northern Ohio.
A federal jury in Toledo, Ohio, previously found defendant Michael Zacharias, 56, guilty of five counts of sex trafficking following a two-week trial in May. Evidence presented at trial showed that Zacharias met the victims through his affiliation with a Catholic school. The evidence showed that he used his affiliation and position of authority to groom the boys and grow close with their families before ultimately coercing the victims into engaging in commercial sex acts and manipulating the opioid addictions they developed. ***
Evidence presented at trial, including the testimony of victims and family members, established that the defendant met the victims when they were minor parochial school students through his affiliation with their school. The evidence showed that the defendant served as a respected member of the clergy for more than 20 years, while exploiting his victims over extended periods as they developed opioid addictions and criminal records.
According to testimony and other evidence presented at trial, including financial and phone records, the defendant manipulated the victims’ fears of opioid withdrawal and homelessness to exploit them for commercial sex acts he directed them to perform in exchange for money.*** https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/priest-sentenced-life-prison-sex-trafficking-three-victims-northern-ohio
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other good research
Prichard J et al. 2022. Warning messages to prevent illegal sharing of sexual images Results of a randomised controlled experiment. Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 647. Canberra Australian Institute of Criminology. https://www.aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi647 or https://doi.org/10.52922/ti78559
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Snell, T.L. (Nov. 2023). Capital Punishment, 2021 - Statistical Tables. BJS. https://bjs.ojp.gov/document/cp21st.pdf
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Who cares what era? It's the legally enforcable era.
Did you forget it was the 14th Amendment? Did you never hear of Reconstruction Era?
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Ironic that it's kind of a peace protest?
One arrest was made for assault on an officer Wednesday night outside of the Democratic National Committee in Washington, D.C., according to Capitol Police.
Capitol Police said they had to "keep back" 150 people who were "illegally and violently" protesting.
Six officers sustained injuries from encounters with the demonstrators, "ranging from minor cuts to being pepper sprayed to being punched," according to Capitol Police.***
Members of Congress were hearing from prospective candidates inside of the DNC when Capitol Police evacuated them from the building, Congressman Brad Sherman, D-Cailf. told ABC News in a phone interview.
In total, about seven members of Congress were inside when they were evacuated from the building by "heavily armed and serious" U.S. Capitol Police officers, Sherman said.*** https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/capitol-police-working-back-150-people-protesting-dnc/story?id=104930336
"On December 28th, 2008, New Jersey high school student Carlos Almonte attended a protest held outside of the Israeli embassy in New York...." -https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/death-to-all-juice
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Speaker releases Jan 6 videos
is the 1st 90 hours? 44k total?
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hot for teacher?
A South Carolina private Christian school teacher and mother of two was arrested Wednesday for pressuring a teenage student into having sex and sending him naked pictures, police said.
Reagan Anderson, 27, is facing two counts of sexual battery with a child 17 years of age, according to an arrest warrant obtained by WCSC.***
The Holly Hill Academy teacher allegedly began abusing the 17-year-old in October.
The first assault reportedly took place in a private residence in Holly Hill, a small town 50 miles north of Charleston, followed by a second in the parking lot of a Pizza Hut in the nearby town of Santee.
Anderson also allegedly sent the teen nude photos on Snapchat, his mother alleged.***
Just wanted to blow up her life?
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You let a teacher pick him up at 2300 on a Monday night?
ST. ANTHONY – A 36-year-old woman ***Jessica Lawson is charged with two counts of felony rape of a victim who is 16 or 17 years of age, felony delivery of a controlled substance, and misdemeanor dispensing alcohol to a minor.
Lawson was a South Fremont High School teacher from 2021 until 2023, according to Fremont County Joint School District #215. She is no longer listed on the school’s staff page.
According to court documents, on Nov. 6, an officer with the Saint Anthony Police Department initiated a traffic stop on a car for having no visible tail lights. The driver was a teenage boy, and the car was determined to be Lawson’s.
The teenager told the officer that Lawson had allowed him to drive her car “due to her being too drunk to drive,” according to police reports. Court documents say the minor admitted to having marijuana and was driven home by the officer.
Later that morning, the officer got a phone call from the minor’s parents, who said the boy had told them more information.
According to the parents, their son had been picked up by Lawson around 11 p.m. the night before and taken to her house in St. Anthony. The boy told his parents Lawson got drunk and he got high before the two had sex.
During a interview later with police, the boy said Lawson had given him marijuana while at her house and then the two had sex.
According to court documents, Lawson later called the teenager’s mother and admitted to picking him up from his house, taking him to her house and providing him with alcohol. She admitted to having marijuana in her house but said she did not give it to the boy.*** https://www.eastidahonews.com/2023/11/former-high-school-teacher-arrested-and-charged-with-rape-of-teenage-boy/
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1st of all, there's a feed for that?
2d, why are fighting in a uniform that costs $1k?
3d, is it weird that it starts w/ two women?
4th, uniform kind of makes it easy to identify you, doesn't it?
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Excellent toon
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BB -
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Good thing there's no website like skip the games . com to take its place.
A federal jury in Phoenix convicted three former owners of Backpage.com yesterday of multiple counts of promoting prostitution business enterprises and multiple counts of money laundering, including conspiracy offenses.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Michael Lacey, 75, of Paradise Valley, Arizona; Scott Spear, 72, of Phoenix; and John “Jed” Brunst, 71, of Phoenix, owned Backpage.com, which was the internet’s leading forum for prostitution ads from September 2010, when Craigslist shut down its prostitution ad section, until April 2018, when the United States seized Backpage.com. Evidence at trial showed that the conspirators knowingly promoted prostitution via various marketing strategies. For example, the conspirators engaged in a reciprocal link program with an independent web forum that permitted “johns” to post reviews of prostitution acts with specific women. Additionally, the conspirators used an automated filter and human moderators to remove terms known to indicate sex-for-money, while still allowing the ads to be posted. Through this attempt to sanitize the ads, the conspirators sought “plausible deniability” for what the conspirators knew to be ads promoting prostitution. Over the life of the conspiracy, the conspirators earned more than $500 million. In an effort to preserve the money earned, Lacey, Spear, and Brunst laundered the money through numerous shell companies they created in multiple foreign countries.*** https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/backpage-principals-convicted-500m-prostitution-promotion-scheme
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ARTICLE 172 OF THE FAMILY CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES
The first paragraph in Article 172 explain the filiation of legitimate children and it includes the following:
The record of birth appearing in the civil register or a final judgment;
An admission of legitimate filiation in a public document or a private handwritten instrument and signed by the parent concerned.
And the legitimate filiation shall be proved of the following:
The open and continuous possession of the status of a legitimate child; or
Any other means allowed by the Rules of Court and special laws.
CASE DIGEST
EUGENIO SAN JUAN GERONIMO, Petitioner, v. KAREN SANTOS, Respondent.
G.R. No. 197099, September 28, 2015
VILLARAMA, JR., J.:
FACTS: Eugenio and Emiliano Geronimo, the defendants, executed a document declaring themselves as the only heirs of spouses Rufino and Caridad Geronimo. Consequently, they took possession and were able to transfer the tax declaration of the subject property to their names.
Karen Santos, on the other hand, claims to be the only child of deceased Rufino and Caridad Geronimo. She filed a complaint for the annulment of document and recovery of the possession against the defendants, brothers of his father. She alleged that with the death of her parents, the property belonging to her parents was passed on to her by the law of intestacy.
The defendant denied the allegation that the plaintiff was the only child and sole heir of their brother stating that the deceased Rufino and Caridad were childless and took in as their ward Karen, the child of Caridad’s sister. To strengthen their defense, they claimed that the birth certificate of the plaintiff was a simulated document. The birth certificate had alterations as confirmed by an NSO representative.
They alleged that it is impossible for Rufino and Caridad to register the plaintiff in Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur because they never lived or sojourned in that place. Also, Caridad, an elementary teacher in Bulacan, never filed a maternity leave during the period of her service, as supported by a certification from the Schools Division Superintendent.
The RTC ruled that the respondent is a legitimate child of the putative parents. The trial court found that respondent’s filiation was duly established by the certificate of live birth which was presented in evidence. It dismissed the petitioners’ claim that the certificate was tampered. It further stated that even granting arguendo that the birth certificate is questionable, the filiation of respondent has already been sufficiently proven by evidence of her open and continuous possession of the status of a legitimate child under Article 172 of the Family Code.
On appeal, the Court of Appeals held that under Article 170, the action to impugn the legitimacy of the child must be reckoned from either of these two dates: the date the child was born to the mother during the marriage, or the date when the birth of such child was recorded in the civil registry. The appellate court found no evidence or admission that Caridad indeed gave birth to respondent on a specific date.
It further resolved that the birth certificate presented in this case does not qualify as the valid registration of birth in the civil register because it was not signed by the physician or midwife in attendance at the child’s birth or the parents of the newborn child, contrary to what the law required. However, the CA ultimately ruled that the respondent was able to prove her filiation via open and continuous possession of the status of a legitimate child as supported by secondary evidence presented.
The evidence consists of the following: (1) the plaintiff was allowed by her putative parents to bear their family name Geronimo; (2) they supported her and sent her to school paying for her tuition and other school expenses; (3) she was the beneficiary of the burial benefits of Caridad before the GSIS; (4) after the death of Rufino, Caridad applied for and was appointed legal guardian of the person and property of the plaintiff from the estate left by Rufino; and (5) both Caridad and the plaintiff executed an extrajudicial settlement of the estate of Rufino on the basis of the fact that they are both the legal heirs of the deceased.
ISSUE: Whether or not the Court of Appeals erred in allowing the introduction of secondary evidence and rendered judgement notwithstanding the existence of primary evidence of birth certificate.
RULING: No. Secondary evidence may be admitted only in a direct action under Article 172 because the said provision of law is meant to be instituted as a separate action, and proof of filiation cannot be raised as a collateral issue as in the instant case which is an action for annulment of document and recovery of possession. However, this rule is applicable only to actions where the legitimacy or illegitimacy of a child is at issue.
In the case at bar, filiation is not an issue. What petitioner alleges is that the respondent is not a child of the deceased spouses at all. Thus, both the RTC and the Court of Appeals correctly admitted secondary evidence similar to the proof admissible under Art. 172 of the Family Code.
However, the Supreme Court ruled that the lower court’s declaration that the respondent is a legitimate child and sole heir of the deceased spouses is based on misapprehension of facts. The irregularities consisting of the superimposed entries on the date of birth and the name of the informant made the document questionable, as supported by the corroborating testimony of the NSO representative. In addition, even the respondent herself did not offer any evidence to explain such irregularities. These irregularities and the totality of the circumstances surrounding the alleged birth of respondent are sufficient to overthrow the presumption of regularity attached to the respondent’s birth.
With the declaration that the birth certificate is a nullity or falsity ruled then the respondent is not the child of Rufino, and therefore not entitled to inherit from the estate.
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Text
The Judge’s Daughter (Part One)
Featuring: Tommy Shelby x Virgin!Reader
Words: 8,700
Warning: Angst, Blood, Gore, Mention of Suicide, Mention of Miscarriage, Drugs, Racism, Smut
Tag List:
@lilymurphy03 @deefigs @theflamecrystal @chrisevanshoeee @desperate-and-broken @weepingstudentfishhorse @captivatedbycillianmurphy @fookingshelby @livinginfantaxy @rosey1981 @atomicsoulcollecto @peakyboyslover @nerdy4itall @elenavampire21 @hanster1998 @mariapaiva13 @fairypitou @harry-is-my-sunflower @zozeebo @lauren-raines-x
………
Challenging Times
In early 1930, times were hard. The Wall Street crash in 1929 caused many men to lose their fortune. Your family had also lost money on the stock exchange. A lot of money.
Your father was a wealthy judge and now, he was just a judge. Your family home had to be sold and your father moved into a medium sized apartment in London with one of his maids.
Since your mother had passed away in 1920, your father had often sought comfort in his employees. There was one maid in particular who was of interest to him. Her name was Catherine and she was 10 years your father’s junior.
You accepted his relationship with her but soon felt uncomfortable to live with them in the London Apartment.
But your father wasn’t the only family member who lost his fortune in the stock market crash. Your brother had also lost a lot of money. So much money that he could not repay his gambling debt to one of London’s most notorious criminals.
As a result, your brother committed suicide. His mental health had always been troubled ever since he’s been to France, fighting for England in the First World War. Your brother was much older than you and it was almost a miracle when your mother fell pregnant again and gave birth to you after three miscarriages.
Your brother adored you and protected you whenever necessary. He was kind hearted but, unfortunately, got himself involved with the wrong people on several occasions which is when he began gambling.
Following your brother’s death, your father struck a deal with the man to whom the gambling debt was owed, releasing three of his gang members from prison.
The debt was forgiven and you inherited your brother’s small cottage north of London. Regardless of your father’s actions, he began to despise criminals who involved themselves in illegal gambling activities. Your father was known to be particularly harsh when it came to offences of this kind.
He once told you a story about a man who used to be a prominent criminal who made his fortune through race fixing and illegal gambling activities. That man was now a member of parliament and your father despised him.
Being Jewish, your father’s hate for this man increased even more when he became the deputy leader of the British Union of Fascists.
The man’s name was Thomas Shelby and you met him once at a gala organised by the socialist party in Westminster. He was a smart man but he was also extremely rude and insulted your father at the gala following a dispute they had earlier in the day.
Your father threatened him and told him that, one day, he will ensure his downfall. It was your father’s mission and it was dangerous.
With that threat in mind and heated political events unfolding around the country, your father asked you to move to the countryside. Take up your brother’s cottage and lay low until things were taking a turn.
It took you quite some time to build up the courage to move into the house where your brother took his own life. But, you eventually did, taking up your brother’s work at the property while attending nursing school every second week.
The cottage was free standing but behind a larger house owned by wealthy Londoners. Their wealth seemed to have been unaffected by the stock market crash and, just as your brother did, you attended their yards and animals on the small farm in exchange for a wage and free food from the produce.
You also spent some time renovating the cottage which was rather dated.
The cottage had two bedrooms, one of which you converted entirely to a studio for your paintings. You enjoyed painting and you were quite good at it.
The other bedroom you redecorated with your own furniture.
The downstairs area consisted out of a small living room with a fire place and a small kitchen and bathroom.
It wasn’t much, but it was a place you could call your own. It was home.
Initially following your move, you would travel to London occasionally to visit your father and his mistress. You wondered when he would finally propose to her. She had been waiting for years.
When you visited, you would often sit in one of his open hearings. You were quite interested in the political and legal situation in the country especially following recent events.
Notably, it has been six weeks since the assassination attempt on Oswald Mosley, the leader of the British Union of Fascists.
Being Jewish yourself, you, just like your father, despised fascism.
The event at which the assassination attempt occurred was visited by many Jews, protesting against the establishment of the party and their obscure ideas. Despite your father’s instructions not to get involved, you were one of the protestors on the day and, although not openly, you have been associating yourself with the communists.
Your newfound friend Jesse Eden had since led several more protests you attended. Being only 20 years young, you believed that you could make a difference and convince people that their support for fascism was wrong and immoral.
The problem was that your father was at the centre of it all.
Following the assassination attempt on Oswald Mosley, two Jews were arrested and appeared in your father’s court. The prosecution didn’t have enough evidence for a conviction and the men walked free.
No one really knew who was behind the assassination attempt. There were no witnesses and everyone who may have witnessed the attack had since been found dead.
Regardless of this, for some reason, the leaders of the British Union of Fascists seem to have believed that a Jewish man by the name of Alfie Solomons was behind the attack. But there was one little problem, Alfie Solomon was dead. Or wasn’t he?
The men that were arrested used to work for Alfie Solomons and took the fall until your father set them free for lack of evidence.
A week after this decision, a Jewish owned factory was bombed. The factory was owned by the men who were set free by your father and a company owned by a Trust.
Ten men were killed and, following some arrests, it became evident that Jimmy McCavern was behind the attack.
Jimmy McCavern was the leader of the Billy Boys and, over the course of another week, your father was able to make a connection through some documents admitted to evidence between Jimmy McCavern, Alfie Solomons and a man named Thomas Shelby who was the deputy leader of the British Union of Fascists.
An arrest warrant was issued against Jimmy McCavern and Thomas Shelby by the London police following your father’s advice to them. Since, apparently, Alfie Solomons was dead, no arrest warrant could be made against him.
Thomas Shelby was the first member of parliament who was subject to such warrant and your father may have just, like this, gotten himself a lot of enemies.
The men he had against him now were not only the Billy Boys but also the Peaky Blinders and it was too dangerous for you to continue to visit him in London.
Unfortunately, little did you know that the danger was about to lurk just in front of your doorstep.
An Unexpected Visit
It was a Wednesday evening at 8pm that you heard a rather loud knock on the front door of your cottage.
You didn’t expect anyone and approached the door with your loaded gun. It’s not that you had ever shot a gun, but you bought yourself one two days ago just in case you needed it.
‘Who is it?’ you asked from behind the closed door.
‘It’s Jesse Eden’ you’ve heard from behind the door and you immediately recognised Jesse’s voice.
You put the gun aside and unlocked the door.
To your surprise, Jesse wasn’t alone and your chin dropped as you saw the man standing right in front of you. You remembered him. He was the man who stood beside Oswald Mosley during his speech in Birmingham and you had met him before at a gala at Westminster.
His name was Thomas Shelby.
‘I think we have met before Miss Rosenberg’ Tommy said.
‘Yes, we have Mr Shelby’ you said nervously and frightened at the same time. You immediately wondered whether Jesse was under duress by him. Why otherwise would he be here with her you wondered.
You invited them both inside after Jesse made the request to come in. She wasn’t sure whether they had been followed.
To your surprise, Jesse soon told you that she required your help. According to her, Thomas Shelby had to lay low due to the arrest warrant issued by the London police.
If Thomas Shelby was to be arrested, he may be killed in prison before a hearing could be conducted.
Accordingly, Jesse asked you to hide him at your house until the charges against him are dropped.
‘You mean until the chief of police has been bribed enough to drop the charges?’ you chuckled in response to her request.
‘I wish it would be that easy Love’ Tommy said as he looked at the pictures on your living room wall. His hands were in his pockets and he almost looked unbothered by the situation.
‘You cannot be serious Jesse. You seriously want me to hide this man at my house?’ you said in disbelieve.
‘I am afraid I am serious Y/N’ Jesse responded.
‘Well, a fascist hiding at the house of a Jew, how ironic’ you said angrily, still unsure why Jesse was helping him.
‘I know we have gotten off on the wrong foot at the Westminster gala Miss Rosenberg, but I would greatly appreciate your help’ Tommy said, recalling his argument with your father in your presence in late 1929.
‘You think Mr Shelby?’ you chuckled. ‘You insulted my father and my entire family’ you said.
‘And for that, I apologise’ Tommy said politely but firmly.
‘Jesse, you need to explain to me why you are helping this man. I do not understand it’ you said.
‘I cannot give you more information Y/N. You just need to trust me on this, alright?’ Jesse asked almost fearfully.
‘Alright, but why me?’ you pondered.
‘Because you are the daughter of the judge hearing this matter. No one will think to look for me here, at your house’ Tommy explained.
‘Jesus’ was all you could respond with to Tommy’s comment.
‘Y/N, trust me, please. It’s for the cause’ Jesse said.
‘I find this hard to believe, but alright, he can stay’ you responded.
Not long after you agreed to house the deputy leader of the British Union of Fascists, Thomas Shelby, Jesse made her way back to Birmingham. It was a three-hour drive and she had to hurry before anyone became suspicious.
‘You will have to sleep on the lounge. Please help yourself to any food, water and drinks’ you said while you walked into another room to fetch a blanket, pillow and change of clothes for Tommy.
You still held on to your brother’s clothes which should have fitted Thomas just fine.
‘I thank you for your hospitality Miss Rosenberg and I apologise for intruding your space. I should be out of your hair within the week’ Tommy said as you came back to the living room and handed him everything he needed for his stay.
‘I am doing this for Jesse, not for you Mr Shelby. Although I do not quite understand why she is helping you’ you said just before you sat down in one of the arm chairs.
‘Let’s just say, we had a thing once, eh’ Tommy smirked.
‘I didn’t think that she would fall for a man like you’ you said.
‘A man like me, eh?’ Tommy chuckled.
‘Yes, a socialist turning to fascism. It’s rather disappointing’ you said.
‘Sometimes we do what we have to do Miss Rosenberg’ Tommy said.
‘Yes, if we didn’t, you wouldn’t be staying here, trust me’ you said before excusing yourself.
You made your way to your studio, painting and drinking wine. It was what you enjoyed most and you wanted to space from the stranger now living with you in the small cottage. A man you had literally nothing in common with and who you despised.
While you were painting, Tommy made use of your telephone and enjoyed some of your late brother’s whiskey.
It was obvious to you that he was struggling with being cooped up in your cottage and, just as your thoughts got lost in your paintings, you heard some a cracking noise near the door of your studio.
‘What are you doing?’ you asked as you noticed Tommy walking into your studio, looking through your many paintings.
‘You are talented. These paintings are extraordinary’ Tommy said.
‘Thank you, Mr Shelby’ you said with surprise. Had he really just complimented you?
His presence and closeness sent shivers down your spine. It wasn’t that you were frightened but you were clearly intimidated.
‘What are your plans, Miss Rosenberg?’ Tommy asked as he kept looking through the paintings.
‘My plans?’ you asked.
‘Your plans for the future? What are they?’ Tommy asked.
‘I am studying to become a nurse. Perhaps, one day get married and have children. The usual’ you said shyly.
‘Well, let me tell you, marriage is overrated’ Tommy chuckled before he asked how old you were.
‘I am 20’ you responded.
‘Still young with a life of opportunities ahead of you. Don’t waste them on the cause’ Tommy said.
‘Coming from a man who wastes his political career on fascism’ you said, causing Tommy to chuckle.
Your comment instantly sparked a political debate between you and Tommy which soon erupted into a heated argument.
During the argument he told you that you were too young to understand, ignorant and naïve and you were keen to throw him out of your house right then and there.
But, you bit your tongue and reminded yourself of the promise you made to Jesse.
You couldn’t stand him and his arrogance any longer and went to your bedroom, leaving him to debate about politics with himself.
Things Must Change
The next morning, you woke up early to attend the garden, ignoring Tommy as you left the house.
But, it wasn’t long until Tommy joined you in the garden. It was obvious to you that he was clearly bored.
‘What happened to the people who lived at the large house over there?’ Tommy asked as he walked outside to have a cigarette. You didn’t allow him to smoke inside the house.
‘They are in France for their annual vacation. Apparently, their fortune was unaffected by the stock market crash’ you responded.
‘Lucky them eh’ Tommy grinned as he grabbed some of the leather gardening cloves and a bucket from the side of the house.
Wearing his expensive suit and with the bucket in his hand and a cigarette in his mouth he walked over to the berry bushes where you were standing.
‘I might as well make myself useful eh’ he said jokingly as he began picking some berries.
‘Uhm yeah…but these aren’t ripe’ you giggled as you observed Tommy picking off some of the raspberries.
‘Right. Well, I usually don’t garden’ Tommy chuckled.
‘I couldn’t tell’ you laughed, causing Tommy to smile back at you.
This was the first time you noticed him smile. It was a gentle smile and it suited him.
Tommy helped you in the garden for the remainder of the day. It wasn’t like he had something else to do other than make phone calls to his brother and someone by the name of Kent.
You managed to keep your arguments to a minimum and you started to worry that you were slowly beginning to enjoy his company.
Later that evening, following dinner, you even sat down together in front of the fireplace in the living room to drink whiskey and wine and make some conversation.
‘I have been checking on your calls, contacting the directory because I wanted to make sure that I am safe with you being here. I have been told that the last call from my number was made to the Crown Investigations Office’ you said with surprise as you poured Tommy a glass of whiskey. After everything that happened in the past, you still didn’t trust him.
‘That’s correct’ Tommy said.
‘The only reason I could think of as to why you were talking to an officer of the Crown while you have an arrest warrant against you is if you were working for the Crown yourself. Otherwise, you would be mad tipping them’ you said.
‘I was just trading information that might be useful. In exchange, I am hoping for the arrest warrant against me to be dropped’ Tommy explained.
‘Mr Shelby, do you actually believe in fascism? I have not heard you speak about your party’s ideals since you’ve been here. We spoke about politics but you still seem to be a socialist at heart. So tell me, why do you follow this mad man Mosely? I am curious’ you said.
‘The thing about political parties is that they take the course into the direction in which they are steered. Much like a car. But just like with a car, if you fill it with the wrong fuel and the engine breaks down as a result, you will be going nowhere’ Tommy said as he took a drink.
‘And you are the fuel Mr Shelby?’ you asked with curiosity.
‘Yes, I am the fuel Miss Rosenberg’ he said.
‘Your intention is to undermine Mosley on behalf of the Crown. Jesse knew and this is why she helped you, isn’t it?’ you said after pondering on about what Tommy had just told you.
‘And now that you know this as well, it makes you my accomplice. I might be able to use your help Miss Rosenberg’ Tommy said.
‘If it helps to end fascism, perhaps I am willing to give it’ you said with a smile. ‘But I am curious now Mr Shelby. Was it you who initiated the attack on Mosley?’ you asked.
‘I rather not answer Miss Rosenberg’ Tommy said.
‘I understand. Also, you can call me Y/N now that we aren’t enemies after all’ you said.
‘Alright Y/N, then I insist that you call me Tommy’ he responded.
After some more conversation you decided that it was time for you to make your way to bed. It was late and you had to get up early to attend the animals.
Nightmares
Falling asleep that night was easy. You felt much safer now despite Tommy’s presence. You knew he wasn’t going to harm you.
But just as easy as you had fallen asleep, you were woken up by a loud noise coming from the living room at 1am.
‘Tommy, are you alright?’ you asked worryingly as you walked downstairs in a haste, wearing nothing but your silk nightgown.
‘My apologies, I didn’t intend to wake you’ Tommy said as he sat on the lounge, covered in sweat.
You initially thought that he might haven gotten sick until you saw a small empty bottle on the living room table. Your brother used to have one just like it which he carried around everywhere. It contained Liquid Opium and helped him sleep. He took it every night until, one day, he stopped. The withdrawal was barely manageable and his addiction soon rebounded.
You knew what this was. You had seen it before.
‘I will make you some tea to help you sleep’ you said kindly as you observed Tommy’s struggles.
‘I don’t think that tea will help me sleep Love’ Tommy chuckled.
‘My brother used to have nightmares after France. When he returned home, my mother made this for him and he managed to get at least some sleep. It’s worth a try’ you said with a warm smile. You knew Tommy had been to France. You had spoken about it when you spoke about your brother earlier that evening.
‘I suppose why not, eh’ Tommy said as he walked to the bathroom to clean himself off with a cold wet flannel.
After you put on the kettle, you walked to the studio and grabbed some more of your brother’s clothes.
‘These should fit you’ you said shyly as you handed Tommy a clean plain shirt and pants.
‘Thank you, Y/N’ he said as he took the clothes.
This was the first time you saw Tommy without a shirt and, despite his level of exhaustion, it was quite a sight. He certainly was a very attractive man.
After Tommy had gotten himself changed, you sat down next to him and handed him the cup of tea.
‘Do you want to talk?’ you asked.
‘It’s the middle of the night Y/N, you should get some sleep’ Tommy said.
‘It’s alright. I am not tired’ you said with a warm smile.
That night Tommy spoke with you about everything. About France and his late wife Grace who visited him in his dreams. He didn’t know why, but he felt as though he could talk to you and trust you.
At 4am, you eventually fell asleep on the lounge next to Tommy which is where you woke up the next morning covered with a warm blanket.
The fire was lid and there was a note on the coffee table as you woke.
‘Borrowed your hunting rifle, will be back by 8’ the note said.
You didn’t know how to hunt and had been telling Tommy how your brother shot bucks whenever you came to visit him at the cottage from London. You would then prepare it with veggies from the garden just the way your mother had shown you.
You thought that, perhaps, Tommy was better equipped than you when it came to hunting. You struggled enough even just to slaughter a chook from the farm and your intake of meat was clearly lacking as a result.
Attacked
With Tommy gone, you decided to attend to the horses. Grabbing your shovel and rake, you walked into the stables.
But, just as you walked inside, you could hear a loud noise from behind the barn.
You wondered whether it was Tommy and approached the back area of the property carefully. After all, he had a loaded gun and you certainly didn’t want to get shot accidently.
Just as you walked to the side of the property, you saw a strange man.
‘Hello Love’ the man said, cocking his gun.
‘Who are you and what do you want?’ you asked holding on to your rake tightly.
‘We’ve got a dispute to settle with some Jews Love. Now be a good girl and put down this rake would you’ the man said firmly.
You obliged and the man approached you slowly.
‘Now Love, we will be having a good time and then we will visit your father’ the man said just before he called for another man who was at the back of the barn.
Within an instant, the man grabbed your wrists and pushed you against the outer wall of the barn.
‘Such are pretty thing aren’t you’ the man said as he aimed to cover your mouth while moving away your skirt.
But, just when the man’s hand reached your mouth, you bit him firmly just before yelling for help.
‘You fucking bitch’ the man said as he reached for his gun.
In this moment, you heard a shot. The other man was hit, but barely and went to check out where the shot came from.
With both men distracted, you ceased the moment and pulled out the gardening scissors you were carrying in your thin jacket. Within an instant and without thinking, you rammed the scissor into the neck of the man who was still standing right there in front of you.
This was all it took for the man to fall to the ground. You couldn’t help it but scream as your hands and blouse were covered in the man’s blood.
You were besides yourself, sitting on the ground next to his dying body in shock, unable to do anything.
After what felt like an eternity, you saw Tommy approach you, making his way through the veggie patch carrying your hunting rifle and covered in blood himself.
‘Are you alright Y/N?’ he asked as he kneeled down next to you, comforting you.
‘There is another man Tommy, he walked to towards the berry field’ you said.
‘I know. He’s dead now and so is the third man who was driving them here’ Tommy said.
‘Did you kill them?’ you asked.
‘Yes, I did’ he said and, just in that moment, you threw his arms around him.
This is when you realised that he had been injured and was in agony himself.
‘Tommy, you’ve been shot’ you said with worry as you saw blood staining through his white shirt.
‘Yes’ was all he managed to say at this point as he was losing blood.
‘We will get you to a hospital’ you said in a haste.
‘No hospital Y/N. I will be taken into custody if I set foot in a public place like this until the arrest warrant has been dropped’ Tommy said.
You could see the agony on his face as he held onto the side of his chest. He was in pain. A lot of pain.
‘You are nurse, aren’t you?’ Tommy asked, breathing heavily.
‘I am a student nurse Tommy. I have not practiced on a life person’ you said worryingly.
‘Well, it’s about time then eh’ Tommy chuckled.
‘Tommy, you can’t be serious’ you said.
‘I am serious Y/N. I need you to do this, please’ Tommy said.
‘Alright, common’ you said nervously. It wasn’t like you had a choice. Tommy was bleeding a lot and his wound needed attention immediately.
With haste, you walked inside with Tommy and placed a towel over the lounge and got your first aid kit as well as a bottle of vodka from the dining room. You then went to the bathroom quickly to get a bowl of clean water and more towels.
While you were getting everything ready, Tommy made a phone call to his brother Arthur, giving him your address. By that point, Tommy was barely able to stand up.
As you returned from the kitchen, you helped Tommy to remove his blood-soaked clothes.
You gasped for a moment. You weren’t sure whether the blood or the sight of his naked body took away your breath.
‘You’ve got whiskey?’ Tommy asked.
‘Tommy, I don’t think it matters which alcohol I use to clean out your wound’ you said as you got everything ready on the table.
‘To drink. Trust me, I’ll need it. I am out of Opium’ he said, his breathing still laboured.
‘Yes, of course’ you said before you poured him a large glass of whiskey and handed it to him.
He drank all of it in an instant before lying down.
‘This is going to hurt’ you said as you cleaned your hands and the tweezers from your first aid kit with some of the vodka.
‘I know’ he said, taking in a deep breath.
‘You have to stay still’ you went on as you reached for his wound which was still profusely pouring blood.
‘I know’ he said again before closing his eyes and holding on to the edge of the lounge in anticipation.
As soon as you entered the wounds with your fingers and the tweezers, all that you could hear was a loud grunt.
‘Fuck’ Tommy screamed as your fingers went in deeper, retrieving the bullet from his wound. By this point, you were breathing as heavily as him.
‘I’ve got it Tommy, don’t move now’ you said as you carefully pulled the bullet out of his flesh.
Tommy took in a deep breath and, with another loud grunt, you dislodged the bullet.
It was intact and you sighed with relief while Tommy opened his eyes, looking at you in agony.
‘Now I will clean up the wound and stitch it, alright?’ you asked, causing Tommy to nod.
He let out another loud grunt as you poured some of the vodka over his wound before handing him a clean towel to apply pressure to the wound while you prepared the stitches.
His face was expressionless when you placed the stitches. You knew that the worst pain was over but, nonetheless, you were surprised by how well he had handled it.
This was when you noticed several large scars across his chest and arms. Almost too many to count.
‘You have been shot before, haven’t you?’ you asked while Tommy looked almost relaxed when you placed the sixth stitch.
‘Just a few times’ he smirked.
While you placed the last stitch, you could hear a car pull up in front of your door.
You opened the door quickly before applying a bandage around Tommy’s chest.
‘Fucking Hell Brother’ Arthur shouted as he walked into the living room with Isiah.
‘Arthur, this is Y/N’ Tommy said by way of introduction.
You quickly shook Arthur’s hand by which he was rather surprised.
‘Who the fuck did this?’ Arthur asked.
‘The Billy Boys. But they weren’t after me. They were after her’ Tommy explained.
‘Why?’ Arthur asked.
‘Because she is the daughter of the judge hearing the McCaven matter. I assume they wanted to send a message’ Tommy said.
‘Did they see you?’ Arthur asked.
‘Yes, but it doesn’t matter. They are dead’ Tommy responded.
‘Alright, what do you want us to do with the bodies? Send a message?’ Arthur asked.
‘Burry them behind the property. This never happened. They just disappeared and never made it here. By the time McCaven finds out the arrest warrants will be dropped and I can deal with the situation and Mosley’ Tommy instructed.
Arthur and Isiah attended the bodies as instructed by Tommy. You were surprised how quickly and efficiently they made the bodies disappear without any evidence whatsoever. It was clear to you that they had done this kind of thing before.
Before they left, Tommy gave Arthur a note to give to Jesse Eden and a note to give to a person named Kent.
In return Arthur gave Tommy three guns, a change of clothes and a bottle of opium.
After Arthur and Isiah had left, you made sure that Tommy was resting. After all, he had lost a lot of blood and you didn’t want him to pull a stitch.
Tender Moments
‘Do you have any more of that tea?’ Tommy asked as he held on to the bottle of opium that Arthur had given him. He starred at it, but didn’t open it.
‘Yes, sure. I will make some’ you said.
You were surprised by Tommy’s request but didn’t dare to argue.
You sat down next to him to have some tea while he placed the bottle of opium on the table in front of him.
‘Tommy, don’t’ you said.
‘Don’t what?’ he asked.
‘The opium, don’t take it’ you said.
‘Well, then put it away somewhere I cannot find it eh’ Tommy said as he handed you the bottle and you obliged with his request.
Tommy knew he would be regretting this soon, at night when his nightmares would wake him once again. It wasn’t the pain he couldn’t handle, but rather it was Grace’s visits in his dreams and dreaming about France hat destroyed him.
He was afraid of going to sleep but he needed sleep badly especially after today and so did you.
‘Are you not going to sleep?’ Tommy asked as clock struck midnight and you were still there with him talking about matters which he never talked to anyone about. He felt like he could confine in you and, despite your young age, you understood and you cared.
‘I don’t think I can. Not after what happened today. Not after what I have done’ you said as tears were building up in your eyes for the third time that evening.
‘Y/N, listen to me, alright?’ he said, caressing your face gently.
‘What you have done saved your life. These men were here to hurt you and now they can’t. You are safe now’ Tommy said as tears began to run down your cheek.
‘I killed someone Tommy’ you said in disarray.
‘You killed a bad man’ Tommy said as he used his thumbs to wipe away your tears.
‘It’s still a man Tommy’ you said before pressing your head against his chest. ‘Will the picture of him ever leave my head?’ you asked.
‘No Y/N, it won’t. But your guilt will, that I promise’ Tommy said. ‘Now, let’s get you some rest, eh?’ Tommy said.
‘Will you come with me Tommy?’ you asked nervously, knowing that your question was somewhat unusual.
‘Come with you? To bed?’ Tommy asked with surprise.
‘Yes, just to sleep by my side. I am scared Tommy’ you said.
‘I never had a woman ask me to join her in her bed simply for the purpose of sleeping, but alright, I suppose I can do that’ Tommy smirked before he followed you upstairs.
As Tommy lied down next you, bandaged up and wearing not much more than his white undergarments, you could feel something unusual. It was almost like some sort of warmth which was flowing through your chest.
‘Do you want me to turn off the light?’ Tommy asked as he got comfortable on the large white pillow, facing you and starring into your dark eyes.
‘Not yet. Perhaps we could talk for a little longer’ you said as you looked into his comforting blue eyes.
‘Alright, what you want to talk about?’ he asked and this is when you brought up his current wife Lizzie and his children.
‘What about your wife and children, where are they?’ you asked.
‘They are in Scotland, where, apparently they are safe from all this and from myself’ Tommy said with some disappointment.
‘From yourself? But they are your children’ you asked with some confusion.
‘They are, but they are indeed safer without me until I sort things out’ Tommy explained.
‘Do you miss your wife’ you asked.
‘No, I do not miss my wife. She filed for divorce six weeks ago’ Tommy said.
‘You do not seem upset about it. Why is that?’ you asked.
‘Because I know that it’s the right thing to do, to keep her safe. Our relationship was never one made of love. I never loved her the way a husband should love his wife. But, she is mother of my daughter and she cares deeply for my son. I trust her. She’s always been loyal to me and to the Company’ Tommy explained.
‘That’s nice…to have someone like this in your life’ you said.
‘It is indeed. Now you should get some rest eh’ Tommy said as he turned off the bedside lamp.
To his surprise, as soon as he turned off the light, you leaned over towards him carefully and rested your head on the uninjured side of his chest.
He let you and wrapped his arm around you, pulling you close until you drifted off to sleep.
This was the first time for Thomas Shelby since he came back from France that he shared a bed with a woman other than his wife who didn’t have any sexual interactions with. To his surprise, despite the pain after having been shot, he slept better than he had expected. In the absence of nightmares, he was well rested until, after five hours of sleep, the next morning you heard a loud bang on the door.
Taking a Turn
You walked downstairs again with your loaded gun in your hand.
‘Who is it?’ you asked as you approached the door carefully.
‘Jesse Eden’ the person said and you quickly opened the door while Tommy came walking downstairs, out of your bedroom.
‘I actually just came here to make sure you didn’t kill each other but it looks like you’ve managed to become acquainted’ Jesse giggled.
‘It’s not what it looks like’ you said as Tommy walked out of your bedroom wearing nothing but his undergarments.
‘I assume Tommy has informed you about our past relations. But, for the record, I no longer have any interest in the man, so it’s quite alright with me if it is what looks like Y/N’ Jesse laughed.
‘You are no longer interested, eh?’ Tommy said to Jesse with a cheeky smile.
‘Unless you have forgotten, you ended up marrying someone else’ Jesse said.
‘Should I give you two some privacy?’ you asked as you felt uncomfortable being caught in between their conversation about old times.
‘No Y/N, there is no need eh Jesse?’ Tommy said with a laugh.
‘No there is not. Arthur came to see me last night to give me your note. But he hadn’t said anything about you having been injured’ Jesse said.
‘It’s alright, she’s a nurse. I got lucky’ Tommy chuckled.
‘Well, I am glad because I have information from one of my informants that will be of interest to you now that you are still alive. The Crown prosecutor was removed from the case and so was the chief of police. Apparently, it was found out that they both involved themselves with illegal prostitutes at some of your brothels’ Jesse said.
‘Now that is interesting, isn’t it?’ Tommy smirked.
‘You obviously knew and blackmailed them. The man in charge of the matter is now your friend Lawrence Staghill who, I believe, is filing for a motion to dismiss for lack of evidence in front of the judge who still owes you a lot of money. So, it looks like that everything is going to plan for you once again Thomas Shelby OBE. You should be free to leave after the next three days. The case is to be heard after the weekend’ Jesse said.
‘You hear that? Three more days and I will be out of your hair Y/N’ Tommy said.
‘I can’t wait’ you said cheekily and with a hint of sarcasm.
Jesse stayed for a little while longer before heading back to Birmingham and you made sure that, for the entire day, Tommy rested.
It was hard for Tommy to rest. It was almost like he needed to do something at all times. He wasn’t a man who could ever just sit still and, say, read a book. His mind had to busy constantly and he loved to be challenged.
For you, the day went by quickly and looking after Tommy was almost like looking after a child who refuses to listen.
Gone Too Far
‘I see you made yourself a bed on the sofa again’ you said as you noticed Tommy putting the blanket and pillow on the sofa.
‘Whilst I enjoyed our pillow talk, I figured that last night was an exception. Unless you think you might have difficulty sleeping again’ Tommy smirked.
‘I think I just might’ you said with a smile as you finished brushing your hair.
‘Alright, I will take my pillow and blanket upstairs then eh’ Tommy said.
‘Alright, see you up there’ you smiled, causing Tommy to chuckle.
This was strange indeed, but he figured that, at least, the bed was more comfortable than the lounge.
‘So, what do you want to talk about tonight, eh?’ Tommy asked as you walked into the bedroom with a glass of water and two white pills.
‘I went to the chemist today. This should prevent infection’ you said you said as you handed him the glass and the tablets.
‘Thank you’ Tommy said as you lied down next to him.
He swallowed the tablets and waited for you to say something, start a conversation of some sort.
But you didn’t. You lied there quietly, your dark eyes gazing over his half naked body.
In this moment, he didn’t know what came over him but, just as he leaned to lie on his uninjured side, he ran his hands through your hair and his eyes met yours.
‘I haven’t met anyone quite like you’ Tommy said.
‘Why is that?’ you asked.
‘I am not sure. There is something about you that intrigues me. That doesn’t happen very often’ Tommy said and, just as he did, you leaned forward and your lips met his.
His lips were soft and still tasted like whiskey.
Reluctantly at first, he returned the kiss, gently but passionately.
It was a short kiss and your tongues never touched by the time you lips drifted apart.
Once your lips separated you starred at each other, questioning in your mind what had just happened between you.
With embarrassment, you pulled away and turned around quickly.
‘Goodnight Tommy’ you said after you turned around. You turned off the night light and pulled your blanket over you tightly.
‘Goodnight Y/N’ Tommy said with a slight chuckle, still facing into your direction.
Despite the fact that Tommy had been on your mind now for days, you were surprised by your own actions and wanted to pretend that the kiss between you just moments ago didn’t happen.
You knew about his past, the killings, the illegal businesses, everything. He was a man you knew you shouldn’t get involved with. He was also still married and, at least in the eye of the public, he was a fascist.
You tried very hard to ignore the fact that he was lying next to you, half naked. The fire was lightening the room slightly and you simply couldn’t close your eyes, starring to the other end of the room.
For ten minutes you tried to lie still, but couldn’t. You fidgeted and kept starring up and then to the side again.
‘Do you want me to help you go to sleep?’ Tommy asked as he noticed your restlessness, which instantly broke the silence between you.
‘Help me go to sleep?’ you asked with some confusion and without turning around to face him. You were still to embarrassed to look at him.
‘Yes’ Tommy said as, suddenly, you could feel his body moving closer towards yours but still separated by your individual blankets.
‘What do you mean by that Tommy?’ you asked with some ignorance and, just when you did, you could feel the back of your blanket lift slightly.
Within seconds, Tommy’s fingers trailed over your bare shoulders downwards over your small breasts which were covered by nothing but your silk nightgown.
Your nipple turned hard instantly at his touch and you let out a deep sigh.
‘Tommy, I have never been with anyone before’ you said, allowing his touch but worrying about what he was intending to do to you.
‘Don’t worry Love, I am not going to fuck you. At least not in the conventional way’ Tommy chuckled as his fingers circled over your hard nipples.
You had no idea what he could possibly mean by that. Did he not find you attractive? What was he going to do to you then if not that?
‘So, you don’t want me?’ you asked curiously while small moans escaped your lips as the tips of his fingers continued to run circles over your nipples.
‘I want you alright. But I am not keen on tearing my stitches’ Tommy said as his hands began to take hold of your breasts harder.
You moaned at his touch and felt a strange and unfamiliar sensation build up in between your legs.
It wasn’t long until you felt his fingers move downwards over your stomach until they finally began teasing the top of your mound through your panties.
‘Tommy, I don’t think I will be going to sleep with you touching me like this’ you said with heavy breath. You wondered how on earth this was actually going to help you go to sleep.
‘I hope not’ Tommy laughed quietly. ‘But once I am done with you, you will sleep very well, that I promise’ he whispered into your before biting your earlobe gently.
You took in a deep breath and moaned quietly. The feeling of his hot breath was intense.
‘So do you want me to continue?’ he whispered.
You couldn't say yes. But you also couldn't say no. Instead, all that escaped your lips was another soft moan.
‘I need to hear you say it Love. Tell me you want me to keep going’ he said.
You whimpered under his touch, your hips now rocking to meet his hand. But he held firm.
‘I...it feels really good’ was all you could manage to say.
‘And you want me to continue?’ he asked as his fingers moved a little lower, over your panties, expertly brushing over your clit.
‘Yes Tommy, please continue’ you moaned and, just like that, Tommy slit his hand beneath your panties, running his fingers directly over your wet slit, dipping only the top of them into you gently.
He then began to rub his wet finger tips over your clit, circling around your hard nub with light pressure.
‘Oh my god Tommy’ you moaned as you never felt anything just like that.
After a minute or two, Tommy gently slid one finger into you, looking out for any cues from you to ensure that he didn’t hurt you now that he knew that you were a virgin.
You were so tight, it was almost too much to start and he could feel the resistance of your hymen within you. But he kept going, carefully and gently thrusting his finger in and out of you at a slow pace.
You moaned softly and Tommy loved pulling a reaction out of you. It was almost like it was his goal to break your normally stoic composure.
Tommy wanted to know that you were enjoying what he was doing.
He began sliding his finger in and out of you all the way slowly at first, but not long after he started to build speed.
You enjoyed the alternating feeling between emptiness and fulness inside of you and were making the most delicious noises now. Your eyes were completely closed and you were moaning louder.
Suddenly Tommy slipped a second finger inside of you just to give you a little extra jolt and you reacted better than he could have expected.
It was slightly painful at first but the mild pain soon subsided and turned into pleasure.
‘Tommy, oh god...fuck’ you moaned as you began squirming just slightly and moaning a bit louder.
As his fingers kept thrusting in and out of you, your breathing became heavier and your legs began to quiver.
His thumb soon gave extra attention to your clit while he kept up with the movement of his middle and index finger.
Your moans kept getting more frequent now and you were certainly getting wetter too as Tommy kept going faster and harder.
You couldn’t believe how good he was making you feel with his fingers but you also didn’t know what to expect when an overwhelming sensation of warmth and tingling overcame you slowly.
‘Tommy, I don’t know if this is right. It feels strange’ you moaned as your legs began to shake and you couldn’t control your movements.
You tried to squirm away as the feeling was too unfamiliar to you. But Tommy persisted, pushing his hand firmer against you and his fingers even deeper inside of you.
‘Does it feel good?’ Tommy asked, knowing already what your answer would be as he could feel your walls tightening around his fingers.
‘Yes Tommy’ you managed to let out in between moans.
‘Then its right Love’ Tommy smirked. ‘Just relax and let go eh’ Tommy whispered.
You moaned once again, louder than before, and gave into the sensation.
It was intense, so intense that you had to clench onto the sheets and, just like this your orgasm washed over you.
You were a shaking mess and Tommy kept up the speed with his fingers until your orgasm slowly began to subside.
‘Fuck, what the hell just happened?’ you said once you began to calm down and while Tommy still stroked the outside of your now soaked mound.
‘Did you never have an orgasm before?’ Tommy asked surprised and with curiosity.
‘Like this? No. Never’ you said. Of course, you pleasured yourself before but the sensation was different, way less intense than what Tommy just managed to do to you.
As Tommy removed his hand from you, you turned around, your cheeks flushed. It was almost like you were embarrassed to look at him after what had just happened.
‘Feeling relaxed now?’ Tommy asked with a grin on his face.
‘Yes…uhm…thank you’ you said shyly.
‘It’s my pleasure’ Tommy said with a smile before giving you gentle kiss. You could have spent all night just kissing him. He was good at it and his lips were full and soft.
‘You should get some sleep now, eh’ he said after your lips drifted apart and he caressed your face.
‘Is there anything I could do to return the favour?’ you asked shyly, feeling somewhat guilty about the way he made you feel with nothing in return.
‘No, not tonight Love’ Tommy said as he pulled you closer. Whilst he had the desire to be with you that night, he was still not well enough after his injury and felt as though he should give you time. You were inexperienced and this was new territory for you, possibly overwhelming. Just like this, you had awoken the soft and gentle side of Thomas Shelby and that, in itself, brought him out of his own comfort zone.
He did not know what to do or how to act. The only woman who had managed to do this to him after he’s fought in France was his late wife Grace and he was certain that he would never meet another woman like this again. A woman he would care for in the same way he cared for Grace. Having met you changed everything for him that night and he struggled with the idea to accept his fade, especially with a woman half his age and who was the daughter of the man who tried very hard to bring him down.
Thus, as you leaned your head against his chest carefully, making sure that you didn’t lean against his wound, he couldn’t help but stare at you and ponder about what had brought him to you. Perhaps it was meant to be.
‘What’s wrong Tommy?’ you asked as you began to notice his eyes being fixated on you as he ran one of his hands through your hair gently.
‘Nothing, just enjoying the moment’ he said.
‘Me too Tommy’ you responded before closing your eyes and drifting off to sleep.
Change of Heart
The next morning, when you woke up, Tommy was not by your side. His side of the bed was empty.
But, when you walked downstairs you could see him, sitting in the dining room area with a pen and paper.
You weren’t sure what he was writing and you weren’t sure how to approach him after last night.
You decided to go with a kiss and, just after you said good morning and leaned in to kiss him, Tommy pulled away.
That was unexpected and you looked at him, full of questions.
‘Last night was a mistake Y/N for which I apologise. I should not have been temped’ Tommy said.
‘A mistake? Right’ you said as you walked over to the kitchen bench to boil the kettle. Small tears were running down your eyes and you tried hard to hide them from Tommy.
You had begun to care for him and you most clearly were developing feelings for him.
‘Y/N?’ Tommy said as he noticed you being upset.
‘Tommy, please just give me some space alright’ you said as you walked into the studio with your cup of tea.
You were embarrassed and you felt weak. Yet you wanted to be strong.
Were you too naïve, failing for a man like him?
#Tommy Shelby#tommy shelby smut#tommy shelby x reader#tommy shelby imagine#thomas shelby#thomas shelby smut#thomas shelby x reader#thomas shelby imagine#tommy shelby x y/n#tommy shelby x you#thomas shelby x you#thomas shelby x y/n#Peaky Blinders#peaky blinder imagine#peaky blinders fanfic#peaky blinders imagine#peaky blinder#arthur shelby#peaky blinders smut#smut
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23rd August 1305 saw the trial and execution in London of Sir William Wallace, one time Guardian of Scotland.
I posted yesterday stating the trial happened then, it came u in a source I was reading about Wallace, sometimes the historians can get it wrong, but the post yesterday served as more of prelude and a taster of todays more detailed one.
Wallace is said to have accepted his execution without resistance and a brave heart. He even made a final confession to a priest and read from the book of Psalms before his punishment.
Types of execution at The Elms ranged from burning at the stake (for heretics) to the tried and tested hanged-drawn-and-quartered method for those convicted of high treason. For those unfamiliar with this method, it involves being dragged by a horse to the place of execution, hanged until almost dead, then disembowelled whilst still conscious, beheaded, and finally being chopped into four pieces (i.e. ‘quartered) and subsequently having these pieces put on display across the city, or in Sir William Wallace’s case, the country.
I think it only right to give a background post about Sir William Wallace so hang on to your hats, there’ll be no mention of French Princess’s, Blue painted Australians or the like.
Much of what we know about Wallace comes from Blind Harry, also known as Harry, Hary or Henry the Minstrel, is renowned as the author of The Actes and Deidis of the Illustre and Vallyeant Campioun Schir William Wallace, more commonly known as The Wallace. The trouble is how reliable can Blind Harry’s account be, it was written over 150 years after Wallace's grisly demise, the stories about oor erstwhile hero would have been handed down through word of mouth, possibly even in song.
Harty claims that Wallace's father was named Malcolm, and on this basis Wallace has traditionally been identified as Sir Malcolm Wallace, a minor landowner from Renfrewshire. Sir Malcolm was a descendant of Richard Wallace, a native of the lordship of Oswestry on the Welsh border, (Wallace itself meaning Welshman), who first came to Scotland in the twelfth-century in the service of Walter Fitz Alan, first High Steward of Scotland. This Stewart connection has also been used by historians to explain Wallace's place in the 'patriotic' struggle of the 1290s.
But Harry’s story has some flaws, now I’m not decrying the story, just some details like his age.
No reliable evidence exists to gives us an estimate of his age. Harry claims that Wallace was 'forty and five [years] of age' when he was executed, but also states that he was 'bot eighteen yer auld' shortly before the Battle of Stirling Bridge, which would place the year of his birth around 1278/9.
It shows how difficult it is to build a picture of Sir William.
The contemporary English chronicler William Rishanger implies that Wallace was a young man when he emerged as the leader of armed resistance to the English in southern Scotland in 1297, but this does little to narrow things down. According to Hary, Wallace was raised by his two uncles - both clerics - who saw to his education after his father was killed by an English knight named Fenwick
One of his uncles was from Dunipace, a wee town not far from my home in Falkirk, it is through this uncle we get an oft quoted phrase “This is the truth I tell you: of all things freedom’s most fine. Never submit to live, my son, in the bonds of slavery entwined.” The second pic shows part of the quote, it is on a paving stone on Falkirk High Street that I often walk past.
He does seem to have had two brothers, Malcolm - who would provide Wallace with much-needed support in the later part of his career - and John - who would later be executed for supporting Robert Bruce after 1306. His activities before 1297 are also uncertain, but they may have been less than wholesome. Contemporary English accounts describe him as a 'brigand' and a 'thief', suggesting he may have lived outside the law even before the English invaded. Of course, these may simply be attempts by hostile writers to blacken his reputation. However, a legal document of August 1296 mentions 'a thief, one William le Waleys' as an accomplice of a cleric named Matthew of York who had in June of that year been convicted of robbery at Perth. This could well be our William.
Again I am not trying to blacken his character, I am merely pointing out the difficult job that historians have when piecing together his life.
Whatever the details of his early life, following the English invasion of 1296 that Wallace first emerged into the mainstream of Scottish affairs in a big way. The death of King Alexander III in 1286, followed by the death of his granddaughter Margaret of Norway in 1290, had provoked a major succession crisis in Scotland. Efforts to settle the ongoing dispute between the competing Balliol and Bruce factions had led to increasing English interference in the governance of Scotland, culminating in a full-scale invasion of the kingdom in 1296. I’ve covered all this in posts regarding King John Balliol, the sacking of Berwick and the first Battle of Dunbar all in 1296.
One of Wallace’s first encounters with the English is told in typically dramatic form by Blind Harry, the story goes that William was fishing when he is accosted by five soldiers in the service of 'lorde Persye' Henry Percy, 1st Baron Percy who was the warden of Galloway and Ayrshire . The honest, unsuspecting Wallace offers them some of his fish so long as they leave the rest for his uncle - 'ane agyt knycht' - Wallace hopes to feed, but the soldiers demand all of his fish and attack him when he refuses them. Remarkably, Wallace disarms the first attacker using only a 'poutstaff' ('fishing pole'), seizes the discarded sword, kills two of the soldiers, severs the hand of another, and chases the survivors off!
The earliest confirmed encounter between Wallace and the English administration occurred in May 1297, when Wallace and a small band of supporters killed William Heselrig, the English sheriff of Lanark, shortly before an assize was due to be held in the town. According to the indictment against him in 1305, Wallace and his men also dismembered Helelrig's corpse. Famously, Hary claims that Wallace's attack on Heselrig was in retribution for the killing of Wallace's wife - Marion Braidfute, as Harry identifies her.
It is apparent from contemporary English accounts of the incident at Lanark that it proved to be a powerful recruiting tool for Wallace's rebellion. As Walter Guisborough put it, 'the common folk of the land followed him as their leader and ruler; the retainers of the great lords adhered to him; and even though the lords themselves were present with the English king in body, at heart they were on the opposite side'.
What I find remarkable is that the killing of the soldiers and then Heselrig kickstarted, the uprising against Edwards army and around 4 months Wallace and Andrew de Moray had assembled a combined army of over 6 thousand troops that ambushed the English as they crossed the Forth at Stirling.
Before Stirling we also had the capitulation of the Nobility at Irvine, I have also covered this in a previous post.
In the wake of the Scottish victory at Stirling Bridge, the English administration in Scotland all but collapsed. The Scots were once again able to form a government of their own, and at its head - now as Guardians of Scotland - were Wallace and Murray, although Murray's tenure was cut short when he died - probably of wounds sustained at Stirling Bridge - in November.
This was the zenith of Wallace's career. He had emerged from obscurity to the very summit of Scottish society, all in the space of a year. It also meant he had a price on his head and was the most wanted man in Scotland.
Edward I returned from the Continent in March 1298 and set his sights on Scotland, he marched with an army North in late June and quickly discovered that Wallace's response to the threat had been to devastate southern Scotland and withdraw with his army out of reach of the English. A bitter and frustrating campaign followed, with Edward almost abandoning the chase altogether. However, in late July Edward got wind that the Scots had been sighted near Falkirk, and hurriedly moved his army to meet them.
Precisely why the confrontation at Falkirk happened is, as with so much of Wallace's career, uncertain. Until this point in the campaign Wallace had carefully avoided the English army, a prudent strategy that would later pay off for the Scots under Bruce. Guisborough claims that Wallace had learned that Edward planned to withdraw and hoped to attack the English in the rear. This would at least explain why Wallace so suddenly abandoned his previously cautious strategy. However, given the potential challenges he was facing from the nobility of Scotland it may equally have been the case that Wallace felt compelled to face the English in open battle sooner or later and prove that his success at Stirling Bridge - which was after all arguably at least as much Murray's as it was Wallace's - was not just a lucky accident.
Whatever the case, the battle that followed was an utter catastrophe for the guardian. Abandoned by the cavalry, who may have lost their nerve as they had at Irvine or - as claimed by subsequent Scottish chroniclers - betrayed Wallace, Wallace's schiltrons - tightly-packed bodies of infantry armed with long spearmen - repelled the English cavalry but fell prey to English archery, which broke up their formations and left them vulnerable to a renewed assault by the cavalry. Wallace escaped the battle with his life, but his position as guardian had been irrevocably damaged. It is not entirely clear precisely when or where he resigned the guardianship, but by the end of 1298 Robert Bruce, earl of Carrick (the future king), and John Comyn, lord of Badenoch, were jointly exercising the office of guardian.
Wallace's time as guardian may have been decisively ended, but he remained an active opponent of the English in Scotland. The resistance he offered to the English in this period was not always in keeping with the wishes of the guardians. For instance, in August 1299 an altercation took place at a council at Peebles at which Wallace's plan to travel to France was condemned by Sir David Graham as being 'without the leave or approval of the Guardians'. Wallace's plans were defended by his brother Malcolm, who argued that they were at least 'for the good of the kingdom'
Wallace did indeed leave for France in 1299, apparently on a diplomatic mission to seek the support of King Philip IV against Edward I. Wallace's reception in France was initially hostile, since at the time Philip was himself seeking peaceful relations with Edward I, and Wallace was briefly incarcerated by the French king. However, in November 1300 Philip was writing to his envoys to the pope asking them to promote Wallace's case at the papal court. It is possible that Wallace himself visited to Rome assist in making the Scottish case to the pope in person, and the fact that when he was eventually he reportedly had on his person a safe-conduct from King Hakon V of Norway may suggest he also travelled to Norway on diplomatic business (although he may simply have planned to do so at some point). By 1303 - possibly earlier - he was back in Scotland and again involved in armed resistance to the English
By this point the tide in the war was slowly turning against the Scots. The French were once again pursuing a peaceful policy towards the English following their own military reversal at Courtrai in 1302. Scottish nobles were gradually making their peace with the English, and the surrender of Stirling Castle marked the effective end to organised Scottish resistance on a large scale. In light of his increasing success, Edward I was generally willing to be fairly accommodating towards those Scots who were willing to submit to him, but this was not so with Wallace. Indeed, in the general amnesty offered to the Scots by the English, Wallace might at best 'render himself up to the will and mercy of our sovereign lord the king, if it shall seem good to him' - hardly an encouraging prospect. When Wallace's long-standing cohort Simon Fraser submitted to Edward in July 1304, he was welcomed into the king's peace only on the understanding that he would assist in the ever-intensifying hunt for the fugitive Wallace. Nevertheless, Wallace remained at large until 3rd August 1305, when he was seized near Glasgow by men in the service of Sir John Menteith, keeper of Dumbarton Castle on behalf of King Edward. Menteith - identified as Wallace's 'gossop' ('godfather') by Harry.
Having finally captured Wallace, Edward I refused even to see him. Instead, Wallace was taken to London for what for want of a better word might be called a trial.
Sir Peter Malory, one of the king's justices, presided over the proceedings, which were little more than a formality. The charges were considerable. Wallace had, according his accusers, been a traitor to King Edward, perpetrated armed resistance against him and slain the king's officers (William Heselrig was mentioned by name), assumed the authority of 'a superior' of Scotland, submitted 'to the fealty and lordship of the lord king of France and [gave] him help to the destruction of the kingdom of England', made war on the northern counties of England, 'feloniously and seditiously assaulted, burned and devastated religious men and nuns...[and] inflicted [upon] all, old and young, wives and widows, children and babes the worst death which he could devise', and 'harmoniously and eagerly...refused to submit himself to the lord king's peace' even after being defeated at Falkirk. According to the Annals of London, he 'answered that he had never been a traitor to the king of England, but granted the other crimes charged against him'.
In the eyes of the English as an outlaw, Wallace had no recourse to a defence. Instead, he was summarily sentenced to be executed in the manner reserved for traitors. Wallace was thus 'dispolyeid of his weid' as Hary puts it and dragged naked on a hurdle through the streets of London. At Smithfield he was hanged by the neck 'for the robberies, homicides and felonies which he carried out in the kingdom of England and the land of Scotland'
Before he could suffocate he was taken down and emasculated and disembowelled 'for the dreadful wickedness which he did to the church'. His 'heart, liver and lungs and all the bowels...from which such perverse thoughts proceeded' were then burned. Presumably now dead, Wallace was beheaded - the punishment for outlawry - and his body was divided into four parts. His head was to be displayed on London Bridge (where it remained until at least September the following year, when it was joined by that of his former comrade Simon Fraser). The remaining quarters were to be displayed on gibbets at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Stirling and Perth, 'to put dread in and to warn all by-passers and observers'.
The savagery with which Wallace was dispatched contrasts sharply with Edward I's attitude toward the Scots in general, but let’s not forget it was the usual punishment for any person deemed to be a traitor.
However it appeared that Longshanks earlier experiences with the Scots had convinced the ageing English king that a more conciliatory approach to establishing a lasting English administration in the kingdom. Edward's new plan for the settlement of Scotland envisaged a ruling council composed primarily of Scots - including the likes of Bruce and Comyn - which would advise an English lieutenant who would retain overall authority. Scots law and custom was to be respected, at least in the short term, and it may have seemed to many at the time that the objections that had fuelled Wallace's original rebellion in 1297 had been addressed.
As we know, the matter would be rendered moot less than six months after Wallace's death when Robert Bruce killed Comyn, forcing him to make public his ambition to become King of Scots. In many senses Bruce's struggle was quite unlike Wallace's, being primarily motivated by his own ambitions and perception of his rights. That being said, if Wallace had not maintained the momentum behind Scottish resistance to the English, particularly in the crucial year of 1297, then Bruce may never have had his opportunity to make his successful bid for power.
Pics are statues of Sir William Wallace around Scotland in order, Bemersyde near Dryburgh, Aberdeen, opposite His Majesty's Theatre, Edinburgh Castle, Newmarket Street Ayr, St Nicholas Church, Lanark, Stirling Town Centre, The National Wallace Monument Abbey Craig, Stirling, showing it before and after it’s recent restoration, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh and his memorial at Smithfield, London. There are others around the world that remember the Scots Patriot who so bravely stood up to fight for his country.
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han seo headcanons (part 4)
writing this is cathartic tbh. of course, i always write on the days i have an exam to prep for (aka my lit exam tmrw thats technically today)!! we make good life decisions here at clown nation <3
< prev
read on ao3
tw: mentions of abuse
the first time they competed, vincenzo was away on his buisness trip to italy. he had some loose ends to tie up after his little contract and getting paulo off the helm of the mafia.
which meant that jipuragi was particularly empty without the italian-korean's presence. no one to give han seo a pat on his back. no one to look over cha-young's shoulder.
they all felt it hard, as if the firm had a huge hole where vincenzo is supposed to be
han seo felt himself looking at his desk every single time he passed by it. the first day was more jarring than the rest, he had gotten used to vincenzo's presence in his life.
it was a particularly late friday night at jipuragi. han seo lugged into the firm a gigantic stack of contracts and internal documents about babel so the laywers and him can go through each one. cha-young had to carry both her and vincenzo's load for that week with vincenzo in italy.
they were stressed and tired and had a million paper cuts from sorting through each pile of documents. all three of them were working quietly, the silence comfortable, save for the sounds of russling paper and pens scratching across notepads
"alright, i'm off for the night. i have a airplane competition tomorrow morning and i need jason to fly far for me so i can finally win that 500 dollar prize. goodnight byeonosanim, mr. jang" the paralegal said as he put on his satchel and took out his cycle. he waved his goodbyes as the he left, leaving han seo and cha-young in the office by themselves.
they had only known each other for two weeks, really. han seo always met his hyung vincenzo over drinks or over at his house. he only ever saw the pretty lawyer from a distance, usually when taking note of how his hyung vincenzo dotes over her just so he can tease him about her
and use her to distract his hyung
it always works
cha-young didn't know much about the young ceo, despite meeting him a couple times from her time at wusang. part of her never wanted to trust him, even though he had proven himself and his loyalty to vincenzo, because in the world she lived in, everyone could betray the other at any time
but his presence in the office was comforting to her. he had come in, dressed like an 80s disco star and all asking if he could join the team, and somehow, he stuck with her.
something in her wanted to trust him. he seemed unassuming and loyal to the core, especially to vincenzo. the way he always walked into the firm grinning, visiting the plaza residents. he had an energy about him that reminded him of a younger sibling she's always wanted
but she was burned once with prosecutor jung and she's learned her lesson so it was time for the ultimate test
"are you hungry?" she asked, shuffling through her papers one last time before standing up, and putting the stacks back into their file system
han seo was startled for a second, his head buried deep with in the papers, the words almost swimming together with the amount of times he had to look through these contracts
for a second, he thought she was speaking to vincenzo, not himself before he remembered that vincenzo wasn't here this week
"Oh yes, byeonosanim. Would you like to order something or..?" he'd replied as he stood up from his seat, giving his legs a strech. he had forgotten just how tired he was until she asked him, his body feeling the effects of running the company and being at jipuragi
"Yeah, we can. I have the perfect restaurant to get some food from! they're always open late too so it's really convenient" she quipped back, her back facing him as she started putting all the contracts back into place and started pulling out new ones to look over
he followed suit, clearing up the table he was working on and moving to the paralegal’s desk.
even though his work was often hard for him to understand, the legal and formal language needing multiple reads, he felt refreshed each time he came to the plaza
he'd established a daily routine here, going to check on the hee-soo at the snack bar, visiting the pawnshop
he's quite good with his hands. he'd always known he had a knack for taking things apart and fixing them, which especially helped at the pawnshop when college students and older families would come by with broken tablets and gadgets.
even though he was rich, barely anything was spent on him when his dad was alive. every single new outfit or toy always went to han-seok, where as he was stuck with the ragged hand me downs, and old toys.
so when he had gotten his first phone, and broken the keypad, (because han seok threw it across the room when he got angry that he had the same model as his illegitimate brother) he understood it was up to him to figure it out.
he was always good at taking things apart, from all his toy cars to majority of the gadgets and clocks he had in his house.
(there was a day, when he was younger, that he took apart han seok's toy car. the next school day he walked around with gloves, trying to forget about how his cuts hurt as he curled his fingers around a pencil)
taking things apart and then putting them back together the same way was somehow natural to him. but of course, none of that mattered since he couldn't score well enough on his exams to get past the courses he needed to into engineering. plus, he could imagine the sneer on his father's face if he told him what path he was considering...
for most of his life, he'd felt useless compared to his brother. he was never the quick-witted boy at school, failing his english courses and having to go to cram schools and tutoring sessions just to pass by.
he hated going to school everyday, having the teachers shame him for not being as smart as his brother, not being as charismatic or as smooth talking
the exam days were always the worst. looking at the exam sheet, his palms sweaty and his throat tight as he looked at the questions
the doubt was overwhelming. the pressure made him sweat and freeze up even though he knew the problems.
the kids at his schools always seemed to prefer han seok, for some weird reason, when to him he's always been the menace in his life.
han seok was the one to head the company. the one he can't measure up to in front of his father. the one to push the family forward. every bit of praise, every second of attention, it all went to han seok.
han seo was the mistake. the one who always fucked it up. the one who seemed to mess up his brother's plans.
his brother seemed to take it upon himself to remind him that he wasn't meant to be alive. and their father, believing it to be good for han seo, would force him to be tutored by han seok every day.
his brother had a field day with it, finding the most creative ways to abuse and torture him
of course, he's not allowed to say a word about it.
at first, working at jipuragi was anxiety inducing, sweat drenching his shirt each time he brought a document he thought useful to vincenzo, his throat closing up imagining the consequences of fucking up
he knew deep down, that vincenzo wasn't like his brother, he will not hurt him, he will not kill him
but the anxiety and panic are second nature to him
his eyes were glued to his shoes after he handed it over to vincenzo.
vincenzo paused, looking over the document with scrutiny. and his body was automatically bracing for a slap, a punch. at the very least a snide remark or a sneer.
instead he looked up at han seo, nodding, and told him "this is very useful. thank you."
thank you.
thank you. he blinked.
the words echoed in his head as he replayed them back over and over. thank you. in all his years working, no one had said thank you. no words of appreciation were ever dealt for doing his job. for doing something right.
unable to think of a reply, he walked back to his desk and sat down, the shock overwhelming him before he got his mind working again
although it took him double the time to go through the contracts than it did vincenzo or cha-young, he was never berated. there was never a comment about how slow he was, how he wasn't cut out for this, only appriciative glances and words when he did well
and when he didn't, they corrected him, gently. never maliciously, never taunting, always gentle.
and for the first time, he could breathe
the time passed by quickly as they both continued working in silence, han seo finishing up half a stack before the doorbell rang.
"i'll get it! ceo jang, can you set the table up?" cha-young looked toward as she went to grab the food from the delivery man
"yes, byeonosanim" he replied as he went to grab some disposable plates and wooden chopsticks from the cabinet
he set everything out just in time for the lawyer to set the food down. he squinted at the bowls she pulled out, the bright red liquid a stark contrast to the white containers.
"uh, byeonosanim, what is that?"
"hm? oh it's fire noodles. you don't mind spice do you, han seo?" she quirked her eyebrow at him, her voice sickly sweet
and he grinned at her and that was enough of an answer: it was showdown time.
so there he was, sitting across from cha-young, the container of red chili oil central to both of them. both of their suit coats were off, lest they start literally heating up.
oh, and if either of them reach for their water: they're out.
for about 10 seconds, they stared at each other, trying to psych each other out, before his phone timer counted down.
....3, 2, 1 and they were off!
both of them grabbed their chopsticks and spoons and ate two large bites and drank the broth before angling for one spoon full of chili oil into their noodles.
and on they went in this cycle, eating a bite and drinking broth, and pouring chili oil in after each cycle.
3 pours in, and they were still doing good, neither of them showing any signs of redness
6 pours in and his tongue was swollen, her eyes watery, their broth bright red
7 pours in and .... was it just him or was the room getting hotter?
8 and you could see the sweat dripping the lawyer's forehead, the sniffles of the lawyer getting louder and louder. meanwhile he was panting, trying to increase the circulation into his mouth
9 and their arms meet across the table, inches from the chili oil. their eyes lock, their faces bright red and the pain of his tongue unbearable
his eyes are squinted (from his eyes burning or from concentration, we'll never know) and the lawyer is making faces, trying to get him to give in
"it'll" *huff* "be easier" *huff* "if you give in now" *huff*
he laughed back, in response. "and let you win? no way. I'M getting that paper crown"
their eyes both glance at the flimsy, blue paper crown set upon it's carrier, a stack of contracts
she scoffed back (and almost choked) "absolutely not"
they stare each other down as they pour more in and go for another round
they swallow and in that second, cha-young made a fatal mistake
she breathed in the fumes. and coughed. and grabbed the water before she could think about it.
"AHAHA I WIN!!" he yelled out, the chair flying back as he jumped up, the layer of sweat easing up when he grabbed the bottle of water and chugged the whole thing down
the lawyer on the other hand, was slumped in the seat, taking the opportunity to also chug the water.
for around 10 seconds all they did was pant, getting their bodies back into a normal pace before cha-young spoke up
"fine i guess you win, have a great night!" she jabbered out quickly but he knew what she was trying to do
"nuh uh, nope, you're not getting out of this. we agreed! loser has to crown the winner." he grinned at her, his eyes completely closed as his happiness shone through
sighing, the lawyer grabbed the crown from it's holy pedastal and stomped over.
"tun ta da da !!! all hail king han seo, destroyer of spice, the unyielding one" she sang out, her voice deeper as traces of laughter tinted her voice
she placed the crown upon his name and bowed, "may he reign forever" and looked up and shot him a wink "at least, until i win next time"
he struck a superman pose, and puffed his chest out, before both of them crumbled into laughter, cha-young dramatic one ringing above his cackling
"we should do this again please, noona!" he wheezed out, his stomach hurting from laughter.
but it was only his ringing out, as hers cut out sharply.
"noona?"
he paused as his head whipped around to the lawyer, her head tilted as she looked at him
did i say that? i swear i called her byeonosanim... and he replayed the moment.
fuck.
"ah, i'm so sorry hong cha young byeonosanim, i overstepped, i apologize," he bowed in apology to her.
"do you call vincenzo byeonosanim hyung?"
"huh?" he looked up at her in confusion, "uh, yeah i do call him hyung. why?"
"you can call me noona then." she quipped back and for a second, he stared at her. wait what?
she clapped his back, and he choked on his spit, the clap knocking the air out of him "relax. you passed the test han-seo. i've always wanted a younger brother, you know? you can call me noona. as long as you remember your manners, that is," shooting him a wink
he glanced at her, before breaking out into the biggest grin, his gums peaking out.
"okay... cha-young noona!" he giggled, as they took their seats.
she grinned back, settling in.
"ah, you know noona, he said the same thing as you"
"huh?" she squinted back
"vin hyung! he said the same 'you better mind your manners'" han seo laughed as he mocked the korean-italian mafia's voice
"you know, that impression is spot on!" she laughed as he continued the voice, adding in the classic hand gestures, until both of them broke into laughter.
for some reason, both of them were instantly comfortable with one another.
for han seo, laughing with cha-young, trading insults and teasing felt warm, it felt like he'd found a best friend (a best friend who once upon a time he almost maimed by sending thugs after her, but she swore to him that all is forgiven) they had similar humor, similar tastes, similar personalities
for cha-young, he felt like a partner in crime. not like the way vincenzo her partner in life in crime, but in the way that they were both pranksters, both with similar personalities and bright humor
it felt like finding a sibling, a person to commit crimes with, a person to clown together with
"you know, noona, is vin hyung..." he paused mid-sentence, contemplating if he could ask this.
"go on, han seo" cha-young encouraged him, one hand bringing the bottle of water to her mouth
"is he your boyfriend?" he rushed out the words and—
he was sprayed in the face.
cha-young was sputtering as the water dripped off his face, and his eyes shut as he wiped off the excess
"yah, why would you even ask that?" she scoffed out refusing to meet his eyes, but he could see the red tint creeping up on her neck and her cheeks
he shot her a look.
"yeah, yeah okay. he and i are... partners"
"oh." he quipped back, a sinister smile slowly spreading across his face
"no, no, no" she shook her at him, "i do not have a crush on him"
he raised an eyebrow back "who said anything about a crush hm, noona?"
she froze and he knew he'd have next weeks entertainment sorted
"you know maybe i'll take back that younger brother thing if this is how it's like" she taunted, but he didn't feel any hurt. instead her teasing just made his heart soar, her teasing somehow a comfort
"oh, we're just getting started!" he quipped back, as they cleaned up for the night, continuing their conversation as they restored the firm back to order.
"i've noticed you going to the pawnshop a lot recently" she noted, as she grabbed a stack of contracts to put back into the filing cabinet
"ahh, yeah i've been helping them out. they're having a baby you know and it must be hard on both of them to run the shop" he responded as he stacked another set of contracts together, clearing Mr. Nam's desk
"you should do it."
"what?"
"study electronics. or at least continue working for the pawnshop."
he stared at her.
how did she know? for someone so bright and busy he didn't expect her to be so observant to him.
"oh please, like it's hard to notice. i've seen the way you always seem to be happier as you pass by the pawnshop. when i popped in during lunch, i saw you, hunched over the tablet. it's the happiest i've seen you look."
"oh." he grew quiet "it's a little too late, don't you think noona? for me to even consider that? i'd be a little foolish to follow that"
she sighed and turned to him, grabbing the stack from his arms. "let me tell you a story han seo. i'm 34 years old and a lawyer and don't get me wrong, i love doing this. but when i was little my dream was always to sing. but for years, i pushed it back, thinking i could never do it."
she stuffed the papers to the back corner, somehow managing to stuff it in and turned back to him.
"so, noona? did you do it?"
"patience. a couple weeks after my final exam for law school, i said why the hell not. and now i've been taking lessons one and off for years!"
"you should give a demo!! sing for us"
"oh, please i couldn't possibly do it" she tucked her hair back, looking bashful.
"ple-" he barely got the words out.
"oh of course, if you insist!" she grabbed the empty water bottle and climbed on her stool, the makeshift stage for the night
"noona! noona!!" han seo cheered her on as she stood up. she cleared her throat, moving her head to the side and warming up
and she opened her mouth.
and sang.
if you could call that singing.
what came out was more of a series of tone-deaf screeches, making him wince but mask his face with a smile, trying to solider through the pain.
he clapped as SOON as she finished the last note, his ears grateful for the break. she took a flourished bow as she jumped off the stool
"how was it?"
"noona, that was amazing!" he lied, trying his best to stop the ringing in his ears.
she smacked him with her water bottle "yah! you liar! i'm god awful" she made one of her classic faces.
"you know??? and you made me endure that???" he touched his ears. he expected to see blood but luckily the damage wasn't too bad
"YAH!" she smacked him again. "you brat, the point isn't that i'm good or not."
"then what is?" his eyebrows furrowed as he looked in confusion.
if you're not good at it then what really is the point? why should i keep trying?
"the point is that i'm happy. it doesn't matter how good you are at something for you to consider it an interest, as long as it makes you happy."
he paused. no one had ever said that before. to do what makes him happy. not what made his father or his brother happy. everyone's advice all his life was to stick to what you're good at and that there isn't a point in trying if you aren't good from the beginning.
"look i'm terrible at singing. but i know that if i had never pursued it, i would have grown old and regretted it. so what if i am bad! at least i got to do it while i'm alive! give electronics a shot, han seo."
han seo bit his lip slightly. and he nodded.
he was going to give it a shot.
"good! now lets get this cleaned up and go home!" she sashayed off to her desk, grabbing the last of her stuff before they left the firm.
the next week, when vincenzo was back from italy, he had expected to find the firm just like he left it. what he didn't expect was his girlfriend wife partner and brother han seo, one sprawled on the couch and the other on the floor, piles of blankets and what looked like a mic and SEVERAL bottles of sujo scattered across the table.
they were both in matching pajama sets, and snoring very loudly. he shuffled over to his desk where a note that looked like it was written in crayon was left
and it said
"dear vin hyung: noona and i were having a sleepover last night. i made sure she was extra safe and did not do anything overly amitious (like call you in the middle of the night to ask you if you had to leave) if you are seeing the mess that we probably made, please excuse it. i will clean it up as soon as i can. grazie!
p.s. you should ask noona out sometime, i have it in good word that she might be interested ;)
to be continued...
a/n: let this be a fic reminding you that if you are passionate about something, pursue it! our world conditions us to believe that you have to be good at something in order to be able to do it but that's absolute bs. please give your younger and future selves a chance by taking up something you've always wanted to do <3
#mine#vincenzo#vincenzo cassano#chayenzo#hong cha young#song joong ki#tvn vincenzo#jeon yeo been#vincenzo x cha young#han seo supramacy#jang han seo#canon divergence#kwak dong yeon#jang han seok#ok taecyeon
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Bloom | 01
Genre: Hybrid!Namkook. fluorescence by @jincherie AU
Pairing: foxhybrid!Namjoon x Reader x bunnyhybrid!Jungkook ;(
Warnings: language. mention of hybrid trafficing/being sold into sex trafficing, fluff holy shit, angst, Smut (future), very cuddly and shy jungkook, stuttery shy BOYS. I really just wrote this for me.
Words: 5k+
Summary: In a world where humanity is increasingly motivated by how much cash can be made off of... well anything, you’re a human and hybrid rights lawyer. You will do anything to save the ones that never had a choice right from the date of their conception. Even if that means, adopting two hybrids that you absolutely did not mean to.
a/n: hello hello im back from the dead iuhbIUHBUYBGUY okay so, yes this isnt baby baby but i am a bit behind on that so i really hope posting this instead can satiate my sluts for a few more days until i have that done. I have a lot of this written so I will post this on a semi-regular schedule. rest of the schedule i posted will stay the same. it’s just baby baby that’s kicking my BUTT!!!! Lastly, I started writing this before Goo Hara passed away. Opening this document made me a little sad and also happy when i remember Hara and her love for eco-friendly fashion. I guess, this is kind of a tribute to her? anyhow, I hope you guys like it. please please please, validate me. :>)
"Y/n they're going to be sold to this man who works for a black market. What do I do? Oh god. I-I didn't know our company was into that business."
Your best friend is nearing the point of tears and you can understand her frustration. "Listen, Hara, take a deep breath and tell me when exactly this is happening."
A deep breath is taken as you'd suggested, before you hear Hara's voice again through the phone. "Okay... Okay. I was just told by Minseok that there is an auction for the remaining two from the past failed batches. Apparently two others have been adopted and the rest have been pawned off somewhere. I'm not sure. From our division of the company, these two are the ones that have not gone for further testing to be open to the regular public. A-And so now there is a super secret auction happening tonight. It's not open to the regular public as you already know but staff members are able to attend. What do I do y/n? I can't afford them. I have my own to deal with. These poor boys will go to some horrible owner who will use them f-for god knows what."
Now Hara was crying. Openly and brokenly for the possible fate of these 'failed' hybrids that her company had produced. This was a sticky situation and even you, a Human and hybrid rights lawyer, had limited ideas as to what could be done on such a short notice. But you were not about to give up.
"Hara, don't. They will not be bought by some hybrid trafficker okay? I won't let it happen. I will... I will at least try. It's my job, remember?"
Your optimism is convincing enough. And you wholeheartedly believed that something would give. These big corporations had their toes in everywhere and you didn’t yet know if they had already had a designated buyer on the black market they pawned their hybrids off to. Where there was money to be made - no company had morals rigid enough to stop themselves from the temptation. You already lived in an age where human trafficking was no longer a cause for activism or big debates. Not when more species - man made or not - had been created to take advantage of.
“Okay yeah. You’re a badass lawyer, you must have something up your sleeve right?” Her voice is shaky but you confirm with an enthusiastic nod she can’t see.
“Of course! I’ll kick their asses. Surely this can’t be legal? No blackmarket is. Let me have a look at what can be done. I’m assuming you can bring a plus one tonight?”
“Yeah I-I was given a ticket. You’ll be coming with me right?”
“That’s why I asked, silly.” Her relieved chuckle brings a smile to your own lips.
“I’ll see you there. Don’t give up hope until I do, alright?”
“Okay... You’re right.”
_____________________________________________________________________________
“Fuck this. Fuck my life.” The curses escaped your mouth left and right as you looked over the dozens and dozens of papers splayed out on your oak desk.
Even your comfortable office chair couldn’t stop the knot building up between your shoulder blades. This was bad. Really bad. Corporate law allowed unfit materials to be sold to third parties. What these third parties did with those materials - the company of origin was no longer liable for. In short: These hybrids were going to be bought by someone sketchy with a crystal clear profile and no paper trail unless someone bid higher and bought them.
None of these bastards were rookies. They had solid paperwork where necessary and it would be near impossible to prove their illegal activities when all of them took place on the dark web. A place that opened up more threats and risks than solutions. No legislation covered hybrid rights that weren’t even registered yet. Whoever bought them would have to register them and then the hybrids would be able to receive the minimum protection they had a right to.But you can bet your father’s company that whoever bought them will never register them. Essentially these hybrids will be wiped out from the system.
Fingertips tapping against the wood, each passing minute was precious time lost. it was already 5pm. You had to leave for the dreaded auction in less than an hour and hour and yet here you sat in your chair. Hands itching to do something other than pick up the phone and tell Hara that you were at a loss. What could you do? Who would take them? You didn’t know anyone that was ready to add not one but two hybrids to their household. And ones that were not fully approved to be released. You couldn’t just lie and pawn them off to just anyone. Then you would not be any better than the company trying to get rid of them.
Sighing, you pack up the papers and documents you had initially thought would help. They were of no use anymore. All you could do was go and offer support to Hara. Or Maybe you were going because you still had hope that there would be someone who would save those hybrids. Hope was a dangerous thing for a woman like you but you had it. This was no time to wallow. So you smooth your skirt, touch up your makeup and put on your heels that had men double take.
Maybe you could scare and/or seduce these people in changing their mind?
You laugh at your absurdity, glancing in the mirror one last time before you leave with stacks of files in your hands. You could at least stall them.
_____________________________________________________________________________
“Y/n! Thank god you’re here.” I’m not so sure about that. Though you opt for a gentle smile and meet her embrace enthusiastically.
You can hear the sniffles coming from Hara who has her head buried in your shoulder. “Hey, no crying okay? No matter what happens.” The comment has her pulling back just as quickly.
“What do you mean? You have a plan for tonight r-right? Y/n..”
How could you do this? Lie to her? This was not fair on her. On anyone really. It wasn’t your fault and neither hers for whatever would happen tonight. She needed to know what to expect. As much as your heart clenched and ached to say the words you were about to; it was important to mentally prepare for the worst.
“Hara... I couldn’t find anything.” Your frown is apologetic. Trying to convey how really truly sorry you were but it doesn’t stop the tears from brewing up in her eyes.
“Oh.. I thought- thought they had a chance y/n.” You reach out for her hand, wanting to alleviate her hurt as soon as possible.
“I will at least try to see who will buy them okay? Don’t worry. We can keep an eye out on who gets them. They will be alive at least, right?” Your attempt at finding a silver lining doesn’t make her look any more reassured than you felt.
Glancing at your watch, you motion towards the building. “Come on. Let’s go before they try and kick us out.”
Hara nods, numbly leading the way towards an auditorium where several people had already taken their seats. You’re not sure how many people you were expecting, but it definitely wasn’t... this. There were at best 10 people here. All ten seemingly looked like they knew each other. This could only mean one thing. That this sale was to some degree, arranged. As in, multiple buyers were from the same company posing as separate customers to maximise their chances of acquiring the hybrids.
“Hara, have you seen any of these people before?” Your whisper has her craning her neck to have a good look at all of the men sitting in the front few rows.
“No, I don’t think so.” Her furrowed brows turn to you instead, “Do you recognise any of them?”
Shaking your head, you follow her down the stairs to sit in the row behind the last pair of buyers who were sitting.
“Whoever they are... they don’t look like they are all strangers.” Hara is gripping on to your arm when she hears you, visibly nervous once again. “I’m just speculating, okay?”
Your attempt to ease her, once again, is not enough. But you don’t try again since you don’t even believe your own words. The auctioneer however, stops you from thinking further about the impending events of the night. The man stands in a lab coat, glancing at his watch before he brings his mouth closer to the mic on the dice.
“Let’s begin gentleman... and ladies.” He seems to be surprised to see you and Hara sitting at the back. And before he begins further, he motions someone. Another man approaches the auctioneer and listens carefully as the other whispers. A few seconds later, his eyes fall back to where you sat with your best friend.
Hara’s grasp on your arm tightens once again when the man heads to your general direction. On instinct, your back straightens, posture more solid than before so as to not give anyone the wrong impression that they can mess with you unwarrantedly.
“Excuse me Miss.?”
“Yes?” Your curt reply surprises him but he recovers fast, glancing towards Hara before talking to you again.
“Are you a guest of Ms. Hara?”
“Obviously.” Your unwavering gaze visibly unnerves him. It was obvious to anyone there but you had an idea this was some sort of test.
“May I see your ticket please?” His bogus smile annoys you more than it should. Nonetheless, Hara is fishing out the ticket from her purse and showing the man. He inspects it longer than he should and finally walks back to the auctioneer to let him know you had the right to be here.
“Who would do that if they weren’t running a hoax?” You ask Hara before you can stop yourself.
“Alright. Apologies for the delay. We will now begin. As you are all aware, we are auctioning two of our very elite hybrids from a rare batch. They have not progressed to the next stage of screenings and tests due to some technical difficulties. Thus, we are here to give them a chance at a new home rather than a painful end.” He looks in the audience for effect. Euthanasia is what he meant.
“These hybrids are fully functional however lack a few abilities they were initially designed for. Due to these technical issues deeming them failed to proceed, they are available for purchase at a much lower cost than what they are sold for on the market.” The auctioneer looks so smug the urge to smack his across the face is almost irresistible.
“Right, bring them out Wonho.” Everyone is watching carefully, waiting for the ‘failed’ hybrids and you don’t know what you were expecting.
Not what you see though. Definitely not. Because the two - tall - hybrids entering the stage are not what you expect. Peach and silver tones greet your eyes as well as incredibly sculpted faces. The peach haired hybrid seems to cling to the silver haired one. The man leading the two hybrids seems to be frustrated with their slow pace, giving the peach haired hybrid a little shove and there is only so much you can do to not yell at the top of your lungs for him to get his hands off of them.
The man sighs, letting the two hybrids to just stand in the middle when the peach haired one does not stand apart from the other hybrid. While the shorter of the two hybrids - and much, much shyer - looks around anxiously at the people in the auditorium, the silver haired one has his features set in stone. His eyes don’t look alarmed, they don’t seem scared. He just looks numb. He stares ahead at the people sitting in front of him while the peach haired boy visibly shakes, breathing fast and eyes flitting across every surface. He takes a step back, hiding part of his body behind his silver haired companion for comfort.
“There you have them. The peach haired specimen is a Oryctolagus cuniculus or - a bunny in more simplistic terms. The silver haired specimen is an arctic fox, Vulpes lagopus. Both hybrids are off a rare species and very sought after on the market. Due to technical issues, once again, unfortunately, we are only able to sell them in a pair. They are useless on their own.”
The candid way the auctioneer speaks of them has your blood boiling. But what gets you more is the laughter that sounds in the auditorium. Did these assholes think they were funny? The hybrids - entirely human or not - were present in the room with them. Did they not have any ounce of respect for them? Hara was not faring any better. Watching with a frown as chatter continued among the buyers. The bunny looked even more disturbed, looking around at every man in the front few rows - before his eyes landed on you.
The gasp that leaves you is abrupt. His pained expression holds your gaze, eyes wide and chest heaving. The bunny jumps when the auctioneer speaks again.
“We will now start the bid at $1000. $1200 anyone?” Several hands go up before the auctioneer raises the price to $1400.
Bald, greasy men exchanging glances and crude remarks as they talk amongst themselves. Your heart is thumping, your blood thinning. With each passing second, your throat seems to be closing up. There was nothing you could do to save them, was there? The further the price went up, the more panicked and distraught the bunny looked, gripping his fox companion harder, hiding behind him even more. The silver haired fox looked much like what you had stopped Hara from looking only this morning. Hopeless. His mouth was set in a thin line - just taking in the scenario in front of him. It was obvious he saw his fate before his very eyes and instead of futilely hoping that someone would save them - he stares his aggressors in the eyes.
“Brilliant! We’re at $3000 for the gentleman in the first row. Anyone for $3500?” The said man looked positively smug, sitting with his legs spread lewdly. Most likely sure that no one would contest that price.
Definitely not you.
“$4000.” Your voice yelling above everyone else is even foreign to your own ears. An outer body experience as you watch yourself look the auctioneer straight in his eyes, daring anyone in the room to go higher up on the price. But most of all, you watch the silver haired hybrid’s gaze waver for the first time - looking at you in such surprise like it was the first time he was noticing you.
“Ah... Anyone for $4500?” Only one other hand goes up. The man that had been the prospective buyer before. His face is ballooning with the amount of blood that’s rushing to it.
“Y/n? What are you doin?!” Hara’s frantic whispering flies over your head as you call out once more.
“$6000. Final offer.” You look at the other men in the seats beneath you, challenging them to dispute your offer.
The atmosphere is tense, thick with the tension brewing inside the auditorium and yet you don’t shy away from the angry glares being shot your way. A minute passes. No more offers.
“Sold to Miss?”
“Y/n.”
“-Miss Y/n. Thank you all for participating.” The loud chatter is instantaneous as the auctioneer motions the other lab rat to, assumably, gather the hybrids and their things.
“Y/N! Oh my god.” Hara has all but engulfed you in a tight hug once more. Shaking you slightly out of your own shock. This was not what you had planned but it was done.
She finally pulls back, checking you over like you were ill. “A-Are you sure about this? Oh god, okay we need to head up to the podium.”
Just like she doesn’t wait for your answer, you had not waited for your own either. You hadn’t even asked yourself the question before you had so blindly bid on the two hybrids. You’d been waiting for someone to save them. Someone to come barging in and take them away from these cruel people. Never in a millenia had you thought that someone might be you.
“Here you are Miss. You can deposit a check right now or eftpos the payment. Up to you.”
Benumbed, you take out your phone to open the phone banking application. When you’ve made sure there are sufficient funds transferred from your savings account, you wave your card in front of the auctioneer wordlessly. From the corner of your eyes, you can feel the two hybrids watching you. You wished they had at least let them wait in some sort of waiting room and not witness the jarring experience of several people bidding over them.
“Excellent! The transaction has been approved and a receipt will be emailed to you if you can fill out this form here.” Glancing at the hybrids standing a few feet away from you, clutching a duffle bag each, you try and put down your details as fast as you can.
They had already looked like they wanted to be as farther away from this place as possible and the feeling was mutual. Hara was beside you the whole time, waiting for any cue from you to provide some sort of support or whatever you needed her to do. And if your tongue worked - you would thank her as you filled out the space on the form asking you of your email address. It was sickening how easy it was for you to just... buy them! Would they not do a security or police check on you? Make sure that these hybrids are going to at least a safe home?
You were aware of the long process of hybrids that were ordered from the company. The company had a thorough process of making sure their clients were reputable and trust-worthy. That they wouldn’t do bodily harm to the hybrids but that was a facade so these companies wouldn’t have to spend money in compensation if a client had abused their hybrid in any way and had not been satisfied with what they had ordered. It was a guise. These people didn’t give two shits if the hybrids were not of expectation and couldn’t make them money.
“Am I done here?” Your tone was curt and the auctioneer could sense it.
The fact that you’d fished out more than enough cash for some ‘failed’ hybrids - he was interested in you as a potential future client. You were aware that hybrids of their breed went for $5000 - maximum. The previous greasy bald man had been close to closing a deal for $3000 until you had butted in. So obviously, they were going to kiss your ass.
“Yes Ma’am. That’s all we needed. The hybrids are good to go. Their bags have their guidebooks with them. Thank you for shopping with us.” his bright smile makes you want to hit him with your designer bag.
But even this leather was too good to be wasted on these assholes. “Y/N? Please look a little more friendly. You’ll scare the bunny away.” Hara is speed walking besides you, trying to convince you to soften your stance when you stop right before the bench they had been sitting on.
“Follow me, boys.” You’re not rude. You don’t sound mean either. But you don’t particularly sound like you wanted them. And as much as that was the truth to some degree, you didn’t not want them.
The silver haired hybrid hesitates - watching you with wide, curious eyes. Not the harsh way his eyes had scanned the room before but not exactly friendly and enthusiastic like the bunny. The bunny that was currently tugging on the silver fox’s sleeve wordlessly. His doe eyes silently ask his friend to follow you. But when his feet stay rooted to the same spot, you can’t help but sigh.
“Is there a problem?” A moment’s silence. Then finally the silver haired boy shakes his head, grasping the bunny’s hand and follows you out of the building.
Hara is gripping your hand, relieved tears in her eyes and you can’t keep looking. Because you couldn’t promise her that you would take good care of them. “Thank you Y/n. You didn’t have to do that but... but you did. You’re a good person and these boys are lucky to have you.”
Her eyes are earnest. You know she means every word and she can sense your inner turmoil at your own ability to take care of them. The boys can’t hear you both talking since they are standing near your car, obediently waiting for you. Taking a look at them huddled in the back seat, you turn back to Hara.
“Thanks Har. I will try my best. They deserve a shot at a normal and secure life. I won’t let you down.”
“And you,” she cups your face, making you look back at her. “You deserve love too. I have seen the bunny hybrid in the lab. He will heal all your wounds too. Please be happy and patient with them, okay?”
You nod, a smile that doesn’t quite reach your eyes but genuine nonetheless. “I’ll see you later. Love you.”
You just wave her goodbye, standing until her car pulls away. Looking back at the two boys waiting patiently in the car - you take a moment to gather yourself.
“Fuck... fuck. Fuck!” You don’t scream out loud. not really. But anyone walking by would be able to see you were stalling something. That something is going to your car and then going home.
Taking a deep breath, you decide to bite the bullet and face the reality. Getting in the driver’s seat, you look back at the two hybrids watching you from your rearview mirror. Giving them a small smile, you notice the bunny hybrid’s shoulders relax a little.
“Let’s go home.” Your voice is light and airy. Hoping to put them at ease. They were yours now.
You were their saviour.
_____________________________________________________________________________
“Home sweet home.” Letting them pass you, entering the condo, you let them take in their surroundings.
The bunny is still latched on to the taller hybrid’s flannel, hiding behind him when the fox hybrid comes to stand beside a couch. Both of them look at you - as if waiting for you to allow them to sit. The silver haired fox is holding on to the bunny’s hand, watching you with a dour look.
“Go on.” You head motions towards the comfortable three seater couch. “Have a seat. No need to be shy.”
Of course, you want to palm yourself after your remark. Of course they were shy. Well, the bunny mostly. The fox looked to be very suspicious and not exactly friendly. Though you could understand his apprehension. He was about to be sold to some very nefarious people. He seemed to be a bit older than the bunny and had a look of ambiance that only came with experiencing harsh times. Your heart felt for him.
The bunny doesn’t wait too long, sitting on the couch - well plopping is more like it - whereas the fox takes his time, battling with himself if he should or not. When you keep watching him, waiting for him to sit, he thankfully gives in and sits besides his friend.
Once you can tell that they are comfortable - as comfortable as they can be, you ask your first question. “So, what are your names?”
You smile at them gently, letting them know you are their friend. At least hoping that they can conclude that from the fact that you told them about their new home on the car ride over.
The bunny’s eyes are wide, face heating up as if you asked him a rather scandalous question and not just his name. Your heart skips a beat when the lovely blush blossoms across his face that’s hiding in the fox’s shoulder.
“Well? Can you tell me, bun? What’s your name?” Your question being directed to the bunny only makes the blush more visible. You could see his face reddening further in embarrassment and the colour being rather more visible on his neck too.
The smile doesn’t diminish from your face. Not even after seeing the way the fox is almost glaring at you but you were positive that the bunny wasn’t hiding because he was afraid of you.
“J-Jungkook. ‘m J-Jungk-kook” The answer proves to be too much for him to mumble, lips catching his plumper bottom lip as he peeks at you through one eye that isn’t hidden in the fox’s shoulder.
“Jungkook. That’s a lovely name, bun.” Your smile widens when you see the corners of his mouth stirring up a little at your compliment.
Your heart was so full. Never did you think you would feel these dizzying emotions at a pretty boy merely muttering his name. His name. If this was your reaction at finding out one of their names, you were not going to survive getting to know them before you went full mother-hen mode on anyone that tried to harm them.
“What about you, hm?” Your smile is a lingering effect of just looking at Jungkook’s adorable blushing face and you don’t let it falter even if the fox hybrid is visibly more aloof.
‘Be patient with them y/n.’ You remind yourself of Hara’s words over and over.
“Namjoon.” The smile halts briefly at the deep timbre of his tone. You had not been expecting him to sound like molten chocolate and sweeter than honey. You realise you wanted to hear him more. Hear him speak about mundane topics over and over because that’s how good he sounded to you.
“Namjoon.” the name rolls off your tongue smoothly, just like his voice. You’re still watching his face, waiting for any sort of reaction even if it’s not as endearing as Jungkook’s. Just something. But his face remains passive. A slight twitch of his lips but that’s it. The pessimistic part of your brain convinces you that it could have been a frown and not a smile that he’s fought away.
But you needed to remain positive.
“T-That’s… a very nice name too.” He doesn’t look convinced at your reply though. Namjoon continues to watch you and now you’re the one blushing from the heat of his stare.
Jungkook is watching Namjoon just as cautiously as you. Like he expected him to be like that. Austere and unwilling to be forthcoming with information about himself. Telling yourself that he’ll adjust with time, you opt for a smile that’s sent Jungkook’s way - making the bunny hide behind Namjoon again. Almost like when a child is cautious and shys away from a stranger they meet. That’s what it was. A childlike innocence to Jungkook which awoke every instinct in you to protect him. Maybe that’s why his eyes had convinced you that you needed to take them home with you.
“Okay boys. I’ll show you to your rooms.” Furrowing your brows at the way Jungkook clutches Namjoon harder with panicked eyes, you turn around to look at them again.
“You don’t need to stay in separate rooms if you don’t want to, okay?” Namjoon regards you with a look before nodding - eyes cast down once again.
“Good. You both are very quiet but that’s okay - I can talk enough for the three of us.” The wink that you send Jungkook’s way only has him sputtering with embarrassment as the lovely rose tints his full round cheeks.
“But you do have to tell me when you are not okay with something, alright? I can’t read your pretty little heads.” As you say the last few words, your hand reaches out to shuffle the bunny’s peach hair.
What you don’t expect, is him flinching away so violently that even you are startled, taking a step back. Jungkook is hiding behind Namjoon completely now, shaking and you want to reach out. Say sorry and take it all back.
“I’m… I’m so sorry. I didn’t-”
“Hey, kook, it’s alright. It’s okay.” Namjoon’s voice reverberates through the quiet hallway, soothing the bunny’s shaking frame, whispering gentle assurances and you’re about to choke up.
What happened to him? Who did this to him. For him to be this scared. Watching Namjoon hug the shaking bunny tightly, sniffling away in his chest, only makes you feel more guilty at your brash treatment. Were you coming on too strong? God you were so out of your depth.
“I didn’t mean to scare you Jungkook. Honey..” You’re trying your best to reach out to him but the way Namjoon stands between you and him like a wall - it’s obvious he was waiting for something like this to happen. He was cautious of you and now his beliefs have been reinforced to not trust you or whatever nonsense he’s thinking.
You couldn’t blame him though. You really couldn’t.
“Please be careful, miss. He’s not a toy.” Namjoon’s voice trembles. Just the way - you now notice - his bottom lip does. He’s holding back tears and you really don’t know what to do. Except try your best to take their pain away.
“I’m.. I’m really sorry Namjoon. I didn’t mean to upset him.” You open the door to the room quickly, making sure there are blankets and pillows on the bed before coming out to tell them.
“Take him inside Namjoon. I’ll… I’ll leave you two alone, for now. Let me know if you need anything?” Namjoon merely nods, not being able to look you in the eyes but the bite of his lip tells you he’s trying to hold it together.
Jungkook’s hiccups catch your attention and you pull yourself out of your self-pity session. Only wanting to make sure that both of the hybrids are comfortable and just not feeling the way they are right now. Gesturing your head forward again, you nod at Namjoon when he looks at you one last time before heading into the room. The bunny holds onto Namjoon tightly, letting him walk into the room and when they are fully in - you close the door behind them. Giving them their privacy and also because you had a feeling they needed to be by themselves to really understand their current situation. That you were their new owner and this was their home.
A permanent home.
#bts smut#bangtan smut#jungkook smut#namjoon smut#btsghostie#jungkook x reader#namjoon x reader#jungkook fluff#namjoon fluff#ok hopefully this works#pls provide feedback i am hongry
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Universe Jump
Marinette, Adrien, and Chloe travel to the DC universe and create lives for themselves as a family. A little side info Marinette is a certified genius with an IQ of 187, Adrien has eidetic memory, and Chloe has Hyperthymesia.
Eidetic memory is when you can remember an image with high precision after seeing it once.
Hyperthymesia is where you remember a vast majority of your life with no problems.
A little background first. At 16 and 15, Adrien and Marinette have their final battle with Hawkmoth and Mayura, after they are defeated Chat and Ladybug hurry away from the scene both about to de-transform. When they find a hiding place Chat Noir breaks down finally de-transforming into Adrien. Marinette drops her transformation pulling Adrien into a tight hug. Neither letting go for over half an hour. They slowly make their way back to Marinette's house, Adrien crying on Mari's shoulder the whole way both unaware of the glares being sent at Adrien.
Since it was confirmed that it was Gabriel Agreste, many were speculating that Adrien was in on it. Some just wanted to take their anger out on Gabriel for torturing them by going after his son. Neither noticed the hatefully eyes following them as they entered the bakery. Tom and Sabine automatically hugged Adrien who was crying so hard he couldn't see or speak. After their hugs Marinette led him upstairs and they simply sat on the couch cuddling, not wanting to leave each other's side.
It wasn't until an hour later that the police arrived to question and inform Adrien on what they found in his house. Adrien tells them he had no idea that his father always talked about the heros with high regards whenever he saw them. When the police tell him about Emilie in the underground Garden, Adrien breaks down sobbing into Marinette's shoulder mumbling about how she'd been underneath him dead the entire time.
The police come to the conclusion that Adrien was not a part of it at all. And is grieving the loss of both his parents now, they agree to come back in the morning to talk with Tom and Sabine about where Adrien will be staying. However the morning never comes for Tom and Sabine, a group of people break into the bakery and set it on fire determined to get back at Gabriel by taking his son's life.
Marinette and Adrien only escape with the Miraculous box, Tom and Sabine had already been caught and it was too late for them. That night all four were pronounced dead. Adrien takes Marinette to Le Grand Paris, knowing Chloe would hide them for as long as they needed. They hide at Chloe's for a week while she pulls strings getting Gabriel's, The Dupain-Cheng's and Fu's bank accounts completely emptied and into her own without anyone knowing. During this time the three talk with the Kwamis on what they should do. It's Orikko that suggests the Kwami's move the money into their own dimension and take the three to a different universe. At first they are reluctant but Xuppu points out that they have no real reason to stay and their Kwamis agree. Pollen points out that Chloe's parents still aren't around. While Tikki and Plagg point out that their chosen are considered dead.
It gets Marinette thinking and she quickly goes over the ups and downs.
"Alright so here's what to know about us leaving this universe. It's a completely new start, no one knows who we are and according to Tikki the last time the Miraculous Box was there was when Hippolyta was Ladybug. So only the Amazonians will know of them. We'll be safer than we are here, not having to worry about people coming after us thanks to Gabriel. We'll have plenty of money and I know enough to be able to fake us having a 'parent' and buy a place for us as well as use it to our advantage. However based on where we end up it may be harder for me to get us IDs, and definitely hard to get us faked birth certificates. Not to mention, I'd have to teach myself an insane amount of hacking to successfully make it look like we've had previous education in that universe."
Together they decide that leaving is the best option even if they are slightly afraid. Plagg and Trixx snag all the money from Chloe's account and transfer it to their home dimension. Then together all the Kwami surround their three holders and transport them to an abandoned warehouse in Gotham with all their bags including the extravagant dollhouse Chloe had made for them. Once there the Kwami quickly swarm the house laying down in their respective beds as Adrien gives each one their favorites to eat before sleeping. Marinette explores the warehouse plotting out everything that must be done in construction while also making sure that no one else was there.
Once it's clear she returns to Chole and Adrien and they begin planning their first moves. Tomorrow Adrien and Chloe will go to a cafe that has free wifi with Tikki and Pollen. And using Marinette's USB they'll insert the 'parent' into the world from there they will create a bank account online, have Pollen transfer some money in, and then buy the warehouse. Meanwhile Marinette will be walking the town during the day with Plagg. As he points out places that give off the most sketchy energy, although they all can feel the destruction energy surrounding the city. He'll be able to find where the worse off people are staying. When meeting back up at the warehouse Marinette will confirm that their transaction went through. Then go from place to place with Plagg radiating as much dangerous energy around her as he can until she finds a bar where the bartender has what she needs.
Marinette meets with the bartender and a contractor the next day when the bar is closed. She tells the contractor she wants everything under the table and is willing to pay in cash half up front and half when the work is done.
"I want it done within a timely manner, bring in those you can trust not to squeal and are good workers, ten of them. I don't want any cut corners. If it'll cost more to do something safer, I'll pay it. And if none of you squeal within five months of it being done I'll give each other you an extra seven thousand and five hundred. These are the plans I have drawn up and this is the location. You'll start in two days. Do we have a deal?"
The Contractor nods promising Marinette the best he has to offer and everything under the table with workers that are capable and wont speak of it. She simply smiles politely nodding and picks up the briefcase sliding it across the table to him. She then tosses a thousand to the bartender telling him to remember her because she'd definitely come back for more and will pay him.
Once back at the warehouse Marinette drops the tough girl persona exhausted from the day. She collapses on one of the three beds Tikki created for them and grins softly. Telling them that construction starts in two days.
When two days pass Marinette is a little surprised at how respectful the workers are and when she questions the contractor, lets call him Doug. Doug tells her that these aren't actually his workers, their friends of his that were contractors as well before they lost their jobs. Told her that he knew they needed the money, and that they wouldn't say anything once they realized they were working for a young girl and not a mob boss.
When Marinette here's that she is much nicer to the men and begins to bond with them Adrien and Chloe join in. Chloe sells a story of their parents being killed in Paris when they were still young and how they were basically sold to slavery. Claiming that they recently escaped after their 'owner' was killed. When asked on how they got the money Chloe immediately turns on Marinette.
"That easy! Mari here is really smart I mean seriously if we hadn't been-well you know- she'd already be in college! She was able to transfer his money into another account and then use one of his fake IDs to get us away!"
Construction lasts for four months and in that time the workers and the teens become closer. The workers even begin helping them with getting furniture, a few of them offering their trucks free of charge and willing to go pick up anything they can't have delivered. Doug even brings in a friend to install a top of the line security system for them. Once construction is over they have a solid bond between them and Marinette promises to call them anytime they need construction done.
At this point the warehouse has been turned into a home for them. With all the necessities and furniture. And in the basement of the warehouse Marinette has a parkour funland put in. They have also had time to research their new city and its heroes. Marinette deems it best that they do not transform or go parkoring in Gotham.
"Something about Batman tells me that if he sees us he won't stop until he knows everything about us. If you feel the need to run transformed or not, go to the basement."
Soon almost every night is spent in the basement for at least an hour and a half. The same time patrol lasted in Paris.
Marinette begins making all of their clothes, bored and missing designing. Soon they have donated all their old clothes and only wear Marinette's designs. It's Chloe that gets the clientele rolling in when a few women ask where she got her shirt. She gives them Marinette's information and soon Marinette is making clothes for others back in her element. She is slowly making a name for herself in Gotham taking up the name MDC.
Marinette also returns to the Bartender asking for help once again. Let's call the Bartender Chasen. She has him get in contact with someone that could fake documents for schooling. She explains to him that while she already has her profession, Adrien loves science and Chloe lives for business. Chasen calls her the next day informing her that he'd found the perfect person.
Chasen-For the right price all of you will be considered legal immigrants in America. He will get you all the paperwork you need within a week's time.
Marinette- And you trust him?
Chasen- Yes, with my life.
Marinette- Very well, what is his price?
Chasen- He wants to know why two 17 year olds and a 16 year old are in need of this paperwork.
Marinette- What is his name?
Chasen- John Constantine.
Marinette-Very well give him my address.
Marinette gives him two thousand dollars before leaving the bar.
A few hours later the trio is relaxing together in the living room. Adrien is excitedly talking about what they could do once they get the paperwork. When a portal opens up in their kitchen, and a blonde man steps out introducing himself.
John- Hello there, I'm John Constantine. Now please tell me why multiple gods have returned to this universe with three teenagers?
The trio is shocked into silence that this man knows they're from another universe. John sighs muttering out a few curses before turning around and opening their fridge pulling out a drink. He sits down at their breakfast table taking a long sip before leveling eye contact with Marinette.
John- Alright pigtails sit down and talk, you're the one Chasen told me to talk to.
Marinette huffs at the name glaring at him before sitting down and telling him their story. Plagg sits on her shoulder facing away from Constantine. Pretending to eat cheese while he is ready to jump to Marinette's defense if needed.
By the end of the night the trio has a foul mouth yet compassionate new friend. John agrees to get them all the documentation that makes it seem like they've lived in the universe since birth.
John- The only people that will be able to tell something is unusual is superheros. My friend is going to tie you all together as siblings with the same father, me. Though you'll all be emancipated and the only time I'll come into play is if one of you gets hurt. Chloe and Adrien will pass as fraternal twins with the same mother, Marinette due to your differing appearance will have a different mother. The only thing that will give you away to heros is my name, they know I do not have kids. Unusually I have enough time to find others to pose as you parents but you're stuck with me.
The trio agrees to the conditions and John smiles gently surprising them. He ruffles Marinette's hair telling them he'll be back periodically before he gets the paperwork. He tells Marinette his phone number and before he leaves Marinette grips his hand tightly.
Marinette- That is really all you wanted? Just our story?
John turns to her squeezing her hand gently before nodding.
John- I'm not one of the best people in the universe, that much your little Gods and Goddesses can tell you. But I would never not help a child or children when I can, and while your eyes are older than they should be you're still children. Now enough of the soft bull, I have a reputation to keep! If you need me, call me!
John leaves the same way he came, not seeing Marinette smiling gently at his back. Chloe and Adrien share a grin behind her teasing each other on who the cuter twin is. Marinette rolls her eyes as Plagg and Pollen start arguing for their chosen.
A week later they are now the Constantine siblings.
A few weeks later both Chloe and Adrien have taken their SATs and their ACT, skying some of the highest scores in Gotham. Marinette decided not to take the test knowing that it would be suspicious if they discover she is a genius. People will be asking why it wasn't documented in Paris, instead she uses their week of studying to teach herself hacking, much to John's amusement when he visits.
His amusement fled when he made a snarky comment and Marinette turned to him smirking.
Marinette- At least I didn't sleep with a humanoid shark.
John-....ya f*ckin got me there pigtails!
He then turned and disappeared through a portal unable to look any of his self proclaimed kids in the eyes. Once gone Marinette and Plagg start laughing hysterically together causing Tikki to roll her eyes and start complaining about Plagg trying to steal her Chosen. Plagg sticks his tongue out at her before floating over and resting himself in Adrien's hair.
A few weeks later Marinette is dragging John to a car dealership ignoring his whining. She simply signs and tells him that she needs her parental figures help with buying a car.
John sighs before agreeing to help her get a car, in the end he is glad he is there when the dealer attempts to push Marinette into buying a terrible car.
He immediately gets in between them glaring the man down before telling him that he is shopping for a car for his daughter. The man nodded before stuttering out that he'll get the keys for their safest cars, before rushing back inside.
John huffs not looking Marinette in the eye as she smirks at him.
Marinette- Watch out Dad, keep this up and people might think you care about us!
John-Shut it Pigtails, or I'll leave right now.
Marinette- No you won't.
John doesn't respond because he knows she is right, he got attached to these sassy brats. His only hope is that his enemies don't find out about them. That night he stays for dinner and when the kids fall asleep he places magical sigils on each of their souls. Protecting them from attacks from both Heaven and hell. When confronted by the Kawami he just huffs telling them the brats wormed their way into his heart. Tikki simply smiles patting his cheek before telling him to use the guest room.
The next day John is grumbling sitting at the breakfast bar dressed in only his boxers as Marinette makes breakfast. Adrien sits next to him laughing at the dark look on his face, while Chloe rolls her eyes at both of them sipping her coffee.
He sighs softly thinking about how Bats would kill him for being in his city this long. However when he hears the three burst into laughter together. He can't find it in himself to actually care.
Two months later Chloe and Adrien are attending college classes and Marinette is getting ready to open her own boutique with John's help. They bought a shop in the nice parts of Gotham and with Doug's help they were practically ready to open. They had a large floor room. The right floor of the store was designated for specially designed clothing, a doortalong the wall opened to a fitting room. The left side was for her clothing manufactured in bulk, and the changing areas were located on that side. She also had the walls set for clothing designed by the designers she hired. Above each rack was a whiteboard that each designer was allowed to specially decorate and have their name displayed. Their clothes were being sold under her name in return for only 25 percent while they got the other 75 percent. The back room housed a designing area for Marinette and her designers with extra sewing machines along with racks and shelves for finished clothing. John was helping her set up signs for the day unknown to the both of them they were being spied on.
Bruce Wayne had spotted John Constantine in Gotham over three weeks ago. He didn't confront him because at the time he'd been walking out of Gotham University with two blonds, before getting in a car that a black haired girl with sunglasses was driving. He proceeded to investigate even deeper, finding two new students with the last name Constantine and an upcoming designer sharing the name as well. His first thought was that John had relocated some of his allies into Gotham, which pissed the Bat off greatly.
However it had been Dick that pointed out to him that the kids we're Tim's age and they didn't have any history beyond what John had created for them. Instead of confronting the man and kicking them out he had the entire family taking turns watching the three.
They saw a family that found itself the three obviously weren't actually siblings but that didn't matter to them. They also saw John get closer and closer to the kids slowly starting to spend more time with them. When Marinette began setting up her shop Bruce and Dick watched John smile gently at the girl when she began to ramble on and on. It was that moment that made Dick turn on Bruce telling him that if he even threatened to kick them out Dick would be upset.
Meanwhile Jason was continuously joking and making comments that Bruce was only mad because John managed to adopt a black hair blue eyed child before he could. Bruce got out of his car walking into the unfinished boutique, his eyes zeroing in on the recently named Marinette Constantine. She greeted him politely telling him the store wasn't open yet and only tenseed slightly when John froze at the sight of him. She played it off and quickly turned to John.
Marinette- Hey Dad can you take those extra racks to the back for me, while I give this nice man our opening dates.
John looked like he wanted to argue but instead he nodded picking up a couple racks and taking them to the back. Marinette's eyes were immediately back on him calculating him in seconds. Which surprised him greatly, the only people able to pick him apart like this were his kids.
Marinette-Bruce Wayne and by Dad's reaction you're either a hero or a villain. It's easy to tell you're not a villain though so that only leaves the hero. In Gotham very few heroes are allowed. Based on your age and when heros first appeared I'm assuming you Batman. This means Richard Grayson was the first Robin, going through assumptions once again. This would place your family as the heroes of Gotham. You're Batman, and I know that you know damn well that John isn't our actual father. Probably suspicious of why he has three kids relocated into your city as well. You have a no meta policy in Gotham and I understand why. However John is not a meta, he is a mage and he is our guardian. I fear that the foul mouthed a**hat got attached to us though so he stays. You want answers, that's why you decided to confront us in public, everyone is wondering what Bruce Wayne is doing here, so we wouldn't dare make a move to run. What you didn't account for was going up against someone who could pick you apart in seconds and learn your weaknesses. For instance you've had your back broken, you've healed incredibly however to the right trained eye you can see that you wear back supports. Not only that you still get pains from the injury, pains that you're experiencing right now as shown by the tension in your back. Pain medication not kicked in yet Brucie?
She finished the polite smile never leaving her face even when both heard John laughing hysterically in the back room.
Bruce- You're good.
Marinette-I would hope so in my universe I was one of the best heros and a certified genius.
Bruce- Your universe?
Marinette- Yes my universe. I think we both know talking about this in public is stupid Brucie. Find the warehouse that belongs to Margie Willkins, and you will find us.
Bruce-Margie Willkins, very well. Will she be there as well.
Marinette- Not likely considering she only exists on the internet. You won't find her anywhere else. Now Brucie it is time for you to go.
Bruce- Don't call me that.
He finally growled out, Marinette's smile didn't waver but he could see the glee light up in her eyes at his annoyance. Reminding him of the gleam his kids would get for the same task.
Marinette-Oh but Brucie, I think it's just the perfect nickname! Show me you deserve my respect Brucie, you maybe Batman but you came in here to intimidate one of my family members. I believe you can understand I am very protective of my family. After all I've already had two murdered and I won't lose anymore. Now turn and leave my store with a smile on your face Bruce, or I'll start crying.
John- She will the girl had me running around to get her favorite snacks until Chloe pointed out she was faking.
Marinette pouted looking at John behind her stating that Chloe had to ruin her fun. She turned to Bruce staring him down once more. Bruce nodded confirming that he'd be there.
That night the three were relaxing when Batman jumped down into their living room in front of them. Neither teen flinched Chloe scoffed going back to her nails while Adrien threw popcorn at him complaining that he was blocking the tv. Much to his kids amusement over the coms. Marinette simply sighed before flipping herself over the back of the couch. Gesturing him to follow her, she stopped however and looked him dead in the eye.
Marinette- Oh, and you're seven backups are doing a terrible job of hiding. Might as well tell them to just join us.
This left the entire family stunned as Marinette simply turned back walking into the kitchen and sitting down. Soon she was joined by eight members of the Batfamily. She took in their appearance quickly determining who was who with ease. She smirked when she felt Plagg settle into her jacket pocket. Him being there instead of Tikki meant Marinette wasn't representing Ladybug. She could be as sassy or rude as she wanted.
Marinette- So I get to talk to Batman now and not Brucie. Interesting, nice to see you finally drop your mask around me. Now I can see the real person, oops I wasn't supposed to say that was I?
Batman's glare hardened especially as Red Hood and Nightwing began to silently laugh.
Batman-Get to the point of why we're here.
Marinette-So serious maybe you should try getting a spa treatment, it does wonders. But I digress. Do you want the short version or the long version?
Batman simply stared at her causing Marinette to roll her eyes, before telling the trio's story. Shortly after explaining everything Chloe and Adrien joined them with all the Kwami flying in around, Plagg leaving Marinette's pocket heading back to Adrien.
Nightwing immediately gushes about the Kwami being cute cause Marinette to giggle softly. Each sibling begins to check the Kwami out as well as talk to the three fromer heroes. While Bruce was studying Marinette watching her switch from a mischievous and sassy persona to her actual personality. He watched the kids all talking and getting to know each other. At some point the Batfamily save Bruce had taken their masks off.
That's when both he and Tim noticed Marinette pull out a laptop and start typing. Tim decided to approach asking her what she was doing, Marinette rolled her eyes telling him that she is deleting all of tonight's security footage. Stating that he needs to leave her alone because she only recently started learning how to hack and getting into a company known for their security. Tim makes a noise before pulling her computer away and hacking into the company within five minutes. Marinette stared at her computer for a minute before grabbing his hands and getting closer to his face causing everyone to stare.
Marinette-Teach me, and I will make you my famous caffeine death coffee everyday for a month.
Tim blushed at her closeness until the words coffee hit his ears. He raised his eyebrow before questioning how good it was. Marinette simply released his hand and stood up walking over to the coffee machine and making the coffee in under five minutes. Everyone noticed Adrien and Chloe eyeing the coffee like it was poison when Marinette placed it in front of him. Tim stared at it for a while Marinette sighed picking it back up taking a big gulp swallowing it for them all before placing it in front of him again. Tim finally picked it up and took a sip only to freeze then down it in down gulp. He placed the cup down before grabbing both of Marinette's hands while looking her in the eye dead serious.
Tim- Marry me.
Everyone stared at him in shock especially when he didn't laugh saying he was joking.
Marinette blushed brightly, sputtering out a few unrecognizable sentences before taking a deep breath looking away from him.
Marinette- Honestly, I'm not a girl that marries before the first date. We barely even know each other.
Tim- Your right, what are you doing tomorrow night at six?
Marinette- Uh well I was going to be at my shop until five thirty, after that nothing really.
Tim- Perfect, I'll pick you up from your boutique at five thirty. We'll go on our first date and as many dates as it'll take me to convince you to marry me.
Marinette just sputters out a confirmation unable to look Tim in the eye.
Tim is the last of the family to leave before going he grabs Marinette's hand again. Letting a gentle smile cover his face.
Tim-I am not asking you out just because of your coffee skills Marinette. I had the task of researching you and your siblings. I found you rather fascinating, and we also have quite a bit in common. Your amazing coffee was just a plus. I will see you tomorrow at five thirty?
Marinette- Five thirty. I'll be waiting.
Tim-I won't be late.
He kisses her hand before releasing it and grappling away. He was not ready to deal with his family's teasing. Marinette refused to meet Adrien or Chloe's gaze as she walked to her room, her face bright red.
@abrx2002
@chocolateherringtacofan
@blackmagicforever
@mythogaychic
#timari#marinette dupen chang#miraculous marinette#maribat#miraculous au#miraculoustalesofladybugandcatnoir#miraculous fandom#miraculous ladybug#miraculous fanfic#adrien agreste#chloe sugar#chloe bourgeois#batman#batfamily#john constantine
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Second Chances Chapter 16 - The Grand Jury
Summary: Kim gives her first testimony and admits her marriage on the record, and she and Adam have their twelve week scan. Series masterlist here.
Words: 4.7k
Warnings: Bob Ruzek's A+ Parenting, Bob Ruzek in general tbh, pregnancy, doctor's appointments, medical talk, vomiting.
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--
Kim pulled up her pants, attempting to button them and giving up. She flopped back on the bed, sucking in to close them to no avail. She had to leave to make it to the courthouse in the next thirty minutes, but seemingly overnight the baby had decided to make themselves known. Everything she’d read said she’d have until twelve weeks before she started showing, but she was eleven and facing a wardrobe emergency.
She searched the wardrobe, finding a skater skirt with an elastic waistband she could make work. Once she put a semi respectable tee and a blazer on, she looked ready for court, even with the purple cast still on her arm. Two more weeks and it was gone, and she couldn’t wait.
Adam had already left for the precinct, a text on her phone and a travel mug with tea and her ginger candies beside it a reminder he was thinking of them. She picked up her badge and hung it around her neck before putting the candies in her purse and the tea in her left hand, hurrying to the parking lot to make up the time she’d lost trying to get the jeans on.
The Cook County Courthouse was impressive and intimidating, Kim taking the steps up two at a time to be there on time. As she arrived in Peter Stone nodded at her, Kim smiling in return.
“You ok, Officer Burgess?” He asked, taking in her outfit.
“I will be. Do I look ok? There was a wardrobe malfunction this morning, I had to pull something together.” She smiled, and Stone just nodded.
“You’re fine. We went through your testimony, there’s a short cross examination, but you’ll be fine. I’ll have to ask you about your relationship with Adam, is that ok? It won’t go outside these walls, I know you’re trying to keep it quiet.”
“Thanks, Peter. I’ll be fine. I wait outside until I’m called in? I’ve never been involved in a Grand Jury hearing before.” She smoothed her blazer, fingers hitting off her supply of candies in the pocket.
“Exactly. It’s slightly less formal than a regular trial, you’ll just be asked some basic questions. There’s nothing to worry about, Kim. You’ll be fine. You’re the first witness this morning, which helps.”
They arrived downstairs in the Grand Jury hallway, Kim sitting on the hard wooden bench while she waited for her name to be called. Finally it was, and she went inside, going straight to the witness seat Peter pointed her to.
“Just for the record, can you give your full legal name?” He nodded encouragingly, and Kim spoke.
“Kimberly Megan Ruzek.” Bob’s head shot up at her words, but she kept just looking at Peter.
“And Officer, what name do you go by in work and what is your full title, so our jury can understand when you’re mentioned in the documents?”
“In work I’m Officer Kim Burgess, assigned to the Intelligence Unit in the 21st Precinct of the Chicago Police Department.” She sat back, her left hand by her side, her casted arm wrapped around her stomach.
“What is your relationship to Mr. Ruzek?” Kim got a shot of delight, hearing Bob be stripped of his job title. The devil worked fast, but IAB worked even faster.
“He’s my husband’s father.”
“That’s not…I’d have been there!” She heard Bob exclaim, and his lawyer shushing him. She kept her eyes on Peter until the noise stopped, breathing carefully to avoid setting off her nausea, her stomach roiling with nerves and morning sickness.
Stone talked her through her relationship with Adam, and what Bob knew about it. She could feel the older man’s eyes staring at her as she spoke, confirming that they had never told him about the marriage, and had married alone because of precinct gossip. He talked her through what she’d done in the two cases Bob had been involved in, how she’d come to find all the information about what he’d searched. He’d prepared her well, and she was able to talk through every piece of evidence she’d found.
“Officer Burgess, one last question. You searched deeper than you needed to to find out what Mr. Ruzek was looking for. Why did you?”
Kim took a breath, resting the heavy cast on her stomach for a second before responding. “He’s my father in law. My husband’s dad. I didn’t want to believe that he could have done anything like this. I was convinced if I dug a little bit deeper I would find a reason for this.”
“And did you?”
“No. There was absolutely no reason for Bob Ruzek to be looking up those files, or trying to access the CPD gang database.”
“Thank you, Officer Burgess.”
Bob’s lawyer stood, and Kim stayed with the easy expression on her face, her hair over her shoulders.
“Officer Ruzek, what did you do when you discovered this information about your father in law?” He asked, broad shouldered in an expensive suit.
“It’s Officer Burgess, and I passed it up the chain of command as I was instructed to. It formed part of our evidence board.”
“So everyone in your precinct could have seen it?” He grinned at that, but Kim shook her head.
“No, not at all. Our unit is only accessible either by a hand scanner and pin, or by being buzzed upstairs by our desk sergeant with the approval of the unit sergeant. Nobody is able to get up without approval.”
“Could someone follow you without your knowledge?”
“No. It’s a gate up a flight of stairs, and when you go upstairs it’s straight into the bullpen. There’s no way anyone could follow without being seen.”
“The only people who have access to that unit are the unit members and your desk sergeant?”
“As far as I’m aware.”
He nodded, looking like that cat who got the cream. “And are you aware that your Sergeant Voight and a Detective Olinsky have had previous negative experiences with Mr. Ruzek?”
Kim looked confused for a moment, shaking her head before speaking. “I know they worked together in the past, and I know something happened. But I don’t know specifics about anything.”
“Do you believe that either of those men would frame Mr. Ruzek for something he didn’t do?”
“Your Honour, objection! Officer Burgess has answered each of the Counsellor’s questions without complaint. This is fishing.”
“Sustained.” The judge ruled, and Bob’s lawyer moved away from Kim.
“No further questions.”
She stood, feeling her stomach roll over and knowing the familiar feeling of having moments to get to a bathroom. Kim nodded at Stone before exiting the courtroom with quick, sure steps. As soon as she was outside she broke into a run, barely making it into a bathroom cubicle before the water she’d sipped that morning came up.
“Seriously, kiddo. You need to stop making me sick, ok?” She said to her stomach as she got up from her position, wiping her mouth with toilet paper and rinsing it out with some water. She’d finished earlier than expected, and decided to quickly pick up some maternity clothes so she could at least be comfortable in work.
She bought enough clothes to have during the week changes, determined to not want to buy a whole new wardrobe yet. But in the restroom at the mall she put the pregnancy pants on, immediately delighted by how comfortable they were on her. Once she was satisfied she made it to the precinct, waving hello before settling in for an afternoon of running number plates. It was boring work, but she got into a routine, scouring the pod footage for exactly what they needed. It wasn’t glamorous, it wasn’t the amazing police work people thought Intelligence did, but it was necessary.
They were working late on a home invasion and kidnapping case, and Adam put a takeout tub of chicken noodle soup and a turkey club in front of Kim.
“You need to eat, here. I thought it might help your stomach?” She smiled in appreciation, taking the spoon he’d given her and stirring the soup. There were big pieces of chicken in it, along with pieces of orzo that floated to the top as she stirred.
“Thanks. What do I owe you?” Kim asked, pulling out her wallet but Adam put his hand on her shoulder.
“Don’t worry about it, gave me an excuse to get out of here for a little while.”
She finally found the car they’d been searching for, watching it on the pod footage and spotting it outside a house in Pilsen. It didn’t take long for everyone to get ready to leave, Platt coming upstairs to keep Kim company while she was there alone.
“How’d the testimony go?” Trudy asked, sitting in the chair opposite Kims, passing over a mug of tea to the younger woman.
“Well, my father in law now knows he’s my father in law, which says everything. He was convinced I was lying, and his lawyer tried to make me out to be a liar. I’m just glad it’s done.”
“Is he going to trial?”
Kim took a sip of tea before responding, her free hand floating down to rest on her stomach as had become customary for her since she found out about the rice grain baby. “Probably. Stone offered him a deal, three to five years in exchange for a guilty plea on the corruption charges. He turned it down. If he’s indicted he’s going to trial. Bob thinks that if he’s found innocent then CPD has to give him his pension back. For a guy who was a cop for so many years, he really hasn’t learned anything, has he?”
The belly laugh that came out of Trudy Platt’s mouth startled Kim, spilling some of her tea over her jeans. Once Platt settled down, Kim smiled at it.
“He’s an idiot of the highest calibre. I’m just glad you and your baby daddy don’t have to deal with him anymore. When’s your next appointment?”
“Ten days away, and we get a scan then too. Voight’s been great, Adam’s days off tend to link up with my appointment days, and he’s going to keep that going. We can’t tell anyone until Bob’s case is finalised anyway, Stone wants as little possibility for things to go downhill as he can manage.” Her radio flickered to life, the warning that they were about to go in coming through it. Kim took a breath and let it out slowly.
“Sucks knowing they’re going into danger and you can’t do anything about it, doesn’t it?” Platt commented, making Kim smile.
“It really does. I know this is the right move, I know I could still be in the field now. But if something happened to me? If I lost the baby? I’d never forgive myself.” She felt the desk sarge’s hand on her shoulder, squeezing once.
“I know I’m probably not the best person to say it, but you’re going to make a phenomenal mother, Ruzek. That kid is blessed to have the two of you.”
Kim would forever blame it on her hormones, but tears lept into her eyes at Trudy’s words. She’d never been close to her family - Nicole lived in Chicago and she hadn’t even had coffee with her since before her wedding - but her unit? The people she saw every day? They were her family, and to hear that from Trudy meant the world.
The raid was successful, everyone back at the precinct safe a few hours later. Voight sent them all home shortly after, insisting sleep was more important and the paperwork could wait. Kim thought it was squarely aimed at her after the fourth yawn she’d barely been able to control. It turned out that having to give up caffeine almost entirely and growing a new human from scratch were both exhausting things.
She crawled into bed beside Adam, neither of them making much conversation, the exhaustion clear on both their faces. But as he’d done every night since they found out about the baby, he leaned down and pressed a kiss just below Kim’s bellybutton, whispering “Goodnight, rice grain baby” softly. He repeated the kiss to Kim’s forehead, wrapping an arm around her and holding her close as they both slept.
As Kim got dressed the next morning Adam was enthralled by the stretchy waistband on her jeans.
“But it’s so stretchy? And it’s not denim? Why?” He asked, staring at the small pooch that was the only visible sign of their baby.
“Because in a few weeks I’m going to have an actual bump. The waistband means that it’ll stretch along with the bump, so I can wear these for most of the pregnancy.” She watched the dawning realisation on his face, smiling at the awestruck look.
“I can’t believe we’re having a baby. I can’t believe you’re pregnant. It’s an actual baby there. You know how amazing you are, right?” Kim turned after pulling her shirt on, looking at her husband.
“I mean, I know I’m great. What’s brought this on?”
He shrugged, his face growing dull for a moment. “Everything with my dad. I wouldn’t blame you for never wanting a kid with me, not wanting a child who’s half you to be any part of him, you know? But you’re letting me be a father. It’s magical, Darlin’. I’m so lucky.” She leaned down and kissed him, sitting beside him on the bed.
“This baby’s half of both of us, and they’re gonna know how loved they are. We need to start talking about names soon too, you know?” Kim paused for a moment, taking a breath before speaking. “When I was on the stand yesterday I had to admit Bob’s my father in law. He knows we’re married, but he didn’t believe me when I said it.”
Adam ran his hand through his hair, shaking his head.
“I told him last week. Remember when I had the jail interview I had to go to for a CI?” Kim nodded. “He was being held in the same wing as Bob, so I visited. He asked me was I gonna let my, and I quote, “bitch of an ex destroy my name and his life?”. So I told him that if you were ruining anyone’s life it was yours, because you’re a Ruzek now too. He doesn’t know about the baby, and honestly if he tries telling anyone in CPD nobody will believe him because they know the kind of man he is. I can take him saying shit about me. Not about my wife.”
Kim grasped his hand with her good one firmly, feeling Adam squeeze her back.
“You are one of the best men I’ve ever known. Who he is? It doesn’t matter. I promise.”
They got into the jeep to go to work, Kim sucking her candies that had become her normal breakfast. She’d been given a prescription for anti nausea meds, and took them if it got really bad, but they made her drowsy and she couldn’t have them at work. She was making do with ginger candy, peppermint tea and graham crackers to settle her stomach, but her trips to the restroom were generally ignored by everyone. It was embarrassing as all hell, but nobody mentioned it, just made sure she had what she needed.
She’d sat at her desk, the latest form she had to fill out for the previous day’s searches in front of her when her cell rang, startling everyone in the quiet space. Peter Stone flashed on the screen, and she took it into the break room, closing the door firmly behind her for some semblance of privacy.
“Stone?” She answered with a question, desperately needing the news.
“Kim, he’s been indicted on five counts of corruption, two counts of membership of an illegal organisation, three counts of bribery, and seven of abusing his position as a law enforcement officer. It’s a clean sweep of indictments.” Kim lost her balance, stumbling onto the couch in shock.
“Everything? Everyone indicted him on all of them? What does this mean?”
“When we go to trial we’re going to look for up to twenty years. I’m going to offer him a deal of six years in prison for the bribery and abusing his position charges. The corruption one is the one that will really bump up the years, so it’s in his best interest to avoid a trial.” The prosecutor spoke quickly, but Kim shook her head.
“You and I both know that he’s going to go to trial. He won’t take a deal, he thinks he’s better than that.”
“He can think all he wants. I’ve been talking to the State’s Attorney, they want him down for good. You’re going to be called as a witness, and it looks like Adam will be as well. You’ll need to keep discussion of the case to a minimum, ok?”
“I know. We’ve done this dance before. Let me know what you need from me.” Kim paused for a moment. “Do you know how long until trial? I’m pregnant, and having his heavily pregnant daughter in law testifying isn’t going to be a good look for either side.” She could hear his gasp of surprise, Stone’s voice lightening.
“Congratulations. I’ve got Antonio working on this, it’s his only priority. It’s going before the court tomorrow, we’re hoping for trial in ten weeks. You won’t be too far along then?” Kim did the maths, nodding before remembering he couldn’t see her.
“Perfect. Thanks, Peter. When I can drink again I owe you one.”
They said their goodbyes, Kim pulling up her text thread with Adam.
Indicted on all charges, going to tell Voight now. You’ll probably be called as a defence witness.
It took less than ten seconds for the bubble showing Adam was replying to appear.
Fuck him. Love you.
Kim stood, straightening her clothes before opening the door and knocking on Voight’s office. He called her in, pointing at the chair as she closed the door.
“Bob’s been indicted on all counts.” She watched as he glanced up as if waiting for her to say she was joking. “He’s going to trial, the State’s Attorney wants him down. Five of corruption, two of membership of an illegal organisation, three of bribery and seven of abusing his position. Stone’s offering a deal for the bribery and position charges, but he’s not expecting him to take it.”
Kim ran her fingers through her hair, watching Voight take in her words.
“How do you feel about it?”
“I have no idea. I got called to the stand as a Ruzek yesterday, which was weird. Different and good, but weird. Bob tried screaming at me and his lawyer called me a liar, all stuff I expected. They think the trial’s going to be soon, they want it wrapped up quickly and they want to be able to place him somewhere secure.” Her stomach moved again, and she took a sip of tea.
“Morning sickness?” Her Sarge asked, and she nodded.
“Yeah, the rice grain doesn’t like me eating, well, anything. It gets better as the day goes on, but until two it’s tea and graham crackers for me.”
“Camille suffered with it too. There was a Korean woman who lived in the apartment next to us, she gave Camille some rice porridge that really helped. Google it, it might help.” Kim stood slowly at his words, nodding.
“Thanks, at this point I’ll try anything. I’ve got some meds but they just make me drowsy, so I can’t really take them at work. I’m gonna go finish that paperwork.”
She went out to her desk, nodding at Hailey’s raised eyebrows. Her partner was the only person outside Voight, Trudy, and Adam who knew she’d testified at the grand jury, everyone else thinking it was a regular court case. But Hailey had experiences of dealing with a grand jury, and being able to talk about it had helped. She spent the rest of her morning going through the paperwork and handing it over for Hailey’s signature. Kim did her normal waving away lunch with a smile, she’d try eat around four when she was able to keep it down.
The smell of Korean barbecue filled the bullpen, and her mouth watered. It wasn’t worth trying to eat some of the spiced meat, as much as she’d have killed for a bao. A bowl was put beside her, and she looked up to Voight nodding. As she opened the container it looked like mushy rice, but she could smell chicken and there were peanuts and scallions on the top. It tasted amazing, and for the first time in three weeks Kim could have lunch with everyone else, a smile on her face as she ate. The jook was perfect, and the baby agreed with it which made it even easier for her.
It became her lunch for the next week, Adam going to the Korean place a few blocks away to pick it up for her. By the third day they’d have it waiting, Adam admitting that he’d told them she was pregnant and it was all she could keep down. Watching everyone leave for scenes and raids would never get easier, her heart was in her mouth every time she watched them go. But she sat and she did everything she could on her end, trusting them to come back safely.
It was finally her twelve week appointment, but she was working that morning before leaving for Med. Kim kissed Adam goodbye, rolling out of his arms to get dressed. Her bump was becoming more pronounced now, the bloating she’d felt before changing to a small roundness. She stood in the bathroom and took a photo of the bump, deciding to document how the baby would grow. The tiredness, the morning (and all day) sickness, even that the only bras she could wear were sports ones because she was too tender and sore were worth it. They were having a baby. A little human that was half her and half Adam. And while all she wanted was them to be healthy, she couldn’t wait to see her husband as a father, to prove that he would always be better than Bob.
She was early to the bullpen to make up for leaving early, running through paperwork and a case audit Voight had her on. But her reminder buzzed at one, and she picked up her jacket to leave.
“Everything ok?” Hailey asked, and Kim nodded.
“Ultrasound appointment. I’m officially twelve weeks, so I get to see what the baby looks like.” Kim manoeuvred her casted arm into her coat, the December chill making it a must.
“Good luck! Bring in the ultrasound tomorrow? I want to see the baby.” Kim nodded as she left, waving goodbye to everyone. The drive to Med was quick, and when she got off the elevator on the fourth floor Adam was waiting for her there. He took her left hand, making sure her sling wasn’t mussed before they checked in.
The wait wasn’t too long, the couple brought into the ultrasound room. Kim sat up on the bed to wait for the technician, Adam holding her coat. By the time the tech came in they were bored, Adam telling a long drawn out story of the last raid he’d been on, Kim giggling at it in hysterics.
“Mrs and Mr Ruzek? I’m Tara, let’s take a look at how the baby’s doing. You’re twelve weeks, is that right?”
“Twelve weeks and four days, yes. This is the big ‘your baby looks like a baby now’ one, isn’t it?”
Tara laughed, nodding, while Adam put his hand on Kim’s stomach.
“Don’t worry, RGB, your daddy loves you even when your mommy is mocking you.” Kim watched Tara’s eyebrow raise.
“When we had the first ultrasound done, they told us the baby was the size of a grain of rice. We haven’t picked out a name yet, so they’re rice grain baby for the moment, or RGB.” Kim quipped, Tara laughing.
“That’s the first time I’ve heard that one. Is this your first pregnancy?”
“Yeah, we’re pretty nervous.” Adam settled in the chair beside her, his hand in the crook of her elbow, his thumb rubbing a circle into her bicep to help her relax.
The gel was cold, a shiver going up Kim’s spine before she could stop it. But it didn’t take long for Tara to show their baby on the screen. The last time it was a speck, barely able to be seen. This time, though, they didn’t need Tara to point out their baby’s head or legs, looking as it moved.
“See that?” Tara pointed to a small part of the screen. “They’re waving to you.” Kim could feel the tears flow down her face, and Adam held onto her like a drowning man. They’d heard the heartbeat, they knew it was happening, but this made it so real. Their baby looked like a baby now.
“And here’s the heartbeat.”
Tara flicked a switch, and the room was filled with the rhythmic whoosh of their baby’s heart. Kim looked over at Adam, mouthing “I love you” to him as he recorded the sound. She felt him press a kiss to her temple, leaning against him before Tara switched it off.
“Everything looks perfect, and I’ll get some photos printed off for you. We can do them with your information or without, which would you prefer?”
“Can we get some of both?” Kim asked, Tara nodding at the request. “Of course.”
She got changed, Adam putting her sling back on as the nurse practitioner came in and did the necessary checks before letting them meet Kim’s doctor. Everything was as it should be, she’d lost some weight because of the morning sickness but they weren’t concerned. Once she’d been given the clean bill of health they left, Adam bringing Kim to lunch.
It was a little deli, Kim getting matzo ball soup and a sandwich to keep her stomach steady. When they got their seat she looked across at Adam, a smile on her face.
“You know I need to announce now, right?” She asked, and he smiled along with it.
“What’re you thinking?”
“I want to text Sylvie to let her know, she’s been a good friend since Erin left, even if she is dating Antonio—“
“Wait, when the fuck did that happen?” Adam interjected, putting his meatball sub down.
“From what she told me Gabby invited her out with her and Matt and Antonio, and they hit it off. I’m not getting involved. She’s happy and that’s the important part I guess. But back on topic, I’m gonna text her to let her know, then text Erin. After that I thought maybe put up the ultrasound on Instagram?”
“Whatever you want. It’s your decision on announcing.” She could see the toll this was taking on Adam, reaching over to grip his hand.
“I hate that you can’t be a part of the announcement. But our baby knows how loved they are. You know that, right? Because I love you so much.”
“I love you too. Wanna take the photos?”
She took the photo of the scan without her name or identifying information, opening up her text thread with Sylvie.
I know you’ve missed me at Molly’s, but there’s been a really good reason for that.
She took a photo of the proper scan for Erin, just texting the photo with a baby emoji. Erin was undercover this month, so she wasn’t expecting a reply for a while. Instead of just waiting for Sylvie’s response, she opened up the Instagram app and hit the new post button.
It’s official, I’m getting a promotion to Mama from July. Very excited to meet this little one.
Once she wrote the post she showed it to Adam, who smiled and held her hand as she hit the post button. It didn’t take long for the congratulations to come rolling in from her friends, but all Kim wanted was to tell everyone who her baby’s father was.
Chapter 17>>
Taglist: @aruzlover @amandarrollins @morganupstead @adamruz @fullwattpadmusictree @redpoodlern @everythingaddictxx @write4life13 @lizlouisebrown @jeanjacketjesus @tuxieboy101-blog @thelittlepterophyllum @planecrazylex @sophiatellerrhodes @eternal-olicity @ossypooh @dissociation-writes @kimburgess-ruzek @thestarrynightslover @reidskitty13 @etamne @torreshalstead @itsnotpersonalbut @leymr @multicouple-lover
#Burzek#Burzek Fic#Adam ruzek x Kim burgess#Kim burgess x Adam ruzek#Adam x Kim#Kim x Adam#Chicago pd fic#cpd fic#chicago pd au#cpd au#Kim burgess#Adam ruzek#cíara writes
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Rivals
Summary: Y/n and Harry are both CEO’s of their parent’s companies since they inherited the businesses from them, they’ve been rivals since they were kids- now that they’re professional adults how will their rivalry affect them? 2.2k
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It’s no secret that growing up with a workaholic parent is hard for a kid, but for Y/n it was amplified due to the fact both her parents owned one of the most famous fashion companies in the world. This meant during most of her childhood she relied on nannies, private drivers, maids and child minders to care for her in absence of her busy working parents.
Of course having absent parents gave her some perks during her teen years, the ability to throw ragers in the absurdly large mansion they’d bought for the three of them –(well, they were hardly in it so mainly just their daughter)- not having to worry about getting caught when she decided to bring people over to get a quick shag in and the plus of having no one to bother her during her angsty middle school years. Those things were nice, yet you really can’t replace the role of your parents with teenage hookups and parties.
If there’s one thing that she absolutely hated about her parents work, it would be their former business partners cunt of a son. Harry Styles. Y/n had been forced to be in the twats life since they were 10 and his father joined stocks in her parents company before investing fully and becoming business partners. For Y/n that meant being forced to be around their son whenever their parents were too busy crushing numbers or out on boozy business trips clogging their noses with high end coke and buying out their competitors.
Harry was always a good-looking boy, and that only made things worse because he was a total prick. He was arrogant, annoying and always got away with being the biggest pain in the ass y/n has ever experienced in her life. He was insanely competitive, cocky and always found a way to weasel into Y/n’s business just to push her buttons. One’s he knew how to push perfectly to make her want to pound his head off a blacktop.
It was almost as if when it came to Y/n he never matured past being a 12-year-old boy, and now he’s a 23 year old powerful business man who still can’t manage to leave her alone.
Y/n had inherited her parents’ company when they decided to retire, two years before the retirement her parents and Harrys father had severed their ties and he’d gone back to his independent company. And just y/n’s luck, the man passed his roll as CEO down to his son, making the two young adults’ owners of two of the most famous fashion and beauty companies to ever exist.
Make no mistake, Y/n was a strong, independent and ruthless business woman so Harry’s subsequent inheritance didn’t threaten her in a business sense it more so made her worried for her blood pressure since the man couldn’t help but come bother her every chance he got. It didn’t help his dad had a single remaining stock left in the shoe portion of their clothing company giving Harry the perfect excuse to come barging into Y/n’s office to get on her nerves. To Y/n Harrys like a cold sore that won’t go away, just keeps coming back every time you think you’ve gotten rid of it.
___
Today was a busy day for Y/n, she had a meeting with her team that worked closely with her managing profit, stock, inventory, sales and all that stuff. Her team was large, with a company with over two thousand distributors worldwide and thirty-five exclusive stores scattered around the globe that’s to be expected. All in all, Y/n was responsible for making sure all one hundred and fifty thousand employees were running a smooth ship and every participating party was doing what they needed to do. It was a stressful job no doubt, but she never backed down from the challenge.
The meetings were always her least favorite part of her job. All the paper work that had to be read, numbers calculated, sales charted and any complaints or incident reports all had to be verbalized and talked about in detail with documentation of all the important things said as well as much more. Today the meeting took a grueling four and a half hours and the day was far from over.
Once she got out of her meeting it was nearing noon, she had to push her lunch off to phone the companies attorneys because one worker was trying to do a fake insurance claim. The man faked a work accident failing to remember every warehouse and factory was littered with security cameras that caught him in the act, so she had to inform them of the situation so they could sort it out. After that she got sucked into looking at new designs her design team had come up with for the next season, explaining that Chanel and Gucci both wanted to work with them to carry a few exclusive items only for that season.
Finally, at half passed two she made it back to her office, sitting down in her desk chair while taking her hair out of the headache inducing ponytail it had been in since she got there at five that morning. She opened her laptop, planning to send off some emails while she put in her order for lunch to her assistant, getting as much done as she could in the little bit of private time she was able to snag.
A knock sounded at the door, she knew it was Morgan coming in with the food she ordered so she didn’t bother to look up from what she was doing very drawn in to the email she was currently formatting. Only her attention was quickly severed when his voice rang out instead of the one she expected.
“I believe you ordered the chop salad, diet coke and fruit for lunch misses Yln.”
That annoying, cocky voice. You can hear his shit eating grin and teasing eyes simply in his tone, you don’t even have to look up at the jerk.
A prolonged sigh blew out of her lips, a grunt of annoyance following as she looked up at him. He looked nice, as always, she added bitterly in her own mind. She hated the fact someone so goddamn irritating was so undeniably attractive. He wore a dark blue suit, white button up with a black tie and yellow accent pocket square. Yet his fashion and handsomeness seemed a bit overshadowed by his personality that had the same affect on the woman as nails on a chalkboard.
“Harry, to what do I owe the displeasure?” Y/n reached her arm across the desk to snatch the paper bag from his ring clad hands, a sarcastic disapproving finger was pointed at her yet she didn’t take his bait opting to give him the death stare instead.
“Sassy today are we?” The man rested himself on the small leather loveseat that was in her office, propping his head on a throw pillow and putting his feet on the armrest. “You act like you’re not happy to see me, I know yeh missed me.” Y/n rolled her eyes, digging her fork into the salad aggressively. “I don’t think anyone’s ever been happy to see you, and I’m certain no one has ever missed your presence either.”
Harry chuckled slightly, loving how easily he could annoy the girl. Over the past thirteen years he’s learned just how to get under her skin, and he enjoyed doing so.
“Bit feisty today aren’t yeh Y/n? playing hard to get I see.” The man folded his hands on top of his chest, completely relaxing into the comfortable furniture, making himself comfortable for the undetermined amount of time he’d be spending there irritating his childhood ‘friend’.
The difference between Harry and Y/n’s perspectives on their rather odd ‘relationship’, if you could really call it that is Harry never hated Y/n. In fact he was always quite fond of her, he enjoys her company even when he’s forcing it on her and using the shared time to annoy the ever loving shit out of her. He and the woman have always been competitive growing up. In sports, card games, classes, and now business and Y/n took things a lot more seriously then he did. she was always wound a bit tight, she gets it from her mother.
Harry and Y/n had an interesting past. They have a love-hate relationship, seeing as even through the perpetual animosity they’ve carried since they were kids they did have their good moments too. And though Y/n would never admit it, there’s a part of her that does actually care about him even if she loathes that part of her deeply. In their teens they were at each other throats a lot, but in between that they would occasionally have their good days where they would refrain from getting into screaming matches and instead would be able to tolerate being together. Y/n chooses to describe it as tolerating him since she’d never admit she sometimes enjoys his company.
Through their formative years whenever Y/n was throwing a party, she wouldn’t protest when her friends would invite Harry as well. Pretending like she didn’t know he was coming and didn’t want him there when she saw him in the crowd, yet he always had a feeling she was anticipating and secretly wanted him to make an appearance. When he’d plan some sort of adventure with their friends he’d do the same, always slightly relieved when she’d show up but he’d put on the irritating act as soon as he got the chance which ruined her mood, every time. and well, it would be a lie to say the two never found themselves hate fucking each other after one of their parties, drunk and pissed at each other only to pretend like it had never happened.
To Harry, the animosity mixed with a hidden sense of fondness and maybe even a hint of attraction.
The woman ignored his comment, chewing her food before taking a swig of the soda looking back at him with a rather unamused expression. “What do you want Harry? And who the hell even let you in here?” she continued eating and wrapping up her email while he formed his reply. “Told Morgan I’d bring it up to yeh, she’s got a bit of a crush on me so she handed it over without much convincing.” Yet another eyeroll from Y/n was delivered. “She’s like 19, don’t manipulate her into worming into my office just because she can’t see that you’re a much bigger prick then the one in your pants will ever be.”
“First of all, 19 is legal so if she wants to eye fuck me I’ll allow it. Second, don’t be rude. This is a professional setting, do you think it’s appropriate to talk about my genitals in the work place? Might have to report you.”
Y/n couldn’t help the small snort she let out at his antics. As much as he annoyed her, sometimes she did find him a bit humorous. “and for the record, I’m very happy with my package and I don’t appreciate that comment.” He pointed a finger at her, a fake angry look on his face. “Just as much as I don’t appreciate you intruding on what was supposed to be my down time to eat, we’re even shrimp dick.”
Harry gasped at the insult, squinting at her slightly. While Harry was skilled in pressing her buttons, she could do it the same. Making comments on his dick size, sex skills, business deals or things of that nature always got him riled up. That 12-year-old boy mentality rearing it’s ugly head any time she makes a comment about his dick being small. Childish he was, absolutely childish.
“Don’t get smart with me, I’ll whip it out right here to prove my point.” His eyebrow raised and she could see him chewing on his cheek in annoyance. She truly found it funny how peeved she could make a grown man by making fun of his penis. He was ridiculous.
“I’d prefer if you didn’t, I didn’t bring my mental scrub brush to work with me today.” When she had finished speaking the woman tossed her now empty salad box into the trash, taking another sip of her drink and finally sending off the painfully long email.
Harry decided it was time for him to head back to his own office, which was right across the street much to Y/n’s displeasure but of course he couldn’t leave without a final childish jab at the woman.
“Just remember, I’ve had you bouncing on my dick more than once. Don’t hold yourself so high and mighty dear, because we both know I’ll have you like that again.”
And with that a Harry with a cheeky smirk on his face left the office, leaving a slightly stunned Y/n in his wake.
(eek pt.1 lets see how this one goes.)
#harry styles angst#harry styles imagine#harry styles fanfiction#harry styles fanfic#harry styles writing#harry styles smut#harry styles series#CEO!harry#CEO!yn#harry styles concept#harry styles x yn#harry styles x reader
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Oh, can I please ask for one of your folklore prompts? “And I can go anywhere I want, anywhere I want/just not home” my tears ricochet For a young Tony, maybe? It doesn't have to have a pairing if you don't want to. :)
A house and a home are different. Tony did not know this until he was in college, much to his surprise.
A house is somewhere you live. A central place that you come back to in between visits to other people or places or countries or anything else. It is not personal. It is something you use until you no longer see the need or the desire. You can move to a lot of them.
A home lingers. A home is where you smile late at night over drinks. It is where crumbs reside from last night’s takeout, and you spend lazy Sundays.
(Tony also didn’t know what that was either.)
He’s lived in a lot of houses. He has a lot of houses. There’s the one in New York that is looming and lonely and probably would be his least favorite except it’s in New York, which earns it its redemption.
There is sunny Malibu with its beaches and great views. There are a few others.
None of them are homes. It’s just a place to rest for a couple of months or a year or until Howard decides it’s not enough.
He gets to MIT and gets a dorm room, same as everyone else. It is pitifully sad, he gets sun only in the mornings, and that sucks. He kind of hates it. He guesses that’s the college experience.
He also has a roommate. Jarvis had told him it’d be good for him, and Tony had had to talk Howard out of about twenty-seven different legal documents that basically said “if you ever breathe a word of anything to anyone, you’re being legally sued.”
James Rhodes. Literally studying to become a rocket scientist, has questionable taste in posters, and waves at Tony when they meet each other.
“Call me Jim.”
“...Jim. Are you eighty or something?”
It’s probably the wrong thing to say. It definitely is the wrong thing to say by Jarvis’ raised eyebrows and down-turned frown.
But James Rhodes takes it in stride.
“You can call me something else if you want, but it has to be good and I have to approve it. Can’t be my last name, can’t be Jimmy. Anything else is fair game.”
Different reaction. That’s...that’s weird.
So Tony shrugs, smiles as Jarvis leaves, and realizes that he’s alone and Howard doesn’t really have an influence--except he does, god he does--and Tony asks James Rhodes if he’d like to get pizza.
“You know anywhere with good pizza?”
“Wanna find out if Hemingway’s is any good?”
“It’s either going to be artisan hipster or the worst. Hell yes.”
It’s artisan hipster. It is bad, and James laughs as he tells a story and burns his tongue when he’s reenacting his mother is chewing him out, using his full name, and:
“Rhodey,” Tony gasps out.
“I told you that you couldn’t use my last name!”
“It’s technically not your last name, sugar plum,” Tony mocks, using one of his mother’s nicknames against him. “You are forever now Rhodey. Forever.”
-
From there, friendship progresses. Tony’s never actually had a real friend before, not that he tells Rhodey that. Besides, Rhodey probably knows. Tony just automatically assumes he’s paying for everything, and he’s not sure what to do with genuine affection for a couple of months.
He looks at Rhodey with such love and affection. He does, really. Rhodey has created a whole new world for him.
-
And then, the holidays.
Thanksgiving is Tony’s least-favorite-holiday for a variety of reasons. It’s all a fake kind of gathering. “Coming together to celebrate gratefulness” is the biggest goddamn crock of bullshit he’s ever cooked in his life, and for once his family isn’t doing a PR stunt, so his mother has announced that he’s welcome to be back home, but they won’t be there.
Howard is taking Jarvis with him on a trip to England to visit Aunt Peggy and probably talk shop about Cap and ice and stupid fucking theories about the degree of alive he’ll be when he’s found.
(When. What pretentious bullshit.)
Tony doesn’t want to be alone in the house, because that’d suck shit and MIT would be better. At least he could make shitty ramen and cry and only get a noise complaint instead of one of the cleaning staff members saying that he probably needed therapy.
“You are not staying in the dorms, what the fuck man,” Rhodey says. “You’re coming home with me.”
“Now darling, I thought you said we weren’t going to be forward about this whole thing,” he purrs, putting on an old Hollywood accent. “Are you finally coming up and seeing me?”
Rhodey rolls his eyes.
“I’ll be as forward as I want,” he decides, and Tony wishes he wouldn’t say things like that, because that seriously get’s a man’s heart rising. “Besides, I told you that you need to have my Aunt Kendra’s rolls, and that’s a promise. So, Thanksgiving is now with the Rhodes’ family.”
Tony doesn’t know if they know that he’s coming. He also doesn’t know the dress code, and Rhodey is absolutely no help.
“What do you mean by casual?” Tony squawks. “Is it business casual? Dressy casual? Jeans casual?”
“What do any of those mean?”
“Oh my god, I’m going to look like a failure at this shindig. Your mother will die over her cooking because I’ll pull out of the wrong wardrobe and be a fool. I’ll die, and you’ll have to bury me, and you won’t even know which outfit I’ll want. God, this is going to--”
Rhodey shuts him up, putting a hand over his mouth.
“Just wear your red turtleneck and your dark jeans or whatever. That looks nice.”
“You noticed?”
“You don’t give me as much credit as I deserve,” Rhodey grunts. “Early wake-up on Monday. I’ll supply coffee as long as you give me gas money.”
“I’ll give you anything for coffee. I’ll give you my hand in marriage for coffee.”
“Don’t tempt me,” Rhodey teases. “I might actually do that.”
God, I wish you would.
-
Rhodey’s house is a nice place, a wire fence bordering with a porch swing covered in a light dusting of snow, and swinging slightly with the wind that blows through the neighborhood.
There are quite a lot of cars parked in the driveway and in the street, and Tony can see at least six people inside the house, which is more family than he actually knows on either side.
It’s all warm and yellow, and Rhodey moves with an ease that Tony didn’t know happened outside of those cheesy family shows.
He throws open the door and there are shouts of joy and happiness and “Jimmy-boy!”
“I didn’t know Jimmy-boy was on the table,” Tony remarks dryly. “And here it’s been for months, Jimmy-boy.”
Rhodey groans.
“This is worse than Rhodey,” he mutters.
A woman who could only be his mother steps forward, grinning.
“Call me Mama, darling. And what’s this I hear about ‘Rhodey’?”
“He burnt his tongue on pizza while telling me about a time he got a well-deserved talking-to by your own graceful words, Mrs. Rhodes,” Tony says. He’s charming. Oh, he’s very charming.
She giggles.
“I said mama, but I can’t say I’ll mind too much when you talk like that. Jim, you should’ve had us meet earlier.”
“You see I would’ve, but I happen to value myself,” Rhodey says.
“You do?” a man says. Mr. Rhodes, tall and a smile that could put any of the fake veneers in Hollywood to shame. “Could’ve fooled me.”
Rhodey gets pulled into a hug, and he laughs, and Tony has the Distinct Memory that He’s Never Been Hugged by his Father.
Well, isn’t this a time to realize family inadequacies!
“Rhodey, light of my life, where am I setting up my suitcase?” Tony asks.
“Come on up with me. We’re sleeping in my room, hope that’s alright.”
It’s more than alright, and Tony smiles when he sees Rhodey’s room.
He loves it. It’s decorated with model airplanes hanging from the ceiling, a peeling Star Wars poster that has most definitely been needed to be thrown away for more than five years (but won’t be), and a few trophies from soccer.
Tony’s never had his own room decorated with anything but the current trends, his mother hand-picking his comforter and the decorations in his room. And they all say he’s so “fashionable” and “keeps an eye out for trends.”
(Ha.)
It’s odd for him to see a house look so...lived in.
“Welcome home,” Rhodey says. “I haven’t grabbed it yet, but I’ll use a sleeping bag and you can take the bed.”
Tony snorts.
“No way, honeybee. I’m not kicking you out of your own bed. We’ve shared a bed before, this is no different.”
"Only if you’re sure,” Rhodey says, smiling at him. “This is a bit different than both twin beds being crashed together because we wanted more space for the fridge.”
“This time we don’t have the fridge,” Tony quips as Rhodey laughs.
“Come on, let’s head downstairs. Mama’s probably gonna have us wash dishes or something. Maybe set up some more chairs.”
What actually happens is that their laundry machine has gone rebel-mode, and is currently trying it’s best to fling the door open and spew laundry everywhere.
“Shit,” Mr. Rhodes says, looking at it. “Another call to the repairman this month...”
“He won’t get here until a week after Thanksgiving,” Mama says, sighing. “How much do you mind your jeans freezing up a bit?”
He smiles a bit at his wife.
-
Tony’s never seen that. But he likes it.
-
“I can fix it,” he says. Family turns to him. This is all quite embarrassing. “I, uh, I’ve taken apart some washing machines before. I think I can figure it out, if you don’t mind me poking around.”
“I wouldn’t mind a bit,” Mama says. “Jimmy, I like this one.”
Rhodey rolls his eyes.
“I’ll go get the toolkit for you. Need anything?”
“Towels and you, honey-pie.”
“You get one out of two of those options.”
“You treat me like a vagrant,” Tony declares. Rhodey laughs as he heads to go get supplies.
-
The night goes on. People occasionally check in, and Rhodey assures them that it’s going well.
“Instruction manuals are such bullshit,” Tony says. “Half the time they’re written by someone who doesn’t even know how to do it themselves. The other half, no one uses them.”
“Well when you take over your company, write better instruction manuals,” Rhodey says. “Pass me a towel, things are about to get sudsy.”
Forty-five minutes later, the washing machine is probably doing better than it was even at production, and Tony gets a kiss on the cheek and cheers all around him.
“This calls for cookies,” Rhodey declares. “Tony, let’s go get some.”
They sit at the kitchen table, and Tony learns so much about Rhodey’s family. He sees him laugh and relax and tell the funniest stories about when he was little and got stuck in a tree.
-
It’s home. That’s how he finally understands it. Home where you keep on going long after, with people you love.
He doesn’t have one of those.
He thinks, maybe, that he could make a home of his own. Maybe he could have AC/DC posters lining a wall, or have the pictures of friends and vacation in the kitchen.
And Rhodey would be there. For now, he’s going to enjoy his hot chocolate and try to get more embarrassing stories about his best friend from his family.
#lovelyirony writes#rhodeytony#ironhusbands#the difference between a house and a home#mit era#rhodey#tony stark#jarvis#anyways yeah i don't think tony would actually know what a home looks like#he's Deficient
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To Marry a Vigilante: Part 8
MASTERLIST || First || Previous || Next
To Marry a Vigilante: Part 8
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About that… It turned out he was very wrong.
It was already past eight when the couple was awoken by the sound of an army trumpet. Immediately, both of them jumped up and took a battle stance, only to see Tim rolling on the floor laughing. Behind him, Jason was snickering and Cass had a bright smile on her face. Damian grabbed the closest item, which happened to be Marinette’s pocket mirror and tossed it at the group.
Tim and Jason ducked and Cass simply grabbed the mirror from the air, smirked, and checked herself over to make sure her face was still flawless.
“Tt. Did anyone invite you to this room?”
“Technically, Demon Spawn, only the replacement is inside.” Red Hood sassed him.
“Where did Drake even get an army trumpet?” Marinette didn’t even realize that she was channeling Damian. His brothers did though and started laughing even harder.
“Internet,” Cass explained before covering her mouth to stifle a giggle.
“Tt. It’s good to see you enjoying yourself, but kindly get the hell away from here.” Damian scoffed.
“Suuureee. I’m not leaving you alone…” Jason was about to reach for his wallet when a small, sharp object flew right past his head. A Batarang embedded itself into the wall.
“I explained it to you in the past Todd. I will draw blood if I need to when it comes to defending my wife’s honor.”
“Calm down, Demon Spawn.” The older brother dismissed him, but his hand was no longer close to his wallet. “We came to spare you the embarrassment of being found like that by Mrs. Cheng.”
Until now, Marinette was too focused on the prank to realize what exactly happened and turned beet red. She meeped and jumped under the covers, red. Damian sent a glare at his brothers (and sister) and rushed at them with his fist. They all quickly scrambled and he closed the doors.
“Tt. Pests.” He scoffed and turned to his beloved, who peaked from under the covers.
“They will never let us live it down…” She complained.
“We can always drop them off on some empty island when they’re asleep,” he offered with a hopeful look.
“But… won’t they wake up too soon?”
“The knock-out gas has more than one use, Angel.” He grinned.
“So… you want to start a prank war?” She asked with a slight smirk, embarrassment forgotten.
“No. I want to leave them on some empty island.”
“Damian!”
“Tt. Fine. Prank War. But you’re no fun.”
Damian left to let Marinette get changed and put on some new clothes himself. They soon met near the stairs and went to dinner.
Since today both Tim and Jason decided to come by, it was louder. The young couple had to suffer enough teasing to last them a lifetime. Damian promised horrible vengeance to both his brothers.
“Can I have your katana? I mean now that you’re settling down you won’t need it, right? Maybe for cutting the vegetables. Will you be the househusband?” Jason was slowly approaching the peak of what Damian could take. Right now only the fact that Marinette was holding his hand under the table and that they weren’t saying anything inappropriate yet stopped him from drawing blood.
“Ehm.” Bruce tried to interrupt the discussion and touch the matter that was actually important.
“Oh! Oh! I want the grappling hook! Mine never works that well!”
“If I tie you up with it and hang you from Wayne Tower, will you shut up?” He grumbled.
“Now, what kind of example will that be for…” Jason started, but then his gaze met Sabine’s and he froze. Suddenly, Hell seemed like a nice place to take vacations.
“Tt. I dare you to finish, Todd.” Damian smirked, knowing full-well why his brother hesitated.
“Um… I think I choose to live a little longer.”
“Smart boy.” Sabine praised him with a bright smile.
“Ehm.” Bruce tried to get everyone’s attention for the second time. This time, everyone looked at him curiously.
“Tomorrow the class will be visiting Wayne Tower. I would ask all of you to be on your best behavior and either not reveal who you are or what your relation to Damian is.” He started.
“Did you finally disown him!?” Jason cheered.
“No. But if the french class learns that Damian is dating someone, the news will be all over the internet within five minutes and we won’t be able to stop it on time.”
“Stop them with legal means you mean?”
“I know what I said. The class is accompanied by an A.I. advanced enough to be vulnerable to possession that is normally reserved to humans. I don’t know what else they have in terms of technology”
“So we get to treat Damian and Nettie as strangers the whole day?”
“No. It would be best if you just avoided the class, but I know it’s too much to ask.”
“Oh! I don’t think it would actually be that hard.” Sabine smiled brightly at the two boys. “After all, they are good boys who don’t want to needlessly make my trip harder, right?” Even though she was smiling, there was this dangerous edge in her voice.
“Maman. Have you thought about taking tomorrow off? I know how hard dealing with the class is.” Her daughter asked worriedly. Sabine was acting angrier and angrier each time she saw them.
“I’m sorry sweetie. Dealing with that group is indeed tiring. And Caline is beyond useless.”
“It’s a wonder she is even a teacher,” Jason grumbled.
“She is a good teacher when it comes to her subject, but she just can’t deal with kids…” Marinette said before stopping herself.
“So she is an awful teacher.” Her father commented. “Teaching at school is more than just helping someone learn, Cupcake.”
“Listen. Tomorrow is the last day before the Gala on Friday. I really want us to have some control over how and what the press learns.”
“So… they don’t hear that Demon Spawn got hitched?”
“That stays strictly in the family. God knows it would make our life even more complicated if we had to somehow explain that mess. We’re almost done with the paperwork to make it binding.”
“I still think we could just ignore it.” Jason tried to push again. Back when Damian was in Paris, each of his attempts was rejected.
“Tt. While I do not need any formal documents, it will make sure that if needed the proper paperwork exists and there is no need to forge it.”
“It’s a pointless risk though. Personally, I don’t care for the tabloid dramas that much…”
“You caused a fair share of them,” Tim mumbled.
“...But I wouldn’t want them,” he nodded toward Tom and Sabine, “to suddenly find themselves swarmed with journalists.”
“Can’t they just wait two years?” The baker asked, scratching the back of his head.
“We don’t know how the League will act. We are married so I don’t see any reason not to just have it out of the way. Once we’re adults, we will simply make a public ceremony to give those vultures something to choke on.” Damian said in an emotionless voice. By now Marinette learned that the more he was feeling at the moment, the more passive he tried to appear.
“We can discuss this later on. For now, I want you two to promise that you won’t intentionally reveal Damian.”
“And employees?”
“They won’t be a problem. The ones we must interact with received their instructions already and others will simply avoid me as usual.”
“I’ll volunteer to serve as the guide and replacement as chaperone,” Jason said suddenly.
“That’s sweet of you, but I can do it. It’s only until Monday anyway. Then, the class will be Gotham Academy’s problem.” Sabine dismissed him.
“But you and her,” Selina pointed at Marinette, “are coming with me and Stephanie for a spa day. We must look the part at the Gala after all.”
“You won’t hear me protesting.” The tired woman nodded. Cass looked curious between the two of them but didn’t speak anything. It didn’t escape Sabine’s notice.
“Of course you can come too, Cassandra. That was never under question.”
“Thank you.” The girl nodded.
“And don’t forget me!” Chloé reminded everyone that she was still there, even though she opted to for once stay out of the discussion that was not about her. But just this once.
-------------
“Is it time?”
“Not yet.”
“But there are so many potential targets just waiting.”
“It’s just an illusion. You must wait until something stands out from the crowd.”
“But I want it now!”
“Don’t act like a spoiled brat. God knows I’ve seen my share of them to last me a lifetime.”
“Soon. Soon we will all get what we wanted.”
“Indeed.”
“Tomorrow?”
“Maybe, maybe not. If the plan is to succeed, we need to get their attention. Robin was not seen since Hawkmoth’s Fall.”
“It doesn’t matter. They will come. They’ll need to.”
“And if not? If the Justice League comes instead?”
“None of them can purify the Akuma. If they come… You know how Stoneheart ended.”
“Good.”
“So now we just wait.”
“It is boring.”
“We could always…”
“No. I prefer to be bored.”
-----------
When the class arrived at Wayne Enterprises, they were greeted by Jason dressed in a semi-formal suit. He looked somewhat professional. If he wasn’t carrying a large plushy centipede that is.
“Um… Are you supposed to be our guide?”
“Oh! No. Not possible. I was supposed to lead a group of six-years-old.” He smirked.
Damian scowled deeply. He didn’t like to be pranked like that. Then, he noted a Bluetooth headset in Jason’s left ear. Smirking, he pulled a small device from his inner pocket and directed it at him. Seeing Marinette’s questioning gaze, he smirked and activated the tool.
Jason was in the middle of arguing with Madame Bustier when he suddenly jumped and tossed the headset on the ground.
“Fuck!” He cursed loud enough to get the attention of other employees.
“Please refrain from using such language near kids!” Sabine chastised him. She took perhaps more pleasure in it than she should’ve.
“Ugh. Sorry. My headset short-circuited.”
“I see.” The older woman smirked. “And what about the class trip?”
“Right… Wait just a second.” He quickly ran to the nearby janitor’s closet and put away the centipede, instead coming back with a large bat plushy. “Okay. Listen up. You’re to follow the bat. Where the bat goes, you go. If the Bat isn’t there, you don’t go there. Simple enough?”
A chorus of “Yessir” gave him some hope. Sabine, Damian, and Marinette gave him a detailed overview of the class and exactly what he should expect. And he was not impressed. Teenagers were stupid, reckless, and malleable, but they had to be idiots.
Half-way across the trip his hope was dead and buried next to his fake body.
The Lila brat continued to make subtle suggestions that she knew it all and already received a similar trip. The fact she never said anything that could make her vulnerable to a lawsuit or even have her as the reason for being kicked was mildly impressive but highly annoying. She just made some suggestions that the class later overinterpreted.
Damian and Marinette stayed at the very end of the group. He gave her a ‘premium’ trip with much more juicy details than what Jason told. Chloé listened too, but she was more focused on texting with someone. The skater girl stayed close, but not too close. Looks like the best parting gift for the class would be a set of iron spines. They definitely need some.
Finally, they arrived near a conference room where they would eat lunch, not to disturb the employees at the cafeteria.
“Listen up. You’ll get the lunch brought in shortly. Remember what I said at the very beginning?”
“It rhymed with ‘duck’,” Damian smirked.
“Not that, brat. You should forget that one entirely.” He glared at his brother (not that anyone knew that).
“Tt. Shut up.”
“Damian! Don’t be rude to our guide.” Caline reacted.
“Yeah! Mr. Wayne was so nice to offer this trip to Lila and us.”
“Funny you need to put her sepa…” The angry boy started, but Marinette grabbed his hand and squeezed. Strong.
“Whatever. The Bat stays in this room. Just so you get it into your one collective brain cell, that means you don’t leave this room until I’m back. Touch the bat and it explodes.” He warned before putting it on the doorframe and leaving.
Damian and Marinette stayed in the back, talking in hushed voices about their plans for the Gala. To make sure nobody got the wind of it, they used Mandarin. Chloé listened too, but she was still on the phone.
“Come on! You must introduce me, Lila!” Alya pleaded with the girl.
“I want to. I really do. But Bruce Wayne is a busy man. Besides, we must stay with the bat.”
“That trashy toy? Why do you need to listen to him? He is just an employee.” Alya complained. To prove her point, she grabbed the bat from the top of the doorframe. There was a sudden screeching sound and she instinctively handed it to Lila who threw the plushy away… right at Damian and Marinette.
When it landed in front of the pair, their eyes widened.
An explosion of yellow and black paint engulfed them. Momentarily they were both covered head to toes in paint while standing in a large Batman symbol.
Everyone but Chloe (who was also partially caught in the explosion) and Sabine (who glared daggers at Alya) laughed. Caline tried to hold it together, but a small giggle escaped her.
It was three minutes later that Jason came in with two more guards. He took a look at the room and zeroed on the painted couple.
“I gave you brats a simple order. I even warned you that the bat can explode.”
“It was Marinette!” Several people immediately pointed at the girl.
“Marinette?” Jason chuckled. “Don’t make me laugh. It’s obvious someone threw the Bat at her.”
“And how do you know it?” Lila tried to argue.
“Simple. She wouldn’t be able to grab the bat and cover that distance with it to end up sitting on the chair while it was in front of her before it exploded. Shadows in paint tell me everything.” Jason explained. You don’t live with the world’s greatest detective without picking some skills.
“Now I’m sure we can just dismiss it as an accident and…”
“Sorry, missy, but I’m under strict orders from B, right now. The party responsible for that is to be removed from the premise.” He spoke strictly professional, but to Marinette and Damian, it was clear he was enjoying it too much.
“But… But…” Madame bustier tried still to say something, but nothing came to her mind that could solve this.
“If the guilty confesses, the rest can stay. But I can’t legally send away a minor without a guardian’s supervision.”
“Tt. Lila and Alya were the ones that messed up.” Damian had a vindictive smirk on his face.
“Liar!” The liar shouted.
“That can easily be checked. Show your hands.”
“What does it have to…” She started, but Jason simply shined a violet-light flashlight at them and revealed they had some invisible dust at them.
“Someone will have to go with them.” He looked at the two guardians on the trip.
“I’ll go. I think girls need a lecture on appropriate behavior.” Sabine’s grin was borderline feral.
“Sab… Madame Cheng. I think it would be best if you stay with the group while I talk with the pair.” Caline tried to defuse the situation.
“Nonsense. You should enjoy the trip. I’ll take care of them for the day.” Yup. Her grin was definitely feral. It was like a cat just got handed a crippled bird, but at the same time, it was friendly and inviting.
“But… I think you should stay with Marinette! For at least the last few days until the next part of the exchange starts.” It was clear that the teacher disagreed with the idea of Sabine going with the girls.
“Oh! Don’t worry. I’m not leaving Gotham any time soon. I want to get to know my niece better and Tom got a great business offer.”
“Indeed.” The teacher did her best to keep a smile on her face. “Still, I’ll go with the girls and you stay with the class.” She said, resigned and started leaving, completely ignoring the discussion they just had.
“Caline.” Sabine’s face turned emotionless. “Remember that you are supposed to be giving them a good example.”
She received no answer.
---------
Without the two main problems and the enabler, the rest of the trip passed mostly peacefully. Marinette enjoyed seeing the various departments, even though many of them seemed boring. During the remainder of the break, she and Damian changed into the spare clothes she had prepared. Tim brought them to work with him when he left earlier and had them waiting at the reception.
When they were done, Sabine escorted the class to the hotel before coming back to the manor. Marinette was already locked in her room, giving the designs a final touch. Exhausted, the woman fell asleep on the couch in the library, only to wake in Tom’s embrace. She really loved her husband and would never replace him for anything.
The spa day went well. Marinette, when separate from Damian and his brothers, found herself the sole receiver of all the good-natured teasing. It was the first time she really participated in something like that, but she liked it. Mostly because of the company, not because of activities, but it was still nice to for once let herself be pampered. Her usually dark-blue hair was now a brighter shade, making the blue actually visible. It wasn’t anything close to Luka, but the metallic highlight gave her a bit more forward look.
The Gala was closing in and it was high time to get ready to rock.
---------
Masterlist // Next
#maribat#maribat au#marinette dupain cheng#maridami#guardian!marinette#marinette x damian#miraculous sabine#Superhero!Sabine#Assassin!Sabine#sabine cheng#Alya!Bashing#Damian Wayne#Damian al Ghul#damienette#arranged marriage AU#batman#BatFam#miraculous#miraculous ladybug#miraculous lb#MLB#mlb x dc
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paperwork.
Summary: Alex gets around to something she’s put off for too long.
Trigger warnings: None!
Author notes: Happy mother’s day to all my UK moots!
“And this... is the main reason I didn’t get around to this for so long.” The girl’s prosthetic hand rests upon the wad of papers present in front of her - brass-tipped fingers placing her pen down to shift the forms aside, sheet by sheet.
“So.” Flip. “Much.” Flip. “Paperwork.”
The sigh that escapes her sounds dangerously close to completely demoralised defeat; the world of legal matters was not only completely and utterly boring to her, but the amount of small boxes, scattered text... it was far too difficult for her to focus on alone. Just looking at the form seemed to confuse the poor girl - if not because she understood how serious the change was, then simply because of how... uncomfortably uniform these documents were.
She never would have seen herself even making an attempt at it, if it were just her - if there wasn’t still one person in her life who knew her almost as well as she knew herself. Whose voice could still bring a little clarity and focus to her addled mind.
Whose hand would find its way to her shoulder, resting upon it as if it had always belonged there, brushing away those curly golden locks so alike her own. Her free hand, then, would gather up the papers again, already with a few pen marks on them - putting just one sheet in front of her, and tucking the rest away with a smile.
“It’s like eating an elephant, dear.”, hummed Janella. “I know you get too overwhelmed when you try to do everything in one go - let’s go through it bit by bit. Now, then... this first sheet is the most important part, dear.
Your new name. What do you want it to be?”
She hesitates to give a direct response to her mother; all her life, she’s known herself as the same person. Alexandra. And so would her prosthetic hand pick up the pen again and put down exactly that. The gesture warranted a furrow of the brow from her mother; but nothing more than that.
“The same name?”, she asked, a chuckle slipping past her lips. “I’m surprised, dear, you’ve put so much thought into the person you want to be…”
“I know who I am, mom. I’m Alex. Well... Alexandra, not Aleksander, now. And-... well, I- I guess there’s a couple of other things, too.”
“Such as?”
“My middle name, for a start.”
The nod that Janella gives her in turn is slow, one of absolute understanding.
“Eitan, or Ethan… the name your father wanted for you when you were born-”
“I- I don’t need to be reminded-”, Alex snaps - sucking in a deep breath, eyes cringing shut as she pushes the anger back down again. Unfazed as Janella seemed to be, she loathed how easy it was for that name to fill her with such rage. “Sorry, mom, I- I- just... yeah. That’s-... why I wanna get rid of it.”
“Well. I can’t say I blame you, darling,”, she sighed.
“Your father was an awful man, there’s no denying that. Even years later, I’m still ashamed to have called that apathetic, selfish shell of a man my husband.”
“Wh- what about the dude you left him for, my stepdad?”, asked Alex, with a tilt of her head. “I mean… he- he never sounded like he was that much better, right?”
“... well, yes, but at least he actually tried to care, dear.” Clearly, that alone was enough for her to stay married to him for 17 years of her life; enough for her to raise a kid with him, even! Alex simply pursed her lips, a small hum serving as a subtle ‘touché’ to her mother’s retort.
“But, I’ve told you those stories, haven’t I? So… what were you thinking of instead? Or, you can always get rid of it entirely, I suppose.”
“No, I-... I had an idea. It’s silly, but…” She breathes in again; she’s learned well enough not to be embarrassed around her mother. Besides her therapist, she’s probably the one woman she’s shared the most with.
“My first name… I- I kinda wanted to change it to Alyssa. But-... I feel like that’s better as my middle name, y’know? And-...”
She hesitates again, pen hovering after the name ‘Alyssa’, as if paralyzed by some unknown force. Her eyes close, rendering her unable to see her mother’s glance of curiosity, but only for the moment it takes to make up her mind. Her pen slides slowly, apologetically across the paper again, the ink curling and swerving into a new word.
Gale.
It’s not a name the two of them feel any need to share words over. Her mother was one of the first other people who Alex opened up to about the impact that girl had on her, after all - and the legacy of a lost love is not something she’s about to dispute. Though, she must miss her an awful lot for her to want so badly to do such a thing - then again, who was she to say anything about that?
“You know,” Janella hums. “I think you’re having the same thoughts I did when I decided to keep your stepfather’s name. That, deep down, perhaps… there was still a good person where he was. At the very least, there was a person we missed.”
“Yeah… I do miss her. Every day, y- you know that. But… I- I guess I just wanna carry her with me a little more. Like I do with Nancy.”
“Won’t argue with you there, darling. Whatever your heart desires. Speaking of which… will that be your last name?”
And, at last, they come to the final hurdle - yet, for as much as she anticipates that Janella would ask, and for as good of an answer as she has, she just… can’t seem to get the words out. She stalls - breath slowly and sharply seething in through her nostrils as she gathers the will to say those words she’s mentally rehearsed over and over again. While the papers were printing, while her mom’s car was pulling up to the parking lot, all the while the Earl Grey she was enjoying was steeping… and finally, she spoke, her quaking voice barely audible enough to register.
“I want… your name. Y- your… your last name, I mean.
I wanna be a Cloutier. No-... an Iskra Cloutier.”
Janella falls silent then, for a good moment - her teacup slowly finding its way back to the fine saucer it rested on. She seemed more confused than touched by the gesture, as it was - but, there was still a glint of understanding behind her eyes.
“I see… but, darling, you could choose anything you want. You don’t need to take on my name, I should hardly think I’m a huge part of your whole transformation.
Please, don’t think as if you need to limit yourself - you can call yourself whatever you want. You know far better than me, you can be whatever you want to be.”
“I know who I want to be,” Alex said, the conviction behind her words forcing her head up to meet the hazel eyes of her mother. “For so long, I-... I’ve had this path in my life, ever since you’ve come back into it. When I woke up, and- and saw you there, and- and heard your voice, and… and when I was able to just talk to you after everything with dad was said and done, I-... for the first time in my life, I felt like I knew what I was doing. What I wanted to do!
And… it’s taken me this long, but… now I can finally be the person I really want to be. Who I’ve wanted to be from the beginning.”
Words hang in the air for a moment, a tear refracting the light peering into the flaming cognac of her eyes as she makes her declaration.
“Your daughter.”
And in that moment, it feels as though Janella’s very soul had a new light beaming through it. Motherly tears are a thing she knows only in grief; leaving behind a son she loved, two children of her own, even, to circumstances she couldn’t do anything to control. Yet, as she pauses to let the words of the girl next to her repeat themselves in her mind, she can’t help a tear falling from her eye. With those two words, this had become just as significant for Janella as it ever could be for Alex.
To be a family. A family of two - but one more closely knit than any other she could have made.
And her smile lights the world up again.
And her embrace reminds the girl of how precious she always will be.
And the way she speaks so softly through her tears, squealing as she whispers to her,
“My darling girl…”
... completes her.
She lets go after a time - though the warmth from the way they held each other fails to leave either of them. The lingering hesitation that Alex feels as the pen hovers above the paper is alleviated with a permitting nod from Janella. And so, triumphantly, her pen lowers to paper again - and then, to the surface of the desk, at least for the moment - and her new name is in full view of the two of them, in the best print she could manage.
Alexandra Alyssa Gale Iskra Cloutier.
“Well,” Alex hums, dry voice creaking just a little. “That’s one page out of the way already.”
“Ah, it was the hardest one, really.”, Janella is quick to reassure. “The rest is all declarations, me being a witness, things like that. We can do that, though, can’t we? Together.”
Together.
She can’t see herself being happier than she already is - though, in the minutes that pass as they chat away through the paperwork that once was so daunting breezed past them like nothing, she felt more elated than she could imagine.
She knew only that she had a path to go down since her awakening by her mother’s side, and finally, finally she felt like they were walking that path, hand-in-hand.
She had always been free to do what she wanted - and all she wanted in the moment of triumph as they slipped the papers into an envelope to be sent off was to fling her arms around her mother. To hold her as close as the day they reunited - for now they were properly family.
“I bet you’re proud of yourself for getting through this, surely?”
“Mm-hmm…”, is all the response Alex could muster - until the few seconds where time stood still around them, the warmth of her motherly embrace enveloped her and quelled the excitement that still rocked through her, when she finally looks up, speaks properly; says that one thing she knew she says too much, yet not enough - yet this time, with heart.
“... I love you, Mom.”
#[ᴘʀᴏɢʀᴀᴍᴍᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴡᴏʀᴋ ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴏᴛ ᴛᴏ ғᴇᴇʟ] IC#drabbles;;#Character development;;#Guest Muse;; Janella#{ AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA HERE IT IS }#{ DROPPIN A MAJOR DEVELOPMENT ON MOTHERS DAY }#{ this will be canon iiiiin whenever I feel like it today }#{ I know the actual process takes WAY longer }#{ but in the interest of time I'm making it effective immediately }
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Foxhole Court chapter 1
Click to see the rest of the snark & image descriptions.
Chapter 1
Neil Josten let his cigarette burn to the filter without taking a drag. He didn't want the nicotine; he wanted the acrid smoke that reminded him of his mother.
And we're starting off on such a good note.
If he inhaled slowly enough, he could almost taste the ghost of gasoline and fire.
I admit that I don't know much about cigarettes, but I'm like 90% certain that they don't put gasoline into them.
"I didn't see your parents at the game," Hernandez said.
"They're out of town," Neil said.
"Still or again?"
Neither, but Neil wouldn't say that. He knew his teachers and coach were tired of hearing the same excuse any time they asked after his parents, but it was as easy a lie as it was overused. It explained why no one would ever see the Jostens around town and why Neil had a predilection for sleeping on school grounds.
It wasn't that he didn't have a place to live. It was more that his living situation wasn't legal. Millport was a dying town, which meant there were dozens of houses on the market that would never sell. He'd appropriated one last summer in a quiet neighborhood populated mostly by senior citizens. His neighbors rarely left the comfort of their couches and daily soaps, but every time he came and went he risked getting spotted. If people realized he was squatting they'd start asking difficult questions. It was usually easier to break into the locker room and sleep there.
Literally not one single person in this town asked themselves “Hey, where did this child come from? Where are his parents?”
I find it more than a little difficult to believe.
Especially that not one single person with the school's administration wanted to see so much of a parent/guardian signature on SOMETHING.
Exy was a bastard sport, an evolved sort of lacrosse on a soccer-sized court with the violence of ice hockey...
How to get away with writing about sports when you know nothing about sports.
Millport boasted fewer than nine hundred residents. This was a place where everyone knew everyone's business.
LITERALLY NOT ONE SINGLE PERSON ASKED “WHERE THE FUCK IS THIS CHILD'S PARENTS”?!
It didn't matter how much he liked being Neil Josten. […] Twenty-two names stood between him and the truth...
Are you telling me that his name isn't even Neil Josten? HOW THE FUCKITY FUCK DID HE EVEN GET ENROLLED IN SCHOOL WITHOUT ANY SORT OF LEGAL DOCUMENTS AND PARENT/GUARDIAN SIGNATURES?!
Prison couldn't stop his father for long, and Neil wouldn't survive a rematch with him.
Victim protection services? LOL WHAT IS THAT?! (I say of a book that's already not understanding how even public schools need legal documents to enroll a student.)
"I already gave you my answer. I won't sign with you."
"You didn't listen to my whole offer," Wymack said. "If I paid to fly three people out here to see you the least you could do is give me five minutes, don't you think?"
So this is how they recruit for Exy players? By scoping out people that Neil says come from “broken homes”, and then lying in wait to ambush people who dare to say no?
If Neil wanted nothing to do with this before, he sure as fuck isn't going to join after having been beaten up just now.
"Coach already answered that question," Kevin said, a tad impatiently. "We are waiting for you to sign the contract. Stop wasting our time."
Neil already said no. Multiple times. And tried to leave.
So at this point, it's honestly their own damned fault over time wasted.
"Let's try that again. The reason I'm asking is because Coach Hernandez guesses you spend several nights a week here. He thinks there's something going on since you won't change out with the others or let anyone meet your parents. That's why he nominated you to me; he thinks you fit the line. You know what that means, right? You know the people I look for.”
I've seen enough Law & Order: SVU to the point where my mind is screaming this at me: GROWN-ASS MEN DON'T HARASS YOUNG, VULNERABLE BOYS FROM BROKEN HOMES TO JOIN THEIR COLLEGE SPORTS TEAM UNTIL THEY GIVE UP AND SIGN.
This man sounds like a groomer, but okay.
"Andrew's lot stays in town for summer break," Wymack said. "They crash with Abby, our team nurse. Her place is full, but you could stay with me until the dorm opens in June. My apartment's not made for two people but I've got a couch that's a little softer than a rock.”
[image description: a black and white screenshot from the original Lost in Space series. A 1960's robot is saying “DANGER WILL ROBINSON!” while Will Robinson looks at the robot.]
“Did you think I made the team the way it is because I thought it would be a good publicity stunt? It's about second chances, Neil. Second, third, fourth, whatever, as long as you get at least one more than what anyone else wanted to give you."
I'm all for giving people second chances. Especially children, who might not have known any better.
But the problem is that this guy is 100% refusing to accept Neil's decision. And he's honestly giving me these really strong “I groom people from vulnerable situations so that I can molest them and they won't say no” vibes.
He left the stadium and the Foxes and their too-good promises behind him, but the unsigned contract in his bag felt like an anchor around his neck.
Chapter 1 summary: Meet Neil, a rough boy who literally lives at the school because he's an orphan with his father in prison for having murdered somebody. He lied about every single thing about himself in order to get into a public high school, including his name.
Despite his now-dead mother's advice to keep his head down and not to play the fictitious sport of “exy”, Neil couldn't help himself and ended up playing at this school. But he was so good at it that the coach sent a video of Neil playing to the coach of a college team. The titular “Foxes”.
As I said in my earlier commentary, but the coach has an extreme hard-sell tactic, including having two members of his team waiting for Neil in the locker room to beat him up if he didn't say yes. The third member of the team is somebody that Neil knows personally... from before his father went nuts. He has memories of watching Kevin as Neil's dad apparently went nuts at a sportsball game when they were in little league and murdered somebody. Kevin is mainly the reason why Neil is saying no, but another big part of it is because college is more watched than high school, and he doesn't want his father to find him.
The coach eventually leaves the contract with Neil. Neil is sick in the toilet, and wants nothing more than to tear up the contract and slip away into another identity.
#All For The Game#Foxhole Court#Chapter 01#Neil Josten#can we not#What Is Happening#do you even know how the world works?#HEADDESKING#shitty people are shitty#I've seen enough Law & Order...#danger will robinson
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